ANYWAYS... I woke up late today... I've been exhausted.... & once again all I wanted was an APPLE... and since my stomach was still bothering me a bit, no Chobani yet...

1 tbs Chia Seeds
1 Honeycrisp
1 grande Americano from Starbucks

1 Wasabi Peanut

20 tiny pieces of dried diced Pomelo

They're addicting, dare I say better than candy, and delicious!!!! But tiny, so 20 isn't THAT bad plus it was over the afternoon time period.

After enjoying the sun and some grocery shopping... I came home to make some dinner.

My lovely TUB of garlic from Costco :D

Turkey breast, "butterflied" it a bit to even/flatten it out more and sliced it a bit so it could soak up the flavors more...

I've been wanting to try a Delicata so tonite was the nite :] I still have the Japanese Kabocha waiting to be eaten and tried.. supposed to be sweet and DELICIOUS!!!!

Delicata - Also called Sweet Potato, Peanut squash, and Bohemian squash. This is one of the tastier winter squashes, with creamy pulp that tastes a bit like sweet potatoes. Size may range from 5 to 10 inches in length. The squash can be baked or steamed The skin is also edible.The delicata squash is actually an heirloom variety, a fairly recent reentry into the culinary world. It was originally introduced by the Peter Henderson Company of New York City in 1894, and was popular through the 1920s. Then it fell into obscurity for about seventy-five years, possibly because of its thinner, more tender skin, which isn't suited to transportation over thousands of miles and storage over months. - Source

Stove Top... Artichoke stuffing in the pan and steaming the artichokes beforehand in the pot.

I stuffed the artichokes and put them in the same small oven with the turkey since both was to be cooked at 400 Degrees

I got really hungry during cooking from lack of food today so I had a mini Honeycrisp

Artichokes are done :]

Stuffed with Quinoa, Bacon & some other special ingredients ;] Surrounded by a tomato/shallot/garlic sauce I made...

Turkey is done!!!!!

Turkey Innards:

There's Maitake mushrooms, Italian Eggplant, Garlic, Shallots, Pepper, Salt, EVOO, Paprika, Nutmeg, Curry, & some truffle oil

Strings cut off and placed in the dish

The stuffed artichokes bowled :]

Whole view of my turkey with the drippings and everything!!!

The table while we watch this Chinese American Idol

The Delicata, btw, was cut into arches and just simply baked off :] The were SOOO tasty and kind of grilled corn tasting. It's not as sweet as butternut or as moist. Very sweet potato textured. DELICIOUS!!!!

Of course gotta add the wine :] This is a bottle I bought today...
ZINFANDEL

Leftovers. Just a tiny bit left of the turkey :] It was sooo yummie!!!

I'm STUFFED!!! I'm ready to take a shower to wash off the food smell and watch a nice movie, drink my wine and have a cookie or two (that I bought form Finale yesterday) and some delicious fruits from Russo's :] My heart's set on the GUAVA!!!!

And I'll leave you with a picture of DIor's butt :]

I got this fluffy blanket/rug to throw over my favorite chair for when I watch movies downstairs :] Dior loves it. ANYWAYS. Yes. Shower. Movie. Wine. And then I have tons of new magazines to look thru, including the new Cooking Light, Everyday with Rachel Ray,  the PREMIERE ISSUE of the Food Network Mag!!!!!, & REAL SIMPLE... I also have some silly gossip/fashion mags :] GAHHH I still haven't even read my new issue of Maxim (with the most GORGEOUS LADY EVER MEGAN FOX ON THE COVER!!!) I bought LAST week yet, I'm so behind!!!! Until next update.... *kisses*

PS. Anyone else catch Cathy on Ask Aida this morning? The lasagna episode?? GAH!! She's too cute :] I was so excited when I saw it!!!

Basically, they sell you a little credit card thing that you stick in a machine that dispenses a taste of wine.  They had about 18 wines available, 6 whites and 12 reds.  We shared a couple of tastes of the reds and I had a good (and local) dessert red to cap off the night.  Sugar Daddy isn't that excited about it, but I thought it was kind of fun.

Appetizer:
Cheeses, salami, olives, crostini w/ olive tapenade
     Paired with an Italian prosecco - I love prosecco!

Salad:
Fall greens with pears and cheese, topped with vinaigrette and nuts
     Paired with an Italian soave - kind of bland, if you ask me...I don't like boring whites

Main:
Chicken thigh/leg al mottone (under a brick), roasted potato, broccolini in garlic & oil
     Paired with an Italian barbera - yum!  Nice fruit forward, smooth

Dessert:
Panna cotta
     Paired with a French sauterne...not a bad dessert wine, but ruins the Italian theme thing...

Xanga has served me well for the last several years. From the early days of mAi iNdEciPhErAbLe aZiAn sYnTaX during middle school, to my high school years of angry teenage banter--Xanga has been there for me. But like all good things, my sweet Xanga days must come to an end. I want to move on to bigger and better things. Like Wordpress. Lol.

At one point, I thought I could abandon blogging altogether. But even with posts as poorly written as mine, I've come to the terms that life's ponderings shouldn't be kept bottled up. Pretty or not our thoughts may be, it's the human capability to do good and worse that makes our words and actions such a wonder. And with college students always in such a hustle or bustle, a blog isn't such a bad place to harvest our casual musings.

The last 3 nights, I spent some time looking up some old blog posts. Not only mine, but those of some old elementary buddies, some close high school amigos, and a handful of new-found friends. Besides the few many instances where I had to drop my Macbook bellowing in laughter, the experience of rediscovering who we are or who we used to be in the collection of our virtually constructed diaries reminded me how far we've come. I remembered our pretty moments, our ugly moments, and how we allowed those moments to define who we are today. Blogs keep a track of that.

It's a lot like wine in a wineskin. When fresh grape juice ferments into wine, the new wine stretches out the new wineskin as the contents inside transform and expand. But new wine put into an expanded old wineskin causes the skin to break. People constantly inflate in their wisdom, experiences, and stories. But in order for us to be able to maintain and hold onto all that growth, we all should do a little renewing once in a while.

I want this blog to be my daily reminder that I've still got a long ways to go. Right now, this blog is new and crisp with minimal damage, but  by the time I'm through with it, I expect some serious stretchmarks, weathering, tearing, and patching up. There's nothing new about me; I'm just some old wine in a new wineskin, waiting for the good ol' gift of aging to come.

Grace & peace,
mikannahh

Flavored coffee, black is my favorite way to start the day.  And continues until the afternoon begins.

Red wine is my relaxation in the evening.  I probably like it a little too much, but it's healthy, right?

Buying books seems like a healthy addiction, but it can override common sense.  I can go to a bookstore and purchase 10 books for a $10 and not have time to read any of them before more books find their way into my shopping bag a few days later.  I do have a reading and writing addiction which seem to fit in with my book problem.

My grandparents passed onto to me the puzzling gene.  Working on jigsaw puzzles is a good way to work out stuff in your head.  If I've got a problem I need to work out, doing a jigsaw is the best medicine.  I am currently finishing (600 pieces or so)  a 5,000 piece jigsaw puzzle of Florence, Italy.  I will include a picture when I get it done because it is a much anticipated achievement.

Chocolate and cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory are two addictions.  I am currently eating a piece of Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecake and it is heavenly.

 Ohio State football season is my favorite season of the year!  And that explains my favorite color, red.

I love my family and they are my rock.  On a related note I frequently become obsessed with genealogy when I find a new branch in my family tree.  Which leads me to trees - I love them and never feel more at peace with nature than when I am surrounded by them.  I also feel very much at peace when I am surrounded by my wonderful friends.  Cleveland has made me appreciate and look forward to snow.  On the other hand, I adore saunas.  This time of year always reignites my interest in politics (just ask my dad who was here this weekend).  I have become more interested in my blog- and in yours- than I thought I would when I started.  I check email constantly.  But I love getting snail mail.  I also love to send letters and cards. I love meeting new people and going to parties, which go together very nicely, thank you.  My only fashion addiction is Kathy Van Zeeland bags (I've given away everything else!) and I won't confess to how many I own.  I love romantic movies and can watch my favorites over and over. On the TV front...I can spend too much much money at QVC, I tape The View everyday, if I'm home I watch General Hospital with only a little guilt, and when the tv is on, its default station is CNN.  I love to play board games and am a bit competitive.  Especially during March Madness when I become completely obssessed with beating my husband on our brackets.  I go to New York City as often as I get the opportunity (which isn't often enough!).  I love getting into the hot tub on a cool night with my husband. 

Which leads me to my obsession with getting my cat, Scout, to gain weight and getting my dog, Max, to lose the pounds.  Of course, my best obsession is my husband, Jason.  And for #37 I asked Jason what he thought my obsession was.  He thought about for a few minutes and said, "You like to make other people happy."  Maybe I should just make him addictions 1-36 :)

 I'm tagging Kathy & Elena to confess their obessions/addictions.

From the Associated Press:

Fire officials said the blaze had burned 300 acres in the rugged hills just outside the wine country town of St. Helena. The fire was about 40 percent contained Saturday morning, and officials expected it to be fully contained on Sunday. More than 1,500 firefighters were working to contain the blaze.

A spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Nancy Carniglia, said the fire had destroyed at least two structures and threatened 200 homes and several wineries.

About 100 residents left their homes under voluntary evacuation orders Friday night, and an evacuation center had been set up at St. Helena High School.

From the Press Democrat:

California Department of Forestry Fire Chief Ernie Loveless said the fire was believed to have been started by a pickup truck that went off Deer Park Park Road on a sharp curve. He said the truck hit a rock, creating a spark that caused the blaze.

The pickup went down an embankment, ending up below the home Jimmy and Darlene McDannald(cq), which was soon engulfed in flames.

Jimmy McDannald, 83, said he had gone to the store in nearby Angwin about 15 minutes before the fire started. He was on the way back with his mail and groceries when he was stopped by the CHP at a roadblock.

He said he watched from Sunset Point just above the blaze as his home burn down.

He’d had the 1,500 sq. ft. home built in 1970. The retired truck mechanic said his family has owned the 10-acre property since 1942.

wine soporta temas de Windows, si bien no va a ser algo hermoso al menos se puede hacer que use los mismos colores que el tema de gnome.

Para facilitar la tarea encontre una aplicación que toma los valores de nuestro tema y los exporta al registro.

Para utilizarlo descargar wine_colors_for_gnome.py y ejecutarlo desde la terminal ingresando python wine_colors_for_gnome.py

In an October 11, 2008 article titled “Five Great Places To Make Your Own Wine”, Ottawa Citizen Staff Reporter Vito Pilieci had this to say about Wine Kitz Iris:

“...owner Linda LeGroulx...spent the past three years studying in Algonquin College’s award-winning sommelier program...and plans to use her experience to help her customers make wine their friends will rave about.”

To read the full article, click the link above. 

Not only is it amazingly affordable to make really good wines, 

 [wpvideo tvrgeEtK]

Once you’ve selected the wine you’d like to make, it takes less than 5 minutes to get your batch started.   And our staff know just the questions to ask to help you choose the wine that’s right for you.

When your wine is ready a few weeks later, our automatic bottling equipment makes it a snap to turn out 30 professional-looking bottles in less than 30 minutes.

At Wine Kitz Iris we pride ourselves on exceptional customer service. 

  Come check us out!  

Award-Winning Wines…Award-Winning Service!

You can buy bunny-endorsed wines here <link>. I'm not familiar with the wines in the range, but this blogger is <link> and here's what they think.

"...these are old wines in new, airbrushed wine skins with about 60 percent markups: The Schug Heritage Reserve Cabernet 2003 is easily available for under $50 (where to buy?) but with their label it is $86; the St. Supery Dollarhide Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 (where to buy?) is available for about $70 but with their label it is $112."

Seems they are a little expensive. Not surprising.

Feel free to make "good body" and "legs" jokes in the privacy of your own mind.

(علی پسر داءی کوچیک من که من بهش میگم علی چی(به زبان اصفهانی یعنی

علی کوچولو )و ۱۱ سال بیشتر نداره ولی خوره ی کامپیوتره ) تا اونجایی که من

فهمیدم علی چی توی کامپیوتر دنبال دو چیزه :

۱ -بازی کردن .

۲-نفوز به سیستم برادرش برای شیطنت کردن در کار برادر .

جالب این جاست که این بچه چی یه جورایی هم بازیه ماست (دقت داشته باشید

اختلاف سنی ۹ سال میباشد) و من وقتی وارد دنیای لینوکس شدم خواستم این

وروجک رو هم به لینوکس علاقمند کنم .ولی با شکست رو به رو شدم چون اون

متوجه شد که با وارد شدن به لینوکس دیگه خبری از بازی هایی که توی ویندوز

اجرا میشن نیست .

اما برای هر چیزی راه حلی هست :

اولین بار که با نرم افزار wine  اشنا شدم متوجه شدم که راه حل پیدا شده

و به وسیله این نرم افزار میتونم برنامه هایی که تو ویندوز اجرا میشند رو در

لینوکس هم اجرا کنم .

داشتم تلاش میکردم که نصبش کنم .اما نصب نمیشد و یه ارور میداد که میگفت

ادرس wine عوض شده و به جای دیگه ای اثباب کشی کرده .

دنبال ادرس جدیدش بودم که یکی از بچه های کانال irc من را از گم راهی نجات داد :

خوب من هم به یه سری صفحه رفتم که و اونجا هم یه سری راهنمایی بود:

صفحه ۱

صفحه ۲

خوب بعد از اون یه خرابکاری کردم و با یه جور ارور رو به رو شدم و یکی از

بچه های ای ار سی (mahdy_)بهم گفت  alt+f2 و بزن:

gksu gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

و بعد هرچی تو sources.list  بود نشان بده . من هم که بچه ساده و بی شیله

پیله ای هستم سریعا دستورات را اجرا کردم و ان لیست بلند بالا را در irc پیس

کردم و از irc به بیرون پرت شدم بعد که دباره وادر شدم دوستان من را اگاه

کردند که در این جور مواقع(نوشته های طولانی) باید متن بلند بالای خود را در

لینک زیر :

http://paste.ubuntu.com

قرار دهم و بعد لینک را در شبکه پیس کنم(نوشدارو بعد مرگ سهراب-اخه

نمیتونستن اینو زودتر بگن) خلاصه این جانب عوامر را اجرا کرده و دوستان

مشل بنده حل نموده و wine  نصب شد .

بعد هم از راهنمای  ویکی استفاده کردم .اصلا فکر نمیکردم به این اسونی

بشه با این نرم افزار کار کرد فقط کافی بود فایلهای برنامم رو توی یکی از

دایرکتوری های خانگیم مثلا:

/home/narcissus/Documents/ron

کنم و از ترمینال وارد دایرکتوری مورد نظر بشم  و دستور ی که راهنما ویکی

گفته را وارد کنیم و دیگر هییچ .

خوب حالا میخوام ببینم این علی چی دیگه چه بهونه ای داره !

تازه اینو نگفته بودم که داداش علی تازهگیها سیستم عاملش رو ویستا کرده

و علی دیگه نمیتونست مثل  xp  اون رو هک کنه و واردش بشه اگه بفهمه که من

توی وبلاگ دوستان لینوکسی خوندم که میشه ویستا رو با لینوکس هک کرد

عاشق لینوکس میشه .

خوب علی چی رو که لینوکسی کردیم نفر بعدی یکی از دوستامه که سه شنبه

قراره لینوکسیش کنم !

تاکس کجایی که به من افتخار کنی؟!

Shoppers do not always flock to the store with the lowest prices. At least that is what stores near Brooklyn’s new Trader Joe’s are hoping.

Situated on the corner of Court Street and Atlantic Avenue, Trader Joe’s opened on Sept. 26 and is the city’s third.

The California company is widely known for its low prices and its long line of in-house brand products.
Some nearby stores are worried. Carmine Cincotta, who works at Jim & Andy Fruit Produce on Court Street, says the effect will be “overall negative” because Jim & Andy “can’t compete with that kind of business.”

But on the prices of some commonly bought, Trader Joe’s did not show an absolute advantage over other stores within two blocks.

Key Food, less than a block away, stocks Tuscan milk at $3.79 for one gallon and $2.17 for a half-gallon. Trader Joe’s house brand milk is the same price for a gallon but $1.97 for a half-gallon.

Prices of Key Food brand cereals ranged from $2.49 to $3.49, while Trader Joe’s brand sold from $2.29 to $4.29.

Granted, many of the smaller stores cannot match Trader Joe’s range of products. For example, Atlantic Fruit & Veg Grocery on Atlantic Avenue sells mainly fruits and vegetables and does not stock milk or cereal.

Atlantic Fruit & Veg sells fruit in bundles, with strawberries going for $2.99 per box, Gala apples at 99 cents per pound, and a bunch of bananas for 69 cents per pound.

In contrast, Trader Joe’s sells strawberries at the same price, Gala apples at 49 cents each, and bananas for 19 cents each. Organic fruits cost more.

With Trader Joe’s, there is the flexibility of paying per unit, but with many other stores the product’s weight becomes the yardstick for measurement. Depending on how much shoppers buy, any store can be the winner of lower unit costs.

But price is not necessarily the determining factor among shoppers.

Nara Floreane, a regular Atlantic Fruit & Veg customer claims the fruits have “more quality” and are ‘natural” at Atlantic. Floreane has not visited Trader Joe’s and admits she would start frequenting it if it offered better quality products.

Some customers do not mind paying more for brands not carried by Trader Joe’s, according to Billy Solmaz, store manager of Pacific Green Gourmet Food. “What we sell, they don’t have,” said Solmaz, “and what we have, it’s better” than what Trader Joe’s  has.

Located opposite Trader Joe’s, Pacific Green carries brands such as Stonewall Kitchen, which produces oils and jams. These products come at a higher price, but customers still walk in.  “Because I sell these kind of brands, I have my own customers,” said Solmaz.

Gabriel Biderman turns to Pacific Green for fruits and vegetables, even though he is a self-proclaimed fan of Trader Joe’s. And he still patronizes nearby Sahadi Importing Co. for specialty Middle Eastern food. “I would spend a buck or two more to get better quality,” he said.

Unlike its sibling store in Union Square, the Brooklyn branch of Trader Joe’s does not carry wine. Heights Chateau owner Matthew Lasorsa is not worried even if it did. “We have a very strong reputation,” said Lasorsa, whose store sells fine wines and spirits, “that has been built up over 25 years.”

So, as Dad drinks the oh-so-authentic vino of Italia, I send out a hearty salute (spoken loudly in Italian) ...

Somewhere, nine hours from me, he's gearing up for dinner with relatives in Rome. There's a party tonight for Aunt Aida and her husband, who celebrate 50 years of married bliss. Everyone together now ...

That's amore!

Dad was born in Hackensack, N.J., on Oct. 10, 1946. His father was a military man, a Naval officer who was gone a lot, no thanks to that pesky World War II. That storied career would set the future for Dad's own military service aboard ships and repeat history with his long-term absences around the Vietnam War.

What I remember my grandmother telling me about Dad as a child:

• He was precocious, always playing pranks and getting into trouble
• He loved animals and constantly snuck home critters, tame and wild. Snake, anyone?
• He loved to play act and would take that to the stage in college. Who knew?

Dad fell in love with my mom in her teens. She held him back for several years before saying "I do" when they were both 21. God help them for sticking it out for the past 40 ... whew.

So, I'll drink one for you tonight, Dad. I know the birthday was actually yesterday, but you were several time zones away, so I'm struggling to stay on track!

Buon compleanno, papa. Cheers!!

SEBEKA 2007 CABERNET PINOTAGE

Winemaker Andries Blake believes that it is important to honor South Africa’s 350-year winemaking heritage while appealing to today’s wine tastes. Sebeka wines offer complex flavors yet remain uniquely approachable for American wine consumers. By balancing exotic aromas and intense fruit flavors, Andries believes that his Sebeka wines showcase the natural beauty of the South Africa landscape.

Production / Vinification Methods
The grapes used to create the 2007 Sebeka Cabernet-Pinotage were grown in a number of South Africa’s finest vineyard districts located across the Western Cape. The cooler districts benefit from the fog created by the cold ocean currents coming north from Antarctica, as well as the vigorous “Cape Doctor” cross winds coming from the Atlantic and Indian oceans. The warmer districts take advantage of the bright South Africa sunshine and produce grapes with deep, rich colors and ripe fruit flavors. By marrying grapes from such diverse areas, Andries was able to produce a finished wine of great character and complexity.

The grapes were picked at optimum ripeness, then destemmed & crushed into stainless steel for 3 day fermentation on skins @ 28º C, then pressed & inoculated with MLF bacteria. Clarified after 100 % completion of MLF. The final blend is made up of carefully selected tanks.

Analysis
Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon / Pinotage
Alcohol 13.8 %

Sugar 6 g/l
Total Acid 6 g/l
pH 3.6

Tasting Notes
Nose
Our 2007 Sebeka Cabernet-Pinotage is a fruit driven wine that features the blackberry, currant and herbal notes typical of Cabernet along with red fruit, acidity and smoky earth notes typical of Pinotage, South Africa’s signature varietal. Bright, ripe berries and subtle oak flavours of chocolate and mocha promise what is delivered on the palate.

Taste:

Well structured and beautifully balanced. Attractive notes of fresh red berries are backed by longer lingering dark fruit, all supported by good tannins and the velvety finish of toasted oak.

General Notes
Drink now or cellar for another 2 - 3 years
Perfect companion for rich foods, including fire-grilled meats and vegetables, or your favorite pasta.

South African Table Wine, ©2007 Sebeka Wines, Healdsburg, CA. All rights reserved.

_______________________________________________________

SEBEKA
2007 SAUVIGNON BLANC
WESTERN CAPE

Andries Blake believes that it is important to honor South Africa’s 350-year winemaking heritage while appealing to today’s wine tastes. Sebeka wines offer complex flavors yet remain uniquely approachable for American wine consumers. By balancing the exotic aromas and intense fruit flavors of Sebeka wines, Andries strives to evoke the natural beauty of the South African landscape.

The Vintage

The grapes used to create the 2007 Sebeka South African Sauvignon Blanc were grown in a number of South Africa’s finest vineyar districts located across the Western Cape, predominantly Breedekloof. The cooler districts benefit from the fog created by the cold ocean currents coming north from Antarctica, as well as the vigorous “Cape Doctor” cross winds coming from the Indian ocean. Soils are typically sandstone and sandy alluvium.

The cold winter and generally favorable conditions ensured that the grapes were healthy and could ripen perfectly.
Despite a heat wave at the start of harvest, the nights remained cool. This, combined with the cool temperatures preceding the early harvest, produced grapes of very high quality.

Winemaking

The Sauvignon Blanc grapes were carefully hand harvested and gently de-stemmed. They were then crushed, pressed and allowed to settle overnight. Each lot was fermented in upright stainless steel tanks to retain the bright fruit flavors and natural acidity of the grapes s to retain a crisp structure. The juice fermented slowly at 14°C. None of the lots underwent malolactic fermentation. Andries then sampled the finished lots and chose the ideal blend, arriving at a wonderfully balanced, crisp wine.

Tasting Notes

Our 2007 Sebeka South Africa Sauvignon Blanc is a vibrant New World style wine that offers a generous bouquet of gooseberry, tropical fruits and herbal notes. The palate confirms the bouquet, with the flavors accented by subtle mineral notes.

The crisp acidity and bright tropical fruits evident in this wine pair well with a wide variety of foods, especially Asian and Indian cuisines. This wine is at its best if enjoyed within one year of release.

Alcohol 12.8 %

Sugar 6 g/l
Total Acid 6.5 g/l
pH 3.5

South African Table Wine, ©2007 Sebeka Wines, Healdsburg, CA. All rights reserved.

__________________________________________________________

SEBEKA
2007 CHARDONNAY
WESTERN CAPE

Winemaker Andries Blake believes that it is important to honor South Africa’s 350-year winemaking heritage while appealing to today’s wine tastes. Sebeka wines offer complex flavors yet remain uniquely approachable for American wine consumers. By balancing exotic aromas and intense fruit flavors, Andries believes that his Sebeka wines evoke the natural beauty of the South Africa landscape.

The Vintage
The grapes used to create the 2007 Sebeka South Africa Chardonnay were grown in a number of South Africa’s finest vineyard disticts located across the Western Cape, predominantly Breedekloof. The cooler districts benefit from the fog created by the cold ocean currents coming north from Antarctica, as well as the vigorous “Cape Doctor” cross winds coming from the Indian ocean. The warmer districts take advantage of the bright South Africa sunshine and produce grapes with ripe fruit flavors. Soils are typically sandstone and sandy alluvium.

The cold winter and generally favorable conditions ensured that the grapes were healthy and could ripen perfectly.
Despite a heat wave at the start of harvest, the nights remained cool. This, combined with the cool spring and summer temperatures preceding the early harvest, produced grapes of very high quality.

Winemaking

The Chardonnay grapes were carefully hand harvested and then gently de-stemmed. They were crushed, pressed and allowed to settle overnight. Each lot was fermented in upright stainless steel tanks to retain the bright fruit flavors of the grapes and to achieve a clen, balanced structure. The juice was allowed to ferment slowly at 14°C. None of the lots underwent malolactic fermentation. Andries then tasted the finished lots and selected the best blend to arrive at the complexity he desired in the finished wine

Tasting Notes

The 2007 Sebeka South African Chardonnay has a crisp style, offering a bouquet of fresh apples, pears, spicy cloves and caramelized sugar. The palate confirms the bouquet, and is accented with hints of oak and vanilla on the finish.

This well balanced wine has a slightly creamy yet crisp texture which allows it to pair well with a wide variety of foods,
especially grilled poultry and fish dishes prepared with Cajun spices and fruit salsas.

This wine is at its best if enjoyed within one year of release, but should be able to age in the bottle for up to two years.

Alcohol 13.8 %

Sugar 6.5 g/l
Total Acid 6.5 g/l
pH 3.5

South African Table Wine, ©2007 Sebeka Wines, Healdsburg, CA. All rights reserved.

___________________________________________________

I wrench the goggles from my head and hurl them to the ground. My attempts to vent my spleen by stamping viciously upon the twisted leather and glass are interpreted by Kent's finest as an attempt to destroy vital evidence and I quickly find myself clamped in a head lock by a burly constable, swinging wildly, my fists failing to connect until we collapse in a heap on the tarmac.

"Not thinking of going anywhere this afternoon, I hope sir?"

The sledgehammer wit grates on my already tenderized sensibilities like a coarse grained sandpaper, I glare at the sergeant, who, oblivious to my plight, extracts a tattered notebook from his breast pocket and begins turning the pages with all the speed and deliberation of an orangutan examining its miserable hide for lice. Occasionally licking his finger for traction, he continues this infuriating task for several minutes until, an empty page finally being located, he begins rummaging in his pockets for a pen. I watch this farrago with dismay, the minutes are ticking away and my chances of repairing the Bugatti and rejoining the race seem to be receding into the distance along with the competition.

"Now sir, you would appear to have a malfunctioning tail light" The Bugatti had no tail light that I was aware of and my mouth hangs open in astonishment at the buffoon's next words..

"A vintage model like this, shouldn't be left unattended in this particular postcode sir - I'll send the tow truck down - address?"

"Brighton!" I shout, I could kiss the man, instead, I give him an address just around the corner from the finishing line and administration being complete, gratefully accept his offer of a lift to the nearest station.

Ensconced in first class, a bottle of Krug to the good, my mood is considerably improved by the attendance of a winsome beauty disguised as a waitress by the name of Victoria. As the train speeds through the countryside. I can see the racers bent double over the wheel, scarves trailing behind, faces pulled into a ghastly rictus by the wind. With savage glee, I pull down the window and hurl the empty bottle at the cream and tan Porsche driven by Count Luciano La Ronde, the resulting swerve creating a tidal wave of chaos that entangles the traffic all the way back to London within minutes.

Yawning, I click my fingers airily at the waitress and demand a second bottle, chilled this time and snappy. She extracts the gum from her mouth and presses it firmly into my eye before swaying seductively up the aisle. "Little minx!" I murmur appreciatively, removing the gum and admiring the delectable sway of her hips as the train clatters through the outskirts of Brighton.

As I sprint from the train as quickly as the bottle of lukewarm Krug will allow, I trip and fall heavily into an outfit unloading a bath chair from the train. Barging them aside, I seize the chair and use it like a scooter, sailing through the entrance hall with an airy doff of the cap and out into the cobbled street. To my horror I find myself hurtling at breakneck speed down the hill towards the finishing line.

I'm determined to make the best of what is clearly developing into a very bad day indeed and so with no further ado, I elect to perform acrobatics on the chair, poised on one foot, the other extended backwards, leather coat tails streaming in the draught I place one hand over my eyes to shade from the glare of the sea and to the great amusement of the crowd sail through the tape and onto the pier. The end is as sudden as the water is cold. As I clamber out of the sea, mustaches detumescant and spirits dampened, I am greeted by my erstwhile ally the Sergeant.

"Assault with a deadly weapon, taking and driving away of a Bath Chair, driving the aforementioned Bath Chair at speeds exceeding those laid down by the municipal council as safe limits for the..."

"Shoot me now" I interrupt. My life is in ruins, Broke, a busted flush. I think of poor Hattie, her coy smile and marvelous meringues, of the estimable Bog Mahoney, who, I have no doubt, is even now shouldering his way through the crowd with terrible intent, of the twins trained to kill and of aunt feverishly polishing the twelve bore in preparation for my empty handed return. I turn, and diving into the waves, strike out at a brisk pace for France.

Both of these labels are innovative, both demonstrate excellent design and both come from dieline <link>

I think this might be the first of more posts profiling fine label design.

• At first I thought this article was going to be some joke, but as it turns out it is a miracle!  Can you imagine turning on your tap and wine coming out instead of water!  I have a feeling that this could have really botched up some recipes (at least the mistake only lasted a few minutes).  At least it happened in Italy, I bet most people didn't even notice the mistake at all.
• I can see how this would be a major problem-o.  If your toilet breaks on earth, no big D, you can go to someone else's house or, in the worst scenario, just go outside.  However, these are not options in the vacuum of space.  And its not like on a plane, where you might just have to wait a few hours... its not exactly a quick trip back to earth.  I would be freaking out. Just another reason why I have no desire to experience space travel.
• The sad thing is that I know more than one person that this has happened to.  Also, I like how they noticed the missing crab cake before they noticed an extra man in the house.  At least it worked out in the end, and they even gave him some snacks for the road.
• Oh my god.  I'm sure this was an honest typographical error... seriously?  Whoever was in charge of typing up the ballots better get fired.  It's almost insulting that someone would think this was funny. Rediculous.

But congrats to Osamu Shimomura, Martin Chalfie (a neurobiologist) and Roger Y. Tsien for their work on Green Fluorescent Protein, (GFP).

How cool is GFP you ask? Cool enough to make mice brains glow. I kid you not. Scientists can link the gene that makes GFP to just about any other gene. When the magic machinery that turns the information in genes into proteins and other fun bio-y stuff, the glowing protein also gets made. It lets scientists track all sorts of goings on that used to be hidden in cells.

I remember as a grad student going to watch a seminar on GFP. I thought it was pretty cool back then too. So even though it is for bio-junk, I am pretty happy with this award because, really, who can resist glowing kitties?

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Sorry not to have actual photos in the post but I'm using the husbands computer and he doesn't have Photoshop. You don't want to wait for 4MB photos to post, and I don't want to use up my storage space. But we are having a great time out in sunny CA.

We met Cris Cherry, winemaker/owner of Villa Creek Cellars and got to taste with Justin Smith of Saxum wines. We've had much yummy wine, but the palate does tend to get nuked after about 7 wines at one time.

Tasting today is closer to Lompoc. Don't remember the name of the area, Central Coast? Husband will know!