Which is to say, my neck grew larger.
What to do?
I had to attend a black tie event in Monaco, but I didn’t have time to pick up a shirt—my flight was due to depart in three hours. And I didn’t want to pay Monaco prices for a new shirt—especially with the muscular euro.
On a hunch, I called the Nordstrom store at the Mall of America, just about four miles from the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport where I was to catch my flight to Europe.
Asked for the men’s department.
Got a guy named Steve Slivken.
“Steve,” I said, “I’m a big fan of Nordstrom’s. I know how famous Nordstrom’s is when it comes to service, but tonight I’m really going to put Nordstrom to the test.”
“If it can be done,” he replied without missing a beat, “I’m your man.”
And, sure enough, Mr. Slivken was my man. About 90 minutes later, as I pulled up to the departure level around 8 p.m. at the airport, there he was standing by his car at Door Number Four, a men’s dress shirt in my size at the ready, my credit card already charged (at half what a similar shirt would have cost me in Monaco).
If you’re ever in the Mall of America and need some men’s clothing, ask for Steve Slivken. If it can be done, he’s your man.
TOKYO OUTSHINES PARIS IN MICHELIN STARS
Foodies might find this number extraordinary—I know I did. Restaurants in Tokyo garnered a total of 191 Michelin stars in the Michelin’s first restaurant guide. That’s more than twice the number of stars awarded all of the top Paris restaurants.
What’s going on here?
Clearly Tokyo has a market to support fine-dining restaurants where dinner for two can routinely cost more than $400. And that’s before a good bottle of wine. Joel Robuchon gets special mention—he has an astounding six restaurants in Tokyo, and two of them, L’Atelier picked up two stars, Le Table du Joel Robuchon received one. Alain Ducasse’s Benoit and Beige restaurants each picked up one of those magical Michelin stars.
This is the first time Michelin has reviewed restaurants outside of Europe or the United States, and the director of the Michelin guides declared Tokyo the “culinary capital of the world.” Here’s an interesting factoid: While there are plenty of trips aimed at gourmets to countries such as Italy and France, I don’t know of any aimed at Japan for Americans. Hmmm . . .
FLYING ADVICE
Set to fly during the December holidays with children? You might want to suggest they watch this new, chatty video [www.twutraveltips.com ] done by two Southwest flight attendants on the subject of preparing for a trip.
OF COURSE YOU CAN’T GET A RESERVATION AT THE FRENCH LAUNDRY
The Napa Valley restaurant helmed by celeb chef Thomas Keller is always booked, and snaring a table is notoriously difficult. Beginning Nov. 30, you can bid for a package that will bring Keller and his staff to cook dinner for you and nine of your friends. The auction is to raise money for the Veterans Home of California in Yountville, CA. (Keller’s restaurant, The French Laundry, is located in the cozy downtown of Yountville.)
Starting minimum bid is $25,000, and for that, Keller & Co. will come to the Grodahl estate in Yountville and lay on a Champagne reception and nine-course, candlelight dinner in the Grodahl caves.
Don’t worry if you can’t afford Keller. There are six other dining and Napa Valley adventure packages you may bid on. The auction closes on Dec. 22, and winners will be announced two days later. When I last checked, the auction was not yet posted at Yountville.com, but I expect it will by Nov. 30.
