For Wingal

Two Things...

First, though very early, Happy Halloween!!!!



I'd like to pretend that the four of us are hanging out together this Friday, like so:



Second, I'm just two posts away from my 100th post over there on my blog, and I'm trying to figure out what should be the topic of that momentous occasion. Suggestions welcome.

The Wine I am Drinking

On Saturday, we had the lovely Amanda over for an amazing dinner of brie soup, fresh bread, and salad. First off, I am sorry I did not take a picture of the soup when it was served to us. The Chef out did himself on this soup, truly. And Wingal missed it. For what? Family that she has not seen in 15 years, Obama and Bill Clinton? jeeze....

Anyway, what did we drink with it?

Dâo's 2007 Cabriz - Colheita Seleccionada Branco ($11) was a nice recommendation by the wine guy that is my mom's cousin Peter's doppelganger. It wasn't too fruity that it would compete with the brie soup, but not too flowery that it would be over powered. With a nice mellow flavor, this one is a blend of a bunch of grapes I have never heard of. Seriously, I think people make up the grapes they say are in some wines. Granted I know what a Niagara grape tastes like and also know that wines made form said grape taste like a north bound red line on a early Sunday morning smells, but that is neither here nor there. This is a blend of Malvasia Fina, Cerceal, and the local Bical and Encruzado grapes. Or so I am told. I thought Encruzado was a revolutionary....crazy Portuguese.

Award Shows

I am an award show junkie. I love watching the Oscars, the Grammys, Cable Ace awards, all of them really. That being said, I have seen some pretty cool stuff on live TV. I saw Jethro Tull win the first "Best Heavy Metal" Grammy. I watched Barbara Streisand have to read Eminem's name off for "Best Original Song" and not choke on her own spittal. I saw the fights on the Source awards.

But somehow, somewhere I missed this all together. Live from the Grammys in 1994:

CFL
(a call for labels)
PSSWR 2009

Gendered Drinking at the End of the Decade

Location: TBA
Dates: TBA

My Turn!!

This song is by Muse. It's called "Hysteria" and can be found on their "Absolution" CD. In addition to me just absolutely loving the band, I'm practically addicted to this song...

...because it makes me want to get nastynaughtyraunchy with a boy and drive super fast in my car.

And yes, possibly both at the same time...

also, loving her....

The Wine that I am Drinking

Someday, Wingal and I will get the stuff up that we had at mini-psswr.

But tonight, oh ladies, I found a new house wine:


Niel Joubert's 2005 Pinotage ($11.25) is just...just...yummy. Pinotage is a viticultural cross of the Pinot Noir grape and the Cinsault grape. It's a deep red color, not too dry, and meaty. But with a nose of bananas of all things. The label told me this I thought it was lying. Then I smelled it. Yeah, bananas. But serioulsy good. We had it with pumpkin cupcakes with cinnamon/chocolate frosting.

love her

JENNY!!!! It's Your Birthday, It's Your Birthday...

A little early, perhaps, but I've got a busy couple of days ahead of me, so I just wanted to post my tribute to Jennifer June DeJongh... another year older as of 9 October.

Happy Birthday, Jenny. If I could, I'd give you



The best of both worlds, really... cake AND shoes.

Or, if dreams really could come true, I'd wish you:



Particularly the raining shoes, but I'm sure you wouldn't mind the new car.

I can't say that the gift is in the mail yet; however, it's in the works and will likely hit the USPS at some time in the next week. Finishing touches, you know, and more auditory material to drive Raphael crazy for awhile.

If I were there, we would share



...at LEAST that many of them...

And we'd likely share many more



But until we meet again, know that I'm wishing you a big fat HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

And I love you.

The Wine I Am Drinking. And Drinking. And Drinking.

I am currently drinking (and am very nearly drunk on as well because the chili is taking a godawful amount of time to be ready) the delightful 2006 Folie a Deux Menage a Trois, a blend of Zinfandel, Merlot, and Cabernet. We initially bought this wine for the funny name (while visiting my grandmother - of course) and return to it regularly. For the funny name. And also for the very decent price (regularly about twelve dollars and usually on sale at Safeway for about nine). But mainly for its absolutely yummy deliciousness. Pardon my ignorance of wine-speak.

"Carmelized peaches!" Raphael declared tonight. "Tastes like autumn! I'm a Menage a Trois kind of guy!" Not being much of a wine describer myself and also being a little tipsy, I can personally say that this seems fairly accurate - as I am sitting here enjoying my Menage a Trois, I am experiencing a taste sensation that includes a bright, fruity sort of flavor and something sort of burned and caramelly at the end. All of this could be based on a psychological reaction to Raphael's intital comments, of course, so take from this what you will. In any case, this is a gorgeously lush and yummy wine that is best served with a dinner of grocery-store-roasted chicken, salad, and homemade cookies with small-town Massachusetts-grocery-store-brand-ice cream in your grandmother's poorly-lit kitchen. And also everywhere else.

Anyway, I'm a fan.

Shelve this for a later post...

I'm busy with work and school and heading to NY to help Dad for a few days, so remind me later to write a full post about this later:

On the train and on the platforms lately I have seen a new and disturbing ad. It's Triple H, from the WWE. That in itself is not disturbing. He's not too bad to look at. If you squint. What is disturbing are the size of his nipples. Holy Mary-Mother-of-Pearl! Like large reddish nubby dinner plates.

Anyway, I'll extrapolate on that later when I have more time. Also, I'll try to get you all a picture.