Parkside Grille - Portola Valley

The table is set with poinsettias

Appetizer: Ahi tartare in wontons with chile soy glaze

Appetizer: Homemade mushroom infused mini meatballs

Appetizer: Grilled chicken satay

Choice of Entrées:

Chardonnay poached river salmon in citrus beurre blanc with

garlic mash potatoes and braised Delta asparagus

Grilled organic hanger steak, Dijon butter,
fingerling potatoes, arugula Blue Lake string beans

Dessert: chocolate cake or gelato with homemade biscotti

Great Christmas party under the redwood trees. Enjoyed my salmon in citrus beurre blanc. It was really flavorful. A friend who had the hanger steak said that though it was delicious, the meat was a little tough. Everyone enjoyed the appetizers. Another entrée selection was the wood roasted oven breast of chicken. It was hard to steer the group to the table to start lunch. They lingered a while longer in the bar area where the appetizers where spread out over the counter. For dessert I had the chocolate gelato with homemade biscotti which to my surprise, I ate to the last drop! The staff was on top of everything and service was attentive and smooth.

Parkside Grille is located at 884 Portola Road, Portola Valley, California. http://www.parksidegrille.net/home.html

And a Merry Christmas to all!

* * *

Images by Charie

The Art of Carlos Botong Francisco - Progress of Medicine in the Philippines

Pre-colonial period Pag-unlad ng Panggagamot sa Pilipinas (The Progress of Medicine in the Philippines) is a group of four large-scale paintings depicting healing practices in the Philippines from pre-colonial times to the modern period. Carlos Botong Francisco was commissioned in 1953 by Dr. Agerico Sison who was then the director of Philippine General Hospital (PGH) together with Dr. Eduardo Quisumbing of the National Museum, Dr. Florentino Herrera, Jr. and Dr. Constantino Manahan. These oil on canvas paintings measure 2.92 meters in height and 2.76 meters in width (9.71 ft x 8.92 ft) and were displayed at the main entrance hall of PGH for over five decades. Owing to its location, the artworks were in a state of "severe deterioration" at the beginning of the 21st century from exposure to heat, humidity, dirt, dust, smoke, insect stains, grime, termites and an oxidized synthetic resin used in an earlier restoration. These canvases were restored three times, the last was...

8 Heritage Houses of Iloilo

Lizares Mansion The province of Iloilo on the island of Panay has a rich trove of heritage houses, left over from the sugar industry boom in the 19th century. Iloilo also had the largest port in the Philippines at that time which facilitated the export of sugar to foreign shores and deposited money in the hands of the sugar barons. The barons dropped their earnings into the acquisition of properties in Negros and the construction of beautiful homes in Iloilo, many of which are located in the vicinity of the Jaro Cathedral. The Lizares Mansion was built in 1937 by Don Emiliano Lizares for his wife, Concepcion Gamboa and five children. The family fled to safety when World War II broke out and the house was occupied by the Japanese military. The family returned to the house after the war but left once again after the demise of Don Emiliano. It was sold to the Dominican order in the 1960s and was converted in 1978 to a private school, Angelicum School. The mansion now houses the ...

Timbulan ng Laya at Diwang Dakila

Timbulan ng Laya at Diwang Dakila, Carlos Botong Francisco, 1968, oil on canvas In 1963, Mayor Antonio Villegas wrote a report, Building a Better Manila, where he indicated in detail his accomplishments on his first year as Mayor of Manila and his vision for the future of the city. Villegas aspired for a prosperous Manila by providing its residents access to health, family and housing services, opportunities for education and employment and improved infrastructure for water and road systems. *Notice the hands at the top of the painting. These hands symbolize the protective reach of God over the city of Manila. Central Panel On either side of the seal of Manila are the former mayors of the city. At the bottom are the city’s old seals. Seal of Manila adopted in 1965 under Mayor Antonio Villegas Timbulan ng Laya (Beacon of Freedom) at Diwang Dakila (Noble Spirit) are written on the seal. A sunburst with 15 rays cast light across the canvas. Below the sun, in red, is the Baybayin let...

TravelswithCharie

Search This Blog