Thursday, August 23, 2007
I went to Don Quiote today not expecting to purchase, much less taste wine.
As I wound my way around the aisles looking for necessities in the way of groceries - I came across a demonstration lady with two bottles of wine and a pretty long stemmed rose on her table. One wine was cool/chilled (?) the other at room temperature. The yellow and black wine labels on the bottles definitely caught my eye. Understand that I’m not a wine guru.. I tend to pick wines that have interesting packaging and are affordable. I do however, have friends who are wine guru’s and I take the opportunity to taste wine with them whenever the opportunity arises.
The day’s offering was Cape Blend (Shiraz Pinotage) which was kept cool/chilled (?) and a Cabernet Pinotage. I was offered the Cape Blend. It was strong tasting, but good. I would want to serve this with a good steak and a salad as its flavors seemed to stand out. The price was also good, priced that you could enjoy it without having to worry about the price and it being a ‘special occasion’ type of selection.. you know the kind of wine that you’d choose for company because it was too expensive to drink regularly. Even though I didn’t plan on purchasing wine today, this one came home with me in my market basket. I’d suggest you give it a try and see what you think.
(You may ask what is a pinotage – from the winemakers website: WHAT IS PINOTAGE?
* Originated in 1925 as a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault.
* Combines the noble characteristics of Pinot Noir with the reliability of Cinsault.
* Produces complex and fruity wines with age, but is also very approachable and enjoyable without long aging.)
Friday, July 20, 2007
Sunday, October 09, 2005
T.
Saturday, October 01, 2005
Recently, I had the pleasure of reading an article that talked about the concept that people today want to act and feel rich. The thought stuck in my head and I said to myself .. well why not? Its not every day that I can experience the finer things in life that money can buy. But once in awhile.. why not, I certainly feel I deserve it.
In venturing "outside my kitchen" recently, I stayed at the Hapuna Beach Prince Resort (http://www.princeresortshawaii.com/hapuna-beach-prince-hotel.php) on the island of Hawaii. The resort was beautiful, the reception we recieved was wonderful. There's nothing like a cold towel and a glass of juice to refresh you after the drive from the airport/town. It was a great start to our two day mini vacation!
I really can't say enough about the food and the service. The first night there we didn't make a reservation. We walked into the Coast Grille and were accomodated at the Oyster Bar since they didn't have any openings in the dining room. Our server William, made our dining experience more than a pleasure with great service, a little conversation and great attention to the finer details of food and service. Our breakfast the next day at the Ocean Terrace also lived up to expectations.
If you have the chance, don't pass up the opportunity for a massage. The fitness center located at the golf clubhouse was the perfect setting for pampering and relaxation. The hour was up before I knew it.
While I've never had a problem at any of the hotels and resorts I've stayed at, the employees at the Hapuna Beach just seemed to do just a little bit more than what you'd expect as part of thier normal routine. They might look at it as 'just doing thier job'.. and I say congratulations on a job well done.
T.
A variety of things.. places I've seen, things I've done and more.
As someone special told me.. its the journey, not the destination.
T.