I'm starting a revolution

Ahhh Subway. 

I have a love/hate relationship with the place.
It's fast, it's cheap and as far as fast food restaurants go, it's one of least damaging to the waistline.
But really - it's always the same.
That weird smell that you tell yourself is the fresh baking bread. 
The plastic gloves. 
The pre-measured meat in little plastic bins that comes from who knows where.
I lived in New Zealand for a year. They had Subway there. It was *exactly* the same.

So last week I am on my lunch break running errands and I find myself short on time. 
But look! A Subway.  My stomach lurched and growled at the same time. 
Of course I go, but I am already asking myself why.
I always get the same thing - ham on wheat.  But today I say - let's get crazy!
I order an "oven roasted chicken" (a thing that they want you to believe is chicken breast, but I'm pretty sure the words "mechanically separated chicken" would be on the ingredients list....erg.)
on jalapeño cheddar bread, with pepper jack cheese.
When asked "you want it toasted?" of course I say yes - BUT - "could you please put some jalepeños on it first?"
A pause, a blank stare, and then she does it.
Suddenly, the man online in front of me throws up a hand and yells to his gloved soldier - "Put onions on mine before you toast it!"
Hahaha - just you wait and see Subway -  I am shaking things up!

Another new discovery : Bernard's Wine Gallery in Calabasas

After dropping my car off for service, We drove past this "wine gallery". Quite a discovery, we have returned for a tasting. Today they are featuring two flights: the first their own Coquelicot estate vineyard. A nice selection of reds and whites. The most noteworthy being their 2009 Pinot Noir. Though young, it is showing some amazing promise and worth picking up a few bottles to lay down for awhile. This is the first year they have produced it.
The second wine flight is a mixture of Petite Syrah's. We unanimously chose the 2007 Trinitas Old Vine from Contra Coats County as a favorite.
I fell in love with the Hunt Cellars 2002 "Irresistable" from Paso Robles.
More delicate than a typical Petite Syrah with a velvety finish that dissipated quickly. Stated price for the latter was $90 but they were selling it for fifty, which makes me wonder if it is at the end I'd its expectancy. After much deliberation, we opted to purchase two bottles of the Trinitas (quite worthwhile at their $21 price) and completely forgot to pick up the Pinot to lay down for a few years. Might have to swing back over there tomorrow.
In conclusion- this will probably become a regular weekend visit!
(did I mention they do cheese plates?)
Bernard's Wine Gallery

Summer is coming...

Sunny skies and warm weather means it's time to break out the Rosé!
This weekend's weather was beautiful and what better way to celebrate it than with a bottle of Domaine Drouhin?
Dundee Hills is a sub-appellation within the Willamette Valley and definitely one of the lesser traveled wine regions.
We first sampled the wines of Domaine Drouhin during a trip we took to Oregon on our honeymoon, and it has fast become a favorite.
The winemakers are fourth generation originally hailing from Burgundy and have been making award winning Pinots (in Oregon) since 1988.

Mobile upload test with pic

Trying out another upload method. Getting ready for the trip to France!

A taste of the East Coast in Woodland Hills

Chris and I recently bought a house and moved to Woodland Hills.
To familiarize ourselves with the new neighbourhood and its people, we've been challenging ourselves to try one new place a week - even if only for a cocktail or an appetizer.
Saturday night we had the unexpected pleasure of having Chris's folks join us for dinner.  What we are fast learning in our neighbourhood is that restaurants fill up fast on the weekends - and it is especially challenging to get a table for four with no notice!
After much deliberation, we opted to try the local Italian restaurant Giovanni Ristorante.
Definitely a locals place, the packed restaurant had a lively vibe to it that was echoed throughout the night by great food and entertainment.
I ordered the shrimp with spicy marinara and have to say it is the best southern Italian food I have had here on the west coast.
The addition of the chef screaming F-bombs at a patron and kicking him and his entire table out of the restaurant only added to the authenticity.
After the completing a visit to each table to apologize, he proceeded to join the band and sing a couple of classics.
OH! I almost forgot the wine -
We ordered a Barolo that only made the night better.  I wish I had taken better tasting notes but there were just too many distractions!

My knowledge of Italian wines is greatly lacking, but this bottle was an encouragement to do some further investigation.

From the Pertinace website:

TASTING NOTES
Intense, bright garnet red.
Complex, ethereal bouquet with hints of sweet spices,
ripe fruit and vanilla, and a long finish.
A big, warm, dry wine, with great structure and balance. 

Made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes and aged for 2 years in the barrel.

Friday night happy hour at Waterloo & City

It's rare in my industry to get out early enough to actually partake in "Happy Hour" at any of the local watering holes.  (Happy hour for me usually doesn't start until at least 8pm.)
One of the few advantages of my current job's heinously early start time, is that I get out at what most people would consider "a decent hour".  A small consolation prize for having to get up at 6:45 am.
This past Friday my dear friend Shelley invited me out for a post birthday cocktail and snacks at Waterloo & City.
We managed to snag the last table at the bar and promptly ordered a glass of the happy hour $5 red offering  - Querceto Chianti.
Would love to review this wine but unfortunately we were served a sad glass of sour and fizzy red that had definitely passed it's prime.
It's always a wonder to me how a half way decent restaurant can open a bottle and not do a quickie qc check to make sure it is ok before serving.
Things quickly got packed in the bar and while we were waiting to send the wine back, the Chianti listing on the happy hour board was erased and replaced with a different wine.  Curious!
We took the happy hour replacement - a Malbec that was not much of an improvement on the last wine at which point we both gave up and ordered from the list.
Always a shame when the "you get what you pay for" motto gets proven at this level!
I opted for a Zinfandel from Homefire Winery - Hales "Old Vine" from Dry Creek Valley, whose velvety smoothness with balanced notes of cherry and dark wood was a welcome to the palette.
As for Shelley - she opted for a Tawny Port who's name I neglected to record, and who's effects were potent enough to give her the courage to say hello to a mostly unknown tho recognizable actor.
All in all a fun night!

Testing mobile upload

Most convoluted system ever

Daniel Gehrs - Methuselah

As my birthday weekend draws to a close, we have planned a nice Sunday dinner at home.
We chose a 1999 Daniel Gehrs "Methuselah" to accompany a nice big porthouse and grilled artichokes.
This bottle is one of the oldest in our collection and was amazing bright and bold upon opening.
We chose to decant while making preparations and have found it to mellow considerably over the last couple of hours.  The Methuselah is velvety smooth and inviting, a Bordeaux style red from St Ynez Valley.  I wish I could remember exactly when we acquired it!

Post One

After years of hearing me say "I should take notes about this" Chris called my bluff and acquired Life Through Wine so I may organize my ramblings.
A catch-all for random thoughts, experiences and adventures!