Tapas...NOT Topless!

This blog has been slow in the making , but here goes finally!

Thursday, April 30Th was my birthday...we will not discuss my age, and I think I will stop aging now.

The first 6 hours of my day was spent in the car, as the passenger from Phoenix to San Diego. Carlsbad California to be exact, my guy and I arrived at, as you know our Favorite Starwood Hotel, the Sheraton located directly next Lego Land...Never been to Lego Land and since I have no children...no desire to go.

On check in Guest Service Representative Kira Kahn welcomed us and for my birthday bumped us up to the concierge level. So Of course we started the evening with free wine and appetizers on the lawn, relaxing in the Adirondack chairs. While the wine was not the best, it was definitely the best price! Thanks Kira!

Chef Reed Anderson, I am told is the man in charge of creating the fabulous Tapas at the Sheraton Carlsbad. The ingredients for Tapas night come to the chef every week via the local farmers, so the menu changes according what is fresh and in season, and it shows! Every Thursday at Twenty/20 Grill &Wine Bar is Tapas night from 5pm to 8pm and it is big!

Unlike the food, which as Tapas means...small food, my interpretation. The always friendly staff serve up a variety of cooked to order Tapas, special wines for $5 a glass and there is live music.

The chefs prepare all the Tapas right out on the Patio on Portable grills and Flat tops. This adds to the great ambiance the smell of great food cooking, the cool ocean breezes and the relaxing live music...perfect! The large patio has a great view of the ocean, yes there is a parking lot and about 2 miles between us and the actual beach.

There are lots of romantically lit tables a double sided fire place, and relaxing couches. Tall out door heaters are scattered about, and in theory keep the area comfortable year round. being southern California it can get a bit chilly when the sun sets.

The heater situation was a funny one, I say this after a couple glasses of wine mind you...there seemed to be a shortage of full propane tanks, and the management spent all night juggling large heaters trying to find ones that worked...Our table seemed to be the place heaters go to die. A heater would be all fired up and heating those around it until they moved it to our table! Then poof! it was dead. we killed at least three heaters before we found a good sturdy one! No worries though, there was plenty of wine and laughter to keep us from freezing. My darling sister (barefoot mommy) and her husband joined me and my guy for this fun occasion. Good company, great wine and even better food will go a long way to make you feel warm in any situation!

The Menu is pretty simple with price sections of $1 - $6. Each price section had one or two delicious options. Having experienced Tapas Night on a previous occasion I was looking forward to sharing the experience with family. Our server first brought out a bowl of popcorn as a snack with black sea salt sprinkled on it, and offered wine. The special wines of the night were a variety of Malbec and a Tempranillo...unfortunately I had, had a couple glasses of wine prior to dinner (free club level wine...)and forgot to get the names of these wines....Bad Wino! Lets just focus on the food for now...

Our server left us alone with the menu to make our selections. Let me just state our reservation was for 7 pm... This only gave us an hour to eat Tapas! Our waiter (and my guy) didn't seem to feel the urgency in this as much as I did. About 20 minutes after seven when he arrived to take our order I felt this could be my last chance to place an order ( I know, ye of little faith!). So being the food fan I am I ordered one of everything except a salmon dish...and the shrimp cocktail...not a fan of sea food. The waiter, looked at me like I was crazy, and might have even asked "are you sure? you know you can order more later, just as long as its before 8pm". by now it was already 7:30 and I was taking no risks! Everyone else went with about 3 selections...optimists!

These are some selections I made; Bruchetta which was actually just a toasted slice of baguette with olive oil and balsamic, tasty and simple.

Grilled pear tomatoes in olive oil sprinkled with feta cheese. The mini Chili Relleno, sweet little yellow peppers grilled and stuffed with creamy goat cheese, yummy and adorable!



Then there was the chicken taco...with ham, avocado and a sour cream sauce and I believe Panela cheese.

Hummus on a small pita, simple yet delicious. Being a lover of all things beef I also got the fillet with the sauteed mushrooms and a sharp English cheese, this was the best! Next time I am getting two of those!

I can not remember the exact name for the next one...I think it was Mongolian Beef BBQ. There were strips of beef in a sweet and tangy sauce sprinkled with sesame seeds, and served on top of watermelon and a side of cucumber slices.

This evening was absolutely wonderful, we laughed we ate really good food. Yes we may have been a bit cold, but it did not slow down the fun! Thank you Barefoot Mommy for the great company, and thank you Chef Reed for all the wonderful flavors!

This is definitely a 5 sister rating every time!

Sheraton Carlsbad the experience!

For those who know me well, it comes as no surprised that I have a favorite hotel. I LOVE hotels, maybe its the shiny clean bathroom and bedrooms or the fact that I can get food and beverage at anytime and not have to clean up after any of it. OR maybe the relaxing by a pool and hot tub with a beverage of choice. And don't forget the Spa!

My favorite Hotel is the Sheraton Carlsbad Located between San Diego and Los Angeles and only a couple miles from some of the most relaxing beaches. If you have small children, this hotel is located next door to Lego Land. I am told by many of the small people staying at the hotel with their parents that Lego Land is tons of fun! I will take their word for it...

When you first arrive at the Hotel you drive up a long drive to the top of a hill from which you can see the Ocean! The Lobby is high ceilings, glass doors and windows letting in the southern California sun and letting you enjoy the view. Out the front doors and windows is the ocean view, out the back is the pool and a central outdoor courtyard with scattered couches, comfy chairs and umbrellas. The business center is to the left when you walk in and has everything you could possibly need to work, cruise the Internet, or check up on your favorite blog spot...

My guy and I have been coming to this hotel since it first opened about two years ago. Every time we are greeted by the friendly Guest services employees, our favorite is Kira Kahn who has been there for us every time! Kira is always friendly and efficient, when we first met Kira she was newly pregnant and now has an adorable little boy! It feels like family now.

Surprising I know, my guy and I have spent some time at the Twenty/20 Grill and Wine Bar. There we have met many of the friendly staff. Robert the bartender on Sundays always remember us and entertains us with beach stories, tips and is also the one who turned us on to the local favorite breakfast spot Pipes (we will get to that!). On other days you can find the shiny bald headed Jason behind the bar helping you chose the best glass of wine for any occasion. Yes Mac and cheese like this is an occasion! Twenty/20 Wine Bar serves 30 wines by the glass and offers more than 100 selections by the bottle. Jason makes us feel like regulars, in a good way!

All the bartenders and servers have been friendly and full of personality. No matter if you are staying alone here for business or here with your family to visit Lego Land, or like me just getting out of the heat of Phoenix the employees make you feel comfortable and at home. The menu features new vineyard cuisine, native ingredients infused with new modern recipes created by the team of Chefs.

Chef Steven Patrick - Executive Chef is in charge of all things culinary in this hotel and has a passion for fresh, natural ingredients and products provided by local farmers and purveyors such as Valdivia Farms, Brandt Beef, and Carlsbad Aqua Farms.

Reed Anderson - Executive Sous Chef is a member of the Slow Food movement, an organization dedicated to protecting the heritage of food, tradition and culture by opposing food processes that are harmful to humans, animals or the environment. Chef Anderson can be seen preparing delicious Tapas on the patio every Thursday night.

For breakfast one morning, guess what I had?! You got it Huevos Ranchero! Very Very good!



The pool area is well planned and spacious, the first couple of visits we thought " wow there are a lot of chairs....and pretty much just us". Good thing for the hotel the pool has started to get busy, lots of kids having fun and parents relaxing. There is also a very large hot tub, that helps to soothe Lego Land weary parents. Pool towels are always fully stocked and they even provide swimming diapers for their tiny guests.

The fitness center overlooks the pool area. I have visited often...in order to keep eating and drinking one must balance it out... The view of the pool from the treadmill is a combination of relaxing, and like the carrot at the end of a stick. personally I love that all the treadmills and elliptical machines have TVs and they provide earphones. My favorite is the food Channel or the travel Channel while working out. The Fitness Center is always clean and one of the largest with a wide selection of equipment.

Next to the Fitness center, conveniently is the Ocean Pearl Spa. The Spa is a relaxing and always enjoyable place. Do not ask my guy about the spa...he does not understand the two hundred dollar facial... We all know that Hotel Spas are not known to be cost effective, they are fun though!

The rooms at the Sheraton are large and comfortable. Half the rooms have a view of the golf course next door and or the pool. The west side of the Hotel faces the ocean of course! If you can get one of the west facing rooms on the 3rd floor, do it! lovely! The one thing I am confused about is the Sheraton Robes...how is it determined which rooms get one? Randomly our rooms have had one...Kira? Is there a rhyme or reason? I am not complaining, just curious.

My favorite part of the day in this place is sunset. There is a beautiful grassy area on the front side of hotel with white Adirondack chairs that make the perfect place to enjoy some very good wine and watch the sun sink below the oceans horizon. If you are lucky and the conditions are just right you might even catch the green flash!

Green Flashes and green rays are optical phenomena that occur shortly after sunset or before sunrise, when a green spot is visible for a short period of time above the sun, or a green ray shoots up from the sunset point.

This Hotel wins a 5 sister rating!