Hotels:
- Westin Grand Cayman Link to my review
- Atlanta Doubletree Club Hotel Link to my review
- Blue by Eric Ripert Link to my review
- Luca Link to my review
- Havana Link to my review
Cayman Islands (July 2011)
My spouse and I traveled to the Cayman Islands for the July 4 holiday weekend in 2011. We used Delta frequent flyer tickets, so we had to fly from Allentown to Atlanta to Grand Cayman. We were able to fly to Atlanta on Friday night (July 1), where we stayed at the Doubletree Club Hotel. The next morning (Saturday, July 2), we flew to Grand Cayman and checked into the Westin Causurina, where we got a great deal on our room (just over $100 per night). We originally thought that we would stay at the Ritz Carlton, but the rooms were 3x that price. We relaxed by the pool and ate at the beachside restaurant. In the evening, we dined at the hotel at their Havana restaurant, which has one some Wine Spectator awards. On Sunday (July 3), we dined at Eric Ripert's Blue restaurant at the Ritz Carlton. On Monday evening (July 4), we dined at Luca.
Hotels:
Hotels:
Theatre: Two Noble Kinsmen at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival (August 2011)
Shakespeare Untamed! For the first time ever at PSF: a play by
Shakespeare rehearsed by methods akin to those in Shakespeare's time.
Actors arrive with their lines learned, rehearse on their own, wear what
they can find, and open in a matter of days. No director, no designers.
Just great actors, a lyrical and romantic play, and pure adrenaline and
spontaneity. Two nobles - cousins who are best friends - fall in love
with the same beautiful woman, leading to unexpected twists of fate.
The Two Noble Kinsmen is a Jacobean tragicomedy, first published in 1634 and attributed to John Fletcher and William Shakespeare. Its plot derives from "The Knight's Tale" in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, which had already been dramatised at least twice before.
Formerly a point of controversy, the dual attribution is now generally accepted by the scholarly consensus.
A prologue informs the audience that the play is based on a story from Chaucer.
Three queens come to plead with Theseus and Hippolyta, rulers of Athens, to avenge the deaths of their husbands by the hand of the tyrant Creon of Thebes. Creon has killed the three kings and refuses to allow them proper burial. Theseus agrees to wage war on Creon.
In Thebes, Palamon and Arcite, cousins and close friends, are bound by duty to fight for Creon, though they are appalled by his tyranny. In a hard-fought battle Palamon and Arcite enact prodigies of courage, but the Thebans are defeated by Theseus. Palamon and Arcite are imprisoned, but philosophically resign themselves to their fate. Their stoicism is instantly destroyed when from their prison window they see the Athenian princess Emilia. Both fall in love with her, and their friendship turns to bitter rivalry. Arcite is released after a relative intercedes on his behalf. He is banished from Athens, but he disguises himself, wins a local wrestling match, and is appointed as Emilia's bodyguard.
Meanwhile, the jailer's daughter has fallen in love with Palamon and helps him escape. She follows him, but he ignores her: still obsessed with Emilia. He lives in the forest half-starved, where he meets Arcite. The two argue, but Arcite offers to bring Palamon food, drink and armaments so that they can meet in an equal fight over Emilia.
The jailer's daughter, forsaken, has gone mad. She sings and babbles in the forest. She meets a troupe of local countrymen who want to perform a Morris dance before the king and queen. Local schoolmaster Gerald invites the mad daughter to join the performance. Theseus and Hippolyta appear, hunting. Gerald hails them, and they agree to watch the yokels perform a bizarre act for them, with the jailer's mad daughter dancing. The royal couple reward them.
Arcite returns with the food and weapons. After a convivial dinner with reminiscences, the two fight. Theseus and his entourage arrive on the scene. He orders that Palamon and Arcite be arrested and executed. Hippolyta and Emilia intervene, and so Theseus agrees to a public tournament between the two for Emilia's hand. Each warrior will be allowed three companions to assist them. The loser and his companion knights will be executed.
The jailer finds his daughter with the help of friends. He tries to restore her mental health. On the advice of a doctor, he encourages her former suitor to pretend to be Palamon so that she will be gradually accustomed to see him as her true love. His devotion slowly wins her over.
Before the tournament, Arcite prays to Mars that he win the battle; Palamon prays to Venus that he marry Emilia; Emilia prays to Diana that she be wed to the one who loves her best. Each prayer is granted: Arcite wins the combat, but is then thrown from his horse and dies, leaving Palamon to wed Emilia.
Link to the review by The Morning Call here
The Two Noble Kinsmen is a Jacobean tragicomedy, first published in 1634 and attributed to John Fletcher and William Shakespeare. Its plot derives from "The Knight's Tale" in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, which had already been dramatised at least twice before.
Formerly a point of controversy, the dual attribution is now generally accepted by the scholarly consensus.
A prologue informs the audience that the play is based on a story from Chaucer.
Three queens come to plead with Theseus and Hippolyta, rulers of Athens, to avenge the deaths of their husbands by the hand of the tyrant Creon of Thebes. Creon has killed the three kings and refuses to allow them proper burial. Theseus agrees to wage war on Creon.
In Thebes, Palamon and Arcite, cousins and close friends, are bound by duty to fight for Creon, though they are appalled by his tyranny. In a hard-fought battle Palamon and Arcite enact prodigies of courage, but the Thebans are defeated by Theseus. Palamon and Arcite are imprisoned, but philosophically resign themselves to their fate. Their stoicism is instantly destroyed when from their prison window they see the Athenian princess Emilia. Both fall in love with her, and their friendship turns to bitter rivalry. Arcite is released after a relative intercedes on his behalf. He is banished from Athens, but he disguises himself, wins a local wrestling match, and is appointed as Emilia's bodyguard.
Meanwhile, the jailer's daughter has fallen in love with Palamon and helps him escape. She follows him, but he ignores her: still obsessed with Emilia. He lives in the forest half-starved, where he meets Arcite. The two argue, but Arcite offers to bring Palamon food, drink and armaments so that they can meet in an equal fight over Emilia.
The jailer's daughter, forsaken, has gone mad. She sings and babbles in the forest. She meets a troupe of local countrymen who want to perform a Morris dance before the king and queen. Local schoolmaster Gerald invites the mad daughter to join the performance. Theseus and Hippolyta appear, hunting. Gerald hails them, and they agree to watch the yokels perform a bizarre act for them, with the jailer's mad daughter dancing. The royal couple reward them.
Arcite returns with the food and weapons. After a convivial dinner with reminiscences, the two fight. Theseus and his entourage arrive on the scene. He orders that Palamon and Arcite be arrested and executed. Hippolyta and Emilia intervene, and so Theseus agrees to a public tournament between the two for Emilia's hand. Each warrior will be allowed three companions to assist them. The loser and his companion knights will be executed.
The jailer finds his daughter with the help of friends. He tries to restore her mental health. On the advice of a doctor, he encourages her former suitor to pretend to be Palamon so that she will be gradually accustomed to see him as her true love. His devotion slowly wins her over.
Before the tournament, Arcite prays to Mars that he win the battle; Palamon prays to Venus that he marry Emilia; Emilia prays to Diana that she be wed to the one who loves her best. Each prayer is granted: Arcite wins the combat, but is then thrown from his horse and dies, leaving Palamon to wed Emilia.
Link to the review by The Morning Call here
Theatre: A Comedy of Errors at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival (August 2011)
The Comedy of Errors is one of the William Shakespeare's early plays. It is his shortest and one of his most farcical comedies, with a major part of the humour coming from slapstick and mistaken identity, in addition to puns and word play. The Comedy of Errors (along with The Tempest) is one of only two of Shakespeare's plays to observe the Unity of Time (classical unities). It has been adapted for opera, stage, screen and musical theatre.
The Comedy of Errors tells the story of two sets of identical twins that were accidentally separated at birth (Shakespeare was father to one pair of twins). Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant, Dromio of Syracuse, arrive in Ephesus, which turns out to be the home of their twin brothers, Antipholus of Ephesus and his servant, Dromio of Ephesus. When the Syracusans encounter the friends and families of their twins, a series of wild mishaps based on mistaken identities lead to wrongful beatings, a near-seduction, the arrest of Antipholus of Ephesus, and false accusations of infidelity, theft, madness, and demonic possession.
Because the law forbids merchants from Syracuse to enter Ephesus, elderly Syracusian trader Egeon faces execution when he is discovered in the city. He can only escape by paying a fine of a thousand marks. He tells his sad story to Solinus, Duke of Ephesus. In his youth, Egeon married and had twin sons. On the same day, a poor woman without a job also gave birth to twin boys, and he purchased these as slaves to his sons. Soon afterwards, the family made a sea voyage, and was hit by a tempest. Egeon lashed himself to the main-mast with one son and one slave, while his wife was rescued by one boat, Egeon by another. Egeon never again saw his wife, or the children with her. Recently, his son Antipholus of Syracuse, now grown, and his son’s slave Dromio of Syracuse, left Syracuse on a quest to find their brothers. When Antipholus of Syracuse did not return, Egeon set out in search of him.
The Duke is moved by this story, and grants Egeon one day to pay his fine.
That same day, Antipholus of Syracuse arrives in Ephesus, searching for his brother. He sends Dromio of Syracuse to deposit some money at The Centaur, an inn. He is confounded when the identical Dromio of Ephesus appears almost immediately, denying any knowledge of the money and asking him home to dinner, where his wife is waiting. Antipholus, thinking his servant is making insubordinate jokes, beats Dromio of Ephesus.
Dromio of Ephesus returns to his mistress, Adriana, saying that her "husband" refused to come back to his house, and even pretended not to know her. Adriana, concerned that her husband's eye is straying, takes this news as confirmation of her suspicions.
Antipholus of Syracuse, who complains "I could not speak with Dromio since at first I sent him from the mart," meets up with Dromio of Syracuse who now denies making a "joke" about Antipholus having a wife. Antipholus begins beating him. Suddenly, Adriana rushes up to Antipholus of Syracuse and begs him not to leave her. The Syracusans cannot but attribute these strange events to witchcraft, remarking that Ephesus is known as a warren for witches. Antipholus and Dromio go off with this strange woman, the one to eat dinner and the other to keep the gate.
Antipholus of Ephesus returns home for dinner and is enraged to find that he is rudely refused entry to his own house by Dromio of Syracuse, who is keeping the gate. He is ready to break down the door, but his friends persuade him not to make a scene. He decides, instead, to dine with a courtesan.
Inside the house, Antipholus of Syracuse discovers that he is very attracted to his "wife's" sister, Luciana of Smyrna, telling her "train me not, sweet mermaid, with thy note / To drown me in thy sister's flood of tears." She is flattered by his attentions, but worried about their moral implications. After she exits, Dromio of Syracuse announces that he has discovered that he has a wife: Nell, a hideous kitchen-maid. He describes her as "spherical, like a globe; I could find out countries in her". Antipholus jokingly asks him to identify the countries, leading to a witty exchange in which parts of her body are identified with nations. Ireland is her buttocks: "I found it out by the bogs". He claims he has discovered America and the Indies "upon her nose all o'er embellished with rubies, carbuncles, sapphires, declining their rich aspect to the hot breath of Spain; who sent whole armadoes of caracks to be ballast at her nose." (This is one of Shakespeare's few references to America.) The Syracusans decide to leave as soon as possible, and Dromio runs off to make travel plans. Antipholus of Syracuse is apprehended by Angelo of Ephesus, a goldsmith, who claims that he ordered a chain from him. Antipholus is forced to accept the chain, and Angelo says that he will return for payment.
Antipholus of Ephesus dispatches Dromio of Ephesus to purchase a rope so that he can beat his wife Adriana for locking him out, then is accosted by Angelo, who tells him "I thought to have ta'en you at the Porpentine" and asks to be reimbursed for the chain. He denies ever seeing it, and is promptly arrested. As he is being led away, Dromio of Syracuse arrives, whereupon Antipholus dispatches him back to Adriana's house to get money for his bail.
After completing this errand, Dromio of Syracuse mistakenly delivers the money to Antipholus of Syracuse. The Courtesan spies Antipholus wearing the gold chain, and says he promised it to her. The Syracusans deny this, and flee. The Courtesan resolves to tell Adriana that her husband is insane. Dromio of Ephesus returns to the arrested Antipholus of Ephesus, with the rope. Antipholus is infuriated. Adriana, Luciana and the Courtesan enter with a conjurer named Pinch, who tries to exorcise the Ephesians, who are bound and taken to Adriana's house. The Syracusans enter, carrying swords, and everybody runs off for fear: believing that they are the Ephesians, out for vengeance after somehow escaping their bonds. Adriana reappears with henchmen, who attempt to bind the Syracusans. They take sanctuary in a nearby priory, where the Abbess resolutely protects them.
Suddenly, the Abbess enters with the Syracusan twins, and everyone begins to understand the confused events of the day. Not only are the two sets of twins reunited, but the Abbess reveals that she is Egeon's wife, Emilia of Babylon. The Duke pardons Egeon. All exit into the abbey to celebrate the reunification of the family.
Link to the review by The Morning Call here
The Comedy of Errors tells the story of two sets of identical twins that were accidentally separated at birth (Shakespeare was father to one pair of twins). Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant, Dromio of Syracuse, arrive in Ephesus, which turns out to be the home of their twin brothers, Antipholus of Ephesus and his servant, Dromio of Ephesus. When the Syracusans encounter the friends and families of their twins, a series of wild mishaps based on mistaken identities lead to wrongful beatings, a near-seduction, the arrest of Antipholus of Ephesus, and false accusations of infidelity, theft, madness, and demonic possession.
Because the law forbids merchants from Syracuse to enter Ephesus, elderly Syracusian trader Egeon faces execution when he is discovered in the city. He can only escape by paying a fine of a thousand marks. He tells his sad story to Solinus, Duke of Ephesus. In his youth, Egeon married and had twin sons. On the same day, a poor woman without a job also gave birth to twin boys, and he purchased these as slaves to his sons. Soon afterwards, the family made a sea voyage, and was hit by a tempest. Egeon lashed himself to the main-mast with one son and one slave, while his wife was rescued by one boat, Egeon by another. Egeon never again saw his wife, or the children with her. Recently, his son Antipholus of Syracuse, now grown, and his son’s slave Dromio of Syracuse, left Syracuse on a quest to find their brothers. When Antipholus of Syracuse did not return, Egeon set out in search of him.
The Duke is moved by this story, and grants Egeon one day to pay his fine.
That same day, Antipholus of Syracuse arrives in Ephesus, searching for his brother. He sends Dromio of Syracuse to deposit some money at The Centaur, an inn. He is confounded when the identical Dromio of Ephesus appears almost immediately, denying any knowledge of the money and asking him home to dinner, where his wife is waiting. Antipholus, thinking his servant is making insubordinate jokes, beats Dromio of Ephesus.
Dromio of Ephesus returns to his mistress, Adriana, saying that her "husband" refused to come back to his house, and even pretended not to know her. Adriana, concerned that her husband's eye is straying, takes this news as confirmation of her suspicions.
Antipholus of Syracuse, who complains "I could not speak with Dromio since at first I sent him from the mart," meets up with Dromio of Syracuse who now denies making a "joke" about Antipholus having a wife. Antipholus begins beating him. Suddenly, Adriana rushes up to Antipholus of Syracuse and begs him not to leave her. The Syracusans cannot but attribute these strange events to witchcraft, remarking that Ephesus is known as a warren for witches. Antipholus and Dromio go off with this strange woman, the one to eat dinner and the other to keep the gate.
Antipholus of Ephesus returns home for dinner and is enraged to find that he is rudely refused entry to his own house by Dromio of Syracuse, who is keeping the gate. He is ready to break down the door, but his friends persuade him not to make a scene. He decides, instead, to dine with a courtesan.
Inside the house, Antipholus of Syracuse discovers that he is very attracted to his "wife's" sister, Luciana of Smyrna, telling her "train me not, sweet mermaid, with thy note / To drown me in thy sister's flood of tears." She is flattered by his attentions, but worried about their moral implications. After she exits, Dromio of Syracuse announces that he has discovered that he has a wife: Nell, a hideous kitchen-maid. He describes her as "spherical, like a globe; I could find out countries in her". Antipholus jokingly asks him to identify the countries, leading to a witty exchange in which parts of her body are identified with nations. Ireland is her buttocks: "I found it out by the bogs". He claims he has discovered America and the Indies "upon her nose all o'er embellished with rubies, carbuncles, sapphires, declining their rich aspect to the hot breath of Spain; who sent whole armadoes of caracks to be ballast at her nose." (This is one of Shakespeare's few references to America.) The Syracusans decide to leave as soon as possible, and Dromio runs off to make travel plans. Antipholus of Syracuse is apprehended by Angelo of Ephesus, a goldsmith, who claims that he ordered a chain from him. Antipholus is forced to accept the chain, and Angelo says that he will return for payment.
Antipholus of Ephesus dispatches Dromio of Ephesus to purchase a rope so that he can beat his wife Adriana for locking him out, then is accosted by Angelo, who tells him "I thought to have ta'en you at the Porpentine" and asks to be reimbursed for the chain. He denies ever seeing it, and is promptly arrested. As he is being led away, Dromio of Syracuse arrives, whereupon Antipholus dispatches him back to Adriana's house to get money for his bail.
After completing this errand, Dromio of Syracuse mistakenly delivers the money to Antipholus of Syracuse. The Courtesan spies Antipholus wearing the gold chain, and says he promised it to her. The Syracusans deny this, and flee. The Courtesan resolves to tell Adriana that her husband is insane. Dromio of Ephesus returns to the arrested Antipholus of Ephesus, with the rope. Antipholus is infuriated. Adriana, Luciana and the Courtesan enter with a conjurer named Pinch, who tries to exorcise the Ephesians, who are bound and taken to Adriana's house. The Syracusans enter, carrying swords, and everybody runs off for fear: believing that they are the Ephesians, out for vengeance after somehow escaping their bonds. Adriana reappears with henchmen, who attempt to bind the Syracusans. They take sanctuary in a nearby priory, where the Abbess resolutely protects them.
Suddenly, the Abbess enters with the Syracusan twins, and everyone begins to understand the confused events of the day. Not only are the two sets of twins reunited, but the Abbess reveals that she is Egeon's wife, Emilia of Babylon. The Duke pardons Egeon. All exit into the abbey to celebrate the reunification of the family.
Link to the review by The Morning Call here
Atlanta: Doubletree Guest Suites Atlanta Airport (July 2011)
My spouse and I stayed at the Atlanta Doubletree Club Hotel Atlanta Airport for one night in late June 2011 en route from our home in Northeastern PA to the Cayman Islands. (Because we were using frequent flyer tickets, we were unable to fly non-stop on Delta on the evening that we departed, necessitating a stop-over in Atlanta.)
The hotel is located one mile from
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and seven miles from
downtown Atlanta. (The hotel offers complimentary shuttle service to and from
the airport.) The Georgia International Convention Center and Delta World
Headquarters are minutes from the hotel. Relax in the lobby, which features a
cozy fireplace and cascading water wall, and be welcomed with a signature warm
chocolate chip cookie. Savor Southern and traditional cuisine for breakfast,
lunch and dinner in the Seasons Bakery & Grille. Gather in the Lobby Lounge
to enjoy a cocktail or watch a game on one of the wide screen televisions.
In-room dining is also available. Maintain your exercise regimen in our fitness
center. Refresh in the swimming pool. Host a business meeting or special event
with up to 450 guests in one of our elegant ballrooms. Conduct business or
check your email in our complimentary business center, which also provides A/V
equipment rental, printing and other services.
The property offers 220 rooms that feature
"Sweet Dreams" luxury bedding, complimentary wireless high speed
internet, Wolf Gang Puck coffee makers, and oversized work desks. All rooms are
decorated in a warm Contemporary style, which includes an oversized desk
featuring task lighting and an easy-access power source. Work with speed and
efficiency from your room, utilizing two dual-line telephones with data port,
speakerphone, and private voicemail. Relax with in-room entertainment options
like cable television with HBO, CNN and ESPN and on-demand movies.
Cayman Islands: Luca (July 2011)
My
spouse and I ate dinner at Luca at the Caribbean Club in early July
2011 over the Independence Day holiday weekend. We weren’t quite sure
what to expect when we entered this condo-hotel on Seven Mile Beach, and
we were pleasantly surprised with the upscale, modern interior of the
restaurant, including a long, lively bar and an impressive, on-display
wine cellar. Outdoor seating is also available overlooking the pool and
the beach beyond. The food was delicious, creative, and pleasantly
presented. The pasta is made in-house and available in many varieties
and combinations. You can’t go wrong with making a reservation at Luca!
Casa Havana: Cuban Food and Formality in the Caymans
My spouse and I ate dinner at Casa Havana at the Westin Casuarina in early July 2011 over the Independence Day holiday weekend. Billed as one of only two AAA 4-diamond restaurants in Grand Cayman (the other must be Blue by Eric Ripert) and the recipient of many Wine Spectator awards, our expectations were high. Service was formal and polished. One memory that “sticks” in my mind is the waiter offering me freshly ground black pepper, which I accepted, and then his asking how I wanted it ground: fine, medium, or coarse. (Asking my preference for the texture of my black pepper was a first for me!) The interior space is a bit small, with additional seating outdoors on a patio overlooking the beach (it was too hot and humid to eat outside when we were there). The interior space wasn’t completely comfortable to us - the temperature was fine, but the tables were a bit close together, and the sounds of fellow diners conversations carried from one table to the next. The food was creatively presented and prepared using unique ingredients, and I appreciated the effort more than I enjoyed the flavor combinations. But this restaurant is still a wise choice for fine dining on Seven Mile Beach.
Casa Havana: Cuban Food and Formality in the Caymans
My spouse and I ate dinner at Casa Havana at the Westin Casuarina in early July 2011 over the Independence Day holiday weekend. Billed as one of only two AAA 4-diamond restaurants in Grand Cayman (the other must be Blue by Eric Ripert) and the recipient of many Wine Spectator awards, our expectations were high. Service was formal and polished. One memory that “sticks” in my mind is the waiter offering me freshly ground black pepper, which I accepted, and then his asking how I wanted it ground: fine, medium, or coarse. (Asking my preference for the texture of my black pepper was a first for me!) The interior space is a bit small, with additional seating outdoors on a patio overlooking the beach (it was too hot and humid to eat outside when we were there). The interior space wasn’t completely comfortable to us - the temperature was fine, but the tables were a bit close together, and the sounds of fellow diners conversations carried from one table to the next. The food was creatively presented and prepared using unique ingredients, and I appreciated the effort more than I enjoyed the flavor combinations. But this restaurant is still a wise choice for fine dining on Seven Mile Beach.
Cayman Islands: Casa Havana at the Westin Casuarina (July 2011)
My spouse and I ate dinner at Casa Havana at the Westin Casuarina in
early July 2011 over the Independence Day holiday weekend. Billed as one
of only two AAA 4-diamond restaurants in Grand Cayman (the other must
be Blue by Eric Ripert) and the recipient of many Wine Spectator awards,
our expectations were high. Service was formal and polished. One memory
that “sticks” in my mind is the waiter offering me freshly ground black
pepper, which I accepted, and then his asking how I wanted it ground:
fine, medium, or coarse. (Asking my preference for the texture of my
black pepper was a first for me!) The interior space is a bit small,
with additional seating outdoors on a patio overlooking the beach (it
was too hot and humid to eat outside when we were there). The interior
space wasn’t completely comfortable to us - the temperature was fine,
but the tables were a bit close together, and the sounds of fellow
diners conversations carried from one table to the next. The food was
creatively presented and prepared using unique ingredients, and I
appreciated the effort more than I enjoyed the flavor combinations. But
this restaurant is still a wise choice for fine dining on Seven Mile
Beach.
Cayman Islands: Blue by Eric Ripert (July 2011)
Blue: Eric Ripert Always Delivers, Even in the Caymans!
My spouse and I ate dinner at Blue by Eric Ripert in early July 2011 over the Independence Day holiday weekend. We love Eric Ripert’s restaurant Le Bernardin in New York City, and so we had high but tempered expectations for our meal at Blue at the Ritz Carlton. The Ritz property is classy and chic and sophisticated, and Blue is located on the ground floor (the floor below the lobby, Taikun Restaurant, and the Silver Palm Lounge). The size of Blue is expansive, with plenty of room between tables. Despite the fact that we booked as far in advance as we could (which I believe was one month), we didn’t have the most desirable table. (We originally had planned to stay at the Ritz, and had been staying there when we made the reservation; as a hotel guest I would have been more disappointed with our table than I was as a non-guest.) The hotel has a nice bar area, and also seemed to have the possibility of dining outside in cooler weather. One of our two waiters had an off-putting attitude about him, and gave my spouse a difficult time when he inquired as to the beer selections. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to serve him beer, but he didn’t want to recite the list, even after telling us that it wasn’t extensive. The food was amazing! One of us had the Eric Ripert tasting menu, and the other had the Blue Tasting menu, both of which contained the same number of courses, but one of which was slightly more expensive than the other. (The restaurant also has an a la carte menu.) We sampled every one of each others dishes, and agree that although it’s a close tie, we preferred the Blue menu to the ER menu. The food was every bit as good as Le Bernardin, which pleasantly surprised us (perhaps snobbishly, we didn’t think that food on a Caribbean island could be as good as food served in Manhattan). Service was polished and professional, though a little more informal than NYC service. Overall, if this restaurant had been open again during our short stay in the Caymans (it is closed on Sundays and Mondays), we would have gladly returned, even though it was a bit of a splurge.
My spouse and I ate dinner at Blue by Eric Ripert in early July 2011 over the Independence Day holiday weekend. We love Eric Ripert’s restaurant Le Bernardin in New York City, and so we had high but tempered expectations for our meal at Blue at the Ritz Carlton. The Ritz property is classy and chic and sophisticated, and Blue is located on the ground floor (the floor below the lobby, Taikun Restaurant, and the Silver Palm Lounge). The size of Blue is expansive, with plenty of room between tables. Despite the fact that we booked as far in advance as we could (which I believe was one month), we didn’t have the most desirable table. (We originally had planned to stay at the Ritz, and had been staying there when we made the reservation; as a hotel guest I would have been more disappointed with our table than I was as a non-guest.) The hotel has a nice bar area, and also seemed to have the possibility of dining outside in cooler weather. One of our two waiters had an off-putting attitude about him, and gave my spouse a difficult time when he inquired as to the beer selections. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to serve him beer, but he didn’t want to recite the list, even after telling us that it wasn’t extensive. The food was amazing! One of us had the Eric Ripert tasting menu, and the other had the Blue Tasting menu, both of which contained the same number of courses, but one of which was slightly more expensive than the other. (The restaurant also has an a la carte menu.) We sampled every one of each others dishes, and agree that although it’s a close tie, we preferred the Blue menu to the ER menu. The food was every bit as good as Le Bernardin, which pleasantly surprised us (perhaps snobbishly, we didn’t think that food on a Caribbean island could be as good as food served in Manhattan). Service was polished and professional, though a little more informal than NYC service. Overall, if this restaurant had been open again during our short stay in the Caymans (it is closed on Sundays and Mondays), we would have gladly returned, even though it was a bit of a splurge.
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