A Few Funny Pictures

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

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'

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.

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

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...

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

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.