A really special football game

This story is great. May it replace your memories of yesterday's Cowboys debacle with the warm fuzzies.

Life of Reilly
By Rick Reilly
ESPN The Magazine

They played the oddest game in high school football history last month down in Grapevine, Texas.
It was Grapevine Faith vs. Gainesville State School and everything about it was upside down. For instance, when Gainesville came out to take the field, the Faith fans made a 40-yard spirit line for them to run through.
Did you hear that? The other team's fans?
They even made a banner for players to crash through at the end. It said, "Go Tornadoes!" Which is also weird, because Faith is the Lions.
It was rivers running uphill and cats petting dogs. More than 200 Faith fans sat on the Gainesville side and kept cheering the Gainesville players on—by name.
"I never in my life thought I'd hear people cheering for us to hit their kids," recalls Gainesville's QB and middle linebacker, Isaiah. "I wouldn't expect another parent to tell somebody to hit their kids. But they wanted us to!"
And even though Faith walloped them 33-14, the Gainesville kids were so happy that after the game they gave head coach Mark Williams a sideline squirt-bottle shower like he'd just won state. Gotta be the first Gatorade bath in history for an 0-9 coach.
But then you saw the 12 uniformed officers escorting the 14 Gainesville players off the field and two and two started to make four. They lined the players up in groups of five—handcuffs ready in their back pockets—and marched them to the team bus. That's because Gainesville is a maximum-security correctional facility 75 miles north of Dallas. Every game it plays is on the road.
This all started when Faith's head coach, Kris Hogan, wanted to do something kind for the Gainesville team. Faith had never played Gainesville, but he already knew the score. After all, Faith was 7-2 going into the game, Gainesville 0-8 with 2 TDs all year. Faith has 70 kids, 11 coaches, the latest equipment and involved parents. Gainesville has a lot of kids with convictions for drugs, assault and robbery—many of whose families had disowned them—wearing seven-year-old shoulder pads and ancient helmets.
So Hogan had this idea. What if half of our fans—for one night only—cheered for the other team? He sent out an email asking the Faithful to do just that. "Here's the message I want you to send:" Hogan wrote. "You are just as valuable as any other person on planet Earth."
Some people were naturally confused. One Faith player walked into Hogan's office and asked, "Coach, why are we doing this?"
And Hogan said, "Imagine if you didn't have a home life. Imagine if everybody had pretty much given up on you. Now imagine what it would mean for hundreds of people to suddenly believe in you."
Next thing you know, the Gainesville Tornadoes were turning around on their bench to see something they never had before. Hundreds of fans. And actual cheerleaders!
"I thought maybe they were confused," said Alex, a Gainesville lineman (only first names are released by the prison). "They started yelling 'DEE-fense!' when their team had the ball. I said, 'What? Why they cheerin' for us?'"
It was a strange experience for boys who most people cross the street to avoid. "We can tell people are a little afraid of us when we come to the games," says Gerald, a lineman who will wind up doing more than three years. "You can see it in their eyes. They're lookin' at us like we're criminals. But these people, they were yellin' for us! By our names!"
Maybe it figures that Gainesville played better than it had all season, scoring the game's last two touchdowns. Of course, this might be because Hogan put his third-string nose guard at safety and his third-string cornerback at defensive end. Still.
After the game, both teams gathered in the middle of the field to pray and that's when Isaiah surprised everybody by asking to lead. "We had no idea what the kid was going to say," remembers Coach Hogan. But Isaiah said this: "Lord, I don't know how this happened, so I don't know how to say thank You, but I never would've known there was so many people in the world that cared about us."
And it was a good thing everybody's heads were bowed because they might've seen Hogan wiping away tears.
As the Tornadoes walked back to their bus under guard, they each were handed a bag for the ride home—a burger, some fries, a soda, some candy, a Bible and an encouraging letter from a Faith player.
The Gainesville coach saw Hogan, grabbed him hard by the shoulders and said, "You'll never know what your people did for these kids tonight. You'll never, ever know."
And as the bus pulled away, all the Gainesville players crammed to one side and pressed their hands to the window, staring at these people they'd never met before, watching their waves and smiles disappearing into the night.
Anyway, with the economy six feet under and Christmas running on about three and a half reindeer, it's nice to know that one of the best presents you can give is still absolutely free.
Hope.

A New Year

I have learned not to say things will be better next year. I said it at the end of 2005 after my brother was in Hurricane Katrina and my husband lost his mind. Then in 2006 I got a divorce. Yet I was optimistic that 2007 had to be better. In 2007 my health problems started. I knew not to say it. But in 2008 my Mom has been so sick and has endured so much. So I will not say anything this year about what next year will be like lest I invoke plagues of locusts and famine upon us all.
May your 2009 be blessed by God, fantastic and drama free.
Enough Debbie Downer.

If you are going to ring in 2009 with bubbly, below are some suggestions. Check Veritas to see if they have any left after selling lots at a free tasting yesterday.
NV Schramsberg Mirabelle Rose. From California. 93 from Wine Spectator and around $25. This winery is one I really want to visit.
NV Piper Sonoma Blanc de Blanc. Even those who don't drink bubbly often will probably like this one. It is a bargain at about $17 a bottle.
2005 Domaine Carneros Brut. 92 from Wine Spectator and about $24 a bottle. From the Carneros region at the south end of Napa Valley. I taste a bit of a lemon, but isn't tart.
NV Veuve du Vernay Brut. Unbelievably $13. This French sparkler was not featured at the tasting yesterday, but I had previously picked it up at Veritas. It is really delicious. Maybe the French Bubbles really are different?
There are some other bubbles I really like, but they are a little more expensive, and I have written about them before.
Salud!

Sitcom revisited

If you know these people, please comment. If you don't know what I'm talking about, see entry below regarding sitcom.
GE - James Brolin
JK - Emma Thompson
JJ - Candace Bergen
AH - Winona Ryder
JR - Steve Zahn
CB - Jennifer Lopez (think Wedding Planner JLo)
BW - Jennifer Hudson

The Silver Lining

I am really tired. That so-exhausted-I-am-kinda-weepy tired. Despite not feeling very well, I have had business dinners the past two nights. Thankfully they were with very nice people. The silver lining - I got to eat at two restaurants I have wanted to try on someone else's dime. And, boy, were they good.

Last night we ate at Hattie's in the Bishop Arts District in the OC. First, the area is pretty groovy. I want to go down there when everything is open and check it all out. Second, the space is chic and clean but not cold. I loved the hutch with the old trophies and such. Finally, the food is the center of attention as it should be. It is the kind of food at which my brother (the chef) excels - sophisticated Southern food is what I would call it. I think he calls it contemporary Southern cuisine. Whatever you call it, Hattie's does it well. The tender pork was on a bed of some of the best grits I have ever eaten - and I have eaten a lot of grits! And the greens were sauteed to perfection. Everything about the experience was very nice. (My only quibble was the host / front door guy was quite aloof - such a turn off.)

Tonight we ate at Dallas Fish Market. You should go there. The space was nice and the service was absolutely flawless. Heck, even the valets were nice. Bon Appetit has just named DFM the fifth best seafood restaurant in the country! VERY impressive. The shellfish allergy limited me from the first two courses that came to the table - an amuse bouche of lobster corn bisque and pan fried oysters that looked and smelled so good they made me want to risk the allergic reaction. There were two bubblies by the glass, one from France and from Argentina. We had the Argentinian Brut. It was very good. I wish I had written down the name because it is not on the wine list on their website. We had a difficult time deciding on our entrees. The choices looked fab. Ultimately, PD got the skate mentioned in Bon Appetit piece and I got the swordfish. They were nice pieces of fish, and every flavor and accompaniment accenting them were so complimentary and delicious. We were very pleased. And we saved a little room for dessert. The figs with the cinnamon mascarpone are amazing (I nabbed a bite from PD). I had a lovely coconut lemongrass sorbet.

Now, this tired gal has finished off the bottle of Mylanta by the bed and is going to sleep!

Bon appetit!

Sparkling Shiraz

Someone asked me recently to recommend a reasonably priced sparkling shiraz. I couldn't. I know Veritas has had Black Bubbles (from Shingleback?). I have no idea of the price and don't know if they still have it. She was familiar with that one from imbibing it at said Veritas. I recently read about The Black Chook Sparkling Shiraz, which is from Australia like Shingleback. Looks like it retails for somewhere around $18-$20. Reportedly, not much was imported to the U.S. It has some good reviews online.

So C, maybe you can find it. If you do, let me know!

Your Sitcom

We used to do this fun thing at my last job when we weren't busy (and occasionally when we were). We would cast the sitcom of our office. Some folks were easier than others. TL was Marilu Henner - no question - sexy, sassy, sweet redhead. BM thought he was Jerry Seinfeld; I thought he was Tony Danza. The best we came up with for me was Janeane Garofalo. I would like to think I have brightened up a bit since then. Looks and personality are factors.

It's really fun. You would be surprised how long it can keep you entertained. Even if you don't work with a lot of people, you can cast the folks who come into your work circle. It's a great time waster.

I think I will start working on casting my current office. Again, some folks are easy. Reese Witherspoon (in Elle mode) plays ML. But she could also play PW - conservative and sweet in a perfect suit. Some aren't as easy.

Does anybody remember when Jamie Foxx did Wanda on In Living Color? If you do, and you work with me, you should be able to cast the appropriate role. :)

Hee hee. Just what we needed... another distraction.

Miscellaneous

I was wrong. I thought all California sauvignon blancs were soft. But last night I tasted the 2007 St. Supery SB. It has all the zest and tang I like in New Zealand SBs. I still think Kim Crawford makes my favorite SB, and it is a bargain.

I stopped by a holiday party last night at the newly refurbished Stoneleigh Hotel. The hotel looks great. The terrace was lovely. I didn't like the food. But it was a very nice party.

D Magazine's Best Restaurant issue is out. There are a number of places in there on my "want to go there" list. Among them are York Street (I am embarrassed I've never been there), Lola, and Tillman's Roadhouse. Hattie's isn't on there, but it is still on my list, at least for lunch.

Why do I have such an urge to bake cookies around Christmastime?

So I spent too much....

Things I bought on a recent night at Veritas

Schott-Zwiesel Lead Free Titanium Stemware - The best stemware ever. I have praised it in prior entries here. They put it on sale, so I didn't fight the urge to buy it.

Inwood Estates 2005 Tempranillo-Cabernet (65% Tempranillo - 35% Cabernet) - Best Texas wine I have had. I tasted this back in July out in Grapevine and enjoyed it then. Both grapes are grown at Newsom Vineyards in Yoakum County, Texas, near the Texas-New Mexico border. Tempranillo is a Spanish grape which does well in Texas. It is delicious. (BUT, be advised that I have had a very enjoyable tempranillo-cab for about 1/5 the price. I wish I would have thought of that at the time.... oh well, I am glad to do business with local folks.) I think this may be one to put up for a few years. I am going to inquire of the wine maker about cellaring. It is actually made here in Dallas. I might go there this afternoon.

2006 The Prisoner - (I didn't write this. I have not tasted this wine, but bought it on the recommendation of others.) The 2006 Prisoner received a stellar 91 Point Score in the May 31, 2008 issue of The Wine Spectator. The 2006 Vintage is NOT a one-hit wonder. The 2005 Prisoner, which is no longer available from the distributor, received a 93 from The Wine Spectator and the 17th Ranking in the vaunted 2007 Wine Spectator Top 100 List. Here is the Wine Spectator Review for The 2006 Prisoner: "It's rare that a Zin has this much structure and finesse. Offers appealing aromas of plum, pepper and tobacco, with focused, layered wild berry, pencil lead and sage flavors. A hint of rusticity on the tannins suggests that there's no hurry to drink. Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Charbono and Grenache. 91 Points." The tasting notes I have read online indicate some folks think this is a good one to drink now.

Some $13 French bubbly - I figure you can't go wrong with a nice, dry $13 French bubbly.

More wine!

It is really bugging me that I cannot recall the stand up routine in which Steve Martin commands,"More wine!" I think it is stand up and not a movie because I have no visual to go with it. I am not even sure it's a bit, but maybe just an exclamation between bits. I think I had the album (or 8-track, or cassette) with this on it. When you just hear stand up and don't see it, there are little exclamations or comments you don't understand because the comic is interacting with audience. Or the audience roars at some physical gesture you can't see. But I used to listen to comedy albums a lot. I recall having Steve Martin, Sam Kinison and Joan Rivers. (Did you know she used to be really funny?)
Enough of that. On to the wine!
AA and I went to a free tasting presented by Concha y Toro (Chile) at Cork. They were collecting non-perishable foods for North Texas Food Bank. Who can resist free wine and good cause? Six wines were offered, and I managed a taste of a seventh that the rep was trying to hide for herself. Sometimes it pays to be nosy.
The list I brought home does not have the year, so I have no clue.
In order tasted...
* Terrunyo Sauvignon Blanc - $20 - When it comes to SB, I always buy or order one from New Zealand if it's an option. California SBs are too soft. I like the flint, mineral, lemon, grass - the tangy tastes of the NZ SBs. But this was super tart and sharp, actually harsh. I will take a $10 bottle of NZ SB over this one any day.
* 2007 Xplorador Chardonnay - $8 - Yummy. Would have been yummy at more than $8. I don't drink chardonnay. I learned recently there is a name for folks like me - ABC ("Anything but chardonnay"). Prior vintages have gotten good reviews and been labeled a "Best Buy" by Wine Enthusiast. I taste no oak. It is fruity. It has a spicy finish. I swear I tasted a bit of gingersnap in one of the chardonnays. But now I can't recall which one. I bought this one. It will be really good with white fish.
* Marques de Casa Concha Chardonnay - $20 - Subtler than previous chardonnay - not so fruit-forward. Again there was no oak and there were some spice notes.
* Castillero del Diablo Privada Riserva - $17 - This label is the most familiar to me of the winery's labels. It was nice.
* Terrunyo Carmenere - $43 - The nicest of the reds - of course, since it is the most expensive. My only other experience with this grape was very bad. Obviously it was the wine, not the grape. I wouldn't pay $43 for this, but it was good.
* Marques de Casa Concho Cabernet Sauvignon - $23 - It was good, but there are cheaper reds I like as well.

Then I went to Veritas, and stayed far too long. That will have to wait for another entry... I need to work!

Wine Tasting at Veritas

Yesterday I attend a tasting at Veritas of wines from Serendipity Wine Imports. Eight different wines were offered at this free tasting. That was plenty of wine for a Saturday afternoon.

JH and EH met me at Veritas. We had a fabulous cheese plate to go with the yummy wines. I hate to go on and on about how much I like Veritas and the folks who work there. Earlier posts attest. But I have to make some comments about the really neat stuff they are doing. There are cheeses, chocolates, jerky, pate' and honey from Texas producers. Brooks (one of the owners) seems genuinely passionate about offering these great finds from his home state. Then again, I think he is passionate about the business period. I feel like I take too much of his time when I am in there, but he has interesting stuff to say. He gave us some education on some of the cheeses - and a little sample of a cheese made with porter ale, which was great. Veritas is going to be so great this winter - there is a fireplace up front, and it is dark and cozy.

But back to the wines... I don't think I have ever been to a tasting at which there was no wine I didn't like, until this one. One interesting thing was that every one, even the ones I didn't love, had a great nose. Maybe my olfactory system was just ready for some grapes, but the smells were super yummy (that's a technical term). I didn't make notes while tasting (trying to look slightly less dorky than I really am) so I will make notes of my scattered recollections.

* 2006 Vina Robles Red4. I picked up a bottle of this one. At $16 it is a great one to take to your holiday party host and to have around the house. It is a good everyday red.

Somebody other than me wrote this: "This blend of Syrah, Petite Sirah, Touriga and Tannat received a Gold Medal and 90 Points at the Beverage Tasting Institute World Wine Championships 2008, where it was labeled 'Exceptional' and a 'Best Buy'."
* 2007 Renato Ratti Dolcetto d'Alba Colombe 2007. Touted as a great wine for pairing with pizza and pasta, I really wanted to be crazy about this wine. But it fell a bit flat. I never had a dolcetto until a few months ago at Times Ten Cellars. Theirs is made with Mendicino County grapes and it very, very enjoyable at only $14 for a bottle to take home. For sipping, I really like softer reds. With food I can enjoy a stronger red with a firmer structure. The dolcetto is soft. I definitely prefer the dolcetto at Times Ten to this one.
* 2003 Attila Gere Kopar Cuvee. Seriously - this is a Hungarian wine. Read this interesting article which mentions a prior vintage. It is indeed yummy, but over $50 is more than I will typically spend.
* 2006 Durigutti Mendoza Malbec. Wine Spectator says: "89 points."

A few years ago, I let my first experience with Malbec be my last for a long time. I just didn't like it. (In retrospect, I am starting to realize that my experiences at La Duni don't really measure up.) But I liked this wine. And I liked the Malbec Veritas is offering by the glass right now. I guess I have a new grape to explore. Retail is about $16 - a good value.
* NV Carpene Malvoti Prosecco di Conegliano. Wine Enthusiast says: "88 Points"

This prosecco is tasty and easy to drink. I picked up a bit of yeast in the nose. It is clean and fresh on the palate, but finish is a little sweet for me. Folks that don't drink a lot of bubbly would probably like this very much. I find the more that I drink bubbly, I want Brut. Retail is about $22. (Note: I know some of you that read this aren't big into wine. Be advised that NV means "non-vintage" - it isn't from a single year.)

* Domaine de Montvac Vacqueyras Variation. From Wine Spectator: "92 Points." Only 500 cases of this one were made. It was hearty and flavorful.

2005 Petroni Syrah. Only 150 cases of this wine were made. It was good and retails for about $49 a bottle.

* 2005 Spann Merlot. Only 193 cases of this wine were produced. This blend of 97% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc was very nice. (This is where I wish I had made some notes to come up with more than "very nice". We were talking drinking and eating cheese... sorry.)

If you go to Veritas, and you should, be sure to put your e-mail address in the notebook on the bar so you will get notice of tastings. There was a good discount on all bottles on the day of the tasting. Also check it out for happy hour - a plus is that, unlike Times Ten, Veritas offers some beers. As amazing as it seems, not everyone wants all wine all the time. Also, on Monday nights, they are offering half-price wines by the glass all night! That might be enough to miss Monday Night Football for, especially if the 'Boys keep stinking it up.

Our Leaders and Our Future

Last night I had a strange, hard-to-describe feeling after Obama clinched victory. Was it the let down that sometimes comes after a monumental, long-awaited moment? Was it the fear that our country's multiple active crises will prevent the president-elect from effectuating any real change? Did I feel a little sad for John McCain? Was it just that I really wanted it to be Hillary?

I so desperately want to be optimistic, to believe that real change is possible. I want my party to resist the temptation to exert its will simply because it has the power to do so, even if some Republicans deserve it. I want my party to accept the challenge to be bigger and better for the American people - all American people. Holding control of the White House and of Congress is truly to hold power.

I really like the speeches excerpts below and hope that Obama and McCain can hold on to these principles individually and can influence those in their parties to do the same.

From Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention
But what I will not do is suggest that the Senator takes his positions for political purposes. Because one of the things that we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other's character and patriotism.The times are too serious, the stakes are too high for this same partisan playbook. So let us agree that patriotism has no party. I love this country, and so do you, and so does John McCain.

From McCain’s concession speech
These are difficult times for our country. And I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.
... I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.
Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that.
It is natural. It's natural, tonight, to feel some disappointment. But tomorrow, we must move beyond it and work together to get our country moving again.
…
Tonight — tonight, more than any night, I hold in my heart nothing but love for this country and for all its citizens, whether they supported me or Senator Obama — whether they supported me or Senator Obama.
I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president.

From Obama’s victory speech
In this country, we rise or fall as one nation, as one people. Let's resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.
…
Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.
…
That's the true genius of America: that America can change. Our union can be perfected. What we've already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

Dallas Farmers Market Benefit

Put in on your calendar. Tell your friends. But most of all, COME HUNGRY!
This event is a great opportunity to see how satisfied you can be as a locavore!

Thursday November 6th
6pm til 9pm
Food & Fiber Pavillion at Fair Park

Each year, the Dallas Farmers Market Friends host a “Hoedown”. It is the largest annual fundraiser. In partnership with the Texas Department of Agriculture’s program “Go Texas” farmers from around the state donate ingredients that are used by local chefs to create unique and delicious samplings for event participants. In addition, local specialty food producers sample products from cheese to salsa to tapenades and dips. To round out the experience, local wineries contribute wine, and local artisans bring their products. The event will honor our rich heritage while anticipating a thriving future for the Market.

I'm just sayin'

I order a torta. Then menu says what is on the torta. Halfway through, I notice my sandwich is missing pickles. Pickles were a deciding factor in ordering this sandwich. I really love pickles (and most things involving salt and vinegar.) I ask for my pickles, patiently eating my salad while the server goes to get them. The kitchen is out of pickles, which is why they didn't put them on my sandwich. It was a Cuban torta, of which pickles are a key ingredient. If the kitchen is out of an ingredient listed on the menu as a component of the dish, the server, and then the patron, should be so advised. I would have picked something different. I'm just sayin'.
That was some good sangria though.

Soley!

Tonight CB and I dined at Soley! (pronounced sole A). It was lovely. The initial impression was great. The raw brick and painted yet rough ceiling beams were offset by super shiny dark tabletops formally set with white dishes and fancily upright napkins. There were several occupied tables, but it wasn't a "scene". That may not be good for them, but it certainly makes for a pleasant dining experience. Our reservation was a bit early - 7:30 pm - and the place was filling up when we left. Our server was a tiny bit dingy, but adorable and sweet. We enjoyed a South African sauvignon blanc, which was nice. (I always prefer a New Zealand SB to one from anywhere else.) Each of us chose the onion soup for our starter. Delish. CB and I both love French onion soup. It is described on the website as: Lemony onion soup, Oaxaca cheese en crouton, avocado. I don't recall a bit of avocado, but the soup has some bite from jalapenos. I think we were full after the soup! But we persevered. CB ordered the red snapper, which I sampled from her plate. It was served over a jalapeno cilantro risotto and an artichoke broth with two artichoke heart halves. I ordered the chile en nogado. So did a lot of other folks. We sat by the open kitchen, and I watched lots of these fantastically glorified chile rellenos go out. The poblano was perfectly cooked to tender crisp. The breading was light, yet had a very slightly chewy texture. It was reminiscent of breading on some fried pickles I have had. (Do NOT dis fried pickles. They are darn good.) The really amazing thing about the chile en nogado was the perfect balance. The textures were diverse and amazing. Each ingredient was perfectly cooked - denseness to the mushrooms, chewy depth to the duck, the crunch of thinly sliced almonds. When I say perfect, I mean perfect. I cannot imagine how it was done so well. The flavors were varied and diverse, yet not a single one overpowered the others. This dish was a really artfully crafted piece of work.
CB's dish also was tasty, though I must say that jalapeno is definitely not my favorite pepper.
The sorbets sounded amazing, but we were STUFFED. But then we went to Veritas and drank more wine. As earlier posts here reflect, I love that place.

Taco Joint

Stop by this place for some quick yummy chow in Old East Dallas. I am taking a break from the Little Rock hospital scene this weekend on the advice of my aunt and brother who are there. It was a good call to stay in Dallas and get some rest. I have had a great day. I went to the gym about 7 a.m. (seriously). Then treated myself to a Migas Plate at Taco Joint. Taco Joint is on Peak, just off Gaston. I have seen it when driving to work each day. Then I saw the Back Talk East Dallas post. So I wanted to try it.

Good and cheap - what a combo. First, I love that it is in East Dallas. Second, I really like it inside. The chairs and bar stools are chrome with bright, glitter-infused vinyl seats and backs - four different colors at each table. Other than that, the decor is sparse. Black and white pics of family and friends line the top of the front wall. A board on the back wall gives you the menu. And gosh, these people are nice. What better way to build a loyal clientele that to be super nice and get to know your customers? Serve great food, you say? Check. My migas plate - migas, good beans and good potatoes - was plentiful and yummy for $5. (I think my days of craving the more expensive vegetarian tacos at Cafe Brazil are over.) There is a great assortment of combos available for your breakfast tacos. There is a salsa bar with green and red as well as jalapeno ranch. And the music was perfect - Stevie Ray followed by Talking Heads - that's very good stuff. The owner even brought be a newspaper to read. I will definitely be back. Gotta try the lunch menu.

Obviously, The Observer likes it too.

I did a lot of other good stuff too - pedicure, Hallmark, grocery shopping, cooking. A good day. And tonight CB and I dine at Soley! Details to follow.

An awful thing

I hesitated about a week before writing this bit. At first I thought there had to be some mistake, or maybe it would work out. But it is true and sickening. Last week my brother's business partners told him they were "eliminating" his position and buying him out. They basically took away his restaurant. He is not getting entirely screwed financially, but he is in every other way. These jackasses basically got him to relocate, design a menu, hire and train a kitchen staff and get them good reviews from all the state-wide press and then they sucker punched him.

I hate them.

They cannot maintain what he created. My prediction is that Salut! will be gone in nine months. I hope they fail miserably and expensively - especially since they did it so the rest of them could make more money.

Don't eat at Salut! in Little Rock because the people who own it are rotten. And they don't have a chef.

(My brother will probably get mad at me if he reads this post, but I doubt he has ever looked at this blog. But if tells me to take it down, I will.)

T'anta - Soon to be on the Dallas Food Scene

I just read some exciting Dallas foodie news. We are to get the first U.S. outpost of T'anta early next year. I have never been to T'anta, which is in Lima, Peru. But it sounds like a very nice addition to the Dallas food scene. The new Food & Wine magazine calls it a "restaurant / take-out store that resembles a South American-themed Dean & Deluca." Intriguing. I have linked some reviews.

T'anta is one of many establishments owned by Peruvian chef Gaston Acurio. He is a celebrity chef in South America who has more than a dozen restaurants in Peru alone. His story is interesting. His father was Peru's prime minister. He quit law school in Madrid in his third year and secretly went to cooking school. (Your author now drifts off wistfully, considering the road her life could have taken. Okay, I'm back. Kinda.)

I won't repeat the whole Food & Wine piece, but pick up the November issue. It has lots of good stuff in it, as November food magazines usually do. I guess November is to food magazines what September is to fashion magazines. (Like I read fashion mags. Is September correct, Elle, my fashionable friend?)

Little Rock Dining

With my mom being in the hospital, I have been eating out in Little Rock more than Dallas lately. These comments are probably irrelevant to anyone who reads this blog, but I am writing them anyway.

Ferneau - Not impressed. And I wanted to be. We went here for Sunday brunch because I wanted a nice meal to soothe my frazzled spirit (yes, typical, I know). It was fine, but for $55 I want a better brunch - both food and service. The presentation was very nice on each dish though I don't know how that was accomplished. The kitchen was so dark! It is an open kitchen, which I like, but I don't know how they can see anything back there. It is on Kavanaugh in Hillcrest.

Leo's Greek Castle - Yum. The next Sunday we ate here. Granted we didn't have booze, which affected our tab $15 at Ferneau, but our meal at Leo's was just $13! And I enjoyed it more. Is there a tiny bit of dill in that hummus? Leo's is not at all stylish and has only about 10-12 tables, half of them outside. But the food is good and certainly was plenty for the price. Leo's is right down the street from Ferneau on Kavanaugh in Hillcrest.

Taziki's Greek Fare - This is a just-opened place on Cantrell across from Pavilion in the Park. It was edible, but far from special. Even the convenience of it being a stone's throw from Mom's apartment won't lead me to return. The chicken gyro didn't have gyro meat (which is good even though I don't want to know how it is made). It was just grilled chicken. The pita weren't soft enough. Do Ruffles potato chips go with a gyro? The hummus was okay. The people were very nice. I am spoiled by living near two fantastic Mediterranean places. It will probably do well in the area since it is decent and there are no quick casual dining places in the immediate vicinity. (There is nothing quick about Trio's!) Speaking of that vicinity, Little Rock folks will remember Splash in Pavilion in the Park. I really liked that place.

Salut! - Of course I saved the best for last. And I am not just saying this because it is my brother's restaurant, really. The beef short rib ravioli is so freaking good. It is an appetizer - a single large ravioli stuffed with the tender beef from a long-braised short rib. The pasta is al dente and is house made, of course. The jus makes it for me. I ask for bread to "sop it up". It is rich and savory. He really reduces the stock for intense flavor. (I did recently learn that he makes and uses lots of veal stock, which is upsetting. I am trying not to think about it.) I think Matthew's soups and sauces are his strong suits. The soup changes each day. I have enjoyed the parsnip and thyme soup and the tomato basil. Matthew actually didn't make the tomato basil, his assistant made it. It was great. I haven't eaten a lot of entrees, but must commend a new fall addition to the menu - Pig and Parsnips. The dish of pear and parsnip puree topped with a mound of slow-roasted pulled pork is fabulous. He has delicious looking chalk-board specials each day, but many of them involve shellfish, so I have not been able to enjoy them. A new dessert to try is the chocolate mousse cake with Oreo crust. Oh my. This isn't a light mousse. It is a dense, intense hunk o' chocolate. It screams for coffee!

Places on the go-to list

Really want to check out Soley! on Henderson and Hattie's in the Bishop Arts District. I have wanted to go to Bishop Arts District for a while, but never have done it.

I have a high school buddy coming into town next weekend who wants some soul food. He lives in Seattle now. Everyone I ask says to go to Sweet Georgia Brown in South Dallas. I will give a full report. Then we are going to the Cowboys v. Bengals game on October 5. Should be fun, though the Bengals have not lived up to expectations. Should be a butt-whippin'.

Last weekend I finally got to sit down to a nice dinner at my brother's restaurant. I need to write about it. It was very good, and the patio is really nice.

Newest Review of Salut!

My brother is a chef, and Salut! is his restaurant. (His name is spelled wrong.) This review came out today in Arkansas Business. The review is from the perspective of evaluating a place for a business lunch.

Upscale Southern Eatery Salut! Tops Charts in Service, Food (Business Lunch)
By Arkansas Business Staff - 9/15/2008
Salut! at Prospect Place
1501 N. University Ave., Suite 160, Little Rock
(501) 660-4200
Cuisine: Southern Contemporary
Dress Code: None
Noise Level: Moderate
Price Range: $3-$10
Credit Cards: All major
Reservations: Same day
Receipts: May-June $73,383
3.5 waiters
Salut! at Prospect Place, a fine fledgling restaurant tucked away in the squat black office building at the corner of University Avenue and Cantrell Road, offers a refreshing, contemporary cuisine with a Southern, and slightly Cajun, flair that can likely be traced to Executive Chef and Partner Matthew Radcliff's New Orleans roots.
Though owners Chris Tanner of Cheers in the Heights and Dave Bisceglia of Dave & Ray's Downtown Diner wanted to spell the name Salute, which is still how it's pronounced, they dropped the "e" to prevent confusion with the name of a nearby liquor store.
Our waiter, a genuinely courteous server added to the restaurant's elegant, but not pretentious, atmosphere.
We began with a cup of the Three Cheese Dip ($4), a tasty, but not earth-shattering, version of the common snack. Our other appetizer, the Short Rib Ravioli ($6.50) in a wild mushroom jus followed soon after. The dish was savory, but not our favorite.
The Low Country Shrimp & Grits entrée ($9.50), a bowl of grilled shrimp, asparagus and parmesan grits in a tasso - a type of smoked ham - cream sauce, was unexpectedly elegant and absolutely delicious. We never thought we'd see a gracefully prepared entrée of grits.
One diner feasted on the Slow Braised Beef Short Rib ($8.50), which came atop a mound of potato medallions and drenched in a mushroom jus. The promise of dessert may have been the only thing that kept the frenzied business journalist from eating the bone because the dish was so tasty.
Another of our party had the Seared Salmon Special ($10), which arrived on a bed of orzo pasta and asparagus and was graced with a rich roasted white corn sauce. The diner, and those of us who swiped a bite when he wasn't looking, thinks the dish should earn a permanent spot on the menu. (Don't do that if you're on a date. Or make sure you don't get caught.)
One diner ordered, and was bested by, the Beef Brisket Sandwich ($7). The peppered beef, white cheddar, basil mayo, lettuce and tomato made for a scrumptious stack of goodness.
The homemade banana puddin' ($5) and bourbon ice cream with caramelized pears ($6), topped the charts. So to Salut!, we lift our glasses.

Random Notes

Bogle Phantom - Wow. What a nose! Chocolate with something sweeter... caramel? overripe or candied cherries? The main taste I get is cloves. Really different.

Grimaldi's Pizza - yummy. I have never gotten fresh ricotta on a pizza before. It was absolutely delish with kalamatas and sundried tomatoes. Without the kalamatas, it would have been downright sweet. Pizza should never have thick crust.

Sexto - A six grape Spanish wine. Highest percentage is Garnacha at 33%. There are some grapes I have never heard of in this one. Decant or give it some time to open up in the glass. My last sip was very different from my first. Only $15 at Veritas and available there by the glass right now, though their btg offerings change frequently.

BYOB Dallas

As a public service, I am providing links to all of the lists of BYOB restaurants in Dallas that I know about. My dear friend CE has compiled a list also. I will add it when I can find it.
People who really like wine and saving money need to know these things!!

http://www.localwineevents.com/Dallas-FW-Wine/BYOB-restaurants.html

http://www.gaylistdaily.com/dallas/entries/you_can_take_it_with_you/

http://www.slowfooddallas.com/Local_Picks.html#SECTION_IV:_GOOD_TO_KNOW

Also check out all of the above websites - good stuff throughout!

YTAC Benefit - Milestone Culinary Arts Center

Thursday night CB and I went to a Young Texans Against Cancer benefit at the Milestone Culinary Arts Center on McKinney. MCAC is a really nice place to have an event for the right crowd. The benefit included tastings and cooking demonstrations from area chefs. Also featured were Osborne Solaz wines from Spain. CB really enjoyed the Solaz Blanco Viura. The only wine I tried was the Solaz Shiraz/Temparanillo. It was fairly soft and quite tasty. I have had a few opportunities lately to try Temparanillo blends and have liked them. I think I will explore this grape further as white wine season fades into red wine season. (At this moment, the edge of Hurricane Ike is making it stay in your house and sleep season here in Dallas.)
CB is not a cook. It just isn't her thing. So I drug her to only one cooking demonstration, that of Chef Julia Lopez of Alo'. Alo' is owned by the same couple who own La Duni. In addition to being the chef at Alo', Lopez oversees the group's new restaurant development. A La Duni will be opening in North Park Center in November, just in time for the holiday madness. Lopez made a Peruvian Tuna Ceviche with apples and tomatillos that was fabulous. I often don't get to eat ceviche because I am allergic to shellfish. But this ceviche was shellfish-free. CB is not a very adventurous eater but she tried it and liked it too. Lopez kindly provided the recipe. Alo' is definitely on the go-to list now.
Perhaps my favorite dish was by Chef Juan A. Rosado of The Crescent Club. He prepared plantain chorizo meatballs with toasted cumin cilantro aioli and citrus microgreens. Yum. The presentation was lovely. I did not get to go to the demo for this one, but hope to track down the recipe.
There also were offerings from Chefs at Cafe' Madrid, Loft 610 and The MCAC as well as pastries from La Duni.
I hope YTAC made a lot of money!

Trece and Ari's revisited

Tonight I made my third visit to Ari's Wine Bistro following my second dinner at Trece. I enjoyed both very much. Trece has the best guacamole ever made. Really. I usually don't have any interest in guacamole. At Trece, they make the guac at your table. I know that table-made guac is a gimmick used as far down the totem pole of dining as On the Border. But at Trece it is fabulous. They adjust the heat to your taste and it is fresh and chunky and yummy. I did not get the tortilla soup, but a few folks at our table of eight did. It looked wonderful. The soup was nicely presented. A bowl of "solids" was placed in front of the diner then a tomato-chicken broth was poured over the top. I chose the vegetarian chile relleno. It was a yummy blob with goat cheese, pecans and other stuff in a tender pepper on a tomato based sauce. It was comfort food for sure, yet not too heavy. The service this time at Trece was better than my prior visit. My mind was changed about this place. I also like the wine list at Trece. There is a good selection of varietals. They also have lots of froufy drinks - blueberry mojitos and such. Froufy drinks aren't my thing. As I have said here before - beer, wine and Crown Royal.
After dinner, we walked across the street to Ari's Wine Bistro. They had a good band on the terrace that drew us in. The handsome man who I presume to be the owner gave us a brief lesson on white Burgundy. He is such a nice guy. The other ladies had a bottle of said Burgundy. I had a glass of Trocadero NV Brut which was dry and nice. Not amazing, but definitely nice for $22 a bottle at the restaurant.
The remaining four ladies were in for shenanigans tonight if they can find any. I retired to the house and am soon to be in bed. Hasta luego.

NFL Week 1 (Just shut up already!)

The sports talking heads need some perspective. Tom Brady did not die. He was not paralyzed like the remarkable Kevin Everett was last year was in Week 1. Brady tore his ACL and will have season-ending surgery. It sucks for him. But it happens to players all over the league every year. Knee problems end many football careers, including the careers of those who have not made as much money as Tom Brady, won MVP, won Super Bowl rings, etc. (or shacked up with Gisselle) He may well be an "ambassador for the league". He can still be that representative. Brady's knee injury is not the end of the world, or of this NFL season, or even of the Patriots season. A fan hates to see any player get hurt, but it happens. Shut up about it.

Brett Favre retired. Lots of people retire and change their minds and don't get to craft the details of their return to work. Just let everybody play football and shut up about it.

The Cowboys look good. Former Razorback and first-round draft pick Felix Jones scored a TD on his first NFL regular season carry. Woo Pig! Poor Darren McFadden's Raiders looked terrible. I hope Jamarcus Russell and Run DMC can put something together and turn the season into something positive for the Raider Nation.

Lest you thing I am slacking on writing about food and wine, I put careful consideration into what to eat while watching the Monday Night Football double header last night. I opted to cook and made some flatbread pizzas. I got enough ingredients to make some pasta to eat this week too. I like this flatbread call Tandoori Naan. It is available at Whole Foods. It is so yummy heated and plain, but also makes a great pizza base. I used mozzarella, zucchini, yellow squash, spinach, feta, tomato-based sauce and chicken Italian sausage. Yum. All of that stuff minus the cheese also went into the pasta, plus artichoke hearts. I didn't like the wine I drank. It was a fume' blanc that does not merit discussion.

Labor Day

A day of rest. I have been back and forth to Little Rock three times in the past two and a half weeks. It's hard to believe Mom has been in the hospital that long. It already has become the norm. Yuck. I can't even imagine what it is like to be confined to a bed for that long - and I have about 1/8 the energy my mother has.

But back to the day of rest part. Rest from our labors. Some will understand this, some won't - cooking is rest to me. It is relaxing. I like coming up with an idea, going to the grocery store and picking out ingredients and creating a meal. I inevitably forget something or come up with a better idea after I have returned from the grocery. That is annoying. But overall I love the process. Today I cut a chicken in half and made a paste with olive oil and some chicken rub I recently purchased (see Grapevine Wine Trail entry below). I burnt the heck out of it. (Is "burned" or "burnt" proper?) So much potential squandered, but I salvaged dinner with careful carving. The inside was not overdone. Better luck next time. For once I tried not to stand over the grill. I tried to put the meat on the fire and walk away for the time frame suggested by Ina Garten. Never again! I really need a new grill. That would help. And I need to put a temperature gauge in my grill. You know, do things the way they are supposed to be done instead of winging it. I really am a person who gets it all together then forgets where she put it. If I ever get completely organized... look out world!

I grilled just about everything - potatoes for a side, nectarines for dessert. The potato dish has real potential. I have always wanted to enter a recipe into a contest. I think with some work, this one could be contest worthy. I can't tell you more about it now, because you might try to steal it. :) We had a bottle of Famega Vinho Verde. Maybe not the absolute ideal pairing, but it was fine. The grilled nectarine halves were yummy with low fat frozen vanilla yogurt. I just halved some firm nectarines, brushed the cut side with molasses, and grilled.

If you have never had Vinho Verde, try it while the weather is still hot. (In Texas, you should be good through October!) It's definitely a summertime wine. I don't like the Famega as well as the Gazela Vinho Verde - yum, yum. Both are super cheap (less than $8!). It is just barely effervescent and is really good with white fish or just to sip on a hot day. It is from Portugal. I have seen Gazela at World Market this year. You can find various brands at Central Market and Whole Foods. (It should be great with any seafood, but I can't eat shellfish, so cannot speak to that pairing.)

Anthony loved dinner, and we had a lovely evening. I do love to cook for people.

Heart Disease is Gonna Cramp my Style

Heart Disease. I guess I knew it was in my mom's family but it sure has hit home this week. While recovering in the hospital following surgery last week, my mom had a heart attack. She is 59. I will spare you all the details, but I have learned that four of her closest relatives have had heart attacks (2 fatal) or heart disease related surgery BEFORE they were 59.

If you read my blog you notice I like to eat. And drink. Heck, eating and drinking constitutes being merry for me. You may also have noted that I am overweight. So this week I have been saying "I have got to start taking care of myself". Am I still kidding myself? I consumed copious amounts of queso today and plenty of fried tortilla chips. Of course, camped out in a hospital waiting room, you want comfort food, not carrots. Would you believe the food in the hospital cafeteria is grossly unhealthy? Shame on them. Even the patient meals are questionable. Before mom was in ICU, they were supposedly bringing her the American Heart Assn diet. Really? I didn't know that included chicken fried steak.

Maybe I can make heart healthy my new project. I do well when I get obsessed with things... at least for about six weeks 'til I fall off the wagon.

Bottle Shock - A Movie Review

Last night, AA and I went to see Bottle Shock. It was good.
As was inevitable, it has garnered comparisons to Sideways. The only real similarity is that they are movies set against the back drop of California wine country - not even the same wine growing regions or the same decade. Though there were dramatic moments in Sideways, there were also moments of shocking hilarity (e.g. the husband running down the block). I guess Sideways is one of my favorite movies. But I don't want to compare the two, because they really aren't similar. As an indie flick, it has been compared by some online reviews to the quality of Juno and Little Miss Sunshine. No way. I liked it, but it cannot compare to those movies.
There are some smiles in Bottle Shock, but I wouldn't call it a comedy. There is a lot of family drama, and Bill Pullman makes you feel his pain regarding his dream. Though I was spellbound by the complete cuteness of Freddy Rodriguez, Bill Pullman definitely does the best acting in the movie.
The best part about watching Bottle Shock is the sweeping vistas of Napa. If you have been to Napa, it is just about worth the price of admission to happily recall the place. If you haven't been and want to go, seeing this movie may cause you to go home and book the trip. And yes, it really is that beautiful and strangely magical. But - largely because of the events depicted in Bottle Shock - Napa is not the quiet, rural place it was in 1976.
I can't help but feeling the movie could have been so much better than it was. The story is a fantastic one. Do read all about it. This movie could have had us cheering in our seats like a Cold War era Olympic hockey game (but for wine nerds). But it was sweet and happy and pretty.
Unless you just want to enjoy the Napa scenery on the big screen, grab some good local cheeses, a baguette (in honor of the French) and a bottle of Chateau Montelena or Stag's Leap and snuggle in at home when it comes out on DVD.

Eating and Drinking in the Week that Was

Comments on last week... Kudos and Happy Anniversary to Times Ten Cellars which threw itself a great party. It was much better than last year, which was a zoo. From an owner's perspective, I don't know if the quantity of customers it takes to constitute a zoo is better than slightly fewer. The party this year definitely had a great turnout, but I think they were better prepared with lots of servers and some fun diversions (and Scalini's pizza). There were these people doing "butt sketches" - seriously. I have an awful, hideous, gigantic butt, but was goaded into participating with assurances that the artist was "very complimentary". He was kind indeed. The guys (owners of Times Ten) also brought in a Marilyn Monroe impersonator to sing Happy Birthday. She botched the name (Ten Times Cellars) but was amusing nonetheless. As always, I stayed longer than I intended.

I stopped in Veritas again on Thursday. I really like this place. The people who work there are so nice. Thank goodness I don't drive past it on the way home. I got some more info on the great stemware. It is titanium crystal by Schott Zwiesel. It breaks much less easily than lead crystal or simple glass stemware. I have found it available online for sale, but Veritas may sell it in the future, so I will wait and buy from them. (Shop local!) At a couple of sites online it is about $65 for a set of six glasses. Not bad. Veritas has some intriguing plans in the works for the future with local artists and chefs. I hope it goes well. I also discovered that they are trying to promote their business earlier in the evening. Currently they are getting a mostly late-night crowd. To this end, they are offering $2 off wines by the glass and other specials from 4:30-6:30 pm. I'm sure I will be back.

Finally, I had dinner and drinks this weekend at Bar Belmont in Oak Cliff. Beautiful view on the patio. If you like interesting cocktails, they have several. I am not an interesting cocktail drinker. Other than wine, I think drinks involving fruit are ill-advised. I do except the occasional lime in a beer (a wedge of fresh lime, not some beer with lime flavor bottled into it - ick). I drink beer, wine and Crown Royal. Through these 25 years of drinking (eek) I have learned to keep it simple. But I did like the wine list at Bar Belmont, and was glad to see they had the Sauvignon Blanc from local Times Ten Cellars. They had several bottles for $25. Other than Patrizio, I can't think of a local restaurant that groups its wines by price and features a section of affordable wines. The food was fine but nothing to write home about. At this dinner a friend and I discussed how much we liked and miss M Grill. That place was so good - food, service, wine.

Also at this dinner, I became increasingly aware of how many people are blogging. I think I will share. I have given my blog address to only two friends. If I put very personal stuff on here at some point I don't want it "out there". Hm. Maybe I could just have my food and wine blog and just "journal" in private. The Internet, blogs, MySpace, etc. are evidence of our true exhibitionist nature.

Tonight I am going to see Bottle Shock. Review to follow.

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!

Trying some new-to-me local spots

Last night my friend Julia from the neighborhood and I planned to go out to dinner. I picked Kozy Kitchen (really cheesy, dumb name) on McKinney. I have wanted to try it for a while. The menu is healthful - not in the sense that it is low fat diet food, but it is natural. The veggies are fresh, the salmon is wild caught, the beef is grass fed, etc. And the place is BYOB! That always makes dinner cheaper. Julia had been there for breakfast a couple of times (which is supposedly fab) or we would have driven right past the place. It is very non-descript on the outside. It is small, maybe about 12 tables. It is entirely too dark inside; we could barely read our menus. But that was the only real negative. The service was very pleasant and the food was yummy. I had called Saturday afternoon and inquired about specials so that we could choose wine. I was assured that a reservation was not needed; nothing was on the books. Apparently they had a rush after I called, so the guy on the phone had reserved a table for me. Very nice! Two nice folks tended to us during our dinner. Props to the gentleman for being so honest about the menu.
The pricing seemed a bit strange. Some dishes seemed rather expensive for what was on the plate, but others seemed to be a very fairly priced. The specials were quite expensive - each was $26 even though they varied widely in the cost of ingredients and complexity of preparation. So we opted for menu items that were a full $10 cheaper than the specials. We were not disappointed. We shared a fresh caprese salad - stacked mozzarella slices and brilliant red tomatoes with mixed greens and dollops of pesto on the plate. We chose the same entree, which I always hate to do, but it sounded the best. It was wild caught Scottish salmon on a bed of herbed risotto with an assortment of seasonal sauteed veggies. The salmon was perfectly cooked. It had that perfect little crust fish gets when cooked on a hot surface. The risotto retained a little firmness but was nice and creamy without being saucy or mushy. The veggies may have been a little more tender than crisp, but were very enjoyable.
I suggested we walk across the street to Grand Tastings, a retail wine shop with a small bar and about six table where folks can sit down for wine tastings. We opted for the $15 per person basic tasting for which each of us chose five wines to taste from a list of about 15-20. The bubbly was very flat. The servers didn't know wine. The retail prices were a little high. We weren't very impressed.
On the way home as we drove down Henderson, I told Julia about Natsumi, the new organic gelato place I had read about in the little strip mall full of hip new places. She decided we should stop, so we did. Yum! Natsumi is a neat little place. It has nonfat frozen yogurt and gelato made with organic milk. They also have coffee and smoothies. They have standard and funky flavors and are quick to give little samples. (Avocado was good!) I got lychee. Julia got pistachio and something. Then we decided to peek in the window, then walk in just to check out, the new wine bar Veritas in the same strip mall. About an hour later, we knew an owner, the adorable college student bar tender and his uncle Fernando. Veritas has a similar concept to Grand Tastings (and Wine Therapist, and Wine'tastic ... clearly it's a trend). It is a retail shop that has limited food, wines by the glass. You also can consume your bottle(s) there for a price slightly more than the retail price. I had a good glass of bubbly for $7! And we tried a yummy grenache with blueberry notes called "Bitch", apparently because that is such a hard grape to grow. They had really nice stemware at Veritas, fitting for a nice wine bar, but nicer than at any other local wine bar I have visited. I read an unfavorable post about one of the owners on another blog or review site, but the experience overcame any bias I had in my mind when I walked in the door. We definitely will go back. They also feature local artists' work on the walls for sale, which I always like.
It was a great evening of checking out new-to-me places. And all of them were pretty close to home. Julia and I had a very enjoyable time talking and hanging out. She and I are very different in some ways, but also have a lot in common. Every time we get together, we both wonder why we don't do it more often.
So remember to get out there and try some new places!

Food, weight, sadness, etc

A woman at the gym had a little meltdown to me the other day. I don't know if it was a meltdown or if she dumps personal info on random people on a regular basis. But it took me aback and hit home. Our lockers were near each other and right by the scale. Ihave never gotten on that scale and won't until I think I have lost some weight. I can't bear what I think it would say right now. She laughed as she got off the scale. She laughed again as she stood there looking at the scale. I said something like "that's not the reaction I typically have". That gave her the opening to tell me where she is. And I could relate to just about every word.
It was a rueful laugh - one of those you have to laugh to keep from crying laughs. She was up to a weight that had been incomprehensible for her. She had been a strong, fit, trim athlete. She is now 48 or 49. She decided there in the locker room to go to Overeaters Anonymous. She had already looked up the number.
I have considered OA. And I don't recognize myself in the mirror anymore either. Will I be like her at her age? Am I like her now?

40th Birthday

April 8, 2008

I took a birthday trip to Napa Valley. It was fantastic – essentially a perfect trip.
April 2 I arrived at SFO. It took forever to get bags and get to rental car. A coworker loaned me her Tom Tom GPS, which was awesome. I went to Mumm Napa and sat on the terrace and had sparkling wine. I tasted several different sparkling wines. I was headed to the hotel, but then decided to make the most of the time before the wineries closed. But I had to get some food on my stomach. I stopped and got a sandwich at Soda Creek Canyon Store. A little store with a deli in the back. I then went to Domaine Chandon, which I ultimately would do each day of my time in Napa. I just love bubbly! At Domaine Chandon, I took the tour. My guide had been my pourer in the tasting room, Meredith. I thought Meredith was snooty or cold at first, but I ultimately decided she just doesn’t not have a dynamic personality. I finally checked into the hotel. Three of my wonderful girlfriends had sent me a basket of goodies – wine, sweets and a beautiful Napa Valley photo book. So sweet! The hotel was very nice. I inadvertently dozed a bit on my couch, then woke up and dined at Zuzu, a tapas restaurant. I was the last customer in the joint, but got to visit with the owner. The soup was fine, but the fried manchego was delish! What’s not to like about fried cheese, right? I slept (though stuck on Dallas time) and headed out at 10 the next morning for my tour via Napa Winery Shuttle and its driver, Karl.

There were 10 of us on the van in addition to Karl – two ladies from New Zealand, a couple celebrating the girls’ 21st birthday, a couple from Queens, a rather strange couple from which the guy used to live in Dallas (the girl was the creepy one), Veronique and me. Veronique had not intended to be traveling alone. Her ex-boyfriend originally was to come with her. They broke up. Then all her friends flaked out on the trip. We ended up palling around all day, which worked out great. Karl had lots of 2-for-1 tasting coupons, or various discounts for us. First we went to Sterling, the farthest north, almost to Calistoga. To get to the winery, you take a little 2-person gondola up the hillside. The view from the top is fantastic. The wines were not spectacular. But we really enjoyed one white. I had never heard of the varietal, and can’t recall it now. It started with an M. Then we went to V. Sattui, a winery that sells its wines only at its winery. Vittorio Sattui has built himself a castle on the hillside that can be seen across from Sterling. My friend Larry has been there for a charity event. Apparently it has a dungeon. Creepy. We tasted at V. Sattui before we ate, which may not have been a great idea. We definitely needed food on our stomachs by the time we ate. Then we got back on the van and went to Hagafen, a tiny winery that makes Kosher, organic wines. The wine guy was very cute. The wines were nothing special to me. Then we went to Black Stallion then Andretti Winery. Black Stallion is a new winery. The tasting room opened last fall. Andretti was a lot of fun, primarily because of the guy working the tasting room crowd. The winery is owned in part by Mario Andretti. It also had a cute gift shop. Their whites were very nice. I did not taste reds there. You definitely learn to pour out wines you don’t really like, because there are many more to be tasted. As a last stop, we went to Domaine Chandon. On this stop, I broke down and joined the club. Meredith assisted again. That was the last winery stop of the day.

I had a 7:30 dinner reservation with Larry that night. Earlier in the day, Larry sent me this sweet, neurotic email. Apparently he has started dating someone seriously and was concerned about expectations for the evening. That took the pressure off b/c I was kind of nervous too. I told him I had shaved my legs just in case, just to harass him. We had a great dinner and great conversation at Fume’ Bistro. My suspicion that everyone on the planet cheats is again confirmed.

April 4, 2008 was my 40th birthday. A distributer back home had hooked me up with some complimentary tours and tastings for two, so I asked Veronique to join me. We were at Markham at 10:30 a.m. Gregory in the tasting room was lots of fun to talk to, and we lost track of time a bit. We made it to Rutherford Hill about 10 minutes late, and caught up with the tour. We got to go in the caves – really neat. We really enjoyed the tasting there with Chris, and each bought some wine. I even liked and bought port! I called Chimney Rock and cancelled because we just could not make it. We were very hungry. But we stopped at Mumm to return my tiny size XL t-shirts and had another tasting. Then it was off to lunch at Domaine Chandon – and why not since I am a member and get a discount there. By this point, Meredith probably thinks I am a stalker. Then I HAD to get on the road.

I stopped and visited our new northern Cali office. Then drove into SF to see Michelle. She and I walked and took the train down to the Ferry Building where we had a fantastic dinner at The Slanted Door. Yum! It was very noisy, but very good. Riesling was the perfect match for the Vietnamese food.

The next day, she and I just had breakfast and went down to Chinatown and did some shopping. It’s always good and easy to spend time with Michelle. I got to the airport early. The worst think that happened the whole trip is that my flight was about 30 minutes delayed leaving SFO. Big deal, huh? Larry got me a funny book for my b’day and I almost finished it Saturday. I did finish it Sunday.

The weather was amazing the entire time. All in all, a wonderful trip. I had a meltdown around the beginning of the week. By the time of my trip I was fine and I am no longer freaked out by 40.

Dinner Party

Below is the menu for the dinner party I hosted in June, with some notes. I planned the menu around the wines I wanted to serve. It turned out well, though far from perfect. All the food was good. All the wine was good. I think everyone had a good time. Though I dream of being the perfect, put-together hostess, I certainly am not there yet. Timing is the thing I have the most trouble with. When you are doing everything by yourself, it is hard to get everything ready at just the right moment. Often I have finished dishes too early, leaving them to sit too long. This time, I actually tried to relax, and ran up against my guests' arrival time. And this was the most prompt group of dinner guests I have ever had. I do appreciate promptness. Lateness is quite rude in general, but especially for a sit-down dinner like this. My guests were four wonderful ladies who hit it off well. One is a bit of a wine guru. I enjoyed the evening very much. But I won’t do another dinner party until it cools off quite a bit. It is just too hot to cook in the house right now!

Come in from the Heat!
Orange Iced Tea
Miguel Torres 2007 Santa Dinga Cabernet Rosé – Central Chile

This rose' has become my fave this summer. I discovered it at Cork in Dallas.

First
Domaine Chandon 1999 Vintage Brut – Sonoma County
Goat Cheese Croutons with Mushrooms in Madeira Cream
There was enough of this sparkling wine for each of us to have only a glass. So I promptly ordered myself another bottle. The recipe is from a Susan Spicer cookbook. I had this dish as a first course at her restaurant Bayona a few months ago. I wanted to lick the plate. I would like to try to make this somewhat less absurdly fattening, but who knows if it will be as good.

Second
Schug 2006 Pinot Noir – Carneros
Domaine Chandon 2006 Pinot Noir – Carneros
Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Red Wine-Shallot Reduction
Summer Vegetable Risotto
Sautéed Broccolini
Multi-Grain Bread
Sarah, the Schug aficionado, brought two bottle of 2006 Schug pinot noir. She is in their wine club, so one of them was a limited production - only 50 cases made. It was my fave (of course). It was interesting to try three pinot noirs from the same year and same region. They had differences, but all were quite tasty. I made the reduction sauce with a pinot noir also. It was an adaptation of a Bobby Flay recipe with beef and cabernet sauvignon. The risotto was adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe. I did not use white wine in the risotto as suggested. There was enough wine. More chicken broth was the best choice in this instance. And no, I did not bake the bread. I am not much of a baker anyway, but I really don't do yeast breads.

Third
Rutherford Hill 2003 Vintage Zinfandel Port – Napa Valley
Organic Chocolate Truffles
New York Sharp Cheddar
St. Pete’s Select Blue Cheese

This port is what made me realize I like port. It is a ruby, not tawny. Julia turned us on to the truffles. We put down this bottle of port quite quickly. I just cannot make myself like blue cheese.

Grapevine Wine Trail

Grapevine Wine Trail – July 5, 2008
Dad, Mary and me

What a great value! Tickets were just $40.

We started at Cross Timbers Winery. It is a cute little farm house with great grounds. There is a patio with quite a bit of seating, a gazebo and barn. The Wine Trial started in the barn where a country band was playing entirely too loud for the space. Each of us received a bottle of wine in a patriotic bag and an engraved wine glass to mark the event. The ticket price included tasting three wines at each winery and food at each winery. At Cross Timbers we tried a chardonnay, a dry white table wine and a rosé. All were very nice. The rosé was quite good. My expectations for the wine were low, and this first stop surpassed them. We were off to a good start! Many small production wines are a bit more than I normally spend on a bottle of wine. They can’t match the price point of a large-scale production. But the Texas White and Texas Red (I think that’s what they were called) were just $12.99 a bottle. The Chardonnay was $19.99, I think.

Next we were off to the downtown Grapevine area, just about ½ mile from Cross Timbers. Grapevine has a darling downtown area. There was a farmer’s market and something called “Grapevine Market” going on outdoors. There is a visitor’s center in an old train depot and a vintage train you can ride. The well-maintained old storefronts are filled with very cute shops and cafés, and the new storefronts are built in a complimentary style. Off of Main Street are lots of cute old houses, mostly pretty small. Most seems to still be residences, but a few are now restaurants, winery tasting rooms or other businesses. It is definitely a town where you could spend a full Saturday wandering around, eating, drinking and shopping in cooler weather – more on the heat later.

Su Vino Winery was our second stop. Su Vino operates a store front on Main Street. I had hoped to talk to the folks in the tasting rooms and find out a little bit more about their respective wine making operations. But they were far too busy for that. The Wine Trail event drew quite a lot of people, which was great. Su Vino makes quite a few wines, including a couple of sparkling wines and some dessert wines. There were a couple more I would like to try here – super fruity, summery wines that sounded so good on a Texas July day. Mary really liked the Summer Rain, and it smelled like a big, juicy green apple. But with only three tastes to be had, tough decisions had to be made. I tried the Almond Champagne, another I can’t recall right now, and the ruby port. Almond Champagne sounds kind of gross to me. But someone sent me a bottle from their favorite Temecula winery recently, so I wanted an idea of what it was like before I popped the cork. Not so much. I practiced that skill I learned in Napa of pouring out what you don’t want. There is much good wine to be drunk. No point in drinking what you don’t want. At least now I know. (By the way… it isn’t Champagne unless it’s from Champagne people! In the U.S. it’s just sparkling wine, though I wish we had a cool name like Cava or Prosecco.) I recall the second wine being fine, even though I don’t recall what it was. The ruby port was okay. I am just starting to drink port, so I don’t have much to which I can compare this one. Perhaps I started with one I enjoy so much (the Rutherford Hill 2003 Vintage Zinfandel Port) that the bar is set high. It’s hard to just stand around and sip port also – cheese or chocolate is needed. Sweet obviously is big here. In addition to the Almond Champagne, there is a Raspberry Champagne, five dessert wines and a sweet red blend. Though I don’t sound high on their wines, I like Su Vino and would like to go back and try some of their other wines. The folks working the tasting room were very nice. And there was a reasonably priced gift shop with some nice items.

Next there were two more “wineries” on Main Street, to which I can give very brief note. D’Vine Wines is a cheesy name. The place was far too cramped for this crowd and the wines were boring. They didn’t taste bad; they just didn’t have much taste. Although I must note that Mary said the Pinot Grigio was just plain bad. There were production tanks in the back, but any discussions with wine makers would have to wait for another day. Farina’s was across the street. It appears to be a café with a small retail wine area. They are just starting up their wine making, and do not have any of their own to serve yet. So they were serving some well-known Texas wines – a Llano red blend, a Becker cab and a white that I cannot recall. None were great. But there were yummy Italian snacks and comfy chairs for us to sit a moment and sip on a bit of water, which we should have done more during the day.

All along the way, Dad, Mary and I were having a great time. They were so pleasantly surprised by this excursion I planned for us. It was the most fun they had had in a long time, they said. They have worked so hard in their yard since the tornado and have been depressed by all the damage around town and by the damage at their own home. They needed a break. And this was right up their alley. I was thrilled by how cute the town was and what a good time we were having. I had never been up there, so planning this adventure was a wee bit dicey.

Inwood Estates, which makes their wine in Dallas, had set up shop in a coffee shop. They make very few wines. We tried their Palomino-Chardonnay, Cornelius (cab-temparanillo) and 100% cabernet sauvignon. All were nice. At $40-$80 per bottle, they should be. Dad and I had received the Palomino-Chardonnay as our bottle of wine included with our ticket price. After tasting it, we were pleased. A man who makes various rubs was sampling his product there also. I bought a sampler pack of those. They were quite good.

Next it was a walk of a few blocks to La Buena Vida Winery. This place is what Dad and Mary expected a winery / tasting room to look like. Since we left Cross Timbers, the tastings had been in store fronts on Main Street. At La Buena Vida, the patio area was all made of stone and looked as though it should be in Italy. There were tile fountains, live music, lots of seating outdoors, yummy food. La Bodega winery and La Buena Vida are owned by the same people, so there were six wines to taste here. Also, while we were here, it suddenly became brutally hot. Luckily our adventure had begun about 11:30 a.m., so it had been quite warm, but not insufferable. Suddenly it felt like the surface of the sun. I don’t know if any of us tasted six wines, but everything I tasted here was good. There were many more wines to sample that were not included on the Wine Trial. They also make a mead which I would like to try sometime. They have live music outside each Saturday, so I will definitely make a return trip to La Buena Vida – sometime after mid-September.

We then walked a few blocks to Homestead Winery, which was in an old house with just a couple of ineffective window unit air conditioners. We were done. We could/should have skipped it entirely. I got one taste and went outside. Dad and Mary got a sandwich, and we got out of there pretty quickly and walked to the car. I think at Homestead the heat hit all of us and the wine hit Mary. Of course it was 200 degrees inside the car. Mary was in the back and went to sleep as soon as we started driving. She didn’t feel too great, so she took a very long nap when we got home. Dad and I had short naps ourselves.

It was a lovely day, all in all. Grapevine is definitely worth a visit, and the wines should be investigated. I think there is a Wine Trail event sometime in the fall. But I would like to visit when there isn’t a crowd and I could have a chance to visit with the folks who pour and make the wines. I also want to visit Delany Vineyards. It was not included in this event. It’s fully operational winery and vineyard is there. I am not sure that any of these others grow their grapes there in the Grapevine area. I suspect most of them don’t grow their own grapes at all. Nothing wrong with that, but I am curious to learn more.