Tea for Two at San Francisco's Grande Dame

Antonio Benedetti sings his heart out in front of the Fairmont

Purview of Presidents (from William Howard Taft on), The Fairmont Hotel--the first hotel built on prestigious Nob Hill--began serving a full cream tea the year it opened in 1907. And what and where better to celebrate my daughter's birthday?

How cute is the birthday girl?

In the early 1890s, “Bonanza Jim” Fair used some of his gains from the world's largest silver strike--the Comstock Lode in Nevada--to purchase a plot of land atop Nob Hill for a family estate, His lucky life didn't extend to the building of his dream home; daughters Tessie and Virginia inherited  the property and began to construct a hotel as a monument to their father. As architect, they chose the first female graduate of the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, Miss Julia Morgan,

The Lobby

In what had to be the mother of all bad timing, the opening scheduled for April 18, 1906 was somewhat delayed due to a 7.8 magnitude earthquake.The Fairmont survived the temblor and hundreds of aftershocks, but fell victim to the insatiable fires that leveled much of the city in the next few days (herewith a plug for my novel Shaketown--featuring the Fairmont ballroom as a makeshift hospital on the day of the 'quake). The grand exterior of the building made it through, though the interior was gutted.

Exactly one year and $5 million later, the Fairmont Hotel celebrated the rebirth of San Francisco with
a feast consisting of 600 pounds of turtle for soup, 13,000 oysters and thousands of dollars of California and French wines.

The ever-so-soothing Laurel Court

Though our tea lacked turtle soup (permanently off the menu thanks to the endangered species act), it featured, in addition to a panoply of teas, an impressive variety of sweets and savories, such as two kinds of sorbets, Dungeness crab mango salad on sourdough, deviled egg salad, mixed berries, fresh fruit, two kinds of scones and an assortment of teeny pastry dainties and more. It took us a couple hours to work our way through--not an unpleasant task, as tea is held in the restored Laurel Court, a bastion of old-time ritzy San Francisco, right down to the softly lighted Italian murals on the walls.

The staff went out of their way to accommodate dietary needs--and who could resist "Happy Birthday" written in chocolate on a plate presented with a delicious bite of cake. Yes, we chipped off the chocolate and ate it--so much more dignified than trying to scrape it off with one's teeth. We are classy girls, after all.

http://www.fairmont.com/san-francisco/dining/afternoon-tea-at-the-fairmont/

Livin' the Lush Life at the Claremont

Few properties in the San Francisco Bay Area rival the Claremont Hotel for fascinating history.

Even the light fixtures are gorgeous

The "castle" sits high atop the Berkeley hills and is one of two landmarks that any local resident can identify from miles away--the other being the Mormon Temple in Oakland. In fact, the original "English castle" was built to please the wife of a Kansas farmer who struck it rich during the gold rush and purchased 13,000 acres on the site. Something must have rubbed off, as his daughter married into British Royalty in true Masterpiece style. The property changed hands, but was burnt to ruin in 1901. A pair of equally lucky miners won what was left in a checkers game, and proceeded to build the Claremont we identify today in 1905. Their dreams were shaken and stirred by the 'quake of 1906 and subsequent financial panic. The building was completed and opened it's doors to guests in 1915, just in time for San Francisco's Pan Pacific Exhibition.

Art in the lobby

Prohibition came and went, but repeal did little to lift the Claremont's spirits (literally). The nearby University of California forbade the sale of liquor within one mile of it's borders; an enterprising student won drinks for life by carefully measuring the distance from the school's border to the door of the hotel. With a few feet to spare, the Terrace Bar was born.

This can be yours for five grand

In 1937, a night clerk that had worked at the hotel since 1926 purchased the property and brought in big bands such as Count Basie and Tommy Dorsey for dancing and dining. The Claremont became a destination for dignitaries and prom dates. The hotel changed hands a few more times until it came under the auspices of Fairmont Hotels, who put up $40 million for a total restoration and an all-white make-over. Now known as the Claremont Club and Spa, visitors can come for a complete package.

Fairmont's renovation and modernization of the property might have made the interior stiff and cold; yet, they've managed to update restaurant, lobby, and rooms that continue to be warm and inviting. I was able to peek into the luxe President's Suite (with president's prices, $5K a night--but if you're the president of anything, you'd want to stay here).

Chef Joe explains it all to you

Which brings me to why I'm lounging around the Limewood Bar & Restaurant nibbling appetizers. The Limewood is the newest star in the Claremont's firmament; Chef Joseph Humphrey has a resume that includes stints at some of the most famous eateries in the U.S., and General Manager/Sommelier Benjamin Chanler Laurin (he of the fabulous French accent) have put together an impressive menu and wine list. Favorites are oysters with hot pepper vinegar and grilled and glazed Gulf shrimp.
The old girl on the hill continues to be a destination, and a great one. Frank Lloyd Wright's words still ring true; he dubbed the Claremont: "...one of the few hotels in the world with warmth, character and charm."