Carole Terwilliger Meyers's Blog, page 23

Sights to See: mid-century modern architecture with the Palm Springs Mod Squad, Palm Springs, California

The Palm Springs Mod Squad specializes in architecture and design tours.  The 90-minute Essential Palm Springs Tour shows you prime examples of mid-century modern architecture (it is limited to just five participants because of private car size).  In addition, it is a good opportunity to see the town’s neighborhoods and learn some movie star history, and you’ll learn more than you can possibly absorb about desert post-modernism in Palm Springs.  If you want to get good pictures, do sit on the right side--which is the right side of the car. 
exterior of Palm Springs Visitors Center, Palm Springs, California

Buildings seen on The Essential Palm Springs Tour:

Mirage house  At end of East Racquet Club Rd., past the guard house.  
guard house in Palm Springs, California
The site-specific Mirage house art installation by Doug Aiken is in the form of a ranch-style house but composed of reflective mirrored surfaces.  Minus doors and windows, it reflects and disappears into the desert landscape.  It is part of the “Desert X” art exhibition but will remain on exhibition after that closes on October 31, 2017.
exterior of Mirage house in Palm Springs, California
exterior of Mirage house in Palm Springs, California  

Robo Lights   1077 E Granvia Valmonte, in Movie Colony District, (760) 200-4143.  Open seasonally in December, daily 4-9:30pm.  By donation, $5.  Owned and designed by Kenny Irwin Jr., this colorful display of recycled “junque art” is in a neighborhood known for good Christmas lights.

Robo Lights house in Palm Springs, California

Kaufmann House  470 West Vista Chino Drive, in Old Las Palmas neighborhood.  Located in the neighborhood that is the Beverly Hills of the desert--where the Rat Pack once lived--this is one of the most famous homes in Palm Springs.  It was designed by Richard Neutra in 1946, was once owned by Barry Manilow, and now you can rent it for $8,000 per month. 
exterior of Kaufmann house in Palm Springs, California


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Great Sleeps: Holiday House, Palm Springs, California

Holiday House   200 W. Arenas Rd., downtown, (760) 320-8866.  28 rooms.  Age 21+.  Pool; hot tub.  Restaurant; breakfast included.  No phones or TVs.  Pets ok.  Free parking.  Resort fee $15/night, includes Wi-Fi, continental breakfast, and use of bikes.  This two-story boutique hotel is well situated in a long-established neighborhood and is just one block from downtown central Palm Springs and just a few blocks from the base of the San Jacinto mountains.  It has a beach-house-in-the-desert vibe that includes a beachy color scheme of blue and white.  At check in, we were welcomed with a “love beads” necklace to wear during our stay and offered a complimentary glass of rose to enjoy at our convenience (we picked it up later from the open-air bar, in a plastic cup to sip in the hot tub).  A large pool and hot tub dominate the center courtyard, and a shuffle board and several fire pits are adjacent.  Refreshing misters are used throughout to cool things down.  The property features midcentury-inspired elements and displays artwork that includes pieces by David Hockney, Roy Liechtenstein, and Mr. Brainwash.  Most rooms have either a balcony or patio with charming but hard-to-get-in-and-out-of butterfly chairs, and six patios have a private outdoor shower.  It is possible to turn off the AC for the night and open windows to the cool desert air, which also admits the sound of chirping birds in the morning.  The simple continental breakfast buffet includes hard-boiled eggs, fresh fruit, yogurt, granola, and housemade bread that makes delicious toast.  Holiday House’s sister property--Sparrows Lodge--is nearby.  It is similar but with a ranch decor.   

central courtyard at Holiday House in Palm Springs, California


love beads at Holiday House in Palm Springs, California


guest room at Holiday House in Palm Springs, California


guest bathroom at Holiday House in Palm Springs, California


buffet breakfast at Holiday House in Palm Springs, California


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images ©2017 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

Things to Do: Jinli Old Street, Chengdu, China

Jinli Old Street  One of the oldest shopping streets in Sichuan Province, this street was also one of the busiest commercial areas during the Shu Kingdom (221-263).  Recently restored and re-opened to the public in 2004, it is now visited by throngs of people who come to stroll its lively streets, relax amid the traditional-style buildings, and sample local cuisine.  Shops, local crafts, and street performers add to the fun.

entrance gate to Jinli Old Street in Chengdu, China
Starbucks on Jinli Old Street in Chengdu, China
art brush seller on Jinli Old Street in Chengdu, China
bored barker on Jinli Old Street in Chengdu, China
street performers on Jinli Old Street in Chengdu, China
rickshaw ride on Jinli Old Street in Chengdu, China





passion fruit snack on Jinli Old Street in Chengdu, China
octopus and fish snack on Jinli Old Street in Chengdu, China

fruit popcicles on Jinli Old Street in Chengdu, China

Located adjacent, the Wuhou Temple (Memorial Temple of Marquis Wu) is dedicated to Zhuge Liang, the Marquis Wu (Wuhou) of the Kingdom of Shu in the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280).  Surrounded by old cypresses and classical red walls, it displays clay sculptures of Emperor Shu and his ministers standing together.  The most valuable cultural relic is a huge 144-inch high by 37-inch wide stone slab monument (a stele) set up in 809.

entrance to Wuhou Temple in Chengdu, China


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Sights to See: Chengdu, China

WHO KNEW ABOUT CHENGDU?

Located just a 2 ½-hour flight inland from Shanghai, Chengdu--the 2,000-plus-year-old capital of Sichuan--is the province’s second-largest city and the country’s fourth-largest.  With a population of 14 million, it is larger than--and perhaps glitzier than--NYC, yet it is considered only a second-tier city.  It is clean and prosperous, with leafy wide boulevards and a Kimpenski Hotel, Ferrari dealership, and huge Louis Vuitton boutique.  It is concrete and steel and high-rises as far as the eye can see.

highrise in downtown Chengdu, China
Louis Vuitton in downtown Chengdu, China
The New Century Global Centre opened here in 2013.  It is the largest free-standing building in the world (in terms of floor area), and the claim is that 20 Sydney Opera Houses would fit inside.  Designed to be a self-contained city, under the dome inside it holds a Mediterranean “village,” a beach and water park, a pirate ship, an ice skating rink, a 14-screen IMAX cinema, and many hotels, not to mention plenty of shops.  An artificial sun provides light and heat. 

New Century Global Centre at night in Chengdu, China
Yet it remains best known for being the home of the rare giant panda.  Manufacturing is big in the surrounding area--70% of the world’s iPads are manufactured here.  But the pace is slower than in Beijing and Shanghai.  It is also a center for the silk brocade industry and known for hibiscus.

panda bear at research base in Chengdu, China
Located in a basin surrounded by mountains keeps the weather generally mild and comfortable, but in summer stifling humidity and rain storms can make it uncomfortable.  There is not much sunshine and rainfall can be heavy but that is how everything stays so very green.  September and October are the perfect months to visit the "Land of Heaven."


Asia’s first UNESCO-designated City of Gastronomy, Chengdu serves up refined Sichuan cuisine.  Be aware that if you come across some odd little things that look like they might be an exotic vegetable, they are most probably actually duck tongues--a local delicacy.  And you’ll know you’re getting real Sichuan peppercorns when your tongue feels the distinctive numbness. 

restaurant in Chengdu, China

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images ©2017 Carole Terwilliger Meyers
 

Great Sleeps: Shangri-La Hotel, Wenzhou; Wenzhou, China

Shangri-La Hotel, Wenzhou   1 Xiangyuan Road, Lucheng District, (86 577) 8998 8888.  5 stars.  409 rooms.  Indoor pool, hot tub; fitness center; full-service spa; lighted tennis court.  Located away from city center in the business district near local government offices, this luxury 5-star hotel built in 2009 overlooks the Ou River/Oujiang River.  It is a popular business hotel, but there is no night life or restaurants in the area.  The staff is especially accommodating and friendly, and many employees speak good English.  

view from guest room at Shangri-La Hotel, Wenzhou in Wenzhou, China 
guest room at Shangri-La Hotel, Wenzhou in Wenzhou, China
The large lobby bar is furnished with upholstered chairs and couches and has a grand piano in the center as well as high ceilings, a long, drapey crystal chandelier, and floor-to-ceiling wall of windows looking out to a garden. 

lobby bar at Shangri-La Hotel, Wenzhou in Wenzhou, China
O Cafe features various specialty food stations and is open all day,

O Cafe at Shangri-La Hotel, Wenzhou in Wenzhou, China
happy noodle maker
 


while the Shang Palace Restaurant serves an all-you-can-eat dim sum.
Shang Palace Restaurant at Shangri-La Hotel, Wenzhou in Wenzhou, China
spectacular foggy dessert pudding




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images and videos ©2017 Carole Terwilliger Meyers
 

Things to Do: Annenberg Community Beach House, Santa Monica, California

Annenberg Community Beach House   415 Pacific Coast Highway, (310) 458-4904.  Parking $3/hr., $8-$12/day.  No pets.  No alcohol or glass bottles.  Located north of the Santa Monica Pier and south of Will Rogers State Beach, this spectacular community center replaced the mansion where actress Marion Davies once held lavish parties attended by stars such as Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo, and Clark Gable.  Built as a summer place for Davies in the 1920s by William Randolph Hearst, and designed by architect Julia Morgan, the original 100-room mansion in this compound was used for parties and good times every summer until World War II, when blackouts began.  They closed the house in 1942 and never came back.  Everything was auctioned off.  Though the mansion is gone, the guest house remains for day use and tours.  Originally situated ocean front, the shoreline has moved out, and now the deep, sandy Santa Monica State Beach stretches out in front.


exterior of Marion Davies Guest House at Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, California● Marion Davies Guest House   Docent tours F-M at 11am, 12pm, & 1pm.  Free. 
Historic photos of Marion and her glamorous guests line the walls, but unfortunately the interior has been painted white and features nondescript furniture and wall-to-wall carpeting.  No furniture remains from the heyday, but fortunately two bathrooms do remain with original tiles and decor.  Docents have many stories to tell on the 30-minute tour.  Among the tantalizing tidbits I learned:
     ●The Alfred Hitchcock-directed movie “Shadow of a Doubt” with Joseph Cotton was filmed in the guest house in 1943 and shows the original woodwork, wallpaper, and furniture. 
     ●Orson Wells wrote “Citizen Kane” while staying in the guest house.  The character Susan Alexander was modeled after Davies.
          If you want to learn more, an hour-long background video plays continuously upstairs.  You can also visit the guest house on your own without a tour and use tables in the rooms for card games and more.
historic photos of Marion Davies at Marion Davies Guest House at Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, California
 

fireplace designed by Julia Morgan at Marion Davies Guest House at Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, California
grand staircase at Marion Davies Guest House at Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, California
original tiled bathroom at Marion Davies Guest House at Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, California
beach view from porch at Marion Davies Guest House at Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, California
● Pool (open summer only)  $10, 60+ $5, 1-17 $4, family of 4 (2 youth & 2 adults) $24; half-price on M.  This is the property’s original pool.  Look closely and you’ll see some Julia Morgan-designed tiles.  Pool day passes go on sale at 9am and can sell out quickly.
pool at Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, California
A splash pad for kids is adjacent.
splash pad at Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, California
●kid's playground
kid's playground at Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, California
●Gallery  Small art exhibits are regularly scheduled.
art gallery at Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, California
●paved walkway to beach  This paved path saves you the effort of plodding through the hot sand to the shoreline.
beach at Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, California
●Snowy Plover dune restoration area  Located a short walk to the north along the Santa Monica beach path (also known as The Strand), this fenced-off portion of beach protects the habitat of the endangered Snowy Plover.  The birds are seen mostly in winter.
Santa Monica beach path at Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, California
Snowy Plover dune restoration area at Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, California

Back on the Beach Cafe   445 Pacific Coast Hwy., (310) 393-8282.  B-L daily; $$+.  Reservations for 6+, indoor tables only.  Situated adjacent to the community center, this beach cafe offers fantastic outdoor seating right on the sand.  It is the epitome of casual, with most diners in beach covers and flip flops.  If you can pull them away from their electronic devices, kids can build sand castles while you chill with some iced tea or wine.  It doesn’t get better than this--sitting under a sheltering umbrella on a sandy patio open to the sea breeze and with a view of the ocean in the distance.  Indeed, I wish I were back on the beach right now.  The menu features more choices than you would expect.  Breakfast items and sandwiches are prime, but many people opt for the famous “Fred’s Salad” with grilled potatoes, bleu cheese, and chicken.  My choice of the house burger and my partner’s choice of blueberry pancakes turned out to be perfect.  Political Correctness is big in Santa Monica, and so you get paper straws with your drinks.  But paper straws fell out of use long ago for a reason--they break down from sucking and have an unpleasant taste and texture--they are inferior to plastic straws.  I do hope we can come up with a better way to recycle plastic straws and save those poor turtles. 
Back on the Beach Cafe at Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, California

family at Back on the Beach Cafe at Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, California

burger at Back on the Beach Cafe at Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, California

blueberry pancakes at Back on the Beach Cafe at Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, California [image error]


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images ©2017 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Good Eats: Tian Yi Jiao Restaurant, Wenzhou, China

Tian Yi Jiao Restaurant  Institute Middle of the Mill Shop 71st, 0577-88158888.  Featuring a long line of open-kitchen food stalls, this gigantic, well-lit venue caters to groups.  It specializes in local snacks and dishes, and the seafood is very good.  Entertainment is presented on a central stage, but I thought it was most fun to walk the gauntlet that is the long row of mini kitchens with woks and soup pans.  Those cooks are really busy.  

interior of Tian Yi Jiao Restaurant in Wenzhou, China

chef and dishes at Tian Yi Jiao Restaurant in Wenzhou, China

fish dish at Tian Yi Jiao Restaurant in Wenzhou, China

fruit plate at Tian Yi Jiao Restaurant in Wenzhou, China

line of chefs taking photos at Tian Yi Jiao Restaurant in Wenzhou, China

everyone wants a photo of the Monkey King at Tian Yi Jiao Restaurant in Wenzhou, China

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Great Sleeps: Swanburg Hotel, Wencheng County, Wenzhou, China

WENCHENG COUNTY

This forested area is reached via a twisting two-lane mountain road lined with well-maintained trees with white-painted bases.  You pass through hills with views of terraced rice fields and small villages, some with crumbling brick buildings and brand new buildings side-by-side.  A mild subtropical marine climate means it is always warm and moist with plenty of rainf.  The population is 360,000, with 170,000 more living abroad in 70 countries, giving the are the nickname “Hometown of Overseas Chinese.”  Hundreds of waterfalls, lakes, caverns and deep gorges are found in the Tongling Mountain National Forest Park, which opened in 1999.  The park has been divided into three parts –Tongling Gorge, Little Yaochi Lake, Tongling Village.  Also, Baizhang Waterfall is found here.  At 1,158-feet-high, it is China’s highest waterfall and called the most beautiful waterfall in the world.  It has three falls, with more than 4,000 steps to climb before reaching the first.

scenery on the way to Wencheng, China
Swanburg Hotel  0577-59026999; Shiyang Linchang, Wencheng, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province.  230 rooms.  Breakfast included.  Built in 2013, this still-growing resort complex was inspired by the Swanburg Hotel in Germany.  Facilities include a yoga gym, a hot springs complex (the Chinese absolutely love hot springs), and indoor skiing, and it will have more than 400 buildings when completed.  The area also offers hiking, an area with monkeys, and a temple.  An European-style village opens in 2017 and will accommodate more than 5,000 people.

Swanburg Hotel in Wencheng, China
welcome at Swanburg Hotel in Wencheng, China
The simple, pleasant hotel provides rooms with a restive view of pine trees, plus operable windows that let in the sweet fragrance of the pines as well as the soft sound of a river below.  (This peace was broken early one morning by loud firecrackers and lights in the woods.  Though I found this scary, it turned out to be the arrival of a boisterous group celebrating a wedding.)  Guest rooms have natural wood floors, comfortable beds with white duvets, and a shower with a clear window looking into the bed area and on to the outdoors through the windows beyond.  And, surprisingly, Wi-Fi is free.

guest room at Swanburg Hotel in Wencheng, China
view from guest room at Swanburg Hotel in Wencheng, China
Meant to honor my American group, which was a peculiarity in the area, a sign indicating “Foreigners Section” was displayed in the dining room.  It reserved for us a particularly comfortable area.  Some of my favorite buffet items include kung pao chicken with giant hot peppers, peanuts in vinegar, boiled peanuts, and rice wine served in teeny glasses.

selections from breakfast buffet at Swanburg Hotel in Wencheng, China
dinner buffet at Swanburg Hotel in Wencheng, China
vegetable art at Swanburg Hotel in Wencheng, China
The hot springs are reached by a 10-minute walk.  Female and male changing rooms with lockers and showers are provided, and a gift shop sells bathing suits and related items.  Approximately 20 pools of various sizes and temperatures are sprinkled over a compact hilly area.  Just like in the story of the three bears, some were too hot, some were too cold, and some were just right.  Colors and fragrances varied, but there was no explanation in English as to what each spring was best for.  When using the hot springs, it is advised to wait one hour after eating, take off all jewelry, and drink plenty of water after.  

hot springs complex at Swanburg Hotel in Wencheng, China
swim suits in hot springs gift shop at Swanburg Hotel in Wencheng, China
 
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images ©2017 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Good Eats: Lafayette, NYC

Lafayette   380 Lafayette St., b/t 4th St & Great Jones St., NoHo, (212) 533-3000.  This spacious and elegant French grand cafe and bakery is an air-conditioned oasis on a hot NYC day and makes the perfect lunch stop.  The complimentary bread and butter is exceptional, and I could have happily made a meal of just that--perhaps with a small salad.  I chose a Jambon Cru Baguette which was actually a delectable ham sandwich made especially delicious with a French baguette enhanced with stone-ground mustard and cornichons¬.  Oh yeah!  Next time I think I’ll try the L’Italien with mozzarella, rapini, and peperonata.  Salads, entrees, and more are available.  I made room for a ring ding dessert that rang my bell--a devil’s food cake with vanilla filling fashioned after a similarly named popular common version--but macarons in many flavors were also an option.  Next time.  

interior of Lafayette restaurant in NYC
fabulous bread and butter at Lafayette restaurant in NYC
ham sandwich at Lafayette restaurant in NYC
coffee service with flair at Lafayette restaurant in NYC
wrapped ring ding at Lafayette restaurant in NYC
unwrapped ring ding at Lafayette restaurant in NYC
bakery counter at Lafayette restaurant in NYC  outdoor tables at Lafayette restaurant in NYC
[image error]  


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images ©2017 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Sights to See: Merchant’s House Museum, NYC

Merchant’s House Museum   29 East Fourth St./Lafayette St. near Bowery, in NoHo, (212) 777-1089.  Thur-M 12-5pm, Thur to 8pm.  $15, seniors+students $10, under 12 free.  Tours, including a Ghost Tour, are available.  When it was built in 1832, this 4-story late Federal-style row house, built with red brick and white marble, was quite fashionable, and the neighborhood was known as the Bond Street Area.  It was the home of a prosperous middle-class hardware merchant and his family.  Visitors today are provided with a loose-leaf binder that guides you through the house and provides information about each room.  The last time it was extensively redecorated was in the 1850s.  Then, after being a home for 98 years, it became a museum in 1936.  With its careful preservation both inside and out, including original furnishings, it offers a rare glimpse into the past.  A narrow, creaky staircase leads to the upper floors, though the children’s rooms are now staff office space.  At the very top, the “Irish girls’ room” in the attic was lived in by a succession of servants and shows a simpler life style.  Today, the neighborhood is fashionable once again, though now it is filled with high-rise apartment buildings and condominiums, boutiques, and restaurants.  Be prepared to leave your purse and bags at the reception in an unlocked space.  Ironically, the attendants expect you to trust them with your valuables but don’t trust you not to steal if they let you carry your own bags, using the excuse of tight spaces.  This policy was almost enough to be a deal breaker for my visit, but I did give in to it, and though I was very uncomfortable leaving my purse with a stranger, and I did remove my wallet and cell phone to carry with me, I enjoyed exploring the premises though I did not enjoy the previous premise.  


front exterior of Merchant’s House Museum in NYC

hallway at Merchant’s House Museum in NYC
Imari china breakfast set at Merchant’s House Museum in NYC

kitchen at Merchant’s House Museum in NYC
bedroom at Merchant’s House Museum in NYC
back yard at Merchant’s House Museum in NYC
back exterior of Merchant’s House Museum in NYC

The perfect place to have lunch before or after is at Lafayette (coming soon).  


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images ©2017 Carole Terwilliger Meyers