Visiting Virginia's First Ice Bar

Richmond, Virginia is buzzing about Infuzion’s Ice Lounge, not only a first for the city, but for the U.S. as well, according to their website. If donning an insulated parka and gloves and drinking cocktails “in the rocks” sounds like your style, this is the place. Your $15 buys you 30 chilly minutes in the cavern where the tables, bar, and highball glasses are all made of frozen H2O. You’ll also get a “been there, done that” souvenir photo from your session. If you’ve ever been to the Ice Hotel in Sweden or Quebec, this closet-sized ice bar housed in walk-in freezer won’t be very impressive, but for Richmond residents and those who haven’t ever visited the grand scale ice palaces, Infuzion is big news and something different to do.

But, there’s much more happening at this hip venue than just chilling out in a frozen tavern. Also inside this renovated 1940’s-era warehouse in the historic Scott’s Addition neighborhood are a cosmopolitan dance club and a new tapas-style lounge.

www.infuzionlounge.com

Red, White,and Drunk All Over

Natalie Maclean’s new book is a self-proclaimed “wine-soaked journey from grape to glass” and is as much fun to read as the title suggests. This is one wine expert with a good nose, but no snobby attitude. The book has gotten rave reviews from the L.A. Times, The Minneapolis Star Tribune and the Seattle Times to name a few, and if my opinion counts, now from here. Published by Bloomsbury ($14.95),it’s available at most major retailers and online.

It’s a fun way to learn about wine in a Bridget Jones’ Diary sort of moment, and MacLean’s website offers great resources like a food-and-wine matcher with thousands of recipes and wine pairings. She also has a free e-newsletter with tips on wines to buy, and what to store in the cellar. www.nataliemaclean.com

A Fitting Farewell

On my last night at the Hilton Papagayo, I met a nice couple from California who had just arrived at the resort. They had taken a red-eye and were experiencing serious jet lag, but were trying to reset their internal clock by staying awake until Costa Rican bedtime, something I also do when traveling to get on the local time as soon as possible.

We both had reservations for dinner at the resort’s fine dining outlet, El Dorado, so we decided to share a table. Included in the all-inclusive package (which is ending October 31st when the resort will transition to the standard á la carte Hilton model) are two dinners at either El Dorado or the Italian grill. El Dorado is definitely the way to go with this pick.

The lovely and intimate dining room is located next to the main restaurant near the pool, and the menu is filled with continental classics done Costa Rican style. I chose the seafood medley, sort of a paella without the rice…prawns and lobster and mussels piled high on a pristine white plate. My West Coast friends tried other options, including the local take on filet and mashed potatoes. This is the one outlet on the property where the Executive Chef can show off his talent and was a perfect place for my farewell dinner.

Snack Food Heaven

At the Hilton Papagayo, the pool is on three levels. On the top level, you can swim, take a water aerobics class, or belly up to the Fuente de Vida bar. On the lower level, a volleyball net is set up and there’s always a game on. On the very bottom level, you can chill out within steps of the poolside grill which has the best lunch offering on the property.

I pigged out on chicken tacos, nachos, and a beef enchilada. Not only is this one of my favorite kinds of food, but when the tortillas are made fresh and the veggies are also right off the vine and tree, it can’t be beat. The grill also makes pizza, hamburgers and a variety of sandwiches and everything looked great. Special orders for the kids are no problem, and the service, as elsewhere in the resort, is incredibly friendly.

Do be careful of the bees that hang out at the soda machine. It’s part of the natural setting…if you want to hang out in an eco-friendly resort, you have to like all the indigenous critters.

Elbow Bending at El Rituel

The great thing about all-inclusive resorts is that alcoholic drinks are free. So, it’s not surprising that swim-up pool bars like Fuente De Vida at the Hilton Papagayo stay busy throughout the day. The friendly bartender there gave me an insider tip: he said in Costa Rica, locals don’t order “cerveza”…they ask for “una bierra”.

While the swim-up bar stays busy during the day, at 4 p.m. guests begin to gravitate to its landside counterpart, El Ritual. If you want to try a local ‘bierra’, order an Imperial, but with the abundance of fresh fruit here, you’ll definitely also want to try some kind of fruity rum drink or frozen concoction.

While hanging out at El Ritual, I met a really nice young man who is doing charity work in Sri Lanka, and a private pilot who had flown some high roller in for a week at the Four Seasons across the Bay. He said Bill Gate’s plane was also at the airport, so he was obviously over there too, and Michael Jordan owns a house there. On my earlier jet ski tour of the area, we drove by it and at least from the outside, for 10 times the price, it’s got nothing on the Hilton in terms of location or ambiance.

Invite an Iguana to Breakfast

Iguanas are indigenous to this region, and the property is full of them. One of them sat munching leaves on the bush right in front of my bungalow, and at the outdoor seating areas, they wander around looking for crumbs at breakfast and lunch, and seem totally comfortable with humans invading their space.

The Hilton Papagayo offers two breakfast options, a buffet breakfast at the main restaurant, La Cosecha, and an alfresco breakfast bar by the spa pool. Buffet-style restaurants are somewhat of an oxymoron, as no food that sits in a chafing dish for hours is going to be great. However, La Cosecha has two chef stations with made-to-order omelets, and one where you can get fresh corn tortillas and scrumptious pancakes flavored with vanilla and cinnamon. I had an omelet made which I then stuffed in my tortilla for a custom breakfast taco, and then I had a “dessert” of pancakes topped with syrup and fried plantains.

At Grill Del Fuego by the spa, which is a breakfast and lunch spot by day and an Italian eatery by night, the selection was smaller, but loaded with fresh fruit, a European style meat and cheese selection, cereals, and an omelet station. It’s a beautiful and peaceful spot with views of the water, but beware of leaving your food on the table unattended. Two big blue jays swooped in and tasted my breakfast when I got up to get a pastry, and a large iguana stationed himself by the bar to watch what we were eating, which definitely added to the tropical ambiance.

Costa Rica is very eco-conscious and the Papagayo resort is on government protected land because of the black sand volcanic beach. In addition to experience the natural wildlife, you’ll notice that everywhere on the property are garbage cans for both organic and solid waste.

Partying at the new Hilton Papagayo

When these folks throw a party, it’s a show stopper! Celebrating the inauguration of Hilton’s new management relationship with the resort at Papagayo, this see-and-be-seen do was a huge deal, not just for the region, but for the entire country of Costa Rica. The President was slated to attend, the secret service had swept the grounds, and the clifftop Presidential Suite was ready, but he had to cancel at the last minute. Still, the Minister of Economy and several of Hilton’s top execs worldwide, as well as the top businessmen and social stars of this Central American country, turned out for the bash that was held poolside.

Scheduled to begin at 6 p.m., a late-breaking thunderstorm could have rained on Hilton’s parade, but the incredibly friendly and hard-working hotel staff managed to pack everything up, wait until the rain ended, and put it all back together again in just an hour. I was so impressed watching, not just catering employees, but housekeepers and literally every employee in the place, hauling furniture, sweeping up debris, and drying off every soaked surface to present what turned out to be a mini “festivale”.

The Executive Chef and his staff outdid themselves. Every guest was greeted with a tropical cocktail, and the spread of food from duck wraps to tiny spoons of lobster and avocado salad was both elegant and delicious. The hot table featured a huge roast beef, roast pork, and a triumph of a paella.

The party theme was based on Costa Rica’s seasons. During the dry (gold season), the country looks like a parched, golden map of hills and valleys, but once the rainy (green) season begins in June, everything turns into a verdant green. Staffers were costumed in these two themes and guests were asked to wear green and gold.

Eating Donuts in Miami

I'm hanging out in the American Airlines Admiral's Club in Miami, taking advantage of the T-Mobile hotspot and the free coffee and donuts while I wait for my flight to Costa Rica. I've been invited to attend the Grand Opening of the Hilton Papagayo Resort which opened just about 10 weeks ago. It's nestled between the mountains and the natural volcanic sand beach on the Bay of Papagayo, and the 82-acre property has individual bungalows in a lush, tropical setting. The hotel has three restaurants and is currently all-inclusive, so I'll taste as many dishes as I can, in between horseback riding on the beach, sunbathing, and spa treatments. It's a rough life! Four of the suites have their own plunge pools, but I doubt I'll rate one of those. Even so, the opening party tonight should be a blast, and they've requested that guests wear green and gold to celebrate the end of winter (the Golden Season) and the beginning of spring( the Green Season). I wonder if the party food will be color-coordinated....