Burough Market, London

The Burough Market on the backside of London Bridge is a must stop if your travel brings you to London. I wandered through the stalls for a couple of hours; sampling lots freebies from local artisans and global purveyors. I finally settled for the "Toastie" grilled cheese sandwich that was irresistible.

Aside from being a foodie heaven, the market is a photographers paradise. So bring your camera and snap away. You

Belgo Restaurant, London

The Belgo Kitchen Line

This is one of my go-to restaurants in central London. A perfect stop after a day of shopping in Covent Garden. If you love home-style mussels, then this is the place. Belgo is like going to church without having to sit through a boring

The Delicious Dozen on EightWest TV Show

The Delicious Dozen: woodtv.com

The Asian-Italian Family Dinner

Beef Shabu-Shabu

At the request of my kids, I made our family an Asian-Italian feast for our Christmas dinner. On the menu: Malfadine with Baseball Size Meatballs (my favorite), Sweet Peppers with Spicy Italian Sausage and Beef Shabu-Shabu (Japanese Hot Pot). It was the idyllic Christmas Day. No agenda. No parties to go to. Just the five of us around a table of

New Year's Eve at the JW Marriott

New Year's Eve in downtown Grand Rapids just keeps getting bigger every year.

40,000 revelers packed Monroe St. for the HOT FM outdoor concert featuring The Romantics. There wasn't a single seat available for last minute dinner reservations and every bar was pretty much packed to the gills. This is definitely no longer the sleepy town it used to be.

My wife and I had great intentions of hitting our regular spots before ending up at the JW Marriott. Reserve Wine Bar

2011: What a Year at the JW!

JLe's Black & White Party in 2009 kicked off the JW Social Media Parties

Do you remember the days before Facebook and JW Social Media Parties? Social life in GR was pretty much limited to the bars and a few street parties. The JW Marriott Grand Rapids has been going strong since the first social media event 3 years ago when we kicked off the Social Media Party Phenomenon with Jimmy Le's Birthday Black & White Party. We've come a long way, baby! Thanks to our loyal fans and street team of guerilla promoters. 

To say that 2011 was a banner year for the jdub is truly the understatement of the year. Let's recap our social media

The Delicious Dozen

Are you a list hoarder?

If you are like me, New Year’s Day marks the day I jot down a million things I want to accomplish over the next 365 days. Creating to-do lists make me feel like I’m organized and in control even though I have more lists - between my phone, computers, Moleskine notebooks and loose scraps of paper in my office and home - than my actual number of “things to do.” But, what the heck? Lists are fun, and in some auspicious way, a therapeutic remedy to the hectic lives we live. So here I am adding another list, but this one will be worth hanging on to and accomplishing this year.

West Michigan eateries have raised the bar this past year by employing impressive talent and by producing the most memorable dishes I’ve had in the area. So here I am adding another list, but this one will be worth hanging on to and

Viceroy Lounge Finds Its Hot Spot

Mixologist Steve lights up an orange for a classic cocktail twist

The Buzz: Viceroy Lounge opened as the first "legitimate" speakeasy in downtown GR.

The Vibe: It was a speakeasy dressed up as the overflow for punkish sister bar, Stella's Lounge, before its recent renovation. Former "dining area" is now part of Stella's Lounge. Thank you! The room is more intimate and definitely have that speakeasy atmosphere.

The Scene: For real cocktail connoisseurs. Young professional crowd drinking side cars and housed-infused liquors. Leave your PBR t-shirt at home. 

The Food: Viceroy scrapped the foo-foo vegan dishes for classic bar dishes such as Clams Casino, Tenderloin Tips Louisianne, Escargots Echezeaux and Scotch Egg. I was too full from dinner at another establishment prior to Viceroy, but this new menu is on my hit list. 

The Cocktails: My friend Sin Chun and I were enamored from watching mixologist (and I mean a real mixologist), Steve, concoct, mix and shake cocktails like a true pro. His skills are worth the price of admission. Yes, Viceroy offers beers and wines, but go big or go home. 

Loved: Mixologist Steve and the lineup of the new menu.

One More Try: Soft seating by the entrance takes up too much space. Add more seats or cozier sofas. 

Bonus: Jazz nights and sultry vocalist, for sure. And the code to get back in from the shared bathrooms with Stella's, 1-9-3-3. 

The Wig Party

Every November, Salon Centric hosts the craziest party involving 2,000 hairdressers from all over the country. When I heard the theme this year was "The Wig Party," I knew I had to check this party out with my camera in tow. I asked several of my buddies to join me for a pre-party cocktail before heading to the festivities at the Intersection club in

The Cristal Party at Cygnus 27

The annual Cygnus 27 Cyg-nature Cristal Party marks the beginning of another winter party season in Grand Rapids. The city's socialites showed up in full force; drinking Cristal and dancing to the tunes of DJ Slim Tim.

Life in Grand Rapids just keeps getting better

Revelers at this year's Just Wicked party (formerly the Deadutante Ball) at the JW

There isn't a better time to live in Grand Rapids than right now. Get a glimpse of what this past year has been like by reading my latest The Good Life column in Shore Magazine. Click here.

For more photos...see below

KO Cancer Celebrity Boxing - Jimmy Le vs Eric "EOB" O'Brien

An epic battle between Jimmy "Social Dragon" Le and Eric "Irish Hand Grenade" O'Brien at the second annual Frank's Fitness KO Celebrity Boxing Event at the JW Marriott Grand Rapids. 100% of the proceeds will help kids fighting cancer at the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital.

Christmas Holiday in Buenos Aires

Read about my Christmas holiday in Buenos Aires in the my Travel Column in the Grand Rapids Press by clicking here.

Click below for more photos

My AHA Moment - JW Marriott Chicago

The Grove Restaurant

My experience at the new Grove Restaurant is one of the most impressive dining experiences I have had this year. Read the rest of my Grand Rapids Press review by clicking HERE.

CitySen Lounge at City Flats Hotel

Read my Grand Rapids Press restaurant review of CitySen Lounge: http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2011/10/dining_out_review_citysen_loun.html

My top 10 Restaurants

Here is my Top Ten Restaurants article I wrote in my travel column, The Aisle Seat, in the Grand Rapids.

http://www.mlive.com/travel/index.ssf/2011/10/culinary_travel_foodie_names_h.html

Asian's Night Out, jLe's Birthday, Philippine Madz at the JW

It was another epic night at the JW Marriott as the West Michigan Asian community celebrated another ANO. This time, ANO hosted Jimmy Le's 32nd birthday along with hosting the amazing Philippine Madrigal Singers of the University of the Philippines who is in town for their concert at the Grand Rapids Public Museum tonight. The MADZ electrified the crowd when they surprised the crowd with

A Steak Affair: Ruth's Chris Opens in Grand Rapids

I have been to many steakhouses in the world and this Ruth's Chris located inside the Amway Grand Plaza hotel has got to be one of the sexiest joints I have ever been to. Thanks impart to the Ruth's Chris development team, the design team at the hotel and the impeccable touch of interior designer, Wendell Gooch, of Wendell Gooch Design in Chicago.

I had distinct pleasure of getting a sneak peak prior to its official opening on Monday, September 12. The staff under the leadership of veteran restauranteur, Buzz Goebel, and chef, Chris Madsen, are prepped to launch the most

The Most Memorable Shrimp Cocktail in the World

Residents of Indianapolis talk about the Shrimp Cocktail at St. Elmo Steak House as if it's the only thing that mattered in the city. I couldn't make it to St. Elmo's the first time I visited Indy, but I was certain not to miss the opportunity to try this supposedly incredible appetizer on my second trip this month. In fact, I went to St. Elmo's twice in a span of 24 hours. 

Well, the residents are absolutely correct. This Shrimp Cocktail is the most memorable one I have ever tasted in my life. The shrimp itself is no different from most nice dining establishments - U12's. However, it's the fresh horseradish that

The White Out Party

It was not your typical Sunday night in Grand Rapids. About 200 guests packed the jdek for the summer's White Out Party. Grand Rapids' very own Hat Trick band opened the evening with their popular and classic renditions followed by the spectacular Ark reggae band from Detroit. In addition to the jdek, there was a waiting list in six.one.six and the JW Marriott was near capacity. What's going on in GR these days? You just have to visit to see it for yourself.

Click to see the rest of the photos.

Could this restaurant be the best place for Italian food in West Michigan?

Amore's Cozze bowl

I don't take anointing a restaurant with "the best" title of anything lightheartedly. Sure, West Michigan is not Chicago when it comes to a myriad of good selections for authentic Italian food, but, we do have a few options. It took me several trips to the restaurant's website to finally convince myself that this place could be worth the twenty minute drive

A Visit to Michigan's Farm Garden

This is, perhaps, my favorite exhibit at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. I have never lived in a farm, but I have romanticized about the experience of being one with one's environment. Walking through the farm's garden's, barnyard, and farm house is worth the price of admission if this was the only exhibit you have to see.

Below is the description of Michigan's Farm Garden from the Meijer Garden's website along with more photos I took of the farm.

Sonoma Restaurant & Wine Bar, Washington, D.C.

arugula salad - black trumpet mushrooms, pecorino, pine nuts, red wine P3 vinaigrette

I love stumbling into restaurants I have never been to or heard of when I travel. Such was the case for Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar on Capitol Hill. It was well past 1 PM and the entire Aquino clan and some friends were all starving and ready to take a break from the sweltering DC heat.

The interiors of Sonoma has clean lines and a comforting ambiance. The wine bar dominates the first floor main dining

smashburger: No Ordinary Burger Joint

Secret "Vegas" style smashburger

I really don't frequent chain restaurants. A couple of times a year; mostly  on the road when there are not a lot options in the middle of rural America. Once a year, I would crave a Big Mac meal, but that's about it. Now, things would be different if there was an In-N-Out burger in Michigan - the one chain that I love.  However, there is a new "kid" in town and that frequency might have to increase because this chain is worth the trip.

Smashburger officially opened its 110th restaurant in Grand Rapids in July; the chain's first in the Grand Rapids area. I

Hercules Restaurant- Saugatuck

Grey Goose Martini at Hercules

Hercules is my new favorite hangout in Saugatuck. You have to get past the name of the restaurant. There is nothing herculean about this garden restaurant tucked away from the bustling sidewalks of this artsy community. In fact, Hercules is cozy and intimate and a delightful setting for  drinks or dinner with friends. A group of us took the 45-minute drive from Grand Rapids to Saugatuck; finding ourselves spending a good four hours in conversation, martini's and indulging in small plates. Later on, two other friends joined us for a drink, and to our delight, they

Check-In: CityFlatsHotel - Grand Rapids

Check-In: CityFlatsHotel, Grand Rapids

The Scenario: My wife and I invited a Dutch friend(from Netherlands) who works in the Caribbean to the cozy CitySen Lounge at the hotel to start off our weekend this past Friday night. My good friend Jimmy happened to be dining with another friend, Chip, so we joined them. I contacted my friend Sin, who was dining in six.one.six at the JW, to join us. Sin brought two people with him. Another friend, Bonzi, happened to call Jimmy from The BOB, so he

An Indian Buffet worth visiting in Sedona

There is no question that my favorite pig-out food is Indian Cuisine. Forget the fact that I always end up smelling like a Bombay market once I leave the restaurant. Or the sad reality that I ate a lot more than what my stomach wanted me to, Indian food is just simply incredible.

I love discovering Indian dive restaurants in every corner of the earth. One of my favorites is this restaurant in one of

Body By Vi "Vitality" 90 Day Challenge Party

I started on my Visalus Body By Vi 90 Day Challenge a month ago after topping the scales at 205 - the heaviest I have ever been. Thirty days later, weighing twelve pounds lighter and two sizes smaller around the waist, I decided to check on what this movement is all about by joining a group of my Grand Rapids friends whose lives have been transformed by the challenge.

Losing twelve pounds is not an easy feat. It's practically a heavy bowling ball wrapped around my gut that I've been supporting with my forty-something knees and out of shape body. In four short weeks, I traded in my new 36-inch

Banrai Sushi (Orlando)

I was attending the Visalus Vitality Conference in Orlando when a good friend hosted our group for sushi at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort.  The resort offers a selection of dining options including sushi at Banrai Sushi, located next to the main lounge. Banrai Sushi is not a destination restaurant as it primarily caters to resort guests. Frankly, the interior of

The "Old" folks at Clark Retirement Community Lipdubs to Michael Buble!

Clark Retirement Community LipDub from Clark LipDub on Vimeo.

I live just a few blocks from Clark Retirement Community in East Grand Rapids and I just had to post this funny video of Clark's amazing residents. This is definitely more my style of a retirement home. Congratulations to CRC and also the students of GVSU for this AARP Approved Cool Video.

World Cup Fever

I don't know about you but today's dramatic come from behind victory by the USA's women's World Cup team against Brazil got me so pumped up at the the world's most popular sport. I wished I could have been in a bar somewhere to celebrate this miraculous victory.

I got hooked into watching the World Cup after France's victory at home in 1998. I was cheering for France as Paris is

The Beloved Grill at 1913's Lunch Buffet Resurfaces at Bentham's

The weekday lunch buffet at the Grill at 1913 used to be my staple power lunch in the city until The 1913 Room closed its doors in May. The soup and salad bar had all the trimmings equivalent to what you'd find in most European antipasto buffets. And for a heartier option, the carving station with prime rib, pork loin and salmon en croute can't get

The Summer Belongs to the Grand Woods Lounge

Starfarm at the Woods

As much as I feel like I'm the oldest guy in the place, nothing beats the outdoor bar at the Grand Woods Lounge in Grand Rapids. Whether it is the amazing killer 80's cover band, Starfarm, or the mash-mixing of DJ Danimal, the summer late night scene belongs to the Woods.  If the weather is beautiful, you can be assured that GR's most alluring personalities will be hanging out at this joint just southwest of the Van Andel Arena. Thirsty? Order the pail of delicious bar concoctions for your gang and be ready to rock and roll all night. 

My Best Food List: June

SEXIEST DISPLAY - Dessert buffet at the JW Marriott Indianapolis

 These are my favorite food dishes and concepts this past month (and the latter part of May). Let me know if there is anything I must try in July. Enjoy!

The St. Mary's Foundation Concrete Mixer

Guys in skirts always get the girls!

I have to give it a lot of credit to the St. Mary's Foundation committee members who hosted this fun event to kick off the renovation of the hospital's guest house. First of all, what a great name for a party on the hospital's parking lot. Upon my arrival, I was greeted by my host, Don "Big Daddy" MacKenzie, with a cup of brew from the crew at

Two of My Favorite Places in the World - Mandarin Oriental & New York City

The Mandarin Oriental New York just launched a new video to seduce you to their breathtaking setting overlooking one of the most picturesque cities in the world. 

A Pho and Soul Train Weekend

For me, nothing can be more comforting than a bowl of steaming hot pho inside a hole-in-a-wall restaurant. No one cares what you look like. Everyone is there to dive in this bowl of goodness - soup made out of reduced oxtail stock, star anise, seasonings, rare beef, hot peppers, bean sprouts, basil. 

My 14-year old son Jules was craving pho on Saturday, so I took him to Asian Palace on 28th St. and Clyde Park for one of the best pho's in town. We started with the mussels and capped the lunch with pho. Afterwards, he and I played

An Overnight Pub Crawl in Grand Rapids

Mega 80's at The Intersection

The restaurant and entertainment scenes in Grand Rapids have definitely come along way since the arena opened in 1996. Come join me in this overnight pub crawl through the heart of the city via my July "The Good Life" column in Shore Magazine. To read the full article, click here.

A Picture Perfect Father's Day Brunch at Blue Water Grill

I couldn't have asked for a more perfect setting for Father's Day - a sunny day, a riverfront table, amazing food, refreshing sangria, my wife and kids. My kids gave me the option to select the restaurant for our annual father's day brunch. Okay, my youngest really wanted Bombay Cuisine. My oldest daughter was craving the mac-n-cheese at Green

Asians Night Out - Grand Rapids Style

The forecast called for cloudy and 60% chance of rain last evening. Jim Tressel, the ousted Ohio State coach must have been the meteorologist because the weather couldn't have been farther from the truth. The temperature was in the 70's, sunny with a slight breeze. The JW Marriott's first Asians Night Out couldn't have been more perfect. 

Guests drove from Chicago, Lansing and the lakeshore to join the Grand Rapids clan in celebrating Asian awareness in

Late-Night Taxi Cab Confessions

It was way past our bedtime but a late-night craving for munchies pushed us to prolong the evening. My good friends Chad, Big Daddy and I flagged a cab in the south loop of Chicago and instructed our driver to take us to the nearest restaurant serving omelets and corned beef hash. Our first restaurant near the Mag Mile was already closed so I asked our Pakistani driver to take us to the cab driver hangout in the city for south Asian cuisine - primarily Pakistani and Indian.

A few minutes later, we were just west of the Gold Coast where the infamous Cabrini Green projects once stood.  The

JW Marriott opens jdek with new cabanas; introduces jsquad

The highly popular jdek at the JW Marriott opened last night to a very enthusiastic crowd of guests. Much of the excitement revolves around the six new cabanas that adds a dramatic flare to the jdek's riverfront setting. 

"This is a delicious addition to the JW," says Jai Yung. "The cabanas frame the river wonderfully. I can just imagine the amount of business this addition will bring to the hotel."

The three large cabanas on the southern end of the jdek can be reserved for private dinners and events such as bridal

A Perfect Martini at the Temple Bar, NYC

As the U.S. goes more casual in every lifestyle arena, classic watering holes like the Temple Bar in Manhattan is slowly fading away like Blockbuster video stores in every intersection. The Temple's interior is dark and masculine; the food was simply prepared, yet predictably good. It was a pure delight to order a gin martini in a bar that epitomizes the

Could this Indianapolis sandwich be the best one in the US?

The Batali

The Batali sandwich at Goose The Market in the historic neighborhood of downtown Indy literally gave me goose bumps. The Batali is named after Armandino Batali, father of the famous chef with the orange crocs. He is the founder of Salumi Artisan Cured Meats in Seattle where Goose the Market buys its salumi products.  


The depth of flavors in the layers of soppressata, hot giardinara, spicy coppa, capocolla, provolone, marinated red onions and tomato preserves were so tantalizing. The provolone mellows the bite from the spicy meats that you simply can't stop eating. The first bite reminded me of my first true baguette sandwich in Paris.  It is very rare when

A Chef's Garden

It was around six years ago when I first saw chef Melissa Kelly's garden just outside her Primo restaurant at the JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes. The garden is chef Melissa's tribute to her grandfather who was a butcher. This commitment to local farming is evident in the freshness of food served at Primo. It was this project that inspired me to create our own chef's garden at the JW Marriott Grand Rapids.

JW Marriott Chicago Shines in the Spotlight

If hosting an event for hotel general managers is scary, try hosting one for JW Marriott, Ritz Carlton, Edition, Renaissance and Marriott hotels and resorts GM's. Well, the JW Marriott Chicago had no problem with that task by putting on quite a reception to open the three-day conference. Elaborate food action stations, cozy lounge seating, booming music and dramatic lighting set the stage for what is already a successful conference. More WOW moments are expected as each meal and breakouts garner accolades from this discriminating group of hoteliers.

JW Marriott Grand Rapids Honored for Best Customer Service

JW Marriott General Manager, George Aquino, receives the award for the hotel.

The JW Marriott Grand Rapids collected its 2010 Marriott International excellence in customer service award today at the Marriott Western Region's General Manager's conference in Chicago. Marriott's Guest Satisfaction Survey or GSS, measures the overall performance of each hotel in every area of operations from arrival & departure, check-in, food and beverage, amenities, room cleanliness and service execution. Only the top 2.5% of all full service JW Marriott, Renaissance and full service Marriott's make up this elite group of hotels in the United States and Canada. Five hotels out

JW Marriott Hong Kong: The Best Noodle Bar in Asia

A JW Marriott Hong Kong chef cooks fresh noodles in steaming pots of broth

I love noodle bars. Usually the dive-types where one has to trek through an obstacle of narrow alleys, rows of mom and pop stores and walking past a herd of men smoking the local cigarettes while peering residents observe the strangers through cubby hole windows. Not exactly the most elegant of passageways, but the experience certainly creates a build up for the most amazing bowls of hot stock with fresh cut noodles.

And then, there's the Noodle Bar at the JW Marriott Hong Kong. A striking contrast from the standard fare nestled in the lobby of the JW, with striking views of Central. My sister Haj, a resident of Hong Kong, is responsible for

In a New York State of Mind

View from the 35th floor Lobby Lounge of the Mandarin Oriental new York

Read my article in the Grand Rapids Press Travel Section today by clicking here.

Pachanga Latina Lights Up Grand Rapids

There are several things that make these Pachanga events at the JW so addicting. First, you can guarantee a great turnout with several hundred on hand last night inside the International Ballroom. Second, the music by Grupo Aye, arguably the best latin band in the midwest, is electrifying. On this evening, another local latin band, Akaray, opened for Grupo Aye to show support of latin music in the area. The JW also added DJ Angel Gee to the mix to help spice things

W Hotel: The Best Views in Washington, DC

I have to admit that W Hotels know how to create a vibe. The W Washington, DC adds an exclamation point to the word "cool." 

My friend Frank raves about this place so our group of four couples didn't hesitate when he suggested that we visit this DC hotel late last Saturday night. I am not used to waiting in line to get inside a hotel, but when the DC fire marshall is inside the hotel, one must wait patiently. Twenty minutes or so later, we settled in a comfortable sofa area next to the Jewel Bar in the hotel Living Room.

An Epic Night in Washington, DC! Osama Bin Laden is dead!

I was in Washington, DC, with my family and a contingent of about 200 students and supporters of the State of Michigan "We The People" champions from East Grand Rapids high school on this epic evening in American history. We were in a celebratory mood as we just found out that the team made the Top Ten finals slated for Monday morning in one of the historic hearing rooms in Capitol Hill. A goal that has been in the minds of the team members since September when they embarked on this journey.

Elena and I were at Clyde's in Georgetown with close friends and fellow "We The People" parents, Frank and Susan Merlotti and Dick and Deb VanderZyden, when the news of Osama Bin Laden's death captured the emotions of many Americans glued to the tube and cell phones upon receiving word of his demise.

The Pure Michigan Party in G-Rap

You just know this city is not the same sleepy town it used to be when a party before Easter attracted the jet-setters to come out to Cygnus 27 for the first ever Cyg-nature Pure Michigan party. The vibe was energizing as DJ Todd Ernst painted the soundscape with the super hi-tech Emulator mixer and the crowd of smartly dressed socialites mingled with

The Best Hangover Food From Around the World

Philippines - Chicken Adobo with Garlic Rice and Fried Egg

We've all been there. The amazing dinner followed by an all-nighter at a foreign beach watering hole. The one too many sake kampai's at a reunion with close college friends. That four-day wedding weekend in Bali. The boys trip to Vegas. Oktoberfest in Munich. Carnival in Rio. J'ouvert in the Virgin Islands. It feels so good... until the next day when your head feels like a 50-pound medicine ball. 

In Manila where I grew up, the ultimate hangover cure is a combination of protein (cured sausage, sweet marinated pork or beef, adobo, corned beef, even deep friend fish), garlic fried rice, fried eggs and a vinegar dipping sauce. 

Do you have any suggestions for the best global hangover food?

Check out the best of list from Matador Network by clicking here.