7/29/04 dribbles

Another long day at the wine sale, though it was good. Someday's you just feel like you got it right. Lot's of happy customers unlike yesterday...Tonight went for a bike ride, felt good though I should bike more often, it was a beautiful night and perfect temperatures. Came home made a kickass salad, and am currently listening to the Dem Nat Convention, not sure what to think. I'm definatley in the ABB camp but sometimes the scripted nature of the images presented make you wonder where the passion is? Will Kerry be great? I don't know but I feel like at the very least he will weigh his options and question things that come to him from intelligence sources. You may like Bush's Charisma, and his easy way with people but it becomes really difficult for a person to make an arguement recently that he is intelligent. Why is it that our country is willing to settle for someone with charisma but the IQ of a dead rock? Does anyone else out there question the polls? How can Bush be still so strong in so many places? Is it that some zealous republicans are willing to cut off their nose to spite their faces? These people can't all be this ignorant, can they? Well at least I'm drinking good beer,Mojo IPA, Not bad beer seek it out, if your a hop head that is. The salad by the way was Red lettuce, mushrooms, tomato's, and a bacon vinegrette with shallot, garlic, homemade red wine vinegar...oh and crisp tortilla chips...Let me know if you want a recipe I think I can pull it out of my head...later

Wines!

I thought I would show off a bit. Here is my wine cellar shown on a web based program developed by Eric LeVine. Truley it's a piece of amazing programing I strongly encourage anyone with 1 bottle to 1000 bottles to give it a try. Cellar Tracker Today has been a long day with our wine sale going on it takes a lot out of a person. Came home and roasted a chicken and had a nice Beaujolais, Cuvee des Braves, Otherwise not much new other than slowly uploading some pictures that I think are interesting...
-Later

drip 2

dripblockmono

more melting at lake superior...mild manipulation to image in a basic editor. Mainly cropping and increase contrast.

loopy

loopy

one of our cats...not necessarily the most sane of the 3...

beer ratings

my ratings so far entered from index cards on a great site called ratebeer
Let me know what you think...

stick

stick

found on a hike at banning state park...mild editing

drip

dripbw2

lake superior snow melt

Something I wrote awhile ago, whatcha think....

No more ancient cellars?

Recently on this board, and in my store, I have heard this type of dialogue: “The trick to a good cellar is to know when to stop building so that you can drink down your cellar and die with little left. “ For a long time, I agreed and lamented with customers, regarding parents and friends long gone who never had a chance to taste all of their wines. Consequenlty, I see more and more people lamenting that they might not be around to make buying b2k’s worthwhile. As for myself, I agreed with this argument, until I was in Portugal. A friend of my family’s was gracious enough to invite my new wife and I to his “castle” and treat us to some of the warmest hospitality we’ve had anywhere. His great, great, grandfather was at one time the owner of Quinta do Noval. So, on our first night there, we were graciously treated to some ancient ports from the 19th century. Needless to say, I’m sure glad his grandparents before him did not feel that they needed to “drink down” their cellar. As my fascination with wine has led me to nurture my growing and thriving cellar, I’ve wondered whenI will stop buying great vintages, knowing that I will not outlast them. And lately, I think that I might not stop growing my cellar. It seems that if done right a cellar can last far past your lifetime and continue to provide enjoyment for all those to come. Wouldn’t it be great if I could secure something now, and take care of it, for those in the future to enjoy. Haven’t we all wish that more people had taken the time to preserve some of the classic vintages of the past in better condition? Shouldn’t we also try to pass some of the great future vintages for those close to us? In the end, I’d like to know if anyone is buying for someone else’s future enjoyment?

1879 Quinta do Noval Drunk from the cellar of the original owner of the Quinta. Jan/2003

hey

First post in an attempt to spread some thoughts and keep up with some friends.  I'm currently incharge of a liquor store with a large selection of wines from around the world, high end and low end booze of myriad types, and over 800 varieties of beers.  Married with 3 cats, not the most pleasant situation 3 cats is a bit too much...but there pretty cute and well they keep the wife happy. Though I'm working on different recipes in case we decide to move and need to get rid of some. Currently attempting to escape our city with hopes of landing abroad.  Anywhere really, though Europe would be great as I need to be near vines, wines and in a culture where food is not an after thought.  Too little care for what goes in our bodies here, how can something so important to our existence be given such a supporting role in the game of life? Also a quick aside, Dorito's has a new chip "Natural" I think that's what it is called, so in this there are something like 5 ingredients all pronounceable and recognizable, healthy I'm not one to say! Anyway, so w/o any partially hydrogenated oils ie:POISON so why do they continue to make the old ones that have the "poison" within?
A bit strange I say...anyways I think I like this mumbling...more thoughts soon