Viognier - The Perfect White Wine?

In Oz Clark's Grapes and Wines he says that Viognier (VEE-ON-YAY) filled the consumer demand for a white wine with "weight and softness of an oaky Chardonnay without the oak". For me Viognier is currently my favorite white because it combines the crispness of a Sauvginon Blanc with the fruity profile of a Riesling and spares us from the high acid levels of either. For me oak doesn't enter in to the discussion and to bring it up is a bit misleading. The other thing that I really enjoy about Viognier is that it pairs well with so many of the foods I enjoy such as sushi, salads, fish, chicken and my current perfect pairing with Cambodian Spring Rolls.

Viognier is a very aromatic wine with lots of floweriness in the nose and winemakers often blend it in with their red wines for this reason. A couple great examples are Storybook Mountain's Napa Estate, Eastern Exposures Zinfandel 2006 and Spring Mountain Winery's 2007 Syrah Co-Ferment where they crush and ferment the Syrah and Viognier grapes together instead of blending them after fermentation as is done with most wine blends. But I stray...

The first Viognier that caught my eye (palate) was Bridlewood's Reserve Viogner which for me is a nice light introduction to the grape. It's a bit on the drier side but still very aromatic and lots of fruit character. Priced at around $13 (bevmo.com) it was included in their 5 cents promotion earlier in the year so I purchased 2 bottles for less that 15 bucks after tax. That's right at the current high volume sales price of $6.99/bottle.


The second one that really caught my attention is the Copain Viognier "Tous Ensemble" Mendocino County. This is my current favorite as it is the perfect balance of fruit and crispness to make a bright yet subtle white wine with a lot of complexity. This may be the perfect white as it complements the crisp high acid foods (lemon chicken, cranberry vinaigrette salad) and contrasts well with rich creamy dishes (butternut squash risotto, grilled sea bass, deep fried egg roll). What is great about pairing a bright wine like this with rich dishes is that it gives your palate a refreshment between bites so future tastes will be just like the first one, special. With all pairings you will find this wine will bring out the sweetness in foods you didn't expect and the foods will bring out the apricot and citrus notes from this wonderful wine. At $20 I think this a great buy for a truely great wine.

Another fine Viognier is 2008 Darioush Viognier Signature a less subtle crisper white which has high unripe fruit character for a wine in this category. It paired well with the Cambodian Spring Rolls bringing out the crisp minty character of the roll and accentuating the sweetness of the lettuce. I think this is a great wine but it's price point ($40) may take it out of many peoples recession budget.

Cheers to all you Rhone Rangers!

If it's Tuesday it's AKA Bistro

Tuesday night is a special night for me. It's the night that AKA Bistro in downtown St Helena hosts a local winery and offers a tasting of their wines for $9. Tonight featured wines from a winery that I didn't get the name of. I didn't get the name because the reps of the winery were dicks. Best I could tell without my glasses is that name on the bottle was Halliburon but I am sure I am spelling it wrong.

After I sat down at the bar I was greeted by Robert the owner of AKA as he pointed out that it must be Tuesday because I pledged to him last week that I would be at AKA every Tuesday until the day comes that I have to leave St Helena. He told me that the winery was offering Cabernet Sauvignon from various vintages 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005. After further discussion with the bartender I found out that I would get 2 pours of 3 ounces each of the wines I chose. So I walked over to the table and asked the reps (one being the winemaker) which of the 4 vintages they recommended. One of the other reps said "You should never ask a winemaker which wine to choose".

What the hell is this guy's problem? Did they not want to sell any wine? Why were these people being dicks?

Well I was here and I wanted to try the wine so I went for the older vintages and got a glass of the 2001 & 2002. The 01 was rather blah but the the 02 had really benefited from bottle age, the tannins had smoothed out but the fruit was still powerful. I enjoyed a sample of a delightful tomato puree soup with a touch of spice with my cabs. I followed this up with a sampling of the 2004 & 2005 vintages (even though they were dicks they still got my business) and paired this with the AKA burger medium rare with bacon. NICE! The 04 & 05 showed their youth and I really thought that tasting the 01 & 02 with the 04 & 05 was a good learning experience as you could tell the significant differences in the young verses the older vintages.

Since I didn't get the name of the winery I can't tell you who they were or where to get their wines which is cool because they were dicks.

I am a big fan of AKA Bistro and I recommend their Reuben sandwich, vegetable pasta and of course the killer burger. If you decide to drop in one Tuesday around 6:30pm feel free to come by and say hi to me at the bar.

Still in Napa Still Living the WINE LIFE

I know it's been a while since the last post but livin' the WINE LIFE ain't easy for a pimp. You spend your days smellin', tastin', spitin' and soakin' up all that knowledge. It can be intimidating at times, it can also be very rewarding like the last two days in the Germany/Austria intensive.

One strong attribute to these wines is acid. Acid in wine is that element that brings life to a wine, that makes your mouth pucker, that almost seems effervescent at times. Due to the not so wonderful and normally cool climate in Germany a lot of the grapes picked have a high acid content. This acidity is often covered up by the ripe fruity character of a German Riesling which can give you essence of stone fruits like peaches, apricots, and plums when you taste them but leave an after taste that slightly stings the sides of your tongue.

The high quality German Riesling is classified in ripeness categories called Pradikats. The Germans has a very systematic approach to how they handle every step of the wine making process from classifying the wine based on the time of harvest to the structure of the label on the bottle. Pradikats range from the least ripe Kabinett to the exteremely ripe Trockenberenauslenese & Eiswein that are often harvested on the last few snow covered days of December. In between these Pradikats are Spatlese , Auslese and Berenauslenese in order of less ripe to riper. Ripeness should not be confused with sweetness as the sweetness of the wine is more based on the when the fermentation process is stopped.

One flight we tasted was four Spatlese Rieslings from different vineyards in the same region of Germany (Mosel). I thought of these as my "soft drink flight" as when the ripe stone fruit and tropical flavors left my palate each finished like a familiar beverage.

Here are my brief tasting notes:

1. Alfred Merkelbach Urziger Wurtgarten Riesling Spatlese 2006 (Mosel) $24
Light fruity nose with a sweet lemon, apple flavor and the finish of apple cider made from tart but sweet apples.

2. Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese 2006 (Mosel) $33
Floral nose with some tropical fruits, on the palate the acid is strong but well balanced with Melon, Pineapple, and Apricot flavors. Finish is like sweet lemonade.

3. Carl Schmitt-Wagner Longuicher Maximiner Herrenberg Riesling Spatlese 2006 (Mosel) $27
Lower minerality than the others with aromas of pure sweet apple juice. On the palate the sweet apple juice was confirmed along with lemon-lime flavors. The finish was like 7Up or Sprite and the high acid level gave the impression of a slight effervescence.

4. Reuscher-Haart Piesporter Goldtropfchen Rielsing Spatlese 2006 (Mosel) $25
This one is all about concord grape juice. From the nose to the palate to the finish it left you asking yourself "how did they get that concord grape juice into a Riesling grape?".

This is only a small part of two days of study with the amazing Karen MacNeil and 8 fellow wine enthusiasts who shared what I felt was an amazing experience.

WINE LIFE!!!

Sensory Analysis Day 2

After a day filled with tasting wine and spitting it out to identify it's characteristics but not get drunk a couple of my classmates and I stopped in at V Sattui for some wine tasting. I was quite surprised that what I feel is a tourist trap had a couple of very nice wines including a sauvignon blanc that is not on the tasting list.

What was interesting was the tasting room guy that we spoke with. He was a friendly if not patronizing dude who declared "it's the end of the day so all the wines are open for tasting". Bonus. He managed to put his foot in his mouth when he said the wrong thing after observing my classmate spit his wine sample in the spit bucket. "90% of the alcohol is absorbed in the mouth so spitting makes no difference" our jovial server declared. Open mouth, insert foot I say.

Had he thought about the audience that he spent a bit of time mocking when he saw my name tag from the CIA I think he would have been more careful with his comments because it was clear to us after a full day of tasting had we not spit we would have not made it to V Sattui in the first place.

The proper pronunciation of Reidel is REE-DULL not RYE-DELL. Those south orange county folks think they are so smart and yet they have miss pronounced it all along. And the main reason you think that your wine tastes better in your Bordeaux Bowl is just because you think so . The Reidel folks are smart marketers and talked the public into believing a specific glass must go with a specific wine. As long as the glass you use has curved in sides to allow swirling it is a fine wine glass. So drink up bitches!

Some fun facts:
All red wines go through a process known as Malolactic Fermentation (MLF) which comes from the fatty acids in the lies (the skins, pits, stems of the grapes) which create a softer creamier wine with enhanced aromatics. Most whites do not go through this with the exception of chardonnay which is frequently known for it's oakey silky butter qualities.

In California it's illegal to add sugar to wine. This is not the case in other wine regions. You can however add sweet grape juice to a mash to sweeten up the mix. Sometimes a winemaker will stop a tank from fermenting out all the sugar to use it for sweetening up the other tanks.

Phenolics are chemical compounds in the pulp, seeds, and skins of grapes that affect the color, taste, and mouthfeel of a wine. Anthorocyanins give color characteristics and Catechins give bitterness and astringency. Astringency is the feeling of drying out of your mouth because catechins bind up your saliva and it takes some time for your mouth to recover.

We finished the night off at PRESS in St Helena a restaurant owned by Leslie Rudd who is one of primary reasons (if not the primary reason) the wine school at the CIA exists. The food was quite good. I had a Kobe Burger that was huge (I only finished half of it) cooked medium rare with some Swiss Gruyere cheese and lots of fresh veggies. Accompanied by a plate full of the best fries in Napa prepared with garlic and herbs. At $18 it is a bargin for Napa.

Hungry? HA!

Is it my nose or power of suggestion?

Toward the end of the first day of the two day class on Sensory Analysis I asked instructor John Buechsenstein this question: "If I smell a wine initially but don't smell liquorish and then after someone else in the class identifies it I can smell it on the next whiff, is it power of suggestion or am I really smelling it?" John's response is that he would side with the conclusion that I have actually smelled the liquorish and it's not just my mind playing tricks on me.

I have to admit that I still struggle with sensory analysis as I put a wine under my nose and I say to myself, "that's a cab" or "that's a chard" not "I smell baked cherries" or "I get essence of oak & vanilla" but I am getting more in tune with the deal. After two days under the expert tutelage of John B I can finally understand the process a wine professional goes through to reach the point where he can blind taste a wine and identify the varietal, region, age, and winery. Understanding the process is one thing but getting to the point where you can do it good enough to be a master takes years because there are so many wines to study and classify.

The first day of sensory analysis included the identification of flaws in wine. It's what you are supposed to identify when the sommelier pours you a sample of the bottle you've ordered. That and if the wine has turned to vinegar. There are six identified flaws that can exist in wine for one reason or another.

1. Oxidized - When oxygen is allowed to get into the wine in the bottle or it is exposed to heat it can get a stale aroma. I smelled an almost pine nut aroma in the sample we had.
2. Volatile Acidity - Again caused by oxidation but results in a smell like nail polish remover, model glue, vinegar.
3. Hydrogen Sulfide - The smell of rotten eggs/sulfur which can occur in the wine making process.
   
4. Brettanomyces - A band-aid, medicinal and some times menthol smell that can be treated as a positive or negative aspect of the wine. Some call this "the french disease" since in small occurrences can give the aroma of truffles which is often a noteworthy distinguishing trait of french wines and some french chefs. A little goes a long way
5. Corked (TCA) - A musty smell that reminds me of a half dry towel that was used after leaving a chlorinated pool. Most often this is blamed on a bad cork that has introduced mold into the wine. This can also occur in the barrel. TCA is short for 2,4,6 trichloroanisole a chemical compound that causes cork taint.
6. Sulfites - Like the smell of a struck match. Sulfites are used as an anti-oxidant in wine and can naturally occur in grapes. Not to be confused with sulfides, sulfites in unacceptable levels can mask other odors

The are many pleasant odors in wine, whites can have a number of aromatics:

• Isoamyl Acetate - banana aromas
• Terpenes - floral aromas
  
• Thiols - grapefruit, pineapple, passion fruit, fresh sweat, cat pee
• Pyrozine - herbal aromas of green olive, bell pepper, asparagus often a characteristic of sauvignon blanc
• Diacetyl - Buttery, oak aromas resulting from malolactic fermentation a trademark of oak barrelled Chardonnay.

Red Wine notes:

• Aromas of strawberry and pencil shavings are an indicator of Pinot Noir
• Cool climate reds can offer a black/white pepper smell whereas hot climate reds will give off more of a baking spicy attribute like cinnamon and nutmeg

Professional Wine Service

Christie Dufault a frequent CIA instructor and a member of the wine team at rn74 (named after the main route through Burgundy) spent the day showing us the array of tools she has to perform the responsibilities of a sommelier.

For the most part I didn't get much from this day of corkscrews. I have opened a lot of bottles of wine and I may not be the best but I get the job done. More important was the knowledge that Christie gave us regarding what it means to be in the service profession. I, as most of my classmates, am not sure what area of the wine industry I want to work in and Christie's knowledge helped me to realize that I probably don't want to be a sommelier. The reason for this is that the job is often times more about being "in service" and less about teaching people about wine. It's more about opening and presenting bottles than it is about describing what's in the bottle and how it makes you feel.

She did give us the lowdown on decanting and demonstrated the process.
There are 5 reasons for decanting wine:
1. To prevent sediment from going into the glass. Sediment is the harmless byproduct of the wine making process and can consist of any or all of the following: skins, pits, stems, or yeast sells.
2. Aeration of the wine. Many wines benefit from aeration (mixing oxygen into the wine to bring out the flavor) and decanting can be an effect way of doing this.
3. Temperature - Moving a wine around inside a decanter can bring it up to a warmer temperature that will improve the tastes that can be hidden if it's too cold.
4. Appreciation - Being able to show the wine in a clear decanter to appreciate it's colors
5. Showmanship/Presentation

I asked what wine would not benefit from decanting and the answer is some older wines that have a delicate aroma that could be killed by too much motion. I have to admit that I am not happy with this response. I also asked if sommelier's get a cut of bottle sales and Christie said that all restaurants are different and the way it usually works is that there are sales goals established that when reached mean bonuses to the sommeliers.

Recommended Reading:
Sales & Service for the Wine Professional - Brian Julian
The Art of Decanting - Sandy Jordan
Sommelier Journal

Wine Tasting Weekend

Let me just say that being a wine student living in Napa has it's privileges, but the cost is not getting to see your wife everyday. This weekend I had the treat of a visit from Nina and though it was brief it was definitely appreciated.

Friday Night we visited Rutherford Grill (in the city of Rutherford go figure). This place reminds one of the Houston's chain in style but the wine list is far superior if you know what to look for. Fortunately a Sommelier taught me about German wines and I found a nice Werner Kabinett. A delightful white wine with many layers and a pervading sweetness that went perfect with the jalapeno chesse dip we ordered as an appetizer. I followed this up with a glass of a curious red wine called "The Prisoner" which is a blend of predominantly syrah, zinfandel and cabernet sauvignon and went great with the terrific burger I ordered. Cooked to order this burger had the perfect combination of toppings including onion, tomato, lettuce, and relish that reminded me of the old time burgers I ate as a child. Quite delicious.

Saturday we visited Franciscan, Folie a Deux/Napa Cellars, Chandon, and the highlight of the trip a stop at Grgich Hills Estate. Mike Grgich is the famous winemaker who crafted the Chateau Montelena Chardonnay from the famous Paris tastings of 1976 where Napa wines were picked over French wines in a blind tasting. Despite his age (86) Mike is still sharp as a tack and has his power over the ladies. It was truely an honor to meet him.

We also visited the Oxbow Market to pick up some nice cheeses and duck terrine. We enjoyed these Sunday afternoon with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon and some Epi Baguette from Bouchon Bakery.

Monday it's back to class...

Wine Immersion - The Business of Wine

As the first week of the Wine Immersion program ends I am inspired by the things I have a learned and the people I have met. There is so much growth potential in the wine industry and in a time when economic decline has hurt so many businesses, sales of wine has continued to increase. Drowning your sorrows? Perhaps, but it is clear that wine is accepted as an affordable luxury.

Just a few concepts from the last three days:
The marketing of wine is all about the P's. Product, Promotion, Price, Placement, and Presentation. You must establish a distinct brand that sets yourself apart from the other 250,000 wine SKU's out there. In a world where many vintners are creating handcrafted wines, produced by small family farms, sourced from select vineyards it's important that your wine have a story that draws the customer. Based on a number of factors including the region your grapes are grown you need to determine the correct price point of your wine. The placement of your wine on the shelf is also key to it getting purchased. Ideally you want the wine to be at an easy to access level and on the right of other notable wines. Since the majority of people are right handed you want your wine in a place where it can be reached without the customer having to reach across his/her body. A lot of thought should be put into how the bottle is presented. If your wine is at a high price point (over $100) you should consider using a heavy bottle that is more substantial in the hands as it gives the customer the impression of value. If your wine is at a lower price point it may make more sense to use cheaper glass to keep the cost of goods down.

If you are considering running a winery you should grow the grapes to produce the wine that the market wants and not the produce the wine you "like". The secret to success in the wine industry, much like every other business, is to sell your product at a really good profit.

It is important to establish a connection with the consumer. This is accomplished by creating a story related to the wine that will take the consumer to a place that is significant to them. The better the story, the better the connection the more your brand will stand out among others.

There are six categories of wine buyers:
Enthusiasts - What does the wine I purchase say about me?
Image Seeker - A collector who buys wine to say he owns it and not to drink it
Savvy Shopper - Always looking for a good deal
Traditionalist - If wine is good it's probably French and expensive
Satisfied Sipper - Loves the taste of a good wine
Overwhelmed - In store has no idea what to choose

The dynamic speakers who entertained and enlightened us:
Elliot Stern of The Sorting Table and East Oakville Exposure Winery
Barbara Insel of Stonebridge Reasearch
Paul Wagner of Balzac Communications
Matt Wood a "Direct to Consumer" guru formerly of Francisan now Exec VP of 1-800-Flowers

The business ideas I have are rushing through my brain at light speed but I need to focus as I am still weeks away from completing my wine education and I have a lot of studying to do.

Wine Immersion Day 1 - Orientation

My class consists of 23 people that come from many walks of life and have various things they are looking to get out of this program. There are some retirees, some kids fresh from college, a couple people who like me are looking for a new career, a McDonald's franchise owner and the son of one of the CIA instructors.

The Orientation was lead by Paul Dray, Associate Director, Professional Wine Studies a mild mannered charismatic gentleman with assists by Kate Thorsen, Coordinator, Professional Wine Studies who completed the program last summer and landed a job at the CIA shortly thereafter. Providing a general overview of the facility and CIA policies was the direction of this session but it was derailed by a very interesting and informative guest speaker from the Napa Valley Vintners Association(NVVA).

Terry Hall is the communications director for the NVVA and he spoke of what makes Napa Valley a special place. How Napa became an agricultural reserve in 1969 with the goal of producing the best crops possible despite the traffic through St Helena as a result of the two lane highway clogged by trucks full of grapes. In 1890 there were 140 wineries in Napa Valley, due to disease, prohibition, economics and other factors the number dwindled to 25 by 1969. Following the commitment to agriculture and the goal of branding the region of Napa as the place that produces the best wines the area today is home to 350 wineries.

A collegiate atmosphere where oft times you will see representatives of different wineries pouring samples of each others wines at vintner functions all with the same primary goal of making Napa the premier source for wine. Though Napa is responsible for only 4% of the wine produced in California it is responsible for 34% of the economic impact of wines produced. This is because the region is so well respected. It is in the branding (pioneered by the late Robert Mondavi) of the region that made Napa such a strong economic powerhouse.

Ever thought that it was rude when a winery requires an appointment to come taste their wines? This is actually mandated by law which requires that a certain percentage of wineries handle tastings in the this manner. There is currently only one Napa winery that is not a member of the NVVA and that is Charles Krug.

I enjoyed Terry's lecture and wished there were time for questions but we had to move on with the orientation. We toured the CIA which took us to the various classrooms we will be using, to the test kitchen where we will eat lunch, and the barrel room that charts the history of the region. All in prepartion for the big day tomorrow when CLASS BEGINS!

Oahu 2 - The catharsis

Saturday Morning we ventured to the farmers market near Diamond Head . This was a great place with more great food including Portuguese sausage, fried green tomatoes and a refreshing concoction of lime juice, ginger, pineapple juice and mint. I don’t know what they called it but I will definitely return here the next time I am on Oahu .

Saturday Afternoon we visited the Bishop Museum where a lot of the history of Hawaii and its people can be found. In the hall dedicated to war they broke down the various pacific islanders into groups to describe how they are different and why they would go to war. Some would war to capture territory others to eat the opponent to gain their power. The Hawaiians would war to maintain control which explains a lot about my family as we are all control freaks. This had me laughing the rest of the day.

Saturday Night we had dinner with an old friend of mine and his family. It was so cool to see them and to spend time with them however brief it seemed. Times like this are like a magnet for me pulling me back to Oahu . I know we would be happy here if we could figure out how to relocate. Fortunately my friend on Oahu is a real

estate mogul so he has the tools to hook us up with a great place for a good price. I just need to figure out what I will do for a living.

Sunday was the big day. One of the primary reasons we came to Hawaii was to scatter the ashes of my dear departed Mom. She was a great and caring lady who would do just about anything to make sure the people she loved were happy. We scheduled the scattering for 11am so a quick breakfast we were on our way to the Pali. Nina and I were a bit late and got a Facebook comment as a result. My brother and his blackberry, always breaking the news before the other networks get a chance! I think the scattering couldn’t have gone better. There was even a bit of comedy as it seems that ashes had so many identification cards on them to verify that these were in fact my mother's ashes. There was one on the wrapping of the box, one on the box, one attached to the outside of the bag that held the ashes and finally a fourth in the bag with the ashes. Talk about attention to detail.

We went to one of my aunt Frances favorite dimsum places in Chinatown for lunch and wandered the streets checking out the little shops. About half way though our tour I had to go BAD so I wandered into another dim sum place and asked for the key to the bathroom in the hall outside. The guy inside was counting his money in the register and said "find the key". I said "where is it?" he said "FIND IT!!" and I asked where I should look for it and he said "AROUND!" I think he was upset because I wasn't a paying customer. I asked another

worker there and he pointed to a table which had the key (and just in time might I add). In the stall I snapped this picture. And I thought Hawaii was a liberal state.

Sunday night we walked over to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel where my brother was staying so we could carpool to dinner with the relatives. On the way I got a call from my uncle Paul, he is still the goofy dude I remember from childhood who introduced me to The Doors & The Police. He sounded good and said he hoped we could get together on the next visit (as our time was running out). As we proceeded I saw what had been described to me as "the concrete jungle that is Waikiki". The entire area north of the hotels that line the beach has been developed like "Anytown, USA". There were chain restaurants, coffee shops, discount stores, all the places that you find in a stroll down the main drag in downtown Pasadena or Brea, etc. In addition I found the Famous Amos cookie shop (now known as Chip & Cookie) at the Royal Hawaiian shopping center and bought some of my favorites from childhood like the butterscotch chip cookies as I regalied the shop keeper with stories of my Dad taking me the Famous Amos in Hollywood after visits to the Directors Guild Theater. He probably didn't care but humored me.

We met my brother and Cari at there hotel and checked out their room at the Royal Hawaiian. The hotel is quite grand with some amazing views. Each room has a hand carved door and gave me the feel of old Hawaii. Thou their room was small it was ornately decorated and comfortable. It's clear that staying at the Royal Hawaiian is a unique experience. We met the Aunties for dinner and lots of good conversation.

Monday morning Nina and met Auntie Ipo and Katherine at the Waioli Tea Room for lunch. It was a light refreshing break from the heavy local foods I had enjoyed. We discussed plans for future visits including attending Katherine's graduation next June. Too soon we had to head to the airport for our flight to Maui.

A couple notes on Oahu:

Despite the concrete jungle this place is still a great place to visit.

Side Street Inn is a must stop for food.

Avoid renting from Alamo if possible as it can take HOURS to get your car

Jet Blue You Suck

I rarely travel for business therefore I usually don't have a tight schedule when I arrive somewhere. Yesterday was one exception. Since I am moving to Napa temporarily I needed to check out various rental properties. I had a very organized and detailed schedule of appts to see various homes away from home. Jet Blue screwed the whole thing up.

The flight was scheduled to depart at 9:06am from lovely Long Beach Airport and my first hint that things would go bad was when I noticed on the boarding pass that boarding time was 9:10am. I estimated that the flight was about 30 minutes to an hour late and I patted myself on the back for having put an hour buffer into my schedule for just such an occasion. We sat in the terminal and it was confirmed our flight was delayed and the new departure time was 10:36. A little more of a delay than I hoped but still acceptable.

At 8:45 they told us that the flight was coming from San Francisco and that it required a part and that the new scheduled departure time was 12:46. What is the deal with 6's? Why wasn't the time 12:45 or even 1pm? They never leave exactly when they are scheduled. Perhaps one of the Jet Blue staff likes 6's. Maybe that person has three of them tattooed on his scalp? Maybe he's the anti-christ? But that's not a nice thing to say (inside joke).

My schedule was now blown out of the water. I was stressed. I was pissed. I tried to find alternates but the Jet Blue people said there was none. I thought of taking the car I parked and driving to Napa but I was already committed to this flight and the agent didn't know what the refund policy from Jet Blue was for delays. Shouldn't she know this? Jet Blue You Suck.

About an hour later they told us that a different plane from Oakland was coming to pick us up after it stopped in SF to pick up passengers that were stranded by the mechanical issue. An hour after that they said the flight was on the way and that the reason for the delay was because the flight crew that was supposed to come and pick us up in the first place had been flying too long without a rest and Jet Blue needed to get a new crew. I think airlines should stop lying to their customers and tell us the problem and how they are going to fix it upfront.

So I waited and waited and finally at 12:20pm the plane arrived, at last I would get to San Francisco International Airport. The plane left Long Beach at about 1:05pm and arrived in SFO by 2pm. After landing we taxied to a spot where the plane stopped because there was another plane in the way. A Cathy Pacific 747 that they were having trouble communicating with. Perhaps they were using the wrong hailing frequency Uhura?

So we sat and sat and more than 30 minutes later they found a different gate for us to park, such ineptitude. Did they not know in SFO that our flight was 4 hours late? Did they not know that there were passengers on this flight who needed to meet a cruise ship? What about the woman that had a job interview at 3:30? What about me? What about Raven?

After we left the plane we walked a rather long distance to baggage claim and then had to take a train to car rental (which was the last stop of course). If we had rented from Alamo I would probably be still waiting for the car as I type this but since we rented from National it was not too long before we had a car and hit the road.

Originally I planned to be in Napa at 12:30. We arrived at the first rental at 5:30. The agent was not too happy since she had to wait all day for us but it wasn't our fault Jet Blue sucks. Once we explained she was a little more understanding. I kept in touch with everyone as the schedule changed but I was pretty powerless to affect it. We didn't make it to the last place until after 7pm and I apologized to the owner on the phone. She didn't hide her anger at me for being so delayed. I completely understand her frustration, I was frustrated too as I had a number of properties on my list that I didn't make it to at all. Jet Blue You Suck.

Had I been at a restaurant and received such bad service I would have gotten my meal for free. But Jet Blue offered us nothing. Nothing for the inconvenience of missing appointments, nothing for the stress, nothing for the added expense that we incurred to the late arrival in Napa. Our original plan was to rent the car for the afternoon take it back to the airport after looking at the rental property and then take BART from the airport to our hotel. By the time we got to the airport last night it as near 11pm and it seemed not a desirable choice to take the subway at such an hour so we took a $60 cab ride. We lost most of our day waiting for Jet Blue and due to Jet Blue's incompetence.

Jet Blue You Suck

Michael Jackson: Can we separate the person from the art?

With the death of Michael Jackson comes a lot of issues. The one that I find interesting is if it is correct/appropriate/acceptable to separate the man from the art. It seems in creativity we find many odd characters and Michael Jackson is the poster child for oddity. Some have vilified him as a child molester, at the very least most call him a weird guy.

But what about the music?

I spent a rather long time driving the other day on my way to and from Torrey Pines and part of the trip I spent listening to an L.A. station, KJLH, and it's tribute to the King of Pop. After a couple of hours of hearing hits like "Thriller", "PYT", "Remember the Time" and countless other tunes I felt happy. I like the music. I am thankful that he was here for as long as he was and created such joy with his music.

Listening I remember where I was the first time I heard "Off the Wall" (it was my first trip to Hawaii) and the first time I saw the video for "Billy Jean" (on that video show Richard Blade hosted in the 80's called MV3). I remembered how with "Billy Jean" Michael Jackson opened the world media to black artists. Before he came on the scene with the lighted sidewalk MTV was exclusively white artists. MJ changed everything. I remember Richard Blade introducing the video on MV3 and starting off by saying that he knew he would get some flack for playing it on a "new wave" show but he also knew that this was something extraordinary that he needed to share.

There is no doubt that his legacy will be the music but is it appropriate to support his legacy even with the child molester claims?

I think so.

I think that creativity comes with the price that ultimately cost the man his life. Just like artists that commit suicide (Kurt Cobain). Just like people who get famous for being crazy and fall to the excesses of celebrity (John Belushi, Chris Farley). I believe that many of the most revered men in history (e.g. Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson) had demons that they fought with that never got the in depth coverage of a tabloid or a website. Do we really know what being a "womanizer" was back then?

I do not condone child abuse of any kind but I can separate the personality from the art and say "I like the music".

Thank you Michael.

Oahu Part 1

To be home on the islands, how I missed it. So many things that seemed so familiar but many of the landmarks of my childhood visits were gone. What to do in 4 days to recapture that feeling of Aloha?

We stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village and if you avoid the $30 pizza and use the $16/day internet service wisely I think this is an affordable place to stay. We booked the cheapest room possible and when we arrived I flashed my blue (lowest level) Hilton Honors card and the helpful woman at the desk found us a nice upgrade to a mid level room in Kalia Tower which is located at the back of the property but has the easiest access from the main road. We had a wonderful view, little noise, and surprisingly comfortable bedding. Valet parking at the Hilton is only $5 more ($29) than parking yourself so it was a no-brainer.

Our first night after careful deliberation we picked the Side Street Inn about 2 miles from the hotel for our dinner. When I called my brother to meet us there I told him that this place was recommended for local food but that it was not in the most desirable neighborhood (there were strip clubs and seedy bars along the way). The food here was great. We feasted on Kalua Pork Sliders on peking duck style buns, Katsu Chicken, Soba Noodle, Fried Pork Chops, and my favorite Ahi Belly. The Ahi Belly was covered in a salt & pepper husk and flash fried to perfection so that the inside was rare and the outside was nicely crisped. Throw in a couple of the local lagers and you are set!


The next morning we wandered around the property and checked out the exclusive lagoon area at the Hilton. We scheduled lunch with the family at the Big City Diner which is a chain restaurant but has good local food. This trip was all about local food for me. I had the kalua pork with lomi salmon, rice and all the good stuff. Nina got the loco moco with Kim Chee fried rice and it was quite delicious. We spent the afternoon touring the island looking for spots to perform the scattering. There were many nice locations but the minute we saw the Pali Lookout it seemed a perfect place.

On the path to shave ice we came across Leonards and had to stop in for malasadas! Malasadas are puffy donuts covered in cinnamon sugar (or powered sugar if you prefer) and can come with different fillings if you choose. I stuck with my favorite cinnamon sugar no filling. Nice! We made it to Waiola Shave Ice as well and their snow drift powdered ice was quite a treat. The guy behind the counter doesn’t smile but who can blame him he serves shave ice all day and it’s hot and humid in this place!

Since we were full on treats we passed on dinner and instead Nina and I went to the Tropics Bar at the Hilton for a late night adult beverage. She had a Mai Tai that was so strong she couldn’t finish it and I had an amazing Watermelon Mojito.
It tasted like a watermelon jolly rancher candy.

A fitting ending to a night of treats!

Final Resting Place

June 8th 2009 Oahu, Hawaii.

It was a cathartic moment for all of us. At a time where I have struggled with my faith or with what it means to have faith in something more than this life. Something more than the hard surfaces I walk on, the heavy weight of the luggage, the savory taste of the local cuisine and sweet smell of the flowers that line the pathways of Waikiki. To see the ashes of my long departed mother cascade down to rest on the lush vegetation below the Pali Lookout gave me a sense of accomplishment. A voice in my head that echoed the thoughts of those around me. “It's done” and so with it a weight was lifted from those who had anticipated this moment for more than 16 years. And as the last remnant of my mother's physical being left the container it happened.

It can best be described as a shudder. It was something that I felt throughout my body, similar to the fatigue after a rough workout. It compromised my physical self where my emotions had stayed intact. It challenged my current belief in the “collision of coincidence” where all things in life are random and we look back on them and try to make sense of them by making weak connections. It brought to question whether my mother's soul or some element of it was trapped in that plastic box for all these years. None of this was expected.

There was something about what brought these people together at this time in my life that made me reconsider what it means to have faith. That which so many depend on in their daily lives. That which has seemed to have left me behind.

More to come...

Uncorked Las Vegas 2009

What a time was had!

We sampled food from the greatest chefs, spent an afternoon with the master sommeliers of the Bellagio, and the "wheel of fortune" landed on the $1000 mark! YES!

Friday night began with a long line of foodies in anticipation of the surge to the pool area at Caesars Palace where nearly 100 vendors were waiting with their food and drink samples. Some of the attendees included BLT Burger, SEABLUE, MESA Grill, Nobhill Tavern, L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, craftSteak, Table 10 and Wolfgang Puck. The samplings included hearty comfort foods, delicate fish sensations, bisques, and extravagant desserts. Among my favorites were the BLT Kobe slider, a lobster ravioli like creation made from pickled diakon, delicate hamachi stuffed with crab, espresso banana pudding, shrimp on a sugarcane skewer, lamb shank in a thai style sauce, Emerril's Po Boy slider, and Bobby Flay's fantastic ceviche served in a half a coconut shell. A feast of the senses that included a wonderful Mondavi Icon Cabernet Sauvignon, a myriad of mixed drinks, and Ty-Ku Sake which I loved and I normally am not a Sake fan.

Criticisms:
Too many attendees - Future Grand Tastings should put a tighter limit on the number of attendees
Some of the wine was hot - Due to the heat of the day some of the wines were literally hot
Plastic wine glasses - I understand them but I don't like them.

Saturday I was surrounded by five amazing wines:

• Charles Ellner Brut Reserve Champagne
• Bouchard Meursault Burgundy 2005
• Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Tuscany 2003
• Trapiche Malbec "Vina Adriana Venturin" Mendoza 2006
• Toro Albala "Don PX" Montilla - Moriles 2004

at a wine immersion seminar hosted by the Master Sommeliers of the Bellagio. Each wine had it's own charm but the highlight for me was the Trapiche Malbec a rich complex fruit forward wine which in Argentine tradition is named for the grower (Adriana Venturin) and comes from a high elevation vineyard which is annually flooded by the purest water runoff. Argentina is considered an up and coming wine region which makes this wine a bargin at approx $40-$45. I am told that 2006 was a great year so I am seeking more of this baby!

It was truly a unique event as less than 30 of us got to interact with the likes of Steve Olsen of Bon Appetit magazine, Jason Smith the wine director of the of the Bellagio, Robert Smith of Piccaso, William Moss of Le Cirque, and Joesph Phillips of Michael Mina. I interjected my own agenda early when I asked for advice regarding what someone who is looking to make wine his second career (me) should do to make it happen. The entire panel had something for me and I was impressed to hear the depth of their activities in the wine culture. Despite their elevated status these guys make a point of participating in every aspect for the wine business from harvesting and crush to helping you select the right medium body red to accompany your foie gras.

They impressed me with their down to earth personalities, there were no attitudes here just a common love for wine and the bottom line as expressed by Steve "The ultimate goal of our jobs is to make people happy".

Take note you snobs of South Orange County! The wine culture is not about how expensive the bottle is or what the Manolo costs that you are drinking champagne from it's about people with a shared love, it's about what makes the wine community happy.

I especially enjoyed chatting with William Moss and Robert Smith as they had helped me stamp out the path I will take in the coming months. It is with this afternoon's event that I have decided to pursue the title of sommelier. To study and soak up the wine culture in preparation for passing the first test toward master sommelier.

To end the trip with a bang I was drawn to a $1 Wheel of Fortune slot machine at the Palazzo on Sunday afternoon and after contibuting $30 to the machine I got to spin the wheel and it came up $1000! YAHOO!

Needless to say we will be back in Vegas next year for UNCORKED 2010!

SONOMA -4- WINE: Raymond Burr Vineyards

Friday March 20th was a great day in wine country. It was a great day to be off from work. Any day for that matter is a great day to skip work but this one was a special one. The sun was out and the breeze was crisp. Blooming flowers and lush green meadows. The wine, oh such joy in a glass. Yes it was a great day in wine country.

Thanks to the folks at Raymond Burr, Ferrari-Carano and RODNEY STRONG for renewing my faith that good wines are still produced in "Wine Country". The amazing aromas and the multi-layer silky tastes of these stars of the Northern region of Sonoma opened my senses and left me feeling comforted. Maybe Sonoma should be my next place of residence?

Raymond Burr Vineyards is a small 14 arce parcel of hillside that produces about 3000 cases a year. They could produce 5000 cases but they are careful to only use the best of the crop to produce a stellar array of wines.

There entire line are a delight and the Cabernet Blend awakes the senses and . Among the wines we enjoyed were the 05 Chardonnay, 05 Cabernet Franc, the 07 Estate Port, and my personal fave the 05 Cabernet Sauvignon. Did I mention the tasting was free. NICE!

Raymond Burr Vineyards has a number of cool parties each year including the Taste of Azores Islands in late September and I hope that we can get a chance to participate.

We enjoyed our lunch on the picnic tables with the sweeping vineyards all around us. A perfect place for a healthy pour of Cabernet Sauvignon and ham & cheese on baguette from Bouchon Bakery.

We even got to take photos with the emmy!

Next Stop Ferrari-Carano.

Blogging

What is blogging to you? To me it is talking about that things that intrigue me for the moment when I find myself intrigued and in a certain amount of depth. With the goal of trying to create as polished a piece as possible so that my readers aren't dissuaded by my incoherence.

This has become my burden and my joy. I can't tell you how many times I have started a post with an idea I find intriguing (there's that word again) only to find myself distracted to the point I cannot complete my thought or find that I don't know how to complete it eloquently.

This is where I have found myself over the last few weeks, instead of trying to put something together I am left with "Sup with you" posts that for me only chronicle the thoughts in my head but do not really exercise my expression.

So the fact is that sometimes I have stuff to say and sometimes I don't. It is my hope that you will stick with me and when I feel the writer in me ready to bust out you will still be there to enjoy.

An old standby is coming up next.

The travelogue.

Doin All Right, Sup with You?

Wine News:
Ordered my first bottle of French wine the other night without the help of the Sommelier. It was actually quite easy as I recognized a region in Burgundy that I had studied in wine class and said "I will take this one". The class has certainly empowered me but also left me humbled when I thought for sure I knew the origin of a particular wine we were blind tasting and got it horribly wrong.

BevMo is having a 5 cent sale and two of the featured wines are among my favorites. Michael Pozzan Cabernet Sauvignon (Special Reserve) and Bridlewood Viognier. Get them while they last!


TV News:
Is 24 the most solid program on TV? They don't unnecessarily stretch story lines out instead choosing to wrap them up in a blaze of glory. Jack Bauer Rules!

Radio:
Monday was the last day of Opie & Anthony on CBS radio. The economy has taken it's toll on radio companies as they trim their expenses and remove all the talent from the air. First KLSX removed their entire talk line up in LA and now O&A in NYC. Top 40 jukeboxes for everyone?

Still O&A will live on in the world of Satellite Radio. I just re-upped my XM sub to avoid the pending price increases and with today's announcement that Sirius XM will be available on iPhone's in the spring the stock is now trading near 20 cents/share. So sign up people! We need the subs!

I attended a Tax Revolt last Saturday in Fullerton and found it quite ironic that the same bunch of people who rallied to put the Governator into office are now trying to get him sacked. It's clear that if your political representatives are not doing what you think is right the only recourse is to recall them. My cynical view on politics sees this as an act of futility as he would just be replaced by another puppet of the California State Legislature.

Politics:
Mr. Obama, where is the change you promised? Is it in the stimulus to spend more money on education & social programs (now that is an original idea from the left) or is it from funding of pet projects that could provide jobs in 2012? The blatant disregard by all the politicos out there to raise taxes in a time when the price of consumer goods are 8.6% higher than last year is alarming and disturbing.

If you were a jelly bean what color would you be?

Bottle Shock

It's a term applied to wine that has been jostled in shipment. Upset by the apple cart the wine becomes unsettled and it is recommended that the wine sit for a few days before drinking as it may not taste its best.

Bottle Shock is a new DVD release that chronicles the struggle of a family winery in 1976 when California wines were just beginning to get recognized by the world. Bill Pullman plays the gruff family patriarch who one by one pushes the people who care about him away as he fights with creditors to keep his dream alive. Chris Pine plays the hippie son Bo who seems more interested in banging the new wine intern (Rachael Taylor) than getting to work on time.

Alan Rickman plays the British owner of a wine shop in Paris that can't seem to generate any business and tires of his freeloader clientele (Dennis Farina). In an attempt to generate business Rickman's character travels to the Napa Valley to discover what the new world has to offer.

Primarily set in beautiful wine country and carefully staged to bring you back to 1976 (I haven't seem a AMC Gremlin in 20 years) this movie is a true delight. A full range of emotions can be had with a denoument that is a landmark in the history of wine. If you loved Sideways you will enjoy this movie.


Reviews in Brief:

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - Enough already
Righteous Kill - Is it Turk? Is it Rooster? Who Cares?
Borat - This is one of those movies that if you go back and watch it a second time you will wonder why you laughed the first time.
Hot Fuzz - Lost in translation, and I know how to translate.

My Night in the ER

It was chest pains that brought me. That's a golden ticket to the front of the line in the emergency room. Within minutes I was hooked up to an EKG machine and they had discovered that every so often my heart would have an extra beat. I thought this might be proof that I had rhythm but it sure made me feel poor. I could feel this pain in the center of my chest and was overly aware of the beating from my heart.

What brought me here was fear. Fear in the sense that my Dad had heart disease that resulted in multiple bypass surgeries and my uncle died in his 50's due to a heart attack. Fear that came from the fact that in the previous week I had similar symptoms that I decided to sleep off and ignore. They went away but I knew my body was telling me something and best I hear it.
There was a connection between both events (drinking coffee late in the day) and I wasn't sure if it was caffeine or what was making me feel this way. I just knew I didn't like it.

The ER that night was awash in pain and humor. The woman who came in via paramedics in the fetal position who when asked what was wrong told the doctor that she "didn't feel well" but wouldn't get more specific. The doctor kept shaking her because she keep dosing off as he tried to get to the root of the problem but she was not going to be "Samantha Specific" tonight. She simply responded "Why are you doing that to me" and when he told her he couldn't help her if she didn't tell her what was wrong she responded " I am not having this conversation with you". He swung the curtain all the way open and left her, she promptly feel asleep and snored louder than the two Mexican jabber jaws that broke the silence of the ER.

Then there was the elderly lady who was stretchered in with an oxygen mask whose face was filled with pain but in the morning after getting some basic treatment had no recollection of having difficulty breathing and "felt fine".

These are not the patients you're looking for...

Wine School

Tonight is the second night of the wine class I am taking in Newport Beach. I decided that with some exposure to the science behind wine perhaps I could figure out where I might belong in the industry because I clearly don't belong where I am at. The instructor is young but knowledgeable and I have already learned quite a lot. She is also very personable and I am glad she is teaching the class.

The math of fermentation is Sugar + Yeast = Alcohol + CO2 + Heat.
The sugar comes from the pulp, the yeast & color comes from the skin.

The alcohol content is based on the amount of sugar (partially based on when the grapes are harvested) and the amount of time that the grapes are left to ferment. Fruity/Sweet wines are generally lower in alcohol content than Dry/Tannic / Full body wines as not all the sugar ferments to alcohol. One exception to this is Port because brandy is added to the wine that kicks up it's alcohol content. Sugar left in the wine after the fermentation process is complete is referred to as Residual Sugar. Sulfites are added to both red & white wine as a preservative but organic wines have no preservatives.

This is just some of the goodness I have learned and the primary focus of the first class was learning the method of evaluating wine based on its visual, nose, and taste aspects.

My nose and taste buds have a lot to learn.

It's quite difficult for me to identify the minute elements in a wine and when challenged I cannot tell you whether I smell flowers or fruit or earth. However I can tell you by taste and smell whether I am drinking a Pinot, Merlot, Zin, or Cabernet. Hopefully I will learn better to identify the various essences as we go along.

We had some great wines and the class went a hour over it's set schedule. NICE!

I am looking forward to Class #2

Finally Obama has come back to Washington!

OK, here is where we start "Peoples President".

Our country is in bad shape, we are at war, the economy is in the toilet and Barack Hussein Obama is the 44th President of these United States of America.

I am cautiously optimistic regarding the new commander in chief, it kind of feels like when Arnold became the Governator after that hack was recalled. What was his name? Davis, Al no I mean Gray Davis. That's the ticket. I felt like this with Arnold. He planned to make radical change and unfortunately he fell into the web of the hacks in Sacramento who are currently responsible for disaster that California has become.

President Obama could just as easily fall into this trap but I hope that the current state of our union will help him move an agenda forward of "uniting people from both sides of the aisle". His pledge for an "end to petty greed" while "wasteful programs will end" he will "re-establish trust" in our government.

Can you tell I paid close attention to his speech today?

What I hope is that Obama will take aggressive action to correct the problems we face in 2009 and that he won't be a victim of a group of established bureaucrats who enjoy a nice lunch out each day. I have faced such adversity in my work where my drive to correct things has been perceived and aggressive and threatening to the established hierarchy.

Way to make myself important eh? In the annuls of time the name James Mossman and Barrack Obama will be placed together as two heroes who tried to make a difference.

Hopefully Barack will have better luck than I. "With (our) eyes fixed on the horizon" we will uplift the "noble idea that all are created equal" and have a right "to pursue a measure of happiness".

Black leader you are approved for your bombing run. Watch out for those tie fighters.

Open cheek.
Insert tongue.

Napa 4 Food

The GOOD:
During a recent visit to the Napa Valley Nina & I had the delight of enjoying a nice lunch at the Napa Valley Grille. A combination of breads with olive oil/balsamic vinegar started off the meal. I orders a wine flight called "Red Red Wine" which included an amazingly complex Burgess Syrah. This was followed with a delicious plate of Fritto Misto which consists of fried calamari & rock shrimp and a elaborate collection of vegetables including squash and sour-spicy fried peppercinos. A lovely drizzle of a light rosemary aioli decorated the top of the fried goodness and a hearty puttanesca sauce along the west perimeter of the dish is included for measured combining with the fried bits of heaven. Can you tell I loved this dish? Indeed!
My main dish was the Kobe Burger. It was a melagne of tastes drawn from the aged cheddar, bacon, onion and spicy remoulade. Another delight that paired well with the trio of wines I chose for the afternoon. The dish came with crispy seasoned fries that are among my favorites fries ever.

The best meal of the trip! I will return to the Napa Valley Grill the next time I am in town.


The BAD:
RINGS at the Embassy Suites was horrible. We decided to eat at the hotel because we had spent nearly 10 hours on the road and were not looking to drive around looking for a place. Next time we will not make the same mistake. We could have dropped in at Kelly's No Bad Days Cafe and paid 1/4 of the price for a better meal.


All the rest:
Well Bouchon was a disappointment as the steak I had was uninspired, but their take on gnocchi was quite good. Their Bakery in Yountville has lots of goodies and seems to have a line out the door most times of the day. I recommend the macaroons especially espresso and vanilla flavor. They have good sandwiches too.

On the last day a visit to Kelly's No Bad Day's Cafe was quite good. I enjoyed the BLT salad and wished that I had room for their deserts as they were numerous and looked very delicious.

The wine tasting in NAPA... eh, not that good. Rather sad.

Random Thoughts to Start 2009

Everyone is telling me "I hope this year is better than last" and to be honest it doesn't feel different to me. After a nice two week vacation I am back at my crappy job doing the same crappy stuff. I do plan to transform myself but it's got nothing to do the change in the date.

Are you supposed to tip the guy that shuttles you from the car dealer? What about the one that brings your car out when it's done? I didn't today and I have never before but I got the feeling that someone was looking for a tip. In Oregon it's against the law to pump your own gas so they have attendants to do the job. Since I was there in the cold and snow I felt bad for them so I tipped them nicely. My nephew told me the locals never tip. My nephew works at Starbucks and the workers there depend a lot on tips taken in. So I am rethinking my policy about tipping because I currently think that pouring a cup of coffee is not something that requires a tip. But then again I never get them fancy steamed, swirled, syrup heavy coffee drinks. I only drink black coffee.

I think my wife might be a fart whisperer. When we are awake and I fart she will complain as expected but lately I have discovered that if she is asleep and I fart (as I often do during my morning stretch) that she will comment. It's usually a complaining "mmmm" but the fact that she responds to each and every fart makes me think that there is some kind of communication going on.

Ass: These lactaid pills are great, I can eat dairy and digest it much easier.
Wife: I noticed that you seem healthier and you are ready to shout it out to the world!

Ass: You got that right! I am taking Lactaid 4 - LIFE!
Wife: It's cool that your farts don't smell that bad too. Maybe you can start eating bananas again?

Ass: That would be great! My tummy loves bananas and since I fart already the fact that bananas make me fart won't be noticed.
Wife: And they are a great source of A & D as well as potassium

Maybe I am reading too much into this?

Toward the end of the two week christmas adventure we spend a couple of days in Napa. It has been many years since we actually stayed in Napa and I was looking forward to checkout out what was new. I found that Napa is more a place to eat than for wine. Most of the wines we sampled just didn't have the robust complex flavors that I expect. I was a bit disappointed. The highlight of the trip for me was a visit to the Napa Valley Grill for lunch. I will discuss this visit in specifics in the future post. Stay tuned!

My Ass just told me it's time to get back to work so I will bid you adieu.

Happy New Year