It’s no secret that I am a reidel carrying member of the red wine fan club. Which is why I found this study quite interesting. It suggests that different types of music can enhance the flavor of wines.
The white wine was rated 40% more refreshing when “zingy” music was played, but only 26% more mellow and soft when music in that category was heard.
The red was altered 25% by mellow and fresh music, yet 60% by powerful and heavy music.
Some recommendations based on their study: Cabernet Sauvignon: All Along The Watchtower (Jimi Hendrix), Honky Tonk Woman (Rolling Stones), Won’t Get Fooled Again (The Who)
Chardonnay: What’s LoveTaste Got To Do With It (Tina Turner), Spinning Around (Kylie Minogue), Atomic (Blondie)
Syrah: Nessun Dorma (Puccini), Orinoco Flow (Enya), Chariots Of Fire (Vangelis), Canon (Johann Pachelbel)
Merlot: Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay (Otis Redding), Easy (Lionel Ritchie), Over The Rainbow (Eva Cassidy), Heartbeats (Jose Gonzalez)
A sharply divided California Supreme Court today legalized same-sex marriage, an historic ruling that will allow gay and lesbian couples across the state to wed as soon as next month.
In a 4-3 ruling written by Chief Justice Ronald George, the Supreme Court struck down California laws that restrict marriage to heterosexual couples, finding that it is unconstitutional to deprive gays and lesbians of the equal right to walk down the aisle with a marriage license in hand.
Oh, what a party it will be in the bay area (and the rest of the sunshine state) tonight!
I was very amused to stumble across this blog today which is documenting a comical list of things younger than John McCain including the TV dinner, the ballpoint pen, Keith Richards & Alaska. The video is equally amusing.
I found myself starving before lunchtime today and decided it would be easier to pick something up. I didn’t have cash so I turned to Yelp for some assistance. As I was looking through the neighborhood joints I came across one that I’ve passed by a hundred times before. Near where I work, in our funky industrial area, is a tiny little building (less than 300sq ft) that proudly proclaims to be the Georgetown Truck Stop.
I had a good feeling when I saw that all 18 reviews were 5 stars and even better when I began reading them. Read More »
As I vaguely hinted at, I had a few surprises for Lach’s return. Not only did I try to stock up on her favorite soups and drinks, I also did some major damage on some house-related projects that we’d long discussed. I didn’t get around to painting but I did get the blinds installed over the kitchen door. With some help, I also got our kayaks hung up and organized a small studio space in the basement. All of this I was very proud of.
For the biggest project of all, I called in serious back up from a couple of our best friends, Texass and Teach. Without their work “on the plantation” (as it came to be known) I never would have been able to accomplish all that we did. For the last two weekends before Lach got home, you may have noticed that posting got a little quiet. That would be because I was either shoveling, moving rocks, or moaning on the couch with the chiropractor on speed dial.
The fruits of our labor (literally) will hopefully be arriving soon…
What was once an overgrown hill covered in a variety of weeds and wild (read EVIL) blackberry thorns, is now home to our terraced garden of herbs, tomatoes, squash and peppers. I don’t know if the peppers will make it in our climate, but I’ve also toyed with the idea of making the bottom terrace a small greenhouse. Otherwise, if they don’t produce, they will be replaced with lettuce or maybe a potato box!
I felt like I fell in love all over again when I saw those bright blue eyes with such a radiant glow. Words can’t even begin to express how anxious I am to see her.
I recall this explanation of politics from my childhood:
Poly (Many) Ticks (Blood sucking parasites).
Some think that this is the most exciting primary in decades. I for one am just getting impatient with the democratic process. It is mind boggling to me the amount of money -more than $800 million to date- that these campaigns go through. I can’t help but think about what that kind of money could do for our nations hungry or the hundreds of thousands in Myanmar waiting on basic aid.
Sometimes the only way to keep my brain from exploding is to find something to laugh about. And today that was the “leaked” Secret McCain Campaign Slogan Memo.
Click to enlarge
“Get off my lawn!” is surprisingly absent from the list.
Some days I really love my job. This statement rarely occurs on a Monday however. I have mentioned before that my company is a small one and the owners are avid sports and music fans. Quite often throughout the year I get perk tickets to concerts, occasionally a football game and today- a Mariner’s baseball game.
They are killer seats, in the terrace club, and the food up there is like no other ballpark fare I’ve ever seen. I can taste that gourmet cotton candy already. It’s a good thing too, I had my last box of TJ’s mac & cheese for lunch.
I got worried at first because I couldn’t find a date. I was just about to email Jen & Sara to see if they were interested when I got a text message from my friend Texass. The M’s just happen to be playing the Texas Rangers tonight so she was ready to go. Hopefully we can refrain from getting into too much trouble while the wives are away. *whistles innocently*
Before last night, I’d never had Vietnamese cuisine other than pho noodles. I met up with a couple of friends (whose initials become the Acronym T.W.A.T.) and headed into “Little Saigon”. It had been a while since I’d last dined in the international district but the Tamarind Tree was by far the best foodie experience I’ve had there.
It’s a hidden jewel in a parking lot surrounded with various markets and stores. I wondered how many people drove by each day, not knowing the treasure that was snuggled in the back corner of the lot. It was a nice spring afternoon, sunny with just a slight breeze and we were early (and lucky) enough to snag a table outside. The smell of spices and herbs danced around me and made my stomach shout loudly in protest… I was hungrier than I had anticipated. The TWAT Team started out with Café sửa (Vietnamese coffee) and I had a Trà Thái Tea. It was heaven to the senses after the past weeks consisting on mostly frozen meals.
The appetizers were mouthwatering concoctions of freshness. First we had chicken skewers with a mango salsa. It was obvious how good it was because only a few sprigs of herbs were left after we were done. Next up, we had prawn spring rolls with a tasty peanut sauce before our main dishes made it to the table. The menu is so extensive that I don’t recall exactly what TWAT ordered. TW had a variety plate with several different things and AT had a DIY dish with steamed rice paper and a large helping of fresh herbs and I had a garlic shrimp dish. We manage to fit a sampling of 4-mini scoops of their homemade ice cream in afterwards. The really amazing part is that our tab only came to $65 (trust me, it was a lot of food)- for three drinks, two apps, three meals and a dessert! I guess it goes without saying that I will certainly be heading back to the Tamarind Tree.
As we were leaving, I confessed that I felt a little guilty having such a fine meal when I knew my love was living on room service. At least I have another nice place to take her once she’s back home. In just a few more days I’ll have my arms around her again and the sun shines brighter with that thought.
…is never a good way to start a phone conversation. Why? Because I always begin to panic. Especially if this phrase is followed by “I’ve just come from the hospital” and the voice on the other end of the phone is my wife from 8,000 miles away. Frightening images began to pour through my mind of my love in an Indian hospital but I tried very hard to restrain the panic in my voice.
She explained the series of events (which I’m sure she will write about) and concluded with the diagnosis of an allergic reaction and script for antihistamine. Thankfully the doctor spoke English and she was able to relay what was going on. She was ordered not to go to work tomorrow so hopefully I will be able to talk to her again soon.
Only 10 more days… I keep reminding myself. I miss her so much I can hardly comprehend it but I am trying my best not to panic.
My glasses are speckled with tears for a beautiful woman that I’ve never met. In the five years that I have been with Lach, she’s fondly reminisced the goddesses of Tahoe many times. We’ve repeatedly discussed making a trip to visit and after the fires last summer decided that this was finally going to be the year that we made it happen.
Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable.
It pains me to no end that we didn’t make the trip sooner… that the cards of time have fallen the way that they have. All too often, hindsight is indeed 20/20. For the first time, I am beginning to understand the sorrow that Lach went through during the week following Joe’s death. The desire to be near those we love in times of heartache, is enough to rip your soul right through your skin.
The more people that pass through our lives, the less that I seem to come to terms with it. For all the bright souls that have left way too soon… may peace be with you, and somehow eventually with us.
