The Most Beautiful Chocolat.

You may remember an earlier post of mine raving about one of my favorite chocolatiers, Diane of Maison Bouche. Was I excited to see their new Spring line of chocolats! Divine!

Maison Bouche (literally translated as "house of the mouth") is named after the sumptuous kitchens at Versailles, and based here in the Bay Area. Maison Bouche's packaging is as divine as the scrumptious taste of their confections.

I asked Diane what inspired her for her new lines, and here's what she had to say...

"For 'Les Fleurs,' I've always admired Grandville, who was a celebrated artist of 19th century France. His "Court of Flora or Les Fleurs Animées" shows flowers personified. The collection is redolent of the spirit of French Romanticism."

"For 'Botanicals,' I wanted a spring collection with beautiful floral images. I found them in 19th century hand-painted Botanical prints. I'm constantly amazed at how wonderful flowers are and this is a homage to their loveliness."

"For 'Couture et Confections,' I love love love the fashions of 18th century France - the tall wigs, the attention to detail people put into their attire, the richness of the fabrics, the colors. It was so wonderful!"

"For 'Marriage a la Mode,' I wanted to recreate the lavishness of early 19th Century Royal weddings with the tiered cake, precious jewels given to the bride from all over Europe, the ornate invitation, the beautiful clothing and the fairy tale feeling surrounding it all. These items would have been printed for the world to see. But I also wanted the Collection to appeal to couples getting married today, because we still carry on the same traditions."

Beautiful, aren't they? With Lait and Noir chocolats and numerous flavors, the Maison Bouche bars and confections are available online and at these retailers.

BUT WAIT... there's more!!!

Stay tuned for a Maison Bouche giveaway tomorrow.....

photos: Maison Bouche

Dune Bashing in Dubai

The desert safari is probably the most popular among all the tourist activities in Dubai, UAE.  (Actually, it was the highlight of my one-week stay in the country.)  The safari features a high speed 4x4 ride on the desert which will surely pump one's adrenaline.

My family and I took the safari in the late afternoon.  We met up with our tour guide-driver at a designated pick-up point near the apartment where we were staying.  Upon reaching the desert, our driver gunned the engine, drove straight at a sand dune and hurdled it  ---  just a preview of what to expect on this safari.

All the safari drivers converged on the desert for a last-minute check on their engines, giving tourists the chance to get a fascinating view of the desert.  Then off the convoy of SUVs went for almost an hour of dune bashing.  It was like a rollercoaster ride as we went up and down the dunes, sand flying everywhere.  There were times when we crossed the dunes at 45 degrees sideways, a scary but exciting experience.  What really impressed me was the way the drivers skillfully handled the dunes with their vehicles just inches away from each other.  

Since I wanted to document the wild ride on my camera, I stayed on the front and tried my best to get good shots.  It was definitely a challenge.

Other activities included in the safari were sand skiing, camel riding, photo shoots in traditional Arab attire, a barbecue dinner, and belly dancing at the desert camp. At the camp, I had the opportunity to shoot some photos of the magnificent desert sunset.

About the guest blogger:

Veni Oliveros is a childhood classmate of mine at the Ateneo De Manila in the Philippines. He is based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. 

Are you interested in sharing your travel experiences, food specialties and photographs on My Hotel Life? Send me an email at georgeaquino@mac.com.

Guest blogger, Veni Oliveros, and his wife Belle at the safari camp

Around 30 SUV's made up the desert convoy

Bashing the dunes

Kids effortlessly skiing down the dunes

Scaling the slopes

Bashing dunes until sundown 

Veni and Belle at the start of the race

Zooming past a herd of camels

Belly dancing performance to cap off the safari

Nesting Newbies-- A Great Way to Start Off Your Weekend!

Have you seen Nesting Newbies online magazine yet? The Spring/Summer issue is out and we're humbled to be a part of it!

Paris Hotel Boutique decoupage trays featured on page 176-177

Nesting Newbies online site blends a traditional magazine format with online videos and blogs. It features content for those who are new to nesting, and includes great tips on cooking, entertaining and decorating. AND, you don't have to be a "Newbie" to enjoy it!

Now don't get me wrong, there is nothing like holding a magazine in your hands, but this is so easy to navigate, the colors are striking and the format is great.

great recipes and cooking tips

I'm also excited to be included among some of my blogger pals such as Megan from Beach Bungalow 8, Crystal from Plush Palate, Karen from Alkemie, Jenn from the Department of the Interior. I know I've left some out!

Hopefully you have a relaxing weekend planned! If you have a moment sit back, get comfy, and take a peek at Nesting Newbies here!

HAPPY WEEKEND!!

The Pickled Hutch Grand Reopening Party!

Yesterday was the grand reopening party of one of my favorite Bay Area haunts, The Pickled Hutch. Owner Lisa Wilson and her loyal sidekick Alfie pulled out all the stops with everything from yummy hors d' oeuvres to Cosmopolitans. May I add--it was a "Sex in the City" theme, so many attendees pulled out the glam!

Lisa and Alfie (Alfie's decked out with his felt-made 'Sex and the City' ribbon)

The Pickled Hutch is located in the quaint coastside town of Pacifica, California. About 10 miles from San Francisco. Lisa's 1,200 square foot space is filled with everything from lovely vintage decor to gift items.

This bright and cheery shop has treasures at every turn. Muted blue and grey tones reflect the color of the nearby ocean.


Pops of color and natural elements such as seashells, coral, rocks and quartz are paired with accessories and furniture to create a beautiful statement.


"The displays themselves tell a romantic story, leading you down a path of a gentler and certainly more lovely time....refreshing personal memories along the way."

Love this vintage ship oil painting...


Even doggies made an appearance at this grand re-opening, such as these two beautiful Standard Poodles with their fancy attire...

Oh, and here's Alfie again. He is always smiling...I just can't keep my camera off of him!

Such eclectic variety at the Pickled Hutch, such as dealer Peter's booth...

hidden treasures everywhere...

masculine touches such as this old cabinet filled with unique finds...

Lisa and her friend Bill who was the sweet bartender...

Cabinets of vintage and repurposed vintage jewelry such as these bracelets by Debby Anderson of Romancing the Bling were quite popular among the guests...

A unique pendant by Debby...



Fun was had by all!

After the party, I drove down the block to catch a glimpse of the ocean before sundown.

And look at this cute pink cafe!

BIG CONGRATS to my friend Lisa, and Vito's best friend Alfie for your beautiful new shop!

If you're in the Bay Area, be sure and visit The Pickled Hutch. You can make a wonderful day of it. Take a drive along the coast, dine on some yummy seafood and sourdough bread at one of the quaint beachside restaurants, and do some antiquing!

The Pickled Hutch
2021 Palmetto Ave
Pacifica, CA 94044
(650) 359-2000

thepickledhutch.blogspot.com

Oh...and if you can't visit in person...website coming real soon!

Tell me if my shirt is worth your support!

Now, that's what I call a D-I-S-C-O shirt!

The Dancing with the Make-A-Wish Stars event at St. Cecilia Music Center has finally arrived. Yes, I'm a little crazy for donning this psychedelic disco shirt! But I have to remind myself that I'm doing this to raise awareness and money for Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan. Life is too short to worry about your looks for an event like this. Tonight is about having fun for the sake of the kids.

Join me and fellow local celebrities (DJ Super Dre, East GR coach Peter Stuursma, Lowell coach, Noel Dean, GRPD's, Ralph Mason, City Commissioner, Rosalynn Bliss, Radio Personality, iSteve) as we duke it out on the dance floor. A special thanks to Casey Reed of Salsalogy Dance Academy for finding professional dance partners who have been more than patient in helping us come up with that one perfect routine for the evening. Of course, a special thanks goes to my partner, Molly Thompson, for being such a great sport and a pleasant partner on the dance floor. Molly, you're the best!

Thanks to DJ Todd Ernst for painstakingly mixing our song for this evening - it will be rockin' inside St. Cecilia!

I also want to thank all the well wishers for all the warm support. I am deeply honored to have received so many financial donations for my efforts from friends and colleagues. You guys are fantastic and a true testament to the generosity of our community.

These are my ROCK STARS to date:

Janet Korn
Becky Ernst
Michael Ramirez
Jeanne Englehart
Dan Clappison
Steve Glass
Michael De Meyer
Mike Hughes
Bud Deppe
Audrey and Josh Depenbrok
Jennifer Crowley
Azizah Hines
Julie and Greg Hoelscher
MUSE Boutique
Alticor Corporate Enterprises
Jim and Barb Weaver
Frank Sorochinsky
Dan Dershem
Mike Bigford
David Nichol
Fritz Beirmeister
John Hare
Van Edgerton
Doug Dozeman
Nancy Ayres
Bob Herr
Bob Koch
Wolverine Power Marketing Cooperative
Mark Michon
Don "Big Daddy" MacKenzie
Tami Sytsma

With this outfit, my efforts are definitely worth the equivalent of a couple of drinks at Mixology! To donate, just CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO THE GEORGE AQUINO'S DISCO EFFORT!

You may also text your vote by texting keyword GEORGE to 27722. Your phone bill will charged $10 per vote.

The event starts at 6PM this evening at St. Cecilia's for hors d'oeuvres, drinks and silent auction. The dance competition starts at 8 PM. There are also tickets still remaining to this much anticipated event. CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS to purchase tickets to the event.

Mixology Lounge in the JW Marriott will be the gathering place after the event.