by Christine | Life, Observations
So, the hubby and I were at a restaurant last week, in Santa Monica, on a weeknight. And while it was wonderful to spend some alone time together, we had a ton ‘o fun people watching.
Not Santa Monica. This is Laguna Beach, taken by me this past February.
The couple in the booth next to us didn’t seriously come to our attention until, as we were chatting with our waiter, we hear this querulous voice.
“Waiter, is my entree ready? Because we really have to go.”
Our waiter apologized to us, appeased the woman, and disappeared. About 2 minutes later the manager appeared, bearing a steaming hot dish (which looked delish!) to the woman who complained. She complains at once – shrilly – at “all the heavy sauces” (we’re in an Asian Fusion restaurant) and since “nothing suited me, just charge us for what we ate and leave it at that”. The manager, in a calm, low-voiced manner, thanks her and goes off to prepare her check, the steaming dish still in his hand.
She tells her husband, in piercing tones we cannot avoid, “the dishes were all right, tasted good, but the sauces were just so thick.” Um, seriousWhen they get up to leave, her husband has an embarrassed air about him and she has that discontented look about her eyes and mouth that tell me nothing, ever, will be good enough for her to accept. It makes me pity her husband. They were close in age to me and hubby, but I really just wanted to smack her.
After they are well gone, our waiter comes back. Apparently that couple is the talk of the staff – she had sent back four – FOUR – kobe beef dishes. And didn’t pay for a single one. That’s beef down the drain since it hit a customer’s table. That made me want to doubly smack that woman.
And here’s a flower from my back yard, around Mother’s Day. Epithilium.
A much more humorous (and oddly sad) attraction at dinner was the couple at the bar. He was in his early 50’s; thick, curly gray hair, slightly portly but well within attractive, nice gray suit. She was blonde, tanned, young – mid-late 20’s – in a figure-hugging black strapless dress, shirred front, back and both sides.
We first noticed them because he was fondling her hand, which she had hanging from the back of the bar stool. But her hand was limp – she was not returning his affectionate caresses. For the hour or so we were there, it was an interesting interplay – his eyes would light up, he’d speak, fondle, she’d turn away pick up her drink, turn back, say something.
He was slugging back glasses of red wine. She was sipping what looked like Cosmopolitans. We couldn’t tell if they were conducting a clandestine affair, if they were co-workers, or if she were trying to sell him something (get your mind out of the gutter!).
For awhile, he stood at her side, pressing kisses to her hair, before gazing down into her eyes. He tried to kiss her mouth but she kept ducking him, once even putting her hand over his mouth. He finally did land one, and sat down in triumph. Then she started showing photos to him from her cell phone (which made me think she was selling something) because she was talking non-stop while he was drinking.
I caught a look at her when she went to the ladies’ room. Creamy skin, big tits, smallish waist, big hips all wrapped in a come-get-me package including CFM pumps in a beige that just didn’t go but whatever. The jarring note was the ever-so-slightly pissed off look in her eyes, the tight way she held her mouth.
While she was gone, he ordered new drinks for them. Then when he went to the bathroom? He took his wine with him. Um, REALLY??? People are weird.
Soon after that, she became much more affectionate, leaning her hand on his thigh, touching his face. He chugged his wine down and most of her last drink while she put on more lipstick, then they got up to go. As they walked away, her left hand was in his left hand while his right hand was firmly planted on her ample bottom. What a fascinating peek into other people’s lives…the stories I could make up!
And about our waiter? He’s a new stunt guy in town trying to break into showbiz. We are now Facebook friends, and will help him as much as we can with our limited stunt people knowledge, lol.
We left the restaurant thoroughly entertained and very happy to be together. When was the last time you did some people watching?
~~~
Demon Soul, Blood Dreams and Demon Hunt are all available for the Kindle! Have you fallen into the Caine Brothers’ world yet?
by Christine | Wine Friday
I have a love-hate relationship with the 50% Off shopping cart parked in the wine aisle at my local Pavillions grocery store. Half the time there’s nothing there I want to sample; the rest of the time there are deals too good to pass up. This post points up why sometimes, when dealing with Sale wine, a “too good” deal can cut both ways.
Woodbridge California Chardonnay 2011 by Robert Mondavi Alcohol 13.5% by volume; 1.5L; Regular price $15.99, half price $8.00 at Pavillions.
On the Label: “Our Chardonnay’s vibrant fruit, spice notes and creamy texture make it an elegant match for roasted chicken, grilled fish, fresh salads and creamy cheeses. Believing that wine should be an integral part of life, Robert Mondavi founded Woodbridge Wintery in 1979 to make fine wines for every occasion. He returned to his childhood roots in historic Lodi, California to craft wines using his signature techniques that combine rich tradition with state-of-the-art innovatin. To learn more, visit www.woodbridgewines.com .”
My take: I’ll be honest. I picked up this wine for three reasons: $8 for 1.5L, 2011 Chardonnay, and the Robert Mondavi name. I don’t remember but I believe when I first became aware of Woodbridge, they didn’t tie the Mondavi name to it; and I didn’t like what I tasted when I first found it, years ago now. So I almost never pick up Woodbridge wines. Plus, this was a bulk wine, and while I usually don’t mind bulk wines (especially chardonnays or pinot grigios), this was a Woodbridge bulk wine.
But I picked it up anyway. And for once, the label rang true. This wine went with chicken one night, fish the next. It was a terrific sipping wine for the cook; and because it was a 1.5 liter bottle, it lasted longer than two days which is always a plus.
My Rating: ~ Very Good ~ I went back to pick up another bottle, but didn’t find any still on sale. Found a lot of Woodbridge Muscat, which made me think that perhaps this bottle got mis-sale-labelled? If so, yay for me!
Byron Santa Maria Valley 2002 Chardonnay Alcohol 14.2% by volume; Regular
price $18.97, 50% off for $9.49 at Pavillions.
On the Label: Santa Maria Valley’s unique combination of ultra-cool climate and very long growing season makes it a natural wonder of the winegrowing world. This wine was proudly grown, produced, and bottled on our estate to achieve the ultimate expression of California Chardonnay. ~Ken Brown, Founder & Winemaker May be cellared for five years or more. www.byronwines.com
My Take: Oooookay. I was good with the label until the last line…”may be cellared for five years or more”. Since this is a 2002, five years would put it at 2007. A judicious “or more” would be two more years – which would put it at 2009. And here we are, at the tail end of 2012.
I was really looking forward to tasting this wine, as Byron has a good reputation. Unfortunately, ten years past the bottling date is (and I’m guessing here) 3 to 5 years too long, which makes me wonder a) why Pavillions still had enough of this wine to put more than a bottle or two in the cart for their 50% off sale and b) if it was a new purchase, for God’s sakes, why? Two questions I’ll never know the answer to, I’m guessing.
This wine was to go with the roasted chicken. I tasted it. Hubby tasted it. We opened the Woodbridge that night, instead, and I decided I’d turn the Byron into Sangria. I put it back in the fridge and forgot about it until a couple days later. The next time I noticed it? After tasting it again, I poured it down the drain.
My Rating: ~ Life’s Too Short to Drink Out-Of-Date Wine ~ (otherwise known as Undrinkable) I’m hoping another Byron wine will come my way, so I can do a proper tasting. But as I mentioned in another post, do NOT drink white wines any further out than five years from the date on the bottle, unless a) you paid a heck of a lot more than $10 for it and b) someone else is treating you.
~~~
As usual, this is just my honest opinion and will totally depend upon my mood, the weather, and what cycle the moon is in. Your taste buds will differ.
~ Until the next time, cheers – and remember to drink responsibly! ~
Demon Soul, Blood Dreams and Demon Hunt are all available for the Kindle! Have you fallen into the Caine Brothers’ world yet?
My Rating System: Undrinkable, Barely Drinkable, Drinkable, Very Drinkable, and the ever popular Stay away! This is MY wine, you slut!
by Christine | Reviews
I found Fated, Rebecca Zanetti’s debut book in her Dark Protectors series last year while looking at other paranormal novels that had come out. I read it, loved it, left an Amazon review (which I can’t find now, because there are so many – GO, REBECCA!). So it surprised me when I found Rebecca at RWA National Conference in Anaheim this year, signing Claimed – I didn’t realize it had come out last year, too.
So I bought it, she signed it (how lucky am I?), and I spent yesterday at the beach devouring every word. To the point where it pissed off the hubster. (Sorry, honey!) Her Realm is real, dark, and deadly – and Claimed is the King of the Realm’s story, Dage Kayrs.
In this one novel, Rebecca is lining up the possibility of novels stretching into the future in this world (with the help of Janie Belle, a 4 year old who knows things). Her adding pressure to the Kayrs Royal Family is astounding, and you know, with dead certainty, that when Dage says (something terrible) would never happen, that Zanetti will make damned sure it DOES happen. You just won’t know when. But the seeds are planted…at least, in my twisted little mind they are.
Her storytelling is impeccable. Her characters intriguing and likable. The sex is hot, the deviousness is hotter, and I just realized that Hunted came out, and Tempted, and so has Consumed. Provoked comes out November 1st, 2012. OMG, so much goodness to read!
So, if you’re looking for a hot Paranormal romance that’s written with intelligence and wiles, you want to pick up this series by Rebecca Zanetti. Excuse me while I go download her books…
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Demon Soul, Blood Dreams and Demon Hunt are all available for the Kindle! Have you fallen into the Caine Brothers’ world yet?
by Christine | Cooking
Here’s the first Fish Tacos blog post. But since it had been awhile, I thought I’d give them a try again, with a twist.
The hubby found this terrific recipe for panfried fish that was light, crispy, and very tasty. I decided to take that recipe and make fish tacos from it.
I used Tilapia (got it at Costco – lots of fish!) and cut it into chunks. The order is this; dry fish; cut fish into chunks; coat in flour; salt and pepper; brush with beaten egg and water wash; dip in panko crumbs; fry in a little bit of peanut oil until done.
Serve the fish sticks (because that’s exactly what they looked like) on a platter, and pass around corn tortillas, fresh-from-the-garden chopped tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and pepper, green salsa, shredded cheese, chopped lettuce and slices of lime if you desire. Supplement with tortilla chips and refried beans topped with a little cheese and a dollop of sour cream.
We actually drank sparkling wine with this – a lovely Piper Sonoma Blanc de Blanc, $11.99 at Vons. While a margarita may have been more fitting, the sparkling wine really did a wonderful job.
If you want this to go vegetarian, take a 16 oz bloc of Very Firm Tofu, slice it in half horizontally, then again into “sticks”. Put in a glass bowl, cover with your favorite salsa to marinate. Let sit in fridge for 30-60 minutes, turning at least once. Then proceed as above with the frying, only omit the flouring and seasoning – do try the panko, though, as it makes the tofu nicely crispy.
Since tofu has no flavor on its own, you really have to marinate it in order for it to have a flavor. If you like, you can simply marinate in a lemon/lime juice and chopped cilantro mixture. Whatever makes your taste buds happy!
How do you make fish tacos? I’m always looking for new recipes!
Wrangling Effort: Easy but time consuming
Taste: Very Good
Make Again? Absolutely – though maybe as fish sticks, lol!
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Demon Soul, Blood Dreams and Demon Hunt are all available for the Kindle! Have you fallen into the Caine Brothers’ world yet?
by Christine | Wine Friday
In these days of high unemployment and global financial crisis, it’s nice to relax with a bottle of wine that doesn’t break your pocketbook. I’m here to sort out the memorable from the truly awful, and each bottle is either under $10 or close to it.
As we’re always looking for a bargain, when hubby stumbled on a Cameron Hughes wine in the 50% off bin at Vons, he promptly picked it up. Then a day later, there was a spread on Cameron Hughes wines at Costco, with a spokesperson there hawking the wines. He said basically that Hughes gets “first pick” of grapes from many different growers across the world, and then makes his wines based on the grapes he buys. So he doesn’t actually grow his own grapes (not that there’s anything wrong with that).
One of the issues, however, is that he doesn’t produce in quantity in any one year. So the wine at Costco was running low – and Costco likes volume. So Costco was selling the wines at a discount.
Below is my take on two of the wines of Cameron Hughes.
Cameron Hughes Evergreen Series 2006 Chardonnay Carneros Alcohol 14.5% by Volume; $4.50 at half price sale from Vons.
On The Label: “Cameron Hughes Wine is a trading company sourcing ultra premium wines from wineries and growers around the globe. Our Evergreen Series represents year-round availability and demonstrates our commitment to environmental sustainability.
“Our Carneros Chardonnay is sourced from the finest growers and winery partners. Because they produce wines for much more expensive projects they must remain anonymous. A rich multifaceted Chardonnay featuring bright layers of pear, apricot and honeysuckle flabors. Hints of toasted hazelnut and holiday spice complete this elegant wine.
“Through our partnership with Carbonfund.org, we purchase carbon offsets to ensure our Evergreen Series has zero net carbon impact on our environment. For more information visit www.chwine.com.”
My Take: I find the label high in the snob factor (“Our Carneros Chardonnay is sourced from the finest growers and winery partners. Because they produce wines for much more expensive projects they must remain anonymous.), plus the lack of commas is appalling. I guess they didn’t think to have anyone look at the label from a grammar standpoint. I guess you could say I’m a label snob; the less on the label, the more I like it. This label gets a huge D- from me.
That said, six years is about the limit you want to take a Chardonnay, especially one under $10 not on sale. This was just on the line of a respectable Chardonnay. I am not sure, though, if I’d waited even a week, that the wine would have been any good. It was an acceptable accompaniment to the panko-fried fish we had for dinner.
However, I was very surprised at the high alcohol content of this wine. I prefer my whites in the 13% range, and did find this wine a bit astringent.
My Rating: ~ Drinkable ~ Though I suggest finding a 2009 Chardonnay, and avoiding the 2006 at this point. The good reviews I found were from 2008.
Cameron Hughes Lot 234 2009 Meritage Atlas Peak, Napa Valley Alcohol 14.2%
by Volume; $11.99 at Costco.
On The Label: “Cameron Hughes is an international negociant, sourcing and producing small lots of high quality wine from the world’s best regions. Cameron offers a diverse range of wines uniquely represented by the Lot number on this label.
“Lot 234 is rich with wild berries, violet and herbacious flavors. Exotic fruit and savory notes compete for attention. True Atlas Peak. Outstanding.”
My Take: Regarding the label, the snob factor is still there. Plus I’m irritated that they didn’t list the types of grapes melded in this “meritage”. Just because they say it’s one doesn’t mean it is, especially if they don’t name the grapes. Makes me suspicious, but that’s me I guess.
That said, I did enjoy this wine. It’s got a nice flavor, is juicy and big, and went perfectly with our grilled steaks and corn on the cob. I bought two bottles, thinking this is a wine I’ll like, and I’m glad I did as there aren’t any more in Costco.
My Rating: ~ Very Drinkable ~
Overall, regarding Cameron Hughes wines, I will not go out of my way to find, or consume, any more. The labels with their snobbish attitude were a huge turnoff. I’d much rather press the hand of the winery owner as I stand in their tasting room, and hear his stories of the latest harvest. I’d much rather stroll the vineyards on a chilly spring morning. Maybe that’s the California girl in me, but I like having that connection, even when buying wines in the grocery store. Cameron Hughes wines doesn’t go out of their way to reach me as a consumer. They’re targeting someone with a bigger wallet, I guess. And that is totally their prerogative.
Cameron Hughes feels like a big wine corporation, not a person. I prefer my wines to be personable. Am I being unreasonable? Perhaps. But I doubt my opinion will matter that much in the grander scheme of things.
As usual, this is just my honest opinion and depend upon my mood, the weather, and what cycle the moon is in. Your taste buds will differ.
~ Until the next time, cheers – and remember to drink responsibly! ~
Demon Soul, Blood Dreams and Demon Hunt are all available for the Kindle! Have you fallen into the Caine Brothers’ world yet?
My Rating System: Undrinkable, Barely Drinkable, Drinkable, Very Drinkable, and the ever popular Stay away! This is MY wine, you slut!
