On Facebook I am 'friends' with a number of musicans.... now, some of these guys are not people I know personally, but I'm a fan. They friended me and now I can see all sorts of personal photos of theirs, like photos of one of their kids high school graduation party.

This is weird. I don't think I like it. I'm sure I am one of the few fans who does not want to know every. little. detail. of their lives, but there it is. why they'd post stuff like that I shall never know... or better yet, don't friend people who are not personal friends, have a fan page for that. 

That is all. 

mood: weird

Just got the word.

My brand spankin new project, a melodic rock/melodic metal radio show, is going to start this week! It'll be on Saturday night 8pm EST with a  repeat next Thursday 7pm @ http://www.getthepointradio.com/.

Rock on my friends.

I went to the Wines of Chile tasting today. A few things:

1. I found myself tasting wine with David Rosengarten. Nice guy. I told him I missed his show and he told me he has a meeting with some Food Network execs tomorrow, so we may see him back on the air soon.
2. If you like your Chardonnay like the French do it, but you cannot afford Burgundy as often as you'd like, try some from Chile. They seem to get the whole concept of restrained malo and oak (for the Chards. If we're talking Cabernet it's a whole other overextracted oak bomb story).
3. I got to try the Clos Apalta.... and once again I find myself saying "Really?" It was good, definitely, but I didn't think it was that earth shatteringly good.  I definitely value balance and restraint in a wine and Wine Spectator.... not so much. I just don't get what they love about these huge wines. What the heck food would you pair with them?? 
4. Carmenere is awesome.  I keep turning people onto it and I love it. Had a conversation with an importer where I said I think it's the next Malbec (as in the next hot grape people will come in looking for) and he said no. I see his point - Carmenere has an earthy Cab Franc quality to it that the casual wine drinker might not love. To me it's perfect - it has fruit and earth and when oaked properly is delicious (and usually quite affordable). 

My teeth are purple, even after brushing. I will not have this problem next week - Germany! Mmmm, Riesling...

I didn't watch it but I heard about what Sasha Baron Cohen did to Eminem. I want to know what you think:
Poll #1409537 MTV Music Awards
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All

Was it funny?

Was it staged?

Hit me.

mood: curious

The other day at work I came upon one of my coworkers talking to two customers about their trip to his native DR. The gentleman was asking about a drink called mamajuana. Seems that we carry a bottled version of it here in the store. I've been told that most of the time in the DR you get a homemade version, like many places here make sangria even though you can buy pre made stuff.

I love that we carry an aphrodisia drink...

mood: amused

Just got a call from Glenn... he had to take Deano to the vet and they had to put him down. Poor little dude... I just hope he wasn't in too much pain.

At this point the worst thing is that Glenn had to deal with this alone, since I'm still at work. For someone who didn't want pets he is a great pet owner - he took Deano to the vet, gave him all sorts of meds, cleaned up after him...

For those who do not know, Deano is the one on the left in the picture.

RIP little fella.

mood: sad

Downstairs on the sales floor I just had one of my regular customers ask me if I'd seen that one of the rose wines we have in stock was used in an SNL skit this week.

Of course I did, because I am sad and pathetic like that.

mood: amused

I don't normally post to bitch about the things in life that are getting me down - we all have them, my issues are not all that interesting to other people -  but I need to get this off of my chest. I have had the most craptastical time in the last week:

• dealing with the pain of a herniated disc in my back, which has moved from ohmigod! to stiff and annoying
• my cat Deano is quite ill and I am preparing myself for the inevitable...
• yesterday I was trying to open a window and it didn't stay up - coming down with a bang and breaking one of the double panes
• having to financially bail out idiotic family members
• a negative, toxic work environment - I like what it is I do, just not who I am doing it for

All of this in one week (well, Deano's been sick for a while and work has sucked for a while but the rest has happened all at once).

I am attempting to focus on the positive - I still manage to have some free time to spend with friends,  I am employed in this economy and even though I've had a lot of unexpected expenses I do have the rainy day funds to deal with them,  and a I have a great husband I can rely on for support.... but this morning it's just a little overwhelming.

At least it stopped raining long enough for us to get the garden planted yesterday.... so we'll have tomatoes and herbs and hopefully Thumbelina carrots and brussel sprouts will also ensue.

mood: sad

There's this musical on Broadway called Rock of Ages which has been getting some press lately. By most measures I should be totally excited by this. I mean, check out the bands listed! My bestest boy Tommy Shaw was heavily involved in bringing it to Broadway, and even came onstage with them a few weeks ago. Constantine from American Idol has a good rock voice, he can certainly carry the tunes off. Hell, it's named after possibly my all time favorite Def Lep song. So why do I cringe whenever I hear a clip from it?

I have the same negative reaction to cover bands: if they're bad it makes me want to run home and put the original music on, and if they're good it creeps me out that they're so close to the real thing. With me, you cannot win... why, I do not know. I don't have a problem with anyone out there enjoying them, it just feels wrong to me. 

A number of years ago I saw a Journey cover band and the whole thing freaked me out.  I went because I have Hugo's solo cd from back in the day and like it and wanted to see him live, even though he would not be performing any of his own music.  Hugo already looks and sounds a lot like Perry and he made sure his hair and clothes were very Perry circa 1981. It was obvious he also studied concert footage of Perry and had the moves down pat - the way he holds the mic, the way he stands.... down pat. Too pat. Effin' spooky, man. But I was the only one who seemed bothered by it, everyone else was having a grand old time.

One notable exception to this rule seems to be The Boogie Knights, probably because they have their own awesome kickass take on the music. JSS does not attempt to sing it note for note and the band does not attempt to play it exactly as the original. Seriously - if I wanted to hear that I'd listen to the original damnit! Da Big G Man had a deep love of cover tunes and we both agree on this - if you have nothing new to bring to the party don't do one. Excellent cover tunes include the Bangles "Hazy Shade of Winter" and Clapton re-doing "Layla" from an older p.o.v., plus just about every single cover Brian Setzer has done (his big band version of Secret Agent Man is great). There are many others - feel free to leave a comment listing your favorites!

Oh well.... this reaction is yet another thing about myself I do not understand. I'll be over here in the corner listening to new music - the new Queensryche is pretty powerful stuff and Tate's voice is as great as ever. There are two new 'supergroup' efforts I'll be checking out, Chickenfoot and Tinted Windows. How awesome does Chickenfoot look - Hagar and Satriani with Michael Anthony and Chad from the RHCP?!? Tinted Windows looks interesting too - I always thought the Hansons were talented, but not my style of music so it'll be interesting to see what he does with other musicians. 

When I get nostalgic I'll pull out the orignial music and headbang on my own. Y'all are invited over, so long as there is no spandex or off the shoulder cut off sweatshirts in sight. ;-)

location: home sweet home mood: thoughtful music: Boogie Knights - Play that Funky Music tags: music

Well, not really. But kinda. A little.

About a half hour ago I decided to crack open a bottle of wine. I have a small collection to choose from here in the house...  and  it's hot out. I poked around to see what I had to choose from and found that I have three bottles of blush wine (read: sweet pink stuff - NOT real rose, but blush) that The Tall One purchased at an upstate winery. Why he bought these is beyond me, since I drink more alcohol in one week than he takes in over a whole year... but purchase he did. And never once opened any of it, so here they sit. People, this is not exactly wine to be aged, it's going to go bad. Soon.

Well... what the heck, why not? I poured a glass. And now I've poured two. It's a good thing I'm not a wine snob because this is like drinking some watermelon-ish, strawberry-ish alcohol... but it's nummy and what I was in the mood for so who cares that it's not what my co-workers would consider "real wine"? It's also 12% ABV - in other words, not something one should swigg down. Problem is it's so sweet and easy to drink that's exactly what I'm tempted to do with it. I could easily down the whole bottle tonight. Danger Will Robinson....

Last night I polished off what remained of a quite nice bottle of Tempranillo (the distributor came to the store and told me to take home what was left from the in-store tasting he did), and now this cotton candy like stuff... I'm a wine omnivore. A vinovore? I can picture some Far Side like cartoon of a dinosaur with a white wine glass in his tiny, underdeveloped right hand... hee!

mood: amused

Got my results back from the Advanced Wine Certification exam I took at the end of February.

I got a "pass with merit", which is not the highest mark but the second highest. Considering that  this was a tough exam I'm quite pleased with that result. I now get to use the nifty logo that is my icon for this post on my business cards and (if I had them) website, letterhead, etc. I also can, if I choose to, move onto the last level which would give me letters after my name (DWS, which stands for Diploma in Wines and Spirits). WSET's Diploma program is the highest level of structured wine study available in the US.  I don't have plans to do this at the moment, mainly because I don't have the $$ to pay for it. It's not like it's going anywhere or has some sort of expiration date. I think I shall eventually do this, but there's no screaming rush. There are only a few thousand people in the US who have the Diploma - at this point the Advanced certification is pretty impressive within the industry. If I decide to teach or I start working somewhere that'll help pay for it I'll continue my studies (I'd need the DWS in order to teach for an accredited organization).

I now have TWO stupid lapel pins I will never wear anywhere.

Today involves yard work, house cleaning, and enjoying my back yard with some sort of lovely beverage (iced sun tea for now, something stronger later on tonight).

mood: pleased

Not that anything can beat a good G&T, but here are some other cocktails I'll be trying over the summer. You know, to switch it up. I get bored easily.

http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/cocktails/beefeater-gin-cocktails.asp

I think I need to make some sort of gin icon...

mood: for warmer weather to come

Beaujolais. REAL, Cru Beaujolais.

We just got this wine in and it's really pretty.... a touch earthy, plush smooth tannins, velvety but still quite interesting. It's lovely and very drinkable (my much larger than I co-worker had 3/4 of the bottle the distributor dropped off and I helped with the rest). And it's also biodynamic, for those who care about such things.

If you've enjoyed good Beaujolais, you know what I'm talking about. If you've never had it or think it's all that like that Nouveau crap you see around Thanksgiving, you need to rectify this deficit in your wine education.

mood: pleased

On the way to work the other day I was listening to my 70's rock iPod playlist. Billy Joel's I've Love These Days came on (follow the link for the lyrics if you're not familiar with it)  and I realized how appropriate it felt to the way life is today. The country is slowly, SLOWLY, waking up with a wicked hangover from too many years of excess, living beyond our means, and selfishness on too many people's parts. Some people have still not yet embraced reality and are still living like the party will never end. Some of us knew it was eventually going to go boom but are a little surprised at how big the explosion is.

As other songs came on I felt comforted by them - even if the lyrics weren't about this topic it somehow felt right. I decided to switch to my 80's rock playlist - yeesh! It was like drinking orange juice right after you brush your teeth - the synth-y happiness was jarring and inappropriate.

I feel like I'm in that stage of grief where you vacillate between depression and reflection on the issue at hand. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed with both personal financial challenges (I'm ok  right now but trying hard to make sure I stay that way as things come up) and looking at the world situation. Other times I feel like we're at or approaching the bottom, and although it might be a long ride along this bottom we're seeing light and it's not an approaching freight train.  

This is an improvement on Friday's commute, where I was simultaneously listening to the new Queensryche album American Soldier and reading The Poisonwood Bible. Felt like I wanted to slit my wrists by the time I got to work..... too much anger, violence and sadness all at one time.

mood: contemplative

I am home, as it is one of my days off. I have done lots of housework and I am about to prepare dinner, and I wish to have a drink before I do so. I do not want wine, or shall I say I don't want any of what I have in the house. How is it I have one lone bottle of white? I blame the cold weather, I never want white when it's cold. Must remedy this soon. Luckily I have a whole store to choose from to solve the problem.

I see redstapler 's post about Boodles Gin and I think, hey, I have that! (thanks again paleologa brought home for the Big Guy a while back from a vacation... I figured what the heck. It makes a tasty little G&T, I must say. A little lime-y, and just a little sweet. Good stuff.

I am forever in mevennen  and T's debt for introducing these to me. They are inextricably linked with Tuscany and turtles in my mind. 

mood: for Italy

I was watching an ep of SNL on my DVR yesterday, which was surprisingly funny. It was from a few weeks back, hosted by The Rock and Justin Timberlake showed up on it. I was chuckling along and I realized a few things:

• Timberlake is awesome. Every time he's on the show I love it. He needs his own variety show.
• The Rock is a talented dude. And I was wondering how many hours a day he works out to maintain those muscles.
• The saying "laughter is the best medicine" is very, very true.

On bullet point #3: life is getting me down these days, and I know I'm not at all alone on that.  One of the things that makes me feel better is watching silly television or reading books that make me laugh (I just read a compilation of "Pearls Before Swine" that rocked). So, I now vow to try and do something that makes me laugh every day.

I know watching eps of The Muppet Show always is comforting... so, what makes you laugh? 

mood: curious

I had this dish first when my mother in law did was all good moms do and fed me when I really needed some TLC. Last year on Christmas Eve after working six 12 hour days in a row I showed up to her house after midnight tired and hungry. She didn't blink or complain, but just sat me down and put food on the table.

She had this in her fridge as a leftover, and she served it with some leftover rice at room temperature. Boy howdy did it rock. Sweet and spicy at the same time, and pretty healthy to boot. After I told her how much I liked it she sent me the recipe, and I just now got around to making it for the first time. Would it be as good, or was hunger an excellent sauce? 

It's still damn good. Enjoy.

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

North African Grilled Eggplant in Honey and Spices

    * 1 eggplant sliced in circles, not peeled, thickly sliced
    * Olive oil
    * 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
    * 2 inch piece of fresh ginger peeled and grated.
    * 1 tsp ground cumin
    * 1 tsp harissa (recipe follows)
    * 5 tbsp clear honey
    * Juice of lemon
    * Salt

Preheat your griddle or broiler.  Lightly coat slice of eggplant with olive oil and cook, turning the slices so that they are lightly browned on both sides.

In a wide frying pan, fry the garlic in a little olive oil for a few seconds, then stir in the ginger, cumin, harissa, honey and lemon juice. Add enough water to cover the base of the pan and to thin the mixture, then lay the eggplant slices in the pan. Simmer the eggplant gently for about 10 minutes, or until they have absorbed all the sauce.

Add a little extra water, if necessary, season to taste with salt and serve at room temperature with chunks of fresh bread, rice or some other starch to mop up the juices.

Alternatives - use grilled zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes or other veggies, orange slices, pineapple and mangoes.

Harissa
Puree the following together in a food processor - it keeps well in the fridge:

6-8 dried red chillies (preferable New Mexico variety), seeded and broken into pieces
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1⁄2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1⁄2 tsp ground coriander
1⁄2 cup olive oil

mood: calm

Spent a lazy day off eating good burgers for lunch, and doing the weekly food shopping. Tomorrow I make mushroom barley soup, but today I shall have corned beef and cabbage for supper. Hey - it's tradition, plus it was on sale stoopid cheap at the supermarket ($0.98/lb for the corned beef, $1.49 for a 3 lb bag of red bliss potatoes and cabbage at $0.09/lb).

And what am I sipping as I websurf and the corned beef cooks? A G&T made with Boodles gin and Q Tonic. I know, I know, but I'm not a whiskey drinker and I don't have any beer in the house.  Hey slothshaman , I finally cracked open your gift to me! It's nummy - even Glenn is having one!

mood: calm

I've had some amazing wine lately, all at tastings. Our friend from Polaner came by to taste some wines... all quite good but the star was this Vouvray. Add onto that a really lovely '04 Brunello and a gorgeous Gruner Veltliner (really!) and I am seriously getting spoiled. I cannot afford to buy these on a regular basis, damnit.

mood: mmm, yummy wine