The Skinny on Steakhouses...

I'm first and foremost a carnivore. Love a great steak and never skip the opportunity to sample one. But, even the main stay 'big portion' upscale chains that I adore most are finally hearing our cry for something lighter. That includes their bar offerings. Tonight, I took several members of my staff to sample the brand new 'SPATINI' cocktail and appetizer menu at Morton's, The Steakhouse on Church Street. From the first sip, we were sold. Having our cake and eating it too? Oh yeah...this is our new happy hour spot. Their incredible offerings of low-cal drinks including the Lean and Green (cucumber, lime and mint with a kick) served up in a champagne glass are going to be released today! For those of us who are always watching calories or feeling deprived when others are sipping high calorie cocktails while we subside on simple soda mixers- -this menu is a revolution. My girls loved the 'Antioxidant Me' -- and I agree that this will be a staple. But, as an avid fan of the Sex and the City saga-- I am sticking with their Skynny (yes-- that's how they are spelling it to reflect the vodka brand) Blood Orange Cosmo. Heaven in a martini glass and under 200 calories. Another round? Most definitely! See you at Morton's.......

Farm to Table

I've been through at least 4 upscale food and wine magazines tonight...and all of them are paying salutation to those chefs and others raising their own vegetables. In some cases, it is just herbs. While in a world of convenience stores, I love the movement, I really don't see what all of the fuss is about. That is likely because I spent most of my summer days growing up with my grandmother, Mary Jane (yes, really)-- the original farm to table chef. While most housewives (including my mother) were opening canned veggies and making fake cheese concoctions-- she and my Papa grew, harvested and made their own gourmet fare before it was even recognized.

On a simple 10 acres in Signal Mountain, TN, they had several apple trees along with peach, cherry and plum-- as well as their own grape vines for homemade vino and jelly. Papa kept bees for fresh honey and the fences were lined with blueberries and blackberries. In the side garden there were cucumbers, corn, squash, beans, beets and peppers along with my favorite red fruits-- tomatoes and strawberries. Almost everything we put into our mouths came from the land. While I love having my own (small) garden now and relish the tomatoes I pick up at Whole Foods-- nothing has ever been as delicious or as sweet as it was then. I was lucky to be a part of a very original slow food movement.

Sin City has never sounded better!

 

As a younger person-- weekends in Vegas were all about the party. Money thrown around and one too many cocktails. Now that I appreciate my time off more than ever, I look forward to spending a few days in the city without too much craziness. In fact, as I look to the website of the Palazzo resort where we are set to stay-- clicking on the nightclubs never comes to mind. Instead, I am far more interested in the best new restaurants (a new outrageous burger joint on site and the best Mexican in town, too) and how to get the best spot at one of the pools for the afternoon.

I love this location because there is shopping, dining and people watching onsite and for the super-expansive suites. But also because it offers close proximity to everything else that I love on the strip. I can pop over to the Forum shops for a bit of designer drooling and lunch at Spago ....or the BOA 405 Martini at my fave Vegas steakhouse, BOA Steak. Or, I can venture over to Bellagio for cocktails and a bit of romance watching the light and water show after dark. It's also close to the newer CITY CENTER-- where Aria's Julian Serrano beckons with Spanish Tapas and delicious wines to match. A walk to the shopping adjacent includes browsing in Assouline's signature book store-- I could get lost here for days and be completely content.

Do I plan to be a little bad. Of course-- but these days that means easing up on the diet and sleeping late. And, yes, I do plan on doing some sleeping-- even if everyone else vacationing there doesn't!

Savoring the weekend

Getting the last bit of writing done before a big weekend of food and wine begins. Tomorrow, the 5 James Beard Award winning chefs from all over the country arrive in Music City to help us in our first ever city food event of this level. It has been a bit of a challenge-- but I think we have it all together. Amazing menu, produce from our local sustainable growers and a fun crowd of attendees for Saturday night at the Hilton Downtown Nashville

Sunday may be the most fun, as we are having the first EVER shrimp and grits cookoff in Nashville. 13 talented chefs will be mixing up and sharing their secret recipes for a crowd of around 300 people this Sunday. While the crowd is already large, we have enough food so that more can come. All of that combined with Mimosas in the gorgeous Hutton Hotel on at Sunday afternoon-- who can beat it? Tickets-- nashvillelifestyles.com.