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.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
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!
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!
Monday, July 13, 2009
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 wo
uld 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
Saturday, July 04, 2009
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
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
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
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!
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!
Friday, June 19, 2009
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...
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...
Saturday, May 16, 2009
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:
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!
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
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!
Monday, March 30, 2009
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?
Next Stop Ferrari-Carano.
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.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
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.
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.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
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?
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?
Sunday, February 15, 2009
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.
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.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
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...
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...
Monday, January 26, 2009
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
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
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
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.
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.
Monday, January 05, 2009
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
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
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
It's those last 20 miles that test your determination
Anytime we take on a challenge is it the jumping in that is hard?
Is it keeping your pace up?
Is it avoiding distractions and keeping focus?
Perhaps its the emotional support from the people that love you?
Last night it was the shits.
Nina and I had just traveled some 960 miles enroute from Fullerton, CA to Portland, OR and my stomach was not happy. I wasn't sure what I had eaten that could cause the distress but the boy was distressed. It was gurgling, and snapping, and popping. It was rice crispies of the intestine.
To make matters worse after 960 miles of clear weather free driving we reached a point where the streets were covered in ice, temperatures were subzero and my X3 was making me question if all wheel drive was enough to get me to my destination.
With the exception of the beautiful snow covered trees of Mt Shasta we didn't see a speck of snow or ice on the ground. Once we came through mountain pass into Salem, Santa's winter wonderland surrounded us. There was no snow falling on us but there was a good 6" base that lit up the sky like daytime. Truly beautiful this snow was. What? Gurgle, spat, ugh.
As we passed the exit to Keiser, OR the home of friends Tish & Bill I said to myself that we should stick to the road despite the repeated calls from my nephew Warren warning of congestion, delays and all around traffic nightmare. He suggested that we stop in Wilsonville for a little while to do some shopping or have dinner while the road cleared up. We didn't make it to Wilsonville.
At Washburn approximately 8 mile (yo Em wassup?) south of Wilsonville traffic came to stop. So the thought of stopping for the night at the local best western seemed like a good idea. I could tell Nina was worried about driving in the snow and if it hadn't been 28 degrees there would probably have been sweat on her brow. But in these temps mini icicles had begun to form on her eyelashes. No rooms at the Inn but if we travel 2 miles the wrong direction we might have a chance at a room at the local fleebag. Nope.
I decided to tough the weather out. I have never driven in the stuff and, oops, what was that? O crap lets hit the restrooms Sweetie! It was horendous.
Imagine the worse stomach flu you ever had. The smell of old fish combined with a trash dump. That gooey stuff that gatherers between your toes when you don't wash your feet for two weeks.
Oh yes it was pleasant.
But I had to suck it up (not literally you sick f's) and trudge through this wonderfull white christmas eve that I had always dreamed of. Yep it was now past midnight so we were ho ho hoing all night.
The radio was no help either. Apparently the state of Oregon does not think it important to have an all news station so trying to find out more info about the weather conditions we were headed toward was not going to happen. Instead we had to listen to an interview with "Uncle Ted" the rocker/gun nut who says if Obama is elected we are all done for. I guess there is no live radio on Dec 23rd.
Our journey ended at 1:45 am after leaving Fullerton at 6:30am. FUN!
No chains on, I had AWD after all. My X3 had some slip and slide last night and Nina was very appreciative once we made it to the safety of her sisters.
Here's to my FIRST White Christmas! Gurgle, churn, spat, ugh.
Much love to all!
Is it keeping your pace up?
Is it avoiding distractions and keeping focus?
Perhaps its the emotional support from the people that love you?
Last night it was the shits.
Nina and I had just traveled some 960 miles enroute from Fullerton, CA to Portland, OR and my stomach was not happy. I wasn't sure what I had eaten that could cause the distress but the boy was distressed. It was gurgling, and snapping, and popping. It was rice crispies of the intestine.
To make matters worse after 960 miles of clear weather free driving we reached a point where the streets were covered in ice, temperatures were subzero and my X3 was making me question if all wheel drive was enough to get me to my destination.
With the exception of the beautiful snow covered trees of Mt Shasta we didn't see a speck of snow or ice on the ground. Once we came through mountain pass into Salem, Santa's winter wonderland surrounded us. There was no snow falling on us but there was a good 6" base that lit up the sky like daytime. Truly beautiful this snow was. What? Gurgle, spat, ugh.
As we passed the exit to Keiser, OR the home of friends Tish & Bill I said to myself that we should stick to the road despite the repeated calls from my nephew Warren warning of congestion, delays and all around traffic nightmare. He suggested that we stop in Wilsonville for a little while to do some shopping or have dinner while the road cleared up. We didn't make it to Wilsonville.
At Washburn approximately 8 mile (yo Em wassup?) south of Wilsonville traffic came to stop. So the thought of stopping for the night at the local best western seemed like a good idea. I could tell Nina was worried about driving in the snow and if it hadn't been 28 degrees there would probably have been sweat on her brow. But in these temps mini icicles had begun to form on her eyelashes. No rooms at the Inn but if we travel 2 miles the wrong direction we might have a chance at a room at the local fleebag. Nope.
I decided to tough the weather out. I have never driven in the stuff and, oops, what was that? O crap lets hit the restrooms Sweetie! It was horendous.
Imagine the worse stomach flu you ever had. The smell of old fish combined with a trash dump. That gooey stuff that gatherers between your toes when you don't wash your feet for two weeks.
Oh yes it was pleasant.
But I had to suck it up (not literally you sick f's) and trudge through this wonderfull white christmas eve that I had always dreamed of. Yep it was now past midnight so we were ho ho hoing all night.
The radio was no help either. Apparently the state of Oregon does not think it important to have an all news station so trying to find out more info about the weather conditions we were headed toward was not going to happen. Instead we had to listen to an interview with "Uncle Ted" the rocker/gun nut who says if Obama is elected we are all done for. I guess there is no live radio on Dec 23rd.
Our journey ended at 1:45 am after leaving Fullerton at 6:30am. FUN!
No chains on, I had AWD after all. My X3 had some slip and slide last night and Nina was very appreciative once we made it to the safety of her sisters.
Here's to my FIRST White Christmas! Gurgle, churn, spat, ugh.
Much love to all!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Things That Aren't Here Anymore
There was a popular local Newsman in Los Angeles by the name of Ralph Story. Growing up I associated the guy with boredom because it seemed to me that he never talked about anything I cared about. So when Dad watched one of his programs I found something else to do.
This year I discovered a two episode series of Ralph's called "Things that arent here anymore" and the "More things that aren't here anymore". A delightful survey of Southern California attractions that we loved as a kid and no longer exist. I have to say that watching the shows brought back fond memories for me like the time the lion attacked our station wagon at Lion Country Safari or getting bit on the arm by a roaming goose at Busch Gardens. Yes! Those were the "safe and sane" years.
I imagine that in 5 years there will be another series (perhaps helmed by the great Huell Howser) profiling those things that are not around since the collapse of our economic system. It doesn't take a genius to realize that the CDs are running empty at the Local Entertainment Store not to be replenished as the Digital Age is upon us. With the expense of producing goods increasing I see that the era of the "touch and feel" economy will dissappear. We will no longer care about having a solid piece of whatever to show for the money we spend. Could the Quatloo be that far off?
Here is the beginning of my list of "Things that won't be here anymore":
1. The Middle Class.
Shocking as it may seem I believe that as more individuals lose their jobs and more get dumped on the street as a result of foreclosure that the US as we know it will be like many third world countries. There will be Rich and there will be Poor. I think that the US economy has ridden on the backs of the middle class for too long and we are fast approaching the day when the middle class will no longer be able to afford to keep the government afloat and will fail. What side will you be on? Rich or Poor? That is unless we adopt The New Economy.
Wow that's a big one!
I better let that settle in with you before I write "More Things That Aren't Here Anymore".
This year I discovered a two episode series of Ralph's called "Things that arent here anymore" and the "More things that aren't here anymore". A delightful survey of Southern California attractions that we loved as a kid and no longer exist. I have to say that watching the shows brought back fond memories for me like the time the lion attacked our station wagon at Lion Country Safari or getting bit on the arm by a roaming goose at Busch Gardens. Yes! Those were the "safe and sane" years.
I imagine that in 5 years there will be another series (perhaps helmed by the great Huell Howser) profiling those things that are not around since the collapse of our economic system. It doesn't take a genius to realize that the CDs are running empty at the Local Entertainment Store not to be replenished as the Digital Age is upon us. With the expense of producing goods increasing I see that the era of the "touch and feel" economy will dissappear. We will no longer care about having a solid piece of whatever to show for the money we spend. Could the Quatloo be that far off?
Here is the beginning of my list of "Things that won't be here anymore":
1. The Middle Class.
Shocking as it may seem I believe that as more individuals lose their jobs and more get dumped on the street as a result of foreclosure that the US as we know it will be like many third world countries. There will be Rich and there will be Poor. I think that the US economy has ridden on the backs of the middle class for too long and we are fast approaching the day when the middle class will no longer be able to afford to keep the government afloat and will fail. What side will you be on? Rich or Poor? That is unless we adopt The New Economy.
Wow that's a big one!
I better let that settle in with you before I write "More Things That Aren't Here Anymore".
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Birthday
It's just another birthday for me. After the many that have passed in my life the process becomes rather routine. But there are a few attributes to good a birthday.
- Any birthday that includes a party is a good one. I don't much like getting presents (at least not as much as when I was a spoiled kid) but I like spending time with my friends and family on such an occasion. And when the only person in my life who has EVER been able to surprise me succeeds, well it makes it all that more fun.
- Birthdays celebrated in Vegas are always cool because you hope that you will be extra lucky. Not as such for me at the online poker table last night. Vegas is great for birthdays because you can let loose, drink too much, and no one will be the wiser.
- When your company gives you the day off for your birthday, it's always a good birthday. I don't know why more companies don't do this as it makes people feel like their employers care about them eventhough they clearly don't.
- A birthday that lands on a Friday or Saturday is always better than birthdays during the work week because no matter how much fun they are you always know that tomorrow you have to come back to this stinking place.
- Birthdays when you are kid and your parents are not divorced are probably the best birthdays. They are almost magical sometimes. It's on a day like today especially that I miss my Mom & Dad. They were gems.
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