Claire Uncorked

Full Circle

2011-11-16T20:15:00.000-06:00

The weather in St. Louis was unseasonably warm over the last few days, which caused my allergies to go haywire. I know I'm not the only one. After what must have been my 12th sneeze in a row last night, Doug asked me what I wanted to drink. I knew he meant wine, & after a bit of consideration, I declined.

Yes, you read that correctly. I said "no" to wine.

I figured it would be a waste of a decent bottle if we opened one. Even after an overdose of Sinex, my senses of smell & taste were questionable. Since Doug wasn't suffering from anything other than a long day, he still wanted wine. Fair enough.

It was during our search for a bottle that Doug A) wanted to drink & B) that I really didn't care about (remember, he calls me the wine warden for a reason), I came to a sudden & somewhat surprising realization...

Me: "Holy shit! We don't have a single bottle of Merlot!"
Doug: "That's weird. We like Merlot."
Me: "Yes, we do! How in the hell did that happen?"

Doug had no answer other than the problem is easy to fix, & then he decided on a bottle of Argentinian Chardonnay that my boss sent me home with one day. Just one of the perks of my job. ( Just a warning - I'm about to go slightly off-topic. Big shock.) Anyway, he opened it up & I was actually able to smell & taste it....but only because it smelled exactly like banana taffy. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe that's a good thing in a Chardonnay. Waaaay too much banana. Besides that, the finish was really weird. Doug disagreed, so he poured himself a glass.

About 15 minutes later, after I'd poured myself a Diet Coke & lime flavored rum (not bad!), Doug declared that I was right, the finish sucked & that it's a good thing that my company didn't pick up that line. I'm not right very often, but man....I really like it when I am.

Enough of my digression. Back to Merlot.

I woke up this morning & found myself thinking about our lack of Merlot. I just get like that sometimes. Luckily for me, I happen to work in a warehouse full of wine, so guess what I brought home? You guessed it - a bottle of Merlot.

My sinuses are much better tonight, so yay! We're drinking wine. I guess we both had Merlot on the brain because that's exactly what we're drinking right now. And it's lovely. And we're happy.

And now we have no more Merlot.

If that's not enough, after reading another blog, I've realized we also don't have any Petite Sirah.

Here we go again...

Decisions, decisions...

2011-11-09T20:49:00.000-06:00

As is the case almost any time we open up a bottle of wine, there's always the question "Which one? What are you in the mood for?" Doug has labeled me the "wine warden" - & he's right - because I don't always want to open up a special bottle on, oh, a Wednesday night.

Not that I'm hating on Wednesdays, mind you, but I'm sure you get my drift.

It's gotten to the point in our house that we have a bit of a challenge. We have quite a bit of wine - if I were to guess how much, I'd say about 80-90 bottles. Not a tremendous amount, but for 2 people, I'd say that's a decent amount. The challenge is that we have a lot of really great bottles, some that would be good for 3rd or 4th (or 5th, 6th...) bottles when we have company, & very few bottles that are perfect for a regular Wednesday night. You know, those go-to under $20 bottles that you really like, can get plenty of anytime, & won't be tragic if the bottle isn't finished at the end of the night. (This rarely happens.) I know, I know...quite a predicament, & we're going to work on that.

We also have quite a few bottles that have been signed by the winemaker, & I'm sort of a geek with them. I tend to hang on to them like an 8-year old boy hangs on to a baseball card. Really. Which leads us to tonight...

A few months ago, we went to this absolutely fantastic blind tasting "class" with Siduri/Novy winemaker Adam Lee at the St. Louis Wine Market. I loved every second of this thing (if you don't count the woman that doused herself in perfume & insisted on flitting about the entire room), & perhaps one day I'll get around to writing about it before I forget it. But not tonight. Anyway, we bought a bottle of wine that night - the very rare - as in only 94 cases made - 2009 Novy Family Winery Zinfandel - Carlisle Vineyard from the Russian River Valley in Sonoma - & had Adam sign it...which means that Doug had to guilt me into opening it with "What, he signed it, so now we'll never, ever drink this wine?"

Point taken. Bottle opened.

Let me summarize by saying this: WOW. But I'll go into a little more detail.

Did you know that there's a full 1% leeway on alcohol content? Yep, it's true. So, the label says this Zin clocks in at 15.3%, which is pretty damn high. Let's not even think about the possibility that it could be 16.3...not that I'm scared. From the initial nose on this wine, I'd say that it's at least 15.3 - it was pretty hot at first. But as it usually does with a good bottle of wine, this blows off & you get it. In this case, the alcohol gave way to very lovely baking spice-filled aromas.

On the palate, this wine screams luscious dark fruit with cinnamon, & an almost chocolate-like finish. The alcohol, while high, is very well-integrated, in my opinion. A great Zin, but not necessarily an in-your-face one. I'd venture to say that it's somewhat restrained. Just somewhat. I'm just really digging this wine. And it just keeps getting better as time goes on. This is a fairly young wine, & while I would've loved to have held on to it for a bit longer (say, 2-3 years), I'm glad I'm drinking it now.

Well, except that I can't run out & get another bottle. They're probably all sold. I could get really bummed out about that, but why? I still have some left in the bottle, & it's not yet bedtime.

Substance is a big deal....

2011-10-24T19:36:00.000-05:00

....Wines of Substance, that is.

Doug performed a wedding this weekend for some friends of ours, & they gave us a wonderful thank you gift. Not only did they give us a gift card to Veritas (if you recall, one of our favorite haunts), but they also had the owner pick out a bottle of wine for us.

I'm happy to report that he knows us quite well.

He chose the 2009 Wines of Substance Cabernet Franc from Washington. You see, he knows.

Well-made Cab Franc, plainly stated, rocks. It's one of my favorite varietals. This surprised the hell out of a wine dude from Bordeaux that we had brunch with this past Sunday. That statement alone makes me so incredibly cool. All of my coolness aside...while Cab Franc is one of the 5 red Bordeaux varietals, it's mostly used for blending in that region. Really, it's only a major player on its own in the Loire Valley, where the wine is called Chinon after one of the town the vines are grown in.

Ah, but that's just France.

Doug & I decided to open the Wines of Substance tonight, & WOW. The nose was heavenly & quite complex. I picked up some herbal notes like mint - actually, more like a mint tea - & dried cherries. Maybe some rosemary & some other green stuff. Not too much, but just enough. Once I tasted it, I got some raspberry, plum & something like cherry cough drops...the really good ones. Killer finish - if I timed it, I think it would be well over 30 seconds, but I'm not that big of a dork. I could go on & on, but I'll spare you. There's no need to get super-technical. One, I really can't get super technical; two, that gets boring; & three, I want to focus on one of my new favorite bottles.

Cheers!

Wow, I almost forgot I have this thing!

2011-07-30T10:04:00.000-05:00

Crazy, huh?

Well, it was an almost. Inspiration to write pops up every so often, but unfortunately, the time &/or energy didn't follow. You know how it is. My blog silence doesn't mean anything more than that.

Oh, & yes - I still drink wine. Quite a bit of it.

I have some things that I want to write about, but guess what? I'm short on time. Perhaps if I hadn't stayed up until 2:00 a.m. drinking wine with our friends...but whatever.

What can you expect of me in the future? Well, not much, really. I'll write when I want about what I want. I'm not going to write about every wine I drink - now, there's an exhausting concept - & as always, I won't just write about wine. After all, my life is pretty entertaining.

So, with that, I hope to not be such a stranger.

Doug & Claire's Big Ass Missouri Wine Dump

2010-08-25T21:02:00.000-05:00

Yeah, yeah...It's been a long time. So much time has passed that my pal Kyle over at Sippin' St. Louis called me out on it this past Saturday. Tonight, inspiration has struck the Uncorked household.

Doug & I have a lot of wine. Well, we have a lot of wine for what little storage we have, & we had about 10 homeless bottles on top of the bar. With our penchant for continually buying wine (especially now with my place of employment), this was going to become a problem quickly. So, I took a good look at one of our wine racks tonight, & saw 9 very dusty bottles of Missouri wine at the bottom.

We decided that it was time to toss it, but not before tasting each one. We had vintages ranging from 2004 to 2007 in Chambourcin - from a Missouri winery that, in our opinion, makes the best wine in the state - & a Norton/Cynthiana or two from other wineries. We were told that each of these bottles could handle at least 5 years in the cellar/rack.

They lied.

We opened bottle after bottle, giving each their fair shot. One wine had turned orange. One wine had such a sour finish to it that I feared we might have to use Comet to get the taste out of our mouths. Luckily, we didn't have to resort to such drastic measures - the next wine's lack of anything killed it. Not one single wine was acceptable, not even the 2007. Not good, Missouri - not good.

We were now on a mission. Once we'd opened, tasted, & quickly dumped every bottle from Missouri, we grabbed the only one from Illinois. Again, we were told that this Cynthiana could easily handle 10 or more years.

I believe you know the outcome. Poor Truvy was so confused.

We opened up our lone bottle from North Carolina.

Fuck.

At this point, we just wanted some wine. We were disheartened yet amused. I couldn't bring myself to open up our wine from Texas, although after tonight, I don't have high hopes. We're going to have to open those soon.

So, what are we drinking right now? A 2005 Hahn Syrah. We had faith, & we were not disappointed.

Either that, or our palates were just too roached to know any differently. Ugh. I can't bear to think of that possibility.

And she's back...

2010-03-13T09:22:00.000-06:00

Whoa, it's been forever!!! Sorry, folks.

So, here's a brief rundown of what's been going on.

At the end of July, I found out that I was losing my job at the end of August...you know, the one I had just been promoted to last December, & after 9 years with the same employer. Talk about a blow. And it had nothing to do with anything I did or didn't do - instead, it was some hotshot that thought he was bulletproof. Other than to say that the U.S. Congress didn't agree, that's all I'm going to say about that.

Some of you may be asking why you didn't know my situation. Well, that's because I didn't want you to know. Don't take it personally, I just didn't want more of the questions from people that already knew - like "Oh my god! What are you going to do?", & "Have you thought about starting your own dogwalking/sitting business?". I could go on, but I won't. People, while they may mean well, can be really, really stupid. (In other words, think before you say anything to friends that have lost their job.)

So, 5 months of unemployment... I can't tell you how many times I've thought that would be close to Heaven. Boy, was I wrong. Day after day, hanging out in the house. I mean, all of my friends worked, & although we were ok financially, I couldn't exactly justify going to lunch with them several times a week. Oh, I had grand plans for my time off - I was going to get in shape, volunteer, organize this mess of a house I live in, etc. Well, it turns out that it would take at least 2 people to get even a start on the organizing, the weather turned really crappy, & Truvy was a terrible brat that needed to be worn out so that Doug could get to sleep at night. Staying home was just easier, but the nasty funk that settled in was pretty tough to deal with. I did the best I could to keep my chin up, but I know it seeped out from time to time. Yuck. So not my style.

Then, Mattie's cancer returned, in her back leg again. Ugh. Obviously, at 15 & 1/2, she's just too old to aggressively battle it, so we turned to medicine. It worked, for the most part, but the Prednisone made her very, very sick, & I really thought we were going to lose her if we didn't get her off of it pronto. So, we did, & after a while, she got better. It took a lot of TLC & McDonald's cheeseburgers to get her strength back, but I'm happy to report that the tumor has not grown & Mattie is doing well.

Ok, let's get to the good stuff.

We all know that the economy is in the toilet, & unemployment is the new epidemic in this country. I applied all over the place, & didn't get a single call from anyone. I might as well have taken my resume', folded it into a paper airplane, & flown it into the Grand Canyon... my chances of getting called would've been the same. So, I saw this part-time job on Craigslist with next to no information other than the hours & general location & figured why not? A few weeks went by, & I had a voicemail. I got an interview, walked in, & got the job the very next day.

Yeah, yeah, that's great. But here's the kicker....

Ladies & gentlemen, I am now working as the office manager for ....

Wait for it.....

A WINE DISTRIBUTOR!!!!!!!!!

The ONLY call I got in 5 months, & it was this! I know, crazy, right? Me, working in the wine business. And my job rocks. So much. I couldn't have ordered nicer people to work for & with, & of course, the part-time hours &, oh yeah, the 20% off of wholesale discount of all the wine & liquor we carry doesn't hurt, either! Oh, & did I mention that Mattie can come to work with me? She can! I can bring my dog to work! I can bring any of them, but I know my time is running short with my girl. I want to spend as much time as I can with her, & she loves being at the office. The warehouse seems to be her favorite place (she takes after me, she wants to be around a lot of wine).

So, there you have it. My life is a great thing again, & here's hoping that yours is, too!

Revisiting a Christmas Past: O Holy Crap

2009-12-17T10:21:00.001-06:00

Some people wonder why Doug & I have started our tradition of leaving town for Christmas. Our standard answer is "If you knew our family, you'd understand!", & it's so true. Now, we love our family, of course, but seriously - just seriously. We'd talked about bailing on Christmas for several years, but the following story (originally written 12/26/06) sealed the deal. So, for the next few minutes, kick back & be grateful...

***********************

I realize that I may be in the minority here, but boy, am I glad Christmas is over. Anyone who has read this blog has probably picked up that both sides of our family are a bit off, & this year only added to the proof. In the interest of keeping this as short & as easy-to-read as possible, I'm going to break it down. So, without further adieu, here are the "highlights" of our Christmas...

CHRISTMAS EVE

* For reasons that we don't know (it's just less painful to not ask), my (divorced) parents were 30 minutes late. We weren't upset about it, but we knew that at least my dad would be. Yay, let the good times roll...

* Rather than bring my mom's very cute but very rambunctious dog Poppy in first in order to secure her in the kitchen with the other dogs (both Poppy & Charles are runners) & then unload the car, both of my parents had their arms full of presents while my dad had the dog on a leash. This is bad because neither of them are too steady on their feet, & it also made the situation much more hectic than it needed to be. As a result of this chaos, my dad became very frustrated & (unintentionally & briefly) hung poor Poppy. I ended up yelling at my dad, which always gives a great feeling.

* During breakfast, my dad almost made my mom cry by asking her to tell us news of her brother (who has cancer & is having a difficult time). The news wasn't horrible, but it shook her up. Greeeaaat timing there, Pops. (My mom later cried in the driveway.)

* Also during breakfast, my dad, as usual, talked over everyone else & asked the same questions over & over again. I began to think of spiking my coffee.

* My mom had a hard time opening up one of her gifts. Always ready to assist, my dad threw an open pocket knife at her. Yes, I did say the words "open" & "knife". Thankfully, it landed on the floor & not in my mom's chest - right between 2 dogs & Doug's bare feet. Whew, disaster averted....

* Apparently, my mom doesn't know me. She bought me this sickeningly cute sweatshirt with an appliqued puppy on it that said something like "Dogs aren't our whole lives, but they make our lives whole". Awwww...obviously, I agree, except I don't do cute, & I definitely don't do appliques. Oh, & she has one, too. Mine's way too big, but I'll keep it because I hate returning gifts. It can be my housework sweatshirt or something. Oh well, I really don't care about the gift, it's the thought that counts...this was really just amusing.

* After my parents left (!!!), Doug & I headed to Sugar Creek Winery to meet our friends Lisa & Jason. We were having a great time until an old man in the next room collapsed at the table. The family started to freak out - understandably so - & Lisa ran over to him because they said he wasn't breathing & she knows CPR. Yay, Lisa! When she got the man on the floor, she told the family that he was indeed breathing. It turns out that the old man rarely drinks & he passed out as a result of drinking too much. At 84, I guess that can happen pretty easily! The ambulance came & took him to the hospital. The family went with him, & we were alone in the winery. After we recovered from that incident, we ended up having a lot of fun & stayed past closing (we know the owners & a few of the employees). After that, Doug & I went home, had some drinks, & then went to bed. What a bizarre day.

CHRISTMAS DAY

* Doug & I spent a much-needed relaxing morning at home. Since we were headed to Doug's sister's house way up in "Da Hood", we decided to spike some eggnog at around 10:30. We left at noon & stopped for beer along the way. I called my mom to wish her a Merry Christmas. She was hanging out with my dad, who was playing with Poppy. (Good thing Poppy forgives quickly!) A few minutes later, she said "I don't know if your dad's coming or going", to which I replied "What else is new?" - turns out, he went to the car to get something, & then got in the car & left. I assumed he was running to QuikTrip or something & then got off the phone. I then called Monica to talk to her about that evening's plans.

*My phone rang when we were about 20 minutes from my sister-in-law's house, & it was my mom. She was crying. She said that a man called to tell her that my dad had been in an accident not far from the house, & she was leaving right then to see what was going on. I told her to calm down before she left, that we didn't need 2 accidents. Thank goodness I can think rationally - I told her that since he gave someone her phone # (he doesn't carry a cell or an emergency card) that he wasn't dead & was most likely still conscious. That worked. She said she would call me back.

*As we were pulling up to my s-i-l's house, my mom called again. My dad crashed into a telephone pole, & no other cars were involved. I asked if he'd had a heart attack or a stroke, & she said that it didn't appear that way. My dad had some cuts on his face & a burn on his arm from the airbag & the paramedics were checking him out. His car was totaled. She told me she'd call me back.

* We walked into Misty's house to sheer mayhem. My nieces were shrieking with delight over our great-niece & great-nephew (both under a year old). They were making those stupid faces that people make at babies, & the babies started screaming. Well, duh! Why don't people think before they do that??? It usually scares the tar out of the baby. Anyway, we plowed in, frustrated, & headed to the kitchen to load up on chili cheese dip & beer. Babies at Christmas. Again. Shit.

* A few minutes later, my mom calls back to let me know that my dad refused to go to the hospital to be checked out & was going back home with her. Fabulous. Apparently, his blood sugar dropped & that's what caused the whole episode. Tremendous. The good thing was that he seemed to be ok. I have talked to him several times since, & he's fine (so far), & had full coverage, so he'll be back on the road soon enough. (Those of you in The Lou, beware.)

* By this time, everyone had found out about the accident & the details of it. My mother-in-law then decided that my dad needed to go to the hospital, & that I needed to make him go. Well, that's like making the weather change & she knows it. I explained to her that my mom already tried that to no avail, & that I wouldn't do any better. She agreed, however, that didn't stop her from telling me several more times that he needed to go. Between that, the babies crying & puking, shrieking preteen girls, embattled nephews, & horrific grammar, Doug & I simultaneously agreed that it was time to go. And we did.

* We decided that neither of us were in the mood to go to Monica & Cory's house, so I called to let them know what had happened. Cory's parents were in town from Canada & are very "normal" & polite, & I couldn't guarantee that we wouldn't be dropping F-bombs left & right. Monica thought that sounded like fun, but we didn't want to offend her unsuspecting in-laws. We stopped off to rent movies & went home.

So there you have it, our little piece of Christmas Heaven. In retrospect, most of this was actually pretty damn funny - hence the writing of this blog - & the parts where people were in danger turned out fine. So people, laugh & appreciate the story for what it is. It could've been so much worse.

We told both families that we would not be participating in next year's Christmas, except for maybe a phone call from Mexico or a cruise ship or something. One side was ok, the other side wasn't. They'll get over it - we're DONE. In fact, I'm sending off an email to our travel agent right now.....

*******************

And so started our tradition. The first year, we went on a cruise out of Puerto Rico that hit St. Thomas/St. John, Dominica, Antigua, Barbados, & St. Lucia. Our ears burned the whole time - Doug's side didn't believe us when we said we were going. The next year, we went to Jamaica, & hey! We drive to Memphis tomorrow & leave Saturday morning for Jamaica again. We're so freakin' stoked. (Why Memphis, you ask? Because St. Louis doesn't have direct flights at decent times, so we're driving to Memphis because they do.) So, on Christmas, think of us, hanging out on the beach or at the swim-up bar, drinking Dirty Bananas & whatever else strikes our fancy...

Stop hating - it's the holidays!

T-Day Survival Plan: Year 4

2009-11-25T11:55:00.000-06:00

Our families are crazy, so we consider ourselves very lucky when it comes to Thanksgiving. My parents meet at our house & then they follow us to Doug's parents' house. This way, we aren't hurting anyone's feelings by leaving early or arriving late (& we are so happy to dodge that bullet), & we avoid all of the running around that happens all weekend long. That's Step 1 of the Survival Plan. What this means, however, is that the end result of both sides of the family being together is one big dysfunctional soup. This year, we'll have my dad, Doug's dad, my sister-in-law, her husband, & their kids, my thrice-divorced, diabetic brother-in-law, & 2 of his 3 sons, & quite possibly the 2 oldest boys' babies & babies' mamas. Oh yeah, & us. My mom's skipping out this year because she wants to do yard work.

Whatever.

Let me paint you a tiny picture: My dad will just talk on & on - mostly to my brother-in-law about the bakers' union (they're both retired members). He has this amazing ability to start a subject, change it, & then seamlessly pick up the first subject 20 minutes later - it's quite funny to watch everyone struggle to figure out what he's talking about (Doug & I are pros, we've been doing it for years). Since our nephews have gotten older, my sister-in-law has become the dirty uncle - she's constantly rubbing their arms & backs, & hugging them. Yes, folks, I've witnessed a body hug or 2, & the looks on our nephews' faces... well, "priceless" is close, but it doesn't quite cut it. Doug & I just sit back & snicker. Anyway, because of this affection from their other aunt, sitting by me at the dinner table is the hottest ticket in town. Unfortunately for them, Doug sits by me, so that leaves 1 seat. The smarter of the 2 nephews has tricked the other one into arriving late for the last 2 or 3 years, thereby dooming the late one into sitting in The Scary Spot. Now mind you, nothing truly inappropriate (just marginally!) is happening, but it sure makes for great entertainment for me & Doug.

Step 2...the wine. We bring 3 bottles every year - a sweet one for the rest of the family, & 2 just for us. Usually a red & a white, but sometimes we'll throw in a rose' or a sparkling. Now, we never bring the really great stuff because someone always wants to try what we have, only to say that they don't like it. Life's too short to waste great wine on people who don't know better! We could've gone safe with our choices this year & gone with a Pinot Noir (always a winner) & perhaps a Gruner Veltliner or dry Riesling, but we wanted to go a different route this year.   For the red, we had several options, but we went with the Lucca from Mosby Winery in Buellton, CA.   It's a blend of estate-grown Sangiovese & Dolcetto, & I knew it was the one for this year when I tasted it! It was also under $16, so that didn't hurt. We're still deciding on the white - we have a couple in mind, but we're headed to a wine store later so who knows what the winner will be. Oh, & just as an FYI to some of you newer wine drinkers...there WILL be a tasting or 2 at any wine store worth their salt tonight.

Step 3 is easy. We never stay long. I mean, really - we can only take so much. Anyway, dinner's at 2, & when our bottles are gone, so are we.

The final part of the plan - Step 4 - is to get the hell out of town, so were headed to Nashville again on Friday.   We can't wait!

Ok, I have wine to buy & clothes to pack, so I'm out of here. I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!

Peanut Butter....How I Love Thee

2009-11-19T15:16:00.001-06:00

While that's very true, I really just needed a title, & my peanut butter & jelly sandwich inspired me.   I'd forgotten how much I love those!   You see, for the first time in a long while, we actually have a jar of peanut butter in the house that's only for us..... The dogs get peanut butter every night, & they have their own jar. Last week, I decided that Doug & I were worthy of our own, especially since we both love it so much. Ah, it's the simple things.

Man, it's been a while....& I have to admit, writing up our first Cali wine trip was more than I wanted to deal with. This in no way means that I will diminish the fantastic experiences we had...I'll cover them as time allows, or as we open the bottles that we purchased. Our California Central Coast wine trip was a complete success, & my lack of writing should not reflect anything negative...

Speaking of food & wine...

A few nights ago, Doug & I had a special meal.   A while back, we went to Time For Dinner, & it was the second time we'd been. Those of you that know me, I am not a cook.    I want to be, but I'm not at this point.   Luckily, there's Time For Dinner - or TFD - for people like us (for those of you that are not in St. Louis, look up pre-prepared frozen dinners, or whatever - I'm sure that there's something just as lovely in your corner of the world). We had just purchased a bottle of Cosentino's Franc, & we wanted something that would work well with it. I reached into my freezer & found the perfect solution: Rosemary Flank Steak.

My goodness. It was terrific & a great matchup for the wine. Of course, I knew it would be because rosemary is actually considered to be a "red wine booster". I'm sure both the steak & the wine would've been good on their own, but they brought great things out in each other. Yum... We felt so fancy that we even ate at the table, something we rarely do. Fancy is good.

Tonight, we're going to Pi Pizzeria with friends. They just opened up a new location just a stone's throw away from where I grew up, in Kirkwood. Some of you that don't live here might recognize the restaurant from the news: President Obama chose them to fly to D.C. to make their pizza for the first family. Hey, good enough for them, it must be good enough for me.

In other news, Truvy is growing like a weed, & her top speed on the treadmill is 7.4 mph! She was 53 lbs. at her last weigh-in at the vet's last week. She had to get a flu shot - yes, there is a canine flu; it's fatal, & there have been cases in Jefferson County. That's not home, but it's close enough! Anyway, she finds new ways to challenge me every day, but I think we're finally getting somewhere.

Or maybe I'm just fooling myself.

The little jerk actually gave me poison ivy a few weeks ago. Unbelievable, right? I'd never had it before, & after my poison ivy cherry was popped, I never want it again.   I was reminded of this after watching a Grey's Anatomy rerun...you know, the one where Addison had poison oak on her.... yeah, you do know. Seeing that reminded me to count my blessings - my poison ivy was nowhere near that place! I shudder at the thought.

One month from tomorrow, I'll be in Jamaica.

Back off, kittens.

Because I'm Awake...

2009-10-26T23:23:00.005-05:00

...& because I haven't written in a while. Bloggin' ain't easy. I mean, sometimes you have the time but no energy or inspiration. Sometimes you have the energy or inspiration but no time. Now is one of those times when it's all there. Plus, I need a break from writing about our Cali trip, & perhaps you do as well.

I'm wide awake. Usually, I'd have been in bed for at least 40 minutes...but not tonight. I'll probably be up for at least another 40 minutes, & I'll feel like Hell tomorrow. So be it. Right now, I'm watching recorded Grey's Anatomy reruns, & I'm totally into my glass.

My glass...it doesn't have much left, but I love what's there. Overall, I'm a fairly adventurous wine drinker that'll try just about anything & find the good in it even if I'm not head-over-heels in love with it. Tonight, I reached for something I could count on because it's crappy outside, the puppy's being a brat, & I wanted to know. I'm so pleased to report that I am head-over-heels in love with it - 2006 Hahn Estates Cabernet Franc.

It's no secret that I adore Hahn wines; I swear I'm not on their payroll nor do I receive free samples from them. I happily buy them again & again because they're an extremely affordable, superbly consistent, high quality, & wonderfully delicious piece of wine heaven. Really.

This Cab Franc is one of our all-time favorites. The wine isn't 100% Cab Franc - it's 80% with 14% Merlot & 6% Cab, but it's enough that they can legally call it Cab Franc. Who really cares anyway when it's this good? It always sells out very quickly, so we try to grab it whenever we see it. Why? I'm tempted to just say "Because I said it's good, so buy it already", but I'll give you a little more information...& then you should go buy it. Well, after checking with me to make sure I have enough. But I stray... I love this wine for so many reasons. It's pretty to look at with it's deep ruby color. It smells of cinnamon, clove, & cherries -- lots of cherries. The flavors in my mouth are more cherries, blackberries, a little chocolate, & some earthiness. In the back, I get some raspberry-ish tastes, all rolled up with some great acidity. Tonight, I'm drinking it on its own, but I know it rocks with food. Like pork, steak, whatever. It's great...& for less than $17.

I wasn't going to write about wine the next time I wrote, but tonight, I just couldn't help myself. Now, I just want more.

Paso Robles, Day 3 - A Day of Wining

2009-09-30T14:54:00.000-05:00

On our final full day in Paso, we sprung out of bed (really!), grabbed breakfast, & headed out onto Highway 46 West. We were going to find Four Vines, damn it!

Well....it was only 9:30 when we found it, & the tasting room opened at 11:00, not 10:00 like we were hoping. So we drove farther down 46 & saw some spectacular scenery. Admittedly, it was much like what we saw the day before, so just go back to the last post to take a peek if you missed it. It's just so different from what I see here in Missouri, or anywhere else I've been for that matter.

We were heading back towards the wineries when we saw a guy putting up his "Open" sign on a small winery, & we thought that was perfect timing. Well, we thought wrong. That winery - which shall remain nameless (unless you are planning a trip to the area, then feel free to email me) - was a total bust. Blech. We ended up buying a bottle...Doug said that he hated to lose the tasting fee, & we could always pour it as, oh, a 4th or 5th bottle. Or perhaps as a gag.

Redemption was just up the road at a little winery called Lone Madrone.

(It didn't hurt that the wisteria smelled so nice!)

We hadn't even made it inside yet, & we were already completely taken with the place! We thought it was cool that they had chickens & baby goats...

Finally, we walked inside. What an oasis! We were welcomed with the faint scent of lavender when we walked in, & the tasting room was gorgeous.

At this point, the wine could've completely sucked & we wouldn't have cared. The joint just oozed goodness. Had I done my research, I would've known that the owner is the winemaker at Tablas Creek! Hearing that simple fact was a promise in itself - we knew great things were coming!

We were right! Everything we tasted was outstanding. Our favorite was their Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, & Barbera blend, the 2006 Barfandel. I know, I know....they really could have come up with a better name. I mean, really - Barfandel? In the end, a name is just a name, & this wine proved that. It's delightful, & we're looking forward to actually drinking it. Now, the issues are when, what food to pair it with, & who to share it with (if anyone!).

I could go on & on, but there are other places to talk about!

Like Four Vines... It turned out that it was very easy to spot from the road, & we were excited to be there. I've talked about Four Vines a lot on this blog. If you love Zin (& oh, do I ever!) or other big reds, you should always have something from this winery on hand. They not only produce superb wine, but the prices are very reasonable, so there's no excuse.

The tasting room was in the process of being renovated, so it wasn't that impressive to look at. BIG DEAL. (It will be, by the way, once it's finished!) All that meant to us was that we didn't have too much to take photos of (& therefore less to show you). We were able to revisit our favorites like "The Biker" & "The Maverick", & taste the harder-to-find-in-St. Louis "Anarchy" (a Rhone blend) & "Heretic" (Petite Sirah). Mmmmmmm..... There are also a bunch of others that we don't get at all here; for example, their Tempranillo "Loco", the "Phoenix" Syrah, & the "Monarchy", a blend of Petite Verdot, Malbec, & Tempranillo. If I only had 1 word to describe all of them? Sublime.

They had soil samples from their 4 different areas. Not your usual garden soil, that's for sure, but that's to be expected. The vines produce higher quality grapes if they have to struggle.

Sorry, I only remember which ones were from Paso - the ones on the end.

Just imagine trying to grow anything in that soil!

Even though the tasting room was in transition, it was still a party! We had fun glasses. We got tattoos...

Ok, fake ones, but they lasted for several days!

Our tasting room hostess-with-the-mostest Holly was so much fun. We hope that she'll be there when we go back next time.

In the end, we brought back "Monarchy" & the 2006 "Los Alamos Vineyard" One Tree Hill Block Syrah. That 92-point Syrah won the 2009 Hospice du Rhone Syrah Shoot-Out, & it's truly fantastic.

Believe it or not, there's still more to go, but I'll end this post here. Sorry it's taking me so long!

Paso Robles, Day 2 - Far Out & Then Some

2009-09-15T09:22:00.007-05:00

As I said before, Doug & I didn't have a rigid agenda for our trip. We had a few wineries that we really wanted to go to, & then we were going to trust recommendations from there.

One of those recommendations was Tolo Cellars. In a very rustic setting on Adelaida Road, Tolo is a very tiny winery, but big on personality. Tolo is a one-man operation, so obviously, we were able to meet winemaker Josh Gibson.

His tasting room is such a charming place! We felt like we were in a small farmhouse in Provence (even though we've never been to such a thing).

What French farmhouse would be complete without a cat?

Like his tasting room, his wines were also very captivating. Josh didn't have a lot of wines, but the quality more than made up for the quantity. After much consideration, we bought the 2001 Asini...largely because of Josh's tasting notes: Be practical for just a moment: You’ve always wanted to age a wine, but you never do. Oh, you mean well, & no sooner has that kindly salesperson said, “Lay it down for a few years & you’ll earn your just rewards,” than you have popped the cork for a taste that you so richly deserve! No need to worry here: We cellared this wine 7 years & 4 months before bottling. How utterly impractical! The result is a wine with as much youthful exuberance as a Jonas Brothers entourage. Like the thick cherry compote that jumps off the nose, you want to spread it all over your scones. Think big viscosity, rich red fruits - berries, berries & very cherry – a dollop of cola, dried herbs & sweet leather. How did we arrive at this sock hop? And did we mention this wine is nearly 8 years old?

And no, he didn't have me at the Jonas Brothers reference.

Tablas Creek Vineyards intrigued us because of its heavy French roots. The original vines were imported from the owners' property in France, Château de Beaucastel, & they chose Paso Robles because of its similarity to Châteauneuf du Pape. We're fans, so we had to check it out!

It's sad to say, but my photos hardly do justice to reality.

Inside, the wine list was extensive, & many of those wines were available to taste. We at least liked every single one of them, but as Doug was often quick to point out, we couldn't buy everything or join every club. Boo. Tough choices had to be made!

The tasting room had references to Tablas Creek's "sister" labels:

This one should look familiar to readers of Lucy's blog...

(Yes, I miss her too, & no, I don't know when she'll write again.)

While we were contemplating what to buy, we had to pet Millie.

We made a stop at Whalebone Winery, once again off of a recommendation. Why is it called Whalebone? Because whale fossils were found in the vineyards. Pretty cool, huh? Anyway, we couldn't resist picking up a bottle of the cult favorite, Bob Wine. Bob is a former Ob-Gyn doc (& rumored to be one-handed) & now the owner & winemaker, & the wine is a delicious blend of 61% Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Petite Verdot, 13% Zinfandel, 7% Syrah.

Here's Bob's wife, Jan.

We hit 1 or 2 other places, & then decided to try finding our beloved Four Vines. We entered it into our rented Garmin...& we either took a very wrong turn or it led us astray. We ended up taking a mysterious & scenic drive.

We drove along the narrow dirt road that seemingly led to nowhere, & I popped out to take the photos above....until I remembered rattlesnakes, & that was that!

We had plans with Angie for the evening, so we met her at Villa Cree k for a most delicious (& potent) margarita before going back to Pianetta. We met Caitlyn Pianetta, the winemaker's daughter, & from there, we all decided to go to Bernick's for some grub & more cocktails (again, feel free to judge). Here's the only picture from that night I'm willing to share with you...& it's of Angie & Caitlyn, not us!

The food & atmosphere at Bernick's are outstanding, so if you ever find yourself in downtown Paso, do yourself a favor & stop in.

With that, our second day in Paso Robles came to a close, & we were happy to head to bed with hopes of having a day that would be just as great the next day!

Paso Robles, Day 2 - JUSTINcredible

2009-09-11T11:08:00.005-05:00

After a great day in the downtown tasting rooms of Paso Robles, we headed out to the "Far Out Wineries". We drove out Naciemento Lake Road to Chimney Rock & were amazed at how much it looked like the Old West...it was as though outlaws could come riding out at any minute! Luckily, that didn't happen & we made it to our first winery safely.

Doug & I had heard such great things about Justin Vineyards & had tasted a couple of their wines that we put this at the top of our list for the day. Well, that & it looked like the farthest out, so it just made sense.

We arrived a little early, so we walked around the beautiful garden.

Such a nice contrast when compared to all of the brown grass we'd been seeing!

Once the tasting room opened, we were welcomed by Sunny.

Justin's tasting room is gorgeous, just like everything else about the place.

Enough pretty stuff already -- let's get to the wine!

We started out with the Sauvignon Blanc, which was a surprisingly gentle way to start wine tasting at 10 a.m. (Feel free to judge if you feel the need.) We'd never had Justin's before, & we really enjoyed it! It wasn't the typical zinger - & I do love those, too - & it was very refreshing. Their Chard is the only white I've seen in St. Louis, but I'd love to see the Sauvignon Blanc here -- I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

We didn't go to Justin to try their whites, though, so we happily moved on to their reds. Wow, wow, wow... every single one that we tried knocked it out of the park! All of them were so smooth & luscious (which, by the way, is one of the reasons that we love Paso wines so much).

Several wines later, we were able to try what I've always wanted to try -- the Isosceles! Seriously, I've been chomping at the bit to taste this wine for several years & anytime I'd seen it on a wine list...they didn't have it (which makes me wonder if they only bought a few bottles of it just to get it on the list). It was fabulous! A wonderful blend of Merlot, Cab Franc , & Cab, it's a gorgeous wine, albeit very young. Rumor has it that it'll just get better & better until about 2025. I don't think I can wait that long!!

Remember what I said in my last post about regretting not joining Pianetta's wine club? Well, I don't have to deal with any regrets here... They were offering 6 bottles of wine, 2 of which were the Isosceles, for a really great price -- for the love of all that's holy, how could we refuse? Yes, we joined the Justin Wine Society, & it's such a great deal!

This was our first actual winery that we visited during our trip, & it was our first wine club that we joined. Now, there were other firsts as well! It was our tasting guide's first day working on her own in the tasting room, we were her very first people, & we were her first customers to join the Wine Society. I'd say it was a great start to a great day, not only for us, but for Rebecca, too!

After we joined, Rebecca took us on a mini tour, showing us the restaurant, Deborah's Room. What a charming place! It's very intimate with only 4 tables.

Who wouldn't want to have dinner in such a quaint, cozy space?

Churchill accompanied us.

After we checked out the restaurant & chatted a bit more, our first visit to Justin ended. Notice I said "our first visit"...

We'll be back!

Paso Robles, Day 1 - Downtown Deliciousness

2009-09-01T13:20:00.025-05:00

If you want to hit the wineries in Paso Robles, you have options. You can go 46 East, 46 West, the "Far Out" wineries, Templeton...you get the idea. Our plan was to hit 1 or 2 wineries a day that we thought we absolutely had to go to, & then go on recommendations from there. For the most part, we stuck to that plan....but on our first day in Paso Robles, we had to take a detour.

The morning that we were headed to Monterey, my phone found itself marinating in coffee. Someone was really tired & wasn't paying attention to the coffeemaker. Now, I don't drink bad coffee, & I consider the coffee found in 99% of all hotel rooms to be just that -- bad. I'll do without, but Doug cannot. The man is the love of my life, but he is flawed (somewhat). For this, I forgive him...& now I have a new phone.

Since we'd lost a little bit of time, we decided to start our adventure in the tasting rooms downtown. There were quite a few options & we didn't know where we should begin...& then we saw this:

It had our very favorite kind of sign on the door...

What a wonderful place to start! Unlike the usual tasting room that features wines from only one winery, the Paso Wine Centre has many local wines available to taste, many of which are from small wineries without their own tasting rooms.

Look familiar? Those are Enomatic machines like the ones at St. Louis' own ill-fated wine tasting bar, Bella Vita. I have much more confidence in the Paso Wine Centre's success - the staff is very well versed in the area's wine, & they are more than willing to suggest their favorites. Bottles are available for purchase at reasonable prices, & California law allows self-service in this case. We were impressed with the whole operation, & that was before we found out that 100% of the profits go to Wine For Water. Throughout our stay in Paso Robles, we got the sense that the entire wine community fully supported this idea...click that link & you will, too!

After we left the Paso Wine Centre, we had lunch at Berry Hill Bistro (one of Adam's suggestions) & then wandered around downtown & hit several tasting rooms. Doug & I had good experiences everywhere we went, but I'm only hitting the highlights here or I'll be writing for days!

We really enjoyed Clayhouse Vineyards - they have a very nice tasting room! Their employees were a lot of fun too, & very helpful. In fact, that was how it was every place we visited! But hey, let's not forget why we were there...the wine. Clayhouse delivered.

Our hands-down favorite downtown tasting room was Pianetta Winery. Pianetta is a small boutique winery with a production of about 2200 cases. Red wine only. Yum. Our friend Angie suggested that we go there, & we weren't sorry! She even called ahead to let them know we were coming. That was a very nice touch!

We had a very special experience at Pianetta. Winemaker John Pianetta was there to greet us & he guided us through his lineup of extraordinary wines.

There wasn't a single wine that we tasted that we didn't adore. Like their beautiful Sangiovese, for example. Bright red fruit with maybe a little cinnamon or clove on the nose, silky mouthfeel, & a plethora of loveliness on the palate. I also love the fact that it's aged in neutral oak, so it's definitely more fruit than barrel. We're big fans of Cal Itals (among a zillion others!), so yeah...we bought it.

Of course, their other wines are terrific as well. The Bilancio, which is the winery's signature blend of Syrah & Cab, the Cab, the Syrah, the Rosato...I could go on & on, but I say just go there...or find a bottle online & order it! Since Pianetta is so small, it's not widely distributed but we are hoping to be able to buy it locally someday soon. I really wanted to join the wine club, but Doug pointed out that it was very early in our trip & we couldn't join everything, & we couldn't buy every bottle... He was right, but I do have my regrets.

John made a point to show us their blackboard that hangs next to the bar. His daughter Caitlin updates it with words that Pianetta fans use to describe the wines. I not only thought it was a lot of fun but very pretty, too!

Gotta love "Skirt Flipper".

And so ended our first day in Paso....& we went to bed - after I played with my new phone!

Central Coast Superstar

2009-09-01T08:53:00.010-05:00

After the Winemakers' Celebration, Doug & I had the pleasure of meeting our friends Adam & Angie at a charity tasting in Seaside. Now, you've heard me talk about Adam before....Adam LaZarre, our favorite winemaker, & the former head winemaker at Hahn Estates.

Adam's got a new gig...he's now the winemaker for Villa San-Juliette, just outside of Paso Robles. You might not recognize the name, so I'll clue you in. The American Idol producers, Nigel Lythgoe & Ken Warwick, bought the place in 2006 & had that reality show "Corkscrewed: The Wrath Of Grapes". I didn't watch it, & the fact that the AI guys bought it holds little to no merit for me. I mean no offense - I'd feel the same way if Jeff Probst, Tim Gunn, or even Kenny Chesney decided to own a vineyard. Having said that, they obviously either did their research or Bacchus was smiling on them because hiring Adam as their winemaker was the smartest thing they could've done! (And hello, 6 degrees of separation!)

After tasting his new wines at the Seaside tasting, I, for one, am completely on board.

We sampled the Sauvignon Blanc, Cab, Merlot, & Petite Sirah, & we loved every one of them. If I have to choose a favorite, I'm torn between the Petite Sirah & the Merlot. They're both terrific. Adam describes the Petite Sirah as "blueberry motor oil", & that just makes me laugh, so I guess that puts it over the top for me...but I reserve the right to change my mind! Let's face it, though -- I'll buy all of them often & be proud to share with my friends.

I'm happy to report that these wines are yet another incredible value, perhaps one of the best. Most of the wines are under $20! Unfortunately for us & everyone else in the St. Louis area, Villa San-Juliette wines aren't available to us yet...but they WILL be, once distribution gets settled. This should be soon, especially now that these wines are making big waves everywhere else in the country.

As a special bonus, Adam also had 2 wines from his LaZarre label at the tasting - the Pinot Blanc & one of his 2 Pinot Noirs. Delectable stuff & hard to find...in fact, he gave us a bottle of the Pinot Blanc, & we are the only people in the freakin' state to have it. (I know, we're that cool, thanks for acknowledging it.)

(I love that picture!)

(That one...not so much. But it did inspire me to change my hair!)

Adam had to leave for Nashville the next morning, so we headed back to our hotel & got ready for the next day -- in Paso Robles!

More on that in a bit...

A Few Funny Pictures

2009-08-26T19:30:00.008-05:00

Here's a sign that was in our hotel...& every single place in California.

If you can't read it, it says "Warning - Chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer or birth defects or other reproductive harm may be present in this hotel or in food or beverage sold or served here."

WOW. That's a hell of a warning! Good thing I'm not having kids, now I just have to worry about getting cancer. At least I'll be able to blame the whole state of California if I do.

This guy gets the award for owning the best t-shirt ever.

Doug should've traded him his shirt for that one, but we didn't think to ask. Damn.

Now for a completely different direction (& by request from Becky)....

Doug & I were at a loss. If for whatever reason we weren't able to walk Truvy to Texas & back each night, we were punished with very long, sleepless nights. Luckily, there was a solution! Enjoy (even though it's a bit on the dark side)!

What we won't do for our dogs...or for sleep!

(Her top speed is 6 MPH!)

Toasting The Coast

2009-08-20T21:37:00.017-05:00

Sometimes when plans change, it's a good thing. We had originally planned to head from our hotel in San Jose to Paso Robles, then to Monterey, & finishing off in Santa Cruz...however, a little internet birdy told me about an event that we just couldn't pass up: the 17th Annual Monterey Winemakers' Celebration!

We were really excited about this because the Monterey region is pretty spread out, & quite a few of the wineries have limited hours or the tastings are by appointment only. Not to mention that for $50 each, we were both able to taste as much wine as we wanted from 45 Monterey wineries, all out of a Riedel -- when you consider that most tasting fees in Monterey are $10, that's quite a bargain without even considering the cost of the glass! I'm no genius, but that's a purty smart move on our part...

Held at the beautiful Custom House Plaza, California's oldest government building, this event was an out-of-town wine tourist's dream. You see, we Lou dwellers don't get a lot of wine when you consider the big picture. For example, we get lots of wine from Estancia Estates & our very much loved Hahn Estates/Smith & Hook, but wines from Bernardus are very rare here, & stuff from Figge Cellars, Galante Vineyards, Otter Cove, & Scheid are largely unheard of. Again, just examples...you get the idea.

Aside from the wine, scenery, & terrific weather (it was sunny & 63°, but not like a St. Louis 63° - somehow it was warmer but still cool enough for jeans), we were treated to a cooperage demonstration. Doug & I had never seen anything like it, so that was a highlight for wine geekish people like us.

The cooper is splashing water onto the wood to make it more bendable.

Then he tightens the ropes around the bottom of the barrel to shape it.

Once he has the barrel the way he wants it, the cooper removes it from - oh, look! A heating element that aids in the process.

Next, the barrel is moved over this thing. Sorry, I don't know the name of it, but I do know that it toasts the inside of the barrel to give the wine character.

I would've loved to have gotten more precise information for you, but give me a break. We'd already tasted our way through a tent & a half. Regardless, you probably didn't know how wine barrels were made. Since I really didn't, either, we're all just a little smarter now, aren't we?

Another big highlight was meeting Bill Anderson, the master winemaker from Chateau Julien. What a cool guy, & the wine he makes rocks, too! As I've said before, we've met quite a few winemakers, & not all of them are that interesting &/or fun to talk to, but Bill was a delight! We met him very early on in the event, which was perfect - he wasn't tired of talking to people, & after we'd tasted through his lineup, he opened up 2 very special bottles a couple of hours earlier than he was supposed to just to give us a preview. Fan-freakin'-tastic!

Here we are with the 2003 Chateau Julien Merlot (their flagship wine, & truly delicious).

Here's the rest of the lineup that they had for the day's tasting.

More on that later, but suffice it to say that we were so happy to experience these wines early before our palates were demolished by all of those other wines!

Wait...that's not to imply that the other wines were bad! They certainly were NOT.

Like Pelerin Wines - very small production, high quality Pinot Noir, Syrahs, & Rhone blends.

Or Ventana Vineyards - not only are their wines wonderful, but they get a special mention for being the only winery to present a - you guessed it - rose'!

Let's face it...too many pictures in a post & they can lose their significance, the page takes too long to load, or it just gets boring, so I'll stop here. There were many, many wines that deserve a mention, but a girl only has so much energy. Bottom line, attending the Monterey Winemakers Celebration was one of the best decisions we made during our entire trip!

One last thing -- Doug & I seemed to be the only people at the celebration that didn't live in California, & we were actually remembered by the event volunteers for traveling so far. We didn't get a trophy or anything, it was just cool.

Stay tuned, there will be more!

California Drinkin'

2009-08-16T18:48:00.004-05:00

I had a little idea that just didn't pan out...I was going to do a little diddy, you know, a parody if you will, of "California Dreamin'", but I got hung up. The first line was going to be "All the grass is brown, & the sky is blue...", or something like that, but then ~poof~ it was gone. Regardless of my poetic failure, I think my next few posts are going to be great. But let's not get ahead of ourselves, ok?

Yesterday, we came home from an incredible week of wine tasting in California. It was our very first trip ever to California, & we decided to step out of the ordinary & expected. We didn't go to Napa Valley.

Why not? They make excellent wine in Napa, don't they? Sure, some of the best in the world. Aren't the wineries supposed to be incredible? From what I've heard, yes, they are. Certainly the restaurants are every bit as good as everyone says... I know quite a few people who have gone & adored the place. So, if not Napa, where in the hell did we go?

Central Coast!

Paso Robles, Monterey, & Santa Cruz, to be exact, but it's all considered to be Central Coast. We chose this area because we absolutely love its wine & they have a reputation for being less expensive & friendlier when compared to...well, the other area. Oh, & let's not forget that our good friends, the Luces, went to Paso Robles & had a great experience. We don't really know anyone else who has been on a wine-focused vacation to Monterey or Santa Cruz, so we were very curious. With all of that, we pretty much had to go!

So, we're back. I'm faced with a mountain of laundry, clingy dogs, a bunch of pictures to upload (but we need to find the freakin' cords!), I'm unfortunately 2 hours behind my normal schedule (damn, I knew better, I really did), & I have to go back to work tomorrow. Joy. Obviously, I've got a ton more to say, & I'll get to that...

Pink.

2009-07-25T08:40:00.007-05:00

Wow! Here it is, almost August, & I've barely talked about what I've been drinking, if at all! That's just not right, so since I have a few minutes this morning (shhhh, don't tell the puppy), I'll fulfill my promise from the last post.

It's no secret that Doug & I are ardent fans of rose'. (Not White Zinfandel or the dreadful Pink Catawba & blush wines that many local wineries make, but good, dry rose'. There's a huge difference.) It's the perfect solution for red wine lovers that want something cooler & lighter during the warmer seasons. There's simply no better wine to sip on during any kind of summer weather, & most of them are very food friendly. I'm not going to try to convince you that I'm right (because I already know that I am), you're either going to find out for yourself or not. They don't all taste the same, & some suit other foods more than others. If you don't discover a rose' that you like, that's ok -- more for us!

While I'm not going to name all of the different bottles of rose' that we've enjoyed this year - there have been quite a few - I can share some of our favorites with you. Let's start naming names, shall we?

The rose' that we've bought more of than any other this summer - & the wine I promised to write about in my last post - is the 2008 Charles & Charles Volume II Rose' out of Washington State. One of the winemakers is Charles Smith of K Vintners...you know, the guy that makes Kung Fu Riesling, Velvet Devil, Holy Cow, & Boom Boom, among many others. He's one of our favorites, & quite a character in person. Ah, but I digress, so let me get back to this wine. It's made from Syrah, & is possibly the lightest & crispest rose' from that grape that we've ever had; I find it to be very similar to those out of Provence. Very pretty, pale pink color. The nose is lovely -- strawberries, flowers, & just goodness -- & that first sip is more strawberries, raspberries, & a wonderful acidity. Bone dry. I absolutely love this stuff, & the price makes it even more lovable...you can usually find it for under $12.

Another wine that has captured our heart is the 2008 Lucy Rose' of Pinot Noir from Lucia. This is a completely different animal than the Charles & Charles, & you can tell that just from looking at it. The color is much more vibrant, & the wine is very flavorful & fruity. Our friend Amy says it goes down like Kool Aid, & we agree! Like most rose', strawberries are the most prominent aroma & flavor, but there's more going on in this wine. Watermelon, maybe some kind of peach, I don't know. What I do know is that it's fantastic, & a downright delightful pairing with pork from Pappy's Smokehouse. Mmmmm...it's a little early in the day, but I'm starting to get hungry for barbeque.

The 2008 Crios Rose' of Malbec is perhaps the greatest value out there & it pleases everyone. This shouldn't come as a surprise, as winemaker Susana Balbo knocks it out of the park with everything that she makes. For about $11 or less, this can be yours, & it'll be a hit anywhere you take it!

Toad Hollow's 2008 Dry Rose' of Pinot Noir "Eye of the Toad" -- for about $10, this wine is a winner. We love it, & like the Crios, it's very consistent in quality year-to-year. Grab it, you won't be sorry!

We're also very fond of the 2008 Boxcar Rose', made largely from Syrah with a little Pinot Noir thrown in for good measure. It's also a steal for about $13.

You've probably noticed that all of these wines are 2008...while there are still many 2007's on the racks, I'm going to ignore those. Rose' is not meant for aging, & I've had some less than stellar experiences with some favorites from last year. Blech.

So many, many wines, so little time. I've got a lot to do today, so I'd better get to it!

Observations From A Long Saturday

2009-07-12T18:02:00.007-05:00

Yesterday was a big day for the ol' business. Those of you that know what we do will know the enormity of it all when I say we had five yesterday. Yes...FIVE. It was a record-breaking day, & it's a record that will remain unbroken. It was a hectic & dreadfully hot & humid day.

In between 1 & 2, we stopped for lunch at a new place that has sprouted off from a very upscale & well-known place in St. Louis. Imagine my surprise when I saw this on the wine list:

(I apologize for the lack of focus -- it was, after all, taken on my cell.)

Still not spotting it? It says "Sauvingon Blanc".

It's SAUVIGNON. One mispelling I could understand (sort of), but everytime that varietal was on the list, it was spelled the incorrect way. I rank this one right up there with another nice place (that has now closed down) that topped its martini menu with the header "Martini's". Gah.

On our way out of 2, I noticed this stained glass window:

You're right - that is a girl sitting at a computer. I know I can't be the only one that finds this hilarious.

Now for something completely random... Sweaty hair that has been dried in front of the air conditioning vent really can be quite cute. Too bad you have to go through so much just to get that look!

And that's all I've got for right now. Doug & I are diving into a lovely bottle of rose' (that I will write about in the future, I'm sure), & I'd like to enjoy it without too much distraction...

Unbelievable...

2009-07-06T21:09:00.005-05:00

We just did the craziest thing.

We actually sought out the company of our 4 & 6 year old neighbor kids. We spent time with them, cheered them on, & actually hugged them when we left.

Oh, yes...there was a motive. There was definitely a motive.

We're hoping to achieve this:

The above photo was taken after a Sunday afternoon playdate with 7 other dogs in our backyard. That's what it took to stop Hurricane Truvy. We don't have those resources available tonight, so....

Desperate times called for desperate measures.

We hope it worked...but she just grabbed a coffee cup.

Out of our kitchen sink.

Fuck.

Nope, Not Dead

2009-06-13T21:48:00.005-05:00

Well, hello! My goodness, it's been such a long time since I've written. Not because I haven't wanted to or because I haven't had anything to say - that would be crazy - but because...

You guessed it - no time!

Let me give you a quick update:

Work is nuts. I mean, really nuts. Not only is my job much more involved, but with the economy (gah, that phrase!), I'm not taking any chances. No blogging, no blog reading, very little emailing - you know the drill. I'm trying to be more focused on my job. While it might be less entertaining for you guys, it's a good thing for me.

Our side business is booming, which is great, but it also means that Doug & I don't have a ton of free time. But hey, what else is new...

I went to the doctor on Friday & got the all-clear on that lovely DVT I had in February. Criminy, what an ordeal that has been! I'll probably always have some swelling & discomfort, which I'm not thrilled about...but it sure beats the alternative, so I guess I'll take it with a smile. One of the greatest things about this is that I'm weaning myself off of the blood thinner, & that makes me very happy. Shark Week has been such a bitch on that stuff! Seriously...

Yup, that's big news. But here's the biggest I've got for you:

Meet Truvy Tallulah, our 5 month old Black Lab/Walker Coonhound mix! The above photo was taken the day we brought her home a month ago. (By the way, that's not a beard, it's just the angle.) Anyway, I don't know what in the hell we were thinking, bringing a puppy home, but she's here & life hasn't been the same. More on that another time, but suffice it to say that her nickname is Satan.

She's very cute, though. Here, look:

She looks innocent, but trust me...she's anything but! And she's a lot bigger now, & I think by the time she's finished growing, we're going to have a pony instead of a dog....

Puppyhood is tough, but we're finding comfort in knowing that it doesn't last as long as childhood!

Ok, I'm tired & I want to go to bed. Let's hope Truvy lets me.

Jumpin' Back In

2009-03-19T20:08:00.004-05:00

It had to happen...I had to go back to work.

After almost 3 weeks of sick leave due to my beloved blood clot (almost 4 weeks if you consider I was on vacation the week before it happened), my first day was what has become the toughest day of every week -- clinic. I was a bit worried about how rusty I'd gotten after such a short time on the job, & that didn't help.

The day sucked. The boss was in a horrible mood & was very hard on me & the other 2 women working with him. Well, mostly me. I really wanted to tell him that I wasn't hired to excel in clinic, I was hired to excel in what I already excel in, but that wouldn't have been appropriate. Instead, I very nicely told him that, if I'd been able, I would've gladly rescheduled my near fatal medical emergency to a time after I'd gotten much better at my new job. Now, I didn't use those exact words, & I really was very polite, but it doesn't matter. He didn't hear me because he wasn't listening to anyone. Even though I knew he was acting out-of-character & irrational, & that my work that day really wasn't that bad, I couldn't help but feel like crap & like a failure at the end of the day.

Life went on. I went at the enormous stacks of work that had been accumulating since I left for vacation (& I'm still not done). We met with some people for our side business, had drinks with friends on St. Pat's, & I had my blood drawn. You know, because I haven't been poked with needles enough over the last few weeks. My blood ended up being too thin - I could've told you that when I bled like crazy after the needle was removed - so my medicine was adjusted once again. My right arm is beginning to make me look a junkie. Then there's been a bit of drama with my parents, but that might be another post for another time. Regardless of that, things were getting better, even though I was still stinging a little bit from Monday.

Fast forward to this evening. We get home & I grabbed the mail. I was so surprised to see that there was already a birthday card (my birthday isn't until the end of the month). I was even more surprised to see the name on the return address label: my boss. I ripped open the card on my way up the driveway, & couldn't suppress a "Holy shit!".

There was a check for $100 inside the birthday card, sent on Tuesday.

Now, let's get something straight. I don't know this guy that well, but I do know that he very likely didn't realize that he was too hard on me this past Monday. He was NOT kissing my ass. Apparently, this is just what he does...he buys me lunch every Monday, sent me flowers on Valentine's & while I was in the hospital, & now a birthday bonus with a note that said "Thanks for all of your hard work, Claire"...spelled correctly & everything. And hey, maybe he doesn't think I'm so bad after all.

To celebrate this gift - & the fact that it's Thursday - we decided wine was in order. Shocking, I know. The first wine we reached for is a favorite of ours...& it was corked. Crap. That's such a bummer, but never fear, we had more wine. We grabbed the Four Vines 2006 Biker Zinfandel , another favorite, & we were not disappointed. Nope, not one bit.

Mmmmm, mmmm, good. Talk about a ballsy Zin!

But you know what? There was more to this big-ass Paso Robles wine than that. Big berry, with wonderful pepper & spice that's not just in-your-face, it's very well done, & very deserving of your purchase. Actually, all of the Four Vines wines are - we've loved every single one that we've tried, which is almost all of them.

Go to your nearest wine store & treat yourself!

At Last...

2009-03-09T20:26:00.004-05:00

...I can move! I'm off work all this week, but I'm no longer confined to my recliner prison! No running, rock or tree climbing, cliff diving, riding bikes, motorcycles, bulls, or horses...so, that pretty much leaves me incapacitated.

Heh.

Seriously, other than those things, I can do almost anything I want. I'll be on medication for a while, but the doctor gave me great news.

I can drink wine. And yes, those are angels singing.

To celebrate this occasion, we decided to open up a special bottle. Not one that made the last post, but special just the same.

About a year ago, maybe 2, Doug & I went to a tasting at The Wine Barrel of Buena Vista Carneros wines. We had the pleasure of meeting Jeff Stewart, the winemaker, but most importantly, we loved his wine! Jeff wasn't the first winemaker we'd ever met, but he was cool & he signed both bottles that we bought. (I think I've said it before, but a lot of winemakers can be really boring, so it was refreshing to meet one that's not!) While Buena Vista prides itself on its Pinot Noir, we couldn't help ourselves when we tried the Merlot & the Syrah. It also helped that we were quite Pinot-heavy at the time of the tasting...& we have no regrets other than we should've bought more. (No, I don't know what I'll do with the empty signed bottles. I suppose if we keep it that it'll be something else to dust.)

We opened one of those bottles tonight, the 2003 Buena Vista Merlot.

I reached for this bottle tonight because of fear. We've held onto bottles that we thought would be ok, but fell apart as soon as we pulled the cork...& my friends, that qualifies as a tragedy in my book.

My, mymymymy-myyyyy.... what a lovely experience this was! Rich fruit, perhaps crushed berries, with some leather on the nose, & full-bodied, luscious, well balanced, & divine in the mouth. Blackberries, mocha, & some kind of spice - maybe clove - on the palate. An amazing cool climate Merlot. Fantastic.

Maybe we should've let this wine sit a while longer...I think it could've handled it. It's a tricky call. I mean, 95% of wine made today is made to drink NOW. As much as I'd love to open no wine before its time, who in the hell am I to know when that time is? Aaaauuurrgghhhh!!!

Ah, no regrets.

(Except that we should've bought more! Damn it, we should've bought more!)

2009 Open That Bottle Night

2009-03-07T08:00:00.010-06:00

Every year, on the last Saturday night in February, wine drinkers around the world open up those special bottles that they've been holding on to for whatever reason. Sounds grand, doesn't it?

Oh, it could've been...it really could've been. We've never taken part in this, so we wanted to do it up. We were going to have a few people over, perhaps grill up some steak or whatever, hang out & enjoy the food, company, & of course, the vino. Due to my recent malady (read below for those of you that don't know what I'm talking about), I suppose it wasn't meant to be. Boo hoo. I'll live.

Doug & I have quite a bit of wine. We go to tastings around town regularly, & we always buy at least 1 bottle. Don't get me wrong - we only have about 75-80 bottles at this time, so our collection is not that impressive, & we don't have a cellar. Yet. We have room in the basement for one, so maybe someday. Anyway, we've got a few bottles that we've been hanging on to, although we don't really have a plan for any of them.

2004 Ca'Marcanda Promis: A Super Tuscan out of Bolgheri, one of Italy's youngest DOC's, & one of the many fine wines from Angelo Gaja. We were really excited about this wine when we bought it: 55% Merlot, 35% Shiraz - both from the Bolgheri estate - and 10% Sangiovese from Montalcino. We picked this up during a class at Lukas Liquor, where we met our friends Shan & Sean. We'll probably drink this one very soon....

2003 Chateau de Sales, Heritiers de Lambert: This wine is from Pomerol, a tiny region in Bordeaux. I'm not going to pretend to know a ton about Bordeaux because there's just way too much information & it can be very confusing...you know, because it's all French. What I can tell you about Pomerol is that it's on the Right Bank of Bordeaux, which means that about 2/3 of the vines are Merlot. Most of the remainder is Cab Franc, with some Cabernet Sauvignon, & a spot or 2 of Malbec thrown in for good measure. Pomerol is also home to Chateau Pétrus, one of the most expensive and sought-after wines of the world. It's been said that wines from the region can be "sensuous & life-changing". Hmmm...our wine cost enough for about half of a drop of Chateau Pétrus, & we doubt that it'll be life-changing, but we do have hope that it will be wonderful. We had a taste of it when we bought it at Lukas Liquor, & it was!

2003 Chateau Beau-Site Cru Bourgeois Superieur: We bought this from The Wine Barrel. Another Bordeaux, only this time from Ste. Estephe on the Left Bank. Again, I don't know much, but generally speaking, wines from the Left Bank are mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, with some Merlot. I wouldn't doubt if there's a little Petit Verdot, Cab Franc, &/or Malbec in the mix, but it's practically impossible to know for sure...again, it's French. I'm not saying that to diss on the French as a people, but their wine politics are very, very odd. Every time I think of studying to be a sommelier (for no other reason than my own amusement), I think of France & think otherwise. Back to the wine...it can probably be aged for a long time, but seriously...why???

2004 Ferrari Carano Tresor: In a word? Yum. We absolutely adore this wine (& most wines from Ferrari Carano), & we were thrilled when it was featured at a tasting at The Wine Barrel. It's a Bordeaux blend that contains all 5 Bordeaux varietals - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, & Cabernet Franc. We really need to pick up the 2005 as well because it's that good.

2004 Ojai Stolpman Vineyard Syrah: I remember this wine well from a tasting at Lukas Liquor a while back, & I was immediately infatuated. The Pinnacle Import reps, Bill & our pal Amy, served an astounding beef brisket with a lineup of 6 different Syrahs, maybe 7. This was a rare thing at Lukas, & it made a big impact on me. Syrah can be a tough varietal to "get", & as with most grapes, there are many, many winemaking styles. I recall that this wine was very dark, almost a blue-black, & was smoky with blueberry & blackberry. Delish.

2004 Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon: We picked this up from yet another tasting at Lukas, their special "Big Red" tasting that will probably be on hold indefinitely because of - you guessed it - the economy. That's so sad. Anyway, this wine is 100% Cab, estate grown, & a blend from different vineyards. I remember smoooooth... & very well balanced. We've had several wines from Anderson's Conn Valley & really enjoyed them. Maybe we'll get to try some of their whites someday, but they really are known for their reds.

2005 Long Shadows Pedestal: Lucy & I attended a tasting at Veritas last year, & we were both very impressed with the Long Shadows wines. The 2005 Pedestal is 80% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 7% Cabernet Franc, & absolutely incredible. Wines from Long Shadows are really cool for many reasons, & their story is one of them. The grapes are grown in Washington, & the wines are a collaboration between Allen Shoup, the winemaker in Washington, & renowned winemakers from around the world. The Pedestal is a joint venture with Michael Rolland of Pomerol (& now we know a little about that place), & it's delightful. It was quite a hard choice to make - most of the wines were about $60 a pop, except for the Riesling...but Veritas sold out of that fast. For good reason, the Poet's Leap is stellar, & my favorite Riesling ever. The fact that I have a favorite Riesling is promising...I'm coming along in my appreciation for Riesling. Ah, but I digress...the Pedestal. So very, very good!

2002 Elderton Command: Another purchase from the Big Red tasting at Lukas, & perhaps aside from the Ornellaia, this Barossa Valley Shiraz was the star of the show. To those of you that are impressed by such things, Parker gave this baby a 95 & that's freakin' high. I remember this was huge, larger than life...stunning, actually. No, wait - what was stunning was that Doug grabbed a bottle of this with no discussion - it was $75, more than we've ever paid for wine. What made this even crazier is that before tasting this wine, Doug didn't even like Shiraz! For that matter, Australian wines rarely top my list of favorite wines, either, but hey - I'm really excited about this wine. In fact, I'm thinking about drinking this for my upcoming 40th birthday, but we'll see. Doctor's orders, you know.

So, there you have it, the pride of our "cellar", although there are several more that I could add. Maybe we'll have a belated Open That Bottle Night sometime, or maybe we'll crack a couple bottles open with just a few friends. Who knows what we'll do, but I can tell you this much -- any day that these wines are opened will be an occasion in itself.

The Needle & The Damage Done

2009-03-05T15:14:00.004-06:00

I figured that since I'm laid up at home, sharing my recent health scare with you, that I should at least show you what this awful shot looks like:

There it is. Not so bad, really. Really. It could be so much longer, like a flu shot or something. Now those are big! Oh, who am I kidding...they might not be as big, but I still hate them. For the first & probably only time ever, I'm actually grateful to be fat! I shudder to think about giving myself these shots if I had a flat belly. At any rate, I hope to be finished with these things for good tomorrow.

The damage done? No, no, you won't be seeing that.... I do have some pride, you know.

By Popular Demand

2009-03-04T14:11:00.007-06:00

In my last post (for those of you that haven't read it, you might want to so you can catch up), I mentioned my hospital roommate, & I've gotten quite a few requests for stories about her. I'll give it my best shot, but since my brain is turning to mush, I make no guarantees on the entertainment value.

Before I get into this, let me be clear about something. I don't know much about sickle cell disease, but I understand that it is serious, like all of the illnesses that were being treated on my floor. Oh, & you might want to get comfortable...this is going to be a long one!

It was quite clear that my new roommate - let's just call her "She" - was less than thrilled about sharing her room. She was on the phone when I came in, & she said "Oh, now I have a white girl for a roommate...", which was my big clue. Whatever, I had more important things to worry about than making pals. The nurse drew the curtain around my side of the room & left me sitting quietly on my bed, waiting for someone to tell me what was happening next. As I said before, nothing happens quickly in a hospital. My roommate was on her cellphone the whole time, & the phone in the room rang for her several times as well.

I suspected - but didn't fully realize - that it was a small sign of things to come.

Doug arrived, & since all that had happened was that I was given a very stylish gown & I had a needle in my arm. Nothing hooked up to the needle, no medicine given, no food, no monitors, no direction... just a little frustrating! During this time, my roommate had a visitor & left the room with her. I didn't know it then, but that was my one & only respite for the next 24 hours or so.

My roommate returned sans visitor, & Doug left to go home. The phones - hers, not mine - started going immediately. Yeah, She was talking on both phones at the same time. Apparently, one of her sisters had hidden her pregnancy from her & She only found out after the baby was born. She was extremely upset & was railing at anyone that would listen. Meanwhile, my nurse came in to teach me how to give myself my shots. Yikes.

It was then that the 1-sided attention games began. She, who had been speaking normally until this point, all of a sudden adapted a weak, helpless voice & tried to call my nurse away from me (while on the phone, of course). The nurse told her that she would be there in a moment (& she was), & was then blasted for giving She an attitude just then. Huh?

After the nurse left, the phone calls continued on & off. (Let me clarify - her phone calls, not mine.) She covered a few subjects, but mostly her sister, & how badly she was being treated by the hospital staff. After a while, the phone attention must not have been enough - she started hitting the Call button for the nurses' station (switching voices when appropriate). She needed more pain medicine, water, whatever, & if they didn't come running within 2 minutes, she'd hit that button again. All night long.

"All night long" seemed to last forever. Every time I started to fall asleep, either the phone would ring, She'd yell into the Call button, or she'd moan & cry. Any time that the nurse or tech came by for me, she always needed something first. I was exhausted & my patience was wearing thin, but this woman was the very definition of "ghetto", & she could move a lot faster than I could, so I just kept my mouth shut.

I finally got a little sleep, but soon woke up to the same circus. I got up to use the bathroom & on the way back, I noticed that all of the chairs were on her side of the room. In the few minutes I was gone, she had also moved her portable toilet halfway into my area (she had that in case of "emergency", & she had used it the night before even though she could walk). I tried to move it, since it was on the only side that I could safely get out of bed with my leg, & she quickly told me that she needed it there. Whatever. I just left it alone & dealt with it. My patience was definitely getting a workout!

Doug came to visit just before lunch, & he'd missed some of the fun. Yeah, more bitching about her sister, more ranting at & about the staff (which I had no problem with). No worries, she seemed to crank it up once Doug showed. She decided to give her sister a call & jumped into a huge lecture on how there shouldn't be secrets, how they WILL be spending more time together, & that she WILL be spending time with her baby. After that, she gave herself a bath & decided that it was the perfect time for a loud & lively conversation with her mother - on speaker. This went on for a good 45 minutes at least (& yes, the room phone was ringing for her as well). It was so loud that all Doug & I could do was sit & try to watch tv...there was no point in trying to talk to each other. A few people called my cell, & we couldn't hear each other well enough to talk civilly, but they did ask what in the hell was going on in my room. Oy, if they only knew...

Keep in mind that the Call button was still one of her favorite toys, & the rules still applied. If you didn't respond to her mostly ridiculous requests within 2 minutes, there was Hell to pay. The day nurse, who was very sweet, responded to a call while Doug was getting us some lunch, was told that She didn't appreciate her tone & that she should drop the nasty attitude. Now, there was neither tone nor 'tude coming from that nurse, but nonetheless, She got on the Call button & demanded to see the charge nurse. Doug walked in to hear She blasting the nurse (alternating between her normal voice & her pathetic one, & even introducing a new authoritative one for contrast, I guess). Having witnessed every incident since my arrival, hearing this upset me. Since I didn't want to cause unrest by speaking to the nurse in the room (& I couldn't leave the room), Doug spoke to her about it once she left to make sure that the charge nurse understood the situation. This is when we discovered that She was very well-known, & a quite dreaded "frequent flier" at the hospital. Greeeaaaat....

She had a visitor at one point, & yes, you guessed it - more bitching about her sister! She was upset because her sister had somehow robbed her of the opportunity for her to experience having a child again. Yeah, I don't get it either, & I have to admit that if I had her as my sister, I'd hide everything I could from her.

More of the same, all day - more calls, more demands for drugs (oh, lots & lots of those), etc. At this point, I was begging for an IV of Zinfandel, Merlot, or something, damn it! Doug left before rush hour & he was less than happy to leave me in that situation. Luckily for me, I had 2 sets of visitors to distract me that evening, & they got to share in some of the experience. Yup, more phone conversations on speaker.

After my friends left, I had the pleasure of hearing She tell her nephew that he needed to improve his grades. They went through his entire report card & she told him no less than 10 times that they were going to draw up a contract. Now, why this was her business, I don't know - she had been speaking to the child's mother a few moments before. Regardless, she had this child & her own child on the (speaker) phone until 10:45 on a school night. After that, she had another call that she stayed on for at least another hour. While she was in a hospital, with a roommate. I was so exhausted & frustrated that I was about to cry, & I was about ready to end my silence & let her have it, come what may.

At about 11:20, the nurse came in & asked me very quietly if I wanted to move. As it turns out, my wonderful husband had requested on his way out of the hospital that I be moved. Doug to the rescue! Since I was on a floor with very, very sick people, I was concerned that someone in worse shape than me would be moved in & have to deal with her...seriously. After I was assured that they would do their best to avoid that, I said yes, get me the hell out of here! Being moved was as much fun as I'd had since I'd gotten there, it was like a secret rescue mission or something. I was very quietly moved (while She was still on speakerphone) at about 11:45 into a room with a very old, almost deaf woman.

Unfortunately, my move was not without drama. Silly me for thinking that it would be! The nurse was gone for a while & when she came back with more of my stuff, she told me that She was very upset that I'd been moved. She didn't think that she'd done anything wrong & she wanted me to call her to "make things right" between us. CALL HER???!!!! No way. I'd spoken no more than 5 very polite words to She, we were not friends. I told the nurse that I wasn't going to call her, that I just wanted to sleep, & that She should just let it go & enjoy having the room to herself. Judging from her behavior, that's what she seemed to want the whole time anyway. That wasn't good enough, apparently - the nurse came back to tell me that She was now irate & had made the whole thing a racial thing. What-the-fuck-ever.

I slept like a baby.

Close Call

2009-03-03T12:20:00.008-06:00

About 3 weeks ago, I sustained an injury to my foot, a mid-foot sprain. I didn't really know it at the time because neither incident I can think of was particularly painful when it happened. I do, however, suspect that the self-absorbed woman that mowed over my foot with her big ass stroller was the culprit. (Yes, I'm aware that the irony is quite lovely, thank you.) My foot was only a little tender the next day. It was only after standing on it for 5 hours while observing a surgery that Friday that I noticed it had started to swell a little. Eh, it was a sprain, I knew what to do.

However, the next day, Doug & I left for New Orleans to join the Luces on vacation, which meant 10 hours on the road. After walking all over the French Quarter, my foot was in pretty bad shape by the time we got on the cruise ship that Monday. After a couple of days of ice, elevation, & very little walking, my foot got a bit better, but the pain had started to crawl up the inside of my calf. Again, no big deal, that happens sometimes. Overall, things were looking up.

Fast forward to Sunday, the day after we got home. My inner thigh was starting to hurt quite a bit, & that made very little sense to me. By the time Wednesday morning came around, the pain was quite awful, & my inner thigh was red, swollen, & a bit warm. I told Doug that I was going to try to get into see someone about my leg that day, but if not, we were going to either an urgent care facility or an ER that evening. Luckily, I was able to see a doctor that morning.

It turns out that I had a very large blood clot from just above my ankle all the way to my groin. Yeah....that's enormous. Since deep vein thrombosis is a very serious thing, I was direct-admitted to Barnes Hospital. They put me on 2 blood thinners & ordered me to stay in bed (with the exception of going to the bathroom).

I was fortunate enough to be put in a room with a drug-seeking sickle cell patient that was one of the acute care ward's least favorite people of all time. Yay. (If the hospital had WiFi, I could've written some very entertaining blogs, all borne out of my frustration & decreasing patience. Too bad, I'm sure you would've enjoyed them immensely.) I did keep my cool, however...but after the first night of almost no sleep & constant drama from her side of the room, Doug had had enough. On his way out, he told the nurses that he wanted me moved. As you may or may not know, nothing happens quickly in hospitals, so I was finally moved at about 11:45 that night. (Apparently, the staff had a pool going on how long I'd make it with her.) I slept like a baby, except for the tech waking me up a couple of times for vitals & taking blood. Honestly, I don't know how anyone can be expected to get rest in a hospital!

After what seemed like an eternity, I was finally released on Friday afternoon. I don't think I've ever been so happy to be home. Obviously, I'd been away from home with Doug, & I'd been at home without Doug, but I found it very distressing to be away from both home & Doug, & against my choice. (Ok, so I didn't have to go to the hospital, but since I like living, I really did.)

Anyway, I'm home until at least next Tuesday. I have to stay off my feet, for the most part, & I have to be very, very careful. No bumps to my leg, no stairs, no driving, no shaving my legs, no stress, & no alcohol. (Silly readers, it sucks, but it's no big deal yet. I have DVT, not DT's!) Doug's doing all of the housework & taking care of everything. I have to give myself a shot in the abdomen twice a day (it's only for about a week, & it's one of the blood thinners). I'm so hardcore! My stomach is starting to feel like a pincushion, but it's a necessary evil, & it's turning into a rainbow of color. The home health nurse came by & said that I'm doing well. She was very excited that I'm not old, but I don't share her excitement - I'm not old, but I have a home health nurse....

So, things are going well, & I'm feeling better. I still can't wear regular shoes, but my killer moccasins have earned their purchase price & then some. Thanks to my friends, I'm armed with a bunch of books & movies in addition to a bunch of emails, calls, & visits, & our DVR has plenty of things to watch as well. I'm a lucky girl to have caught this thing before it was too late, to have such an incredible husband, & to have truly outstanding friends.

However, I'm here to tell you that Shark Week, which isn't a picnic to begin with, is a fucking barrel of monkeys when you're taking blood thinners.

Just A Few Reasons Why I'm Going To Hell...

2009-02-25T11:49:00.007-06:00

...& the fact that I've been back from vacation with the Luces & haven't blogged about it yet doesn't really count in my book. Patience, people, patience...I've certainly had to use it since I've been back, as it's been rather eventful. (But hey, we had a great time!)

Anyway, for those of you that don't know, today is Ash Wednesday - the 1st day of Lent, on which many Christians receive a mark of ashes on their forehead as a token of penitence & mortality. Now, before some of you start asking "Who are you & what have you done with Claire?", let me explain why I mentioned this. (The following story is in NO way intended to offend anyone - so just don't go there.)

I work in a hospital (in an office, not on the floor - & I definitely don't perform surgery, although I've been tempted..), & every year, various forms of clergy walk around on Ash Wednesday to rub ashes on people's foreheads. Well, several of the - hmmm, what do I call them - ashed-upon people came in my office a couple of Ash Wednesdays ago, & one of them was far more bold than anyone I'd ever encountered on this day. (I think that the story is worth re-telling, & may in fact turn out to be like "The Night Before Christmas" one day.)

Ash Head: "Why, Claire, haven't you been blessed today?"

Me: "Oh, I try to think that I'm blessed EVERY day.."

AH: "Now, you know that's not what I meant. You should go take part of the Ash Wednesday tradition. You will be absolved of your sins. If you don't, you'll go to Hell."

Me: "Wow. That's serious, then. However, I don't 'take part in the tradition', but thanks."

AH: "That's awful, Claire. Have you at least made a sacrifice for Lent?"

Me: "Oh yes, the same as I do every year. I'm giving up heroin." (I've never done it, but I ALWAYS say this every year because I think I'm funny... Hell, party of 1, please.)

AH: "That's not funny. I'm going to pray for your soul tonight, but I doubt it'll be enough to save you from Eternal Damnation. Harumph..."

Holy crap!!! I've only joked around with this woman on occasion, & had absolutely no reason to believe that she was so religious. Frankly, I was stunned, but of course, now I'm still laughing about it a couple of years later (& she barely acknowledges me on the rare occasion that she sees me) . Whoops, another reason I'm going to Hell. Well, while we're at it, let's take a look at some other reasons:

* I no longer attend church (although I do still believe in God, just not necessarily what I was taught all those years).

* If God listens to my parents' son, it's my fault that my parents got a divorce. (Ooops, I think that "parents' son" reference might have just made that 2 reasons.)

* I had premarital sex. A lot. And liked it.

* I lived with Doug before we got married. Oh, & let's not even talk about Doug...but chalk up 2 more, please.

* I laugh about my parents a lot, so I guess that means I don't honor them.

* I'm not fulfilling God's will because I am not having children. (Yes, I've actually been told that by another zealot.)

* I cuss. Quite a bit.

* I joke about going to Hell a lot. I think that's supposed to be a sin.

* I've been known to say snarky things about other people. I know, shocking...sad but true.

You know, this list could go on & on...& you know what? That's ok. But beware...if you laughed at any of this, you could be joining me.

(By the way, I redecorated the blog a bit, so pop out of your Reader. Oh no! Aren't attention-seeking & vanity sins, too?)

Still The One

2009-02-14T06:38:00.006-06:00

I received a card in the mail yesterday. It read:

To My Very Special Love
On Valentines Day

We found each other.

We knew.

We knew that it was so amazing.

Happy Valentine's Day to My One & Only.

My Love.

Awwww, right? Well....

At the top of the card was "Dear Claire & Doug", & after "My One & Only" was "daughter & son-in-law". However, there was no signature -- my dad had forgotten to sign the card.

Yeah...I know.

In other, not-so-weird news, today is The Day. Yeah, yeah, it's Valentine's Day, but big whoop. Seriously. It's a freakin' Hallmark holiday. Today is The Day because in about 45 minutes, Doug & I are getting in the car & driving to New Orleans! Yup, nothing says romance like 9-10 hours in a car. We'll meet up with Lucy & Mr. Luce at the hotel, play around town for a bit, & then get on our big, grand boat to Mexico.

Mayhem is sure to follow.

Before I leave you on this day that means something very different to you, let me share a new favorite. Happy VD!

The One, The Last, The Only

2009-02-04T17:34:00.008-06:00

I need to say one thing up front - I love my mother. I really do. Very much. Having said that, I need to follow that by saying that the woman is crazier than a shithouse rat.

Some of you have heard various stories about my mom's antics, whether in person or from my former blog. Like how she has no doorknobs in her house, only deadbolts. And how she snuck out the back door when the sheriff showed up to serve my dad with divorce papers (no, she hadn't told him). Or how she's convinced that my supposedly evil cousin from New Mexico allegedly makes it a habit to come to her house just to get into her garage so that he can break in to her deepfreezes (never mind the fact that she lives alone & has more than one - or that nothing's ever missing). Oh, how I could go on...

Why am I bringing this up?

My brother (give me a medal, I didn't call him "my parents' son"!) & his girlfriend/fiancee'/baby mama had a baby yesterday. (Yay....another child born to a historically unhappy, dysfunctional family. It's sad to say, but the extended family isn't thrilled.) They didn't want to find out the sex of the baby because my brother wanted to be "surprised". Whatever...it's either a girl or a boy, & certainly not a pony, so I don't get the mystique. Anyway, since they already had a boy (9 years ago), the consensus was that it would be a girl. Putting aside the obligatory "As long as it's healthy", my mom really wanted a girl.

It's a boy.

Now, if I had to choose, I also wanted a girl so that it would even up the nephew/niece numbers. It's a good thing I didn't really care either way because obviously I wasn't going to get my way on this.

Last night, I called each of my parents to congratulate them on their new grandchild - you know, because it's the right thing to do. Dad was fine, but seemed to be more excited about babysitting for the girls while we're in Mexico. Mom, while not overly enthused like she was 9 years ago, was a different story.

When I heard her voice on the line, it sounded like she'd been sleeping. After lamenting that she didn't get a girl, I soon found out otherwise when she said:

"Iiiii have my guuurl. You. You're my guuurl. You're the one, the last, the only."

Uh oh. Mom was hittin' the sauce.

After listening to her ramble on about how bad her day had been (& aside from the kid, it was pretty bad), I needed to get off the phone. I had my own sauce to hit, & Doug was waiting patiently to hear what was going on. Oh, & to drink the wine we'd picked out. Luckily, Mom was really tired & wanted to go to bed, so getting off the phone was her idea. However, not before she said it one last time...

"Claire, you're the one, the last, the only."

Man, I don't even want to know what that drunken riddle was about, but ok, I'm it, people. Now, don't you forget it.

On to our wine... We picked up a fantastic Malbec at Lukas a few weeks ago for under $15 (we think it was $12.99, but we're not sure) - the 2005 Valle Las Acequias Malbec from the wonderful wine region of Mendoza, Argentina. (Sadly, I can't find a link that's really worthwhile.) If you're one that cares about what Robert Parker thinks, he put this wine on his best buy list, & I agree with him. This 100% Malbec kicks ass - it's dark, lush, smooth, & delicious. I can't wait to get more!

Yeah, the wine was a great way to unwind & reflect on that phone conversation...& as always, Doug is so happy that I'm adopted.

Run, Don't Walk

2009-02-03T14:08:00.007-06:00

Knock a stop off of the "Doug & Claire's Top Secret West County Wine Tasting Tour"...

The Wine Merchant sent me an email yesterday to let me know that it was closing their Creve Couer location...& yes, they mentioned "the economy". Doesn't everybody these days? Anyway, I immediately sent the email to Doug because they're having a sale...& who doesn't love a sale on wine?! Mind you, this isn't clearance wine that you may or may not have to guess if it's still good - this is stuff that's on the racks right now. We remembered when a different wine store closed a few years ago (not because of "the economy"), & how we waited too long (only 3 days) to take advantage of the sale, so we rushed right over after work.

It's a damn good thing that we did.

Some of the inventory had been sent to their other location, & a ton of wine had been sold that day. Winos don't mess around when there's a store closing! There was still a somewhat decent selection left at that time, so we picked up 3 bottles that were the only ones left of their kind - including our beloved Dare Cab Franc - & enjoyed a lovely 20% discount. We expected that it would be 20%, but we weren't sure since, by law, they can't tell you in the email. I can, however, so there you go, 20% off...how nice, a benefit from reading this blog. Oh, & the sale includes any beer & spirits left, too. (If you haven't picked up on this by now, you'd better go today if you want anything more than the dregs.)

How do we feel about this store closing? Truthfully, we're quite fine with it. While it was on "the tour", it was always the very last stop & we rarely made it that far. Besides, now we can look forward to walking into the Clayton shop where they can tell by your pheremones that you're not financially wealthy & then treat you accordingly.

Gotta love that.

Quick...

2009-01-30T07:00:00.005-06:00

...I only have a few minutes before I have to dash off to clinic. (Those of you that know what my new job is know that this means that I'm going to have a long, confusing, tiring, yet educational day.)

What a week.

It started off with the Food & Wine Experience at the Chase on Sunday. We had VIP tickets -- there's simply no other way for us. After a couple of years of just doing the general admission area, we decided to step it up & we haven't regretted it one bit. I hesitate to say how great it was because I'm selfish, but it has to be said that the wines were wonderful. Mostly dry with some Rieslings here & there, but everything was a delight. Sundays are great for this event...it's not anywhere near as busy as Saturdays, & while the hangover potential is definitely a concern, as long as you're not stupid, it can be enjoyed greatly. And it was. Like I said, I don't have time to go into the great wines we had, but I do hope to get to that sometime soon. You know, before I forget them all! But before I stop writing about this, I will say that the food kicked ass! Lobster mac & cheese, all I wanted. 'Nuff said.

Surprisingly, we've had no other wine this week, & we've been in bed no later than 8:40 every night. Yeah, we're still getting up really early, but we might try to keep that bedtime schedule at least a couple of nights a week. I haven't felt quite so cheated in the mornings! Ah, but I do love to watch tv at night, so we'll see.

We were more or less snowed-in on Wednesday, much to my surprise. You see, Doug's hardcore, so he tends to battle the bad weather. Since he drives Miss Daisy (me) to work every day, I let him make that call. Yay! Nothing but a day of hanging out on the couch with the dogs. Sure, I should've been more productive - every single one of our closets are in desperate need of cleaning & organizing - but nah...

So much more to say, so little time. Stay tuned.

Miserly Ways

2009-01-22T20:43:00.005-06:00

Today was a long day, & not just because it started at 4:00 a.m. As some of you know, I'm in the midst of learning my new job, & it's been interesting, busy, sometimes fun, & almost always overwhelming. So much information -- information that I never even thought I'd know or want to know, but here I am. Apparently, I've started at the most stressful time of the year, but I don't really get just why that is yet. I guess I'll find out next January, but for now, suffice it to say that my coworkers are a little testy.

(That's being kind.)

Anyway, today was one of those days that my head was spinning more than usual, but one thing kept me grounded. Today was Thursday, & I could only hope that Doug would be agreeable to going to "our place"....Veritas.

He was.

So, off we went. Yeah, times are a bit tight, & I really hate saying that -- it's like no one can say anything without saying "In this economy", or "until the economy improves"...gah. I catch myself saying it, & we're not feeling too much of an effect from it (thank goodness). Because of "the economy" (see?!), almost every wine tasting features value wines & Veritas was no exception. Hey, I'm not saying that like it's a bad thing... It's smart business, & besides, any schmuck can buy a great $70 bottle of wine, but it takes a bit of work to find that great one for under $20, $15, $12...& $9.

Aside from the usual incredible food we always get at Veritas, & the fun company from fellow wine & Veritas lovers Bob & Nancy, we discovered a fantastic, fun wine for just $9 -- CheapSkate Miser Meritage. This Sonoma, CA blend of Cab Franc & Merlot knocked it out of the park tonight...the recession's answer to Opus One. Ok, take that with a grain of salt...but damn, it was good. Nice spice, lush fruit, & a surprisingly long finish make the Miser a guaranteed hit for your next gift, party, or just your regular ol' Wednesday night. And it's a screwtop to boot, so you'll never have to worry about the dreaded corked wine. (Those of you that still have a prejudice against screwtops should open their minds & more bottles - you don't know what you're missing.)

Cheapskate's philosophy is an excellent one:

Make only stunningly good wine
Outrageous value.
Targets progressive consumers and leaders through humor and honesty.
Use 1 -3 to break the rules: Make a wine so good and so much fun that it sells itself. Provide a steaming-hot deal up front. Then draw the line. No special deals or discounts. Five-case minimum purchases by wholesale accounts. Retail sales by the case only.
In winemaking, it's cheaper to do it the smart way. As winemakers, practice finding our inner Cheapskate. Ask "Why isn't this less?" Smart, cheap packaging, scrooge-caps, lots of thought and work spent on pinching pennies.
Foster long term relationships with growers in unfashionable areas who are dedicated to quality. Fancy appellations means you pay more for the same quality. CheapSkates can't afford that!

What are you waiting for? Pick it up & lie about how much you spent -- as long as you don't go overboard, you'll get away with it.

Worth Every Freakin' Penny

2009-01-20T19:59:00.011-06:00

In this rather crappy economy, I can't help but look at some of my purchases with pride. To me, they are exactly as the title of this post suggests: worth every freakin' penny.

Let's start with my amazing pair of ostrich boots that I bought on a cruise we took in February, 2007. From Fall to Spring, they're a staple in my wardrobe, & I can't think of anything I want to wear more. I actually look forward to cooler weather because I get to wear my boots. Here they are, on the dashboard during a trip to Balducci's Winery this past Sunday:

The photo doesn't do them justice, but trust me....they ROCK. Plus, they're so comfortable! We bought them in Cozumel from Roger's Boots. Doug & I had consumed several margaritas in preparation for dropping some cash on them, & I think we did a great job! I was good cop, Doug was bad cop. Or rather, the older Mexican guy hit on me while I spoke to him in somewhat-acceptable Spanish & called Doug a cheapo. Doug played the grumpy Gringo & I played the slightly-tipsy, long-suffering wife that really wanted a pair of cool boots...& SHAZAM! A deal was struck, & I have the coolest boots ever. Not exactly black, not really charcoal gray, & could almost be navy blue...I love them. Yeah, worth every freakin' penny.

Another purchase that I'm thrilled with is my brand new moccasins from Canada. On Thanksgiving evening, Doug & I went to Monica - one of my very best friends - & Cory's house, & she was wearing what looked to be the most luxurious slippers ever. I just had to have them! Luckily for me, she was heading back home to Canada over Christmas, & she said she'd pick some up for me...& she remembered!

(Now, Monica would be my very best friend if she would've actually bought them for me, but oh well...)

Monica brought these beauties to me this past Saturday night, & I couldn't wait to put them on after the hockey game! Bella knew there was a foreigner in the midst immediately, & she wanted them BAD. She knows bunny when she smells it...but she can't have 'em. Just as I'd hoped, I put them on when I got home, & ahhhhh.....FANTASTIC. Again, worth every freakin' penny.

One more, & I'm going to bed.

As I mentioned in my last post, Doug & I went to Time For Dinner last week, & Doug put the Artisan Chicken out to thaw this morning (at 4 o'fucking clock - yeah, he's working overtime again, which means I am, too). It has blue cheese in it, & I didn't think any of the whites we have would work...& I feared most of the reds that traditionally go with blue cheese (Cab Franc, Cab, etc.) would overpower it. What were we to do?? As good fortune would have it, we stopped in the Ballwin Wine & Cheese Place to check on a potential dog sitter for the Luces (for our boot-buying cruise in February - ok, the boot-buying is probably just me), & we couldn't leave without buying some wine. 4 bottles, in fact - they had a great sale, & uh, we were running low... We bought the Feudo Arancio 2006 Pinot Noir for - are you ready for this? $7.99. Yeah, I know....scary. But hey, at that price, & the fact that it was a Pinot from Sicily, it was a curiosity that had to be satisfied.

So tonight, while mulling over our wine choices, we decided to go for it. The food smelled delicious, & I couldn't wait. However, when I first tasted the wine, it was just ok & I had a metallic taste in my mouth. Doug said he got metal on the nose. Oh no....

Never fear, kittens! One bite of the chicken, & all was well in Doug & Claire Land. No more metal, just good food & good wine....

Worth every freakin' penny.

It's the coldest day in 10 years...

2009-01-15T19:48:00.009-06:00

...& we're drinking white wine. A Chardonnay, even.

What?!

Crazy, huh?

Well, sort of, but not really. You see, we went to Time For Dinner last night with some friends, & the meal that Doug put in the refrigerator to thaw was the Crab Stuffed Chicken. Yum. However, our wine supply is almost all red right now, & I just couldn't think of any that would even minimally work with the dish.

(As an aside, the Time For Dinner thing is fun! The food is awesome, too. While we assemble the food, it's sort of cheating, not really cooking...but I don't care!)

Luckily, we visited our very dear friend Robin on Sunday, & she sent us home with 2 bottle of wine, 1 of which was white! The Hahn SLH 2006 Chardonnay, to be exact. While we realized it might not be the greatest pairing - I think that the Hahn SLH 2007 Pinot Gris would've been fabulous - we were confident enough.

We were right. No, not the best pairing, but it certainly didn't offend! Honestly, it was quite good. Both the dish & the wine were lovely on their own (yes, I did just say that a Chardonnay was lovely), the pairing was just ok. As predicted. But the fact that I'm sitting here - in 6° of freakin' St. Louis - still drinking not only a chilled wine but a Chardonnay after the chicken is gone should really tell you something. We love Hahn wines. Good stuff, people, good stuff.

The Hahn SLH Pinot Gris would've really made me happy, though. I've had it before, & I absolutely love it. Ah, never look a gift horse in the mouth.

Not that our friend Robin is a horse...but if she were a horse, she'd be a mighty fine one.

With damn good wine.

4 Days In...

2009-01-04T17:02:00.010-06:00

Come on, 2009 -- show us what you've got. Better economy? Weird weather? The possibilities are endless.

But hey, it's too soon to talk about that, & I'm not going to join the throngs of bloggers that have shared their cheerleader-ish hopes & dreams for the year like they do every year. Frankly, the year is merely a period of time & it's going to be what it's going to be...& that's largely up to us & what we choose to do with it. Having said that, Happy New Year, & I hope that you make the best of it!

So, we've been back for a while, but let's talk about my trip to Jamaica, shall we?

Actually, there's not that much to tell. We went, hung out on a beautiful beach at an amazing resort, drank lots of rum at the swim-up bar, & got a tan. We had a killer massage in what had to be the coolest place to get a massage EVER. The food was great, the views incredible, & we neglected to take a lot of photos. Damn, damn, damn. In my defense, we didn't really go anywhere or do anything other than hang out...but here's what we took. (If you want to see more, check out the link - Couples does a great job!)

Our room upon arrival...I'm not a fan of the headboard & the bed was harder than I like (but I'm spoiled), but overall, the room was nice, roomy, & very blue & white.

Here's a couple of views from our terrace...sadly, neither photo does it justice, but as I said earlier, I just wasn't inclined to keep snapping. It really was outstanding, & at night, the lights were fabulous.

The only thing we didn't love about our room was the noise - we were just down from where most of the nightly entertainment was, which wasn't cool if we wanted to get to sleep before midnight. Oh well.

On our first night, there was a huge wedding. I'm guessing the bride & groom were natives because there were a lot of people! I'd hate to think how much money it cost to have a wedding at the resort, but I'm here to tell you, it was gorgeous. I was only able to get 1 shot, & it's not a very good one...

Ok, not the best, but I figured it'd be a bit tacky for a stranger to run around taking pictures...but take my word for it - it was beautiful. I wish I could've taken photos of the tables, but it was really dark, & then there was the whole tacky thing I just mentioned, so sorry... I know some of you would have really enjoyed them. Everything was very well done - the flowers, the lighting, music, the colors... As pretty as it was, all I could think of was how much money was spent on 1 little day, a mere blip in a life. Oh well, hindsight is 20/20!

The lobby was decorated for Christmas.

Eh, as usual, my photos don't do it justice. New camera, you know.

So yeah...great trip. It was over at just the right time - we were missing the dogs terribly. After a few delays at both the Montego Bay & Charlotte airports, we finally made it home. Talk about a major drag...but thank goodness there are decent bars in airports. There's even a wine bar that we discovered last year at the Charlotte airport that serves & sells North Carolina's Yadkin Valley wines, so obviously, we had to stop in again. Checking out wines from other states is a big hobby of ours, & I'm happy to report that North Carolina's wines are pretty damn good. Seriously - while they may not be of the same caliber as Napa or Willamette, I think they have real potential, therefore, I'm happy to support their efforts. Some day, we hope to take a trip to the Yadkin - I think it'd be cool (I'm certainly not going to go to a NASCAR race, which is huge in that area), one We bought a Bordeaux-style red blend from Raylen Vineyards, & I'm looking forward to sharing it with some of our fellow winos.

My dad had taken great care of the girls, as always...they certainly didn't starve. Within seconds of walking in our door, I was struck by how much bigger Piper had become! It was really remarkable. So much so that we're going to get her in to see the vet in the next week or so - the poor chunk has to get her thyroid checked & be put on a diet. Everyone ele was great, though, & Gordon said that they all had a wonderful time.

The second thing we noticed was that it had been very windy while we were gone. I'm so glad we bought a cover lifter for our hot tub's lid -- it was the only thing that held the lid on! We walked outside, heard this loud watery noise & then saw that the lid was halfway off! A lot of the water was gone, so we had to refill it. I hate to think of how much our electric bill is going to be...needless to say, Doug was not pleased.

So, what next? Other than a cruise to Mexico in February with the Luces, we're trying to figure out what our vacation plans are over the next year or so.

Tough problem to have, I know.

U-Turn

2008-12-16T20:08:00.008-06:00

I'm not going to mince words...November sucked. It was perhaps the worst month for us ever. Luckily, December is a lot better, & it's not even over yet.

Let me start with the biggest news - I got a promotion! Weird, huh? It wasn't a "Claire, you've done such a wonderful job for us over the last 6+ years, so now we're making you a manager" kind of promotion, but nonetheless, a promotion. You see, I was approached by a manager in my department about a job, & after talking about it & interviewing with a couple of different people, the job was mine. Yay, me! It's very scary stuff, though...I've never done what I'll be doing. In fact, I never even considered doing it, maybe because I thought it would never be an option. Hell, I can't even pronounce most of my job duties! Despite this, the stars aligned just so, & BAM! New job, with a 5.4% increase...not too shabby in this economy, & certainly not when upper management sent an email out not too long ago saying no one would get a raise this year. (I don't mean to be cryptic, but this is the internet, after all, & I'd rather not discuss specifics about my job. I know, you get it.) Just in time, too - I was feeling very trapped & beginning to wonder if my letter opener would be sufficient enough to slit my wrists. (Kidding...but I really did hate my job!) So, on December 29th, I start my new position....

....the day after we get back from Jamaica!

Go ahead, hate on me. You know you want to.... Ok, that's enough now.

This Saturday, Doug & I get on a plane & head to Couples San Souci! We haven't had a vacation since the end of April, & we're long overdue. To say that we're excited is putting it mildly. Very. We'll be gone for 9 days. Can I just tell you how much fun it is to spend Christmas on a beach? Away from the dysfunction, the craziness, the rushing around...it's bliss. Just imagine...an 80° Christmas with a swim-up bar, reggae, & a lot of rum. Dirty Bananas. Pina Coladas, Hummingbirds. Even the dreaded Bob Marley shot - hey, I'm no wimp. Shall I continue? No schedule, incredible food, & amazingly beautiful surroundings...sleeping, reading, playing, or just vegging out looking at the water. I can do that for hours. And the kicker? My husband, the scrooge, wants to bring a string or 2 of lights to hang on our balcony. If you could only know how major that is...

So yeah, December has treated us much better than its predecessor. Sure, Doug's mom & Charles (oh, how I miss that boy) are still gone & there's no bringing them back, but aside from what I was just talking about, both of our vehicles are running as they should, we ditched our colds (I can't tell you how great it was to enjoy wine!), & we've had a little bit of a break from our seemingly grueling schedule. Those are just a few things, but at the top of our list is the love & support we've felt from our friends. We've always known we have an abundance of outstanding people in our lives, & we feel very, very blessed.

Oh, & it's 18° out with snow & ice on the ground...but Doug & I just came in from our hot tub.

Yeah...we know how to roll.

Not the usual Thanksgiving post...

2008-11-26T13:54:00.005-06:00

Under normal circumstances, I might write about which wines we chose to take to Thanksgiving, how dysfunctional our combined family's Thanksgiving dinner is, & our yearly escape to Nashville the day after. Under normal circumstances, it'd probably be a damn funny read.

But these aren't normal circumstances.

The month of November hasn't been a good one. It's been heavy with stress, disappointment, frustration, sickness, & sadness. I'm not going to go into all of that on this blog, but there is one particular thing that I will talk about - some of the sadness.

Charles, who we'd been treating for hip dysplasia for months, took a terrible, horrifying turn for the worse late Saturday night. Charles had pulled through so many hard times in the past that we weren't quite willing to count him out just yet. We had hope late Sunday night when he was up walking around, but by morning, that hope was gone.

All day long, I held back tears. I had to be at work - they tend to frown on emergencies for dogs, regardless of how one feels about them. I need my job, so I spent the day riddled with sorrow & guilt. I wanted to be with Charles, & to take him out of his pain, but there was nothing I could do until the evening.

Charles needed us to do one last thing for him, so Doug & I were on the floor at Charles' side, petting him, when he died at Dr. Gwen's office at about 5:20 Monday evening. How I wish he could have heard us, I had things to say...but I believe he knew what I wanted to tell him anyway. He passed quickly & calmly. He has new hips & is running around somewhere with Lexie, he can hear & he's no longer in any pain. While we have peace knowing that we did the right thing for him, our hearts are broken.

I'd love to write a beautiful post about Charles & how much we loved him, but I'm afraid I'm just not up to it right now. I can only say that he was the most beautiful & sweet dog, & a very treasured member of our family. Not "like" a member of the family - Doug & the dogs are my family. Charles had the softest fur & loved being petted more than anything. He was a very happy boy & seemed to be constantly smiling. He was, before he lost his hearing, our staunchest defender -which was always very surprising because of his gentleness. He never hesitated to let that leaf blowing across our yard know that it should move on to the neighbor's house. Charles taught me a lot about patience....having a deaf dog can be tough, especially when the dog isn't the smartest. These things Charles couldn't help, but it was impossible to be angry at him for any reason. I wish I could do him more justice in this post, but I just can't.

Our house is far too quiet now. Charles made more noise than any of the others, he always had a very heavy, plodding step & liked to walk around at night. Mattie misses her best friend - while she seems to know what happened, she still looks for him every morning to play. Piper is very confused, & Bella keeps looking for him. They are all sticking very close to us - they know we are sad.

We're doing the best that we can, although that's not saying much. As for me, my emotional state keeps changing - I'm fine, then I'm crying. I'm numb, & then I'm too sad to even cry, but the tears end up coming anyway. (Luckily, I'm usually at home or in the car when this happens, I hate to cry.) Other times, they sneak up on me - not having to step over the spot where he was always sleeping, not having to stomp on the floor to get his attention, or catching myself using his signals... Those are just a few things. It's just going to take time for all of us to get better, & that sucks. But we WILL get better. We have to. In the meantime, we're always going to miss our boy.

My Birthday Suit

2008-11-01T10:31:00.006-05:00

Hey, Mattie here. It's been a while since I've popped in, & since Mom's not looking, why not?

So, yesterday was my birthday. I'm 14 years old. 14! People say that's really old for a dog like me. Heh, I don't really feel old, so whatever. I might be getting a little grumpier in my old age, but hey, I've been through a lot, I like my comfort, & my little sister Piper gets on my damn nerves. I think I deserve to be spoiled & set in my ways.

For my birthday, Mom & Dad took the day off, but all they did was run errands & work around the house. No fun, but the house looked good. Then Dad put me in this:

At first, I was a little pissed - no one ever put me in a costume before. That was always Lexie's thing, & she actually liked it. (I really miss her, by the way.) Anyway, apparently Dad bought the costume for Bella, but then decided that since it was my 14th birthday, I should be the one to wear it. Ugh. But then Mom & Dad got into costumes, & then our friends showed up in their costumes, & everyone was telling me how cute I looked, & then it wasn't so bad. Then I remembered all of the Batman movies I've seen & how cool he is, & I figured Dad did right by me, as always. Even so, I don't get why people dress up for my birthday...it's just weird.

But the sleeves were too long, so I kept stepping on them. Screw that. I got out of it.

People were here pretty late, & everyone was having such a good time. Everyone looked funny in their costumes, too. And you should see our house now - there are bottles everywhere because Mom was mixing up a bunch of drinks for everyone. I heard someone say that she should open a bar...good idea in theory, but when would she ever have time? I'd much rather she stay home with me all day.

She's home with me now, & that's what counts. They'll be leaving very soon because they have to go make that money crap. I don't think I'll ever get my head around that, but whatever. I just wish they'd leave the bedroom door open so that I can crash on the bed. They won't, though, because Mom really likes her really nice sheets & she says I'll tear them up. So this will have to do:

We Haz New Toy

2008-10-28T19:08:00.006-05:00

Sorry about the LOL speak, but sometimes it just fits.

In the few spare moments we've had lately, we decided to buy something that we've been wanting to buy for a while now... a hot tub! My neck & shoulders have really been feeling a lot of stress, so a hot tub ought to help. I sure hope so - it can really suck!

Since I'm tired & - guess what - short on time, I'll let the pictures do most of the talking.

You just can't plop a hot tub in your backyard, hook it up, & hop in, so preparations needed to be made. However, Doug got a little Craigslist-happy (so easy to do) & we found ourselves with an unseen hot tub for $200. For that price, we figured if it worked, cool, if not, oh well.

Yeah, it's ugly & dumpy. Doug said the guy was a total hoosier to boot, so I'm glad I didn't go for the pickup. However, we were hopeful things would work with a ittle elbow grease.

Like I said, you can't just plop & go - we needed to have a flat surface....

With Bella's supervision (of course), Doug started digging.

"Hey, you're not finished here!"

"Lazy ass...looks like I'll have to show him what real work ethic looks like..."

"If Dad was digging here, it must be ok. Yay, I love to dig!"

Dig, Bella, dig!

Bella told Piper that this was way too much work for one dog, so Piper helped.

For a little while....then Piper got tired.

I tried to get a shot of Doug & Bella digging together, but it just didn't work out. Take my word for it, it was really cute. Bella was thrilled -- a sanctioned dig! It took some of the sting out of having the holes in the back corner - the ones that she's been working on for years - filled in with the extra dirt. (She wasn't happy, & still isn't. She's back at it again.)

Once the digging was complete, Doug finished the patio. I helped a little by sweeping a crapload of sand into the cracks between the paver stones. Oh yeah, & I picked the pavers!

Soon after seeing this, Doug decided the $200 tub was a waste of time & money...

I know, I don't get it either.

We did a little talking, a little shopping, & when we got home today, this is what we saw:

Looky there! A used-but-in-good-condition hot tub (with a warranty!), & they took the old nasty one away! SCORE!!!

Doug says he's still got some work to do, but we're almost there. He worked on some rewiring tonight. Hopefully, we'll be able to get in our hot tub by this time next week! It's got 4 seats, but we think 5, maybe 6, people can fit. How much fun!

I wonder what bottle we'll decide to pop open for the inaugural soak....

Hello, Blog

2008-10-17T14:01:00.005-05:00

Wow. It's been a while.

Not because I've wanted to stay away, but because I just had other stuff that took precedence - you know, like work, for once - or I just haven't had the energy or inspiration. I'm just not one of those "this is what I did today" writers, not that there's anything wrong with that. (As an aside, I use the term "writer" loosely. Whenever Doug is talking about stuff he did that I can't do, I've been known to call myself an "international writer" just to one-up... Yeah, I think I'm funny.) However, this thing needed a good dusting off, so here I go.

We've got another busy weekend lined up, & tonight's no exception, so I decided to stroll over to Starbucks for a pick-me-up. I was really hoping for a Pumpkin Spice latte', but since it's a tiny little university shop, I was out of luck. A caramel macchiato will have to do, even though it's not a true macchiato - it's actually just a caramel latte', but oh well. It's damn good, & I'm going to enjoy it & hope that I can drown out the sound of my coworkers quacking.

Let's focus on something a little more positive. Like the fact that it's Friday afternoon, & I'm getting out 30 minutes early. Well, I did come in 30 minutes early, but it's just nice to get off early. Granted, it's work - our side business, of course - but at least it'll be quick & painless (I hope, I hope).

Something else that's positive - we're looking forward to a schedule slowdown, even though it won't happen until 11/16. But hey - we survived the VP debate (we did, but I don't think one of the candidates can really say that), & we're almost through our own very busy season, so I can see the end in sight...& it looks beautiful. I need a break. I mean, we haven't been on vacation since coming back from Mexico on 5/3! That's a long time, people....

Speaking of vacation, we're really looking forward to our 3rd annual Thanksgiving weekend Nashville trip. It's only a weekend, but for those of you that know me, we can't get out of town fast enough after spending Thanksgiving Day with our family. Hey, you can't judge unless you come to it 2 years in a row. Why 2 years? Because they're on their best behavior the first year (& that's not saying much), so you need to come back after they've loosened up a little. Any takers? Ok, that's what I thought.

Sadly, my friends, I have to wrap this mostly directionless post up. And not to be political, but let me leave you with some pictures that have entertained me for days now... (Really, people, this is supposed to be funny, so don't choose to be offended. Choose to have a damn sense of humor!)

And to be fair....

One more...

Oh, come on - you know that shit was funny, regardless of what side you're on!

Seven

2008-09-30T19:50:00.011-05:00

My, my...it's been a long time! Too long. I have things I should be doing rather than blogging, but I'm home alone & I don't feel like doing much other than drink some beer, watch some stuff that's been squatting on our DVR, & pay some attention to my darling blog.

Let's get something straight - I don't do tags. I'm just not good at following orders when I'm not on the clock, & I like to write what I want to write when I want to write it. Or at least when I can write it...by now, we all know that there's a big difference between wanting to do something & actually being able to do it.

However, this time is different! My good pal Lucy tagged me the other day for the second time (I think), & I just can't refuse her. You see, every single weekday morning, I can count on going to her page & seeing something new...& it always makes me smile if not laugh outright. I'm usually sitting at work - desperately wishing I didn't have to be there - when I read her very clever & informative posts, & I look forward to it every time. Yes, even when it's about tomatoes.

So here goes - 7 random things about me:

1. I have a real problem sitting with my back to the door of a restaurant, bar, or even a cubicle (I'm not important enough to have an actual office, but I'm sure it'd be the same way if I had one). What can I say? I'm 1/2 Italian & my friend Thom shares my belief that it's simply in my blood. There's no other explanation for it - I really don't think that someone is going to come up & shoot me. But hey, in case someone does, it's good to be prepared - I'd like to at least give the bastard a dirty look.

2. Speaking of being Italian...for those of you that don't know, I'm adopted. Nope, I don't know who my natural parents are, nor do I really care to. Not because I have any resentment, it just doesn't interest me (other than for medical records, which I may deal with someday). I mean, really - if I were to meet them, what would I say - "Hi, how are you? So...what have you been up to for the last 39 years?" I don't think so. The only things I know are that my parents were very young, & that along with being Italian, I'm also 1/4 Syrian & 1/4 Greek. Heh...good thing I learned to control my temper. Anyway, while being adopted certainly has created a few issues, it really hasn't been that big of a deal. Doug happens to love it - he's comforted in the knowledge that I won't be like either of my parents. Yup, he'll take a total crapshoot over that mess.

3. If I'm talking to someone with poorly groomed eyebrows, I have a hard time concentrating on the conversation. Sadly, it happens a lot. I just don't get it...some are waaay too thin (I once worked with someone who had plucked her eyebrows so that they were only 2 hairs thick!), some are completely untouched & practically growing into their hairline, & then there are those that copy what their mother has always done...nothing like a 30-something woman with, uh, retro eyebrows.

4. I only daydream when I'm in motion. I can't seem to do it otherwise. Seriously, I get bored & need to do something if I'm I'm just hanging around. I know, weird.

5. Careerwise, I'm one of the least ambitious people that I know. I have a decent enough job, too bad I don't like it that much. It's a living, at least for now, & I have my reasons for staying. It's definitely not my "calling", & if I even have one of those, I really don't think that it has a thing to do with work. Aside from my job, my life rocks, so if I'm only meant to be Doug's wife, mom to our dogs, & the chick that drinks wine & blogs once in a while, then so be it!

6. Doug & I have only been "into" wine for about 4 or 5 years. Some people think we've been big fans our whole lives, but no, it's just over a short amount of time. How have we learned so much? We just go to a ton of tastings...& we PAY ATTENTION & we try everything that's offered. Well, except for White Zin - there's just no point in that! Anyway, that's how we've learned so much. In comparison to some people we know, we don't know diddley, but that's ok. There's always going to be something we can learn about wine, & the education is always fun.

7. I love socks. Yeah, flip-flops are great in the summer, & I wear them a lot, but I'm happiest in socks. Particularly this one black pair....they're made of bamboo, they haven't faded at all, & they're the softest trouser socks ever. Even as I dread having to leave home to go to work, I have a moment of comfort - almost bliss - when I put those socks on my feet.

There, 7 random things. Again, I don't do tags, so play along only if you choose to. Oh, I could go on with more randomness, but Doug just got home, so I won't. The poor guy's been at work since about 6 a.m., & he just told me that after tonight, he won't be home until sometime Friday . Yes...you read that correctly...until sometime Friday!! That blows. The only thing good about it is that it's all overtime pay, but even so, we're not sure it's worth it. He's going to be so tired, & so busy that he won't get much time, if any to rest, but at least it'll all be over soon. I feel really bad for him.

Now, if I could just convince the dogs that my way is as good as Doug's, I just might make it through this week.

Highs & Lows

2008-09-10T18:48:00.012-05:00

I'm exhausted. Well, extremely tired at the very least - aren't you supposed to check into rehab for "exhaustion"? I certainly don't want to do that... that celebrity excuse is pretty exhausting in itself. Anyway, this 3:30 a.m. crap has taken it's toll already - & we're not even doing it every day. My body & mind are both convinced that I have to get up that early, so I find myself awake - sometimes for hours - waiting for the alarm to go off. Let me tell you - that sucks. The lack of decent sleep has wreaked havoc on my ability to concentrate, my mood, my stress level & everything else.

I need a damn vacation. Fiercely.

After a hellishly busy day peppered with running into brick walls & interactions with people that seemed determined to make my life difficult, Doug & I were looking forward to enjoying some wine. You know, something new for us. But first, Doug wanted to finish digging a hole in the backyard, which meant I had to wait. I don't do that well after a day like today. Crap.

He finished in about 90 minutes & we grabbed a bottle that we'd been looking forward to trying. It was a gift from a friend, & we'd never had the varietal before, so we were intrigued. It was an Italian varietal called Arneis, which is a very old grape grown in Piemonte. It's not something that you're going to run into often because this grape is very difficult to cultivate & tends to have very low yields. Sometimes it's used in blending to lessen tannins in red wine, like Viogner is used in the Northern Rhone - I'm sure that the importer from my last post would've told me that this area, too, is in France. Eh, whatever. This particular bottle of Arneis, however, was from Sonoma (which is where, class?), & everything we'd read about the varietal sounded great. At the end of a shitty day, we had high hopes.

Those hopes were dashed into oblivion as soon as I took a sniff of the glass that Doug handed me. I looked at him with horror & he immediately stuck his nose in his glass. Uh oh, not good...but we needed to confirm our suspicions. Doug tried to challenge me to a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors to determine who would actually taste the wine, but I wasn't havin' it. With as much as we were looking forward to trying this wine, we were going to be sure, damn it.

Blech...the wine was corked! What a tragedy! Thankfully, this doesn't happen to us very often, but when it does, it's so, so sad. Especially when this blog is Claire Uncorked, not Claire Corked! But hey - lucky us, we just so happened to have more wine! So we dumped the bad stuff, grabbed some fresh glasses, drank some water to get rid of the leftover taste of the tainted wine, & pulled out a wine that had proven itself time & time again.

The 2007 Enotria Rosato, from the Graziano Family of Wines in Mendocino County, CA. That's right, I'm writing about rose' again, so get over it. Drink 'em while you can, that's my motto. Or one of them, anyway. We popped it open, took a sniff & knew that the day was finally going to end right.

Like the ill-fated Arneis, this wine is also made from an Italian varietal grown in California (a Cal-Ital). This was a Dolcetto rose', & I love Dolcetto. Sadly, I've often been a wee bit disappointed by rose' made from Italian varietals...but not this one. Cranberries, raspberries, & strawberries with fabulous acidity & a watermelon color make this one happy little wine. That made me & Doug very happy, not-so-little people. Finally!

Drinking wine from Enotria brings back happy memories. We shared a bottle of the Rosato with the Luces before Krystal & Jenn showed up at our house a few weeks ago for the first convening of "Operation Blogistan" (named by Lucy). A few hours later, we plowed through both the Dolcetto & Barbera, & found them both to be absolutely delightful. In the St. Louis area, you can find all of them at Lukas Liquor or anywhere that does business with Golden Barrel Distributing. You won't be sorry, I promise.

Speaking of that wonderful day - & to gloss over the rather rough day after - let me close by sharing some photos I took of some of the non-drinking crew.

That's Annabelle, one of the Luce Whippets, with Piper, our youngest. They've become best friends - Mr. Luce says that Annabelle is the moon to Piper's planet, & it's so true. Annabelle longs to be huge like Piper, while Piper just wishes she could be fast enough to keep up with her. Piper's also thrilled that another dog actually wants her around. The poor girl just annoys the shit out of the other 3 in our house, especially Mattie, so a playdate with Annabelle means that Piper will be fully appreciated by one of her peers.

All of that drinking & laughing by the people, coupled by the constant running & playing in my backyard, just wore all of the dogs out. The Luce Whippets, Annabelle & Charlotte, are just too cute curled up in their bed together, aren't they?

So cute, in fact, that Charles decided to see if it had the same effect for him...

You be the judge.

Distraction is Necessary

2008-09-05T05:14:00.015-05:00

It's early. 5:15 a.m. I've been up since the should-be-illegal hour of 3:30 this morning, & now I'm at work. Shocking, I know. Horrifying, even! Here's the really scary part - I did this yesterday, too, & I'll probably be doing it a few more times throughout the month of September. Now, I know you're asking yourself why I'm doing this. Don't worry, you're not alone - I'm still asking myself.

Here's why - the VP Debate on October 2nd. Weird, huh? No, not really. You see, it's coming to where Doug works, & he's an electrician. (Actually, he's the main one for this shin-dig, aside from the engineers.) He has to set up all of the power for the now-massive media center that will provide all of us with the coverage. (It didn't start out being too massive, but now with all the hoopla surrounding these VP picks, it's just crazy.) This means a lot of overtime, which means really early mornings. He even has to work late on some nights. Our other business is hopping all month, too. Hey, I need shoes. Poor Doug.

Not to discount the love of my life, but poor me, too. If Doug's up early on a work day, I'm up early, too. I'm too paranoid of oversleeping, not hearing the alarm, the alarm not going off... so I get up & go with him on the days he doesn't have to work. Crazy, huh? Well, sort of. If you look at it from a financial standpoint, it makes sense. We're not paying for 2 vehicles' gas & parking - & believe me, where I work, it costs a freakin' fortune to park in a relatively safe place. That, & I'd just really rather not drive if I don't have to. There are times that I love to drive - but never to work. Heh. I'm spoiled. And tired as hell. Bitchy is destined to follow, & probably not my trademark delightfully bitchy, either....

So, distraction is the name of the game so that I don't fall asleep with my head on my desk. That wouldn't be comfortable, nor would it go over well with the powers that be. And so, my friends, I write.

At this point, I'm going to restrain myself from spouting off my views on the election. I'm not a political dynamo, nor do I wish to be, & I absolutely hate it when people debate. I've made my decision, & I doubt that will change. I will say that one of the VP picks pushed me off the proverbial fence, & that I'm very irritated by some of the things that are happening. However, I have no control over that until the election, & even then, I only have control over my teeny-tiny vote. Gah, politics.

How about a change of subject? I'm irked enough because I'm so tired, so let's talk about last night.

Since it was Thursday night, & our favorite haunt, Veritas Gateway to Food & Wine, has its weekly wine bar, Doug & I decided to get out of the house. (I've written about this place before, & how much we love it.) They just hired a new chef, so we were excited to see what he had to offer. When we walked in, we were greeted by one of the owners & several of the staff (who know us by name, which is so nice), & then we headed to the tasting bar.

They had an importer on hand to pour & talk about the wines. We usually really like this because we get to learn a little while we taste. Most of the time, Doug & I will select our bottle from the rep's lineup to more or less be polite. But not last night.

This guy poured us a rather lovely White Burgundy, which is Chardonnay, for those of you that don't know the French wine regions. Heh. Like I'm some master...but since I taste & drink a good amount of wine, I'm figuring it out. It's actually quite simple for Burgundy - reds are Pinot Noir, unless it's a Beaujolais - then it's Gamay - & whites are Chardonnay. See? Easy! Ok, enough of my little lesson, I hope I didn't put you to sleep. Anyway, since we were the youngest people in Veritas (we usually are, unless we go with the Luces, they're younger pups), I guess the importer dude took us for total novices.

Importer Dude: This is a White Burgundy, Dom Perraud, Macon. It's from Burgundy... that's in France.

Maybe we were just too tired - usually this stuff just amuses us - but I really had to bite my tongue to keep from saying "Really? I thought it was just a color." I didn't, & just nodded my head politely. The importer dude went on pouring his other wines - all still from Burgundy, which, as we now know, is in France - & speaking to us like we were just kids that were there to get some free wine. I could feel the tensions rising from my beloved, easygoing husband...not good. Luckily, the other owner that we hadn't seen yet came to the importer's rescue & started talking to us about the wine & then the importer dude figured it out.

Yeah - we're younger than everyone else in this place. We're dressed in jeans & a t-shirt & we probably look a bit rough. And we know that Burgundy is in France... I think that most people do. Like I said, we were probably just too tired. Both of our work days were craptastic, too. We were a little irked, so we didn't buy the guy's juice. (For the record, it was good, but not fabulous.)

So, what did we end up drinking? I suppose the spirit of the election drove us to select an American wine, so we went with the 2005 Plungerhead Dry Creek Valley Old Vine Zinfandel. I'm not gonna lie - we adore Zin, but we picked it largely because of the name & the label because both made us laugh.

See what I mean?! And you know what? It was really good. It had a rather subtle nose at first, but it was smooth & had wonderful raspberry, black cherry, maybe even some chocolate & blackberry flavors, along with that fabulous spice you get from Zinfandel. Very easy drinking, & at a decent price - we were quite pleased.

Every time I drink a good Zin, I kick myself for not buying more of my all-time favorite for that varietal (so far), the 2002 Dashe Cellars Todd Brothers Ranch Zinfandel. Oh. My. Goodness. That's a lovely wine. We drank it last October & haven't forgotten it. At about $30 a bottle, it makes a stupendous treat...& gives you a nice buzz. It's a big one, clocking in at 14.9% alcohol. Doug & I were actually giddy halfway through the damn bottle... (Note to self: buy the damn Dashe. You love it.)

Back to Veritas for a sec - the food was outstanding. We had a filet stuffed with Mushroom Duxelle & Bleu Cheese, with Bordelaise & Lyonnaise potatoes (sounds fancy, eh?), & Chicken Surprise a la Andy... all I know is that it had capers & was ridiculously yummy. Cheers to the new chef!

Ok, the whole blogging thing isn't enough anymore. I need to go drown myself in coffee. Heaven help me.

Discoveries

2008-09-02T18:17:00.017-05:00

It only took me forever to post, but I'd like to share a couple of my latest discoveries, finds, whatever, with you. Not that it's all about material things, of course, but I have to say, I'm pretty impressed.

I love Etsy, but it's one dangerous place for a girl like me to hang out. You know, I get bored at work fairly often & find myself checking things out online. This probably happens way too much, but hey - it is what it is. I recently made a purchase from a shop called ShopLimelight, & I'm very excited to use them. (That link was your clue to at least take a look...so long as you come back here.) Check out these napkin rings:

Aren't those awesome?! Real shells, & a real starfish! I was so stoked to find these, but I held onto them in my favorites for a while...& then one day - voila! They were on SALE! I snatched those babies right up. Never mind that I have no cloth napkins at this time - they met their unfortunate demise in a rather strange accident that I'd rather not get into...

Because Etsy tends to be a friendly place, the shop owner Betsy & I had a few conversations, & I told her that I would (eventually) feature her shop on my blog. Betsy checked me out, decided she liked me, & sent me a bonus! Thanks, Betsy!

A set of 8 cotton cocktail napkins! Thanks to Betsy, I've taken another tiny step toward greener living. Al Gore would be so proud.

I used these beauties for the first time when our pals Shan & Sean came over a few weeks ago for our usual evening of slightly excessive consumption of great wine & very good times.

Don't they look lovely under our wine? I think so, & we enjoyed using them! What a lovely gift. (Someday soon, I hope to add pictures of those incredible napkin rings in use, too.)

Might I add that it was one of our favorite wines, the Bin 36 Merlot. You'll drink this fuckin' Merlot & you will love it... because I said so & because it truly rocks. I've never steered you wrong before, so go pick some up today...

Yum.

Everybody Needs a Little Holiday...

2008-08-25T07:27:00.015-05:00

Especially Doug & I. Well, & our livers. After this weekend, I'm going to give the poor thing a break tonight, a la Lucy's plan. We had an awesome time both days, but now I'm very tired & I had a nice little nagging wine headache from last night. Nothing too bad, but it made for a very long day.

Note to self: For cryin' out loud, you're almost 40 years old... you can't hang, not like that, not on a Sunday. Oh, & since you're nagging at yourself, get your ass to the gym.

As incredible as the wine & the company were (& they were, truly ), I'm in no mood to write about it. I can't even think about wine right now, so instead, I'll distract my hungover little self with thoughts of vacations. We aren't taking one until Christmas, & Doug & I are both jonesing pretty hard for a trip. It ain't pretty. We want to go to Jamaica so bad right now, we'd sell our firstborn child, if we had one. Couples San Souci will have to wait...

Since I can't go anywhere right now, I figure we can all take a little virtual vacation in Jamaica by looking at a few pictures from some of my past vacations. Let's go, shall we?

Couples Negril...our first all-inclusive & our first time meeting a swim-up bar. This was also our first time at an adults only, couples only resort, & we were HOOKED. Just think about it...hanging out in a pool with no children. That means no one yelling "Mom! Mom! Look at me!", no one crying because they slipped & fell while running around the pool, no one doing a cannonball over your head... I really don't think I need to justify this experience any further! The couples only thing was great, too - no rowdy crowds of spring breakers & their woohoo-ing.

We had such a great time on this vacation that we booked another trip, to Couples Ocho Rios, as soon as we got home. Upon arriving, we knew we'd made the right choice - the place rocked! Couples Resorts are just awesome - they've got the whole childfree travel thing down & that's just what we need.

And now for the big "awwwww...." - we went horseback riding on the last full day that we were there. We hadn't planned to, but it was raining on & off, & the sea was too rough to do anything on the water. We look cute, don't we? Doug certainly does.

Those horses were enormous, but very nice. Mine was named Bruce Willis, but I really wanted to change his name to George Clooney or Matthew McConaughey - I don't think I need to explain why. Anyway, I couldn't change his name because it was against the rules.

Ok, so looking back on these trips was great, but it's also bummed me out a little. Doug just informed me that we have 4 more months to go. That's a really long time in our book - we spoiled ourselves last year with 4 trips, & we haven't been able to do that this year.

I know, I know....poor, poor me.

Tomorrow, we're jumping back into wine. We're going to a very special class/tasting led by our friend Mike. It's on choosing wines to cellar, & we're supposed to get to taste some rare juice. I'll be excited tomorrow, but I just can't be right now. I just want to sleep.

Protein Overdose

2008-08-15T07:30:00.014-05:00

Last night, Doug & I went to dinner with the Luces. We do this on a regular basis, & we usually go to one of our favorite places, Veritas. However, there are so many excellent restaurants in St. Louis, & we've developed a sort of wish list of places to go. Once we scheduled the date, we decided the place.....

Bacana Brazil. I'm sure you won't be surprised that this choice was inspired by a bottle of wine - I mean, think about it... Bacana is a Churrascaria, or a Brazilian steakhouse, & Lucy had been chomping at the bit to go & share one of their finds from their recent trip to Paso Robles, CA. What better place to drink some wonderful red wine in a place that has men dressed like gauchos serving you unlimited meat on swords?

(Ok, they're actually skewers, but swords just add a bit more drama, don't you think?)

Anytime we dine with the Luces, wine is always a consideration (unless it's Veritas, of course - it's silly & perhaps insulting to bring your own bottle to a high quality wine store). After checking Bacana's wine list, which is very good & for the most part reasonable, we decided to keep it simple & bring a tried & true rose', the Crios Rose' of Malbec.

We chose this wine for several reasons... it's an excellent value, rose' is a superb match for almost any food, & it's from Argentina. When in doubt, a good rule of thumb for pairing food & wine is to choose a wine from the country (or even region, in some cases) of the cuisine. You know, Spanish wine with Spanish food, French with French, & so on & so on. The reason this works is that many European countries view wine much differently than Americans. Wine is served at all meals, & very rarely without food - it just doesn't make sense to them - so the winemakers obviously must make wine that works well with the food it will be served with. It's either that or the poorhouse.

We opened the bottle & enjoyed a bit before we headed to the salad bar & side dishes. Mmmmm... always a winner (for that matter, any Crios wine, or any other wine made by Argentina's first female winemaker Susana Balbo is a great choice). Yummy stuff, & we would've been delighted to sit & drink it the whole night, but the smells wafting from the kitchen made us get up & begin the feast.

Once seated, we flipped our card to "Yes", & within moments, the meat started coming. Sirloin, top sirloin, shoulder, leg, & ribs of beef, garlic steak, lamb, shrimp, salmon....pretty much anything that was once alive. I hate to put it so crudely, but it's true. And it was delightful...and practically impossible to turn any of it away.

As always, the Luces' wine selection was incredible. They chose the Opolo Vineyards 2004 Rhapsody, a tantalizing blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, & Petit Verdot. If I'd been the one to name this wine, I probably would've called it "Rapture", because that's what it was. One whiff, & I was in love. One sip, & I was over the moon. It was just...luscious. With the meat, it was tremendous!

The food just kept coming, & eventually, we had to take a break, so we flipped to "No".

It was then that Mr. Luce declared that we were meat drunk. Bingo! I couldn't have said it better myself, & that was the catchphrase of the night. In fact, Doug & I were still saying it this morning. (Good one, Mr. Luce!) It actually reminded me of this shark show I saw a couple of years ago...there was a dead whale, & a bunch of great whites were having a party. After they'd had their fill, they were just floating underwater in a daze, like they were drunk. (See, I told you I was obsessed with shark documentaries!) So yeah - meat drunk!

After salivating over things coming from the kitchen, we flipped back to "Yes", & discovered the most wonderful thing - roasted pineapple! It was coated with what had to be brown sugar & cinnamon, & then put on the rotisserie. Unbelievable!!! We were also besotted with the Brazilian steak & the bacon-wrapped chicken breasts. Let's face it, anything with bacon around it has got to be good. All of that meat meant we had to have more wine (had to, yes - go ahead & judge), so I picked something from the list, hoping my intuition would be good.

It was! The Miner Vineyards 2003 Aia, a lovely blend of Cab, Cab Franc, & Merlot, was outstanding. A totally different experience from the Rhapsody, which is always interesting to me because it shares 3 varietals. To me, this one wasn't as heady & intriguing as the Rhapsody, but it had an incredible finish, with some spice. Yum. We were happy.

Don't you just love cellphones with cameras?

Just when we thought we'd assaulted our digestive systems enough, our waitress came around & asked if there was anything else she could have brought to us. Holy shit. Doug & Mr. Luce asked for more of the bacon-wrapped chicken & the pineapple, so we were in for a few more bites. But no, that wasn't enough! Our waitress returned with the freakin' dessert tray, & it had chocolate flan.

Have mercy.

Lucy & I probably could've walked away from anything but flan, so we ended our evening with the 4 of us happily sharing the chocolate flan. We figured we'd already gone so far on the road to excess, we might as well take it the rest of the way!

Today, Doug & I are still a bit meat drunk. Or perhaps we have a meat hangover. Yeah, I think that's it. I can't even imagine myself having red meat anytime soon, & I'm still quite full. They say it's never good to skip breakfast, but whoever "they" are can shove it this morning.

I Owe, I Owe...

2008-08-13T08:26:00.013-05:00

....blogs.

Yes, I realize I haven't been on here much lately. It's sort of feast or famine with me when it comes to blogging - I either have inspiration & no time or energy, or time & no inspiration or energy. Heh, some writer I am.

Let's see, I still want to write a blog on this awesome wine tasting we went to a couple of weeks ago, as well as a couple of other things, but not today. Maybe later this week.

Today's blog is about farewells. Not goodbyes - they suck - but farewells. There's a difference, & I like the former much better because they're usually temporary & not so sad.

For example, this past Saturday, my stylist cut off about 4 inches of my hair. I'd been thinking about it because the layers in my hair were growing out a bit too funky for me, & it was getting very frustrating. I thought it resembled an overgrown mullet in a way (in a way - I haven't had a mullet since they were the haircut to have, thank goodness). I'm sure you can understand my dilemma. Anyway, I did the usual back-&-forth of "Oh, I can be patient & just keep getting trims" & "This sucks, I hate my hair right now. Screw it!" - & the "Screw it!" won at the last minute. Diana was thrilled, & so was I. Sorry, no photos, but I'll tell you that my hair is now darker, barely grazes my shoulders, & takes next-to-no-time to dry! But the best part is that the layers are going to grow out better so that I can do something else - no more mullet-ish ways! (However, if one more person calls me "sassy", someone might get hit.) So you see, hair always grows back, therefore this counts as a farewell... to me, anyway.

Last Friday, I received an email from our favorite Missouri winery, Chaumette Vineyards & Winery. Usually, I just skim through those because it has a bunch of stuff about their new spa or special dinners that we usually can't go to anyway, but this time, something caught my eye:

"Farewell to "Stretch"! Join us this Sunday all day to say farewell to Head Waiter Keith King! Keith has been with us four years and is moving back to Arizona to live closer to family. If you aren't not sure which one is Keith, he goes by "Stretch," and the "Seven Foot Waiter!" Keith will be surely missed!"

This news didn't make us happy at all. Keith has always provided us with the very best in service over the years that we've been going to Chaumette, & in the process, has become a dear friend. We've always looked forward to seeing him & hearing his stories & about his various projects, & we've shared many laughs (& beers). Sadly, Keith's father is sick, so he felt he needed to return home to Arizona to be near his family. He left on Monday evening, driving a U-Haul with his 2 dogs. Talk about a long drive!

Because Keith is adored by so many - coworkers & Chaumette guests alike - a small party was held in his honor. He was very touched, & it was clear that he loved everyone there. Here are some photos:

That's Keith, in the middle, with 2 of his friends/coworkers. We had our picture taken with him (I stood on a chair), but sorry.... I looked like a hippo in it, so I'm not posting it. My hair sure was cute, though.

Here's the stable on Chaumette's property that Keith was planning to turn into an eco-friendly house:

Very cool! And the thing is, Keith will probably be back to do what he planned to do...or at least, we all hope that he will be. I mean, really...if you had a job & people that you love & scenery like the pictures below to look at everyday, wouldn't you?

Ahhhhh....

Let's not forget about having constant access to what Doug & I think is the best Missouri wine in the state! We're particularly into the 2007 Dry Chardonel. I know, I know....it's Missouri wine, & some people have a real bias against it...but this stuff is really quite nice! It's very crisp, similar to a Pinot Gris. Doug & I both picked up some apple, honey, & grapefruit with a mineral finish. Upon our return home, we looked it up & found the same description on the website! We're geniuses, we are. Heh. Except that the website says it has notes of Fuji apple, & Doug said it was the Gala. Whatever. Like he knows. But hey, for those of you in the Lou... don't just read about how much we love it (& the place itself) - go out & get yourself some!

Anyway, so first it was farewell to my hair, & then to our good friend Keith. The hair will grow, & Keith will hopefully return one day. If not, we know we'll always be friends, so it's not goodbye.

There are some real goodbyes I'd like to make - for instance, my latest addiction, Nacho Cheese Doritos. Or cheddar cheese popcorn. Perhaps after kicking that, I'll say goodbye to my double chin & my ass.

Enough already - vaya con Dios, Keith, & the best to your family...

Embrace the Cuteness

2008-08-06T14:40:00.002-05:00

Go ahead....crank up the volume, hit that play button, & prepare to run to the nearest stray rescue center to adopt someone that needs a home!

Too cute!!! If I keep this up, Doug's going to have me committed.

The Master Gardener Returns

2008-08-04T14:25:00.005-05:00

That's a little something we call "sarcasm", folks. I'm anything but a master gardener, especially as of the last 2 years.

I used to have lovely roses...We planted a bunch of them the summer after we moved into our house & I did a really good job of maintaining them. Spraying, pruning, removing dead or diseased leaves, weeding - Mattie & I were out in the garden almost every night for a little bit. The reward was an abundance of roses & occasional applause from our neighbors. Hell, my mother was even proud, & that's a pretty rare accomplishment.

If you are a frequent reader of this blog, then you've probably picked up that Doug & I lead very busy lives, especially during the spring & summer. I'd spell it all out for you...but it'd only make me tired thinking about it. So let me get to the point & introduce you to someone from my past.

Meet Tito, our pet weed from last year.

Now, you might be asking "How does someone get a pet weed?" Well, it's easy. In fact, one of the most effortless things I've ever done. Wait a minute - perhaps I should say that it's one of the most effortless things I have NOT done, because if truth be told, I didn't do a thing.

Tito was borne out of sheer neglect.

That's right - Doug & I ignored our yard all summer long & we're doing the very same thing this year. We pay the neighbor kid to mow, trim, & edge the lawn, but we've never really talked to the boy about gardening. Why would we? We're planning to relandscape the whole front yard so that it looks better & is low maintenance, & once we made that decision, we've only done the bare minimum. Well, up until these last 2 summers, when we've done next to nothing at all. I know, it's shameful.

Tito flourished from our carelessness. I didn't even notice he was there until he was up to the windowsill. That's pretty damn tall for a weed.

The product of our lack of attention became an object of fascination for me. I could've (maybe should've) plucked Tito out of the ground, but instead I monitored his progress, all the while amused at what the neighbors must think. I mean, this weed was getting really big & was actually flowering. During the hottest, driest part of the summer, I actually asked Doug if I should water Tito. We decided that weeds are resilient plants & that nature should take its course.

As you can see from the above picture, nature did just fine by Tito. The damn thing was almost to the gutter at the time it was taken. My heart swelled with pride.

Tito passed on last fall & we yanked him out of the ground. I was really relieved that he didn't take a chunk of our foundation with him! When that happened, we decided to not let this happen again, even if we didn't have time to re-do our landscaping.

Guess what? We've been busier than ever & haven't had time to touch the landscaping, & while pulling out of our driveway this morning, I spied what could very well be Tito Jr.

The circle of life continues.....

E-121

2008-07-23T07:55:00.007-05:00

That's my parking spot.

I need to remember that because I drove to work today, & I very rarely do. If you didn't know, I'm spoiled. Doug drops me off at the front door to my building & picks me up after work. It's nice that we get to spend a little more time together while we're saving money & I suppose the environment. It's also great that we're not stuck in traffic or bad weather alone, & of course it's fabulous that I can read a book or sleep if I feel the need. Ah, it's good to be Queen. But not today - Doug has a union meeting after work, & I have an appointment with Elizabeth, my sadist (read: waxer). The mere thought of that gives me a little stress, so let's change the subject.

Isn't it funny how people that you see almost every day will suddenly notice something that you've done all along? Like today, for instance. I'm wearing all black, which is absolutely nothing out of the ordinary for me. Not only is it easy, but this particular combo is very comfortable & it was clean - & clean was the deciding factor this morning. Anyway, as I was settling into my desk this morning, my pal that I talked about here came by.

My Pal: Wow...all black today, huh?

Me: Yup.

My Pal: I don't think I've seen you do that before. Are you making a statement or something?

Me: Yeah, sure. You know me - I'm the Johnny Cash of the admin world.

I suppose that even as cool as I am, it probably wasn't right to compare myself to Johnny Cash - because let's face it, he was among the coolest cats ever - but I just couldn't help myself. I hadn't had my coffee yet. My poor pal - his fellowship ends next week, & he will no longer have my sarcastic little presence in his life. He's going to miss me terribly, I just know it. Likewise.

In case you haven't guessed, this particular post really has no direction whatsoever.

My Google Reader is about to explode. It's still manageable, so that's good, but what I find fascinating is what other blogs my subscriptions attract in the "Discover" section. Not all of the blogs I read are on my blogroll, just because I don't think I need to have 49 other blogs listed. I add them to my page if I feel like it, really. Anyway, I have only 1 gardening blog, Gardening While Intoxicated, chosen because of it's clever name & witty content (ok, & because that's what I usually am when/if I get around to gardening, hence the tragic state of my once stunning rose bed), but I'm bombarded with gardening blogs. I have a couple of cooking blogs, too - no, I don't really cook, but I like the idea of it, so I like to check a few out. Poor Google, it clearly thinks I'm a chef. Google has also picked out a gaggle of soon-to-be-married or newly-married brides' blogs for me to read, & I fall into neither of those categories. Poor, misguided, & terribly gullible Google.

While those are all funny, & rather cute that Google thinks of me in such a way, the funniest showed up in the Discover section today. It was, of all things, a - brace yourself - pregnancy blog.

Criminy. I'm as childfree as they get, & while I think people should be happy about their own choice to have children (& also that they should pay for them, & a few other things that I won't go into just now), I certainly do not want to read about their gestation. Ick.

Oh well, I guess it could be worse. Google could be suggesting that I read blogs about recovery. Oh yes, that would definitely be worse. Google, don't even think about it....

Dork

2008-07-21T09:41:00.006-05:00

I admit it. We watch a lot of shows on Discovery Channel.

For example, "The Deadliest Catch". For the life of me, I can't figure out why Doug & I are so into this show. I mean, the extent of the dialogue is "49 crab. Four. Nine. Crab." It's really the same action, over & over again. They drop the "pot", & then later, someone throws a hook out (with a miss every once in a while), they pull the "pot" back up, sort the crabs, etc.... Thrilling stuff....but we watch it.

Then there's "Dirty Jobs", which is a little easier to understand the appeal. Plus, Mike Rowe's a funny guy, & not ugly, either! (He also narrates "The Deadliest Catch", so maybe that's the secret...) There are several other shows that we watch, but I'm really not writing about that....I'm writing about the one thing that actually made it to our calendar.

SHARK WEEK!

That's right, I added Shark Week to our calendar. I don't really know how much dorkier I can get.

I've always been fascinated by sharks. Any time there's a shark show on television, I'm bound to watch it, & movies? My gracious, yes! I can't get enough of the shark movies! Jaws, Jaws 2, Deep Blue Sea, & on & on... Even the semi-stupid ones, like Jaws 3 & 4 - if they're on, I'm very likely watching! Now, the really stupid Shark Hunter & Shark Attack movies, not so much...but we've seen them!

Mind you, I only like to watch sharks, & only from a safe distance. I have touched a shark before - a very tame nurse shark - at an aquarium in Cancun. That was close enough, even though I'm sure that I've been in close proximity to one in the wild. Whenever we're near the ocean, I'm in it, I just can't help myself.

On a much more, um, personal note, that little tidbit spawned a new name for that dreaded female cycle that no one seems to want to call by its proper name. "Aunt Flo", or "the monthly visitor", or even "riding the cotton pony" just wouldn't do....I call it "Shark Week".

Some of you that actually know me in real life may know the reason for this, but the rest of you don't, so let me give you a brief explanation.

Doug & I love to travel, & we're drawn to places like the Caribbean because of the ocean. We love it, & we watch it for hours. I love to swim in the ocean (never too terribly far out, but I do get out there), even with stories of shark attacks & such. Believe me, I'm always thinking about it when I'm in the water, but I love it unless the water is too rough or too murky. Plus, being that I'm obsessed with shark shows, I've picked up a few tips on avoiding shark attacks.

As we were preparing for a vacation several years ago, I mentioned to Doug that I was concerned that I'd "start", & not be able to swim safely (not that it would really stop me). Doug didn't get it at first, so I told him that I'd hate to have my death or injury from a shark attack featured on "Shark Week" because I was swimming while...well, you know.

It just kinda stuck from there.

The Stink About Pink

2008-07-14T19:21:00.010-05:00

You know, pink is really not my color.

I currently own two shirts that could be called "pink" - but not really. They're more of a salmon, one muted while the other is bright. People are always surprised to see me in this color, but they almost always call it "peachy" or "pinkish". If I do say so myself, the color suits my warm coloring. Having said that, I look completely dreadful in the baby pinks, & they certainly don't fit my personality. Hmmmm...wonder why.

None of the rooms in my house have any pink in them at all. Not because I hate the color - I don't think I do - but because I seriously don't think I could pull it off. Again, it just doesn't fit me, & it certainly doesn't fit Doug.

Except for when it comes to one thing....adult beverages.

Cosmopolitans? Hell yeah! Now, don't hand me one of those bright red drinks & try to pull it off as a good Cosmo. A good Cosmo is - you guessed it - a lovely shade of pink, & often the lighter, the better!

Yeah, just like that.

I actually make a pretty killer Cosmo when I feel like it. I don't have a recipe, really, I just wing it. Doug's mad for it, as well as many other pink drinks.

He'll proudly drink them in front of the burliest of men. He's so hot.

I'm getting off track here. Cosmopolitans, along with their other frilly pink cocktail friends, did not inspire me to write this. Come now, my friends...you know what did. Just think about it.

That's right! Rose'! I've certainly written about them enough. We just can't get enough of the stuff when the weather turns warmer. Sure, you can drink them year-round, but they never last long in our house. That's a good thing because rose' isn't a wine that can be aged for very long at all. I believe I've said it before that they are the best wine - except for perhaps the sparkly kind - to pair with food.

But hey, I'll spare you my poor attempt to look like I know something special...if you want to know more, check out my friend Danny's blog on making rose'. Now, he really knows what he's talking about...

Now, I'm not just sitting here thinking about pink wine. I'm a sneezy, cramping, sweatshort-wearing mess that's had a long day, so damn it, I'm drinking it. Right now. And it's a beaut.

A bottle of 2007 Chateau Revelette Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence - yes, it's French, I'm a classy one tonight - is a lovely treat & a serious rose'. The color is a bone-dry, pale-but-not-too-pale pink rose' that just makes you happy looking at it. But hey, don't stop with looking! The aroma is light strawberry, & once in the mouth, it's fresh & crisp with some minerality. It's a blend of Syrah, Grenache, & Cabernet Sauvignon, not that it really matters. You'll just sound smart when you're talking about it with your friends at your next barbeque.

We're drinking it solo tonight with our dogs scattered about the room, but my fellow rose'- worshipping pal Lucy said that last year's vintage paired wonderfully with a steak. Mmmmm...I believe her. I think it'll go with just about anything. Delightful, & not too damn serious. It's exactly as it should be - uncomplicated, fabulous, & one of the best porch-sippin' wines you'll find all season.

We picked ours up at the new Whole Foods on Clayton, & I hope you can find yours somewhere near you. You're going to want it, & you're going to want more after it's gone. I know I do, so don't be stupid.

Buy more than one bottle.

Me, again

2008-07-09T07:18:00.010-05:00

Hi, everyone!

Yeah, Dad left the laptop out, & I just couldn't resist getting on here to give you the latest news. Who better to tell you than the one that actually knows, anyway? Believe me, I know.

Mom & Dad didn't go to that job thing for 5 days in a row, & they didn't use their suitcases! That was amazing...they slept in a little, which meant I got to lay on the bed longer, & they were just in better moods all the way around. Yay! They should just do that all the time...

So, I'm sure my mom told you that I had to go back to Mizzou on Monday. Well, she didn't tell me, so once again, I figured it out on the way there. Thing is, my mom & dad were in really good moods, not at all nervous like other times, so I felt much better about the trip, too! I was really, really hungry, though. I thought that they forgot to feed me until I heard my mom say that she'd be glad when I was done so that we could all eat. I'm happy that they didn't eat in front of me, that would've been really rude! All of our stomachs were growling all morning. Ugh.

When we pulled into the vet school, I surprised myself (& my parents) by actually being excited to go inside! I just trotted in like I owned the place (well, I really should, you know - I've spent enough time there!), & the nice lady behind the desk was happy to see me. I was happy to see her, too - she always gave me treats. Not this time, though, she said I couldn't have anything to eat. Damn!

A few minutes later, a guy in a white coat came up to us like he knew us. Oh my goodness! He did know us! It was Jeff, my old roomie! But uh oh...as happy as I was to see him, I was also worried that I wasn't going home. I probably should've been friendlier to him, I was just scared. He did say that he's had a few other dogs stay with him since me & he said that I was the very best of all of them. That was a nice thing to say. I wondered if he was still sleeping on the floor. Anyway, he took us down the hall to find a room, & when one wasn't available, we went down another hall. I decided to make Jeff feel better by pulling ahead of Mom & walking with him. Awww, it worked. People can be so cute when you pay attention to them.

Once we were in the room, Jeff gave me a good once-over before Dr. Jose' came in. I couldn't remember if I'd seen him before, but he seemed pretty cool & he thought I was cute, so I figured he was ok. (I wanted to ask about Dr. David, but then I figured they probably wouldn't understand me anyway.) They felt around on my paw, & then took me in the back to see Dr. Lattimer, another old friend. (I think he's their boss or something.) I thought Jeff was just bringing me in to say hi, but no...he wanted to feel my paw, too.

I get so tired of that! People are always poking around on my foot. I'm sure most of them wouldn't like it if I did that to them. Heck, I get yelled at if I smell their crotch, which, by the way, is perfectly acceptable behavior. People just need to get with the game.

I went back to the room where my parents were, & we just stayed in there. Jeff came in a few times & was apologizing for the wait. We didn't care, but we were damn hungry. My dad said I could have a cheeseburger when we were finished, & that made everything better. A cheeseburger!!!

As you can see, that news made me pretty happy! I never get cheeseburgers, but my dad always jokes that he's going to give me a hotdog. I think it's from something he's always looking at on this thing I'm using. Anyway, hotdogs ain't got nothing on cheeseburgers.

Here I am, waiting for Jeff. I think Mom was getting bored.

We didn't have to wait long...Jeff came in, told us I looked great (duh!), & took us out of the room. It was sad when he told me goodbye, but I was just so focused on that cheeseburger promise that I couldn't get too into it. Poor guy, I hope he doesn't think I've forgotten him. I haven't - we had too much fun & he was so very nice to me. I love Jeff, he's my friend. I just hope I can see him sometime when he's not in that white coat.

We got in the car & started driving. Yay!! I even got to stick my head out of the window for a few minutes. I really don't know why people don't do that - it feels so good! I heard my mom telling my dad that she wished she would've thought to get a picture of me & Jeff. Yeah, that would've been nice, but I sure didn't want to go back to get it. I just wanted to get my cheeseburger & go home!

Pretty soon, Dad pulled off & we got in this line. He opened his window, & aaaaahhhhh.....

I smelled cheeseburgers!!!!

As promised, I got one of my very own. I just couldn't believe my luck!!

I ate the whole thing, even those awful green round thingies. I didn't care! I should have a cheeseburger every single day.... When I finally got back home, Bella was so jealous! So was Piper! They both tried to stick their nose in my mouth, but I growled & they stopped. I didn't leave any for them, & they're silly for thinking that I would.

I'm betting my mom also told you that my brother Charles hasn't been feeling well lately. He really hasn't been, & I've reluctantly been letting him sleep on my bed during the day. I'd like to say it's because I'm so good, but it's really not - my dad plops him on it first thing, & I have no choice. Oh well. Anyway, last night, my parents put both of us in the car & we went for a little drive. I thought that was really nice until I saw where we were going.

Yup. The vet.

It turns out, I was just there for moral support. Everyone knows me there, so they all said hi, & yeah....they all felt my paw. Man!

Dr. Irwin put Charles on the table, gave him his shots, & started fooling with his back legs. Oh boy, that didn't make Charles happy, he got really snappy. Only for a second, though. Apparently, that was all that Dr. Irwin needed to be able to tell us what the problem is. He has something called arthritis. I remember that Lexie had that, so that made me sad for him. Dr. Irwin said that in his case, it's also called hip dysplasia, but he was going to give him some medicine to make him feel better. He said that Charles might do well on the medicine for up to a couple of years, so I guess that was good news. I guess we'll have to see. Mom said that I was on that stuff a while back, & I remembered that I like it. A lot. Let's hope it helps!

We had to wait a while for something, so Dr. Irwin talked to my parents about that one Jamaica place they always go to. He's been going there for 30 years!! Wow. He must really love it. Anyway, the thing we were waiting for came back & then Dr. Irwin started talking about that. I didn't really get what they were talking about, but what I did pick up is that the Science Diet that we eat is really doing good things for Charles. All of his "levels", whatever that means, are really good, & that aside from his hips & not being able to hear, Charles is really healthy. That made my parents really happy! After that, we got in the car. I was so hopeful that we'd make a stop...

No cheeseburger.

If Only....

2008-07-06T21:56:00.009-05:00

....I could feel as peaceful as Piper does.

Not that I'm upset or stressed, mind you - but I do have things on my mind. Let me just get a few things off of my chest:

My mom's best friend Judy will very likely be dead by tomorrow. A few months ago, her doctor discovered that she had rectal cancer & now she's unresponsive at a nearby hospital, & the doctors say she can't hang on. While it is very sad, I'm so grateful that she hasn't had to suffer as long as her husband or my uncle did. My mom is quite torn up over it, having just lost her brother this past winter. Please keep my mom & Judy's family in your thoughts & or prayers.

We take Mattie back to Mizzou for her recheck tomorrow. We're hopeful that the result will be positive, but I just can't stop thinking that we thought she was in the clear last time & she wasn't. I'm not going to stay up all night or anything, but being the realist that I am, I'm aware that it's definitely a possibility that the radiation therapy didn't work & that the cancer could still be there. Even so, Doug & I are determined to have the most positive attitude possible for the drive up tomorrow morning - Mattie's very sensitive to our moods (particularly mine), & while I know that she'll be fearful as soon as we pass Hwy 94 (her last exit of happy experiences in Augusta), I want to do my best to make her feel safe. But hey - here's something really sweet - Jeff, the vet student that she lived with for 3 weeks, emailed me to let me know that she will be assigned to her case on Monday! He just so happens to be on the oncology rotation right now. He said that usually the department head reads the cases & the students sign up afterwards....but not this time! Jeff said that as soon as Mattie's name was read, he yelled "She's MINE!" - & so she is. I'm so happy that Mattie has the same effect on others that she has on us. She really is a truly wonderful dog & we've been so blessed to have her in our lives.

Charles isn't doing very well. We have to help him up & he just seems lost. More than usual. He's gone through these phases before, & then he pukes & all is well. Except this time - he puked, got a little better, but hasn't changed. We're going to get him in to the vet this week. We're hoping that some Rimadyl will help him...Once more, I must ask that you keep someone else in your thoughts tomorrow - US.

Ok, now for some not-so-heavy crap.

We had a great weekend! We went to Shan & Sean's on the 4th & had a great time! We decided to bring the ingredients for a shandy & we were a hit! We also brought a lovely Sauvignon Blanc from Argentina - NQN Malma. Yum. We've loved everything we've had from this producer, so run out & get yourself some NOW. Oh, back to the party - we didn't stay for the fireworks because of our dogs, & the fact that alcohol & explosives just don't mix. The girls needed us at home, as they get pretty stressed when all of the booming starts. Here's a cute picture of Bella & Mattie:

Safety in numbers....

On Saturday, we spent the day at Sugar Creek winery with about 20 people & had a blast! While we liked it ok, we didn't love the wine we drank, but it's more about the atmosphere. However, we did love their Chambourcin & Cynthiana wines...it was just too warm to drink them! We ended up at Augusta Brewing Company, the coolest microbrewery ever...

Today, Doug & I just hung out at home for most of the day. We got hooked on "The Next Food Network Star", & then we went on a search for new guacamole, cheese dip, & margaritas. Unfortunately, the place we had in mind has closed since the last time I saw it....typical.

We returned home & cracked open a nice, cheap, screwcap rose' - La Vieille Ferme Rose' 2007 from the Rhone Valley - we call this the "chicken wine" for the obvious reason that it has chickens on the label. We've enjoyed the red in the past & have tried this rose' before, so we picked it up mostly on pricepoint. For $8.99, it's a keeper.....

One bottle hasn't been enough this evening - go ahead & judge - so we opened up the 2005 Way Kuhl Riesling from Mosel, Germany, also a screwcap. Our good friend Robin gave it to us the last time we were at her house, therefore I don't know the price. Anyway...it's good - I get some lime & mineral characteristics, but also a lot of petrol. This isn't unusual for Riesling, but nonetheless this feature hasn't made me a fan. I do keep trying, though! Perhaps we should've just let it sit for a couple of years longer, as I hear Riesling ages beautifully. Regardless, even though I'm not jumping for joy, I think it's an issue of personal preference. I'm sure it's well worth a purchase if you're a big fan of Rieslings.

Ok, Cinemax is starting to play some funky stuff & I'm going to take that as a sign that I'm up too late...

Something New for The Lou's Wine Drinkers

2008-07-02T21:30:00.008-05:00

A while back, we happened to drive past the new development at the corner of Manchester & Rock Hill Rd. It looked really nice, even though most of it was empty at the time. I saw a window for a space & said to Doug "Hey, that looks like it would make a good wine bar or store!"

I was right.

Last month, I heard about the new wine bar in that location, Bella Vita, from stlgrapes.com, & I was quite excited. You see, this place has an Enoline system. What's that? Well, it's a very sophisticated serving system specifically designed to measure, preserve, & dispense wine by the taste (1.5 oz.), 1/2 glass, or glass. The price for each choice is right above the wine, which is very convenient! Bella Vita also uses the option to use a debit-like card so that the customer can access the wine. You choose the amount you want to have credited to the card, & it can be reloaded over & over. Very cool!

Unfortunately, current laws in MO throw a wrench in this a bit. As much as I'd love to do it, it's illegal for me to take my card, stick it into the Enoline's slot for my selection, & serve myself. Nope. Instead, one has to have an employee interrupt the process by inserting your card for you. It seems silly & a little inconvenient for everyone, but it's out of their hands for the time being. We talked to Gordon, Bella Vita's owner, & he said that they are working on streamlining this, but in the meantime, the law is the law. I can respect that, & it's easy to do when the (very nice) staff is right there to assist you. As far as we were concerned, this was a very minor inconvenience (although we could see how it might get difficult during a busy time).

There were 3 sections of wine to choose from. Light-to-medium-bodied reds, whites & rose', & full-bodied reds. We were familiar with most of the wine, but one has to remember that Doug & I taste what some would call a ridiculous amount of wine. (Don't listen to those people...they're probably very, very sad & are just looking to lash out at someone.) Having said that, don't take that statement negatively! Quite a few of our favorites were there, among them Havens Merlot, Las Brisas, & Simi Roset o. This is a brand-new place, only open a week, so their list is still developing. I mention that because we were a little disappointed that the Simi was the only rose' in the joint, so I needed to remind myself of that fact. Hopefully, they'll come around to the fabulousness that is rose', & perhaps a few others that weren't represented. Hey, we can't have everything...

Now, we know that we can (& we do) attend a bevy of free tastings on any given weekend, but we don't get to choose from any wine in the store. (As an aside, the tastings may be free, but because we have some class, we never drink & run - we always buy something at each tasting we attend.) While the tasting concept at Bella Vita isn't necessarily better, it's a great option, especially for those new to wine or those wanting to expand their palate from their usual Chardonnay or Pinot Noir. We loaded our card up with $20, & we were able to taste 4 wines each. Not too shabby! We could've tasted more or less, depending on the price of our choices...they have bottles open that sell for $200 or more in restaurants. We didn't get that far, but that's ok. Our favorites were the 2005 Kinton Syrah from Santa Barbara, & the 2005 Novy Syrah out of the Santa Lucia Highlands - each a completely different style, but both quite lovely.

We also had some baked brie & a really nice pepperoni pizza while we chatted with Gordon - the owner of the bar, not my dad, in case anyone was confused. My dad would never hang out in a wine bar....in fact, he doesn't understand why we bother with wine at all. Anyway, Gordon the owner is a nice guy & he has some good ideas. The food is simple yet good & there's soda, beer, & coffee for those that don't want the vino. Gordon's going to put in a big screen, a fireplace, & have live music on the weekends. He's not going to complicate it with fancy food or gifts - the focus will be on the wine. I'll be happy to pop in from time to time, with friends, to support this very unique venture in wine drinking. In fact, I'm going to tag this under "local gems" because I think it has real potential.

So, to review...who should go to Bella Vita? Anyone that wants to hang out in a cool, modern-yet-cozy space to find out what kind(s) of wine they like, or break out from their own wine drinking box, or anyone that wants to try a wine that they'd never shell out the cash for under normal circumstances. In other words, just about everyone should at least give it a shot!

Psychic or Psycho?

2008-07-01T11:32:00.004-05:00

This has been a crazy week - & it's only Tuesday - & I've got a lot of work to do...but I wanted to stop in & pet the blog for a moment. It would probably get cranky if I didn't, & I don't want to deal with cranky blogs right now. Anyway, it's fiscal year end here at work (almost over, thankfully), & I have my annual abuse (aka review) later this afternoon, so I need some entertainment to give my brain a break.

Since I'm short on time & inspiration, I decided to look back at some stuff I've done before. I found a fun little thing to do, & when I did it again, it was the same as before, but funny as hell, nonetheless. So, let's play Google Psychic!

Rules of the game: Go to the Google website (do I really need to include a freakin' link?). Type in your first name followed by the word "needs" & hit the search button. It works best if you put quotes around your name & the word needs together.

Without further adieu, here's what Google thinks I need:

1. Claire needs a visit to the Bunny Planet. Why, yes - I think I do! I think the Bunny Planet is the perfect place to escape my current load of crap. I promise to leave the dogs at home, lest it become the Mangled & Bloody Bunny Carcass Planet...

2. Claire needs some tough love! Well, thank you, Google. But not today. And don't you judge me...

3. Claire needs booze to kiss. Hmmm... Kiss who? Doug? No, silly Google... You know, you simply must be more specific before you make me out to be an insecure, booze-guzzling slut.

4. Claire needs to make a big decision. Oh, not today, not today!

5. Claire needs to use something gimmicky like single handed firearms. Sounds like a plan, but why is that gimmicky? Oh, never mind. I really don't need to use firearms - that would only land me in the big house & I don't like gray & I don't do horizontal stripes. Gasp! I did, however, recently learn how to shoot a handgun, & it's very serious, so I wouldn't call that gimmicky.

6. Claire needs her back doors smashed in. Why? Is my house on fire? Or does Google just want to burglarize my home? After all, I do have some nice shit, & lots of booze so that I can kiss people. Google, you're making me paranoid.

7. Claire needs to shear all her sheep in a matter of days. I don't have any sheep...but Bella would love it if I did. Did you know that some people that have herding dogs actually buy land & sheep just for their dogs to practice on? Yup, there are actual competitions. Google, I think I need to figure out how those people got so much money & time on their hands in order to pursue such follies...

8. What Claire needs now isn't money, but the healing power of....geometry? Nothing healing about that... Geometry class was right after lunch, so it's not hard to figure out why I didn't do well in that class. Oh, & Google? I do need money - I need to buy land & sheep for Bella.

9. Claire needs a new home due to increased problems with our allergies. I'll bet my mom wishes she'd had a clever line like that to use when she kicked me out. It certainly would've been less crazy than her other excuses.

10. Claire needs a good old fashioned slap. Oh, Google, don't hate....just fuck off already.

Well, that was fun.

What I really need (along with other stuff that may or not be written about in another blog) is another vacation, more money, a maid... Bah, I won't get any of that anytime soon, so I guess the best I can hope for is a great weekend. I think I can manage that!

Let's spice up the blogosphere a bit, so take your turn - it's a hoot! Post a comment here or on your own blog so we can all be looky-loos.

Friday Morning Conversations

2008-06-27T07:20:00.007-05:00

We went out to an up & coming little wine bar with the Luces last night - I say "up & coming" because it's not quite there, but we know of a big change that's taking place very soon that should pick things up...but it shall remain nameless for now. Anyway, as always, we had a great time & even ended up winning (yes, I said winning) some free wine. You see, there was a wine challenge thing, & I placed first, Doug & Lucy tied for second, & Mr. Luce came in third! That's because of how cool we are & the fact that we're all so very smart. Heh. Yeah, we're smart, alright...we didn't get to bed until 11:00. For people like me & Doug that get up at 4-freakin'-30 a.m., that's just downright dumb. Oh well.

Both of us were tired & unmotivated this morning. I did a little laundry the other day, but not enough, so my wardrobe choices were rather limited. My closet didn't have anything that I felt like wearing, so I fished around in the dryer & found one of my favorite work tops. (Yes, I have work clothes that are for work only. I don't know why.)

Me: "I think I wore this pink sweater on Monday. I think I don't care."
Doug: "Apathy can be very liberating."

Doug's right. I'm wearing the pink sweater.

I was sitting at my desk this morning, nursing my ever-essential coffee, when one of my pals walked by.

My Pal: "Hey. Happy Friday! You're looking exceptionally...tired today."
Me: "Yeah. Did your kid do your hair this morning? That's quite a look you've got going there."

(As an aside, I'm pretty tight with this guy & this kind of banter goes on a lot.)

My Pal: "Ha! No, I only slept for 2 hours last night."
Me: "Huh. What the hell's up with that?"
My Pal: "Work. It's killing me."
Me: "Ambition will do that to you, my friend. You should try apathy...it's quite liberating."

Ladies & gentleman, my husband, the philosopher.

Stress Relief

2008-06-25T14:01:00.012-05:00

If I had to describe our weekend in one single word, it'd have to be crazy.

It started off innocently enough on Friday night with a wonderful dinner at 1111 Mississippi with our friends Julia & Tim. Excellent food, wine, & company... however, that will probably be another post, as it really has nothing to do with this one. Heh, like I usually stay on topic.

Saturday - now that was another story! This story could take all day, so let me give it to you in a teeny-tiny nutshell:

Doug's mom called to tell him that his 80-year-old father had broken his hip & was in the hospital. Ooooof... That call prompted all sorts of "what ifs" - my 78-year-old mother-in-law is in a wheelchair, & not really able to fend for herself.

We had a commitment ceremony at 2:00 that went well, but we needed to finish shopping for a wedding shower that we were throwing at 4:00. We had a list of things to pick up from Target, but we had to hurry, as the whole morning was taken up with phone calls.

I couldn't find my #$*^ cellphone, so if anyone needed to reach me, they couldn't. Argh!

I forgot to print the list. I couldn't call anyone else because I didn't have my phone. Double argh!

My chin still itched like the devil...& I didn't have my phone! (My chin is much, much better, thanks to a dermatologist & some steroid cream. Ah...)

On the way to the ceremony, I called my mother (on Doug's phone) to let her know what had happened to Harold. She then told me that my dad (who just had 5 teeth pulled) had proposed marriage to her yet again. He does this in cycles, by the way, to no avail - they remain divorced. But the real kicker wasn't that he asked, it was my mom's reply... "Gordon, I don't have time for this, I have to go to the bathroom." (Far be it from her to actually give the man a good, honest "no". Not my mom.) Then she told me that he asked her again later. Criminy. While still on the phone, I looked at Doug & told him "We're moving."

The commitment ceremony went off without a hitch & afterwards, we went to the Bread Co. on S. Grand to meet people to put the gift basket together. The day was starting to turn around...or so we thought. At 4, we headed across the street to Erato Wine Bar, only to find that it opened at 5. Huh? Their website clearly says that it opens at 4 on Saturdays! Our guests of honor were due to arrive at 4:15 & Erato's doors couldn't be wished open, so a few of us stayed behind to wait while the others took the basket to the coffeehouse around the corner.

Once the wine bar officially opened, we made our way back & ended up having a lovely time. A few bottles of wine & some entertaining pals assured us of that, so our troubles were temporarily put on hold. We even found the White Bordeaux that we found & that my pal Lucy wrote about a while back! Yay!! After a couple of hours, people started to leave, so 8 of us headed over to Absolutli Goosed for some of their famous martinis. I love that place. What fun! After a few drinks & a ton of laughter, we all headed home.

Sunday morning, Doug's dad had hip replacement surgery, so Doug went to pick up his mom. There was no point in my being there, so he told me to do whatever I wanted & promised to call me with any news. (The surgery went well, by the way.) Now, with all of the stress of the weekend, that led me to seek out one thing...

Retail therapy!

I'm in a pretty serious rut with clothes right now, so my plan was to try to branch out & try something other than v-necked t-shirts, bermudas, & cropped pants (for weekend wear, of course). I tried & tried, but nothing worked for me. I looked pregnant in everything, & God knows that's the last thing that I am! (Ick - perish the thought.) Something has to be done about that, but that's another blog altogether. I'll think about that tomorrow. Anyway, my patience ran short, so I decided to look for makeup. I had a limited-time 20% off coupon to Bare Escentuals that just had to be used. It had to be. Damn it, I was going to buy something!

And so I did. I've wanted the complexion enhancers kit for a while now, so I grabbed it. I've been told I don't need it, but hey - I wanted. I was stressed to the gills & disappointed in myself for gaining weight, so I fulfilled the want. The salesgirl must've sensed that I was on a mission & feeling weakened, so she went in for the kill. She showed me the newest collection, Heroes, & immediately started to put it on my face. The eye shadows weren't colors that I wear, & I was a bit leary, but in the end I liked it & bought it. Oh, & I got a free full-sized lipgloss if I spent $100, & that helped push me over the edge.

I like makeup, but I don't like to wear a lot of it or spend a lot of time applying it. I discovered Bare Minerals makeup a few months ago, & fell in love. The weird thing is that I hate powder...I hate the way it feels, I hate having to reapply, & I hate the way that it looks on the girls that keep reapplying over & over again so that it's just clumpy & gross. People have been trying to sell me that cream/powder formula for years now, & after trying it once, I swore off the stuff & resolved to only wear powder when I really wanted to. Which was very rare. Now, the salespeople at Bare Minerals will tell you that it's not really powder, but it's close enough, so imagine my surprise when I was thrilled with the stuff! It's fast, it looks great, & it's long-wearing - what's not to love? Ok, Bare Escentuals doesn't pay me to advertise for them (but they should, along with countless wineries & liquor stores!), so I'll hush up about them now.

One would think that my spree would be over by now, but thanks to Living Life's post about Etsy, I did a little shopping today at Decorate The Diva. I'm still stressed - it's fiscal year end here at work, so I have an excuse. Lookit the pretties!

Now, when Doug asks me if I've lost my mind, I can give him an honest answer....

Makeup & jewelry always fit!

Rash Decisions

2008-06-20T12:43:00.012-05:00

I have a mystery rash on my chin. I have no idea how I got it...I haven't eaten anything different nor used new products on my chin, nor have I put my chin anywhere that would cause this atrocity. I can't imagine that it's stress-related, although I do have some right now. All I know is that my chin is now bumpy & (not too terribly) red, & itchy.

VERY.

I noticed that something was going on while we were at my mom's the other night. I just thought maybe it was acne (& a pretty gnarly case of it), so yesterday morning, I put medicine on it. Sometimes, my brilliance is blinding. That stung!

My chin grew itchier & itchier all day. Clearly, this isn't a case of isolated adult acne, but some awful skin ailment. Joy. It's all I can do to keep my hands off of it, & I'm about to run down to the gift shop to see if they have Benadryl. That might help with the itch, but it won't do a thing about the bumps. I've got Caladryl Clear on it, which is really pretty when it flakes.

I really just want to pull a Cartman & soak my chin in a bath of anti-itch something, but of course the directions say to apply sparingly & no more than 3-4 times a day. Damn it.

I'm really stumped. Maybe, just maybe, I'm developing an allergy to my mom, starting with my chin. Could it be?

And Then There Were Four

2008-06-19T07:01:00.008-05:00

We suffered a loss last night.

After 13 & 1/2 months of living with us, my mom's dog Poppy finally went home.

For those of you that don't know, let me give you the "Claire's too tired to go into the whole thing again" version - my mom broke her ankle in 2 places on May 4th of last year, & after laying in her hallway all night with the phone in her hand, finally called for help. (Ugh - just revisiting that whole experience so briefly drains me of what little energy I possess!) Mom had 3 surgeries in a year, & there were a lot of challenges - some what you'd expect, & then others that could only be brought about by the mind of my mother.

(Doug's really, really happy that I'm adopted.)

Our time with Poppy was not without problems. You see, Poppy knew our dogs well, but had never stayed with them for very long. She came into our home & found herself living with a pack, & that was new to her. There was a hierarchy & Poppy didn't want to play along, so there were many scuffles & lots of posturing & pouting. Doug & I lost a lot of sleep because of these flare-ups, & neither of us operate very well after such nights. Yes, little Poppy had a hard time fitting in for a while, & everyone struggled because of it. There were times when we couldn't wait for her to go home so that we could have our peaceful house back.

Eventually, Poppy's behavior made a big turn for the better, & suddenly she started acting like she was one of our dogs. Happy day! She returned to the cute, bouncy, sweet Poppy that we knew & adored, & gained the nicknames that come with living at our house - Pops, Pop-Pop, Popster, Pop Star, etc. The fighting had stopped & she started to enjoy living at our house. If I were a dog, I think our house would be a great place to live! We have a big fenced-in backyard (complete with squirrels to chase), 4 other dogs, & what seems like constant petting & scratching. Sounds pretty good to me, although I'm not big on squirrels & I like indoor plumbing. A lot.

Neither of us wanted to, but we both came to love Poppy as our own. Yeah, yeah, we knew the time was coming for her to go home, but after so much time had passed, it was impossible not to! The thought of her leaving our home made us both sad & stressed us out a bit. My mom had some crazy list of things that needed to be done before Poppy could come back, & admittedly, we took our time in doing them. But finally, it was time.

Poppy went home.

We couldn't let my mom know that we were sad. I mean, Poppy is her dog, & we do want my mom to be happy. However, after seeing Poppy hooked up to her dog run & looking confused, it was impossible to not feel bad for her. I know my mom will take great care of her & that she loves her, but we just can't stop feeling that Poppy's happier with us.

So now, we're down to 4 again. Our girls are very out-of-sorts - Piper's very sad & Bella's fervently searching for the missing member of her "herd". It will take time for all of us to adjust to a Poppy-free life. Sure, she'll come back for visits, but it just won't be the same. In the meantime, we're just hoping that it all works out.

Our days of being the guardians of the family dogs are very likely not over. One of Doug's brothers - who is just a big unhealthy mess, to put it mildly - just asked Doug if we'd take his dog Queenie if something should happen to him. Doug said yes, fully realizing that something always happens to Randy to incapacitate him in one way or another.

Queenie is a St. Bernard.

Food & Wine Pairing for Dummies

2008-06-17T20:41:00.003-05:00

Let's face it - unlike most Europeans, most Americans think that Coca Cola is the best beverage with almost any meal. Very few of us have been raised to believe any differently, but we couldn't be more wrong. Think about it - whether it's diet or regular soda, when was the last time that you thought "Hmmmm...this soda really complements the smoky flavor in this grilled steak!"? If you're being honest with yourself, the answer is never.

But hey, Doug & I are definitely not experts on these things - damn near dummies, in fact - which is why we were thrilled to have the opportunity to go to Lukas Liquor's food & wine pairing event last Friday night. We were in a room full of approximately 20 people that were willing to share their extensive knowledge on how to unravel this mystery, & we took full advantage...of the wonderful food & delicious wine that they happened to throw in with it!

I'll be typing all night if I ran down the whole list, & that could get pretty boring. Hell, some of you are probably thinking "There she goes again....", & that's fine - go drink your Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper with that lasagna, & we'll pick up on another subject later. For those of you that are interested, here we go...

The tasting room at Lukas was crowded, so we couldn't really go from table to table in the order that was intended. Well, we could have, but the 4 of us - me, Doug, & our friends Shan & Sean - are fairly impatient when it comes to our wine, so we hopped around a bit. The tables were set up so that your palate wouldn't exhaust itself from all the different flavors, but we're wise enough to know that if you're going to taste over 25 different wines - not to mention food - you're just not going to win that battle unless you taste like the professionals do....in other words, spit. While spitting has its place - in my book, a very secluded one that isn't visited often - that wasn't in the cards for us. We were quite content with not being too wine geeky & just do our best to eat the food, drink the wine, & appreciate the pairing without wasting the wine. After all, depending on the wine, that's a sin.

Enough of my gabbing - I'll get to the highlights:

We started out with Creole crab cakes with Broadbent Vinho Verde, & it was really nice. Vinho Verde is a very crisp, refreshing, & ever-so-slightly fizzy white wine from Portugal, & in my opinion, it rocks on its own, but is also great with fish, shellfish, or any light chicken entree.

Lobster bisque is one of our must-haves at Wild Flower, a little place by my office, but we've never quite known what kind of wine to pair with it. So, we've always gone with the Wild Orchid, which is a to-die-for raspberry margarita...& a horrid match for lobster bisque! Now we know better - a Viogner is an excellent choice! We had the Bridlewood Viogner, & it really made sense to us. But damn, I sure do love those Wild Orchids...maybe we'll just get those after the bisque, eh?

They didn't have this available when we were nearby, but I heard people raving about the fresh strawberries served with the Angovese Nine Vine Rose'. Since rose' wines often have strawberry character to them, I can see how this pairing would be a winner. Besides, this particular rose' is a steal for under $10, so what have you got to lose?

Wine & pizza....yum. One of the most knowledgeable reps we know, Brent, was kind enough to bring in Dewey's Pizza to go with 2 of his wines - the veggie & the meatball, to be exact. The Cusumano Nero d'Avola was delightful with the meatball pizza, & we were excited to be able to refresh our memories on why we own this particular bottle of wine. (God only knows how much money we spend on wine & we have no idea why we bought it!) With the veggie pizza, Brent chose to serve the Pieropan Soave... whodathunk it? Even though I picked the veggies off, I got it, & it was good. So good that we had to snag a bottle of the Pieropan & quit ignoring the Cusumano in our rack!

A little while ago, my good pal Lucy wrote about Cal Ital wines, so these next 2 wines satisfied the craving that she kicked off! Tony made his own sausage bolognese (mmmmmmm) & decided to pair 2 wines out of Mendocino County, CA - the Enotria Barbera & the Enotria Dolcetto (sorry, couldn't find links), & he knocked it out of the park with both! Hopefully it just wasn't the pairing that was so good...we bought both!

Our good friend Robin brought in her should-be-famous marinated sirloin (I'm telling you, the woman can cook!) along with one of our favorites, D & S Meritage (a red wine) & a fabulous wine we hadn't tried - the Smith & Hook Cabernet Sauvignon. Talk about heavenly matches with the sirloin! We already own the D&S, so yes, we picked up the Smith & Hook, & we can't wait to try it with our own - or someone else's - grilled creations.

Another friend of ours, Amy, had the good sense to bring in arepas (South American corn cakes) from Wapango to pair with her Paso a Paso Tempranillo & Verdejo - both Spanish beauties - & both choices were fabulous. Good thing they're both inexpensive, because we'll be back for both!

A lot of people adore Riesling, & it's the "noble" white grape & a favorite for pairing...but Doug & I aren't sold on it yet. We've tried many Rieslings ranging from dry to sweet, & we have bottles that we like quite a bit, but we just don't get it...yet. However, the Riesling from Hogue Cellars gave us a bit of hope when paired with Creole stuffed shells from Juniper Grill! Wow.

The surprise of the evening was from, of all places, Romania. Christian, a really nice guy but one that often has offerings we aren't nuts about, brought homemade Baklava (!!) & poured Prahova Valley Tamaiosa Romaneasca to go along with it. (Sorry, I couldn't find a link in English!) Up until then, we hadn't had a Romanian wine that really impressed us, but this one was really good. It was sweet, but not in a cloying way, & with the Baklava, it was just incredible. I won't say it was the best pairing of the evening, but it was definitely at the top. We were just glad to see the "little guy" from Romania show what his country's wines can do.

Oh, I could go on about a few other wines, or at least the food, but I think I've done enough. I learned quite a bit, was fed well, & had a fun little buzz when I got out of Lukas, so the evening was a smash! Plus, we brought home 4 kick-ass bottles of wine & rediscovered a couple that we already have. While we certainly enjoyed ourselves, I hope that those of you that stuck with me have gotten an idea or 2 about what wine to serve or order the next time you're wanting to mess around with the world of food & wine pairing.

Remember - the rule of red wine with red meat, white wine with fish & poultry is only the beginning. Yes, Riesling can work with beef, & red wine can work with fish. In the end, you should drink what you like with what you like - don't let the wine snobs sway you with their fancy talk. It matters what you think of your choice, not anyone else.

Comfortable Thursday Evening

2008-06-12T20:54:00.005-05:00

For lack of a better title, that's exactly what this has been - comfortable. "Comfortable" is such a nice word....

We had some choices for what to do with our night. You see, with our crazy schedule, we've come to think of Thursday evening as the unofficial beginning of the weekend, so this is the night we'll hang a little looser than the other "school nights". Maybe we'll even get together with some friends, but more than anything, it has become our tradition to enjoy a bottle of wine. (Obviously, Thursday night isn't the only night that we partake in vino, but we do try to make this night consistently.) I worked a little late this evening, so Doug was considering picking up a pizza from one of our discoveries while he waited, but we also thought that either staying home or going to one of our favorite little places in the Lou would make for a fine evening as well. I left it up to Doug since it seems like I'm making most of these kinds of decisions lately.

Doug chose the last one, & even made reservations at our wonderful little find: Veritas Gateway To Food & Wine. Man, I hesitate to even write about the place for fear that any more publicity would take away our enjoyment. We stumbled across this tiny place in a strip mall in Chesterfield a few years back after doing some grocery shopping, & we're so glad that we did! About once or twice a month, we started heading to Veritas for their weekly Thursday evening wine bar, which entails a free tasting of about 6 wines & an ever-changing menu of small plates prepared in the diner-style open kitchen, surrounded by a small wine shop & a small shopping area for home & kitchen accessories. This place is so cool that is was voted "Best Dining Concept" for the Riverfront Times "Best Of", which is a magazine that heavily favors city establishments - quite a feat! Doug & I were worried...was "our place" - the place that we found before it was cool, where we didn't invite people unless we felt comfortable enough with their behavior, the place that we could go on Thursday nights & have a pleasant, quiet evening without phone calls, neighbors, etc. - in danger of becoming the place to "see & be seen"? We'd seen several local celebrities there already, but now the cat was really out of the bag. We were conflicted because the owners, David & Stephanie, were now friends of ours, & while we certainly didn't want them to fail, we didn't want Veritas to be tainted by popularity.

So far, so good. While it has definitely gotten busier - we now need to make reservations to guarantee a place - the feeling is still the same. There is still David's wonderful, hand-selected wine store, with some of the quirkier, less-heard-of labels, & Stephanie's gourmet groceries & upscale stuff for the crib - oh wait, this is Chesterfield, I don't think they use that term. The staff know us by name, we get special deals & uber-exclusive tastings on occasion...but best of all, there's the food. Veritas has the best grilled cheese sandwich in the world! Really! Couple that with the bison bites (think mini-burgers) with a variety of toppings, & you've got comfort food. There's some crazy stuff on the menu, too - for example, tonight there was Kentucky Thunder Scallops (do they have scallops in Kentucky, or is that a clever name for something scarier?), fresh salmon with avocado salsa on cucumbers, flat iron steak with blue potatoes (?) & grilled corn, & perhaps the oddest -- grilled lamb chops with roots & wine-soaked onions. I'll pass on the roots, but trust me, everything we've ever had at this place has been delightful.

After a tough week (strange, it's been a short one for me), we chose to go with the easy - grilled cheese & bison bites. We chose the 2006 Carmela Benegas Rose', a 50% Cab Franc/50% Petit Verdot blend, for our wine. Doug & his pink drinks, I'm telling you, people are going to start talking if they haven't already. Anyway, we always, always trust Benegas wines & find ourselves reaching for them again & again. They're fabulous & an incredible bargain, so you should do the same. (In other words, this goes on your weekend to-do list, ladies & gents.) Anyway, there wasn't a whole lot on the nose (but it's allergy season), but the color was beautiful & it was great on the palate. We had a hard time deciding what we were tasting - raspberry, maybe watermelon & some flowers - so we declared that what we were getting was snozzberry with just a touch of cream.

It's good to be us - we say it so convincingly that people might actually buy that BS.

So now, we are home with our wonderful pack of dogs. Bella is curled up on my feet on the couch, Charles is laying on the floor at my side, Piper is snoring across from me on the loveseat, Poppy is, well, wherever it is that Poppy goes, & Mattie is laying on her bed, lampshade-free for the moment & waiting for the magical words of "bed time, girls".

Those words are just minutes away, & I look forward to our comfortable bed. Tomorrow is Friday, & that's a beautiful thing...

Thinking Globally

2008-06-11T19:40:00.014-05:00

I'll bet you're thinking that this blog is going to be about the environment. Well, gentle readers, it's not. While I do care about the environment, I grow a bit weary of all the hype about going green, & oh, what's that new buzz word? Ah, yes - sustainability, that's it. Don't get me wrong - it is definitely important to protect our environment, but for cryin' out loud, there are enough blogs out there about it. Personally, I'm tired of the preaching, so let's talk about other things.

Food.

When Doug & I came back from Jamaica this last October, we made a last minute decision at the airport (before we checked our bags) to buy Eaton's Original Jamaican Jerk BBQ Sauce. We were heading into cold weather then & grilling was quickly becoming a fond memory, so when we got home, the sauce was put in our pantry & forgotten about until our good friends the Luces came over for a very fun canine playdate & some BBQ. (As an aside, yes, I'm aware that this linking might be considered shameless promotion, but hey - bloggers love hits & comments, right? So if you're here or there, don't be bashful...Oh, & if you followed that link, do yourself a favor & find that white Bordeaux. You won't regret it.) Doug & I finished off the last of this wonderful BBQ sauce last night, & I found myself a bit sad. This carried over into today, & after looking on the internet & becoming disgusted at the outrageous shipping costs, I remembered that there was a place nearby that came through in a pinch the last time we had a craving for things Jamaican...Global Foods Market in my hometown of Kirkwood, MO.

You see, the last 2 times that Doug & I were in Jamaica, we discovered this wonderfully refreshing Jamaican beverage - Ting & vodka. Oh. My. Gracious. We fell so hard for this delightfully crisp, slightly fizzy grapefruit soda (ok, the vodka that was mixed in didn't hurt) that we just had to have it again after a few months back in the Lou. We needed to bring back The Happy. In fact, I'd started to sing its name - tingtingting, tingtingting... Once again, I looked to the internet, & just as I was today, was angered at how ridiculous it would be to have it sent to us. In a moment of brilliance, I recalled that there was this place in Kirkwood, not far away, that promised to be our beacon of hope. So I called & asked whether or not they had Ting, & to my delight, the man declared that he not only had it, but he was looking at it right then. Glory hallelujah! We stopped in on the way home & picked up a bunch of it, & as soon as we walked in the door, we had our happy back. Cheers to The Happy! Never to be accused of being too selfish (I said "too"), we shared out Ting & vodka concoction with our friends that came over for the soiree' that Mattie mentioned a few posts ago. They were also enthralled with The Happy, & it's mentioned often. Ting, glorious Ting! Awwww....it's kinda cute, really.

Back to today. When I called this afternoon, the man - perhaps the same one - told me that they carried Eaton's, but didn't have the same one we enjoyed before in stock. They had the Jamaican Rum BBQ Sauce instead, & would that be ok?

Duh, Mister. Can't you tell when someone is frothing at the mouth?

Doug & I both worked a bit late today, but we decided that we had to make a side trip to Global Foods. Had to. We quickly found our sauce as well as a 1/2 ton of Ting, & then oh no! We remembered that we didn't have any chilled wine! Not to worry - Global Foods has a wine section, & we had a ray of sunshine.

Not for long. One look at the pathetic selecton dashed our hopes. It was chockfull of the likes of Yellow Tail, Beringer White Zinfandel (you have no idea how hard it is for me to type this), & to add to the horror, The Little Penguin. EEEEEEK! Thoughts of "I could do so much better if this were my store," & "What in the hell is wrong with these people?" raced through my head but I recovered quickly & realized that Grapevine Wines was just right up the street. We paid for our bounty of Jamaican treats & headed straight there.

We rushed in & headed straight for the cooler. I mean, a warm rose' or other warm-weather-friendly wine just wouldn' do. We were so happy to see an old favorite, the 2007 Boxcar Rose', chilled & ready to go for $14.99. We had no idea what kind of wine would pair with the Jamaican Rum sauce, but we were willing to risk it, so we grabbed it. Besides, Doug does love his pink drinks - just ask him, he'll tell you. One of the store owners recognized us & after a moment or 2 of chatting, offered us a taste of a new Zin he'd just received, the 2005 Lake Sonoma Dry Creek Zinfandel. It retailed for about $17, & from the first whiff, I was lusting a little. I love Zin, so long as it's red (& I can't believe I just clarified that). It was really good with a good bit of black pepper & cherry - doesn't it seem like that's in almost all red wines? - but we were hungry & in a hurry, so we took note, thanked the man, paid for our rose', & headed home.

Now, you may be thinking "My, Claire & Doug sure do drink a lot! The owners of wine stores know who they are!", but think, good people - a bottle of wine split between 2 people doesn't add up to much. But yes - we do drink a healthy bit, & we're happy to do so! So go ahead & judge. Heh.

So, you may be wondering, when does this story end? Right here. We fired up the grill, cooked our chicken, poured our wine, & consumed every last bite. And it was good. The food & wine pairing was just ok (perhaps a rum-based beverage would've been better, but we work in the morning) but neither one of us complained. We were off work, at home, with good food, great wine, our dogs, & each other - we were happy.

Coming To You Live, From My Living Room

2008-06-10T11:47:00.009-05:00

I've had a 4-day weekend, but today was unplanned. Yes, I'm home today because of my beloved spring allergies. I just didn't have it in me this morning to struggle through a day at work on next to no sleep, so here I am, in the recliner with my dogs scattered around me, watching Braveheart...that all sounds nice unless you consider my red, itchy eyes, sore throat, & that I'll undoubtedly hear about this absence tomorrow at work. We should never feel sick enough that we can't come to work, after all. Bah. Enough about that, it's not fun to think about. Let me tell you about my weekend instead, since it's the reason I'm home in the first place.

On Friday night, we'd had plans to see Kim Massie & the movie Grease at Laumeier Sculpture Park, but the storms took that option away from us. Instead, we joined a bunch of our childfree friends at Graham's Grill for the evening. It's a great place to just hang out & enjoy the fun that usually accompanies a few beers & people with great senses of humor. Not that I'm one of those people, of course, but we had a really great time, & the food & drink was good, too.

We had a wedding in Highland, IL, on Saturday. Normally, we'd never consider going that far for a wedding (no offense to anyone living in the area), but the groom was the son of Doug's karate instructor, work partner, & teaching partner at the karate studio that they once ran. The man died about 5 years ago when the boy was 18 or 19 & the debauchery that immediately followed could only be rivaled by something you'd see on Jerry Springer. The boy wisely decided to sever all ties from his family, leaving him with no family except for his father's friends from karate. He called us last year to tell us he was engaged & asked Doug to perform the ceremony, & obviously, there was no way that Doug could refuse. Even in Highland, IL, & even if we don't believe that either the bride or groom was mature enough. In the end, Highland's not that far, & it's not up to us to determine who should or shouldn't be married, so it was done, & we wish them the very, very best in the future. The reception had to be the most awkward I've ever seen, & soon that along with the canned beer & impending long drive home sent us on our way. You should see our windshield - many very large bugs met their maker on it. Ick.

For those of you wondering when I was going to bring up wine, wait no more...

Sunday, we headed to Augusta, MO, for our friends' daughter's engagement party. It was at our least favorite winery in the area, which I will dub "Mt. Unkind" for the purposes of this post. They are the largest winery in the Augusta appellation, & its aesthetics are nice enough, & they can afford to bring in good bands. Normally, they charge $5 per person admission (but our friends paid for their guests), & that includes a tasting of 5 of their wines. (Mind you, they barely have 5 to choose from since some of their list is unavailable for tasting.) More & more wineries in Missouri are charging for their tastings, so while I don't care for it, I understand. What I don't understand is why they charge more than twice the price of a bottle to drink it there, when most other wineries charge a nominal fee. Let me break it down for you... It was a hot day, so we didn't want to drink red wine, so we chose a white that they compare to Pinot Grigio. Personally, I'm not much of a fan of Pinot Grigio, but it was the most palatable & the cheapest. They sell it on their website for $9.99, but to drink it at the winery it was $21 a bottle. Add to that the $3 bucket of ice (again, higher than others), & the fact that politeness as well as time with our friends caused us to buy another bottle & bucket of ice, & you'll come to the same total that we did - $48. Yes, $48 - not including the gas it took to get out there - for mediocre wine in a highly over-rated place. Highway robbery. Just think of the other wine we could've bought for that! Ok, ok, it was for our friends, so we were (somewhat) happy to do it, but still....

Wow. Our friends' kids are getting married. Either we're old or our friends had kids really young. Yup, that's it - they were too young.

On to less frustrating subjects!

Doug & I took yesterday off. We didn't really have a plan in mind, & in the end, we decided it would be best to stick around the house & take care of things. You see, between work, weddings, & our social life, we don't have a lot of free time that we allot to the house. As a result, our house is disorganized in areas (as I've mentioned before), & we had a veritable forest of maple trees growing...in our gutter. I remember this happened a few years ago, & our neighbor's son was amazed at our supposed cleverness - he said he'd never thought of planting flowers in the gutter, but he thought it was a fine idea. Heh, that's cute, but in reality, no, so before it got too hot, Doug climbed up on the roof to begin the nasty business of digging out the muck in our gutters. I was grateful that he didn't ask me to help, so I started doing laundry - about 6 loads - & dishes - 2 loads. I started piles of clothes to donate or trash. Doug attacked the pile of mail that needed to be shredded, we did a little work on our tragic rose bed, & voila! Work was getting done around our house. We still have a long way to go in order to get organized, but it was a damn good start. Maybe I'll knock a little off of that long way today. Or not.

To celebrate our day of accomplishment, Doug & I went to our local Mexican joint, El Nopal. Yum. After the grocery store, we came home & continued our celebration by opening up a bottle of rose' that we'd intended to bring to Laumeier on Friday night - 2007 Eye of the Toad Rose' by Toad Hollow. We paid about $9.99 for it & we figured we'd be putting it into a plastic flask anyway - no glass was allowed at Laumeier, & there was sort of a challenge - so we didn't want to risk tainting a better bottle. We'd never tasted it before, but after drinking it, I'm pleased to report that it was quite good, & we'd pick it up again. This rose' is made from Pinot Noir, & it was deeper in color & heavier in body than most Pinot Noir rose', & dry & crisp, just the way we like them. For the price, we were pretty pleased with it, & it's got a cool name to boot. Pick some up when you see it, it's a great bargain.

And so, here I sit...this day is mostly a waste, but at least I was able to write something today. The dogs are sure happy I'm here, & Mattie's getting a little bit of time out of her cone. (If only she'd quit licking what's left of her scab off, she'd be done with it by now.) Perhaps I'll do a bit more laundry or clean the kitchen.

Hmmmm....maybe I should grab a beer first. After all, I'm not at work.

Wine & Tequila

2008-06-05T11:02:00.006-05:00

Doug & I were extremely fortunate this week. Our friend Robin is a wine rep for Hahn Family Wines, & she invited us to her magnificent home on Monday evening to meet their main winemaker, Adam LaZarre. We're very lucky to have befriended Robin over the last couple of years. She's an amazing cook, has introduced us to fabulous wines - in my opinion, most notably Catena wines, distributed by her former company, as well as selections from Hahn - & is just a great person overall. Robin is truly one of our favorite people, & it's just a huge bonus that she gives us big pours at her tastings.

No, really - the big pours are just a huge bonus.

Being the aspiring wine geeks that we are, Doug & I have met quite a few winemakers. While I can say that some of these encounters were interesting, most were rather benign. With the exception of 2 - Charles Smith (formerly of Black Flag) & Adam - the winemakers were content to talk of soil Ph levels, rainfall, elevation, & various other blah-blah-blah. Adam? He drank tequila, bourbon, rum, & wine, & talked about anything & everything. He'd tell you a little about the wine but nothing that was too complicated - his main concern was that you simply enjoyed the wine. That's what it's all about in the end, isn't it?

Sure, I understand that winemaking is a science & an art. I admire the people that are able to do it & do it well. However, I'm just an aspiring wine geek, & to be honest, a lot of the technical details just don't matter to me that much. I don't believe that there's ever been a time that I tasted a wine & said "You know, I think the Ph level must've been different for this vintage." What does matter is that I love & appreciate the end product - I mean, really, I just want to drink the stuff - so talking to Adam LaZarre was perfect for a dolt like me. In fact, when I told him that I appreciated his simpler approach, he said "It's all the fruit - I just play with it a little bit."

While we were there, we also got a chance to hang out with the owners of one of our favorite stores, The Wine Barrel. They said that Robin & Adam would be at the store on Wednesday, so we said we'd go & invite friends. Since Adam has such a love of tequila, Doug decided to pick up an airplane-sized bottle of Cuervo for him. He gave it to Adam, who then opened it immediately & downed it in 2 gulps. Considering he'd been drinking wine, the man must have an iron stomach.

At this tasting, we were able to try a couple of wines that Robin didn't have at her house, along with some favorites. Most notable was the LaZarre 2005 Pinot Noir - Bien Nacido. Yum...& it even had a cute leopard-spotted cork! My fashionista friend adored that detail. I would've loved to pick up 1 of the 4 remaining bottles, but with today's gas & food prices, $49.99 was a bit too steep. For NOW. Instead, we picked up a bottle of the Huntington 2005 Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc, & the just-bottled-2-weeks-ago Hahn 2006 Syrah, both under $15 a bottle & downright scrumptious. Great wine doesn't have to break the bank!

Adam signed both bottles, but I didn't look at what he wrote...he signed one bottle at Robin's with something about hookers, so I guess it'll have to be a surprise!

Dog Blog: Round 3 - My Tail of Woe

2008-05-28T08:54:00.007-05:00

Hey everyone! It's me, Mattie! Mom (you know her as Claire) left the laptop unsupervised, so wheee! I'm going to stretch my blogging wings here on this Claire Uncorked thingy. (For those of you that were around before, you'll remember that I have great fun blogging.) You know, I'm not really sure how my my mom came up with Claire Uncorked...I guess it's because of that stuff that her & Dad drink all the time. Eh, who knows - I've been with her for over 13 years, & I'm not going to question her....it just wouldn't do any good. I'm not complaining, I'm just sayin'.

Let me tell you what's been going on lately. Get yourself comfortable, 'cause I've got a lot to say! I gotta say, I've been through a whole lot.

I went to get my teeth cleaned back in March & somehow the vet discovered that that cancer stuff came back. I heard Dr. Gwen say that word, but I really knew it was back when my mom came to take me home. She looked so serious, & she only looks like that when I have that crap. I don't know why it comes back, it's not like I like the stuff - you'd think it'd know that after I kicked it out of my body twice before. But noooo....it even had the nerve to come back on the paw where it all started! I guess taking 2 toes the first time wasn't enough so it wanted another one. Mom says cancer's an asshole, & that must be true. Doesn't it have toes of its own?

Two days later, I was back at the vet's office to have surgery. There was a lot of concern about how Dr. Gwen was going to handle it - this tumor thing was on the only toe that I can really stand on, & Mom said I'd be "screwed" - whatever that means - if something happened to it. Lucky for me, Dr. Gwen loves me & managed to save my toe. Not without cutting the dickens out of my poor paw, though! She thought she was being clever when she put a green bandage on me for something called St. Pat's, but I was unamused. I'm wearing it in the picture at the top...I don't look like I think it's funny, do I? No, of course not. Actually, I felt really funny - Dad kept giving me these pills. They made me not mind the embarrassment & torture of that damn lampshade thing I had to wear.

Let me talk for a sec about that lampshade. I've worn those things many times & it doesn't matter - I'll never just get used to it. You try conducting the business of your life with that thing on your head. You can't turn corners, you can't navigate stairs, you can't lay your head down without laying on plastic, & the worst part is that you can't lick your butt or any other place that's bugging you.

I knew what was coming, & I could tell from Mom & Dad's conversations that I'd be headed back to Mizzou for more of that radiation stuff. However, something told me that this time would be different. My mom was really stressed (but she's cool, she tries not to let it show), & they were talking about possibly cancelling their trip to...oh, wherever it was. I was hoping that they wouldn't because I like hanging out with Grandpa. He feeds us a lot of treats & lets us stay outside for a really long time - he doesn't have to go to work, so he's never in a hurry. They decided to take their trip, but that had me a little worried. What was it about this time that had them so freaked out? I figured it was best to just not think about it - maybe nothing was going to happen.

One night, Mom & Dad had a party. A bunch of really fun ladies came over (& Mr. Luce, who watched a movie with Dad), & they drank a lot of my mom's wine. The next day, Dad went to work, & Mom loaded me into the car. Uh oh. We started an all-too-familiar trip, & I knew exactly where we were headed - Mizzou. So much for my not thinking about it - now I was really scared.

Mom drove really fast. Every once in a while, she'd see one of those cars with the things on top, & she'd slow down a little. Not sure why. People are really weird, you know that? Soon enough, we turned onto that exit...the one that I dread so much. Within a few minutes, we were there - at that place. I didn't want to go in, but I could see that Mom was getting upset, & I didn't want to add to that. So, I went inside with her & we waited in this room with a bunch of other dogs & people. Thank goodness there weren't any of those wrinkly dogs - I think they're called pugs. I don't like those.

We then met Jen, who was to be my student while she was on the oncology rotation, whatever that is. She really wanted to be my friend, but I was really leary. Then Dr. David came in - & I was so scared that my teeth started chattering. You see, Dr. David is a nice guy, but his being there only confirmed what I knew - I was going to get burned again. Dr. David took care of me last time, & I remembered him since I'm such a smart girl. He felt really bad about my being scared, & I felt a little bad about his feeling bad, but hey - I was the one that was going to get hurt here, not him! Dr. David & Jen talked to my mom for a bit, & then they told her something that made her pretty happy - I wasn't going to have to stay at the hospital alone in a kennel every night, I could go home with Jen. Now, I've always hated being fenced in, so this sounded like a pretty sweet deal. I wanted to go home, of course, but it became clear that I wasn't going to do that when my mom hugged & kissed me & told me she'd see me soon. Looking back, I know that was hard for my mom to do.

I made friends with Jen that day at the hospital - what a nice girl! She knew I was freaked out & sad, so she talked to me a lot. She actually talked to me like Mom does, so that made me feel really good. She even told me that my mom got something called a ticket on the drive home - apparently, she got caught driving too fast by one of those cars with the things on top. Whoops. When we went home that night, I got to meet her dog Nora, & I was overjoyed to have a new playmate. I was so tired, though, that I waited until the next day to really play with her. That weekend, Jen's boyfriend Todd came to town with another dog, Roxy. What fun!

Here we are! That's me, the cutest one on the left (duh), then Jen, Nora, & Roxy. Jen & Todd took us to the park where Nora likes to swim in the creek. I don't join her, though - I hate, & I do mean hate, to get my feet wet. Swimming is silly, but I see a lot of pictures of Mom & Dad swimming in a really big creek called an "ocean". They like it, & so does Nora, but I just watched her swim & then avoided her when she shook the water off of her fur. Oh, & Todd took the picture. I really like Todd, I became quite attached to him that weekend. Jen really likes him, too - they're getting married! Dad's not doing their wedding, though...

As if my weekend wasn't great enough, my mom & dad came to see me! I was so very happy, & so were they, but I was really confused. We didn't go to the car. We just walked around Mizzou. We watched a bunch of girls playing some game with a ball & flags. That was cool, but I really just wanted to get in the car & go home! I mean, I was having a great time with my new friends, but home is home! After a while, we walked back to the hospital, & my parents left. I was really sad, but then Jen & Todd took me to back to play with Nora & Roxy.

Jen took this picture before Todd & Roxy went back home. I know I don't look like I like Roxy very much, but I really, really do! She's a fun little girl, although I have to say that she's a lot smaller than what I'm used to having around me. I'm not so sure she'd fit in at my house very well, but she's so cool that we'd find a way to make it work. Anyway, Todd & Roxy went home, & then Jen & I were very sad.

This thing called radiation therapy really wore me out. I was getting it in 2 places, my paw & my shoulder, because Dr. David said that would make me better. They had to make me go to sleep every day while they did it, & then I went back to my kennel until Jen finished with her work & then took me home. Jen always fed me while I was there, but I liked eating at her house much better. As I said, I hate being in any kind of cage, so I always knocked my bowl over. Dr. David & Jen thought that was really funny, & Dr. David said that I wasn't afraid to "express my opinion", whatever that means. I've heard the same thing said about my mom & dad, so I'm sure it's nothing bad. If it is bad, there are a few people who are going to see my wrath. (I don't really know what that is, I've just heard that on tv.)

A few days later, Jen seemed really sad & her house was all boxed up. Uh oh... I knew what that meant. Her eyes were getting a little watery when she talked to me. When she put me in my kennel at the hospital, I didn't get a good feeling, so I made an awful racket until she kept her with me. In the end, it didn't matter... I knew Jen was leaving. I met 2 new guys, Jeremy & Jeff, & Jen told them everything about me. By noon, she was gone, & Jeremy came to take me to my daily appointment with Dr. David. He took care of everything I needed that day, & then Jeff came, leashed me up, & put me in his car.

I liked Jeff, he was really nice. He showed me his place, & I took a nap. I must've been out for a long time. When I woke up, Jeff was sleeping right next to me. We never went to bed, & my new pal was sleeping on the floor. Whoa. He must've thought I was really cute! Well, he's no dummy, because I am, but I'm no dummy, either...I got on the couch!

We went to school & back for a couple more days, with every night ending up in the living room. I heard Jeff tell my mom that he was worried that my fur would wreck his "suede comforter", whatever that is, so he didn't want to sleep in his bedroom. Bummer. I tried to tell him that we could just take the suede thingamajigger off the bed, but he didn't get what I was saying.

One day after the hospital, we got in the car & went for a long ride. It was fun, & I looked out the window the whole time. I was a little worried, though - we weren't headed to my house. We saw a whole bunch of stuff that Jeff called "corn". A couple of hours into the trip, we pulled into a town called St. Joseph, MO. Jeff said he was home, but that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. I met his parents, & they were also really nice to me. We stayed there for a couple of nights before going back to Jeff's real home...you know, where we sleep.

Not much else happened, really. Jeremy & Jeff said that Mom & Dad were in Mexico - I really don't get why they go there - & that they had to email them every day. My treatments continued, & it seemed like they made me a little more tired every day. Jeff would always take me home, I'd sleep for a little while, & then he'd take me for a nice walk. Dr. David lived right by Jeff, so I'd see him sometimes, too. That was ok, I decided I could forgive him for what he did everyday because he's just so nice. He really wanted me to like him, too, & I felt really bad for him, so I let him pet me & walk me. Yeah...I liked him, too. But I really grew to love Jeff, & he kept me with him all the time. He even took me back to his parents' house while he did something called "the Guard". He looked really funny - he had to wear clothes - "camo" - that people wore in this place not far from our house. Valley Park. That's the name - Mom & Dad drove me there when the river was really high, & we saw all of these people in "camo" drinking beer & watching the river. What a strange thing to do. Anyway, Jeff was really busy, so I hung out with his parents. They thought I was really cute, too. (That's because I am.)

Time went on, & I was really missing my parents, my house, my sisters...I was the only dog at Jeff's house, but he did his best to keep me busy. I really slept a lot, I was so tired, & my paw really started to hurt. Jeremy spent as much time with me as he could, which was good because I really liked him. A lot of the other dogs were mean to him, so he'd come to me when he wanted someone to be nice to him. Everyone was constantly looking at my paw, & I really just wanted them to leave me alone. And then the worst happened....the lampshade came back & rarely came off of my head. Damn! My paw started to get redder, & I just didn't want to use it, so I walked on 3 legs most of the time.

Hang in there, guys - I'm gettin' there.

One day, Jeff was acting sad, just like Jen did before she left. Oh no...not again. And then my new daytime student, Tina, gave me a bath. A bath!!! I hate to get my feet wet, but since she was new I decided to go along with it. You see, Jeremy went to another "rotation", so she took over. Anyway, I was wet & smelled funny. Jeff came back to see me & I got all excited, thinking that he really wasn't leaving & that we were going to his house! But no....

Tina put my leash on & walked me out to the front. Heh...time to get the lady behind the desk to give me a bone, I guess. Nope, no bone - something better! My parents were there!! So was Bella!! My mom yanked that lampshade off of my head & they were both on the floor with me, hugging me, & Bella was all over me, too. I was so happy, & so were they. Then, Dr. David came out, & a few seconds later, Jeff & Jeremy! It was a real party, & it was for me. ME!!! Everyone was petting & kissing me, which was great, but after a few minutes, I just wanted to hit the road already. Apparently, Dr. David had quite a bit to say, although all I paid attention to was the many times that he talked about how cool I am. I'm tellin' you, these folks at Mizzou are really, really smart! For the rest of the time, I just pulled on my leash, headed towards the door. Finally, everyone said goodbye, & this time...I left with Mom & Dad, got in my own car, & headed HOME.

Ah.....home is a wonderful place. I'd been gone a whole month!!!

Ok, I'm tired of typing, I've been going at it a while. Let me show you some pictures - some of them are kind of yucky. You've been warned.

Here I am, at home, on my NEW bed. It's mine...all mine.

Ok, so there's a close-up of my foot. Looks painful, doesn't it? Well, you're only looking at it.

Here's my foot a week later. It's better, but I had something called an infection.

Yuck. Never fear, Mom & Dad gave me pills & soaked my foot every night in this blue stuff. I hated it - remember, I hate to get my feet wet - but I gotta admit, my foot did get better.

See? It's not as bad as it was.

Here I am, again. I thought you guys might want to see me since I'm so adorable. I know I am because everyone tells me so. They also tell me that I'm very strong & a fighter. I say I'm tired & would really love to have the lampshade off my head.

One more time - this was taken last night.

MUCH better!! If you look to the right side of the picture, you'll see a pink little stub. Well, I was at Dr. Gwen's for a check-up/show-off, & my whole toenail fell off!!! Ew. I'm ok, though...there's one growing back already.

(I apologize if these pictures are placed funny. I'm just a dog, after all.)

Mom still keeps in touch with Jeff & Jen. She says that they both tell her that they miss me a lot. I think I'm going to see them again soon, & that'll be really nice. I've missed them. My mom's also heard from Erica, my first vet student from my first go 'round, & she's moving to St. Louis soon! I know I'm a super lucky girl to have so many people that love me. In the meantime, I keep getting better & better, I have my very own bed for daytime, & I sleep on my mom's side of her bed at night. Oh, & I know Dad's only kidding when he tells me I need to get one of those jobs... That just doesn't make sense, they don't like their jobs, so why would they want me to get one? People. I'll never understand.

Ok, so thanks, everyone, for reading my story. I really appreciate it. The lampshade is still on, but I think I've almost got Mom to let me sleep without it....almost. She says hopefully sometime this week. I sure hope so. It's awful. They do let me go without it for a little while, but only if they can see everything that I do. I really, really want it to be gone by Sunday. Mom says that the Luce Whippets are coming over... I have a rep to protect, you know.