Wednesday Wine: 40th Birthday Festivities Preview & Naked on Roller Skates

So. It has been somewhat crazy since last Wednesday. Crazy in a sorta life changing 40th Birthday kind of way. So much more to come on that.  So, stay tuned. For now, the Cliff’s Notes version: festivities were had and it was overwhelmingly about friends, wine and laughter. Life doesn’t get much better than that.

Unless you’re naked and on roller skates.

Well, then, life might be pretty darn good.

Or just breezy and chilly.

Fun 40th Birthday Fact #1: The Wine Aficionado showed up to my birthday party with this lovely gem in tow:

If you know The Wine Aficionado you would know that nothing was implied by the sharing of this wine.  Well, other than the fact that The Wine Aficionado is also sometimes lured by a really cool looking label.

Truth be told, I am kind of musing it’s suggestion for future Bucket List opportunities.  Right up there with meeting Portuguese people, a really great kiss and going to sniper school.

But, I’m a big fan of littering my lists with things I can actually achieve.

As for the wine review: it was a Shiraz and it was really good.

Really good.

I did not expect that from a Shiraz on roller skates.**

Fun 40th Birthday Fact #2: Jules Cobb has some competition.

Knowing my love for Cougar Town, one of my friends surprised me with this monstrosity. I’m pretty sure if Jules’ Big Tippi were in a room with my Ginormous George she would crack with admiration.

I’m also pretty sure that Ginormous George will come in handy in fulfilling Bucket List opportunities listed in Fun 40th Birthday Fact #1.

And probably numerous other things.

To milestone birthdays, shockingly naked grapes, and really huge glasses to drink it all in!

Cheers!

** P.S. – If you want an entertaining read about wines, check out Some Young Punk’s website (the genius behind the Naked on Roller Skates wine).  These wines just happen to be  inspired by certain pulp fiction novels between the 20’s to 50’s.  This former journalism major thinks that is pretty freaking cool.

Wednesday Wine: Celebrating a One Year Anniversary of the B Side

Oh, how I love this wine.

Wednesday evening a year ago I was, as you may remember, being introduced to Layer Cake.  I failed to mention that once we drained Hey Mambo’s Layer Cake Primitivo supply, our party moved to the B Side. Now, don’t get me wrong, I loved Layer Cake and all the festivities that ensued thereafter but my absolute favorite discovery that night was B Side – a Cabernet so silky smooth that my tongue shivered in pure unadulterated bliss.  I felt like I had happened upon a diamond in the rough. Interestingly, B Side’s tagline is “From the Flip Side,” a nod to the additional song on a record (anyone remember these???) accompanying the A Side hit:

In the early 1950s record companies introduced the two-sided 45. The “A” side played the song the record companies hoped would become a hit. But the “B” side was often the real find, frequently revealing an undiscovered gem.

Inspired by these unheralded classics, B Side wines bring this alternative sensibility to the decidedly A-list world of Napa Valley wine. Hailing from Napa’s “flip” side, B Side reds are crafted with grapes sourced from the slightly-off-the-beaten-track vineyards along the valley’s eastern hillsides. They’re authentic originals: a little experimental and unexpected, crafted and perfected behind-the-scenes for those with a penchant for discovery. (source: B Side Wine)

Growing up with a grandfather that had collected over 3,000 records (including 6 full operas) that have nowhere to go but my garage, I can see why this wine speaks to me!  I have an uncanny connection to the record world for sure!  There is no doubt that B Side is one artistic wine through and through. Definitely worth a turn of the flip side.

And, another small confession from last Wednesday’s post . . . though it was a weeknight, I may have bended my training rules ever so slightly with a celebratory glass of B Side to singleness and 7 Blue Hey Mambo jazz night that very night.

Okay, maybe a glass and a half.

Aaannnd . . . I may have introduced another willing soul to the flip side as well.

But, where others are concerned, I am not one to sip and tell.

To living . . . and drinking . . . on the flip side.

Cheers!

Wednesday Wine: Tempranillo

I feel that in the pursuit of finding and enjoying wine(s) — especially when you enjoy the challenge of finding diamond in the rough wines as I do — it is a true discipline of the soul to be content with the fact that not every wine in your stash will live up to the hype.

Or, in my case, the pretty label.  Let’s face it, when you’re less of a wine connoisseur and more of a wine drinkeur, the growing wine collection is probably based more upon an overwhelming ratio of pretty and appealing labels versus any real standing in the wine rating charts.

Judge a book by its cover?

Why, yes, I do.

Admit it, you do it too.

I don’t normally drink a lot of wine during training. I usually save the enjoyment of a glass or two for the evening or day after our long run.  This past weekend I went to an All Things Pumpkin party and surprisingly — and thankfully — there aren’t a lot of pumpkin wines out there.  And, really, I don’t feel that there ever needs to be a market for one.  Pumpkin really should just stay to the muffins, pies and pancake markets of the food industry. Just sayin’.

So, I broke a small rule on Monday night and opened one of my cheap inexpensive bottles that I had recently acquired from my Kansas City/Trader Joe’s run weekend.

 I picked up this cheap inexpensive Tempranillo as I was motivated to branch out from my Cabernet Sauvignon leanings because I am, in fact, like a moth to Cabernet’s flame.  I will pick it almost every time.  Remembering that I had a Tempranillo once at Vintage 1740 (also in an effort to branch out from my Cabernet predilections) with some fairly fond memories of it, I deemed it worthy for my stash.  Plus, the label was kind of cool.  Interestingly, I have no memories of this certain Tempranillo’s name.  Wouldn’t it be funny if it was this very same wine??

In any case, Monday night’s dinner was Sweet & Sour Meatballs, Cheesy Hash brown Casserole and green beans. (If I’m ever in a last-meal type of situation, I’m pretty sure this would be my pick.  Especially since Smoke has failed all my pleas to bring back the Petite Tenderloin Medallions over heavenly pillows of risotto. Such rejection!)

On opening and first pour, the aroma was pretty powerful.  I got a little giddy thinking I was about to partake of something similar to a Cabernet.  It smelled very bold and complex.  Surprisingly, it was very thin and weak.  The lack of body really took me aback.  Thinking that maybe I had failed to give the wine a chance to breathe, I set it aside.  But the remainder of the glass was the same – a nose full of promise and very little payoff.

Not ready to give up, I attempted another glass last night with the same meal as Monday night hoping that I would find some improvement.  Again, the initial nose was outstanding!  It smelled of tart cherries and plums.  I think I even smelled a hint of tobacco!  And while the aftertaste had a little more body than the night before, it was just not enough to endear itself to me. Don’t get me wrong — I won’t dump the bottle down the drain — but life’s too short for wines that are all talk and not enough action. Wouldn’t you agree?

To the pursuit of wines with a little less talk and a lot more action. . . and to knowing when to fold ’em and when to walk away . . .

Cheers!

Wednesday Wine: A Nod to a Sav Blanc

It’s that time of year when everyone is putting away the summery white wines in lieu of the winter reds. You know, like putting away white pants and shoes after Labor Day. Probably due to bringing out all the winter red wines. Give me a moment and I can tie everything back to wine. 🙂

Seeing as I have only recently been discovering white wines thanks to the enthusiastic encouragement of The Wine Aficionado (and I am most enthusiastically a red wine girl) I feel the need to share this inexpensive little white I picked up at Trader Joe’s while I was in Kansas City a couple of weekends ago. (Or, maybe you’ve just been pulled into my shameless plug to bring Trader Joe’s to Oklahoma. More specifically bring Trader Joe’s to Tulsa.)

I pulled this Sauvignon Blanc out, 1) to kick up my White Chili and 2) to have a glass of wine. Definitely citrusy with hints of kiwi and minimal dryness on finish. This was nice as my hesitance to most whites is that they are either too sweet or too dry. I know. I’m quirky that way. In any case, I’m growing into my appreciation of the whites and for the $7 price tag at Trader Joe’s I would keep this one in my wine stash.

That is, IF I had a Trader Joe’s quotes handy. Say, right here in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Shameless plug x 2)

To drinking white in winter and shameless plugs!

Cheers!

Wednesday Wine: A $100 Bottle of Wine & a Confession

So.  As I recently posted here, I had a lovely weekend reuniting with the extended family.

I also had a lovely reunion with wine.

Okay, so it had only been a week since I had a glass of wine but in wine weeks that’s a very long week! Training for a marathon tends to keep me fairly focused.  I’m not a big fan of losing calories to something I’m drinking. And, I’m really not a fan of my body trying to metabolize wine during running.  It is not a good idea.

Several glasses of sherry is also not a good idea before a run.

But, that is not my story.

It is also not my confession.

Behold, a $100 bottle of wine

I drank a $100 bottle of wine this weekend.

More aptly put, I had a glass of a $100 bottle of wine this weekend.

It may have been a touch more than a glass.

But, that is not my confession.

Confession: I drank a glass and a touch more of this very pricey bottle of wine and for the life of me I could not taste the $100.

True story.

I feel like a wine enthusiast failure.

I’ve been trying to determine what went wrong.

A few thoughts…

1. Francis Ford Coppola’s Director’s Cut Pinot opened our dinner with very nice reviews. I am not a huge Pinot Noir fan but I thought FFC made a fine performance for an inexpensive wine.

2. I’m not naming any names, but my cousin broke the cork in his efforts to open the bottle. It’s possible that the wine knew it had been compromised and withheld $100 worth of pleasure.

3. I may have drank $100 Bottle of Wine out of a plastic cup. Please don’t judge me. But, alas, there are probably some drinking utensils that even a song by Toby Keith can’t solve.

4. I quickly realized my wine glass faux pas and abandoned plastic cup for my glass water goblet.  I thought it was a rather meaningful effort to trick $100 Bottle of Wine into believing it was being enjoyed in the much classier vessel I’m sure it believed it deserved. I suppose it was not fooled.

5. $100 Bottle of Wine buckled under the pressure. Some sort of performance anxiety? I guess it’s always possible.

All this to say, $100 Bottle of Wine was not entirely a wash. In fact, this wine seemed to get better as it breathed (don’t we all) though it seemed, for lack of better description, thin and lacking any real character or body. Maybe my eagerness to enjoy such an uncommon treasure put a lot of expectation on rushing the experience?

Who knows.  Please don’t let this keep you from sharing your $100 Bottles of Wine(s) with me.  I do, if anything, learn from past mistakes.

To unassuming $100 Bottles of Wine and the unwitting but enthusiastic wine consumers who drink them . . .

Cheers and Happy Wednesday folks!

A Family Affair: Highlights of a Weekend Wedding

1.  Had some great time with my uncle and aunt from Kentucky who were also in for the wedding.  We ate at one of my aunt’s favorite restaurants on Friday afternoon down in the Plaza.  The food really was stellar.  Shared a turkey wrap with my mom and indulged in a bowl of butternut squash soup. With all this fall weather now upon us, I’m thinking this will be something I recreate soon.

2.  On Saturday morning, I found a great running trail near my hotel and managed to get in an easy 6 mile run.  It truly was the perfect fall morning for a run in a very scenic (and, may I add, hilly?) part of the Kansas City area.

3.  On Saturday afternoon, I managed to kidnap the hotel lobby television and watch the OU/Texas game with some – go figure – OSU Cowboys fans.  They were very kind to mourn with me over my team’s utter failure to show up to the game. . . though I’m fairly certain that secretly they were gloating on the inside.

4.  Enjoyed seeing one of my younger cousin’s get married.  A ranch just outside of Kansas City was the perfect idyllic setting for an October wedding.  The day really couldn’t have been more perfect.  I love this picture  I caught of my aunt and uncle embracing each other as they watched their son wait  in anticipation of seeing his bride for the first time.

5.  And the party following was pretty fantastic as well.  At least, that’s what I kept telling the pounding in my head the next morning! Ha.  My uncle Gayle has recently gotten into brewing and his pale ale was featured at the wedding.  I am not a beer fan but I tried it and it really was tasty.  And, instead of the traditional wedding cake, there were all kind of pies.  I’m willing to bet there wasn’t a slice left…the pies were definitely a hit!

6.  My favorite accomplishment of the weekend may have been taking a selfie picture I didn’t actually hate. Which one do you like?

I feel like I’m growing in my selfie photography abilities.

Of course, that could have had something to do with this:

or this:

or this:

But more on those “thises” later.

It truly was great to catch up with extended family even though so many were missing.  I found myself somewhat nostalgic about days of the past. My younger cousins would hardly be pleased to be reminded that I once babysat them and changed their diapers but those are most of my significant memories with them.  To be honest, it is sad to me that distance has moved many of these extended family relationships into almost extinction since grandparents who anchored the family with reasons to reunite have since passed.  Being together again definitely reignited a wish to see everyone gathered in the near future soon.  Hopefully the arrival of another cousin’s little one in December will give us another opportunity to reunite and celebrate soon!

Wednesday Wine: Dating Gems and New Best Friends

When you get to be my age and you’re still single and out there in the dating world, dating becomes more and more just an interesting pastime rather than any kind of productive process. Truly. I have found that, in order to keep my sense of humor about the flagrant lack of fish in my online and real world dating pond, it works for me to approach dating as a means to enjoy  discovering something new or appreciating something I never would have previously.

For example, I have long not been a fan of sushi. However, on a date I had with a guy back in December, he suggests sushi and drinks for dinner. My first thought was, “Yeah, there’s probably not a future for us but okay, why not.”  At my prompting, he orders for us. Surprise, surprise, it was fabulous! Turns out, I was ordering sushi all wrong. There was still no future for us but, hey, all my girlfriends who love sushi were grateful to David the Sushi Guy for putting Stormie on the sushi train. I’m now a fan.

And, so it was on a date earlier this spring with Chris the German Shepherd Guy when I was introduced to Katherine.

Katherine is one stellar wine.  I’m pretty sure she knows it. She is melt-in-your-mouth Cabernet. Hints of black cherries and blackberries with a finish that slowly hits the back of your tongue just to remind you it’s cabernet. Downright elegant.

At around $18 a bottle, your budget will try to convince you she’s not your everyday wine. But, believe me, she’s worth busting the budget. Katherine’s the kind of girl who can dress up and go out on the town as much as she can throw on a pair of two-day worn jeans and hang out on the couch watching football with you.  In fact, I picked up a bottle of Katherine just this past weekend to enjoy while watching the Sooners narrowly beat TCU.  She has quite the palliative skills, this Katherine. I highly suggest you pick Katherine up on your way home tonight and enjoy her with dinner. You will be thanking me tomorrow.

As you have presumably already surmised by this very long-winded attempt to make this overdue introduction to my newest BFF Katherine, German Shepherd Guy and I were not MFEO. And, just between you, me and Katherine, I’m pretty sure I got the better end of that deal.

So, who knows what new discoveries await me in this glorious world of dating.  Maybe I finally decide I like dancing in public . . . or listening to Justin Bieber music . . . or noodling in the Arkansas River . . . .

Right.

Or maybe it all just helps me cope.

To dating all the wrong people and drinking all the good wine!

Cheers!

Wine Wednesday: All Things Layer Cake

I was actually going to wait about a month before posting about this wine.  But, thanks to this picture texted last night from The Wine Aficionado, I just couldn’t resist.

It all began on a cool, crisp November evening.

A Wednesday evening.

November 7, 2012 to be exact.

Even more precisely, my birthday.

Birthday 39.

*sigh*

Indecisive about celebrating, at the very last minute I invited a handful of people to come eat dinner with me at Hey Mambo and perhaps raise a glass to the last year of my thirties.

Being Wednesday, it was also 7 Blue and jazz night.

Ah, wine and jazz night.

When I arrived at Hey Mambo, Wine Aficionado and his wife were already planted at the bar sipping on glasses of white wine.  (They’re chill that way.)

Wine Aficionado immediately told me he had the perfect Italian birthday wine already scoped out for me. (He’s funny that way.)

He insisted on buying me a glass of birthday wine.  (He’s cool that way.)

I’m sure I perused the wine list thinking I’d pick a glass of wine.

He went on to explain that the Layer Cake Zinfandel was not only Italian and would pair nicely with whatever Italian dish I chose, but it had a cake on the bottle thereby solidifying the fact that it was definitely meant to be consumed by me on this very night. (Yes, he’s enthusiastic and borderline high-strung that way.)

So, you know, what’s a girl to do but have her cake and drink it too?

And, wouldn’t you know it, but Wine Aficionado was right? (He’s right on the money that way.)

The Layer Cake Primitivo was a huge surprise!  A red so smooth you really don’t know you’re drinking wine. Until you’ve had a glass too many.

By the time the rest of the party arrived, everyone was on the Layer Cake party train.  And with the Wine Aficionado at the pouring helm, we very quickly moved through the restaurant’s entire stash.

Best 39th birthday a girl could ask for.

Even after the evening was over, we could not let go of our Layer Cake infatuation. We began to shop for it. We wondered about the other varietals in the Layer Cake line.  Could the others win our hearts as swiftly as the Zin?

We had to know.

Wine Aficionado announced a tasting party. Everyone was tasked with finding one varietal and buying two bottles for a Layer Cake evening.

When it comes to wine, we’re pretty good at doing as we’re told.

I was further tasked with making a cake inspired by the label.

When it comes to making cakes, I also follow instructions pretty well.

And, again, with Wine Aficionado at the pouring helm, we tasted.

Chardonnay.

Zinfandel.

Cabernet Sauvignon.

Shiraz.

Malbec.

To this day, I have no clear memory of which wine actually won our esteem. Though based on the pictures I took, I assume it was this one:

One thing I am sure of is that we enjoyed every Layer of this Cake.

And so did this guy.

To friends, to laughter, to stumbling upon new finds in life!

Cheers!

 

an 11-miler and a breakfast that would make the Contessa proud

Today’s training run was an 11-mile progression run.  Even though there was a possible threat of rain during the scheduled morning training run, I passed on the group run this morning and got the miles in on my treadmill.  It was just one of those days where I just needed a little more time before getting out of bed.  Most of my running buddies think I’m crazy to do long distances on the treadmill if I don’t have to.  But, I don’t mind it. Actually, I kind of like it.  It’s okay. Call me Crazy. I won’t take it personally.

Made myself a great post-run breakfast that I wanted to share. Everything I’m learning and reading about endurance training advocates consuming a good amount of protein within 20 minutes following long runs and hard workouts.  It helps rebuild what was torn in the muscles during the workout.  I have started incorporating either low-fat chocolate milk or almond milk with egg white protein powder in that post-run window but I also make sure my breakfast has some good sources too.  I’m for all the muscle recovery I can get!

So, this morning I was STARVING post-run.  Can I say, a progression run on a treadmill is workout? There’s no slowing down and speeding up that happens when you’re out on the road. Treadmill runs are constant speeds for the duration of the progression. Oh, and hills. Did I mention I set my workout to randomly engage inclines between 0-5 percent for the duration of the 11 miles?  Just to fend off the “treadmill running is flat” naysayers.

Needless to say, I was more than ready to eat and really didn’t want to have to wait longer while cooking something elaborate.  I started to grab the very handy egg white carton when I was deterred by the sight of a perfectly ripe avocado in my fridge’s veggie drawer.   Then I spied the package of white corn tortillas on the shelf above that I bought last weekend and had since forgotten. A little red onion, bell pepper and spinach sautéed in a spray of coconut oil and within minutes my inner Barefoot Contessa rewarded my inner Hungry Runner Girl with…

White Corn & Egg White Breakfast Tacos.

Game changer.

So easy, I almost hate to call it cooking!  The only thing I might add might be a sprinkle of feta or gruyere.  Or some sort greek yogurt drizzle.

And maybe just a glass of breakfast wine.

Wednesday Wine: Alamos Red Blend 2012

A good friend of mine is on vacation in California this week and felt the need to text me earlier and remind me so. Believe me, it is rather annoying to be sitting here behind a paperwork-piled desk when you’re getting reminded that somewhere else at this very moment, the view looks like this:

To add insult to injury, she reminded me that today she hits up wine country.

The nerve.

Actually, I’m excited for my friend’s adventures and I would be there too if I could have worked it into the budget. So, instead of whine about it, why not write about it? In fact, I think a Wednesday in and of itself is an occasion worth celebrating! I mean, we’ve made it halfway through the workweek, right? Definitely the perfect reason to raise a glass in my book! If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em, no?

Tipping off today’s Wednesday Wine post is a bottle of the Argentinian Alamos I opened Sunday late afternoon while I was prepping some meals for the week.

I actually picked this one up recently because I was on an Argentinian wine kick. I was recently inspired by an Argentinian white that a wine aficionado friend introduced me to at Chimera, a great new eatery/bar/coffee shop located in the Brady District. This red blend was actually quite nice. I’m not really much of a Malbec fan which are very widely used in Argentinian blends. I thought this was very smooth and not overly tannic. It was a nice red to drink all by itself. And, coming in around $11 a bottle, it is a great weeknight wine and won’t break the bank if you wanted to serve it at a casual dinner party.

Aaaahh…I feel much better, don’t you?

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

Cheers.