We are back home again after a quick trip to Charlotte. Can I tell you how much I love Charlotte?
I LOVE CHARLOTTE!!!
“Why?” you might wonder.
Because there is so much to do there: great restaurants, bars, theaters, sports venues, and museums to name a few.
This trip, in addition to eating some of our favorite things (chicken and waffles, oysters on the half shell), hearing some great music (Jewel and Melissa Etheridge), and catching a show (Girl from the North Country – with music by Bob Dylan), we visited a fantastic little museum. The Mint Museum Uptown houses the internationally renowned Craft + Design collection as well as outstanding collections of American and contemporary art. I thoroughly enjoyed the exhibits, and there was such an incredible array of them! Here are some of my favorites:
The artist, Paul Jenkins, developed the technique of applying pigment suspended in a liquid directly onto the canvas. It was huge!Mixed mediumI love repurposed telephones! (Like Dali’s Lobster Phone)Hard to see but this was created by little dots of color! Wolf Crest Hat, Preston Singletary (a member of the Tlingit tribe, the artist created this bowl with its distinctive crest representing in animal form the supernatural being that confers specific privileges upon the family group; turn the bowl upside down and it takes the form of a Northwest Coast Native American hat, which were woven from spruce roots and painted with crest designs)Transporter, E. V. Day, 2000 (from the Exploding Couture series…this piece recreates the moment at which a designer ballgown begins to explode into thousands of tiny pieces)
Which ones did you like?
The exhibits change, so if you are anywhere near the city, don’t miss a visit to the Mint Museum! And if you are there around lunchtime (or dinner time), there are two fantastic French restaurants close by – La Belle Helene and Coquette. The food at both is fantastique!
This year, I decided to celebrate my birthday in France! I wanted to do something special: a pampering at Les Sources De Caudalie Spa. The Caudalie line derives much of its ingredients from grapes, and supposedly they are loaded with anti-aging properties. So what better place to treat myself than somewhere with a spa AND a vineyard!
We touched down in Bordeaux on Easter Sunday, and after a lovely lunch in a brasserie in the city, we made our way to Martillac. It was a beautiful drive, and we had an interesting welcoming committee just before arriving at the hotel.
Animal Farm Welcome
The spread that greeted us was a trifecta of splendor: Hotel+Spa+Winery.
And as if that isn’t enough, there is a Michelin restaurant on the premises (where I enjoyed my birthday dinner). The meal was outstanding, but the carafe and pouring of the wine almost stole the show.
Our sommelier
The Chateau Haut Lafitte vineyard is just across the street from the hotel, beyond a whimsical statue of a hare (aptly named “Hospitality”). The owners’ private wine cellar is amazing, located underneath the tasting room. The wine we tried was divine, but unfortunately they don’t ship to Mallorca so we did not end up buying any.
Chateau Haut Lafitte Private Cellar
If it’s good enough for the King and Queen, it’s good enough for us!
Charles and Camilla
Our next stop was Saint Émilion, a charming little town surrounded by something like 900 vineyards! We had lunch at Logis de la Cadène, the oldest restaurant in the town (1848!) and also a Michelin restaurant. The dishes were so creative and tasted every bit as good as they looked!
Amuse BoucheMushrooms from the areaMain dish (poulet)Dessert
Our first wine tasting was one kilometer outside Saint Émilion at Chateau Franc Mayne, where we learned all about “Grand Cru Classé.” It is a prestigious classification that started in Saint Émilion in the 1950s. The vineyard sits on a limestone plateau and its cellar is an old stone quarry, where stone was extracted centuries ago to build houses, chateaux and churches in the surrounding area.
Chateau Franc MayneThe Cellar
Our second wine tasting was at Chateau Fonplégade, where we were referred to by a member – it is a private vineyard owned by an American, Denise Adams, who has managed to infiltrate the wine culture in France. The vineyard is named for the 13th century fountain that sits above the chateau, and which has not run out of water since it was built! The vineyard is not only organic – it is biodynamic – a form of agriculture that aims to improve the earth to a better condition than when it first began to be farmed. It is based on ideas developed by Rudolph Steiner, the first person to introduce organic agriculture. (He also established the Waldorf Schools and Anthroposophical medicine. I have studied Anthroposophy and his ideas are very esoteric.)
Chateau Fonplégade
Our tour of the property was so much fun, and very educational. The wine tasting was spectacular, and we left wanting more and hoping to return for a harvest so we can meet the proprietor!
Superb white from their Napa vineyardThe fountainLooking down from the fountainTreats from the farmMy DH and me
Our last two days were spent in Bordeaux. It is such a beautiful city! We shopped, drank great wine, ate fabulous food, admired the architecture, and basically soaked in that famous “je ne sais quoi” that is France.
Luckily, it’s a quick one-hour flight from Palma to Bordeaux, so we will be back! Au revoir #Bordeaux!
What the Focus 