The Best Thing I Make: Reservations

First things first: Rupert won the million dollars! Much thanks to those of you who went and voted for him. And my brother is grateful to all of you who agreed with him and voted Amber as Hottest Survivor Babe. Too bad she actually won her own million or we might have seen her eventually in Playboy like Jenna M., Heidi and Jerri.

And since I'm in a USA Today kind of mood, let's continue on with another article I found there that interested me. Everybody has a favorite restaurant. (And if you don't, we probably don't want to know each other.) But have you found the restaurant for you? Your "Holy Grail" eatery? The one where every experience is a good one, the waitstaff is totally professional without being stuffy, where you can wear pretty much whatever and not feel under- or over-dressed, where the menu changes often enough for each visit to be different and with deserts to die for? Last year, I found mine: Parcel 104 here in Santa Clara, CA. And the man behind my epicurean Eden is the most recent winner of the James Beard award for best new restaurant.

Though I can never actually remember whether his name is Bradley Ogden or Ogden Bradley, I've had the good fortune to go to two of his restaurants (his Yankee Pier is also in the area and, while good, is a completely different kettle of fish than Parcel 104) but I'm contemplating a trip to Las Vegas just to try out this new one, the food of which sounds a lot like the fare at Parcel 104. Bon appetit!