I woke up this morning to a cool breeze and no humidity…finally! Celebrate the full blue moon tonight! I’ll be celebrating tonight and be back tomorrow with a review.
Happy Friday! Cheers! Penina It was another scorcher yesterday. I tried to get all of my obligations out of the way early so that I could immerse myself in air conditioning for the rest of the day. I had every intention of staying home for the evening. However, my friend coaxed me out of my “cool” cocoon to join him for dinner, promising me a nice bottle of wine. He did not disappoint me. In addition to a wonderful meal, we opened a 2012 Freemark Abbey Viognier from Napa Valley. Wow! It was the palest of straw with floral aromas, stone fruit and lemon. This medium-bodied wine was layered with flavors of honeysuckle, citrus, peach, tropical fruits and a hint of oak. It was rich and very decadent, with a touch of spice lingering on the finish. http://www.freemarkabbey.com An interesting note: Freemark Abbey was the only California winery to have both a Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon selected to compete at the Judgment of Paris in 1976! I will look forward to tasting more of their wines. Busy day…must run.
Happy Thursday! Cheers! Penina As the day came to a close yesterday, I got together with a friend for a late afternoon/early evening swim and drink. As he drank his beer and I my vodka, I realized how little I really know about beer. I never developed a taste for it and am always overwhelmed by the choices when purchasing it to keep on hand for company. My introduction to beer came at the age of 15, when I was handed a bottle of Rolling Rock at a party. I remember how cold and refreshing it was, but also sour and bitter at the same time. I think that I might have taken 3 sips and moved on to fruit juice. I didn’t try beer again until I was in my early twenties and it was out of necessity. I was on a boat, out on the ocean on a very hot day in Miami. The only beverage in the cooler was beer. I was extremely thirsty and drank a whole bottle of Heineken. No…I didn’t enjoy it. My last foray into “beer drinking” was about 8 years later, when a group of us went to Little Italy to dine on very hot and spicy calamari. My mouth was on fire and I grabbed the closest liquid to me…a Miller Lite. I gulped it down without really tasting it. I’ve certainly taken a sip of beer here and there over the years, but still have no idea what it’s all about! Perhaps it’s time to explore the world of beer and educate my palate!
Happy Tuesday! Cheers! Penina Thunder in the distance and threatening skies couldn’t keep me home last night. I met some friends for a quick bite and a drink at Jean-Georges’ Restaurant. We wanted to shake things up a little bit and order some fun drinks. I opted for the Vodka Thyme Lemonade. My friends had Ginger Margaritas and Maker’s Mark Bourbon, Passion-Chili. It was festive and quite enjoyable. The drinks at Jean-George are always interesting. He enhances the classic cocktail with seasonal ingredients and interesting house-made syrups. Some of the cocktail recipes can be found on line. Others remain a mystery, such as the Maker’s Mark Bourbon cocktail. The cocktail menu is very eclectic and inviting! http://www.jean-georges.com Happy Monday!
Cheers! Penina It’s one of those sultry days that reminds me of summer time in Miami Beach where I lived for many years. It was when South Beach was filled with elderly people blissfully sitting on the front porches of the Art Deco hotels. It was a time when I could saunter up to a window on Ocean Drive, order Café Cubano and sip it from a little shot glass while watching the waves roll in across the street. I sadly watched the transition of South Beach. I watched the hotels being transformed one by one and the elderly people (including my uncle) being displaced from their homes. I watched as the carnival like atmosphere, trendy restaurants and nightclubs emerged. And yes, as the years went by, I returned again and again to enjoy the “new” South Beach. But I cherish the memories of another time and place. And no matter how many times I visit, I am still transported back to being that young girl enjoying Ocean Drive and waving to all the bubbas and zaydes on the front porch. Have a peaceful Sunday! Cheers! Penina The weekend will be over in the blink of an eye and there is so much to share with you. I was going to tell you about an interesting vodka that I tasted a few days ago, but I’d rather talk about Friday evening! Last night a group of us went to Daryl’s House Club, a restaurant and live music club in Pawling, NY. Daryl Hall of the famous “Hall & Oates” music duo, has created a warm and intimate venue for good food and great music. He strategically set up large screens throughout the bar and main restaurant, so that live performances can be viewed from every table or bar stool. Although the food service can be a little slow on a performance night, it is worth the wait. The food is fresh and tasty! John Sebastian of The Lovin Spoonful entertained us. His voice is not what it used to be, but his charm, guitar and harmonica skills are rockin! Every song took us down memory lane. Every story he told warmed our hearts. It was a special evening! Check out Daryl’s website. He has an interesting lineup of performing artists. If your travels bring you to the area, it is worth the stop to Daryl’s House. We’ll be going back!
http://www.darylshouseclub.com I’m chilling wine for this evening. What will you be drinking? Happy Saturday! Cheers! Penina It was a beautiful day yesterday and jam packed with a long “to do” list. My goal was to get as much done as possible and then squeeze in a late afternoon swim. Mission accomplished! Prior to scooting out the door for an evening engagement, I opened a rosé that had been chilling in my refrigerator for a few weeks. It was a 2014 Charles & Charles Rosé from Columbia Valley, Washington. It was an interesting blend of 72% Syrah, 8% Mourvedre, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Grenache, 3% Cinsault, 3% Counoise. The color was such a deep pink, it was bordering on coral. Aromas of watermelon and apples greeted me. The palate was soft fruit, strawberry, with a hint of citrus and candy apple on the finish. It is not a bad “go to” wine for the price…about $12.00 a bottle. http://www.charlessmithwines.com I’m off to embrace another beautiful day! Happy Thursday! Cheers! Penina When one thinks of watching baseball at a ballpark, it might evoke images of hotdogs, popcorn, crackerjacks and beer. However, if sitting in the comfort of one’s living room and watching the game on TV…well…anything goes! Last night, with the temps still hanging in the 90’s, grilling was out of the question. In the spirit of the game, my friend suggested picking up a pizza and beer to watch the Mets vs Nationals game. I told him to bring pizza dough and I would make the pie. I topped the pizza with caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, goat cheese and fresh basil. After it was done, I drizzled truffle oil on it. Yum! Towards the end of the game, we poured some Prunier VSOP Cognac to sip on. I have reviewed this cognac a few times. You can find my reviews in the archives, under cognac. As far as the game went…the Mets lost. It is another hot and humid day, but I have lots to do.
Enjoy your Tuesday! Cheers, Penina I can’t believe that it is already Sunday. The weekend flew by quickly. After a rocky start to the day yesterday with thunderstorms and house issues, things began to settle down…for a short time. Although I was reticent to go on a sunset boat ride with friends due to the earlier storms, I was cajoled into hopping aboard. As I suspected, the water was a little too choppy for my enjoyment. However, I smiled, laughed and didn’t eat! Our hosts provided lots of food and a variety of drinks. I drank lots of water and sipped on 2013 La Crema Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley It was a beautiful straw color with a nose full of apple, citrus and oak. The palate was layered with pear, apple, toasted nuts, honey and citrus. It was full-bodied and well balanced. The finish was long and smooth. The wine was barrel aged for nine months and alcohol was 14.5%. http://www.lacrema.com My land legs are back and I’m staying low key today.
Happy Sunday! Cheers! Penina I thought I had been shot out of a cannon yesterday because I never hit the ground from all the activity. So it was a welcome thirty minutes of swimming towards the end of the day that set the tone for the upcoming evening. I put on some music, started grilling vegetables and prepared the salmon for an early dinner. I had a great bottle of wine chilling and the weather was ideal for outdoor dining. We opened a 2011 Grgich Hills Estate Chardonnay. Wow! It was heavenly. The color was intense yellow with tropical fruit, citrus and oak aromas. The palate offered juicy tropical fruit, stone fruit and citrus. It was a lovely finish with a hint of spice lingering on the palate. The wine is fermented and aged 10 months in French oak. http://www.grgich.com Instead of giving you a history lesson with regard to the estate, I photographed the back of the bottle. It is an interesting read! I still have much to do before I can kick off my shoes and relax. Happy Friday!
Cheers! Penina |
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