Last Singles eMag for 2009 - read it here...

Once again it’s the end of the year – time to reflect on everything we have done and everything we would like to do in 2010 whether you’re Single or not!

For all you guys and girls who haven’t as yet had the opportunity to read the SHI Symbol eMag -this is our very last one for 2009. Please enjoy the features on travel, relationships, finance, beauty, wine and much much more.  And of course, we’d love your feedback too.

SHI Symbol International eMag Dec-front-cover300

And to subscribe to the SHI Symbol FREE monthly emag go to www.shisymbol.com/newsletter.php – You won’t be disappointed.

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DRINKING ALCOHOL-JUST A LITTLE

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam ‘ala Rasulillah

Major Sins # 45

Drinking Khamr – Even a Single Drop

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“. . . Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), gambling, al-ansaab (stone altars for sacrifices to idols, etc.) and al-azlaam (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of Shaytaans handiwork. So avoid (strictly) all that (abomination) in order that you may be successful.”

[al-Maaidah 5:90]

The command to avoid these things is the strongest indication that they are forbidden.Khamr (“wine”, alcohol) is compared to al-ansaab, which were idols of the kuffaar; there is no excuse for those who argue that the Quraan does not say it is forbidden but only tells us to avoid it!

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) also issued a stern warning to the one who drinks khamr.

Jaabir reported that he said: “Allaah has promised the one who drinks khamr that He will make him drink the mud of khibaal.” The people asked, “O Messenger of Allaah, what is the mud of khibaal?” He said, “The sweat of the people of Hell, or the juice of the people of Hell.”

(Reported by Muslim, 3/1587).

Ibn Abbaas reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever dies and has the habit of drinking khamr, he will meet Allaah as one who worships idols.”

(Reported by al-Tabaraani, 12/45; see also Saheeh al-Jaami’, 6525).

Nowadays there are very many kinds of khamr, with many names in Arabic and other languages, such as beer, jiah (beer), alcohol, araq (“arrack”), vodka, champagne, etc.

There has appeared in this ummah the type of person described by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “Some people of my ummah will drink khamr, calling it by another name.”

(Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 5/342; see also Saheeh al-Jaami’, 5453).

So they may call it “spirits” instead of khamr, as an attempt to distort the facts and deceive.

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “They (think to) deceive Allaah and those who believe, while they only deceive themselves, and perceive (it) not!”

[al-Baqarah 2:9]

Islam imposes strict controls on this matter, and deals with it decisively so that there is no room for misunderstanding.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Every intoxicant iskhamr and every intoxicant is haraam.”

(Reported by Muslim, 3/1587).

Everything that has the effect of clouding the mind is haraam, whether in large or small amounts. (The hadeeth, “Whatever causes intoxication in large amounts, a small amount of it is haraam,” was reported by Abu Dawud, no. 3681; see Saheeh Abi Dawud, no. 3128). No matter how many different names there are, they all refer to one thing, and the ruling concerning it is well-known.

Finally, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) issued a warning to those who drink khamr: “Whoever drinks khamr and becomes intoxicated, his prayers will not be accepted for 40days, and if he dies he will enter Hell, and if he repents Allaah will accept his repentance. If he drinks again and becomes intoxicated again, his prayers will not be accepted for 40days, and if he dies he will enter Hell, and if he repents Allaah will accept his repentance. If he drinks again and becomes intoxicated again, his prayers will not be accepted for 40days, and if he dies he will enter Hell, and if he repents Allaah will accept his repentance. If he drinks a fourth time, Allaah promises that He will make him drink from the mud of khibaal on the Day of Resurrection. The people asked, “O Messenger of Allaah, what is the mud of khibaal?” He said, “The juice of the people of Hell.”

(Reported by Ibn Maajah, no. 3377; see also Saheeh al-Jaami’, 6313).

source- Prohibitions that are taken too lightly
Book by Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

[Via http://islamzpeace.com]

More interesting food for thought...or wine

Even as I set up this blog I thought that I would be more honest. Only one person knows I’m setting this commitment for 2010 and that’s my older sister. She wouldn’t judge me. She supports me in this, but there are behaviors that even I’m ashamed to admit. The things I have done to get in an extra drink or keep drinking are embarassing.

I’m filled with shame over those behaviors–like hiding empty bottles in moving boxes or filling a bottle with water so that it appears I didn’t drink the whole thing…again. Buying the same brand and rotating through bottles so that anyone peeking in the fridge would just assume it’s the same bottle.

There–I said it. And it wasn’t that bad…I’m looking forward to Friday. Day one of 365.

[Via http://ayearwithoutbooze.wordpress.com]

More Free Bubbly!

Now as you know this writer very much believes that sparkling wines are appropriate all year round but in the spirit of the season the Frederick Wine House is having a free New Years Eve Champagne tasting from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.  Some nice bubblies including Gosset Brut Gand Rose which goes for $78 a bottle.  I’ve never had that particular wine but I have had some other Champagnes from Gosset and they were very good.

[Via http://fredfoodie.com]

Wonderful Wine - When?

“Don’t you DARE open that bottle!” I hissed at my dad who was staring into the open fridge, “take that crappy Chardonnay over there…”

I miss 2 Buck Chuck...for these sorts of reasons...

It was the end of a “blah” kind of day, nobody was paying much attention to what we were eating, and there was some company over of the sort that honestly never cared about the kind of wine being drunk.

So I ask the question – when do you drink your finest bottles of wine? When do you resort to bargain bin?

This simple little question has come up several times recently.  I’ve overheard some big collectors complain that opening their best bottles usually ends up being disappointing.  If the company isn’t right, if others don’t appreciate what you’ve been waiting for all these years, is it a waste?

Should the best bottles be saved for the best occasions ? Weddings, bar mitzvahs, engagements, promotions, births? What if your friends, family, etc, don’t care about the wine? Does it matter?  Maybe the prestige of the event will rub off on the impression of the wine?  Should you ever raise a glass of crappy wine for an important event?

Or should you open your best just because…it’s a nice day,  or to improve a crap day, or because it’s just the time to enjoy something that is the very best…just because.

I admit, I don’t ever like wasting a good wine on people who have no interest or no ability to appreciate it.  But is it a sign of lack of respect to deny them something decent simply because?  If London Broil and Porterhouse taste the same to my grandmother, should I deny her the Porterhouse, if she’ll eat it anyway?

This post contains more questions than answers.  So…what to you think?

[Via http://irenesharonhodes.wordpress.com]

Merry Christmas from Mount Doom

Merry Christmas all! We’re currently in Tongariro National Park having moved inland from Hawkes Bay to do some exercise!

We spent about 10 days in Hawkes Bay trying out the lifestyle – walking around the hills, cycling around vineyards and cheese shops, visiting cafe’s and eating kilo’s of fruit from the weekly farmers markets – the health benefits of which we cancelled out by daily doses of cake and ice-cream!

We also investigated some practicalities of living in Hawkes Bay which mainly involved nosing around Open homes! Having been for a chat with the Home loan man at the bank we knew what price range we could look at, assuming one of us could get a job! Most of the townhouses in our price bracket were pretty nice, but often built in someone’s back garden meaning very little garden of your own! We also went to poke around some more expensive ones for the fun of it, all with huge decks, swimming pools and lots of land. An even better deal can be had out of the towns, where for the same price you can get a huge 3 or 4 acre ‘lifestyle plot’ with a big house and room for the chooks, mountain bikes and Go-kart track Ben’s going to build! This seems to be because Kiwis hate commuting and living even 30 mins away from work to them is ludicrous. We’d happily commute for half an hour if it gets us a mansion in the countryside!

 

We’ve moved over to the centre of the North Island now where a lot of the Lord of the Rings movies were filmed, so there’s lots of extinct, and not so extinct, volcanoes and forest to explore. We did a 13km ’short walk’ round the base of Mt Ruapehu, a couple of shorter walks along the river, and today have walked to silica rapids and a very picturesque waterfall to dip our hot feet in the freezing water and enjoy our Christmas Lunch! All of these have been a warm-up for the big one – the Tongariro Crossing – an 18km route across some volcanoes and craters which is supposed to be the best one day tramp in the country. We’ll find out tomorrow!

[Via http://mrandmrsmoulam.wordpress.com]

Christmas Eve!

Hi everyone! How was your Christmas Eve? Mine was great!!! Our Chicken Parm for the contest turned out great!

Adam and I packed up the car with gifts, food, wine, beer and cheesecake and headed to his parents house for his family’s Christmas celebration. Once we got there it was time for the taste test to see who is this year’s cook off winner.

The two contenders:

Since Adam’s brother-in-law Dave and I were supposed to help and did nothing we were the judges.

We sampled Chicken Parm “A”

and Chicken Parm “B”

I thought “A” was the best and Dave like “B”. So we had to get our sister-in-law Jen in as a tie breaker.

She picked “B”. “B” turned out to be Linda’s so Adam did not win the cook off…oh well, his Chicken was still delicious!!!

There were tons of appetizer to snack on before dinner. I got myself a small plate of taco dip and some chips.

I sipped on about a glass and a half of Pinot Noir throughout the night.

For dinner I had a small bowl of salad.

and a small piece of Adam’s chicken parm, a stuffed shell and some whole wheat pasta (I brought my own ) topped with some of Adam’s mom’s sauce. DELICIOUS!!!! Italian food is my favorite!

I also had a small piece of garlic bread because Adam’s sister was raving about it, it had whole pieces of garlic in it and was awesome!!!

After dinner we opened gifts!!! While the kids open gifts, it is complete insanity!!!!!

Our niece Emily and Adam’s mom made us this adorable ornament!

The adults do a grab, Adam’s sister Amanda got me. My gift was an iTunes gift card so I can buy Apps for my phone. Thanks, Amanda, now I can feed my obsession even more!!!!

Adam’s mom always gets me my Christmas Pj’s!!!

I also got a very unexpected gift from Adam’s sister, her husband and kids in Florida. When we were there in June, he had a running joke about my love for Firemen. Adam is a cop, so he would get pissed anytime I talked about hot firemen. So, Deb, Dave and the kids mailed me this calendar! I started cracking up when I opened it!! Soooo funny!

Dessert was a piece of the awesome cheesecake that Adam brought home from the bakery near work.

It was so good! It was really creamy and super light. It wasn’t overwhelmingly cheesy either. Love it! I also had a peanut butter cookie…because, well it’s peanut butter and I love it!!!

Well, I am off to bed to snuggle with my two favorite guys! I have a feeling Santa is going to be coming to bring Oscar some goodies tonight Look at all the presents under our tree right now!!!!

I am so excited for tomorrow! Family, Food, Fun, Presents!!! YAY!!! Have a great night!

[Via http://foodfitnessfashion.com]

One more day till Christmas

Our Gingerbread House made by a local

We must have the largest turkey and ham imaginable, so pushing them into our impractically narrow fridge has been quite a feat. The butcher (Sir Loin at Bicheno – good name for a butcher) actually apologised to my husband John for the size of the turkey as he said they grew suddenly. I think that means their appetites increased and put on extra weight in just one or two weeks. He said this has happened in other years but not every year. I doubt it is the fault of the turkey. I am sure it is up to the people who are feeding them to increase the feed!  If I had been at the butcher I might have drilled him a bit more about this snippet of information. So now I am thinking it will take all day to cook and maybe I better get up earlier on Christmas Day. How sensible it is in much of Europe where they have the whole day to prepare the big celebratory meal for the evening of Christmas Eve.

We have all the traditional trimmings and as a nod to being Australian we are having prawn cocktails for starters. Yikes, I don’t recall when I last ate one, let alone made one. I worked in a restaurant – as a waiter – way back in 1969 and I recall they were always on the menu, whether it was seasonal for prawns or not, they just served them day in day out. Anyway I have been inspired lately by some retro food ideas and mine will be served with a sumptuous real cream based sauce, made in my kitchen, not that preserved confection you buy in jars in the supermarket.

We are having some friends in for a Christmas Eve drink so serving local raspberries in a champagne cocktail ‘Kir Royale’ made of French raspberry liqueur, Chambord – if you cannot get Tasmanian then go for French is what I say. We are serving some Tasmanian cheeses. I have made a roasted walnut dip with Tassie’s  local walnuts. I have bought some smoked salmon from south Tasmania of course. A bruschetta made from the local woodfired oven potato bread and sour dour will be topped with chopped tomatoes and enhanced with my neighbours freshly picked basil. As usual I am never sure up until the last minute. I just shop and shop so I have heaps of ingredients at hand and then set to work to create last minute miracles.

We  have family visiting so we will not be eating lobster as I had hoped simply because I have not caught any yet. Tomorrow if weather conditions are suitable I will be going out to collect my pot full, I live in hope. Next post I will tell you what we ended up having for Christmas Eve. One thing for certain my grandsons cannot touch or sneak a piece of the gingerbread house until Christmas Day. Having unveiled the cellophane for the photo I think this will be impossible for them to resist as the perfume of the biscuit house is divine. Roz

[Via http://foodfindertasmania.wordpress.com]

Reason why wine has a 300% markup

Because there are phonies.

I used to think that restaurants marked up alcohol (especially wine) due to the demand. While that may still be true, I found out another huge reason why.

I was chatting with my friend who used to serve at this very nice restaurant where bottles can sell from $400 – $1000. He told me even though the cost of the single bottle wasn’t that much (obviously), however, since they only sold by the bottle, once opened, you cannot reseal or resell by glass.

But why would you need to?

Well, thanks to the phonies, who think that they are classy wine connoisseurs, when in reality, they don’t have that good a palate as they think.

So when you’re spending money on a bottle, you can always, taste the wine, and then say something along the lines of “I think this wine has gone bad.” or “Its not right. Give me another one.” And then away with the old bottle, and in comes a new one.

And unfortunately, regardless if you can actually tell or not, the restaurant has to chuck the bottle and reopen a new bottle at your table (that’s why they bring the bottle to your table, cork screw and all, and open it right in front of you, to show its a brand new bottle). So the bottle that just got sent back cannot be resold to anyone. Either it’s down the drain or, more likely, down the chefs’, servers’ and staffs’ bellies.

So whats the problem? The wine was bad! Take it back!

Well, I had friends that were bartenders or servers, and this is what they told me. Sometimes, when people order by the glass, they might send it back, and say it’s not right. The bartender or server will pour them another glass but (shhh!) from the exact same bottle!! And guess what? The customer tastes the new glass of wine (from the same bottle as the previous one) and exclaims. “Ahh, much better.”

Really?! Phonies!

Did you really taste a difference? Probably not. It was the same thing! You just were acting like your palate could tell. But, no. You’re just ordinary.

Its not as bad when they get by-the-glass. But when they go for the bottle, and pull this phony attitude trick thing, bham! The restaurant eats the cost. There goes another perfectly good bottle. All because some schmuck thought he had a good palate and was “trying” to show it, and thought he could taste the difference. But alas, $50 cost of that bottle down the drain. And who pays? All patrons of that restaurant who want that bottle. $150 please. Pay up. Even the non-fussy ones who just want to drink that darn fine wine, and guess what? We can keep the first bottle, it’s fine. Thank you. Sheeeesh….

[Via http://advthirdculture.wordpress.com]

Des Voigne Cellars "Untitled" - 06 Red Blend

As of today I have a new rule…a bad day at work equals a good bottle of wine.  Today happened to be a bad day at work so I thought I’d try out the new rule and open a good bottle of wine.  Since it’s been ages, I thought I’d do a quick review as well….a review of the wine, not of my bad day.

• Wine Info:  40% Cab Franc, 30% Syrah, 30% Petit Verdot
• Appearance: Dark ruby, lighter around the edges
• Nose: Great fruit – plums and cherries mostly; hint of vanilla and maybe a little clove?
• Taste: Initial ripe fruit and then it reminds me of the skin of a plum - good fruit and just a little tart
• Finish: A little spice initially (maybe from the Syrah?), the fruit lingers for a bit mid palate, medium tannins
• Price: $30 range
• Remarks:  This is a great wine with or without food.  I’d like to say how it will mellow and improve with age but the truth is, I can’t seem to age this one too long.  My only regret is that I didn’t buy more of it when it was available.  I won’t make that mistake when it becomes available again.

[Via http://caninesandcabernet.wordpress.com]

When I Sip, You Sip, We Sip

In the mood for some wine and a romantic atmosphere?  You’re in luck!  Nestled in the midst of downtown office buildings and high rises you will find the swank new wine bar located on the first floor of the 5th and Madison condo building.  Sip at the Wine Bar and Restaurant (909 5th Avenue Seattle, WA 98104), while being particularly well designed for those working downtown, can also serve as the venue for a great romantic or a personable first date.  Expect high-class food for high-class prices with a wine list that should leave even the finicky connoisseur satisfied.

One of the major factors that makes this a “date place”, and not just another alcohol peddler, is the atmosphere.  Dimly lit, with black leather couches, and dark wooden furniture creates an air  of elegance and romanticism.  Due to the high ceilings and wide spaces between seating areas, you’ll also find Sip to be rather quiet despite the volume of people.  Perfect for those looking to actually have a good conversation on a date.

To the wine, for those that don’t like to make decisions I would recommend getting one of their wine flights.  They run at about $15, which generally includes wine from three different vineyards…with a fairly generous pour for a flight.  Just one may leave you with a bit of a buzz.   I personally enjoyed their Cabernet flight referred to as the “Call Me a Cab” and Jocelyn had fun with their “Bubbly” flight (I think you get the idea).  Also, Wednesday is half priced bottle night for those really looking to cut costs.

As a warning, don’t expect this to be a cheap date, which is why it may be reserved for that “3rd date” type of spot.  Appetizers will run you about $10 a piece and entrees at roughly $25.  That isn’t to say it’s not worth it, but portion size is small.  During our evening we tried their Lobster Mushroom Flan (who wouldn’t be intrigued?) which was a very decadent form of seafood pâté.  My only complaint is that it came with three very small (think pinky finger) pieces of bread with which to consume it.  Two of us, three small pieces of bread, sizable mound of flan…you do the math.  We also tried their Vietnamese Caramel Beef, which was a perfectly cooked and full flavored skewer of angus tenderloin.  The perfect choice for the selective carnivore, but only if you’re looking for great taste and not a filling.

TIP Unlike most restaurants Sip provides a selection of seating options.  You can sit in the bar area, get a table, some combination of both should you prefer drinks and then dinner…or, which is my recommendation, you can get a lounge spot.  This consists of a “U” of comfort (as I’d like to refer to it), including two couches and a single chair.  This setup really provides the freedom to get as close to your date as a public place can supply.  Start out on separate furniture and commence a slow migration onto the same couch if the night is going well.

As normal as this wine bar seemed, it did have one quark you and your date may enjoy.  There is a communal sink outside of the restrooms (this isn’t the odd part).  Included with these sinks are voyeuristic TVs built into the mirrors that provide a video feed from the front door and bar area.  Yes, that’s right, you get the option of watching someone else awkwardly fumble through their date.  We happened to have a great view of a couple that were clearly not on the same page.  She was excited and very touchy…but he looked like he was about to fall asleep and couldn’t look her in the eye.  It’s was like watching Big Brother, but the filming was going on just a few feet away!

Lastly, if you’re looking to extend your night beyond the bar you, will have a plethora of options given  the downtown location.  It just might take a bit of a walk to find something fit to your taste.  I’d recommend the 5th Avenue Theater (1308 5th Avenue Seattle, WA 98101) if you’re looking for entertainment before your meal or the Can Can (94 Pike Street Seattle, WA 98101) if you’re looking for a post meal drink and cabaret show.  Cheers!

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[Via http://seattledating.wordpress.com]

Oregon Viognier!

Back in August I went to a Viognier and Syrah tasting at Unwined in Alexandria. Matt was out of town and I was looking for something to do! Of course, I couldn’t leave without buying something, because, well, I have a problem. A wine collecting problem. I don’t mean to hoard wine, but I do! So I purchased this bottle of 2008 Penner Ash Viognier from Oregon, it was my favorite of the tasting. It clocked in at 14.5% alcohol by volume, cost me $32.95, and had a screw cap closure.

On the nose I found pineapple, tropical notes, flowers, white peach, white pepper, honeysuckle, pear, and vanilla. In the mouth I got pear, white peach, honey, pineapple, and tropical notes. The Viognier had an slightly oily mouthfeel, which I love in a Viognier, with a crisp finish. One of my favorite Viogniers this year!

[Via http://wannabewino.com]

Wine Service Notes (reflection)

 

I read an article on 10 points about proper serving of wine. I read it and thought I learned absolutely nothing and that is the point. These articles are written for people who have interest but not skill or experience and enjoy learning the absolute basics or a little above. What was of interest to me is that publications are usually flooded with such lists of so many points, how-to and so on. Today that has changed. I still do see them everywhere but not as much as before and that is an interesting thing to note. The economy has affected the interests of the public in many things and writing short primers does not mark the point for the reader as it does in a good economy. Superficial sells well in a good economy and the opposite in a poor economy. Today, people still function and shop as before but do not feel as they would in an abundant economy. A worry-free attitude toward shopping and spending money justified the publication of many little or long articles on how to do and experience different things especially if one has no clue. That spirit has not vanished but is under control. A short article on how to taste wine will not be received as strongly today as it would in a strong economy. The topic simply does not make sense today because a tight economy means thinking and spending on what is strongly needed or wanted. Casual spending is not an easy thing to understand and why read on how to do it. Passive activities are not popular today because worries determine many decisions. I thought the reading of that article was interesting to me TODAY though it was not interesting at all to read it a year ago!

*This post belongs to this week’s edition of Wine by Cush Magazine blog and published early in World of Cush also.

[Via http://worldofcush.wordpress.com]

Do San Francisco Restaurants Fail Because They Have Too Much In Common? (Essay)

 

I read an interesting post about why restaurants fail today. The author recommends making as many unique features in your restaurant as possible and taking out whatever is similar with other establishments. That is an interesting point of view. It will be hard to think as such in San Francisco because restaurants fall into many categories. San Francisco was never big on chain anything and what chain restaurant (real restaurant no fast food, etc.) have corporate designs which are unique and frankly most people in the business don’t care if they disappear. The independent restaurants are expensive to setup and are unique by design. The basic layouts are very similar. The floor shape determines where the bar goes, where the kitchen is and the dining room(s) shape or location. San Francisco real estate does not follow normal standards so many establishments are automatically unique in many ways. What makes them similar is how they repeat success by copying successful features and concepts from other restaurants. That is very San Francisco and frankly works well.

I am still thinking about applying this idea and so far I have not found no real use for the idea. It may actually be applicable but restaurants in San Francisco are expensive to setup and operate. That means much of what may be luxury for many businesses is automatically built into the places to make them competitive and frankly that does pay off. Going to restaurants is a sub-culture in San Francisco. Foodie is not just a word about people who like good food and follow it. Being a regular in many restaurants and bars is a lifestyle for many San Franciscans and let’s not forget it is quite costly. Some people work to blow their money on night clubs, travel, friends and so on. San Francisco has many residents who spend a big part of their regular income as restaurant-goers. The industry refers to this by saying how the average diner spends more in San Francisco than anywhere in the country and they are locals not tourists. That is a lifestyle feature and all of these restaurants are very nice in many ways and if they are not unique, they are copies of active success at some other restaurant which works till God knows what will become the fashion and norm. That is all I can figure for San Francisco today but maybe more to this idea.

San Francisco has many small establishments that are no more than a long bar and some tables. That is about as standard a restaurant/bar can get in San Francisco. They are not generic places however and can be very high on the scales as far as food, beverage and service. The basics are however very similar. Many spaces in San Francisco are narrow and long. They make for an entrance and a long bar. The floor side opposite of the bar can take seatings and though the space is fancy but that simple the food and drinks can be extremely serious. I don’t have to name any places because too many are as such and I think they are still unique as they can get. Changing menus for food, bar and wine (though slower for the bottles) glasses is a daily trend in San Francisco. The concepts that have take root in many establishments require active creativity by the key staff. This manifests itself in changes on the food menu, new drinks on the bar menu and what is poured by glass or is made available by the bottle. San Francisco leads itself and many other cities in such creativity.

I think San Francisco is okay on being unique but the idea keeps going back and forth in my head because the other half of it makes good sense for San Francisco. If we are to take out sameness and bring uniqueness into our restaurants to keep them from failing, San Francisco definitely has plenty of sameness. Local establishments have too many features that are not necessarily ordinary, because of the general diversity of life in San Francisco, but are not unique or even interesting at all. Interior decor is of great standing in San Francisco but the exterior is usually very basic and hardly worth anything but being glanced at. That is very San Francisco because buildings have small facades. This factor may have adverse effects on business however and everyone has taken it for granted. The inside of restaurants may look great but an extreme majority have strong flaws in common. Many San Francisco restaurants have extreme levels of noise during service time and they share this flaw and ignore it also.

The service at many San Francisco restaurants is a joke but everyone pretends is real. Most of restaurant staff in San Francisco are hired not on qualifications but on what they look. They are used as fresh until mistakes are made and they are let go to be replaced by someone who looks right. Many San Francisco restaurants think of staff as furniture. They are hired based on height, physical shape, who they look like, and how they fit the decor. That is real and shared by many places. The job they perform can suck but as long as they look like their parts the system thinks of them as the right fit for the job. Service sucks therefore for the obvious reason that staff are fake and hired to wear the standard uniform and function as robots according to the restaurant scripts and steps of service. One reason this problem exists is that real staff do not exist. Where do you find a large number of trained and skilled but good people to wait on your guests. The system does not produce anything like that. The San Francisco City College has a program for that but may put out 20 rookie servers each year. The other sources are the same. The only employees available are people off the street ( and who can train them? ) and making them look real is as far as service goes in San Francisco.

Big hotels take the pain to train their staff in many areas systematically not because the staff need that training as minimum to do their jobs. Maybe the unions are willing to take responsibility to train and certify their members and others for such positions. Somebody has to do it RIGHT and in LARGE enough numbers to make a difference and until then fake is what works in San Francisco restaurants. That is one thing many San Francisco restaurants have in COMMON and could change to stay in business. I can think of many other things San Francisco restaurants have in common that possibly hurt everyone but what I have mentioned are the biggest problems. What is not available in the society and industry is made up for by making fake versions so business can go on. Restaurant designers create notable interiors for too many of San Francisco places but exterior sucks because facades are too small thus ignored. Service is fake because American society does not believe in servitude and has no heritage of a servant class as Europe does. The institution of stewardship has been neglected thus because of what it resembles to the stigma of servitude. A strong commitment to stewardship as an American institution can and will promote able persons who believe their function is to be of assistance to others in their positions. The industry will be able to recruit qualified people then and not anyone dressed as the stewards. That is a flaw San Francisco restaurants still have in common.Too

*This post belongs to this week’s edition of Wine by Cush Magazine blog and published early in World of Cush also.

[Via http://worldofcush.wordpress.com]

Holiday Gift Idea

Don’t know what to get your friends for Christmas? When I don’t have something particulary creative up my sleeve– I turn to wine. I’ve found it’s a present that most people enjoy.

Tonight I picked up a few bottles from Carfagnas. It’s a little family-owned Italian grocery store on 161. You can check them out online- www.carfagnas.com

For being such a small store, Carfagnas has a surprisingly big wine selection! I’d say about a fourth of their wines are specifically Italian wine. The rest is from all across the world. You’ll find your basic merlots and chardonnays, but there’s also a wide range of unique blends that could be fun to try out. The wines also come in a wide range of prices so you can fit your purchases to match your budget.

The nice thing about Carfagnas is that after you pick up your wine of choice, you can stop by their prepared foods section to pick up some really yummy Italian food to go along with it!

[Via http://columbusurbanite.com]

A Delicious Way to Help Kids

Usually when flying, I like to catch up on my sleep, or catch up on reading my book. But on the last airplane, I met my seat neighbour, and somehow ended up talking about wine! She told me about an organization called Korks-4-Kids which I think is very special.

Korks 4 Kids

Korks-4-Kids is a non-profit that collects wine corks of any shape, size or quality and sells the material to recycling plants for a profit. Then they use the money collected to donate to the Autism Foundation. This organization hopes to expand and support other causes for children in the future.

Tempra Tantrum wines don’t use corks, instead they use stelvin-caps. But next time you’re drinking a Montecillo, or any wine with a cork, remember to save it. What could be better than a delicious and environmentally friendly way to help kids!

-Rocio

[Via http://rocioosborne.wordpress.com]

Caveat Emptor?

In September my brother and I celebrated my 24th birthday by going to see The Informant!, whose use of the most ridiculous punctuation mark in the title attracted me. Matt Damon plays Mark Whitacre, a real life former vice president of an agri-business company accused of price-fixing. It is not until the last 30 minutes of the movie that Whitacre’s chronic lying is exposed definitively, and the plot spins into a surprisingly different narrative. A decent movie, but the highlight of my birthday was the dinner at Petros Greek Restaurant. Tasty food, and good wine.

Around the same time, I bought a copy of Benjamin Wallace’s The Billionaire’s Vinegar: The Mystery of the World’s Most Expensive Bottle of Wine. The titular bottle, a 1787 Chateau Lafite Bordeaux, sold at Christie’s for a record price of $156,000 because it was owned by Thomas Jefferson. That’s what the man who consigned the bottle to Christie’s said, at least. Workers were demolishing a house in Paris in 1985 when they discovered a secret room filled with old bottles of wine, and the owner of the house sold the bottles to one of the foremost wine collectors and merchants in the world. After some research, Hardy Rodestock, the merchant, determined the inscribed initials, “Th. J.” meant the 198-year-old bottle was owned by Thomas Jefferson. Armed with this bottle, and others with the same initials, Rodenstock consigned the bottle to Christie’s Rare Wine auctioneer, Michael Broadbent.

The bottle was sold to Malcolm Forbes in December of that year, amid much fanfare. Debate over the bottle’s provenance surfaced, even before the sale, especially from Monticello. The Founding Father’s estate drew attention to the initials on the bottle, stating Jefferson abbreviated his name with different punctuation. Wine experts questioned the bottle, cork, label, ullage (the change of the distance between the cork and the top of the bottled wine) and everything else they could think of. Many experts called for Lafite, the bottle’s Chateau, to test one of Rodestock’s other bottles, and Lafite would have its chance later. Rodenstock’s resolve never faultered, despite frequently surfacing inconsistencies regarding the bottles’ discovery and, even, number.

Wallace’s book follows the debate behind the Jefferson bottles and some of Rodenstock’s other amazing discoveries.  The focus of the last chapters shift from the bottles of wine to the man who discovered them. The German fine wine collector’s credibility shatters, just as Damon’s Mark Whitacre. We discover his real name is Meinhard Goerke, a man who formerly worked in the music industry. After many high priced fine wine sales, Rodenstock bought many properties in Europe, including an apartment in Munich. The Rodenstocks/Goerkes shared a wall with their landlord, Andreas Klein. Klein often heard through the shared wall the sounds of Rodenstock hammering wood, but chalked it up to the work of a hobbyist. When Klein’s and Rodenstock’s shared attic developed a mold problem, the neighbors began a dialogue that led to the two men meeting in court. Klein ultimately won, and the Rodenstocks moved out in 2005.

Klein went into the basesment after his former tenants left, and found, according to Wallace:

“In one corner of a small room, he found a stack of what appeared to be unused wine labels, with no type on them, as well as a pile of old-looking corks. In the cellar’s bigger room, Klein found a few dozen empty wine bottles, and something stranger: Rodenstock had laid a carpet down on the concrete floor, and on top of the carpet was a large mound of dirt (with a dead frog in it); the carpet and the dirt were covered in mold… The Kleins thought back to all those times they had heard the sound of hammering. Though they couldn’t prove anything, Andreas Klein would later learn about Bill Koch’s suit from a German tabloid and write that upon seeing the cellar, ‘we were absolutely sure that he prepared the bottles in the smaller room and made them look older in the bigger room. It was too obvious.’”

The Billionaire’s Vinegar continues, documenting the other lawsuits brought against Rodenstock, most of which are outstanding. The book is a fun read for those who appreciate stories about con artists, like The Informant! or Catch Me If You Can. I read it again after I came across the December 15th issue of The Wine Spectator; the cover was dominated by Bill Koch, another man seeking legal action against Rodenstock, and one of the most vocal. Koch, whose name is often spelled phonetically like the soft drink, holds a bottle of 1921 Chateau Petrus Pomerol beside his quote, “I plan to put people in jail.” The magazine devotes itself to counterfeits this issue (as well as discussing Spanish wines, a new fascination of mine), and I have to admit, I am curious.

I plan to write more blog entries on the issue of wine fraud in the future; later this week, I want to read the Spectator article and hopefully research the wine counterfeit business at large. The intrigue is too much to pass up.

Oh, and $156,000 for a bottle of wine?

Visit The Wine Spectator online:

http://www.winespectator.com/

[Via http://chriscurranwineblog.wordpress.com]

Best packaging 2009

December 15 Best packaging. Did your headphones come in a sweet case? See a bottle of tea in another country that stood off the shelves?

*This post is part of the Best of 2009 Blog Challenge.

Ever since I held & smelled one for the 1st time at Mom 2.0 Summit last year, I have been hooked on Paddywax candles. They are amazing. My absolute favorite is the Rosemary Sage, but when I got their sale email a few weeks ago, I stocked up on several of the holiday box candles to give as hostess & holiday gifts this season. The packaging of the Rosemary Sage travel tin is awesome because you can put the cover back on anytime and grab & go. Also, when you get your package from them in the mail, it comes with a great matchbox all tied with black & white ribbon. Also one day I read their story and realized, They totally get it! Their company motto is, “Work is fun at Paddywax and when work is fun it shows in the details.” I will continue to be a customer for a long time. I am hooked.

Another thing I saw in Real Simple that I am dying to try is the Red Truck Wines Mini-Barrel. I am a wine-a-holic, but not a wine snob. I won’t drink Franzia under any circumstances, but I don’t spend hundreds either. I have bought one mini-barrel before, it was in an artistic barrel containing a French Rhone blend and was great but it was a special offer and was not available again. I was bummed, and had to find another company that offered it. Why you ask? First of all, 1 barrel is equal to 4 bottles and the wine stays fresh for up to 6 weeks after opening. Plus, on their website Red Truck boasts, “Less than half the carbon footprint of glass bottles. Almost 100% recyclable.” The wine itself is a red blend with syrah, malbec, cab franc and other grapes – sounds like a perfect party wine to me. I can’t wait to order some for myself. I will report back when I do. I wish more wineries would offer mini-barrels. I think it’s going to be the next rage – it is such a great offering! From bottle to barrel, let’s do it.

[Via http://pureamber.wordpress.com]

Mi Mum Mi Man and Auntie Wayne

{The Royal Oak} 73 Columbia Road London E2 7RG

So this is where the full on meat eating began!

The Royal Oak, infamous for its links with The Krays and (unfortunately) Guy Ritchie. Well I say Guy Ritchie I mean his film Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, which is probably the only half decent film he ever made. The Royal Oak was the location for the pub Samoan Joes, out back the ‘Samoan Joe’s’ sign still remains, loitering above you whilst you go outside for a cheeky cig. You inhale, sit back (as much as you can on a wooden bench) shivering (as it is now winter) and whilst exhaling think ‘aggggh yes, I now feel a little less guilty about spending hours in the boozer. I am being cultured.’

So apart from the unfortunate links with psycho mob murderers and Guy Ritchie let’s crack on.

The pub is everything a proper pub should be; the pub is lined with wooden Oak panels and wooden flooring oozing the character of its day. Back in it’s day The Royal Oak was a proppppa East end pub, none of this fancy scmantzy ra ra middle classness oh no!

There are different sized wooden tables, chairs and stools scattered about the place. The bar sits itself perfectly in the centre of the pub us punters surrounding it… this is good for two reasons. 1. It really adds to the social aspect, ie you can check people out better and 2. It makes the cue for the bar seem shorter thus helping prevent, what I call Bar Rage. Further towards the back of the pub are a few more tables and a nice warm fire. This leads out to the back where they’re where you can perch on one of the benches. There’s also a coffee machine out here too which is usually rammed on Sunday day times.

So, following on from my first Blog I ordered the Roast Beef. The first in years!

The Beef was rare sliced not too thick and not too thin… a mound of it piled on top of some tasty cabbage fried with bacon. The roast potatoes hidden away in the cabbage so it felt like a treasure hunt. However when I reached said treasure I was disappointed, although crispy, the potatoes were dry and tasted like they had been left standing for too long and then microwaved… not good. I ordered extra lashings of gravy, which helped!

The horseradish was spot on, creamy with the right amount of harshness … possibly perfection as far as horseradish goes (watch this, it’s probably Sainsbury’s own)

Anyway few weeks later mi mum decided to come down and visit from Land of the Scouse, Liverpoooooool. She’s not really Souse though. Mi Nan is. Mi Mam was born in Sheffield, she then toured around the country and the Norf until finally settling there and creating a semi well spoken, semi Northern accent.

Mi Mam came down with a family friend from Bolton. Family Friend is as Bolton as thi come… born and bread. If you’ve ever seen Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights and you’ve got it. I’m not joking, the people of Bolton are one of a kind. Apart from being born there, I spent a lot of my youth in Bolton and you know what, there is no other place in the land like it. Bolton may as well be a separate country than a town. Bolton land of the Kekkle, Buz and the Big Light!

Mi Mam came down from Liverpool with Family Friend, I forgot to mention that to me Family Friend is my Auntie, not my real Auntie, just mi mum’s mate who I now call Auntie. We’ve all got one (Once again sense the Kay-ness)! So because The Royal Oak’s roast was proper top notch and the vibe was buzzin I thought it the perfect place to take mi Mam and a Family Friend when they came down. Whilst arranging the roast I called my mate Toppers to see if she was on it, mid-conversation, Topper’s controversial hearing led to her believe that Family Friend’s name was in fact Wayne. Family Friend’s actual name is Elaine… agggh yes, Auntie Wayne… stuck forever!

So mi Mum, mi Man and Auntie Wayne went down T’pub… we were running late so got a cab, got a cab everywhere that weekend, non-Londoners find it really hard to understand that you walk or get the bus everywhere.

We walked down Columbia Rd; the flower markets all packing up and practically giving away their stock,

The scent of Christmas trees was infused with the cold crisp smell of the air, it made your nose hairs tingle.

We walked into The Royal Oak, a wall of heat hit us in and an intense smell of what can only be described as Christmas wafted up our nostrils; Mulled wine and hot-spiced cider A-brewing.

We went upstairs to the dining area. Being it an occasion we opened proceedings with a pint and a Bottle of Prosecco. Pure class us northern birds! Mums ere so no messing about. This was followed by a lovely glass of Malbec with the grub.

The food was yummy and just how I remembered; unfortunately this time the beef was a little tougher and less rare than before.

For Afters we had a cheese board, apple crumble &cream and profiteroles with hazelnut sauce Mr J and Man Friend were sharing their deserts, however Man Friend didn’t seem to want to share his and wolfed it all down thinking no-one would notice. It’s fair to say it didn’t go down well with Mr J… Man Friend left hanging his head in shame.

I wasn’t that in awe of the profiteroles, the apple crumble was warm and comforting, whilst the cheese board was served with bread not crackers… Auntie Wayne was baffled… bread… not good when you’ve just stuffed yourself with half a Cow!

We got he bill, which came to £165, which ain’t half bad for 3 Bottles and a glass of wine, a hot-spiced cider and two courses.

Once comfortably stuffed we went down-stairs and sat at the bar (Pet-Name Boy serving us our drinks). Perched on a bar stool with we all reflected on our meal, despite a few niggly things, there is nothing that can stop you from feeling all warm and glowy inside after eating here.

Food / 10

Beef               8             – amazing first time round, let the side down a bit on a second visit

Potatoes       7             – crispy on the outside, dry in the middle, there were complaints that my table didn’t get enough…

… I on the other hand had at least five, mwwwwa ha haaa

Gravy            6             – good… not memorable

Yorkshire     9            – Nice big Yorkshire on served on top of a mountain of food – crispy and soft was almost there

Horseradish 10        – not too intense or too creamy purrrrfik

Veggie option 0    – No roast love at this pub for a veggie… however there are other types of veggie dish available

Pub                    9    - add some sofas and you’ve got a ten!

Overall = 9/10

I love this place; you go there and just feel at home.

[Via http://tradishmish.wordpress.com]

Getting Back into the Swing of Things

Howdy mates! I apologize for the lack of updates.

*crickets*

What’s that? You weren’t waiting with bated breath for my next post?

Well.

I’ll stifle my pride for your sake.

Just this once.

Some news: There’s a really cool guy I first came across on Twitter, name of Randy, aka @TheWineWhore,  with whom I’ve been having some great wine-related excchanges of late. He is definitely a passionate awine guy, and to my pleasure, is very open and accessible. Thus a few nights ago, on a charitable whim, I purchased some advertising real estate on his website.

Wha?!?!

Yes, yes, I am aware that I don’t have a business. But Randy is a powerhouse in the wineblogging community and for the very reasonable fee of $25 I’ve obtained a bumpersticker, a tshirt, and one month of having my blog featured prominently on the wine whore’s couch.  Check his site (No really, GO NOW!) and you’ll see what I mean.

I figure that if 15-25% of the peeps that check out his blog click over to mine, I will have some fantastic traffic momentum built up heading into the New Year. What do I get out of this? By virtue of this purchase (I could have had a nice bottle of wine for that amount) I’m giving myself added pressure to blog daily, and to really put some sweat into this wine enterprise. Additionally, if one believes the self-branding argument, I’m cultivating those precious eyeballs which,  in the business world = advertising dollars.

I’ve put three wine related videos up on my YouTube Channel in the last couple of days, and will be balancing video with my writing in the coming months.

Things to Do:

1. Figure out a Logo
2. Decide if CraigsWineJourney should be CJsWineJourney (in accord with my twitter account @CJsWine (which you should be following already).
3. Contact Tammy Hart, of Tammy Hart Designs, for help fine-tuning and optimizing this website.
4. Enroll in school to knock out the pre-requisite classes to apply to UC-Davis’ viticulture program
5. Buy a Mino Hd flip-cam
6. Blog Daily
7. Videos whenever I have an idea
8. Start hitting the Bham wine scene; HARD
9. Create accounts on popular Wine forums at Natalie McLean’s site, the WineAdvocate, Corkd, and CellarTracker
10. Read Wine and Food Blogs and COMMENT!!!!!
11. Keep up w/ my social media mentors Sean Malarkey, Lewis Howes, Harrison Painter, Tim Moore, Jamie Crager, Wade Kwon and many others. You should add these peeps on Twitter if you want to know anything about how to use social media.
12. ASK QUESTIONS

Today Gary Vaynerchuk will be in Atlanta. I am going. Tomorrow he will be in Montgomery. Also going.

Merry Christmastime to everyone out there. I hope this special time of year is full of precious memories with your respective loved ones. Be well.

-CJW

[Via http://craigswinejourney.wordpress.com]

Evolution of an Artist – A Daughter’s Perspective

                Growing up in my childhood home, I was always confident in the knowledge that if my dad, Hank DiPasquale, went outside to walk the dog, he’d come back with something he found on the ground. If you were lucky, and thankfully, this was more than likely, it was a gnarled piece of wood. This was typically accompanied by hourly declarations of its unique shape, odd texture, intricate grain, and/or its resemblance to a family member’s head. Almost as often, I heard my mother in the next room saying, ‘What the heck is that?’, as she passed its new home on our mantle. My father’s giggling followed.

                Many years have gone by and my dad now comes in from his workshop to present us with wood that is sleek, shining, and sculpted. Each piece is different than the last. His caring hands help to shed the rough, weathered exterior and reveal the inner wood. Like all of us, it has a story. Its struggle is shown in each burl and imperfection; its character is displayed by variations in color; and, its triumphs are worn like badges in every line of grain. No two stories can possibly be the same, and something new is appreciated each time we listen to them.

                My father first developed the ability to hear these silent stories when he was a teenager. As a pattern maker, he built wooden forms to make metal castings for the Navy. Fascinated by the soul within each piece of wood, he remained a craftsman throughout his life. Today he proudly turns raw wood into collectible works of art whose innate beauty can be found in their remarkable differences.

                Nowadays, I am confident in the knowledge that my dad experiences true joy from something he created as well as admiration for the intricacies created by nature. However, odds are that he’ll still bring home something he picked up off the ground and put it on the mantle.

[Via http://danamdipasquale.wordpress.com]

What Decanter Gifts Are People Buying This Holiday season

At www.WineDecantersPlus.com we are seeing some clear favorite gifts for this holiday season. It is notable that the fine range of Ravenscroft Crystal Liquor Decanters are proving especially popular.

This is not surpring when you can give or receive such exceptionally beatiful items as the Beveled Orbital Liquor Decanter shown below:

Ravenscroft Crystal Beveled Orbital Single Liquor Decanter.

Best prices are available online with free shipping, insurance and guarantees but you need to act quickly as you need to allow time for shipping. Find the perfect holidaygift at www.WineDecantersPlus.com

[Via http://decanterguy.wordpress.com]

Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday (short piece)

 

Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Holidays were once holidays. They were celebrated as great occasions to remember something of value and significance on some scale and stop to think about life. They were great opportunities for commercial activities also. Italy was built on the expenditure of the believers who departed to fight in the crusades. The wealth was astronomical and much art was sponsored both because those on the other side (the Muslims) had great art to show (and crusader side has to have it) and losses of the believers was huge compared to the gains of the merchants. End of the year holiday season has always been blessed times in US until religion went out of fashion after the Cold War. Religion was great when the enemy fought those believing in any religion but once that war was ended, those with religion were the problem. Holidays provide much revenue for the economy and are not to be taken lightly. Christian holidays are great on many levels and will be much better for the economy if remain holidays but not religious events.

Thanksgiving provides great starting point to line up everyone for shopping season that ought to last until Christmas and New Years. Thanksgiving is still tolerated as a day for the family but watchful business establishment is edgy for the lack of business on the day after Thanksgiving. The infamous Black Friday has been the due day for the American family to do their part in a great American tradition. Black Friday has been great for many years until the economy tanked last year and even before then another glorious day was invented on the Monday after the Thanksgiving and aptly named Cyber Monday. Thanksgiving Day itself has become a candidate for a major shopping day. Since revenues on Black Friday and its Internet era sister day of Cyber Monday have not been impressive and record breaking the business bosses have decided to punish the American family. Thanksgiving day is slowly becoming another major shopping day and the evening of the day is reserved for the American family. A few hours of family time ought to do the job and the rest of the day should go to important stuff such as shopping.

That would have happened one way or another. People always did some shopping on Thanksgiving day and is of no surprise because of the urge to avoid the Black Friday rushes. Thanksgiving day will become a 100% shopping day in a few years, at the latest, and nobody will complain. The public will have to be trained to think of Thanksgiving day as such and it is done. The big question is since religion and even national life is being drained from all holidays, how long will it be before all relevant days are announced major shopping days?

If Thanksgiving Day becomes a bona fide shopping day and not a family day, what of the day before Thanksgiving? The day after and the Monday after are already established as national mandatory shopping days. How long before the Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving are also part of the start of the shopping season mandating American family to have enough money or borrow to be able to keep up with the rest and shop five days nonstop? The public think as a crowd (or mob) does and will conform to whatever is the dominant rule. Soon they will all UNDERSTAND that having five or six shopping days around Thanksgiving is great and a blessing. Who cares about Turkey and family dinner when one can have serious fun five days in a row and spend and spend. That can cost thousands or tens of thousands for an average family but if everyone else is doing it and TV tells them to do it, the American family has to join in.

And what of Christmas and New Year’s? What of these religious holidays that bring so much money? They already have to share the dates with Hannukah. Are there other contenders for the occasion? They probably are but the business world does not care as much as they care for non-religious holidays. If religion is taken out of the picture, the holiday occasion can be designed to fit the best possible schedules and arrangements for our shopping needs. And will there be additional shopping days? Retailers count every three months of the year as a fiscal quarter and the week between Christmas and New Year’s is big enough in shopping numbers to be considered a separate quarter by many retailers. That is how much they bring in. How long before that period becomes an official mandatory shopping week also? It is unofficially doing the job and if it becomes official (as announced by TV commercials) then everyone has to spend thousands and tens of thousands in that period to keep up with all the rest of American families who are having all the fun. How long before that? I think with some creativity and effort, all the religious stuff can be taken out and a new holiday system can be created that caters to ALL needs of our business world masters. They have not had much trouble in the past and why should they now?

*This post belongs to this week’s edition of Wine by Cush Magazine blog and published early in World of Cush also.

[Via http://worldofcush.wordpress.com]

when the sun becomes the moon

I like a good drink.  My liver and palette are European, where drinking isn’t an amateur sport.

I also adore good music. And there’s nothing like American Alt and Indy music.

Unfortunately, we have no drinking songs.  As such, we’ll just have to settle for songs to which we can throw one back.

For me, that means (to name just a few) Hudson Bell, Modest Mouse, The Talking Heads, Ben Folds Five, Ryan Adams, The Violent Femmes, Son Volt, Built to Spill, Harvey Danger and They Might Be Giants.

What about you?  What are you listening to while partaking of the libations?

For a much better blog devoted to successful drinking, see The Weekly Banjo.

[Via http://coreyking.wordpress.com]

December 3

[Via http://iamwhatieat.wordpress.com]

WineLibrary Picks November 2009

As soon as I met Gary, I immediately became a Vayniac and I have been in recovery from that meeting for 3 months now.  And when I say met, I mean I watched this video.  Here are my reviews for the wines I purchased.  This is the first time I really put some thought into wine.

A little about my WineLibrary experience.  Purchasing 6 wines and paying shipping & handling, I paid an average of $10 per wine (though some wines were under $5).  The delivery came real fast, and I could track it.

2008 Lello Douro Branco – Portugal Table Wines

I have to say… it is better chilled.  When cold, it tastes like ice with a hint of lemon.  I wouldn’t completely say frozen lemonade from Disneyland, but there are inklings of it.  Once it becomes room temperature, its taste becomes strong and the after taste more intense.  I would say lemon and with a dash of lead.  There’s a small burning sensation at the back of my throat, but I like spices so I enjoy it.  A wolf in sheep’s clothing type of wine as its smooth on the palate and bites you on the way down.   Its fresh and cleanly qualities may be a result of its alcoholic and chemical vapors.  Its aroma is very pleasing to my sense  of smell as it is regal and classic–at least when cold.  It makes me hungry, as I would love a piece of cheese at the moment.  I wish I knew how to rate wines.  However, my personal rating would be: 73

Turning Leaf White Zinfandel – California Blush 2008

I bought this one for my grandma.  She really wanted a good blush, though with her diabetes she shouldn’t drink it.  I think Gary said it best here…. yes, jolly rancher, he wasn’t kidding.  And that’s why I bought it.  Very satisfied.  89

wine #3 soon to come

[Via http://corpsevalentine.wordpress.com]

Setting a good example for children takes all the fun out of middle age.-Feather

Seriously…isn’t it fun to go out and act like a kid sometimes?  To stay up late, play games, and goof around with your friends with no cares in the world?  It’s so rare to have those truly special days, but there’s nothing better than the sheer bliss of truly innocent happiness.  And this time of year makes it even better…who doesn’t like to see the bright lights, the decorated trees peeking through windows, and the possibility of a snowy night and hot chocolate?  The best part?  You don’t have to spend a lot to reap the benefits of the holiday season…or to feel like a child again!

Light brite

I’ll be honest, the past few years have been kind of quiet for me…money’s been tight and buying a hot holiday outfit to go out and party wasn’t always a possibility.  Add to that, anyone I was dating at the time just had so much going on that it was almost impossible to check out all the holiday happenings.  However, I found ways to enjoy the season flying solo at a price that didn’t break the bank.  One way was by checking out the local light shows.  Crank up the carols in your car, crank the heat, and enjoy a hot beverage while driving through the Holtsville Ecology Center or Camp Edey…the best part is that the money raised at these displays goes to good causes!

Go green

The tree…such an important symbol of the season due to our memories of Christmases past.  Nix the plastic this year, and think about getting a live tree in a pot.  It will stay fresh, be less prone to being a fire hazard than a cut tree, lose less needles, and the two best things–you can plant it outside when you’re done and you won’t have to worry about where to store it (a definite perk when you have a small place like I do!).

Winter warmer

Troegs again produces a winner with their Mad Elf beer.  With heavy dark fruit notes and a high alcohol content, this sweet and heady brew is not for the faint of heart (or for those who are driving, either!).  One glass had me feeling warm and fuzzy.  One oversized bottle left me stumbling over my words.  Any more would have left me unconscious.  Beer nuts and those who like malty beverages like scotch and aren’t afraid of a flavorful brew should check this one out!

Babes in toyland

Lastly, Live in the Lobby is hosting “Love in the Lobby” this month…enjoy some great live music, and if you bring an unwrapped toy to donate to Toys for Tots, you’ll get a $5 beer voucher.  $10 gets you in.  Come on down and say hi to me when you are there!

Sorry about the short post, but it is the holiday season!  I’ll be back with more events in just a bit, so make sure you check back often!

[Via http://cheapdateli.wordpress.com]

Bubbles That Don't Blow

Kudos to our Goutorbe Cuvee Prestige NV grower champagne, chosen as “Best Value” among grower champagnes in an article titled “Savoring Champagne as Art” in this weekend’s Wall Street Journal. “Nutty, with brioche and yeast. Big yet well-balanced, flavorful but not heavy. You can try the Goutorbe along with our other grower champagne at our annual pre-New Year’s tasting on Wednesday, December 30, 2009. We like to call it “Bubbles that Don’t Blow” because by sampling the champagnes, you’re sure to find one that suits your palate so that when you actually pop the cork at midnight, you’ll be certain to like what you’re drinking. Now who you’re kissing, well that’s up to you.

A special note from the Brooklyn wine store to our friend “Anti-Claus”, the well-dressed gentleman who every year steals a bottle of our best champagne instead of leaving the staff gifts. In the WSJ, Dottie called the Goutorbe “a wine of conviction.” You’ve been warned. Our prosecco is delightful, maybe you should try it this year instead?

And from the Manhattan store: We got our hands on a few cases of the “Best of Tasting” wine – the Roger Coulon ‘Tradition’ Premier Cru – which was described as “Delicious! Starts out pleasant, with some cookies and almonds on the nose, but after a few minutes—pow. All the tastes meld into an absolutely beautiful, sophisticated whole with a finish that lasts and lasts. ‘Not a misstep,’ Dottie said.” Keep your eyes peeled for a special tasting!

[Via http://blog.greenegrape.com]

France - Australia: A well-balanced match

Earlier in the month, France and Australia met up in the UK for the most interesting game of the season.

The food team, lead by Alexis from Rousillon, was playing against the McGuigan wine team to determine how the players could create the perfect pairing.

The first half saw a slight advantage for France which played a very subtle and clever game. However, Team Australia managed to get back in the game during the second half, playing more defensively and making serious moves.

From the first minutes of the game, the French team decided to use a defensive tactic, putting forward a Light Lobster Bisque infused with Purple Basil, Scallops & Comfit Tomatoes Tortellini while the Australian team chose a more easy-going approach with the McGuigan Earth’s Portrait Riesling 2004.

The intensity and rich flavours of the bisque balanced well with the acidity of the Riesling. However, the wine had quite a strong kerosene nose which crossed over into the lasting taste, which wouldn’t be enjoyable when drunk on its own.

For the next move, the French team leader kept the seafood theme team with a Grilled cut of Wild Sea Bass, Steamed Razor Clams with Sechuan Pepper, lightly spiced Fish Velouté whereas the Australians proposed a more delicate white wine, the McGuigan Bin 9000 Semillon 2003.

The sea bass was very well cooked and tasty and the clams and fish velouté gave a nice pulse to the dish. The McGuigan Bin 9000 Semillon 2003 was crisp, fresh with a zesty style but once again, the kerosene nose isn’t my favourite.

Later on during the game, the French team introduced their best player, the Milk Fed Lamb rubbed with Thyme, Parmesan & Swiss Chard Gratin, Thyme infused Lamb Jus. With such a strong choice, the Australian team decided pull out all the stops with the McGuigan Shortlist Cabernet Sauvignon 2008.

The lamb was perfectly cooked and the thyme infused Lamb Jus really brought the flavours up. The light McGuigan Shortlist Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 matched very well with the freshness of the lamb. This wine has a lot of potential as the palate will get rounder in the next two years to achieve a stylish and characteristic wine.

At this point, it was time for the teams to take a breather, but after their well-deserved break, the players were back on the field with The Feuilleté of Blue Cheese, Madeira Reduction Jus, Wild Rocket & Red Chard Salad and a McGuigan Handmade Shiraz 2008.

The regret with Feuilletés is that they usually don’t contain enough cheese to properly taste it and, unfortunately, the Bleu d’Auvergne Feuilleté was slightly under filled. The Madeira jus added a nice and sweet touch to balance the flavour of the cheese. The soft and forest fruity McGuigan Handmade Shiraz 2008 was my favourite red wine of the meal but overpowered the dish seeing that a true strong cheese taste was missing from the dish.

Slowly moving into the final moments of the game, the teams seemed to have learnt a lot from each other’s tactics and they came up with the perfect match:  Quince & Sultana parfait, Honey & Yoghurt Sorbet paired with McGuigan Personal Reserve Botrytis Semillon 2005. The very refreshing Quince & Yoghurt worked very well with the light sweetness of the refreshing McGuigan Personal Reserve Botrytis Semillon 2005 and the combination of all the flavours created the perfect balance.

It was now time for the referee to blew his whistle. While enjoying a coffee with some petits fours, the spectators agreed that both teams played masterfully and the players left the field under rapturous applause, having offered a fair and well balanced game.

A big thank you to Chris and Scott from Cube Communication to have organised such an interesting and passionate game!

Roussillon
16 St. Barnabas Street
London, SW1W 8PE
020 7730 5550
www.roussillon.co.uk

[Via http://mathildescuisine.wordpress.com]