San Francisco TAJ Campton Place wonders
February 27, 2010
When I had the opportunity to bid on an item for the San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau Foundation fundraiser last year, I jumped at the TAJ CAMPTON PLACE weekend. It was much more than what I anticipated. What a blessing to return to a hotel that holds many warm memories. For many years my (now adult) daughter and I treated ourselves to lunch at the Campton Place during the holidays. Tina and I looked forward to this special day, and would always order the delicious hot chocolate.
Although I continue to recommend Campton Place, business and other activities prevented me from coming back for a number of years. I have been ever-mindful of the charm of this boutique and well-regarded hotel.
TAJ CAMPTON PLACE
340 Stockton St
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 781-5555
www.tajhotels.com
After checking into a beautiful king room with views overlooking Union Square, I met Joe Enos, the director of public relations for the TAJ Campton Place. What a delightful man! We have many friends in common here in San Francisco, in Hawaii and Arizona.
My timing to stay at the Taj Campton Place could not have been better - Joe invited me to world-famous author Paul Theroux’s book signing, which happened to be at the hotel on Sunday. The celebration is for the release of Paul’s latest book, A Dead Hand: A Murder in Calcutta and to taste the wines of Domaine Georg Rafael.
The dining room is gorgeous and upon entering you notice a beautiful chandelier created by local San Francisco artist Nikolas Weinstein, www.nikolas.net.
Joe and I had lunch in the Taj Campton Place dining room - the Kona Kampachi was as tasty as can be found straight from Hawaii: 
Organic Green Salad with root vegetables, cheve frais and balsamic walnut vinaigrette: 
Lunch entree: Gulf Shrimp with string hoppers, korma sauce and black mustard: 
I was hoping to make this as relaxing a weekend as possible (that is, in-between my ultra-busy Saturday for the Wok Wiz Year of the Tiger program in Chinatown!) However, as a food and travel writer/blogger it is hard to go anywhere terrific and drop the desire to share my adventures.
One of the best things to do for yourself is to get a massage. I am glad I booked the “Mindful Monkey Bodywork Mobile Spa.” My masseuse, Raven Nielsen, came to my room on time, with everything needed including a massage table. She noticed right away that my shoulders and back required plenty of attention, thanks to the many hours on the computer (duh.) Email Raven at raven@mmmobilespa.com - she goes to your home, business, or hotel. The one hour of massage did me a world of good and I filtered out to the fresh air for a brisk walk to…KING OF THAI for a bowl of less than stellar Thai-style beef noodles. That was fine with me, I just wanted something light and skipped the beef, enjoyed the stock and noodles.
Saturday, February 27 - I spent most of the day in the hotel until it was time to take a 10-minute walk to Chinatown to greet my tour leaders and WOK WIZ Year of the Tiger guests, including a handful of journalists - radio and print.
After a fun stroll in a very decorated and colorful Chinatown, we settled at FOUR SEAS for a massive new year banquet. I created a menu with General Manager Sara to reflect our hopes and dreams for the year, dishes such as Sizzling Rice Soup - “May the New Year Sizzle in our Favor,” Salt & Pepper Chicken Wings - “May You Soar with Joy,” Lo Han Jai, an important first day of the new year vegetarian dish, Long Life Beans, “Rich and Long Life for All,” and a few other dishes to add up to the lucky #8 courses.
Walking back to the Taj Campton Place, I returned to my room to rest and watch my brother Ben co-host the annual Lunar New Year Parade on KTVU Channel 2. What a glorious celebration. I could see the parade from my room, too.
Later, a little hungry, I went downstairs to the bar lounge, an excellent place to have an after-dinner drink or to meet friends for quick-bites and alcohol or other types of libations. This was a better choice for me, rather than venture out in the dark alone. What a pleasant surprise, friends Greg, Julie and Tamiko happened to be at the bar. I joined them for a Cobb Salad and beer, a perfect ending to a busy and exciting day.
Sunday morning - I went for a walk around our beautiful Union Square area, and shopped at SUR LA TABLE on Maiden Lane, a great place for anything for cooking. I returned and ran into Rahul Nair, the TAJ Campton Place’s Director of Food & Beverage. He easily convinced me to have breakfast, and am I glad! My Poached Eggs on dill-scented brioche was served with Smoked Salmon fashioned into a rosette, and touched with a light amount of Hollandaise sauce. Rahul sent out a small portion of something he wanted me to try: Poho, tempered flat rice, black lentils and tumeric. Chef prepared it just right for me, not overly-spicy. 
At 4 p.m. I rode the elevator up to the 17th room to meet Paul Theroux. I was excited to meet this famous and amazing writer and author of countless books, mostly based on his travels around the world. We had a wonderful conversation about Hawaii, where he and his wife, Sheila Donnelly Theroux, who is the President of Sheila Donnelly & Associates, one of the top public relations firms in America. I look forward to seeing Paul and Sheila back in Oahu one day soon. 
We celebrate Paul Theroux’s launch of his latest book, A Dead Hand: A Murder in Calcutta
Photo: Frank Jang Photography