North Georgia Canopy Tours

North Georgia Canopy Tours officially opens April 1, 2010. Yesterday I was invited to a media preview. Although it was my first visit to this course, it was my fourth time zip-lining.
This course is designed in such a way that there are two different tour options available. The "Sky Bridge Tour," which is the one that I completed, takes approximately two hours from start to finish. There are nine zip-lines, two sky bridges, two "hikes" (steep but short), and as a finale a 680-foot tandem zip over a pond. It retails for $69 per person. The "Adventure Tour" takes about another hour and adds three more zips, one more "hike" and a rappel. It retails for $89 per person. (Children age 10-15, groups and military personnel get discounts off the listed retail rate.)

Zip-lining is always fun. In my opinion, the best seasons to zip are Spring and Fall—the air is pleasantly crisp, there are minimal insect disturbances and the absence of leaves makes it easier to see. (I zip-lined in summer in Barbados, which was fun, but thick foliage made it difficult to appreciate how high I was off the ground.)

At North Georgia Canopy Tours the amount of time dedicated to getting folks into their equipment and trained is longer than anywhere else I've zipped. This may be most welcome by first-timers or anyone who is especially nervous.

As is typical, two guides accompany each group of eight. Guides take the first and last position. You zip from one guide to the other: The "Sky Bridge Tour" includes two suspension bridges, which are quite stable. In fact, five people cross the bridge together:

The course is beautiful. In particular, I enjoyed the third zip, which passed through a path of tall trees. I also enjoyed the view while zipping over the Oconee River.

In addition to ensuring participants' equipment remains secure for safety, the guides talk about plants and wildlife during the tour as well as local history.

The dual zip at the end is unique and fun: You race another person across a two-acre pond.

Bottom line: A fun zip-line course that is ideal for beginners or families with young children. (Children must be age 10 or older to zip and weigh at least 70 pounds.)

Barnacle's

The best Cajun chicken pasta sauce is an ethereal blend of spice and cream. It is not neon orange-yellow: If you find yourself hungry near Gwinnett Place Mall and stumble into Barnacle's, a better option is to order 1.5 pounds of snow crab legs. The crab legs were decent, but the steamed vegetables served alongside were soggy and bland.

Bottom line: A dark and rather grungy eating establishment that evokes those commonly found on back roads throughout the Midwestern U.S. during the 1970s. Better dining options in Atlanta abound. Still, while this place is not good enough to recommend, the bar was crowded with folks who sat, beer in hand, happily watching a basketball game.

Monkey Barrel

Yesterday we found ourselves in Gainesville, Georgia at noon with extra time in our schedule. Lunch, we agreed, would be great. But where to eat? Consulting our GPS yielded dozens of national fast food chains, which wasn't what we had in mind. So we headed toward the historic downtown hoping to stumble across a place that looked inviting. That's how we discovered The Monkey Barrel.

The neighborhood bar and eatery had a welcoming vibe. A couple sat dining with their three young daughters at one table while an elderly couple sat at another. The menu was built around standard bar fare like chicken wings, pizza and sandwiches. We opted to split a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich.

The sandwich took longer than expected to arrive at our table, but it was tender and tasty. The French fries were especially appealing, perfectly crisp-tender and not greasy.

Bottom line: A casual neighborhood bar that rises above its average menu through better-than-average preparations.

Zin & Syrah

Tonight I attended a special dinner celebrating the cookbook "Down Home: Downtown," sponsored by Rodney Strong Vineyards. Co-authors Chef Jeff Mall of Zin Restaurant & Wine Bar in Healdsburg, California and Chef Josh Silvers of Syrah Bistro in Santa Rosa, California were in Atlanta, Georgia to promote their book and support the annual High Museum Atlanta Wine Auction (which is a very big deal here in Atlanta).

As it turned out, I was seated next to Susan Dunphy Mall, Jeff's wife as well as (per her business card) catering director, chef, writer, gardener, knitter, dog wrangler, cat herder and chicken mama.

When she talked about Healdsburg, which is in Sonoma County, I confessed that Healdsburg is my husband's and my dream retirement destination. We adore it. (We may never be able to afford moving there, but dreams are free.) She confessed that life in that part of the world is quite wonderful, adding that she and her husband moved there for the food because they are both chefs.

While she talked about their restaurant, I suddenly remembered that I've actually been to Zin Restaurant & Wine Bar. Back in September 2000, before I was a freelance writer, I was in Sonoma enjoying what's now called a 'girls' getaway' vacation with my friend the electrical engineer. After a day spent tasting wine at wineries from one end of Sonoma to the other, we checked into our hotel for the night and then went out looking for a place to eat dinner since girls cannot survive on wine alone. We chose Zin Restaurant & Wine Bar because it was convenient to wherever it was that we were staying and because it was still open. What fortunate luck!

My friend and I both ordered the mushroom pasta. She likely chose it because she's mostly a vegetarian, I thought it sounded good. It was divine. So tasty, in fact, that I still distinctly remember it 10 years later.

If that's not a ringing endorsement for a restaurant, I don't know what is.

Susan says that the mushroom pasta is very popular and that it's on the menu each fall. The tone of her voice made it sound like it has to be on the menu or some of their regular customers get pretty angry. I understand. It's really that good.

Tonight's dinner in Atlanta proved that other items on Chef Jeff's menu are equally good.

Bottom line: If you find yourself in Healdsburg, eat at Zin Restaurant & Wine Bar, 344 Center St., 707-473-0946.

AND, though I've not eaten there personally, based on tonight's dinner I can heartily suggest that if you're ever in Santa Rosa, eat at Chef Josh's Syrah Bistro, 205 Fifth St., 707-568-4002.

You may, in fact, want to make a special trip to California to dine at both these restaurants.

3X Vodka

The newest release by 3 Vodka Distilling Co. is 3X (or Triple X), a blend of the original 3 Vodka formula with a ménage à trois of flavors: acai berry, pomegranate and wild blueberry.

According to the press release, "The original 3 Vodka is an award-winning, carbohydrate-free, gluten-free, zero-sugar vodka. It’s the world’s first and only vodka distilled from soy, which gives the brand a remarkable smoothness. 3 Vodka was awarded the first perfect 100-point taste rating ever recorded and is endorsed by the American Vegetarian Association and Celiac Foundation."

Much time has passed since I tasted the original, but I do remember thinking it had a thick mouthfeel and an earthy note that dominated the aroma and flavor. It was by no means awful, but it didn't become a standard of my home bar.

Still, I agreed to try the new flavor. Good news: It's tasty. Sipped on its own, the crisp mouthfeel builds to a hot alcohol heat that's tamed by complex fruit and unexpected spicy flavors.

To test 3X Vodka in a cocktail, I searched recipes posted on the official 3 Vodka website and chose the one for which I readily had all ingredients on hand:

Ultimate Pomegranate Martini
1.5 oz. 3X Vodka
0.75 oz. PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur
0.25 oz. fresh lemon juice
0.75 oz. simple syrup

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass with a sugared rim. Garnish with a lemon twist.

The cocktail was sweet, bright and light. In this mixed drink, the alcohol heat from the vodka was pleasantly tamed. Two thumbs up. (Three, counting my neighbor's vote.)

Bottom line: A fun fruity vodka worth mixing into your cocktail portfolio.

Barnsley Gardens Resort

Located just an hour drive north of Atlanta on I-75, Barnsley Gardens Resort in Adairsville, Georgia, offers a charming getaway option that's super convenient for Atlantans yet compelling enough to attract folks from far distances.

This past weekend we stayed in a cottage which was actually half of a duplex cabin:

The front door opened into a cozy living room. Since we don't have a fireplace in our condo and it's a chilly spring in Georgia, we put the fireplace to use. Logs were stacked ready to light upon our arrival and the kindling caught immediately. Extra wood was conveniently stacked on the back porch.

Cottages of various size and design line the streets, which are themselves laid out to evoke an old-timey neighborhood where horse drawn carriages might parade down the streets in lieu of cars. (In truth, these community streets are used by horses as well as golf carts).

In addition to activities including horseback riding, golf, sporting clays and a luxury spa, the resort boasts 12 miles of hiking trails. The ruins are a popular destination and offer a number of compelling photographic opportunities:

The ruins are a popular choice for weddings, private romantic dinners and special events. At night the candelabra hanging from beams in the entry plus votives tucked into various nooks and crannies in the brick structure are lit to create an inviting glow.

The Woodlands Grill is the resort's primary restaurant. We enjoyed a four-course wine dinner at the Rice House, which is reserved for special events. Chef d' Cuisine Charles Vosburgh (who I was told previously was the first runner up for the chef job at Augusta National Golf Club) prepared a four-course meal specifically designed to pair with Blue Rock Vineyards wines. First course was a terrine of smoked salmon with cucumber vodka sorbet. Next came a salad of endive with apricots, candied walnuts, blue cheese and hazelnut vinaigrette. The main course was a brined roast Kurabuta pork loin with glazed baby carrots, fennel jus and fennel flan. The dish had hints of anise courtesy of Pernod absinthe.

Dessert was profiteroles with chocolate ginger mousse and chocolate sauce:
I can't recall ever before tasting chocolate and ginger together. They make a delicious pair.
Returning to our room we discovered the "fairy godmother" of Barnsley Garden Resorts had visited our room and cast a "love spell."  The bed was covered with rose petals and dozens of candles warmed the room visually and literally. While the rose petals were strewn across the entire bed, they were atop a white cloth for easy removal (for those not inspired to lay directly on them.)

The candlelight and rose petals motif continued into the bathroom.

Bottom line: A charming getaway option with special service offerings designed to create lasting memories.

Violette Restaurant

In Atlanta it would be possible to dine solely on French cuisine for at least a week without ever going to the same restaurant twice. There are plenty of options. Among them is Violette Restaurant. It happens to be the French restaurant closest to my current residence, but this week marked my first visit. I'd heard good things about the place from foodie friends as well as my husband (who'd dined there with work associates). So I arrived with high hopes for an enjoyable evening.

The space itself is, well, weird. There's nothing wrong with it per se, but the interior combines industrial elements like exposed ductwork with "classic" (circa 1970?) French-kitsch. Sitting in the dining room doesn't evoke the feeling that one is in France. Unless you consider live piano entertainment uniquely Parisian.

The service was nothing to complain about, but it also didn't offer anything above average. Same with the food.

Tomato and mozzarella salad with basil is topped with a balsamic reduction ($9.95).

Soupe du jour on our visit was sweet potato soup with honey ($5.95).

Poulet Farci, chicken breast stuffed with goat cheese, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and basil in a white wine cream sauce ($16.95):
Feuilleté aux Fruits de Mer, shrimp, scallops and salmon in a puff pastry with a creamy tarragon sauce ($20.95):
Bottom line: Although the food was tasty, it didn't measure up to the offerings at some of Atlanta's other French restaurants.

HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern

Last evening we ate at HOBNOB Neighborhood Tavern, which has been open for less than a month. Knowing it's from the same folks behind Gilbert's, which is a good restaurant, set high expectations. We were not disappointed.

The menu features American classics with some Mediterranean influences. There's an excellent beer list (with 50 different craft, high-gravity, draft and import options); what's fun is that there's a recommended beer pairing for each dish. Wine and cocktails are also available.

This is not a pizza restaurant per se, but since I'm in the midst of researching a pizza story that's what we ordered. There are four different pizzas on the menu and we tested them all.

CBR is topped with grilled chicken, bacon and ranch dressing. I'm not a fan of bacon (yes, this may get me kicked me out of the South) and think ranch dressing is only OK (my favorite dressing is blue cheese), but this combination was such a tasty surprise it was my favorite of the lineup.

This classic margherita is topped with roasted tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil. The chef says that he initially used tomato sauce but found he preferred the roasted whole tomatoes. He says that the cheese is bufala mozzarella and that it doesn't have the round dollops typically seen because the oven is 700 degrees and the cheese melts so fast.

The braised short rib and lamb pizza also counts roasted fennel, garlic confit, tomatoes and crumbled goat cheese as toppings.

The prosciutto and arugula pizza also has fontina cheese and shaved Parmesan. The arugula is dressed with extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice. It's a bit salty, but not too much.

The crispy-chewy thin crust pizzas were cooked to perfection. All topping combos were tasty.

The chocolate stout milk shake blends Left Hand stout, vanilla extract, vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. The hazelnut mud slide milk shake blends milk, Frangelico, Kahlua, espresso powder, chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream. Milk shakes in the South are generally too runny for my preference, and these are no exception. But the flavor combinations were very tasty indeed.

Bottom line: With upscale preparations at reasonable prices, HOBNOB is sure to be embraced by neighborhood residents and visitors.

Fritti

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Flight Over Augusta, GA

Today I had the opportunity to fly over Augusta, Georgia in a small plane.

This was my first experience riding in a small plane. Compared to a commercial jet, it's much noisier and bumpier yet offers a better view. Here's a brief video summary:

Some visual highlights of the trip included Augusta National Golf Course, the Savannah River and Clarks Hill Lake & Dam.

Bottom line: A great way to see the lay of the land, but it felt like riding in a tin can that was shot out of a cannon.

SLC Utah Restaurant Recommendations

If you find yourself in or near Salt Lake City, Utah, these restaurants are worth seeking out:

Alpine House
The Canyon’s Resort Village in Park City
435-615-4828
The menu bills the upscale fare as “small bites,” but the servings would be considered small only by those famished after a day spent skiing. The one drawback of the "lodge-chic" decor is that most chairs are backless stools or benches, which can get tiresome if you had hoped to linger over the meal.

Eating Establishment
Park City
435-649-8284
Breakfast here makes it worthwhile to get out of bed.

High West Distillery & Saloon
Park City
435-649-8300
The vibe here is relaxed, friendly, fun and will burst any of your preconceived misgivings about Utah. Don't miss the Thanksgiving Sandwich. Tasty cocktails feature spirits distilled on-site.

Log Haven
Salt Lake City (20 minutes from downtown)
801-272-8255
Consistently awarded “Most Romantic Restaurant” by various Utah publications, the ambiance, upscale service and food quality are the definition of destination dining. You'll need a rental car or pay a hefty cab fare from the city, but it's worth the trip. Skip beef in favor of elk if it's available or otherwise opt for the buffalo--the "game" meats are more tender, healthier and taste better. Besides, you've already had cow.

Pago
Salt Lake City
801-532-0777
Farm-to-table neighborhood dining at its delicious best.

Talisker on Main
Park City
435-658-5479
Elegant surroundings, service and cuisine. All menu items are tasty, but opt for the elk whenever it’s available and don’t skip dessert unless you’re aching to deprive yourself of something truly special.

Top of the Lodge
Goldminer’s Daughter Lodge in Alta
801-742-2300
Breakfast and dinner here are included in the cost of lodging at this ski-in/ski-out resort. The dishes are tasty and served in pleasant surroundings. Don’t miss the carrot and ginger soup when it’s available.