What's a great restaurant?

We all have our favorite restaurants.  And they come in all flavors…steakhouses, fishhouses, continental, ethnic, even fast food (tell me you don’t have a preference on the McDonald’s menu!).  And then there is New York, where the list of restaurants looks like a phone book and if you can eat it , they serve, somewhere there.

A career filled with world travel affords one the opportunity to experiment with food.  And it gives you a taste for what you like and what you don’t, whether you’re a gourmet, a carnivore, vegetarian or just an eater.  My friends in the restaurant business have always said that a great restaurant has three main qualities…food, atmosphere and service.  Good restaurants hit two of those three but great restaurants make the grand-slam.

 My list of good and great restaurants is quite long, quite eclectic and quite spread out…all over the world, in fact.  Dan’s Restaurant on Sydney Street in London was a qualifier.  The Noon Gun Café on the hill above Cape Town is a winner.  In Beijing, Da Dong Roast Duck is a hit from the minute you walk in the door and see all those ducks just hanging there.  And in Houston, Good Company Barbeque makes my mouth water just thinking about the line and how hungry you are by the time you get to order.

Last week, I read that George Lang, the owner of Café des Artistes, passed away.  Although his restaurant went away almost two years ago, it has left a huge void in my culinary palette.   A client recommended Café des Artistes many years ago and, after my first visit there with Jane, we were hooked.  It had it all.  And George was always there to make you feel even better.

 Café des Artistes was an all-purpose establishment that made the New York madness outside disappear in a flash.  It worked before and after the theater.  It worked for holidays.  We had a magnificent Thanksgiving dinner there.  You could drop in on the weekend for a sandwich or have the special of the day and experiment with something like beef cheeks that would melt in your mouth.  Or you could take your best client there and find Julia Child at “her” table just inside the door, laughing that distinctive laugh while entertaining her friends. (I let Jane identify the soap stars who would walk over from the ABC studios for lunch, although I did recognize Regis and Kelly.)

George made you feel as though you were family.  Everyone we ever referred there, came back happy. He would order for you, if you couldn’t decide.  And, if you didn’t like that, he would bring something else.  “Let’s try a little of all these desserts from the cart,” he once said. And we did.  OOOFFF!  But excellent.

 I distinctly remember the Thursday that we didn’t call first and headed straight to the restaurant from our hotel.  When we found the doors locked, the man at the reception desk in the building said, “Sadly, they had to close.”   We’d lost a sanctuary in the big city, a place that was warm like home.  We were forced to continue our search for the next great restaurant.  It’s out there.  We’ll find it.  But there’s one thing about great restaurants.  Each one stands alone.  They’re one of a kind.  The owner, the chef, the wait staff, the menu, Howard Chandler Christy’s pastel murals of naked beauties prancing through romantic landscapes on the wall, all make dining more than just a meal.  You feel like it’s part of your life.  I can taste mom’s eye-of-round with cheese potatoes right now.  Let’s eat.

Bagley Wright, a towering icon

On the wall, next to my desk, is a laminated copy of the Seattle Times Northwest section front page with the headline "Seattle's Towering Icon".  The large color photo in the feature story shows the Space Needle rising into an azure blue sky.  In front of the structure,  looking up into the heavens is Bagley Wright.  He was one of the original investors in the Space Needle and one of Seattle's most influential leaders during the 50 years that have passed since the Needle was built for the World's Fair.

When we were planning the kickoff of the Space Needle's 50 Anniversary Celebration this spring, I had the good fortune to have several long talks with Bagley Wright. He was a treasure trove of information and very gracious to the others who were involved at the inception. He was insistent that all of the great Seattle families who played a role were invited and recognized at the celebration. He didn't hesitate to say he would be there for the special event and was, in fact, the first to commit. Interestlingly, after that, on four different occasions, I received copies of this photo of his wife Jinny from when the Space Needle project began, with notes saying he thought we "would get a kick out of this picture." Obviously, he deeply loved his wife AND this photo. 

The photo was front and center in a position of prominence at our kickoff and Bagley smiled when he saw it. It was a glorious warm spring day and Bagley was basking in the light of a very proud moment for his family, his friends and his city.  The light has dimmed today as we learn that Bagley passed away of a heart attack overnight.  He was a great man...a consummate businessman, community leader and mentor to many.  He and Jinny are in our thoughts and hearts.  And as I look at the photo on my wall, it's clear to me that the headline is describing both of the images in the picture...the Space Needle that has become the indelible symbol for our city and Bagley Wright, the towering icon who made his mark on our community forever.  We miss him dearly.

Gloria's Trail

“Just close your eyes…listen to the wind blowing through the pines…smell the clean fresh air…feel the warmth of the sun on your face…and then hear the mountains saying ‘Thank you…Gloria.’”  Those were the words of Rick Johnson from the Idaho Conservation League (ICL) when about 150 of us gathered at the Osberg’s picturesque cabin on Newman Creek, near Ketchum, Idaho, recently to honor Gloria Moore Osberg for her notable contribution to the enjoyment of and the access to the mountains of southern Idaho by thousands of hikers.

In a virtually unprecedented act, the National Forest Service joined with the Idaho Conservation League and the Wood River Land Trust to name a trail after Gloria.  Not just any trail, mind you, but a 10.5 mile trail along a mountain ridge that offers spectacular 360 degree views of all the surrounding mountain ranges almost every step of the way.  It’s a beautiful trail that needs some “TLC” and the idea of naming it after such a great conservationist brought these three organizations together to make it happen.

Gloria is the author of two famous guides that are on the bookshelves of thousands of hikers and outdoor enthusiasts throughout the Pacific Northwest.  “Day Hiking near Sun Valley” came first and eventually it was joined by “Easy Hikes around Sun Valley”.  Gloria and some friends formed a hiking group in the 1970’s and it spawned the idea for the books.

These are guides that Gloria and her husband John (there is always a man behind a good woman) have painstakingly updated year after year.  Recently, Gloria gave the copyright for the “Day Hiking” guide to the ICL and insisted they keep all the proceeds to benefit wilderness conservation. She has done the same with her second book, “Easy Hikes”, making Gloria not only a motivational force for potential hikers, but also a philanthropist for the conservation cause.

A couple of months ago, John told us this special event was going to happen over the July 4^th weekend and it immediately became a must for us to attend.  John and Gloria have become very close friends over the past twenty years or so and the small dinner club of the four of us meet quite regularly for Chinese food and lively conversation.  John and I have known each other for over 30 years and we share a lot of the same views on life and the world situation.

Like my wife Jane, Gloria has her very distinct opinions on just about any subject.  And she doesn’t mince words.  When we first had dinner in Newport, Rhode Island, where I was working on an around the world sailing race that John had a boat in,  I remember clearly that Gloria took me to task on the subject sof politics and world affairs without reservation.  Not that we disagreed, it was just that she wanted me to understand how solid her point of view was.

Her work on the guide books for almost twenty five years has been stellar.  Gloria is meticulous in her details; thoughtful in her descriptions and passionate about the subject of the mountains.  She keeps the most complete and descriptive journals I’ve ever seen of the all the hikes and trips that she has taken.  Jane and I have accompanied them on some of Gloria’s scouting trips, taking measurements, altimeter readings and exploring trailhead parking lots.  No leaf is left unturned. 

Gloria has worked so closely with the Forest Service over the years that they have, on occasion, asked her to change, alter or even omit some hikes that have become too popular as a result of her guidebooks. Sometimes the forests and mountains just need a rest. Gloria knows that and she and the NFS have a very complementary relationship.

Gloria and John are enjoying life at their cabin in the mountains and their home in suburban Seattle.  They are a wonderfully warm and gentle couple.  The Trail Naming event felt just like them.  It was a perfect summer afternoon in the mountains…blue sky, hot sun. cool shade.  Family and friends came from all corners.  The food was great and the pies were homemade ( I have a soft spot for pie), although, in truth, they were made by a close friend and I missed Gloria’s own sumptuous berry pies.  Sitting on the front deck of their cabin with a piece of pie and a cold beverage and looking at the spectacular mountain view is definitely very close to heaven. I can’t do it often enough.

Wonderful things were said that day by the ICL, the Wood River Land Trust that has been a passion for Gloria and John and by the Forest Service.  All were welcome and much deserved.  But it was Gloria’s grandson, who got my vote.  He was asked by Gloria to deliver her remarks and he nailed it.  He spoke her words, precisely, from memory and when he said, “This is such a special and precious honor for me (Gloria Osberg),” even the chipmunk running through woods stopped and listened.  Gloria’s proud smile dimmed the sun.

Some people are passionate.  Some are committed. Others are compassionate and opinionated.  Gloria Osberg is all those things.  The naming of the Osberg Ridgeline Trail is bigger than the Sawtooth Mountains.  It’s bigger than Idaho.  It’s a testament to one person's vision and perseverance and the impact one person can have on the world.  I am proud to have hiked and sailed and skied and travelled and eaten Marion berry pie with Gloria.  She is a wonder of this world.