Jan 29, 2009
With the American Wine Blog Awards coming up soon, I've been thinking a great deal about the function of wine blogs. But today I've been thinking about their function not for the reader, but for the writer. Jeff of The Good Grape blog notes in the comments section of this post of mine that he sees "a thematic current running through your posts lately, similar to an authors "period" whereby their mood imparts an imprint on their work, unbeknownst to…
Jan 29, 2009
I'm never quite prepared for the moment when fantasy becomes reality. Or for that matter when my fantastic expectations butt up against reality. Both these things happened in New York this past week. The Campbell Apartment is a place I'd read about. It's a place that really called to me in fundamental ways. It ranks, so many say, as one of the finest lounges in the world. Located at Grand Central Station in a room that is beautiful in every…
Jan 24, 2009
A melancholy detachment A state of bemusement brought on by feelings of bliss An internal debate between envy and happiness A sadness provoked by missed opportunity A state of barely composed elation that borders on pride-inspired excitement. It has been a while since I spent time thinking how wine can help induce or maintain these and other emotional states. But it can. Surely it's the effects of the alcohol in the wine and not the wine itself that lets us…
Jan 20, 2009
Pursuits, hobbies and interests are constantly being categorized across the Internet. Invariably, "Wine" ends up being categorized under "Lifestyle". Occasionally you see it under "Culinary" or "Home". But it's "Lifestyle" under which the consumption of fermented grapes appears most often. It's no surprise then that the "Wine Lifestyle" is so often combined with other "lifestyle" pursuits to create unique and interesting events that the organizers hope will extend its attraction. The most interesting example of this I've seen lately is…
Jan 13, 2009
I've been eating out a lot more of late and mainly here in my neck of the woods: Sonoma Valley. With that in mind and with thoughts of travelers coming to Sonoma Valley, here's a list of my 10 favorite Sonoma Valley restaurants The Girl & The FigSandra Bernstein's The Girl & The Fig is on the verge of becoming an institution in Sonoma Valley. I've never had a bad meal there. We are talking classic California cuisine with fresh…