The Keating and I

First, I need to extend a big, bloggy 'thank you' to my new friend Lee Ann (who also happens to be an old friend to the aforementioned Luke - it's a tangled web, y'all). Thanks to Lee Ann, I got out last night. Hmm. When I reread this, it makes it seem as though she posted bail for me. 
I wasn't in jail, I was at the Keating. Well, the Keating-slash-The Merk-slash-Sway. They are a hotel/restaurant/nightclub, respectively, in the Gaslamp in San Diego. Lee Ann is a concierge at the US Grant, a very lovely hotel in downtown San Diego. One of the perks of her job is that she is invited to social events that I never even knew existed, like "Concierge Tours". 
Quite kindly, Lee Ann invited me to join her downtown for this event. It was really pretty cool. As you may already know, I just don't get out that much, so a concierge tour seems like a really exciting change of pace.
Besides, Lee Ann was running a bit late and I was already validating my parking in Horton Plaza when she texted me that she was ten minutes behind. I happened to be passing the Nine West store and lo and behold, there was a "SALE" sign outside. So, the evening began as a success with the rapid purchase of a very cute pair of black crochet ballet flats - sale-priced at $35 from the original $79. Hooray, me.
For the uninitiated, a Concierge Tour seems to be the following: A hotel or restaurant or club (or all three) invite concierges from the hotels in the area to sample a new menu, see new décor or renovations, and overall give that concierge reasons to send hotel guests to their establishment, be it for a single dinner or an elaborate fête. 
I learned tonight that the Keating is to be featured on the season opener of a new FOX show, "Kitchen Nightmares". Sounds like a winner. Apparently, Gordon Ramsey and his camera crew followed staff around for a week, screeching this and squawking that, the result being that the Merk is no longer an Italian but a "California Fusion" restaurant and several of the guest "stanzas" of the Keating have been redone. 
I was able to sample several of the new menu items, including booze, yee haw. Okay, not that much booze, but the one cocktail I tried was so delicious that I simply must mention it. And now I can't remember what it is called.... It's a martini which consists of vodka that has been "infused" with cucumber and lychee. This means that someone in the kitchen got out a blender of some sort and macerated peeled cucumber and pitted lychee nuts and poured a whole pantload of vodka over it and let it stew for five days before straining it through a sieve, chilling it, and serving it to me. I asked.
Lee Ann and I enjoyed appetizers in the "mezzanine" area, entrée items in the second-level meeting rooms, and desserts in the underground nightclub. There was a chile relleno that was muy delicioso, stuffed with quinoa and served with a tomato salsa and melted cheese. The sea bass with mussels and fennel was also yum. For dessert, the nutella-covered pizza with sliced bananas and braised marshmallows was much tastier than I anticipated. 
Alas, the new menu proved to be more delicious than the décor. I wanted to like the Keating, I really did. It's a gorgeous building that was built in the late 19th century. I am a great, big sucker for historical architecture. I like my things built solid. (Exhibit A: Husband) I melted for the exposed brick and the obviously ancient door and window frames with rippled, antique panes. I believe that the banister and balustrade are original, as well as a beautiful wood-lined atrium. I only had two complaints: Lighting and flooring.
As is the case in so many public spaces, there was entirely too much fluorescent lighting, especially in the rooms. I think that there was some kind of law passed recently that dictates that warm, kind lighting is no longer available. How I pine for you, incandescent light bulb. I might just travel down to TJ for my fix. Hypocritical environmentalist I may be, but nobody ever looked better in fluorescent light. 
Also featured at the Keating were strange, lowered ceilings and ugly recessed lights reminiscent of 1985. And in the night club - Sway - weird tracks of red LEDs that made me feel like I was in a Robert Palmer video. Okay, not entirely unpleasant, but off-putting, nevertheless. 
Could it be that I am now old enough that "everything old is new again"? Pfft, impossible....
Anyhow, much of the public space was carpeted with a dense crimson pile that screamed, "Whorehouse!" Now, in some of the rooms, there was gray resin and concrete flooring that was supposed to mimic the deck of San Diego's own Midway - a little shout-out to our military history. Nice touch. However, and I don't like to say it, I wouldn't choose the Keating simply because the carpet is hideous. 
Ah! I almost forgot the enormous, ovate Jacuzzi in the "Victory Suite". According to our tour guide, there are only four enormous, white, egg-shaped Jacuzzis in the whole U. S. of A. and the Keating has all four. It is difficult to describe with mere mortal words...suffice it to say that as I passed by, the phrase that ran through my head was, "Nanoo! Nanoo!"
Despite the vile carpeting and the poor lighting, the food was tasty. And, I very much enjoyed my little evening out masquerading as a real grown-up. Thank you, Lee Ann! 
After a really entertaining evening, I returned home to my solidly built husband and he entertained me in his own, special way. I kind of feel like there should have been some crimson carpet.