Exploring Ketchikan, Alaska

It was another early day as we arrived in Ketchikan. Brittany and I had a quick breakfast and coffees from the International Café before we got off the ship in this Alaska city.

We were once again going on separate excursions. I was doing the Historical Ketchikan & Creek Street Walking Tour, with my scooter. Brittany was doing Ketchikan Safari with a Local Photographer. We both learned a lot about this unique city and its history.

 

My guide was of Tlingit descent. They are one of the Indigenous peoples in the Pacific Northwest, mostly in Alaska and Canada. They are one of 229 recognized tribes in Alaska. He had lived in Ketchikan all his life. As we walked, he told us all about the colorful life of the city built on water. The streets are all built on trestles and stairs, with a 274-foot-long tunnel in the middle of town.

 

During the Gold Rush, this town was Alaska’s center of fun, with bars on every corner and legal prostitution. Many of the bars are still there and 18,000 cruisers, on an average day during the season, help support the 8,000 residents.

 

We walked along Creek Street. It was the former red-light district and now has the city’s only heated sidewalk. We saw the creek with salmon and harbor seals, and the houses built on stilts over the water. Then we went through the park and into the center of town. We saw Totem Poles in each place. They were beautiful, so delicately carved. He explained the meanings within them to us.

 

Some of the ground in Ketchikan was a little rough, and curb cuts weren’t in every place I wanted to cross the road, but I did get to see everything the rest of the group did with my scooter.

Brittany saw a lot on her tour of the downtown, where she got closer to the stream to see the salmon spawning. She also went to Totem Bight State Historical Park.

 

When our tours were done, we met at Jellyfish donut shop. I could easily say it’s the most popular spot in Ketchikan. The line outside continued throughout the day. It wasn’t accessible so Brittany went inside and picked us up a smoked salmon donut and a Reese’s donut. Both were delicious.

When we got back from Port, we decided to go up to The Sanctuary for relaxation and lunch. We had been invited to spend an afternoon and it seemed like the perfect time as we left the state of Alaska.

There was a pair of lounge chairs by the windows, and we sat down. It was a bit cool, but the staff brought us blankets and we wrapped them around us as we waited for our drinks and the lunch menu, which was different from any other food spot on the Royal Princess.

I chose a selection of fruit, granola, yogurt, and cottage cheese. Brittany had a chicken sandwich and fries. We watched the ship sail out of Ketchikan from our lounges.

We could not resist when they came around with Afternoon Tea an hour later. It was a daily tradition on the ship. The tiny sandwiches and pastries looked delicious, and they were. The tea was comforting as the wind was still blowing and it was a bit chilly.

 

It was Italian Night in the main dining room. We had still not opened the bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne we received the day we boarded, and we decided to take it with us for dinner. After everything we ate at The Sanctuary, we weren’t overly hungry, but as with most cruisers, which changed when we saw the menu.

I started with prosciutto and melon, while Brittany had a seafood antipasto. For the main course, it was risotto for me and chicken parmigiana for Brittany. Dessert was baked Alaska and cheesecake.

 

The night finished with a walk on the deck to see a beautiful sunset as we sailed away from Alaska. It was as fitting as the whales greeting us when we entered the state.

 

We would be at sea all the next day before an evening stop at our last port: Vancouver, Canada.

 Photos by Marcia Frost & Brittany Lambright.

I was hosted on this trip, but opinions are my own. 

 

Click for Next Day's Blog

Click for Previous Day's Blog

Royal Princess Sails Through Glacier Bay National Park

 

The main reason I chose this Inside Passage cruise with Princess was the full day exploring Glacier Bay National Park by ship. Glacier Bay is one of the least accessible national parks in the United States. With this itinerary, I would be able to see a lot of it from the Royal Princess.

Only a few cruise lines are able to spend a day going through Glacier Bay. It starts in the early morning when a boat arrives with park rangers. They stay on board until late in the afternoon, telling us about the park and everything we are seeing.

Brittany and I got up at 5:00 am. We had decided to start out with as much as we could see from our balcony. We pre-ordered breakfast and coffee delivered to our cabin, so we didn’t need to get out of our pajamas, but we did need to bundle up. We put on our sweatshirts and the warm blankets Princess Cruises supplies to take outside.

After enjoying 70+ degree temperatures in Alaska the previous days, we were starting this day in the 40s. It was also a cloudy so we were afraid we wouldn’t get to see everything. None of that upset us as we set ourselves up for the scenery in front of us. It did not disappoint.

There are no words to describe what we saw, which included whales, sea lions, sea otters, glaciers, waves, and mountains. We also saw some of these breaking as ice melted and went into the water. This has been happening a lot the last decade as our planet warms.  

As we went through the glaciers it continued to get colder. We put on layers and even took out hats, scarves, and gloves. When it got colder and the ship was in a quiet area, we decided to take a break to get pizza from Alfredo’s.

We were still able to watch Glacier Bay from the window and listen to the ranger. The warm, fresh pizza was as delicious as it was on the first day of our cruise.

After we ate, we went up to the theater where the rangers had set up information and were on hand to answer questions and stamp National Park Passports. They also had some merchandise for sale.

We left Glacier Bay National Park around 3:00 pm and it was time to shower and get ready for a very special night. We were honored to receive an invitation to the Chef’s Table Lumiere dinner. You can request it before you sail, but the odds are not good. It is something only done once a cruise and only a half dozen people on the ship are invited to join.

When we arrived in the bar area of the Crown Grill, Executive Chef Fabrizio Fazzini and Director of Restaurant Operations Paul Ciobanu were waiting for us. They had an amuse-bouche of an Alaskan Crab Margarita with avocado and mango waiting along with glasses of one of my favorite champagnes, Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label.

 

The chef then took us on a tour of the kitchen, which is actually an entire floor. He told us about the thousands of dishes prepared for each meal. Everything was sparkling clean throughout.

We then headed to our seats. The table setting was magnificent. Wine was poured throughout, including more champagne, Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Nikiara by Le Vigne, and an Oremus Late Harvest at the end.

Here is the menu of courses:

Salmon Gravlax and Caviar

 
Fois Gras on Toasted Brioche
 
Seafood Bisque with Brandy Cream
 
Entremet of Lemon Sorbet & Champagne

 
Roast Salmon Fillet (for Brittany)
Veal Oscar  (for me)

 
Lemon Mousse
Chocolate box

See more details about our special dinner on this video I put together…

The gluttony continued when we returned to our room to find a note from Chef Fazzini and Director Cioubanu with petite fours and more wine. We didn’t get too far with it as we were so full from the exquisite meal.

It took a while to fall asleep after all that food, but we knew we needed rest for another busy day as the Royal Princess sailed to Ketchikan, Alaska.

 

I was hosted on this trip, but opinions are my own. 

 

Don't miss any of Marcia's travel, food, or music videos. Subscribe to her YouTube Channel. 

 

 

Click for Next Day's Blog

Click for Previous Day's Blog

From Lido to Longboat on Sarasota Keys

It had been a fun and relaxing two days at Lido Beach Resort, but it was time for my friend Lynn and me to leave Lido Key and head to Longboat Key.

We left the resort first thing in the morning to head downtown to the Sarasota Opera House. Sam Lowry, Director of Audience Development, met us at the door for a private tour. 

We were lucky enough to get to see every corner of this historic building, which opened in 1984 and went through an extensive ($20 million) renovation in 2008.

The building had been kept its history in the renovation and Lynn and I were impressed with the special touches, from the detailed woodwork around the stage to the gold crest in the cream colored Grand Atrium.

I had never been to the opera and I fantasized about putting on a floor length evening gown and socializing in one of their well-appointed member lounges while waiting for the curtain call!

After the Opera House, we returned to the Lido Beach Resort to pack up. The clouds were beginning to form and we hoped that it was just one of those quick Florida rains coming in as we drove to Longboat Key.

The Resort at Longboat Key Club was very different from the one we had just left even though they are sister properties. It seemed a bit more luxurious, though certainly in an understated way. It was the service that was the most noticeable as we were welcomed in a way that made it clear the staff was there to fulfill the guests’ wishes.

Our suite was not yet ready so we went to Sands Pointe restaurant for lunch. The menu was quite extensive and we couldn’t decide what to order, so we shared the Smoked Turkey Club (turkey, provolone, tomato, arugula and avocado with herb aioli) and the Chicken Cabana (chicken breast with grilled pineapple, applewood bacon, pepperjack cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and barbecue sauce). 

They were both good, but we favored the chicken and really liked both side dishes – Sweet Potato Salad and Mango Cole Slaw.

We headed to our suite right after lunch and it was well worth the wait. We had two full bedrooms, a large kitchen, dining room and living room. We found some welcome and unique touches, like the cocktail mixing tray in our fully-equipped kitchen and books and games in the living room.

The only thing better than the suite was the views from the multiple balconies we had. I got to enjoy one of those views during a phenomenal in-room massage. We were there just before the hotel’s Island House Spa opened so we just missed touring and exploring that, but I hear it is beautiful.

As much as we were enjoying the The Resort at Longboat Key Club, the weather did not cooperate for our visit. It was pouring so hard in the evening that we were afraid to drive down to St. Armand’s Circle in Sarasota, where we were scheduled to check out the stores and have dinner. 

We stayed on the property instead and actually ate in the Point Lounge. It was a relaxing and casual meal while we sipped Chandon Champagne and enjoyed Arugula Goat Cheese Flatbread along with Truffle Mac N’ Cheese.

After dinner we called it a night, hoping Mother Nature would cooperate and let us explore the beach and pools of the Resort at Longboat Key Club.

Tasting US Open 2013

For more years than I’ll admit, I have spent weeks at the U.S. Open Tennis Championships covering tennis. It’s one of my favorite times of year. I catch up players and friends from the media. I also get to sample tons of delicious food and drinks, a task that has become more prevalent since I’ve focused on lifestyle writing.

I got started this year at the U.S. Open Food Tasting Preview. It was enough to convince anyone to come to the tournament whether or not they wanted to see tennis and the tournament is ready. The restaurants are prepared to serve 27,000 people during the tournament.

The tasting included appearances by chefs David Burke, Tony Mantunao and Masaharu Morimoto. They showed off their signature dishes and also told us about what’s new this year.  Here’s what was sampled (my friends Melanie and Meredith took care of the seafood sampling for me) from each restaurant:

Wine Bar

Burrata Cheese on French bread-light, tasty and a perfect wine accompaniment.

Salumi Antipasto with marinated artichokes and tomatoes and rosemary breadsticks-a nice selection of flavors mixing perfectly on this small plate.

Village Market

Kale Salad with yellow and green beans, tomato, carrots and cucumber in honey Dijon vinaigrette-fresh and light for a hot day at the National Tennis Center, but not very filling without added chicken.

Patio Café

Curried Crab and Watermelon Salad on a bed of baby lettuces with a curry aioli-large clumps of crab meat and sweet watermelon is a perfect match.

Hill Country Barbecue

Signature Brisket, pit-smoked over Texas oak-tender and tasty.

Pulled Pork Slider-one of the best I’ve had.

Maker’s Mark Bourbon Pecan Pie-save room for this one. Too bad they don’t make a full pie to go!

East Gage Grill

Pat Lafrieda Steak Sandwich topped with Monterey Jack cheese, caramelized onions and au jus on a French baguette-rare filet mignon with a bit of tangy sweetness.

Champions Bar & Grill

Grilled Portobello Burger stuffed with ratatouille, low-fat mozzarella and roasted pepper and served with chipotle mayo on brioche-an excellent combination that will be calling more than just vegetarians to the restaurant.

Aces

Morimoto Sushi-a selection of fish and vegetarian sushi that gets rave reviews.

Mojitos

Shrimp and Scallop Ceviche-large shrimp in a nice presentation, but not one of the top choices.

Even the Players Dining is getting an upgrade this year.  They have added gluten-free sandwiches; a Juice, Smoothie and Espresso Bar; and a Chocolate Milk Bar. I’m looking forward to sampling some of those offerings.

Grey Goose was on hand to sample their Signature Cocktail, the Honey Deuce, during the meal and then we went down to the Moet & Chandon Terrace, where I greeted some of my friends from Moet who I was at America’s Cup with and enjoyed some of their great bubbly.

In addition to the Grey Goose and Moet champagne bars, the U.S. Open also has a Wine Bar (which offers food pairings) and the Heineken Red Star Café.

While I enjoyed trying everything new and will certainly seek some of these dishes out over the next week or so, I am happy to say some of my U.S. Open “staples” are back, including the Caprese Panini in the South Plaza, the Potato Knish from the Glatt Kosher Cart and, of course, the Chocolate Peanut Butter from the Ben & Jerry’s, where they also have a great variety of low calorie smoothies to keep me cool in the hot sun. Then again, you can never go wrong with the Classic Burger and Waffle Fries. 

Sailing America’s Cup Final with Moet & Chandon

It was an exciting day for many as the America’s Cup final was about to take place in Newport, Rhode Island. I had come along with a few other select journalists as the guest of Moet & Chandon Champagne, a sponsor of the event. It had been a whirlwind trip and that was not about to change.

I slept until 8:00 and took a walk downtown on the unusually warm New England day. I was back in time to meet the group in the lobby of the Hotel Viking to head to 41 North for a champagne brunch with the Moet & Chandon executives. It was a beautiful scene and I enjoyed my quiche with the bubbly, while others raved at the Lobster Eggs Benedict.

We talked about the boat we were going to get on to watch the races and I had to admit I was a bit nervous. The words “small vessel” and “strong waves” did not exactly get me motivated. My fears dissipated when I saw the actual boat – or should I say, yacht.

It was a beautiful boat that had plenty of room and comfy couches. We also had lots of champagne, cheese, crackers, salads and bottled water. They even had sea sickness bands and sunblock to make our four hours as comfortable as possible.

I have to say it was one of the most exciting experiences of my life. We were the official Mark boat and the finish line for the catamarans so they had to come very close. We watched them all come by the boat and cheered them all on. In the end, it was Oracle Team USA Spithill that took the top prize.

When we got off the boat we were in the America’s Cup Village and we went to celebrate with the racers in Club 45. The outside awards ceremony was moved inside when a strong thunder storm came in. It was actually quite fun with all the cheering and champagne flowing (and sprouting) everywhere.

We were back at the hotel by 6:15 and I was the only one who wasn’t returning to New York City so I bid the rest of the group farewell. I had the evening to meet a friend for dinner before my morning flight home. It was an experience I’ll never forget and I have the champagne bottle to prove it.