With its foundations in the American Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, and coined by eminent author and historian James Truslow Adams, the American Dream is a high-minded ethos indeed.

But what is the reality – the result of the American Dream? Is it really that propitious white picket fence? Or can we find this ideology on every street corner in every city in the country?

If so, what does it look like?

Perhaps the American Dream is as simple as a scarlet-skinned sausage tucked into a soft white bun smothered in bright yellow and red sauce.

Liberty in edible form.

The American Dream and the history of the hotdog

These days, hotdogs are ubiquitous – not only in America but all over the world, with many countries and cultures putting their take on this sausage snack. More about that later.

But in the USA, the hotdog moved west leaving a breadcrumb trail as it went. Here’s a look at the East Coast, Midwest and West Coast forms of this all-American icon.

Could this be the best apple pie in America?

American Roadtrip – San Diego to Vegas… the long way

New York City – where it all began

in the summer of 1867, shortly after the American Civil War, German migrant Charles L Feltman opened his sausage stall on Coney Island and sold his ‘Coney Island red hots’ to the masses enjoying the sea breeze off the coast of Manhattan.

These were the first ‘hot dogs’ to grace America’s palate, and at its height, Feltman’s could dish up around 40,000 red hots a day!

The following years turned into something of a sausage war when an ex-employee – Nathan Handwerker – started ‘Nathan’s’ in direct competition, which eventually put Feltman’s out of business.

However, thanks to a recent resurrection of the Feltman’s original recipe, both brands are now back in business on Coney Island… and in supermarkets everywhere.

Courtesy of Feltman’s of Coney Island Facebook page

You can read the full fascinating story of Feltman’s here from a BBC story that’s part of their Cultural Roots series.

Check out our First-Timer’s Guide to NYC

Midwest style with the Chicago ‘dog

The Chicago-style hotdog is quite different to any other you’ll find in the States. Of course, there’s a thick-cut beef frankfurter sausage in a bun, but the bun is usually topped with poppy seeds.

Along with the sausage, you should have white onion, yellow mustard, a disturbingly bright green sweet relish, sliced tomato, tangy ‘sport pepper’ and a long wedge slice of pickle. It’s quite confronting, but there’s no doubt how tasty it is.

Portillo’s – a Chicagoland institution – has been serving sausage like this for over 80 years.

In 1939, while Feltman’s and Nathan’s were in the midst of their ‘battle of the bangers’, ex-Marine Dick Portillo started a hotdog truck he called ‘The Dog House’ in Villa Park, IL.

Portillo moved his hotdog business back to his hometown Chicago in 1963. Now there are around 60 restaurants in the States, and they sell a huge range of food, not just hotdogs.

Check out our Essential Guide to Chicago

Only in LA – Pink’s celebrity hotdog

Around the same time that Dick Portillo opened his Dog House in Illinois, Mr Paul Pink was lifting the lid for the first time on his hotdog waggon in LA.

Over eight decades later, the wagon’s gone, but the shop Pink replaced it with in 1946 is still there. Selling over-size sausages smothered in the Pink’s proprietary spicy mince, everyone comes to Pink’s in Hollywood for a taste of their famous chili dogs.

They also have a huge range of hotdogs and chili dogs at Pink’s – a range that’s ever-growing. New additions take the name of the celebrity who ordered them. The likes of the Rosie O’Donnell Long Island Dog 9” and the Ozzy Spicy Dog are in respective honour of the comedian and the singer.

Others are eponymous to various famed chefs and actors like Carl Reiner, Patt Morrison and Marlon Brando.

But in true LA style, these ‘dogs are huge and completely over the top. They’re also a must-eat while you’re in SoCal.

10 recurring food dreams of the USA

Hotdogs elsewhere – and the Australian ‘Democracy Sausage’

Hotdogs have captured not only the American imagination but that of the whole world. Pretty much every US state has its own variation, and many countries have their own take on the humble ‘dog too.

What about Australia?

In Australia, we don’t have the hotdog. I mean, we can buy them here, but they’re not a cultural watermark for us.

Instead, we have the sausage sizzle.

This strange societal symbol might not have the historic lineage of Feltman’s or Portillo’s or Pink’s, but my goodness it’s an icon of Australia’s own version of the American Dream: Mateship.

At its simple best, a sausage sizzle is a well-cooked née burnt snag on a bed of similarly grilled onions balanced on a single sheet of soft white sandwich bread. Sauces are applied deftly and discretely by the end-user.

But a sausage sizzle is all about the snag and onions. The bread is merely a vehicle, or as comedian Ivan Aristeguieta puts it:

“The bread is just a serviette you can eat.”

For a full very amusing dissection of this true national entity, check out this ABC podcast on the ‘unauthorised history of the sausage sizzle’. 

From backyards to Bunnings to the entrance to polling stations (yes, Prime Ministers are elected on the basis on how they eat theirs), the Democracy Sausage is very much part of our Aussie culture.

The post More American than apple pie? The democracy of the humble hotdog appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

Opening a bar in Prohibition America sounds like financial suicide, doesn’t it? But for the Peanut on Kansas City’s Main Street, it’s proven to be a masterstroke.

Almost 90 years later, this local institution is still serving sippers and soaks the liquor and wine that would once have been tucked away behind its broad darkwood bar.

Windows, once painted to protect its patrons from police, now look out from a single-room bar packed with Americana gathered probably since the Peanut first opened in 1933.

Amongst the beer posters, KC plates and odes to the Royals is an excerpt from a magazine review.

“At the Peanut, you will feel like a stranger for about, oh, 10 seconds,” its sub reads.

They got that right.

The Peanut on Main – KCMO’s oldest bar and the best wings in town

And perhaps it’s Kansas City’s Midwestern friendliness and hospitality that’s at play, but it’s evident that KCMO has comfort food down to a fine art.

If there’s any doubt of that, you need to check out our tour of Kansas City’s incredible barbecue scene.

At the Peanut, you will feel like a stranger for about, oh, 10 seconds.

But my first steps through the doors of the Peanut are one of those magical travel moments that I’ll always remember. And like many vivid memories, this one’s all about smell… more specifically the smell of food!

That iconic aroma – rich, tangy, spicy and savoury – fill the air already thick with laughter, music and friendly chatter.

Eyes wide, I turn to Christina: “wow! Can you smell buffalo wings?”

Sure enough, within minutes of finding a table, our friends conjure a huge bowl of chicken; orange, sticky and unctuous – as the menu declares – ‘best wings in KC!’

You buy them by the dozen here at the Peanut, but when the bar’s chef, John Navarre, comes out to chat, it’s the BLTs he’s most pleased with.

We dodge into the tiny kitchen at the back of the bar to see how John does it.

“Sure, the wings are good,” he shrugs. “You know what the secret sauce is?”

Grinning, he holds up two things next to the polished steal prep counter: a bottle of Frank’s Red Hot and butter.

“Equal parts, simple as that.”

Equal parts butter and an off-the-shelf sauce you can even buy in Australia. Brilliant. How audacious. But it works.

You also marinade the wings in plenty of black pepper overnight and fry them super-hot, so maybe not that simple.

BLT at The Peanut – bacon, lettuce and tomato never tasted so good

As for the Peanut’s BLTs, they come from a recipe handed down through three generations.

I’m not sure if John Navarre was supposed to give it up, but here it is:

– Toast one side of the bread on the hotplate, then add mayonnaise and pepper.
– Then press lettuce over on itself and top with more mayo.
– Cut thick slices of tomato and then fry at least four long streaky bacon rashers until they’re very crispy, adding them in that order.
– Finally top with crated cheddar and topped with the other slice of bread, then turn the whole thing on the hotplate to toast the bread and melt the cheese.

The result is superlative.

What else is up at the Peanut?

Apart from its impressive menu (the Nachos Supreme – a mountain of chips, queso, chilli, tomatoes, onions, black olives, cheese and of course sour cream – is the ultimate crowd-pleaser), the Peanut is a fascinating melting pot.

John Navarre tells us a bit more about the bar’s history. It got its name not from the most likely place of a classic bar snack, but from architecture.

Walnut Tower, built on Walnut Street way downtown was the country’s first condo. Then came the Peanut Tower… followed by its eponymous blind tiger.

John tells us the Peanut’s a special place – it brings in locals from every walk of life. There’s something about this prohibition speakeasy and its careful blend of zane, history, sports and friendliness that brings folk in.

I think that review got it wrong though: it took us way less than 10 seconds to feel at home here.

We sit back down at our table, leaving John to his covers – he’s the only one in the kitchen and has been for over three years now. The energy in the bar picks up – as does the noise.

The Chiefs are on the TV – and they’re winning.

The post How to make the world’s best BLT in a real Prohibition speakeasy appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

Chicago is full of fascinating history, beautiful architecture, incredible food and wonderful people. 

We’ve been lucky enough to visit this – my personal favourite American city – a couple of times now. It’s one of those excellent places that gets better every time you visit.

Simply walking the streets of the city will give you plenty to do, but our essential guide to Chicago will hopefully give you a bit more direction. It’s not an exhaustive guide by any means, so please feel free to add your own suggestions and recommendations in the comments below.

Essential guide to Chicago, IL

One more caveat before we get stuck in: although we’ve included a few local tips, this is a list based on our own experiences – we’re just a couple of people visiting from overseas.

Where to stay in Chicago

Being a big city, there are literally hundreds of places to stay in Chicago – and that’s before you even look at things like AirBnB.

But here are three hotels right in the Magnificent Mile and the Loop that we’ve enjoyed:

Kimpton Monaco Chicago

225 N Wabash Ave, Chicago

Perfectly positioned on the south bank of the Chicago River, the Kimpton Monaco is not only in the best location it also provides incredible service. Kimpton hotels are well-known for their above-and-beyond attitude, and the Monaco is no exception.

Our suite looked out over the river and was a highlight of one of our most memorable trips to the States.

Here’s our review of the Kimpton Monaco and video walkthrough.

Kimpton Gray

122 W Monroe St, Chicago

Deep in the business district of Chicago, you might not think the Kimpton Gray is in the best spot for holidaymakers. However, this city isn’t like most others, where the CBD falls dead on its face outside office hours. It’s alive all the time.

You’re also close to some of the best sights in the city.

For hotels, you can’t get much better than this newly renovated piece of Chicago history. In fact, this was the tallest building the world for a little while.

Check out our full review and video walkthrough of the Kimpton Gray here.

W Chicago Lakeshore Hotel

644 N Lake Shore Dr, Chicago

If your priority is to stay as close as possible to Lake Michigan, this hotel is for you. From the windows of our large ‘Spectacular King Room’, we had superlative views out across the water and the turning lights of the Ferris Wheel and Navy Pier.

From here, you’re a stone’s throw from Ohio Street Beach, Navy Pier and of course the Magnificent Mile.

Click here for our our review of the W Lakeshore.

Things to do in Chicago

There’s just so much to do in Chicago it’s hard to know where to begin. But we’re surprised every time we talk to locals that they recommend one thing above all others to do if it’s your first time here:

Chicago Architectural River Cruise

We weren’t sure if this was going to be any good, but from beginning to end, it’s worth your time and money. You learn so much about this amazing city and you get to see Chicago from a completely different angle. Highly recommended.

You can buy tickets to the cruise here.

And here’s our review of the Chicago Architectural River Cruise for more info – and an embarrassingly old photo of me!

Cloud Gate

Synonymous with Chicago is the giant silver sculpture near Millennium Park. Better known as ‘The Bean’ to the initial chagrin of its creator Sir Anish Kapoor, Cloud Gate is an iconic piece of public art that you just have to go look at. Its distorting reflections of the city skyline make for a fun photo, and walking underneath its 3.7m archway is a real trip.

Chicago Cultural Center

78 E Washington St, Chicago

Within the walls of the beautiful late-1800s building, which was once home to Chicago’s first public library, the Cultural Center is one of the city’s most visited places. Its magnificent stained glass domes and unusual decorations are fascinating, and the range of public exhibitions here means there’s always something to see.

Buy a Chicago CityPASS booklet

If you’re here for a few days, the Chicago CityPASS booklet gives you some awesome discounts (around 50%) on entrance tickets to the best sights of Chicago. The booklet also gives you great tips on the best time to visit each attraction, a top tip for your visit and also where to find food nearby.

You can buy the booklet online and have a digital copy on your phone, have a hardcopy booklet delivered to your hotel or pick one up at the listed venues. Either way, it’s the same price.

You’re given access to some of the best, most popular sights, and many of them give you express-lane access with this booklet too.

Here’s what’s in the Chicago CityPASS booklet:*

Skydeck Willis Tower

For a long time, this was the tallest building in the world. It’s till pretty high though! The glass boxes sticking out of the side of the building are an amazing experience. The express pass you get with the CityPASS book is worth its weight here.

Shedd Aquarium and Field Museum

We haven’t managed to get to these two places yet, but they look great. The Field Museum has an impressive collection of artefacts from Ancient Egypt and the largest, most intact fossil of a T Rex.

Either the Adler Planetarium OR Art Institute of Chicago

We didn’t go to the Adler Planetarium, but the Art Institute is awesome. More of an art museum, this place has an incredible range of works, including a huge Monet collection, which is wonderful to see. But there’s art here dating back 3,200 years. You could spend all day here, it’s a massive complex.

360 Observation Deck Hancock Tower OR Museum of Science and Industry Chicago

The Hancock Tower – also once the world’s tallest building – gives you completely different views of the city, four other states and of course the sparkling waters of the lake.

A neat trick to get up to the top of the tower without paying or queuing for the observation deck is to go to the bar the level below. Grab a seat by the window and enjoy one of the best martinis you’ll ever have.

The Museum of Science and Industry is in fact the last remaining building of the 1893 World’s Fair that really put Chicago on the map. Not only is this a stunning building, but it’s also the biggest science museum in the country.

*These attractions were correct at time of writing. Attractions in the booklet may be added and removed over time.

Visit the villages

A quick train ride north and west of the city centre will put you amongst a much more authentic Chicago than the one you see in the Loop or Mag Mile. Here are few we’ve been to and loved.

Bucktown and Wicker Park

Exploring the streets around these two suburbs with show you the more affluent semi-urban neighbourhoods of Chicago. Plenty of bars, restaurants and cafes here make it tempting to spend a lot more time around here.

Logan Square

With a bit more grit than Bucktown and Wicker Park, Logan Square has only recently been gentrified. There are still plenty of signs of this suburb’s tough past. There are some amazing bars, breweries and distilleries around here that are essential.

Revolution Brewing, Chicago Distilling Co, Scofflaw and Best Intentions are all awesome for drinks, chats and food.

Where to eat in Chicago

Chicago is an eating paradise. The food options here are amazing. From deep-dish classics to unique foodie spots hidden well away, here are a few we’ve fallen in love with.

Bar Biscay

1450 W Chicago Ave, Noble Square, Chicago

Perhaps one of the most understated, yet wonderful dining experiences you’ll have, Bar Biscay focuses on food specifically from the Atlantic side of Spain and a bit if France. The food is simple, but the dishes are well-executed – a tough balance to achieve. The bar here is also spectacular.

Rootstock Wine & Beer Bar

954 N California Ave, West Town, Chicago

Apart from one of the owners – Johnny Hap, we’re talking about you – being a bit of a nob, this place is cool. Their wine list is interesting and there’s a comfortable lived-in feel to the restaurant. As for the food, this may well be the best burger I’ve had. Big call, but it was superb.

Billy Goat Tavern

430 N. Michigan Ave at Lower Level, Chicago

A bit of an institution and a strange ol’ place to visit, this burger joint even has a Saturday Night Live sketch based on it. There are a few Billy Goat Taverns around the city these days, but the original is on the lower level of N Michigan Avenue. The burgers are bloody tasty by the way.

Portillo’s

100 W Ontario St, Chicago

The Chicago hotdog is a unique creature. And it’s what Portillo’s has made its own. Generally, a Chicago hotdog has a lot of pickle on it and sauerkraut. Portillo’s does it best.

You can read more about this dog and its other US counterparts and their history on our story here.

Oak Street Beach Restaurant

Talking of Chicago hotdogs, my first experience with one was at the Oak Street Beach Restaurant. Not only do you get to chow down on a fine example of a Chitown dog, you get to enjoy the people-watching on this popular lakeside beach.

Deep dish pizzas

Most locals won’t give you much for deep dish pizza recommendations. It’s not somewhere they usually go. However, if you push them, they’ll usually say either Giordano’s or Lou Malnati’s.

Giordano’s is pretty good, but it’s actually a ‘stuffed’ pizza with the cheese between two bases and rich tomato on top.

Malnati’s is the real deal with only one really deep dish. It’s something you should definitely experience once… maybe twice!

Recommendations from a local

With the limited time we’ve had in Chicago, we think we’ve done ok, but there’s still this list our Uber driver from the airport gave us (we love an Uber recommendation!) that we’re working on:

Al’s Beef – for another Chicago classic: the Italian sandwich.
I’ve heard that Carm’s in Little Italy is also amazing for its sandwiches.
Gibson’s Restaurant Bar – a city-central steakhouse
Heaven on 7 – great Cajun food
Ocean Prime and Harry Carey’s – both steakhouses with great reputations

Where to drink in Chicago

We were very excited to learn what excellent drinkers Chicagoans are. They love a sherbet. Because of that, there’s a whole host of watering holes all over the city. Supply and demand, baby!

Clark Street Ale House

742 N Clark St, Chicago

Possibly my favourite beer bar ever, I discovered Clark Street Ale House at the very start of a solo self-guided bar hop (sounds sad but I actually had the best time) back in 2013. They have an amazing selection on tap here that’s constantly changing. Snag a seat at the bar and enjoy the banter.

Revolution Brewing

2323 N Milwaukee Ave, Logan Square, Chicago

What a friendly place this is. From the moment we walked in to the point we dragged ourselves away, we loved it here. Truly superb beers made and poured here. The food is great too.

Chicago Distilling Co

2359 N Milwaukee Ave, Logan Square, Chicago

Just down the road from the Revolution Brewery, this distillery and cellar door has a very cool vibe but also some of the best rye and single malt whisky you’ll find. We took a bottle of their Blind Tiger Rye away with us. They also do great cocktails here. My corpse reviver hit the spot!

Bar Biscay

1450 W Chicago Ave, Noble Square, Chicago

The food is great here and that’s Biscay’s focus. But the bar deserves its own mention. Not only are the shelves insanely well-stocked but the people holding the shakers really know what they’re doing.

Best Intentions

3281 W Armitage Ave, Logan Square, Chicago

That sweet spot between a dive bar and a speakeasy, Best Intentions is a lot of fun. From the ‘Fancy Cocktails’ sign above the bar to the old-school arcade games out back, you’ll want to stay here for just one more after each round.

FYI, they serve Angostura bitters on tap here. Try it – they serve it in a shot and it’s actually awesome.

Scofflaw

3201 W Armitage Ave, Logan Square, Chicago

This swanky little bar does a very fine (enormous) martini – to the point where we needed to put the glass on the table and trust the meniscus!

Well worth your time, Scofflaw (a name for an illegal drinker during Prohibition) is the embodiment of hygge – that Norwegian word for a cosy place that makes you feel comfortable and at ease.

Redhead Piano Bar

16 W Ontario St, Chicago

Have you ever had the feeling that you’re actually on a film or TV set and not real life? That’s kind of what you get at Redhead’s.

When you grab your drink and go and stand at the round bar, and listen to the pianist playing Piano Man in the middle of it while everyone – and I mean everyone – sings along… it’s magical and so much fun.

There’s also a great little courtyard here perfect for a late-night cigar… they even have a humidor. Just sayin’.

How to get to Chicago

It used to be a long and annoying journey with at least one connecting flight to get to the Windy City from Australia. But that’s all changed now.

As of April 2020, Qantas has direct flights from Brisbane straight to Chicago, with plans to fly direct from other major Aussie cities, including Sydney, coming together nicely.

Otherwise, why not just get anywhere Stateside and work your way to the Windy City through one of the greatest countries to travel in. Our last trip to Chicago, we arrived via Kansas City, MO – barbecue of the world!

You can read more about our time in KCMO here.

Do you have any hot tips for exploring Chicago? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Could Chicago be the best city in the States? Our Essential Guide to the Windy City appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

To say we were excited about being in Kansas City is an understatement. We’d been talking with our awesome friends Melissa and Peter for ages about coming here.

Melissa – a KCMO local – now lives with Peter in San Francisco and we’ve often visited them there, exploring the many bars and cool spots of SF.

But we were thrilled at being able to see where Melissa grew up, meet her friends and fam, and see the sights the City of Fountains.

Why ‘City of Fountains’? Kansas City is home to 200 of them.

And that’s not the city’s only nickname. It’s also known as Paris of the Plains, Cowtown and of course KCMO, which makes the important distinction between Kansas City, KA and Kansas City, Missouri by the way.

But the nickname we’re most interested in is this one:

Kansas City – BBQ Capital of the World

Many cities in the States claim they’re the barbecue capital – Kansas City’s eastern Missouri neighbour St Louis for one. So what makes KCMO different to the rest?

In a word: sauce.

Kansas does what you might call a wet barbecue. The meat is important of course, but it plays second sax to the sauce. And each barbecue house has its own proprietary blend.

In St Louis by the way, they have a drier style, focusing on the rub and smoke on the meat.

Whatever.

Our hearts are with Kansas barbecue and we’re all about the sauce now. Here’s our pick of five places not to miss.

By the way, if you don’t know what ‘burnt ends’ are, read this first or everything you’re about to read will sound weird.

Q39

The newest of the barbecue places in the city, Q39 has shot to notoriety thanks to its beautifully worked branding and fame in national pit smoker and barbecue competitions. You can check out their array of trophies and awards on display.

Inside, Q39 its barn-like open space is run more like a modern restaurant than the cafeteria style of most traditional BBQ spots in KC. Rather than ordering and collecting your food at the counter, you’re seated with menus and servers come to you with table service.

However, there are nods to the old school with an open kitchen, lots of pictures on the walls and a caddy of sauces on every table.

The food at Q39 is excellent and comes more elegantly presented than other places. The brisket, which is served sliced into long thick strips is tender and the burnt ends are delicious. As for the ribs, they’re juicy but not fall-off-the-bone tender as promised.

This is all moot though as the sauces they make here are excellent. Spicy, herbaceous and a good hit of vinegar.

Good for newbies or where you could take your date for a BBQ.

Jack Stack Barbecue

A real institution in Kansas City and a successful chain in the city too, Jack Stack has all the feels of an old-school American steak restaurant.

There’s even a bronzed cow statue outside.

Inside, booths are the call of the day and cheery servers come to take your order at your table. This was our first experience of KCMOBBQ and what a great way to get things started. Soon enough, we’d filled our table with delicious food and tucked in merrily.

Christina went in straight for the burnt ends, which were excellent, and my baby back ribs went down a treat. My spare ribs were a bit chewy though. The sauces here are excellent, though I found it hard to pick the really spicy one out of the selection.

The real take-home from Jack Stack though was more what came with the meat. This place does the best sides in the state for sure. The beans are sweet and are mixed with the sauce, the mac n cheese is great but the cheesy corn is mind-blowing.

Jack Stack used to have the recipe for its cheesy corn on its website for a while, but not anymore. Probably just as well for my heart’s sake!

Most unexpected was the dessert. Although we were stuffed to gills, our server managed to convince us to try the carrot cake. Christina, who isn’t a fan of cake anyway, was sceptical, but when it came, it took all four of us by surprise.

A solid option for a fancy dinner with family and good friends.

Gates Bar-B-Q

Visiting Gates Bar-B-Q is like stepping back in time – in a good way! Filled with memorabilia from the cast iron hobby horse you can ride for a quarter to the old Gates signs from when its founder George Gates opened Gates Ol’ Kentucky in 1946.

Ordering at the counter from the aggressively friendly kitchen – they shout ‘Hi, may I help you?’ in a very forceful manner – you get to choose from a range of options that are bewildering to the first-timer.

As first-timers, we turned to the guy fidgeting to get his order behind us and asked him. Straight away, he told us he was getting a whole rack “because they’re the best” he explained. They’re also good value at $25 a piece. And you get to choose your rack too. If you’re brave and hungry enough.

We were neither and went for burnt ends and sides of beans and pickles. I think we chose very wisely.

Served in a ‘hoggie’ – a pillowy soft giant hotdog bun – the generous portion of burnt ends were tender and fragmented, and smothered in the best sauce we’d tasted. This was serious.

As for the beans, they were sweet but not too much, and the pickles were thick-sliced and delicious. But the sauce… I fell in love with the extra hot sauce and bought a bottle to take home.

At the door, we discovered a complete lack of wifi to order an Uber home and ended up waiting for ages for a taxi to come.

In the meantime, the guy on the door, who had been working here for decades, told us the owner and George’s son Ollie Gates was somewhere in the warren of rooms. He was having dinner with his daughter and watching the game.

He kindly took us to meet this venerable gentleman, who left his meal, his daughter and the game to have a photo and a quick chat with us. We were very impressed.

My favourite place in Kansas for BBQ – sorry Bar-B-Q. The best sauce we had and best burnt ends too. Choose your Gates Bar-B-Q location carefully. Each one has a different vibe. We went to the Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard venue.

Jones Sisters’ Bar-B-Q

A way out of town and on the Kansas State side of the city, Jones Bar-B-Q has seen a lot of changes happen recently. The focal point of the TV show Queer Eye, which is based in KCMO, the two sisters who run the joint have turned this place around.

Deborah ‘Shorty’ and Mary ‘Little’ Jones took the pit over from their father and still mix their sauces and barbecue their meat every day.

But the little shed they cook from just off the highway now has a garden with seating, they have proper signage and their sauce, which you can buy (we did!) comes in a fancy glass bottle.

As for the food, the meat is well-smoked and tender. Our burnt ends and beef slice came with two sides. The beans here are excellent and come full of chopped burnt ends too. The slaw is also worth ordering.

Jones Bar-B-Q has a lovely local feel to it. One of the sisters, Shorty, was in the kitchen when we were there and enjoyed Christina’s Aussie accent. In the garden, one of their friends was busy selling her homemade 7-Up pound cake and bantering with customers. It was a lot of fun.

A great experience with the bonus of delicious food. Come here early though as they often sell out of meat. Remember to grab a $1 beer with lunch too!

Arthur Bryant’s Barbecue

A place with real history, Arthur Bryant’s is considered by many to be the most famous barbecue diner in the whole country.

It’s been here for ages and you wonder as you walk in how much things have changed. Our guess is: not much.

Old pictures virtually cover every wall of how things used to be, though the photo of Woodrow Bacon, who’s been working here for over 60 years reinforces how little Bryant’s has changed.

It’s got such a local vibe, its edges have a bit of roughness to them, but the food speaks for itself. That and seeing a cop park up and stride in. The floor’s a little slippery from grease, there’s a funky smell about the place and the metal banister at the counter is a bit wobbly.

But the barbecue here is amazing.

You order from the purposefully surly kitchen – and don’t hang around they’re in a hurry – then collect your pickle options from the stand.

Once laden with your meat, you find a table and feast on huge chunks of superb burnt ends, sandwiches packed with tender sliced brisket and baby back ribs to die for.

The three sauce options are fun to try, though the original is the best. As for sides, the beans are dark and brooding though sweet and rich, and the potato casserole is truly excellent – like a mushed up cheesy potato bake.

Such an institution, Arthur Bryant’s is a must-visit in Kansas City. It’s down the road from the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, which is also a priority for visitors. You’re also near the Boulevard Brewery that’s really worth a visit too.

Make sure you know what you’re doing before you come here. It’s good, but can be a bit confronting for a bar-b-q newbie.

A note on Joe’s Bar-B-Que

We heard again and again that going to Joe’s – formerly Oklahoma Joe’s – is a must, but we also heard that a 45-minute queue for food was normal. I love my barbecue as much as I love a local recommendation, but I hate queuing more. Sorry Joe. Maybe next time.

By the way, there are a few Joe’s Barbecue places in KC – the original venue that’s part of the gas station is apparently the best.

Mr Ollie Gates and us inside Gates Bar-B-Q, Kansas City

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Once home to one of the grandest hat and fashion houses in the New World, the Kimpton Hotel Monaco still retains the suave old-school nuance of Chicago in the 1900s.

In 1912, prominent milliner Daniel Brainard Fisk rebuilt his business from the ashes of the great Chicago fire of 1871. From the grand 13-storey skyscraper he commissioned on Wabash Avenue, Fisk made and sold the iconic ‘Fiskhat’ to the wealthiest soigné ladies of the day.

Fisk’s empire – along with the hat fashion – finally ended thanks mainly to changing trends and advances in haircare products. However, the building that DB Fisk & Co called home still remains.

And what was once the home of the gold standard of American fashion is now a benchmark for hotels in one of America’s most exciting cities.

Check out our hotel walkthrough of the Kimpton Hotel Monaco Chicago here:

Click here to view this video on YouTube.

Where to stay in Chicago – Kimpton Hotel Monaco

Thanks to a recent renovation, the Monaco’s decor is right up to date and brings together the touches of history of the building’s origins with the whimsical detail of a high-quality modern hotel.

The lobby

Welcoming guests, the wide entrance bears left to the hotel’s aptly named Fisk & Co cafe and bar, while on the right is the lounge.

Filled with comfy furniture, a grand open fire, double-height lofted ceiling and elegant art deco finishes the lounge is the perfect mix of comfort, space, luxury and quirkiness.

There’s a well-stocked hat stand as you’d expect, and even a help-yourself book stand if you’re short of reading material.

At 5pm every evening, the hotel offers a ‘social hour’ where you can come and enjoy a complimentary glass of wine or two. It’s in keeping with all Kimpton hotels and a lovely way to enjoy the beautiful space.

The rooms

The success of the hotel’s recent renovation is thanks to interior designer Susan Caruso, who has brought a grand European feel to its rooms. Classic art deco touches and a clever use of hats as artwork and theme have given the rooms here interest and heritage.

When the Monaco was still Fisk’s hat company, the 13 floors obviously had very different uses.

The Fisk Building housed not only the store itself, but also manufacturing, sales, marketing and distribution. In fact, only the first floor and 12th were for customers. All the others were for either factory elements or printing and staff rooms.

However, the top floor is said to have been the party room!

Our penthouse suite

Up on the top floor – the party floor – our splendid suite looks down over the Chicago River. It’s worth asking at time of booking for a room with a view of the river.

The room is spectacular, with a comfortable (actually comfortable) sofa, a well-appointed bathroom, huge smart TVs in both rooms and a bed that loves you!

It’s one of those rooms that’s full of details; the longer you look the more you find. Like Cameroonian juju hats on walls, power and USB points on both sides of the bed, carefully curated art on walls, and the minibar that’s in an old-fashioned hat box.

Each window within the thick, century-old walls of the building have been turned into daybeds, where you can enjoy incredible views over the river and northwards over the Loop.

Clearly designed to a brief of combining comfort and homeliness with stylish elegance, the suite is full of little details that makes such a difference to your stay.

The location

Being only a few feet from the riverside and on the northern edge of the Loop, the Monaco is perfectly positioned for travellers keen to explore Chicago on foot.

From the front door, many of the famous restaurants, bars, theatres, museums and galleries of the city are right here.

And if you do anything in Chicago, make sure you go on a Chicago architecture cruise on the river. There’s a reason everyone – even locals – tell you to do it.

If you want some pointers on what else to do in Chicago, you should check out what we managed to fit in during our recent four-day visit.

The extras

Kimpton hotels love to keep surprising you. They all have a great sense of humour and community that you don’t seem to get with many international hotel chains.

Things like the Social Hour we mentioned earlier that offers free wine or cocktails between 5pm-6pm every night and how every Kimpton has a dog bowl for your furry friend is just the start of it.

They also run fun things like Raid the Bar, which gives you access to your room’s minibar and if you keep an eye on the Kimpton blog – Life is Suite – you might just find out the secret password of the season.

Say the password at check-in and see what’s in store. It could be an upgrade or a bottle of wine… whatever it is, you’ll love it!

And that’s for all Kimpton hotels.

As for the Monaco Chicago specifically, it’s a wonderful place to stay in my favourite US city.

It’s somewhere you can’t wait to come back to at the end of the day. a chic home away from home. Think the opposite of drab hotel. That’s this.

We stayed as guests of the Kimpton Hotel Monaco Chicago.

The post Stay in the Loop – Kimpton Hotel Monaco Chicago appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

From Santa Monica to Long Beach to San Bernardino, down in the Valley and up in the hills of Griffith Park and the famous Hollywood sign, LA is as diverse as it is immense.

For many travellers – especially us flying in from Australia and NZ – LA is the first port of call when we’re visiting the USA. Sadly the most we see of this fascinating city is the transfer lounge of LAX as we hurry on to our real destination.

But a day or two in this City of Angels is not only a good excuse to explore a town full of surprises and curiosities, it’s also a great way to push back on the jetlag and settle into American life easier.

Larchmont Sanctuary Spa

Hiding back from the road, discreet yet welcoming, the Larchmont Sanctuary Spa beckons us in, the scent of essential oils relaxing us from the moment we’re through the door.

In the spa’s relaxation room, with its open fire and comfortable seats, we sign in, enjoy a delicious mimosa and learn more about our upcoming treatment.

The treatment – Romance Rekindled

Larchmont Sanctuary Spa has a number of couples’ treatments. Ours is in three parts:

A soak in the spa’s amazing copper tub, a sugar and herb skin polish and an hour-long aromatherapy massage.

1. Champagne Bath for Two

First, we change into the wonderfully thick, soft robes and slippers provided in the segregated changing rooms, then move into the private bathroom together.

For the next 20 minutes, we recline in the enormous copper bathtub filled with bubbles and warm water, and sip on our glasses of chilled sparkling perry.

The lighting – mostly from candles planted amongst the stones around the bath – is gentle and relaxing, and the bath’s jets gently massage our travel-weary bodies.

All too soon, it’s time to get out, but at least we’re moving on to something even better than the bath!

2. Organic Sugar and Herb Skin Polish

Our therapists, Lisa and Violetta, lead us into the treatment room specially set up for couple’s to have their treatments together.

We’re scrubbed from head to foot with this gentle exfoliating polish. The treatment also stimulates circulation to the skin and rejuvenates. By the end of the half an hour, we’re already feeling more awake, yet somehow more relaxed at the same time.

Our skin feels like it’s 15 years younger too; soft, smooth and revitalised – exactly what you want after spending 14 hours on a plane!

We head back to the changing rooms for a quick shower, then we’re back to our treatment room for stage three – and they’ve left the best till last.

3. Romantic Aromatherapy Massage

Lying side by side, Christina and I spend the next hour having every joint, tendon, muscle and limb massaged and soothed by these two highly-trained therapists. You can choose your essential oil for this treatment so you get the most out of this sixty-minute indulgence.

I ask for peppermint, hoping its sharp, refreshing smell will keep me from falling asleep on the bed. I do hate to miss any part of a massage. It works, but only just.

From the tips of our toes to the top of our heads, Violetta and Lisa hunt out the tension, stiffness and fatigue in our bodies, and leave us feeling like we’re made of butter.

After the treatment

When it’s finally time to leave our treatment room, we head back to the relaxation room for a cup of delicious hot herbal tea by the fire. There are also some incredibly comfortable recliners you can lay out on – though there’s a risk of nodding off.

The romance of having this kind of treatment together is obvious. But the meaningfulness of the shared experience makes having a couples treatment while you travel really quite special.

Having the luxury of relaxing in one another’s company feeling this mellow while you’re on the road – it’s not to be undervalued.

We’re left to enjoy the peace of this lounge for as long as we want before we go back to our changing rooms and prepare ourselves for re-entry into the real world again. We want to stay in the Larchmont Sanctuary Spa longer, but it’s midday and our stomachs are telling us it’s time to go.

Larchmont Village

Thankfully, Larchmont has a wide range of food options, so it’s not long before we’re giving our grumbling appetites what they’re asking for.

The neighbourhood of Larchmont truly has a village feel to it and its name would suggest. There’s a friendly, family vibe here, which, considering the closeness of the rest of the city, is remarkable.

The main road running through this part of town – obviously Larchmont Boulevard – is lined with cafes, bakeries, sushi joints, ice cream parlours, restaurants and chains. The block between the spa and West First Street is a hungry person’s paradise.

We hit the closest spot to us – a Noah’s NY Bagels – for a quick bite before hunting out something more substantial.

We end up at Groundwork for a couple of very well-made coffees – putting to rest once and for all that good coffee is impossible to find in America. You just have to know where to look.

What jetlag?

We were in LA near Halloween hence the pumpkins. How good are they?!

Thanks to Larchmont Sanctuary Spa, we started our trip around the USA feeling chilled and revived almost straight from our flight.

That almost never happens.

It usually takes a good few days to acclimatise to the time zone, but the romance and relaxation of our treatment made all the difference. It’s now our new favourite thing to do after a long-haul.

Of course, if you really want to do it properly, as well as a beautiful treatment, you also fly business class! You can read about our experiences on United Polaris SYD-LAX-SYD here.

For our other tips on surviving long flights, travelling in style and travel advice in general, check out these stories:

– 7 tips on how to avoid jetlag
– How to travel light, pack smart and stay fresh
– 37 tips for flying in style
– 17 tips on tackling long-haul flights like a pro
– How to get through airport security quickly

What do you do to get over jetlag fast and to make sure that travel fatigue doesn’t hamper your time away? Tell us in the comments.

We experienced the Rekindle Romance treatment as guests of Larchmont Sanctuary Spa.

The post This is how you LA-over – Larchmont Sanctuary Spa appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

Flying from Sydney to LAX is never a fun flight. Back in the days of Inception (2010), this was the longest flight in the world – obviously not anymore. Nonetheless, it’s still a lengthy 13 hours and 45 minutes going there and an extra hour and 20 minutes on the way back.

That’s a long time to be in the air.

Christina and I have flown that route a number of times over the years and it’s never been fun. But this time we found ourselves praying to the aviation gods for a busy destination airport.

In fact, when the pilot announced that we’d be in a holding pattern over for at least another 45 minutes, we grinned, snuggled back down into our beds and popped another episode of Fleabag on our 16-inch screens.

But as with any high-end experience, the United Polaris flights aren’t just about the obvious things like the big seats that transform into full beds or over-sized TV screens. There’s a host of other things you get onboard that turn your long-haul into a comfortable, luxurious experience.

Business class with United Polaris

There’s always a moment when you’re booking any online flight that you click on the ‘business class’ tab to see how much it is. The price usually makes you quickly click back to the safety of the economy tickets, but there’s a very good reason why it’s more expensive to fly at the front:

You get so much bang for your buck.

Of course, when you’re flying on your own dime, flying business class on short or even medium-haul flights seems pointless. But the difference of stepping off the plane after 15 hours in the first row compared to somewhere back in coach is remarkable.

Here are the little things that make big differences to your journey:

The check-in

If you’re flying to your destination, your journey really starts at the airport, and we do enjoy getting the airport early. When you’re flying Polaris, there’s no penalty for checking in a few hours earlier than you need to – in fact, you probably should (check out our next point).

As far as the United Polaris check-in staff are concerned, they’re happy to see you whenever you arrive at the Premier Access desks. They’re welcoming and friendly, and also give you fast-track tickets through the airport, which speeds up things like getting through airport security even more than our tips here do.

There’s no judgement on luggage either – especially when you have allowance for two cases of 32kg each.

The lounges

One of the things that United Airlines is most proud of is its Polaris Business Lounge – you can read our full review and see our video walkthrough of LA’s flagship United Polaris lounge here.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a Polaris lounge at Sydney Airport yet, but we’ve got more to tell you about the one in LA. It’s beautiful.

At Sydney airport, you have a choice of either Singapore Airlines or New Zealand Airlines business lounges. The coffee is better at the NZ lounge, but why not check out both if you have time – another virtue of arriving early!

The plane

United Airlines uses 787 Dreamliners, which are one of the largest long-distance jets on the market. It’s also one of the most fuel-efficient and most comfortable.

To start with, the 787s have a new air filtration system that provides cleaner air onboard – something we all yearn for by the end of a long-haul. It also gives better air pressure and higher humidity, which helps with fatigue and that horrible dry feeling on flights.

Windows are huge and have no shutters. Instead they have ‘smart glass’ – an electronic field within the glass dims and clears at the touch of a button. The cabin crew no longer have to go around asking everyone to lower their shades – they can dim the whole plane at the touch of a button.

You also have some control of the window shades, but it means you won’t be woken up by that person lifting the shutter to see outside when the cabin’s in ‘sleep mode’.

The food

We were both amazed with the quality of food from United Polaris. Flight attendants take your order for dinner, but you choose a first and second choice, just in case they run out of one dish.

Dinner comes with a chilled entree, a hot main course and three different desserts – a cheese plate, an assortment of petit fours and a sundae trolley, where the attendants make up a sundae for you with your choice of toppings.

On the way to LA, our chilled entree was of seared prawns, kawakawa, pesto and rosemary melon salsa. For mains, I had Moroccan-style spiced lamb with Israeli couscous, honey-roasted pumpkin and baby zucchini. Christina dined on the roasted Tasmanian salmon fillet with lemon hollandaise, asparagus and cherry tomatoes.

On the way home to Sydney, our chilled appetiser was smoked duck, farro salad, dried cranberries, brined carrots and whole-grain mustard.

My main was an excellent cacio e Pepe ravioli (though I was tempted by the seared beef short rib) and Christina had the ginseng chicken bowl – a ginseng, lemongrass and chicken broth with grilled chicken, carrots, celery, green onion, and chicken and lemongrass pot-sticker dumplings.

There’s also the ‘anytime a la carte menu’ where you can help yourself to snack from the galley or ask for the hot option. On our SYD-LAX flight they were a chicken pot pie and grilled cheese with tomato soup.

Not bad.

But coming back – LAX-SYD – I had to have the grilled mac and cheese with lobster! And my goodness there was so much lobster in there. Amazing.

Breakfasts on board are even pretty good with Polaris.

The seat

Of course, any seat that reclines into a full lay-out bed is extraordinary. As soon as you sit down in the Polaris seats, you want to recline. And there’s almost enough compartments in front and in the caddy to the side, you almost don’t need any overhead storage.

You get an enormous amount of legroom, though as the plane tapers, you tend to get more space in front if you’re on the aisle. Seats B, D and K are the ones to look for if you’re tall.

The seats, which are soft and luxe to sit in, are indeed true flatbed seats and change like transformers into very comfy beds.

However, they still wrestle with the same problem we’ve seen in other flatbed seats: the join between the back and the base when the seat flattens out leaves a gap between the two cushions. Ultimately, the workaround we found was to pack the gap out with the lumbar cushion to make it more comfortable.

And then, once we got home, we discovered we’d missed out on the true solution.

As I was re-reading the menu I ‘borrowed’ from the flight, the literature mentions a ‘mattress cushion’. I remember reading this on the flight and thinking it was one of the cushions we already had.

But no.

It’s an actual mattress you can lay on your seat. Thinking about it though, it’s probably just as well we didn’t spot this little extra bit of comfort sooner. It was hard enough leaving our seats as it was!

The extras

Once you’ve settled into your wonderful seat, you look about you and realise you get a lot of extra stuff. There’s a luxuriant quilted duvet from Saks Fifth Avenue that covers your bed completely. You also have a herringbone woollen blanket also from Saks Fifth Avenue that’s wonderfully soft – though it can leave a bit of fluff.

On top of that, you have the memory foam lumbar cushion and a sleeping pillow, also from Saks Fifth Avenue.

And then there’s the amenity kit.

Inside the large leatherette washbag case, which by itself will come in handy, is a wealth of goodies. Socks, a robust sleeping mask, tissues, earplugs, a toothbrush and toothpaste and a pen that comes in handy for those pesky landing cards are in one section.

In the other is a set of Sunday Riley skincare: a facial cleansing cloth, hand cream, face cream and a lip balm.

Staff also come round to ask if you’d like pyjamas, which is a double-edged sword. Of course, you say yes, but then the attendants predict your size, which is fun. Take it from me: unless you’re a power lifter or the BFG, you’re a medium or smaller.

I’m the proud owner of a large/XL set of Polaris pyjamas. I look like a grey clown in them. I asked for medium on the way home and was much more comfortable.

Christina, however, looked very cool and somehow glam in her PJs – as is to be expected of course.

It’s really so comfortable in United Polaris Business Class I know it’s spoilt us for our next long-haul flight.

Zooming through the air in your very own bed, cosy and warm and wondering what adventure you’ll come to land amongst, it’s a wonderful way to travel.

But more than that, it’s the unusual feeling of getting off the plane and feeling well-rested and refreshed in your new destination.

Like I said: a wonderful way to see the world.

Our United Polaris flights featured here were part of an award prize you can read more about here.

The post What’s business class like with United Polaris? appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

If you were asked what is Chicago famous for, what would you say? It’s a city that’s done so much. But perhaps its most enduring contribution to modern life (as well as Ferris – the wheel and Beuller) is the skyscraper.

In 1871, Chicago saw the worst fire it’s ever suffered. But from the ashes of the city, engineer William Le Baron Jenney built the New York Life Building in 1894 on La Salle and Monroe Streets.

At 141ft (47m), this 12-storey building dwarfed its tallest rival by 31m and seven floors.

Fast forward 125 years or so and the New York Life Building still stands proudly on its corner. It’s by no means the city’s tallest building anymore – in fact its title was taken the year after its completion by another of Jenney’s designs: the Home Insurance Building a couple of streets away.

It’s also no longer insurance offices.

In place of meeting rooms and cubicles, the Kimpton Gray Hotel Chicago has brought back the splendour of yesteryear with a lively, friendly, chic vibe that makes you want to stay far longer than your booking.

Check out our walkthrough video of the Kimpton Gray Hotel here:

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Where to stay in Chicago – the Kimpton Gray Hotel

Right in the heart of Chicago’s Financial District – a part of Chicago the city’s worked hard to activate in recent years – the Kimpton Gray Hotel is the ideal location for visitors wanting to be right in the middle of it all.

This hotel is so suited to the Loop – a district hugged by the main and southern branches of the Chicago River – and it’s full of great places to eat, drink, shop and be entertained.

From beautiful parks, the river and of course Lake Michigan to art galleries, museums and another iconic tall building – the Willis Tower – are all on your doorstep at the Kimpton Gray… that is if you ever feel the need to go outside!

The foyer and reception

There are two entrances to this beautiful hotel – either on Monroe Street, where concierge will help you in or La Salle, through one of Chicagoans’ favourite things: a revolving door!

Both entrances greet you with striking balustraded staircases that lead up to reception, and of course both have elevators.

The reception is tucked away off one of the most beautiful corridors you’ll find in a hotel. Shimmering mosaic tiled floors, marble walls and art deco lighting leads you down to the check-in desk.

We found service to be incredibly personable and go-out-of-your-way helpful. There’s even a little bowl of water for your thirsty pet – Kimpton hotels pride themselves on being pet friendly.

Although there’s no porter service (unless you ask for help), there are bellboys who help with the multitude of lifts that take you up to your room.

‘Social Hour’

Next door to reception is the lounge, where you can relax and enjoy the remarkably quick and reliable free wifi. Here the hotel hosts a nightly happy hour for guests – though the hotel calls it ‘Social Hour’ – where you can grab a free drink between 5-6pm.

Each Kimpton hotel has a slightly different take on their Social Hour; the Kimpton Gray serves a choice of Chardonnay or gin and tonic.

Mornings see this area turn into the complimentary coffee and tea station.

The room

Kimpton hotels are known for their attention to detail, and finding ways of making your stay memorable and different. And the rooms are a fine example of that.

Playing on the refined 1920s feel of the hotel, delicate art deco touches are everywhere. From the black metal accents on the bathroom mirrors to the border on the bedspread, nothing here is ‘standard’.

Light fixtures and lamps are that perfect blend of function and form with a touch of ‘20s glam of course. The minibar is full of stuff I’d actually eat and there’s even a yoga mat in the brightly papered wardrobe.

As far as details go, not much has been overlooked. bedside cabinets and tables are equipped with power and USB sockets, there’s luxe Atelier Bloem amenities in the bathroom and the TV’s smart enough for Netflix. There’s even a tie and cufflink set provided by The Tie Bar next door you can buy if you have a need.

Check out is generously at midday, which is just as well; our bed is superbly comfortable. However, if you are planning on sleeping in past 9am, remember to put the do not disturb tag on the door. Housekeeping here is a whirlwind force of nature!

The restaurants

Above the 14th floor (which was added in 1896 by the way) is the rooftop restaurant Boleo with its South American influence and glass roof.

It’s often booked for private events on weekends, as it was when we were here, but you can see the virtual tour on the Kimpton’s website here.

Down at street level, the hotel bistro Steadfast is definitely worth checking out. A modern American restaurant, Steadfast is ‘chef-lead’, which means the seasonal ingredients, methods of cooking and the menus are a true reflection of the people who make the food happen.

Dinner is usually the busiest service and the food is excellent.

We order the mussels to start with, though they’re not the best. Though coming from Sydney, we’re probably quite spoilt.

Our mains, however, really are delicious. Christina’s salmon almandine – ora king salmon with delicata squash almond and brown butter – looks and smells amazing – I’m not allowed to taste any, which is a good sign!

Our friend Ann orders the pork shank, which she thinks is going to be relatively small. It is in fact enormous – a huge cut of meat that looks more like a whole leg than just a shank. Her dish comes with polenta and sugo – a hearty dish indeed.

I choose the steak bordelaise, a rich dish with incredible depth of flavour from the sticky reduced red wine sauce. The steak – a wonderful piece of wagyu bavette or flank – is cooked rare to order yet with a thick char on the outside and all the fat rendered inside.

I don’t know how they do that but my mind wanders back to barbecue feast we’ve just left behind in Kansas City, MO. My dish comes with roasted purple carrots and a smooth purée.

Steadfast is good enough that locals come here without realising it’s a hotel restaurant, which is always difficult but a sign of its quality.

By the end of the meal, we’re too full for dessert, but it all comes highly recommended.

The bar

On the same floor as reception but in its own secluded nook, Vol. 39 is the kind of speakeasy you’d hope for in Capone territory. Sleek, chic and elegantly lit, this bar has personality and it’s not afraid to use it.

Book-laden shelves, comfy seats, stunning glassware and highly trained cocktail staff make this a bar everyone should experience. The drinks menu takes inspiration from the 1893 World’s Fair that swept Chicago into modernity and notoriety the year before this building was finished.

And while you’re sipping on your pristine martini or rigorous old fashioned, you can peer down at La Salle Street below and watch the world go by.

This cocktail-chic hotel has so many wonderfully luxe modern touches but manages to stay grounded enough to let its guests join in the fun rather than exclude them. It’s a comfortable, grand, sophisticated space that makes sense of so much about Chicago.

We stayed both as guests of Kimpton Hotels and as paying customers.

The post Stay in style – Kimpton Gray Hotel Chicago appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

It’s been an incredible trip to the States, but like all good things, it is coming to an end. For the last leg of this journey, we’re back in sunny San Diego to see our friends and to get one last good hit of Mexican food before we head back to Sydney.

Our time in the States has been so good, starting with our landing in LA and living it up for the first couple of days. Then we flew to Kansas City, Missouri for a barbecue frenzy and some true MidWest hospitality.

Then we travelled to Chicago to explore more of the Windy City and hit some of the best bits of my favourite city.

We don’t have long in San Diego, but as usual, we pack it in. We’ve been here many times before and love the laid-back vibe, perfect weather, awesome food and of course hanging out with our mates who moved here years ago.

This trip to SD, we explore a new hotel, check out Little Italy’s farmers’ market, and some breweries and restaurants, then catch the Surfliner train up the coast to LAX and the beautiful Polaris Business Class Lounge that United Airlines has opened.

We hope you enjoy this Edition.

Cheers – Jim & Christina xx

It’s wonderful to be back in San Diego. And seeing our friends, who moved here about 11 years ago, always makes our time in this beautiful city even better.

We’ve been here plenty of times but it never gets boring. There’s nothing quite like seeing these iconic palms that line the roads here.

We’re staying in a hotel close to our friends’ place – the Handlery Hotel San Diego.

Set back from the freeway far enough not get noise yet close enough to be convenient, and next to a golf course to assure peace from neighbours, the Handlery is well located for a peaceful stay close to the city and many of the major places to see.

The bar and dining area, which is also the breakfast buffet, is comfortable and there’s a lot of parking. If you’re into your golf, there’s even a course right next door.

Part motel part hotel hacienda, the Handlery Hotel San Diego is a somewhat eclectic yet old-school accommodation.

Set on two levels surrounding a lagoon pool with its separate jacuzzi, the rooms facing inward are treated to the Handlery’s best feature.

Our ground-floor room was just a moment’s walk to the pool’s edge, shaded by palm trees, typical of the ‘40s style California motel you see in places like the Ace in Palm Springs, the Standard in West Hollywood, and closer to home in hotels like Halcyon House in northern New South Wales and of course Bannisters in Mollymook, NSW.

Guests tend to make a beeline for the spa and this side of the pool though, so if your room is on this side, expect to be part of everyone’s conversation whether you like it or not.

The hotel is also home to a car rental company with perhaps the lowest prices in the city. There’s even a ticket office where you can sort out music and sporting events, zoo tickets and even helicopter rides.

There’s something about a place that works with what it’s got. And although the rooms might be a little small by modern standards, the bathrooms and styling dated, the Handlery San Diego feels… wholesome. And if you’re looking for attention to detail and facilities, this place is all yours.

USB ports are throughout each room (even on the bedside alarm clock as well as in the wall), mouthwash and toothbrushes in the bathroom and a coffee machine in the minibar.

Guests tend to make a beeline for the spa and this side of the pool though, so if your room is on this side, expect to be part of everyone’s conversation.

It’s clear to see the hotel’s worked hard in the accessibility stakes too. Easy-access ground floor rooms, plenty of grip bars, easy-incline ramps, and even remote winch access chairs to life people in and out of the pool and spa.

We’ve put together this short walkthrough video of the Handlery Hotel San Diego to give you a better idea what it’s like.

We make our way into San Diego’s Little Italy. This suburb has grown so much since we were last here. It was already popular, but now the vibe is young and lively with so many more places for entertainment lining the streets.

It used to be just the occasional bar or restaurant scattered around. Now they’re everywhere. It’s great.

But today, the streets around Little Italy are even busier – the farmers’ market is in town. Taking over much of India Street, the market has an amazing range of food and goods for sale.

We take our time and wander through, looking at everything.

The fruit here looks so good and is well-priced too, but it’s the Mozambican piri piri chicken we go for. Since our trip to South Africa showed us the light of this delicious dish, we’re always on the lookout for it.

There’s also an Indian stall here selling the biggest samosa we’ve ever seen. We share one between us – it’s the size of my head – and realise we probably should have saved some space for other things. We’re too full to try anything else now!

It’s time for refreshments, so we head to Ballast Point Brewing. This brewery is a San Diego staple and sells every one of its beers from this city ‘cellar door’.

Christina has a four-beer flight where you get to choose small glasses of four different beers. They’re all good, but the Hellesbock is standout for her.

I go all out with a pint of Manta Ray Double IPA. It’s fresh, delicious and strong (8.5% and an IBU of 70). A highly recommended brew if you’re into your modern-style IPAs.

But then we go a few doors down to Bolt Brewery and things really step up a notch.

We sit at the bar and go through a few of their beers but easily the stand-out of the day – perhaps of the whole trip is Bolt’s OG IPA (7.3% and 71 IBU) – the quintessential West Coast IPA. It’s just a good job I don’t live nearer this place!

They also have a burger here called the Double Double Double – making it double of everything – patties, cheese and bacon. It comes out the size of a bowling ball! I’m tempted but just can’t do it. That samosa from earlier still has me in its clutches.

We make our way down to the waterfront near Little Italy and check out the San Diego Maritime Museum here. It’s pretty cool – there are lots of old naval vessels moored here, even tall ships and a couple of military submarines.

This is a part of San Diego we haven’t seen before. It’s well worth a visit.

The pool at the Handlery – especially when there’s no one else around – is absolute bliss. And with the autumn weather here in San Diego delivering that perfect warmth only Southern California can, putting your feet up with a good book is sheer bliss.

Before long though, other guests spot the opportunity for some sun and sequestrate the peace while they splash around in the spa and play music on their portable speaker. It’s a shame, but it’s probably time to get moving anyway.

Between breweries and catching up with our friends, we sneak off to one of our old haunts – Fiesta Cantina in Hillcrest. The margaritas they make here are great and the people-watching is off the charts. We also get to watch an artist work on his rainbow flag mural – the insignia of the neighbourhood.

On the way to our friends, we also pop into another of our favourite places La Posta de Acapulco – a 24-hour taco and burrito shack on 3rd Avenue.

The tacos here are huge and absolutely delicious… though the machito burrito here is incredible!

This evening, we’re with our friend out in Little Italy to check out the nightlife of this super cool suburb.

Our first stop is at Nolita Hall – unsurprisingly in the northern part of Little Italy. This bar is very cool and has a kind of beer hall feel.

And because it’s right under the flight path of the planes landing in nearby SD Airport, there’s even an old school scheduling sign that changes with the details of each flight going overhead. There are also a few funny ‘dad jokes’ up there for good measure.

We opt for a a snack while we drink and chat. The pizzas here at Nolita are well worth having a go at.

The margarita is excellent, but the surprising winner is the kale, olive and artichoke pizza. Really very tasty!

Our next stop is at the very sleek Kettner Exchange. It’s in a beautiful old building and has a stunning rooftop bar and on the floor below is a more traditional style American restaurant.

Christina and I share a Pig Mac – twin pork burgers with Big Mac trimmings in bao bun. It’s absolutely delicious!

This is such a coo bar. We could easily spend all evening here.

Our final day in the USA has come and we make our way reluctantly to the train station down town – Santa Fe.

I’m busy loitering on the station platform – against the rules the signage suggests – while we wait for our train. We’re quite excited about this train journey though.

It’s the Surfliner train that runs up and down the west coast and is a good option for avoiding the traffic between San Diego and LA.

We’ve also paid for the business class upgrade, which means you’re guaranteed a seat – not a luxury you can count on if you’re in the regular carriage.

The ticket also comes with a glass of wine and snack box. We’re impressed to find everything in the box is actually delicious too.

You can see why this route is called the Surfliner. The tracks run right alongside the coast and in places it feels like you’re on the sand.

It’s not all like this though and eventually, the tracks come further inland. But a large part of the train ride is accompanied by wonderful views like this.

Our top tips for this trip is to get on at San Diego’s Santa Fe Station, which is the start of the journey – giving you first choice of the seats. And also ask which direction the train is travelling in when you get on and sit on the left side of the train, closest to the ocean views.

Also, if you like beer, it’s worth heading down to the cafe car mid-journey and grabbing a beer. They sell enormous cans of really good IPA here for a very reasonable price.

Bear in mind, the train (currently) stops at Union Station in LA, so you still have to find your own way to LAX from there. There is a bus transfer called the Flyaway service that’s good value, comfortable and quick.

We finally arrive at LAX, check in and head to the lounge. United Airlines has the whole of Terminal 7 at LAX and their Polaris Business Lounge is absolutely stunning.

We’ll be giving you more info on this lounge soon, but here’s a snippet.

The bar at the United Polaris Lounge is superbly stocked, with great wine, beer and spirits on offer. We’re impressed with local and domestic craft whiskeys and gins available, and even some top-shelf Japanese whisky and my favourite scotch on pour.

I wish we’d got here earlier!

The staff here can also make you a wonderful cocktail to order as well, and of course there are soft drinks, tea and coffee available.

We start things off with a glass of Piper-Heidsieck Champagne before heading to the lounge’s restaurant for dinner. The whole experience at the Polaris Lounge LAX is extraordinary. A good way to start the long flight home.

Check out our review of the lounge here.

But to be honest, it’s not too much of a hardship flying for 14 hours back to Sydney when you’re in the front of the plane.

United Airline’s Polaris Business Class flatbed seats turn into incredibly comfortable beds, the pyjamas they give you and the duvet turn the whole long-haul thing into a truly relaxing experience.

In the morning, just before we come in to land, a breakfast of fresh fruit, yoghurt and cereal with a cheeky pastry on the side gets us back in the right timezone.

We’re in a holding pattern for a while waiting Sydney Airport to find us space on the runway. And for the first time ever, we’re hoping the delay will go on just a little longer.

Read our experiences flying Business with United here.

It’s been yet another whirlwind trip for us, but it’s been amazing all the same. America is such a wonderful travel destination.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this Edition.

Cheers – Jim & Christina xx

The post So-Cal’s sun and business class fun appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

I’ve been Jonesing to get back to Chicago since 2013 – when we were there last. It feels like a lifetime ago.

Finally, we’ve managed to organise ourselves enough to get back to the Windy City and I’m seriously excited. Last time we were here, Christina was at a conference, leaving me to my own devices. 

This time, we’re together the whole time, which means I can finally show her some of the things I saw plus explore the city a bit more thoroughly. 

We only have four days in this incredible city, but I think we manage to fit in a pretty good amount. I think we’d be able to do more if we weren’t so weighed down by our own gluttony – a gluttony (almost) sated by the incredible barbecue things happening in Kansas City, our previous port of call.

But here we go: Chi Town as seen by Mr & Mrs Romance!

Cheers – Jim & Christina xx

From Kansas City, we’ve climbed aboard a Southwest Airlines plane and learned there’s a whole new way of boarding a flight! If you haven’t heard of this before, look it up – Southwest do it differently!

They also give you not one but two free checked bags – a thing unheard of in the USA. And not only that but their in-flight service is excellent too.

Anyway, as we come in to land at Chicago’s Midway Airport (way nicer and closer to the city than O’Hare by the way), I get that tingle of excitement I always feel when I’m excited about a destination… or it could be the margaritas we’ve just had.

Yes, we did!

Our first stop – obviously – is to our hotel. We’re staying in the beautiful Kimpton Gray Hotel right in the city. 

We unpack and examine our room, which is – like the rest of the hotel – fun, yet sophisticated, young, yet in keeping with the classic aesthetic of the building. It’s a difficult balance, but they’ve nailed it here. 

We head downstairs to dinner at the hotel’s restaurant Steadfast, where I feel duty-bound to try their wagyu, which is exceptional. Christina’s salmon looks superb too (she doesn’t let me try any!) and our friend Ann’s pork shank is enormous. 

For such a food-centric city, Steadfast holds its own and clearly operates independently of the hotel.

Check out our review of the Gray here.

The Gray truly is a stunning building. It was in fact the first skyscraper to go up after the 1871 fire. Like I said, the aesthetic to this place is wonderful; grand, luxurious and stylish. 

We’ll have a full review of this coming, don’t worry. In the meantime, if you’re heading to Chicago, we’d recommend this hotel for certain.

This morning, we’re out and about checking out the sights. Of course we had to come here to see The Bean – or as I’m sure its creator artist Sir Anish Kapoor would prefer ‘Cloud Gate’.

It’s such an unusual, iconic sculpture. In fact, it’s more of a monument.

While we’re feeling arty, we head to the Art Institute of Chicago next. This is a truly enormous facility and could easily take up a whole day if you wanted. 

Sadly, we don’t have the luxury of a whole day to spare, but we do our best!

Far from just being a gallery, the Art Institute of Chicago is a museum, an education facility and a keep of treasures. 

There are pieces from all over the world from all times here. Ancient Greek and Roman artefacts, even Etruscan. And the Asian collection is kind of mind-blowing. They have things here from the 12th Century BCE. 

Probably my favourite part of the Art Institute though is the impressionism section. They have an enormous Monet collection and even have this classic – A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat. Amazing.

For one last drop of culture, we find our way to the Chicago Cultural Center. This building really needs to be seen first-hand. For starters, everything you see in this photo that’s coloured is made of glass mosaic. It’s insanely beautiful.

There are some fascinating installations throughout the centre, but it’s really the building itself that’s captivated us. At times the staircases are like something from an Escher drawing.

This evening, we’re at Bar Biscay, a belter of a restaurant that seems to punch way above its weight from what we’ve seen. 

We’re here as part of a group to explore the wonders of rare natural French wines brought to us by Pierre Gastaldello from Bobo Wines. It’s interesting to hear him talk about the challenges and respective rewards from buying, drinking and enjoying wine that’s made by small producers who don’t add anything but the grapes to their wines. 

The wines are paired intelligently with superb food by Bar Biscay’s own head chef Johnny Anderes, who’s created an impressive degustation menu to champion each varietal.

One of the wines we try tonight is this wonderful Cabernet Franc by Nicholas Reau. He designed the label to mimic a parking ticket he saw in his hometown in France – it’s a notice your car’s about to be towed but translates nicely to demand you take the wine.

Beautifully made, this wine goes exquisitely with the slow-cooked leg of lamb and olive tapenade Chef Johnny has made.

After dinner, owners Scott and Sari sit with us at their excellent bar and chat over a couple of drinks. 

Scott’s full of great yarns including a story of how he met Benicio Del Toro in Puerto Rico, hid him from crazed fans, took him to a bar next door.

Over a couple of beers, Scott explained what a fan he was of Hunter S Thompson – it was around the time of The Rum Diary – and Del Toro offered to call Thomson for Scott to chat to. It would have been about 3am.

Scott said no and laments saying so to this day, but I think his whole story is a pretty Hunter S Thomson tale anyway. No regrets, buddy.

This morning, we’ve moved hotels! Still in the warm caress of Kimpton, we’re now in The Monaco, right on the river. And this time, we’re in a suite. Not just a suite, but a penthouse suite. 

Not bad, ay?

Of course, there will be a full review coming up of this marvellous hotel too, but I don’t think it needs to be pointed out how amazing this place is. The view is incredible, the room is vast and spectacular, and the hotel itself is full of the lovely details that make Kimpton hotels such an easy choice when you’re travelling.

You can read our review of the Monaco here!

As we gaze out the window at our view, Christina notices the bridges along the Chicago River are lifting. 

We don’t know how common an occurrence this is, but all the bridges along the river are going up to let a fleet of sailing yachts through. The congestion it must be causing through the city makes us glad we’re up here looking down, but being able to watch it all happen is quite extraordinary.

It’s the little touches that really take a hotel from being just a comfortable place to sleep to somewhere you’re sad to be checking out of at the end of your stay. The Kimpton Monaco Chicago is certainly one of those. 

The attention to detail – just in our room – is amazing. Art on the walls, interesting furnishings, pretty decorations and USB ports everywhere… I really don’t want to leave this room. 

Finally we take to the streets to see more of the town. It’s getting chilly here in Chicago, but every now and again the sun will pop out and warm us up.

Walking down by the river and across the bridges around the Magnificent Mile, I could very easily get used to this city.

We’ve made our way to the Willis Tower – what was once the tallest building the world. Views from up here are, as you’d expect, extraordinary.

It’s well worth coming here to see out over the city, the lake and – in fact – across three states. It’s $45pp to come up here, but we have Chicago City Passes, which are around $100 each. Kind of almost pays for itself already.

The ticket up here includes a second visit in the evening to see the city lights, but also a host of other attractions that, if you’re in town for a while, will really save you money.

Access to the Shedd Aquarium, the Field Museum, Adler Planetarium, the Art Institute of Chicago, which we’ve also used, the beautiful Museum of Science and Industry, which is in one of the last remaining buildings from the Chicago World’s Fair that saw the advent of the Ferris Wheel, and the 360 Chicago Observation Deck in the Hancock Tower. 

The Willis Tower’s Skydeck and Ledge is a little unnerving, but an amazing experience. You’re literally hanging out over the edge of this 442m skyscraper with nothing stopping you from dropping than a sheet of glass. Look how happy Christina is.

After all my barbecue escapades, I’m not feeling as confident as Christina, but I’m the only one on the glass here and I’ve just seen a whole family jump up and down on the glass. I should be fine!

We walk the streets of Chicago until our feet are sore and we know it’s time for bed. It’s such a great city – even Madonna thinks so!

We don’t have tickets to the Chicago Theatre, so instead I take Christina to one of my other favourite music spots: the Redhead Piano Bar. It’s a classic where a guy plays the piano and everyone sings along. It’s like being at the the drunk un-aired end of an episode of Cheers. It’s amazing. 

It’s only right that we take a quick walk to Navy Pier. It’s an icon of Chicago and the Ferris Wheel (not the original from the World’s Fair – that one got sent away south and fell apart at the turn of the 20th Century) turns slowly creating an amazing backdrop to the city.

Now, hang on, I hear you say. What about all the food and drink you guys usually love talking about? So far, you’ve only talked with any detail about one place.

Well, brace yourself. Here we go…

At a certain point, we had to do it. Last time we were in Chicago, we tried Giordano’s for a deep dish pizza. This time, we’re at Lou Malnati’s and I think we have a winner. 

There are a number of places around the city doing this style of pizza – with a crusty base, a thick layer of cheese topped with chunky tomato sauce and Italian sausage, but sadly we don’t have time to see more. 

It seems also that Giordano’s does a filled pizza, with an extra layer of pizza dough base between the cheese and the tomato, which some think of as cheating.

Whatever. Lou’s is a good pizza.

We also try another Chicago cuisine at another institution: The Chicago hotdog at Portillo’s. These dogs are full of stuff you wouldn’t get in other cities. The giant pickle you see is one!

Would I recommend a Portillo’s dog? Absolutely! I’d also recommend learning more about the culture and history of the hotdog – I found out so much when I wrote this piece on America’s iconic morsel.

While we’re at the whole food institution thing, Christina and I also hit the Billy Goat Tavern for a cheeseburger… or should I say ‘cheezborger’.

It’s a place that was lampooned and sent to fame in a Saturday Night Live skit when the likes of Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray were still there. Check out the skit here.

The cheeseburgers are definitely worth seeking this place out. Absolutely delicious. I think we’ll be talking more about both Portillo’s and the Billy Goat again soon too!

This afternoon, we’ve taken the train out to the villages north of the city. Here at Logan Square, which used to be a real dump from what a local was saying, the bars, restaurants, breweries and distilleries are popping up everywhere. 

Indeed, our time at the impressive Revolution Brewing on North Milwaukee Avenue is the best. We sit at the bar and Steven, who’s pouring brews, is a deadset legend. 

We try so many of the brewery’s beers including the flabbergasting Cafe Deth – a black porter blended with a local coffee roaster’s beans to make a thick, unctuous brew that’s both caffeinated and 14.8% – an interesting blend and way better than any espresso martini you’ll find.

Our next stop, just a little up the road, is the equally impressive Chicago Distilling Company. We get chatting to Aaron behind the jump and learn a bit about the distillery. 

They make plenty of white spirits – in particular a lovely gin. But they’ve also started selling their aged whiskey too now, which is exciting. Aaron gives us a taste of the single malt they’re doing – wow! Amazing.

They also make a superb rye called the Blind Tiger, which I had to buy a bottle of – especially at the price of $54. Magic.

We pop into a very cool, cosy bar on the way along called Scofflaw. Highly recommended – they also stock Chicago Distilling’s Flinn’s Gin. Of which we have a (huge) martini each. Hic!

After a bit of a walk, we stop in at Best Intentions – a cool little hipster divebar with good drinks and original arcade games out the back and a very cool looking beer garden. If only it were warmer.

We pull up at the bar after a couple of rounds of Buck Hunter and Calvin the owner talks to us about why he has Angostura Bitters on tap. After a shot, I see why. It’s actually amazing! He goes through five gallons a month!  

Next, it’s time to walk off some of the booze. We hike right across Humbolt Park to a crossroads with food and drink on all four corners. First we hit Cafe Marie-Jeanne for a beer, a plate of steak tartare (my weakness) and a meat and cheese plate. 

The tartare is good – a little chunky – but well seasoned, but the cheese is amazing.

The cheese is a delice and ‘Good Thunder’ – a creamy brie style and a lovely stinky washed rind. There’s plenty of sliced coppa on the plate but for the price I’m not so sure the cheese is worth it. Or maybe it is. I don’t know.

Finally, we head across the ‘kitty corner’ diagonally to Rootstock. It looks kind of filthy on the outside in a way that would probably stop germaphobes at the door, but inside is clean, warm and comfortable. 

We pull up at our favourite spot: at the bar.

Until this point, everywhere we’ve been the whole time we’ve been in Chicago, people have been so friendly. Sadly, our run ends here with a real asshole behind the bar.

We were ‘graced’ with the presence of co-owner Johnny Hap, who seems to think he has the personality to carry off being confrontational with customers and doesn’t realise he’s coming across as simply rude. Or maybe he does and doesn’t give a toss. 

It’s a real shame because the people we meet on our side of the bar are amazing; friendly, fun, great company. Even more of a shame is that the wine list is excellent here (I try and strike up conversation with Johnny about a particular wine on the list and why it’s there. He explained it was what the supplier gave him) and the food is annoyingly good.

This burger should probably win an award somewhere. I’m serious.

Meat-focused, perfectly seasoned, charred outside and cooked to order. It’s really worth the journey. Just roll those dice on who’s working the bar when you’re there!

It’s been an amazing time here in Chicago and if anything, it’s just made me want to come back again sooner.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this Edition.

Cheers – Jim & Christina xx

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