Pat writes: “ This may dismay some folks (I’m used to it though), but while pregnancy is a health issue, what makes birth control one? Because a pill must be prescribed? Well, it doesn’t have to be. A doctor was never part of our practice of birth control. Neither were pills, synthetics, or contraptions of any type. Well, a thermometer. The words “not right now”. I believe people’s reliance on medicine and doctors for just about everything these days has been detrimental to our evolution.”

My questions: What about the morning after pill (or termination) in the case of rape/incest? What about couples who wish to have sex without wanting to procreate? (Thermometers and “not right now” aren’t surefire pregnancy preventers, as millions can attest.)  What about women for whom it would be unhealthy to carry a child, or who for whatever reason have decided against biological children? Do we really have to anticipate and legislate all these exceptions (and others like them)? Wouldn’t it be simpler, fairer and simply more sensible to have birth control readily available?

Another reason we love this restaurant is the availability, upon request (and not widely promoted) of a completely vegetarian tasting menu. Having a multi-course vegetarian feast at a AAA Five-Diamond restaurant is a true joy.

Yes, the room is gorgeous and filled with a dozen Picassos and a field’s worth of blossoms. But the food, wine and service manage to outshine the ambiance. The words dont do justice to the beauty and flavor of the meal, but heres what we ate and drank last night:

Vegetarian Menu

Heirloom Tomato Salad
Gazpacho Sauce
2007 Riesling, die Leidenschaft, Weinhof Andorfer, Kamptal, Austria

*****

Farcie
Sautéed Artichokes, Zucchini Sofrito, Pepper and Sautéed Onions
2007 Cuvée Roucaillat, Hautes Terres De Comberousse, Coteaux Du Languedoc, France

*****

Butternut Squash Ravioli
Brown Butter and Wild Sage
2005 Vouvray, Moelleux, Cuvée Château Gaillard, Vigneau-Chevreau, Loire Valley, France

*****

Vegetable Ragout
Symphony of Vegetables with Court-Bouillon Sauce
2009 Enamore, Allegrini + Renacer, Bodegas Y Viñedos Renacer, Mendoza, Argentina

*****

Fromage
2009 Chambolle-Musigny, Vieilles Vignes, Frédéric Magnien, Burgundy, France

Disclosure: Absolutely none. We paid for all our food and drink, with pleasure.

Why Am I Me?

Tell you what I’m thinkin’
Honestly and true…
How come I come to life as me
And not to life as you.

Lord, I know the feeling
‘Cause when I’m by myself
I wonder why
I’m who I am
And not somebody else

‘Way down underneath it all
Where no one gets to see
I’ll bet it feels no different
Bein’ you or bein’ me.

Why was I born
When I was born
Who I was born to be
Why was I given
The body I’m livin’ in?

Why am I Gabriel?
Why am I Anderson?
Why am I me, why am I me…

Why am I here
Why am I now
Why am I who you see
Why was I handed
The body I landed in

Why am I Gabriel? (So how come we’re all slaves…)
Why am I Anderson? (And how come we’re all free…)
Why am I me, why am I me, why am I me?

I figured
Somebody puts the “who” into folks,
Like dropping a stone in a lake
So maybe I’m thinkin’
I’m Abraham Lincoln
And somebody made a mistake?

If I were born
Somebody else
Betcha I still would be me
So many beings I know I could be me in.
Why must I be in the being you see me in?

(So how come we’re all slaves
And how come we’re all free)

Why am I me?

I’ve had this recipe for years and no longer remember where I found it. If anyone knows the source, I’d be delighted to add a credit and link here! And for an even bolder recipe than the one below (with lemongrass and chiles), check out Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s version via Kahakai Kitchen.

Fresh Ginger Ale

2 C (about 10 oz) peeled ginger, coarsely chopped
3 strips lemon peel, about 4″ long each, yellow part only
1.5 C sugar

• Combine ginger, lemon peel and 4 cups water in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil gently, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
• Stir in sugar and continue boiling until mixture is reduced to 3 cups, about 15 minutes longer.
• Pour mixture through a fine wire strainer set over a bowl. Discard peel; reserve ginger for another use* or discard.
• Cool syrup, cover, and chill until cold, at least one hour or up to one week.
• To serve: In a 16-oz glass, mix 1/4 C ginger syrup with 1 cup cold carbonated water / club soda. Add ice, and more ginger syrup and/or sugar to taste. Or – as they do at Sensi – sprinkle a pinch of ground cayenne on top. Yum.

Per serving: 100 calories, 26 g carbohydrates.

*Refrigerate leftover cooked ginger, if desired, and stir into softened vanilla ice cream or sprinkle over yogurt or sliced bananas.

1. FB needs to make it a Privacy option (which should be the default!) that one’s comments and likes don’t show up in the Ticker, or that they only show up in the case of mutual friends. I’ve now lost count of those posting “please unsubscribe to my comments and likes” as their FB status. People do NOT want everyone, even their friends, seeing their every move on FB.
2. The “set it and forget it” aspect of the “frictionless” app experience is going to upset people, as well. What if you don’t WANT everyone knowing what you’re listening to, what you’re cooking, what you’re doing? What if in your early enthusiasm you add Spotify, or Nike+, or whatever… and don’t (if the option is even there) only make it for certain Lists? Recruiters and bosses are going to have a field day with this.
3. FB is assuming that people will spend all day, every day, with FB running to document their lives. I’m not convinced that will be the case with the majority. Even among those who might be inclined are many who can’t or won’t use FB while they’re at work, on vacation, etc. I suspect many will begin populating their timelines with gusto and then, like so many bloggers, lose the pace once they realize the ongoing effort and disclosure required.
4. Many people (especially those in high school and college) have hundreds, if not thousands, of Friends. That ticker’s going to whiz by like a slot machine. How useful will the discovery aspect be if the ticker’s scrolling rapidly?
5. The huge unanswered question: What is FB going to do with all the data it’ll be compiling on its users? With whom will they share it? What will the ramifications be for privacy, identify theft, marketing?

What are your thoughts?

Anyone who idolizes you is going to hate you when he discovers that you are fallible. He never forgives. He has deceived himself, and he blames you for it.

Several other wonderful quotes are also attributed to him. A few of my favorites are below. I wish I’d met him.

Genius is often only the power of making continuous efforts.

Anyone who idolizes you is going to hate you when he discovers that you are fallible. He never forgives. He has deceived himself, and he blames you for it.

The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can’t be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it.

The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.

I’m sufficiently intrigued to add some Hubbard works to my reading list. I’m hoping someone’s written a decent biography of him, as well.

The dinner was donated by philanthropists Hal and Sharon Lampert as a live auction item at the Vintage Hollywood event, with the proceeds going to OPCC. The winning bidders were kind enough to include my husband and me on their guest list, and that’s how I came to be part of such an extraordinary evening.

To my surprise, I conistently favored the Ornellaia, even in a blind test (we weren’t told which wines were which for the pasta and lamb courses until after we’d tried them). Having said that, all the wines were absolutely spectacular, and the food was delectable from start to finish.

Here’s the menu:

Hors d’oeuvres
Mini Caprese
Saffron Arrancini
Country pate on crostini
Mini onion and carraway tart
Brandade croquette with basil aioli
Paired with: Krug Grand Cruvee NV

Tableside presentation of Japanese Hamachi
Himalayan pink salt with caviar lime dressing
Didier Dagueneau Silex 2004

Farm-raised rabbit in prosciutto
Tuscan white beans, tomato, fine herbs
Antinori Solaia 1988
Antinori Tignanello 1988
Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 1988
Teunta dell’Ornellaia Ornellaia 1988

Hand Rolled Pasta with Wild Mushrooms
Fresh Australian black truffles, foie gras butter sauce
Antinori Solaia 1998
Antinori Tignanello 1998
Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 1998
Teunta dell’Ornellaia Ornellaia 1998

Superior Farms Grilled Lamb
Fava beans, baby fennel, artichoke ragout, lamb jus
Antinori Solaia 2004
Antinori Tignanello 2004
Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2004
Teunta dell’Ornellaia Ornellaia 2004

White Chocolate Amaretto Mousse
Apricot and lemon verbena ice cream

Thanks to Toby Lowenfels for giving me the idea to add a grab of the TV Guide cover for those who are curious. It’s Amanda Shore, Lee J. Cobb and James Drury of The Virginian.

Front entrance to Le Germain Toronto.

My husband and I recently stayed twice at the Hotel Le Germain Toronto. I chose the hotel because of its affiliation with Tablet Hotels. I’m a member of the fee-based Tablet Plus program, which provides upgrades and amenities at certain of their properties.

Le Germain is a 122-room boutique hotel; while part of a (small) premium hotel group, it doesn’t feel anything like a chain. The ambiance is more urban chic than brash bling.

Our experience at the hotel was delightful, and we wish we could have stayed longer. Here, in no particular order, are 9 things we absolutely loved:

1. The staff were all friendly and courteous, and the valet remembered us from one stay to the next. Admittedly only two days separated our stays, but it was nice to be welcomed back in such a personal way.
2. We were upgraded on both stays, thanks to the TabletPlus* program. The first time to a Deluxe Room, the second time to a Luxury Room. Both were fantastic. We were partial to the walk-in shower in the Deluxe and the in-room wine bar in the Luxury.
3. We loved the fresh apples and drinking water available in each floor’s lobby.
4. It’s worth staying there JUST for the showers. The hotel is in a converted warehouse, so each floor has very high ceilings. The showers feature rainfall shower heads, positioned at about 8 feet. Pair that up with the Aveda toiletries and you’ve got bliss.
   

   Click through for a better view of the amazing shower.

5. The location is superb (depending on the purpose of your visit, of course). TIFF Bell Lightbox on one side, Second City on the other, a block away from the Sky Dome and the CN Tower, in the heart of the entertainment district. While there we never needed our car.
6. A memorable (and complimentary) breakfast buffet. Six kinds of organic granolas; fresh and dried fruit; yogurt; toast, croissants, bagels and pastries, breeakfast meats, fresh fruit juices, coffee (latte, etc.) to order, and more.
7. Free wireless throughout the property. THANK YOU.
8. Bathroom stocked with a premium blowdryer (not the kind attached to the wall) and makeup mirror, PLUS a 3-way vanity mirror. Ladies, you know what I’m talking about here.
9. All the room lights (as well as the built-in reading lights) can be controlled from the bed. Nice touch.

*Further amenities we received each stay, thanks to Tablet Plus: a welcome snack and note, a round of drinks from the bar, and a $20 credit to the hotel’s restaurant, Victor. We didn’t get to eat there, sadly, but hope to do so next time.

We did make use of the (complimentary) gym. It’s small but has a fine selection of cardio and weight equipment befitting the hotel’s size. Meeting and private dining rooms are available. The the hotel is dog-friendly for those who travel with canine family members.

Note: No consideration was sought or received for this post. We paid for our hotel room both nights, and I’m a paying member of Tablet Plus.

We look forward to returning!

Hotel Le Germain
30 Mercer Street
Toronto, ON M5V 1H3, Canada
(416) 345-9500

http://www.germaintoronto.com/en/home