Outside the Box – The Blonde Grape

Odd Pairings Can Be Simply The Best

October 2, 2016October 2, 2016 theblondegrape

A concert at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), pretty cool backdrop. Falcon Stadium is not huge, so I am thinking an up and comer or someone fading out but still loveable. Nope, it was Tim McGraw. Now, that is pretty awesome and I told my husband go ahead try to get some tickets…but then, they announced who is also high on the bill…I think co-lead—Train! Yes, Train, Train…I said get those tickets now!

On our feet–

Train, my best pic …they moved a lot and I was probably too.

When you hear Tim McGraw…but you really need to look at him too. sigh

Now, on paper this may seem like an unlikely pairing. But, it has been proven and many times here I have written about the need to break from tradition, because it works. Well, this worked and it worked really well. Both played to the audience that sang along note for note and word for word with both of them. It was unforgettable.

The music played was ageless as little kids were there and old fogies, even older than me. Yes, it is possible. (wink, wink). Pat Monahan , didn’t think anyone in the audience was old enough to remember Drops of Jupiter and Tim McGraw, thought he might be too old to remember Indian Outlaw. The crowd had their backs and I lost my voice. You can hear the applause right from my kids…shuddup 😉 jk

Train, my best pic …they moved a lot and I was probably too.

Double Fret Guitar, great tribute to Glenn Frey

Jimmy Stafford on big screen

The pure talent of Train really performed that night as they did a few tributes. Opening with Let’s Go Crazy from Prince and then later on Under Pressure, Queen and David Bowie and then Hotel California, for Glenn Frey. Although, they didn’t do any of the songs from their cover album of Led Zeppelin, they played almost all of their big hits plus a few. It was amazing and for the first time in a long time, I and I think everyone else, really heard the lyrics. If you think you know them, go back and give them a listen, it is amazing.

I have to say I am grateful to Tim McGraw. I love my husband but after he was listening to women of all ages swoon, and comment about this man’s pecs, my husband decided to follow the paleo diet that Tim sort of follows and we joined a gym. This man is no slouch and his songs all sound like he is singing to you or about you or something we all have experienced. That takes talent and although already a fan, I am much more of one now.

Now, to the surprising part and what gets me my name, The Blonde Grape. I was looking for something to drink at the stadium and they had beer. I can do that, but hello, this is Train, they have their own wine, I want to be on the wine Train. Yes, I said it, not well, but you read it, so there.

Train has several respectable wines and the brand is called Save Me, San Francisco…one of my fave songs. They donate a large part to charity if not all of it and they have several varietals. Some are: California 37 a nice Cabernet Sauvignon, Drops of Jupiter, a California Red Blend, Marry Me Rose’ ( I have yet to try this one, looking forward to it) and Calling All Angels, a Chardonnay wine. I was having trouble with their website but I can tell you although it has been a while since I have had some of them, I did recently have Calling all Angels and their wine is really good. Not just a celebrity wanting to do good, but the wine is great and can and should be paired with whatever you like. A nice article on how Train is successful in wine by Richard James of BuzzFeed can be read here. In fact, Train now has a Save Me, San Francisco chocolate through Ghirardelli, a great pairing. I say pair it with food, but pair it with good music and turn it up. I am thinking you can pair it with any of the artists above or you can even try Sting‘s new song 50,000 which is a tribute to the above artists and I am certain Train would approve.

My tour shirt and Calling All Angels

Trying to get a little tropical, for no real reason

So, I go back to my antique rocker

but, yearn for warmer weather…I’m so confused. But, I’m blonde, so that’s okay.

Here is a video or link to a video that I found with Jimmy Stafford, guitarist for Train
talking about Save Me, San Francisco wines and the development of the winery. He likes to have a glass or two of wine before a concert, that pleases me. Be daring, be bold and drink what you like. Cheers!

The Slow Press

August 3, 2016August 3, 2016 theblondegrapeLeave a comment

How many grooves in a 33 rpm vinyl record?

The answer is one. This is a little more insight into me, making it easier to follow my words. My love for music and the business of music is well-known and makes me smarter than I really am, because I can spout any useless information on the topic but can’t tell you why I walked into the kitchen. That’s me.

In this edition, I will introduce you to an interesting blend of style with wine and music. Sit back, relax and open your mind.

To think he was the birth of Kinko’s. Copies in minutes, wow!

Not a button, this required real manpower

They don’t look happy? Do you think they found a typo?

More than words…literary art.

Since the beginning of time as much as we have loved the convenience of speed, we turn to relish the classics that took a bit of time. Whether or not it is actually better, that is a long debate that I feel depends on what you are debating. But, when you hold some of these items that took more than a keystroke to print and disperse, it does cause you to pause. I think the use of the pause button would save a lot of aggravation today. For example, type a text, press pause, read the text or auto corrected text and correct the auto-correction and then push send. Oh, imagine the possibilities. Now, think of Gutenberg if he printed a typo.

I was at an arcade recently with my daughter and found an old video game, Galaxian…like Galaga (but that was being used) and after I put a quarter in the slot, (yes, still a quarter) I had to keep pushing the button to fire. Now, I’m Jane Jetson and “I’ve Got the Push Button Blues.” I actually got tired and I am thinking to myself, damn I’m old. Actually, I am just thinking that I just proved my point remembering a song sung by Jane Jetson. There was also the episode where…I’ll leave it for later.

Maybe this is one of the reasons I enjoy wine so much. It cannot be made well if it is rushed. It cannot mature and become robust if made in a hurry. It can’t go back and bring forth centuries of flavors if the older vines are destroyed so that we can consume a history of the region. You should know, that although I am a slow runner, mid-paced hiker, strong but not speedy cyclist I like fast cars, fast wit and do not like to linger when shopping. But, drinking wine and enjoying the outdoors, I will say should be savored slowly. It is my attempt at controlling time and although I never truly succeed at it, I do create great memories and that works for me.

Enter the Slow Press Cabernet Sauvignon. I automatically think of vinyl records but this even echoes my sentiments on the bottle when it prints “never rush a great wine”. This 2014 wine out of Paso Robles, CA is oak barrel aged. Like a vintage recording such as Sammy Davis Jr and Buddy Rich on the album Sounds of ’66, the intro to “Come Back to Me” is a genuineness and beauty that can only be augmented by the tracks on the record such as “What Now My Love”. Now, due to tempus fugit, vintage means more the artists of my youth like the Rolling Stones, Beatles, Journey, and much more. Back to the wine, this Cabernet is dark and the process has been slowed down to be more concentrated, which proves sometimes, slowing down demonstrates the
well-intentioned effort and show the true amalgamation of when art meets craft. Delicious!

Enter perhaps the purest of methods to record an album. It was not done by many but was used most often in the 60’s and 70’s. It is when an album was recorded direct to disc, not first to the tape and then transferred. Thus it removed some of the hissing (a well-loved memory of vinyl) but created a truly honest reproduction and if you pause well enough to listen, you can hear a breath taken. See for yourselves a great article on the process here.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL528G33kVQwI6RkXW-8H8VscOyHOfC5l1

I played trumpet in my youth and had one of his mouthpieces. Too cool.

Although, Sammy eludes to the live recording being pressed to wax during the performance, there is no guarantee but here is an example for you by the great Harry James, and “Sweet Georgia Brown” recorded direct to disc by Sheffield Lab.

So endeth the lesson on this process. Friends, listen to what brings a smile to your face and drink what you like and makes your taste buds happy. Cheers!

Pickle Juice, Ultra Marathons, Comedy, Greek Wine and Hiking the Devil’s Head

July 30, 2016July 31, 2016 theblondegrape1 Comment

What too much for one weekend? Okay, so you have undoubtedly heard the phrase “Out of the box”, I despise that phrase. Loathe it…partly because it is grossly overused but also because it assumes (you know what that means) that we are starting within the box. Now, assuming you are reading this, the box is not enticing like it is to a two-year old. So therefore, I beg you, don’t just think out of the box, never step inside it.
One of the current fitness trends is imbibing a salt/vinegar combination to prevent cramps or help aid them and lessen them to function better of you. . To be honest, it is not bad (That does not mean it tastes good, but it does not taste bad…remember that). Pickle juice, we tried the bottles and not bad, hard to truly enjoy. I think it needs to spend time with a cucumber, it is freshness it lacks. There are several health benefits and I will continuously pursue, but fresh not bottled, the prepackaged falls a bit short.

The-amazing-health-benefits-of-drinking-pickle-juice

If you are going to run in a continuous loop to get yourself back in the habit of lifting your knees, swinging your arms and moving faster in hamster motion, you should do it around a lake. Nearby, we have Palmer Lake, CO which is doing some amazing things. They have embraced their lake (for those of you outside CO, I realize this is not large, but our water is shipped to AZ,CA and used for really good beer. Would you deprive beer for size? That is a whole other discussion.) There are several trails to follow as well for hiking. Click Secret Source but don’t tell anyone I told you. Clicking secret source

We imbibed in the prepackaged pickling solution as we looped around Palmer Lake, CO. Getting back into fitness after a couple of surgeries and other distractions of life, this is a beautiful location to begin that trek. As you can see from above, paddle boarding, paddle boats, fishing, Frisbee golf and mountains…you are invited to come and visit. Check out our local dining establishments, quite good.

We met wonderful people doing the same thing as we circled the great pond and prepared for our next trek the next morning, supporting the Pikes Peak Ultra 50 Mile and 30K race. I stress reiterate, because we did not run this, we showed up blurry eyed, slightly chilled and dispensed water, counted bib numbers and had a great time getting to know those brave-hearts strong enough, spry enough to challenge and go the distance. Age shmage..teens to late 70s…what’s your excuse? Another blog post. We did this because we are both runners and also, I am marketing for a local escape room. If you are ever in the area of Colorado Springs, visit www.planetdeadline.com Escape Rooms. The most fun you’ll have trapped into 60 minutes. Shameless plug now out-of-the-way.

Before you fully digest this smorgasbord, I interrupted it with a fabulous night of comedy from very funny talents, I never heard of..so, thank you to my neighbor Heather for introducing and organizing. My laugh-o-meter is much fuller now, a good thing. For you to check out for yourselves, neighbor night included a visit to Opa Grill and an evening with Tim Hawkins and Bob Smiley. Two talents worth your ticket dollars. A little sample: Here is Yoga Pants from Tim Hawkins: Yoga Pants

I normally do not enjoy Greek wine, but I do enjoy all things Greek. At least if I follow the religion of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” one and two. I did not climb in the box, but tried a Greek Chardonnay-ish wine and it was quite good. I liked it and perfect for my Bacalao.
This wine is Avantis Estates. It is as it says, refreshing with some pear and melon aromas and refreshing. It goes with many things, whether you are vegetarian or not, it will go with fish and of course in the tradition of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, “you can make lamb”. What is my motto? Drink what you like…and to venture into Greece, it was cool not to have Ouzo. A great intro into the evening of comedy and the laughter long over due. Please check them out and go see them. The night will be memorable.

Back to the Ultra. These runners, athletes, slightly off of the cuff people are wonderful. Smiles surround their miles as all we hear as he pass through our aid station is “how beautiful the canon is” and “thank you for the drinks & food”. If you are in the area of Colorado Springs, do Visit Colorado Springs and for outdoor activities visit Cheyenne Canon Park.

Sweat time over, I rewarded my early riser friend with breakfast at Modern Market. A nice reward with magpies sounding in on their hunger but not receiving the reward. Good healthy food, but with a new twist, a box of water. It tasted great but I feel as if I was being lectured as the bottle listed the benefits of choosing a box to a bottle. As good as the water is, it is not easy to carry when running or cycling, or hiking…fix that and you are golden.

Okay, so we are tying this weekend together with similar things but yet are we following trends or choices? Do you want to get philosophical? The short answer is, a bit of both. I love fitness, I prefer to be informed and I know the truth of pickle juice, water, recycling and ultra running. The long answer is, I think if you choose to move whether a running, cycling, hiking or the Thighmaster, you will get healthier, but you have to do it. Boxed water vs bottled, is not a matter of taste but of lifestyle. I support both and think you should too. If you are sitting at your desk and using a disposable resource, go for the box. If you are more mobile and the box isn’t compliant, use a bottle of some sort. You have the power to choose..embrace it.

So, hiking is becoming trendy, I’ll join in as it is fun and a major calorie burner.
I am originally from the East Coast, so I do everything possible since I now live in Colorado to show that I am living in the Wild, Wild West, theme song and all of it. After volunteering, I took my Bordeaux out for a hike with my hubby. There are endless opportunities for you to explore your neighborhood, backyard or destination but you must leave your computer (this blog) to do so. This Greenland Open Space not far from the county line between El Paso County and Douglass County.

My big red dog, Bordeaux rehydrating and being obedient. I hear you chuckling, yes his name is Bordeaux…he is a red husky and you are reading TheBlondeGrape…here’s your reminder of where you are visiting. Of course, you may be giggling, because you know about huskies and being obedient can often be an oxymoron.

Enter Lyeth, pronounced Leeth. A great finish to a great start of a weekend that has no real plans but to get outside and enjoy what comes our way. Is it over, NO! But, do treat each event as a new beginning, YES!

This is a great red, perfect for a hot day that has had a few rain sprinkles to “just” cool it off enough to be lightly blanketed. This is a true Cabernet Sauvignon, but not so heavy that it can’t handle a lot of life leading to the great pour and first sip.

Folks, if you are learning nothing from me, learn this: Life is not meant to be lived on a schedule. There are places for that, but live life according to you. Start chipping away at it and learn to enjoy it. Drink well, drink what you like and Celebrate You!

Up next, adventuring north looking for Devil’s Head Fire Lookout.

Raise your glass and cheers!

We’re Screwed!

July 27, 2016July 28, 2016 theblondegrapeLeave a comment

What did the nut say to the bolt? “Screw me”

bolt-nut-cartoon-belong-together-29340890 — *Found on Google.com credit to Dreamstime.com*

I was drawn to the label, yes, I like good art. This one insinuated travel and I was going to be watching Marco Polo on Netflix and he traveled, are you following me yet? I was perusing several bottles and this caught my eye but also the fact that they had a 90 rating. I got caught in the moment, yes, I was distracted by the allure of travel, the light, yet richness of a Pinot Noir that I missed…I missed…I missed the fact that this bottle was a (gulp) screw top. I am sure I should place some sort of disappointed emoji or an empathetic one, but I am over 21 and I am not going to do so, at least not yet.

Now, to not show that I am ignorant to the trend, I recognize the monetary savings that goes on in the production of wine and using cork. But, But, But…here’s the deal. Wine is not only enjoyed because it brings pleasure to your taste-buds and warms your body or relaxes your mind after a long day. No, wine is not only about linking yourself to history, even to Biblical times when this beverage that changes day by day enlightens your soul. No, it is not only because they use wine to filter water to give your body sustenance should you be stranded in a desert or on an island and need water for life (yes, wine is a purifier to water and if you had to purify water through wine…I want to move to that island). This according to TurtleRunWinery.com fun facts about wine. [On a different note, I like their site, worth a visit while sipping.]

The fun fact states: Did you know that humans originally consumed wine for the express purpose of purifying water? Yep! Blend 10% to 25% wine with water and let it sit for 30 minutes and you can drink that creek water!

However I caution you, that just like skinny pants, just because you can doesn’t mean you should. So, DO NOT EXPERIMENT ON YOUR OWN...WAIT FOR FURTHER DOCUMENTATION, DO NOT EXPERIMENT ON YOUR OWN! Remember, you are not Bear Grylls. and he squeezes elephant dung to make water.

Bear Grylls — *To prove the point of Do Not Experiment on Your Own, He is (for the most part) a spectator sport. I will not squeeze poop to make water.*

I am a gadget girl, so I am not locked into the past. However, one of my favorite aspects of wine whether solo, couple, family/friends or grand gala…the anticipation of the bottle opening, watching it work its way to the top with a gasp for air…that adds excitement…that is Anticipation! That is why, I normally refuse the purchase of a bottle that my wrist can turn to the left and without a gasp, is open. Okay, I know your thinking, why did this blonde link to Anticipation? Because it was more than a Ketchup song…it is one of the key aspects of wine that makes us clink our glasses and celebrate the moment..yes, the moment! Click on the link, it is a really good song by Carly Simon.

So, whether you want to collect your corks to do something crafty, or not, I have to tell you that there are times when you may have to cross over and get screwed. I admit it, most times I would run, again out of principle.

Courtesy of Wine Folly and Simply the Best

Wait! I know what you are thinking! When we open a bottle of wine using a device, it is called a cork screw! Sigh, yes you are right. But, there is still satisfaction on going through the motions and determining whether any cork remains in the bottle. I will not draw a clearer picture to you other than Eric Claption’s great song for the Color of Money…It’s in the Way that You Use It.

So, what I am telling you, should you choose to accept this mission, trust your gut. If you like the story, like the grape, like the company…step outside your comfort zone and give it a try. At worst you are out a few bucks, or need a palate changer. But, you will not be short an experience.

Tonight, I chose to unscrew this:

Left Coast Cellars, Cali’s Cuvee Pinot Noir from 2013. My husband said, you are not paying attention…but, it is not bad. I mean it doesn’t suck and it is much better than expected from a pre-judgmental audience. It was good! It had a multitude of flavors, it was smooth and true to the grape. It is affordable and mostly, it forced me to step outside my comfort zone and taste. I ask you, what is life if you don’t taste it? Friends, drink what you like and celebrate you!

Every Horse Deserves at Least Once in its Life to be Loved by a Little Girl (or Big Girl)

July 25, 2016July 26, 2016 theblondegrapeLeave a comment

I am a city girl. I grew up in Miami, Florida. I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world. I grew up near Broad Causeway where the tracks to “Jive Talkin'” by the Bee Gees was inspired and created. Yes, I am one degree away from a Bee Gee, but that is another post.

I am going to go out on a limb and declare that most girls at some point in their lives ask for a horse. They can do so often, once in a while, or once but at some point, they put the request on their wish list. When I was growing up I was fortunate enough to go to a dude ranch in Lake Wales, Fl. It was Circle F Dude Ranch and a great place with so many fun experiences. It is a treasured experience that I now share with my niece and my youngest daughter. I, even sat in the backseat of our car as we drove from Lake Wales to Miami repeating, “I wanna horse”…or rather ” I ..Wannnnna Hhhoooorrrrssssssseeee”. How my parents didn’t throw me out, I do not know. They are much better parents, individuals, humans than I. But, my love affair with the giant steeds was born and I am so grateful my youngest has carried the torch.

My girl & Dakota with a flash of tail

Again but laughing at me cuz’ I had my hat on backwards for the pic.

Still easily amused but can you see the love between girl and horse?

Dakota saa-ying enough

Dakota agreeing your mom is a bit odd 😉

Horses are a rare breed. Not because they are uncommon, but because they are truly magical. They do not need the mythical horn from their forehead, the possess all the magic one desires by gazing at them or even better, letting them take you for a ride.

Is this a bragging moment, yes. Yes, it is. This is my daughter not having rehearsed and going over cross jumps and I am a proud mama. Yes, totally own it, I am bragging…and now I’m done.

I ran across a wine, that just looked liked it had a western element. I have had it before, but I was struck by the label seeming so leathery and that had me thinking as I was watching my daughter at her lesson today at MaeBree Ranch. This is a bright, crisp Chardonnay from the Rutherford Valley region in California. It has some citrus but also grounded and true to the new generations of Chardonnay. I couldn’t resist having some fun with this bottle around the ranch. Although, this was a full bottle…why I trusted these guys to not knock it over and lick it up for themselves, I don’t know. Again, it must be a horse/girl thing.

Arabian Photo Bomb, it’s legal and adorable

Doc so would drink this

This Chardonnay is really quite good. It is under $20 and can tie in with anything, but it is fun to harness it to a horse. Ok, so I couldn’t do that, but I did do this….

What is the wine that has me unbridled? Mossback Chardonnay, because I knew I was going to be outside and couldn’t resist the leathery , saddle type of label. It fits into the Colorado Western lifestyle we think we have here in the West.

Now, I finished the day or evening off with a Valpolicella from Allegrini Vineyards. More licorice than I normally prefer but it fits the rough riding or rather smooth riding that we have been highlighting here.

Here’s a selfie of Lola, she is telling you to try what I recommended but really she is telling you to drink what you like. I am running a 7K into Broncos Stadium in September, we are the Galloping Hot Bloods after Thunder, the Arabian Mascot for the Denver Broncos. So, cheers to finishing the race and Celebrate You!

Hace Caliente or It’s Hot!

July 21, 2016July 21, 2016 theblondegrape1 Comment

Global warming or just that time of year called Summer, we are nearing the dog days and it is hot. We are beyond warm, or a little touched by the heat, we are in full flip-flop mode and portable fans.

Now, I don’t always think it necessary to pair wine with food. As I have said before, drink what you like and choose the guidelines if you wish. But, I do tend to make a deciding factor on what I drink based on the weather. To me when it is hot, it is the time to keep the drink a little lighter and sometimes even a little sweeter. Warning: If you make it too light and too sweet you may drink too fast due to dehydration, be careful.

One of my favorite drinks to cool down the heat, is Sangria. There are many kinds, but typically there are three version for you to choose from: a red, a white and a cava (sparkling wine). My favorite place for Sangria and Cuban/Spanish Cuisine is The Columbia in Ybor City, FL (Tampa).

This place is very much a destination place when you visit Tampa, in particular, Ybor City. Known for it’s “Cuban” Cigars, it is hard to get much more authentic than actually going to Cuba. This is a very eclectic neighborhood that is continuously improving and free roaming chickens. Go see for yourselves, believe.

So, back to it being hot, this place alongside it’s great food is known for it’s sangria. The Columbia has packaged a mix to help you in the process and I have used it, and liked it. Now, I didn’t have all the fruit on hand to make it pretty but I can tell you, temps in the high 80s to low 90s and it was refreshing and on point. Pics below don’t do it justice, but the ones after will, I promise:

Due to the Spanish origins, I use a Rioja wine to make the red sangria. Again, we did not have much fruit, so we used limes and grapes. But, I highly suggest you try oranges in the mix. The Cerro Anon Rioja from 2009 was perfect for this blend that had me lounging on my deck admiring the grass that probably needs to be mowed, but it’s hot, so I tell my son, the lawn can wait till manana as I don’t want to hear the rumble of the push engine catching grass. Nor, do I want to hear him whine about mowing the yard, that would get in the way of the only whine I tolerate and that is wine, without an “h”.

Now, if for some reason, you are not experiencing the mercury rising in your neck of the woods, here are some songs that may put that feeling into play for you. In no particular order of heat index, here are some great songs to enjoy your Sangria:

The Heat is On by Glenn Frey

Hot, Hot, Hot by Buster Poindexter

Heatwave by Martha and the Vandellas

Hot Fun in the Summertime by Sly and the Family Stone

When Your Hot Your Hot by Jerry Reed

Summertime Blues by The Who

In the Summertime by Mungo Cherry (1 Hit Wonder)

Some Like it Hot by Power Station

But if you don’t want songs that sing about being hot, or heat or summer, I believe this new song by Justin Timberlake, should be the 2016 song of Summer. What do you think?
Can’t Stop the Feeling by Justin Timberlake

Now, back to the Sangria. My recent trip to The Columbia, we tried the Sangria Cava, which is Sangria using a Spanish sparkling wine. The pictures will show some of the process and I will attach the link and post recipe to the refreshing blend that made one forget for a brief second that all the temps said, 90+, it felt like over 100 on the thermometer.

This was so yummy! The recipe from their website is as follows:

Sangria de Cava (Sparkling Wine Sangria)
Columbia’s sparkling white sangria is great for a fancy brunch.
Ingredients
1 375 ml bottle of Cava (or any sparkling wine)
¼ ounce Torres 5 Brandy (or any Spanish brandy)
¼ ounce Gran Torres Liqueur (or any orange liqueur)
Splash of lemon-lime soda
1 orange
1 lime
Cherries for garnish
Simple syrup*

Preparation
Cut orange and lime in half. Fill large pitcher with ice and combine the wine, brandy, liqueur, lemon-lime soda, the juice of half of an orange and the juice of half a lime. Stir. Add simple syrup to obtain desired sweetness. Slice remaining orange and lime into thin slices. Garnish glasses with orange, lime and cherry.

* To make simple syrup, combine one part water to one part sugar in small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Chill before use. Serves 4.

As I mentioned previously, you can purchase their mix to aid you in the assistance of your perfect Sangria. I suggest you stick to Spanish wines the Riojas, Cavas to make it as authentic and delicious as possible, but as I always say, drink what you like. So, experiment among yourselves. Let me know how it turns out.Click on The Columbia Gift Shop to purchase your mix.

Lastly, my last visit was timed with the timely return of my brother and his wife from Spain and Portugal. My love of wine runs in the family and to let you know how they are using cork in the Mediterranean other than to top off a bottle, I give you the cork shoe. Yes, I am now going to have to get a pair, but for now, here is a picture of cork shoes on my brother’s feet. Salud!

Out of the Box

July 14, 2016 theblondegrapeLeave a comment

Well, I couldn’t resist myself when at one of my favorite restaurants Villagios in Lutz, Florida we ordered a really great, Italian wine to accompany the meal. It was a Summus by Castello Banfi. We ordered the larger bottle, the 1.5 and when it came to the table, it was the grandfather of boxed wine.

By now, you may know a little about my sense of humor. I couldn’t resist, I said, “boxed wine”, laughter from the table from the owner not so much, then he joined in…yes, you are now understanding why I call this blog, The Blonde Grape. For the record, this place is authentic Italian. Italian owner, much of the staff is Italian and I am talking accents in all, which alone would make it great but the food is authentic and molto bene. The decor is a little different but reminds me much of the Italian Restaurant in Moonstruck

This beautiful Summus, whether 750 or 1.5 is a perfect accompaniment to eggplant, veal and I even liked it with my grouper. It must be the Italian but they pair very well.
But, all this thought about boxes got me thinking about the phrase, think out of the box. Now, I just wrote that I drank this red wine with fish and so yes, I drank outside the box and I think you should too. I say, never get into the box and then you are not encumbered by other people’s rules.

Now, to further invite you to my world, there are two types of music going through my head. One is the song about Little Boxes, but the version I have linked you too is really quite creative and again outside the box. Why, because all you see and hear is from boxes. It is worth a listen, so feel free to click on the link. Here it is again: Little Boxes. The other one is a kissing cousin of our beloved Italian crooner, Frank Sinatra. It is Sammy Davis Jr. in Vegas with Buddy Rich. These two are beyond talented and although not Italian, I am pretty sure Frank thought of them as such. The song currently being played is “Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone” which after having you think outside the box and laugh at my joke on boxed wine, I guess I will be asking the same thing.

Now, I would be remiss if I didn’t share with you that tonight at one of my favorite wine shop, Loop Liquors, I saw a real boxed wine that had me giggle at the name a bit, but I may have to give it a try. I mean with all the talk that a glass of red wine is worth an hour of exercising, may a glass of this wine is worth a face-lift.

Go have some fun, drink what you like and raise a glass to celebrate you!