from the Berkeley Hills to the Blue Ridge Parkway

view from the Blue Ridge Parkway (c) 2020 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Both an exciting and a sad announcement, I've lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for 28 years. I moved here in 1992 to pursue a Ph.D. at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, earning my doctorate in 1997. After devoting more than a decade to academia, I decided to pursue another one of my passions. In 2006, literally on my 55th birthday, I began a new adventure, a travel business. Here in Berkeley I built my business, and Team Ourisman has expanded over the years to (currently) a team of four, each of us working remotely from our own home offices in Maryland, Arkansas, and California.

And now Claire and I are moving to North Carolina. The Bay Area has grown more crowded in the decades that I've lived here. Traffic is getting worse. And the climate ... well, it's become perceptibly warmer and drier. I used to wear sweatshirts all year round; I've worn short sleeves every day this summer. It used to rain a LOT in the winter, packing the Sierras with snow, but we're living with droughts. Climate change is most assuredly real, and California has been impacted severely by firestorms. Starting earlier and lasting longer, they have burned more acres each and every year. Our air during firestorms becomes so unhealthy that we can't go for our daily walks in our beloved Tilden Park. So we've decided to move ... and it will happen sometime around the end of November.

Asheville, NC will become our new home and the new home office of Ourisman Travel. Absolutely nothing will change for our clients ... the same email and phone numbers will work as before. Because we have been working remotely with a virtual Team Office for a decade now, it's second nature for us to work as a team while socially distanced. So besides the fact that I'll be packing, moving, and unpacking, it will still be business as usual. My Team will cover for me when I need the help!

What will change are the views. Instead of the Berkeley Hills and their beautiful vistas of San Francisco Bay, we will now delight in beautiful views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The forests surrounding the Parkway are administered by the National Park Service, and they literally begin in our new back yard. It will be just a half mile hike up the hill to the parkway itself, and I'm looking forward to some sunrise photography once I learn the best spots.

It's so very sad to leave so many wonderful friends behind, especially Epworth United Methodist Church that has been my family and spiritual community for 28 years. But we'll all be able to stay connected through Travel Horizons and Facebook. Send me a friend request to follow along in all our new adventures.

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copyright (c) 2020 by Ourisman Travel LLC.  All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member.

travel dreams of faraway places

Corso Trattoria, Berkeley, CA (c) 2016 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

An antique photograph ... where (and when) was it taken?

Not in Tuscany at all, Corso Trattoria is an Italian restaurant in Berkeley's "gourmet ghetto." This photo was shot a few years ago right on Shattuck Avenue, less than 10 minutes from home (assuming you can find nearby parking). This is a reminder that fabulous meals can be found right around the corner ... and that we can be reminded of places distant and exotic just by looking at the world with imagination.

So if you're at home this Festive Season, treat yourself to a night out to a local restaurant with a lot of character and authentic regional cuisine. While you're enjoying a glass of wine, absorb the experience and dream about where you'd like to go in 2017.

P.S. — this was an iPhone photo, and in the post-processing I applied a sepia tone and a very coarse grain.

copyright  (c) 2016 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

San Francisco and the Bay Bridge

I feel very fortunate to live in the San Francisco Bay Area. This iconic view of San Francisco was photographed just 300 feet from my home. While much of the country is suffering with frigid cold temperatures combined with blustery winds, we are enjoying a stretch of February days in the 70's.

So come and visit! To enjoy the view from Berkeley, you might stay at The Claremont - a Fairmont Resort (whose famous spa and pool was featured in Mrs. Doubtfire)  ... or the Shattuck Plaza Hotel in downtown Berkeley, walking distance from a myriad of eclectic ethnic dining opportunities. You can even dine at world-famous Chez Panisse.

Or spend a weekend in the City, famous for its cuisine with too many great restaurants to mention. Where to stay? Top choices are the Four Seasons right on Market Street, the Ritz-Carlton on Nob Hill, or the St. Regis next door to the soon-to-reopen SFMOMA. And I can save you money at each of these hotels with Four Seasons Preferred Partner and Virtuoso amenities that offer free breakfast for two daily, hotel credits that can mean free lunches or dinners, upgrades, and more.

copyright (c) 2016 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

when San Francisco is sold out...

guest room at Hotel Shattuck Plaza, Berkeley

I'll sometimes get a call from a client who's having difficulty finding hotel space in San Francisco. The city is often sold out when there's a big event in the city. Thousands of attendees mean limited room availability, sky high prices, and unforgiving cancelation penalties.

Consider Hotel Shattuck Plaza in nearby Berkeley. Literally steps away from the Downtown Berkeley BART station, it's just a quick 23 minute BART ride to the Embarcadero, 24 minutes to Montgomery Street, and 25 minutes to Powell Street.

I enjoyed Thanksgiving Dinner yesterday at FIVE, the hotel's restaurant which featured a prix fixe Thanksgiving menu. I started with pumpkin-carrot soup, feasted on sliced turkey breast accompanied by a table full of side dishes served family style, and finished up with my guilty pleasure, Pecan Tart à la mode.

And for dessert, I did a site inspection. Hotel Shattuck Plaza is in a landmark 1910 building, beautifully renovated with 199 rooms on four floors. We were shown a Deluxe room with corner windows — light and bright. The designers retained the traditional architectural features of the rooms but created an interior design with an attractive contemporary flair. The room measured about 300 square feet, provided a desk with good working space, and the bathroom had a single vanity and shower in the tub. The hotel also has true 1BR Suites if you need more space. Not the Four Seasons, but it's a quite pleasant and comfortable four-star hotel hotel, with all the gourmet options of downtown Berkeley outside the front door... including Chez Panisse within walking distance.

Need a Super Bowl hotel room? Hotel Shattuck Plaza actually has space, although there is a three-night minimum over these dates. A full deposit will be taken 30 days before arrival and becomes non-refundable at this point.

copyright (c) 2015 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

the luxury hotels of London

The picture above was taken from the lobby of the Ritz London where I recently spent two nights en route to Prague and Budapest. During the course of several days, I made site inspections of 17 luxury hotels in London. While this is too much material to put into one blog article, I do want to highlight some top choices when it comes to London five star luxury hotels.

The Ritz London often offers the best values in a luxury hotel in London. A great central location on Picadilly, adjacent to Green Park, means an easy walk to Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park, two popular tourist attractions. As a Virtuoso travel consultant, I can secure great amenities at the best available rate you can find at the Ritz — including a guaranteed upgrade at booking and a daily Full English Breakfast for two guests. I had mine by room service! The best rooms to book are on high floors overlooking Green Park — lots of natural light and beautiful views.

The Dorchester is a very impressive hotel located on the east side of Hyde Park, halfway between Marble Arch and Speakers Corner. This hotel has it all: an impressive marble lobby, spacious rooms decorated with beautiful English fabrics, and three celebrated restaurants including Alain Ducasse. Book an Executive Deluxe room (see picture above) or higher to enjoy the complimentary Virtuoso amenities - daily breakfast for two and one three-course set dinner in The Grill.

The Lanesborough is located at the southeast corner of Hyde Park, right by Marble Arch. The extensive use of dark mahagony, leather, silk wallpaper, and lovely fabrics creates a very traditional British feel. Lots of complimentary services (free internet, free in-room movies, free landline phone calls worldwide for Virtuso guests) make the Lanesborough a great value, and the Virtuoso rate (which gets you complimentary English breakfast for two) is always equal to the Best Available Rate.

The Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park has the distinction of being directly on the park without a street between the hotel and the beautiful, open green space of Hyde Park. While the lead-in rooms face the hotel's courtyard or have a Knightsbridge view, the most desirable rooms and suites in the hotel have a perfect view directly into the park. With an impressive marble lobby and a great restaurant, Foliage, Virtuoso guests receive a complimentary daily continental breakfast and have the chance to experience a complimentary lunch for two from the Menu du Jour in Foliage.

The Berkeley is the perfect choice if you're looking for a great boutique hotel with a fresh, contemporary ambiance. Located in Knightsbridge, the hotel is right across the street from Hyde Park. Rooms are very attractive with one of three color schemes (olive, pale champagne, and aqua), and the rooftop indoor/outdoor pool makes the Berkeley a hotel to consider if swimming is part of your regular exercise. For a special treat, book the Chef's Table at the Berkeley's two-star Michelin restaurant. The Berkeley offers free internet for guests, and Virtuoso guests always receive complimentary English breakfast for two.

The Goring, located near Buckingham Palace, offers the ambiance of a London gentleman's club. There is a large comfortable lounge and bar just off the lobby. You will enjoy your complimentary Full English Breakfast (as a Virtuoso guest) in the attractive conservatory that overlooks the Goring's large garden - said to be the largest private garden in London (pictured above). Use your guaranteed Virtuoso upgrade to book a Garden Deluxe room overlooking the gorgeous garden. This is an attractively priced small hotel with an old British feel. Though the rooms and baths are smaller, the Goring is a great choice if you want to be in a beautifully maintained traditional London hotel.

Egerton House is the final hotel on the list of my highest recommendations in London. Like the Goring, this is also a good choice if you're looking for something with a traditional London feel. Located in a fashionable residential neighborhood in Knightsbridge, this 28-room hotel was fashioned from two side-by-side townhouses. While some of the rooms in this protected building are quite small, the rooms to book are #12 and #23. As a Virtuoso guest, you'll receive complimentary daily Full English breakfasts and enjoy a martini making lesson with the King of Martinis.

Want feedback or information on rates and exclusive amenities at these or any of the 15 Virtuoso hotels in London? Please drop me an email.


luxury hotels in London (search here on Google)


copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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Xocolate - a great new chocolate store in Berkeley, CA

A cause of celebration for chocoholics? Or another fattening temptation? The Xocolate Bar is a brand new store at 1709 Solano Avenue in Berkeley, CA that opened on June 14, and it is well worth a visit.

The Xocholate Bar (pronounced "sh"ocolate) features homemade truffles made with a blend of several different dark chocolates. With a 70% chocolate content, these bonbons have an intense chocolate flavor without tasting waxy. Co-owner Malena Lopez-Maggi (pictured behind the counter) presides over the incredible display case of chocolate creations and will gladly give free samples all day. The idea of Xocolate was dreamed up on a beach in Thailand where she, with co-owner Clive Brown, came up with the dream of opening a chocolate café.

Just as good as the chocolates is the store's selection of gelato and sorbet. In my first visit to the store on Tuesday evening, I sampled one scoop of chocolate and one scoop of lemon sorbet, a great combination. The chocolate was dark and rich, perhaps a tad too sweet, and the lemon was tart and extremely lemon-y. The combination of the two flavors made for a wonderful dessert.

Is it possible to stop with one visit to Xocolate? I suspect not. Berkeley, California, also the home of Scharffen Berger, is well on the way to becoming the chocolate capital of the world!


copyright (c) 2007 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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