Wood fired
The Ranch at Rock Creek, Whidbey Island properties, Palégrié, Confidant, Quail and Condor, La Concha, MORE
GETAWAYS • Montana
Elk country
If you arrive in January at The Ranch at Rock Creek, as I did, ice floes will be scattered throughout the river coursing through the middle of the property. It’s crossed by a wooden bridge that can somehow support a Suburban. On one side of the bridge are wooden cabins, a horse stable, some small tents, shooting ranges, and a tree towering over the banks with a nest that serves as the home of a lovely bald eagle family.
This is a place designed to live out wild west fantasies for those who still require five-star comfort. But all the service and wilderness activities aside, it’s the closeness to wildlife that sets the ranch apart from the select few resorts of this caliber — fields filled with white tail and mule deer, rolling hills dotted with herds of elk, and woods where, if you’re lucky, you may spot the local moose cow.
We spent an afternoon horseback riding, going up the mountains with Jessica, our guide and one of the many exceptional, friendly staff members we encountered at The Ranch. As we rode up into the hills, she told me about the staff competition to see who can collect the most antlers shed by elk or deer each season. Sensing my interest, she added that a guest who finds antlers can keep them and they’ll be mailed to their home at no charge. Although I came across many elk droppings (which I did not want mailed home), I wasn’t so lucky with the antlers.
The food at The Ranch also stands out. The menu changed daily, with some staples reoccuring. Choose between East Coast classics, like a bagel and lox at breakfast or a lunchtime Reuben (the owner Jim Manley is from Greenwich, CT), or go all in on western Montana classics like elk sausage gravy served over biscuits or a tomato soup with elk sausage and spinach. (Having never tried elk sausage, I chose the elk sausage option every time.) Dinner was served over three to four courses with a wine flight or recommendation from the sommelier. You can ask for more of anything and even request cravings. One night, the kitchen churned ice cream for me and made huckleberry syrup to top it off.
The Ranch at Rock Creek is for families, friends, couples, and loners alike. I loved going in the winter but can’t wait for my next visit in the fall. –Hanna Park
→ The Ranch at Rock Creek (Philipsburg, MT) • 79 Carriage House Ln • Classic canvas cabins from $4551/night, all inclusive, spring & fall.
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REAL ESTATE • Washington State
Three for-sale waterfront properties on Whidbey Island.
→ 7683 Maxwelton Rd (Clinton, WA) • 3BR/3.1BA, 2721 SF house • Ask: $2.85M • rebuilt in 2016 on 100’ of Maxwelton Beach beside 25 acres of protected land • Days on market: 16 • Agents: Daniel Fouts & Sarah Stone, Windermere.
→ 5848 Mutiny Bay Rd (Freeland, WA, above) • 3BR/3.1BA, 3005 SF house • Ask: $5.999M • on 1/2 acre w/80’ of Mutiny Bay beachfront w/ 5 en suites • Days on market: 11 • Agents: Buz McKinley & Maxwell McKinley, Windermere.
→ 5844 Mutiny Bay Rd (Freeland, WA) • 4BR/6.1BA, 7004 SF house • Ask: $9.999M • on 1+ acre w/ 133’ of Mutiny Bay beachfront w/ detached carriage house • Days on market: 11 • Agents: Buz McKinley & Maxwell McKinley, Windermere.
GOODS & SERVICES • Big Ticket
Select answers to the FOUND Routine query, What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
→ REMY GIANNICO, The Source Imports(NY): Multiple used EuroCave wine fridges, brought up a fifth-floor walk-up. Making sure every bottle is stored at the perfect temperature is non-negotiable.
→ HANNAH FRANCO, artist (SF): I recently bought this outrageous side table and I’m obsessed. I also recently bought this stunning handmade sling bag from local Oakland designer Harper the Label. It’s so special to get to support other local female artisans making gorgeous work.
→ MAXINE SHARF, Maxi’s Kitchen (LA): The Dr. Dennis Gross LED red light mask. I use it every night for just three minutes, and it’s become one of my favorite routines. It’s meant to boost collagen and help prevent fine lines, and I genuinely feel like it works.
GETAWAYS • France
Fire walker
After years spent rooted in Lyon’s culinary scene, Guillaume Montjuré and his wife Chrystel Barnier chose to return to Barnier’s native Vercors, settling into her uncle’s former home and opening Palégrié.
The setting is quietly beautiful: a charming house with a small garden, a field just across the way where Apiaria Eximia has installed beehives, producing honey used directly in the restaurant’s cooking. From the outset, the place feels anchored in its landscape.
Interior materials speak softly but confidently: terracotta floor tiles, thick walls finished in beige lime plaster, handsome wooden tables. At the heart of it all is Guillaume’s open kitchen, dedicated to wood-fire cooking. A large wood oven dominates the space, where everything is made in-house, from bread to pastries. Several other fire points allow for different temperatures and cooking styles, creating a choreography of heat and time.
RESTAURANTS • New York
Intimate encounter
My first encounter with the original Confidant didn’t exactly inspire the enduring trust its name invited. Superfluously billed as Industry City’s first full-service restaurant (who cares?), it occupied an enormous space where the tables were still way too close together, and otherwise mostly blended in with all the furniture outlets that the big maw of a mall is better known for. There was obvious talent in the kitchen, though, and the food was good.
Last month, Confidant relocated to the former Colonie space on the southern edge of Brooklyn Heights. It slotted into the spot marvelously, like it’s been there all along.
AROUND FOUND • Other Notable Intel & Recs
→ LA: Chef Marcus Jernmark has said that dinner at his new restaurant Lielle is neither a tasting menu nor a Nordic interpretation of California produce. At a moment when controversy swirls around a certain high-profile Nordic tasting menu, it turned out to be a prescient stance.
→ SF: If you’re driving up to Sonoma County for Quail & Condor’s nationally hyped croissant, be aware: I’ve tried and failed to secure its sourdough and pastries no fewer than three times. After the bakery traded its tiny home for a roomier warehouse over the holidays, I went for a fourth attempt. Learn from my mistakes, and preorder.
→ Miami: La Concha opened in 1926 as the tallest building on the island at six stories — a century later, it still holds that distinction. Set in the center of Duval Street, its pink stucco façade is an enduring symbol of Key West. In preparation of its centennial, the hotel completed a $35 million renovation in 2024.
→ LDN: After a buzzy pop-up at Borough Market’s Globe Tavern, Khao Bird settled into a permanent space on Brewer Street in November. It’s proved extremely popular, with its menu of Northern Thai barbecue from Luke Larsson, a British chef with extensive training in Thailand.
GETAWAYS LINKS: Hawaii doings: Maui’s Resort at Kapula Bay to undergo renovation, reopen next year as St. Regis… On Kauai, forthcoming Hale Hokuala Kauai hotel sets November opening… In Honolulu, first look at renovation for 125-year-old Moana Surfrider • New Japanese luxury farm life resort brand Azuma Farm Kowai debuts in Iwate Prefectur.
RESTAURANTS • The Nines
Chinatown, San Francisco
FOUND’s 9 favorite restaurants in the neighborhood. In SF, see also: Upper Haight, Castro, Inner Sunset, Noe Valley, Inner Richmond, Outer Richmond.
Four Kings (Commercial St, above), new-school Cantonese, snacky plates, highballs, loud music, intel, reserve