Round Up

This is my one-hundredth SBlog entry.

Cinema
Good – The Interpreter
Bad – The Transporter
Fugly – Garden State

Cellar
Red – Chimney Rock 2001 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
White – Baywood Cellars 2002 Gewurztraminer
Bubbles – Kenwood NV Sparkling Champagne (disclaimer: was mixed with blood orange juice)

Cocktail
Persian Lime Spritzer
* Combine 1c water, zest and juice of three (3) limes, 0.25C single blossum honey and 3/4C loosely packed washed thyme stems with leaves
* Simmer for 30 minutes and strain
* Divide between four ice-filled glasses
* Add shot of Absolut
* Top with sparkling mineral water (I obviously use VOSS)
* Garnish with thyme sprig and a lime wedge

Burnt Man

CAUTION: CLOTHING IS OPTIONAL IN BURNING MAN. PROCEED WITH CARE TO BLACK ROCK CITY OR PROFERRED LINKS.

Burning Man, which began on a San Francisco beach with just 20 participants in 1986, has grown to more than 25,000 people of all ages. Held over the course of a week prior to and including Labor Day weekend, participants create massive sculptures and other visual and performance art. The event also aims to create a temporary community, where people must rely on each other for basic sustenance.Trying to explain what Burning Man is to someone who has never been to the event is a bit like trying to explain what a particular color looks like to someone who is blind. If you plan to go, be sure you read the Survival Guide aforehand. Some facts:
* for a week, BM is Nevada’s fifth largest city
* BM has a temporary airport for small planes, a post office, an espresso shop, two (2) daily newspapers, several radio stations, a recycling center and pizza delivery
* memorable art featured here has included the Piano Bell (88 charred pianos that you whack with a stick) and La Contessa (replicated 15th century Spanish galleon)
* what you do need: pack a bike, water, goggles, face mask/bandana, hat, tent, baby wipes, food (to eat and share), sleeping bag and air mattress, wig, toilet paper, big coat for nighttime, glo sticks or lights for a bike and hat to avoid nighttime collision, sunscreen, costumes, art supplies, shea butter or lotion for dry skin, garbage bags, parasal, shade structure, beach chairs, first aid kit, spray bottle
* what you do not need: $ is prohibited after you pay your ticket (except at the center camp where you can buy food and beverages with US currency). The purpose is to encouraging trading, a “gift economy”
* the cheapest BM tickets ($185) sold out in minutes online in January. Tickets top out at $250 and cannot be bought at the gate after September 1 to prevent “looky-loos”. Cut-rate tickets are available if you can show financial hardship

Bad Food

I had bad milk with my cereal. That is terrible. Here is a guide to can, freeze, dry, cure & smoke, ferment, pickle, and store. The National center for Home Food Preservation has many seasonal tips as well.

Dining Survey

From Open Table’s Dining Survey was Conducted by Genesis Research Associates, the study investigated consumer dining behaviors and trends in spending, dining frequency, and preferences at white-tablecloth restaurants in eight major US markets: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington DC. White-tablecloth restaurants are full-service restaurants that take reservations.

31% Confess to Eavesdropping on Conversations at the Next Table
Excellent Service Earns a 25% Tip
25% believe restaurant service has improved over time
8% believe service quality has declined
Spending on white-tablecloth dining is trending upward, with 40% of respondents saying they spend more today than they did a year ago. Only 4% say they are spending less than one year ago, while 56% say that there has been no change.
Respondents reported that their average dinner tab is $49.37 per person, including taxes, tip, and beverages.
Compared to one year ago, twice as many say they are dining out more often as say they are dining out less often (31% vs. 15%).

Average service typically earns a 17% tip, and excellent service is rewarded with a 25% tip. Diners report that they aren’t likely to apply excessive punishment for bad service.
New York, Washington DC, Boston and Philadelphia tippers appear to be the most accepting, saying they leave 15% for below-average service. Boston diners reported the most generous tips, saying that they leave an average of 27% for excellent service followed by Philadelphia diners, who claimed to tip an average of 26% for excellent service.

Diners say they are irritated by cell phones in nice restaurants. Eighty-four percent of diners agreed that they get “really irritated” with people who use their cell phones in fine restaurants. 31% admitted that they sometimes eavesdrop on conversations at nearby tables. I am included.

Nationally, 38% of diners say that one or more adults at the table drinks alcohol during lunch at a fine restaurant. New Yorkers lead the nation, with 49% reporting that one or more adults at the table drinks alcohol at lunch. Of those, the average consumption at the table is one drink per person. In addition, more than nine out of 10 diners nationally say that someone at the table drinks alcohol at dinner, with an average of two drinks per adult.

Twenty-seven percent of respondents say they have brought their own wine at least once in their past 10 white-tablecloth restaurant meals. Nearly one in five of those who might otherwise have brought wine, worried that the “staff wouldn’t like it” if they did.

38% of diners try to order dishes with lower carbohydrates and/or fat content, with Washington DC diners most likely to do so at 44%. In addition, 18% of San Franciscans cite “health/ingredient control” as one of the reasons they don’t eat out more often, leading a national average of 14%. On the other hand, just more than half of diners nationally say they usually treat themselves to dessert when they dine at white-tablecloth restaurants.

Here are the “Most Likely to (Least Likely to)” Awards:

• eat out more often than last year: Philadelphia (SF)
• eat out at least once weekly: NYC (Philadelphia)
• tolerate kids in fine restaurants: SF (Atlanta)
• spend >$75 per person per dinner: NYC (SF)
• bring own wine: Philadelphia (DC)
• prefer ethnic food: LA (Boston)
• cite transportation/parking as barrier to eating out: SF (NYC)
• do business over dinner: Atlanta (SF)
• dine out for lunch: NYC (Boston)
• dine out with friends: LA (Philadelphia)
• treat themselves to dessert: NYC (Atlanta)

Choose Freezer

A stand-alone freezer (SAF) is a big investment and you need to have enough frozen foods to fil it almost to capacity for the most energy efficiency.

1. Measure available space, keeping in mind the need for a little room on all sides for venting and that the freezer should be on level ground.
2. Choose between a chest freezer and upright. Chest freezers have fewer features. Consider ease of food access and space limitations.
3. Check the yellow EnergyGuide tag for the freezer’s energy efficiency: a lower number indicates less energy used per year. The cost of running a freezer depends not only on capacity but also on how hot (or cold) the outside temperature is if the freezer is not in thehouse.
4. Choose the capacity in cubic feet with your storage needs in mind.
5. Select a frost-free model if desired. Chest freezers are usually not frost-free. Frost-free freezers, while convenient, cost more to run than standard freezers. Do a quarterly inventrory and manually defrost instead.
6. Check the convenience of access to racks, baskets and drawers inside the freezer.
7. Read the warranty information and ask about service options.
8. Your personal height is key when choosnig a freezer: dwarves have trouble reaching into deep chest freezers (not that there is anything wrong with dwarves).
9. Your freezer needs to be pluggedinto a grounded outlet.

Select appliances.

Week in Wine

CALIFORNIA RHONE BLENDS

2002 Acorn Alegria Vineyards Russian River Valley Dolcetto: $22
2003 Cline Ancient Vines Contra Costa County Carignane: $18
2004 Clos de Gilroy California Grenache: $13
2004 Frontier Red Lot No. 41 California Red Wine: $10
2002 Hop Kiln M. Griffin Vineyard Russian River Valley Valdiguie: $22
2002 Michel-Schlumberger Dry Creek Valley Maison Rouge: $20
2003 Pellegrini Old Vines Redwood Valley Carignane: $16
2002 Zaca Mesa Santa Ynez Valley Z Cuvee: $15

RED SPARKLING WINES

CALIFORNIA

1998 Geyser Peak Winery Sonoma County Sparkling Shiraz ($30)
NV Wattle Creek California Sparkling Shiraz ($35)

AUSTRALIA

2001 Craneford Barossa Valley Sparkling Shiraz Petit Verdot ($30)
2001 Double Vision Mudgee Sparkling Shiraz ($40)
NV Fox Creek McLaren Vale Vixen ($20)
1996 Galah South Australia Sparkling Red ($50)
NV Hardys Australia Sparkling Shiraz ($20)
NV Joseph Adelaide Sparkling Red ($40)
2003 Majella Coonawarra Sparkling Shiraz ($30)
NV Wild Duck Creek Estate Heathcote Sparkling Duck ($80)

Caution: Wines listed are available but may not be in all stores. Start with local wine merchants, but also try larger stores. I get my wine from BevMo. Drinking during pregnancy is associated with birth defects.

Home Trends

For the kitchen

• Modular or Euro-style cabinets
• Stainless steel
• Touch-pad controls
• French door refrigerators
• Organization systems
• TV on mirrors, hoods, refrigerators
• Sleeker hoods
• Taller washers and dryers
• Soft-touch closing drawer and cabinets
• Professional-type appliances
• Compact, smaller appliances

For the bathroom

• Custom showers
• Single-lever faucets
• Free-standing tubs
• Furniture-looking vanities
• Toilet seats with bidets
• Vessel sinks
• Soft-closing toilet lids
• Warming drawers for towels
• Touchless faucets

Design

• Colors: charcoal; green, orange and beige with yellow base; ocean blue; white
• Luminescent and metallic colors
• Shapes: sleek and lean, inspired by the bar code; curves, inspired by the bubble
• Lifestyle: organization, accessibility, convenience
• Function: multitasking, user friendly
• Concept: technology meets design

Beautiful things

• Amish breakfront (Aussiewood USA)
• Farmhouse copper sink (HP Austin)
• Marble tub (Stone Forest)
• Arts and crafts hardware (Notting Hill)
• Tub filler (Dornbracht)
• Herringbone wood inlay countertop (Pacific Crest)
• Decorative hood (Zephyr)
• Vessel sink (Bella Bronze)

Fun things

• Metallic- and etched-glass toaster and blender (Jenn-Air Attrezzi)
• Trashcan with automatic lid (iTouchless)
• Knobs and pulls (Susan Goldstick; Sóko)
• Fabric Freshener clothes bag (Whirlpool)
• Flattop griddle (Evo)
• Sink with built-in cutting board (Cuttingplace)
• Soft toilet seat (Foam Creations)

Green things

• Formaldehyde-free adhesive (Columbia Forest Products)
• Dual-flush toilet (Toto)
• Cork flooring (Cork Concepts)
• Clothes-drying cabinet (BreezeDry)
• Wall tiles that absorb humidity (Ecocarat)
• Quiet whirlpool pump (Syllent)
• Solid state lighting (Cyberlux)

Gardensia

Theater sound

Standard 5.1
Affordable high-performance quality sound through five speakers and a subwoofer system

Premium 6.1
Six speakers and a subwoofer capture the full spectrum

Ultimate 7.1
Seven top-of-the-line speakers and a powerful subwoofer

Tips for getting better home theater sound

1. Speaker setup menus: Select speaker size (large, small, none) for the left and right front speakers, center speaker and surround speakers. As a rule of thumb, speakers with woofers >6″ diameter are LARGE. Take a tape measure and input the full set of speaker to listener distances. The receiver will then insure that the sound from all of your spekaers reaches your ears at exactly the same time. 1 millisecond is equivalent to 1 foot (sometimes you have to enter in msec). Insure all speakers are equal in level. Your receiver can send a test tone to each speaker and youc an adjust the volume (relative) for each channel. The loudness should stay the same, or you need to adjust individually.
2. Buy a sound level meter (Radio Shack 33-2050) to insure accurate level matching.
3. Confirm that speaker and interconnect cables are in the correct positions. I like the DVD “Sound and Vision: Home theater tune-up” for its additional tests.
4. Tweak subwoofer level and crossover controls: If your subwoofer’s bass is boomy, thick or uneven, first lower its level (volume control). If your satellites are very small, set the crossover control to its midpoint or higher. Bigger speakers produce morei ndependent bass so they sound best when the subwoofer’s crossover know is at or near the bottom of its range. Move the subout of the corner and closer to one of the front speakers for smoother, flatter bass.
5. Purchase speaker stands or brackets. Pull them out of bookcases or from tops of cabinets. Placing on the floor or wall brackets radically improves sound quality.
6. Optimize speaker placement: front speaker tweeters must be at or as close as possible to ear level. If a speaker is within 18″ of a room’s corner, angle it away from the corner toward the main listening position.
7. Tame uncooperative acoustics: Rooms with bare-wood or tiile floors always sound overly bright and zippy. A thick rug and window drapes will sop up some of the harshness.
8. Upgrade speaker/interconnect cables. One word: MONSTER.
9. Add a separate power amplifier. Hook up a gutsy separate 100- , 150- or 200-watt per channel amplifier to your receiver to power up the volume.
10. Buy matched speakers. Even a moderately priced ensemble offers far more cohesive sound.

Word Wars

Sadder than Spellbound but Word Wars is a world unknown to most of us. More about these worlds of Scrabble and the Bee. The word bee, as used in spelling bee, is a language puzzle that has never been satisfactorily accounted for. A fairly old and widely-used word, it refers to a community social gathering at which friends and neighbors join together in a single activity (sewing, quilting, barn raising, etc.), usually to help one person or family. The earliest known example in print is a spinning bee, in 1769. Other early occurrences are husking bee (1816), apple bee (1827), and logging bee (1836).

Spelling bee is apparently an American term. It first appeared in print in 1875, but it seems certain that the word was used orally for several years before that.
Those who used the word, including most early students of language, assumed that it was the same word as referred to the insect. They thought that this particular meaning had probably been inspired by the obvious similarity between these human gatherings and the industrious, social nature of a beehive. But in recent years scholars have rejected this explanation, suggesting instead that this bee is a completely different word. One possibility is that it comes from the Middle English word bene, which means “a prayer” or “a favor” (and is related to the more familiar word boon). In England, a dialectal form of this word, been or bean, referred to “voluntary help given by neighbors toward the accomplishment of a particular task.” (Webster’s Third New International Dictionary). Bee may simply be a shortened form of been, but no one is entirely certain.

Choose Fridge

This is a major purchase. Every person who has crossed 100 that I have ever questioned has unflinchingly indicated that the Refrigerator (RF) is the single most important invention of the millennium. I would agree as I found it terribly hard to manage the first week after moving into my new home.

1. Measure the area (height, width, depth) where you plan to put the refrigerator, making sur e you have enough space to open the door.
2. Decide whether you want a side/side, top mount (freezer on top) or bottom mount (freezer on bottom) model.
3. Side/side RF use more energy than any other type.
4. If you choose a top/bottom mount, you need to figure out which way you want the door to open as the hinges may be mounted on either side, depending on your kitchen triangle.
5. As I am vegetarian, I opt for an armoire (side/side) double RF and relegate the freezer function to helpful freezer drawers elsewhere and a supplementary RF in the garage.
6. Consider the capacity (cubic feet of storage space) inside the RF, keeping in mind the outside measurements.
7. Check out websites from different vendors: they offer comparative charts.
8. Compare yellow Energy Guide labels. Smaller number, less electricity used. Any RF with an Energy Star label exceeds federal standards by at least 20%
9. Look at door space. I always store 2 gallons of milk (does a body good), 2-liter soda (for friend’s kids – let them deal with it after they leave my home), and 2 cartons of juice. Look for shelves wide enough to accommodate items you always stock.
10. Do you use ice or filtered water? I do not. Choose an ice dispenser or on-demand filter water if you do. Examine the book to ensure that your glass, mug or pitcher fits and examine the angle at which water is dispensed. Remember the filters have to be replaced meticulously. Also remember that in most major metropolitans, tap water is legally potable.
11. Ask about warranties and extended service contracts. Find out what is covered in the warranty and if the warranty is included in the purchase price.
12. Once you find the model, shop around for the best price. I find that taking competing vendor’s quotes (written or advertised) will always be matched though pre-authorization may be required. Ask for sales, cash rebates and other money-saving offers. December is the best month to buy RF. Delivery and/or installation charges are often waived if you purchase multiple appliances from the same vendor.
13. For maximal efficiency, the RF should always be two-thirds full – consider this when choosing your desired capacity. Determine if the door of your RF is insulated. Many of the new models have deep storage in the door but have not made it so that the milk stays cold enough. Ask.

Recommended products.
Select appliances.

It pays to make a good choice when shopping for a refrigerator. A refrigerator may cost more than any other appliance when you buy it, and it can cost more to operate because it must run frequently to keep your food cold or frozen. Plus, a refrigerator gets a lot of use — before and after every meal and between meals.

Here are some questions to ask when shopping for a refrigerator:

• Do you want a refrigerator with a top freezer, bottom freezer or side-by-side arrangement? Top freezer refrigerators are most common and usually cost less to operate than side-by-side refrigerator/freezers. Bottom freezers are generally the cheapest to operate, but may be more costly to buy. It can be inconvenient to find food stored in freezers low to the ground, unless you have roll-out or pullout baskets, and they may be harder to locate. When a freezer’s door is inside the refrigerator, that freezer space is for short-term frozen storage only (2-3 weeks). If there is a separate freezer door outside the refrigerator compartment, longer storage of frozen items is possible (2-3 months).
• How large a refrigerator do you need? A family of four might need at least an 18 cubic foot size, but families who entertain frequently, freeze garden and other fresh produce, or do grocery shopping in quantity may need more refrigerator space. Before you shop, measure the width and height of the space available for the refrigerator. Most refrigerators are about 24 to 36 inches wide and 60 to 84 inches high; side-by-side refrigerators are larger. You should allow at least one inch on each side of the refrigerator for installing and cleaning the refrigerator, as well as door swing. Furthermore, blocking air circulation above, below and around the refrigerator may make it work harder to keep cool. Operating costs depend on size and type.
• What defrost system do you want? Manual defrost refrigerators cost less to buy and operate. However, they may not keep ice cream hard or provide longtime storage of frozen food without also freezing foods in the refrigerator compartment. Manual defrost refrigerators are more commonly found in the smaller sizes. Most people prefer a frost-free refrigerator so they will not have the regular chore of defrosting the freezer portion.
• Which special refrigerator features will be most useful to you? Here are a few:
  Automatic ice makers save time and effort. (But consider the quality of your water; an automatic ice maker may not work well with some water mineral content, and may be plugged by hard water.) Some ice makers tend to add to service or repairs needed, and require plumbing.
• Reversible doors are available so that the refrigerator doors open toward a counter when your refrigerator must be placed at the left or right end of your kitchen cabinets, or if you move or remodel your kitchen. Place your refrigerator away from ranges and other heat sources. Avoid unconditioned spaces such as garages or porches and areas where the sun will hit it.
• Cabinet rollers will allow you to roll the refrigerator out for cleaning under it, and help prevent floor cuts and damage.
• Ice and water dispensers let people get ice and chilled water without opening the refrigerator doors. Consider tradeoffs of perhaps higher original cost but lower cost of electricity if ice and ice water are used often.
• Flexible shelving allows you to change shelves when you need to store tall items.
• What type of surface does it have? Is it easy to clean? Do fingerprints show easily or does the surface and/or color hide soils? Are soils easily removed around handles and ice maker?
• Are the inside trays accessible, flexible, slide-out, adjustable for large items, and/or replaceable? Do you need all the racks and mechanisms? Some refrigerators come with horizontal pop storage containers, and/or separate butter, egg, meat, vegetable and fruit storage. Which of these features do you need and use now?
• Storage compartments for meat, vegetables, and fruits may have control knobs to regulate temperature and humidity levels for product storage. A temperature of at least 40°F is needed to insure safe foods.
• Are the inside areas, racks and components easy to clean? Do they come out or slide forward for convenient cleaning and access? Where will spills such as syrup or pop collect?
• How easily will you be able to clean these up? Glass shelves may be easier to clean than wire, and if they have a raised lip will contain spills.
• Look for a high moisture switch (sometimes called an energy saver switch). During humid weather this switch turns on a small heater to prevent “sweat” from forming around your refrigerator door. When not needed during dry weather, turning the switch off can save energy and money.
• New refrigerators retain colder temperatures. On hot, humid days, moisture entering the refrigerator/freezer when the door is opened will cause frost to form inside the freezer and moisture to collect inside the refrigerator. To reduce energy use and meet government requirements, defrost heaters have shorter run times.

To control moisture entering the refrigerator or freezer:

• Arrange shelving and food items so air circulates.
• Don’t “overload” or “underload” the freezer.
• Set the controls as recommended in the use and care book. Manufacturers may suggest different settings for summer and winter.
• Properly seal liquids and high-moisture foods stored.
• Open the refrigerator and freezer doors as few times as possible.
• Check and maintain the door gaskets. Door seals keep warm, moist air out.

Once you have decided on the refrigerator size and special features you want, you can compare the operating costs of different refrigerator models using the yellow EnergyGuide labels. Look carefully at each EnergyGuide label. A bar across the middle of the label shows the lowest and highest yearly energy costs of all refrigerators of the same size and defrost type. The large number above the bar shows the annual energy cost of the model. It is wise to choose a refrigerator with the lowest operating cost among your choices. Because of U.S. Department of Energy regulations, today’s refrigerators use about two-thirds or less of the electricity of models made ten years ago. By the end of 1995, new refrigerants were to replace chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). The new CFC-free models may use less energy.

Look for comparison studies in books and magazines at your local library. The most energy efficient models have labels showing energy consumption at or near the left hand of the bar range, close to the words “uses least energy.” Refrigerators are being made without Freon, using an alternative refrigerant. Check and ask questions about the type of refrigerant and how it works.

Choose Dishwasher

The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers estimates that a dishwasher (DW) saves you up to four (4) hours a week over hand-washing. Some steps to keep in mind.

1. Measure the space for the DW. Most are 18 or 24″ wide and can hold 12 place settings.
2. Check the number of spray levels. The more directions of spray, the cleaner your dishes.
3. Water should be heated to at least 140 degrees. The heating unit is located within the DW.
4. Choose a DW with a food grinder or heavy-duty disposal if you do not want to pre-rinse
5. Check the yellow EnergyGuide label for the energy-efficiency rating (lower number is better)
6. Choose a delay start function to program it to run when you are not home or at night (KEY)
7. Consider the kinds of cycles you need. Options include light (lightly soiled, china, crystal), normal (everyday washing), heavy (also called pots and pans, for dishes or baking pans with stuck-on food), and rinse and hold (to remove food and colors if dishes will sit for some time in the DW before a full washing cycle is begun
8. Buy a sound-dampening package if you think it will be too noisy.
9. Determine what the warranty covers. Think about an extended warranty. Insure it can be serviced lcoally.
10. Most DW do the same thing so convenience is important. See that you like how the controls work, the way the racks are situated and the way the food disposal system works.
11. When shopping fo a new DW, take along those dishes that did not fit well into your old DW to “test drive” the newer models. This is important for stemware.

Recommended products.
Select appliances.

Singular sensation

Unmarried America engages in education and advocacy for America’s 86 million unmarried adults. This group includes people who are ever-single, divorced, or widowed, and who have a variety of living arrangements (solo singles, single parents, domestic partners, roommates, and unmarried families). It seeks fairness for unmarried employees, consumers, and taxpayers and more recognition of unmarried voters.

Week in Wine

SAUVIGNON BLANC
2004 Aresti Chile Sauvignon Blanc ($8)
2004 Baobab Western Cape Sauvignon Blanc ($9)
2004 Castoro Cellars Paso Robles Fume Blanc ($9)
2004 Forestville California Sauvignon Blanc ($6)
2004 Golden Kaan Western Cape Sauvignon Blanc ($9)
2004 Handpicked Limestone Coast Sauvignon Blanc ($10)
2004 Indaba South Africa Sauvignon Blanc ($9)
2004 Jindalee South Eastern Australia Sauvignon Blanc ($7)
2003 Jewel Collection Monterey County Sauvignon Blanc ($10)
2004 Kono Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ($10)

SOUTH CENTRAL COAST ZINFANDEL
2002 Castoro Cellars Zinfusion Paso Robles Zinfandel: $19
2003 Castoro Cellars Cobble Creek Paso Robles Zinfandel: $25
2003 Eberle Paso Robles Zinfandel: $16
2003 Eberle Remo Belli Vnyd Paso Robles Zinfandel: $22
2002 Estancia Keyes Canyon Ranches Paso Robles Zinfandel: $15
2003 JanKris Paso Robles Zinfandel: $10
2003 Midnight Paso Robles Zinfandel: $26
2003 Orchid Hill Primi Paso Robles Zinfandel: $22
2003 Peachy Canyon Incredible Red Bin 116 Paso Robles Zinfandel: $12
2002 Peachy Canyon Winery Westside Paso Robles Zinfandel: $19
2003 Rabbit Ridge Westside Paso Robles Zinfandel: $16
2002 Rotta Giubbini Vnyd Paso Robles Zinfandel: $22
2002 San Marcos Creek Vineyard Paso Robles Zinfandel: $22
2001 Santa Barbara Winery LaFond Vnyd Santa Rita Hills Zinfandel: $16
2002 Vina Robles Westside Paso Robles Zinfandel: $24

Caution: Wines listed are available but may not be in all stores. Start with local wine merchants, but also try larger stores. I get my wine from BevMo. Drinking during pregnancy is associated with birth defects.

Vanity Fare

In the state of California, all newly registered automobiles are issued two (2) license plates. This means that one goeson the front and one in the back. This is a law(11713.17) and a mindless one at that. Sign the petition for eradication of this rubbish law. Loophole: a front license plate absence ticket may not be issued if your car is parked – contest it. Another loophole: it is required only in the State (there are 19, including California, Illinois, New York; the rest are flyover states anyway) in which your car is registered. In California, there is a crackdown becuase this is used to catch those autos running red lights on cameras mounted atop traffic lights. These red lights cause more rear-end collisions.

World Book

The eleventh edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica, first published in 1911, is considered the most comprehensive ever. At a time when many encyclopedias have capsulated and condensed important knowledge, the 11th edition is generally much more in-depth and thorough on it’s topics. It is not uncommon for its entries to be 5 to 10 times the length of other encyclopedias. As a research tool, this 11th edition is unparalleled – even today. LoveToKnow is in the process of updating and editing thousands of the entries, preserving the treasured entries that make it so unique, and adding entries on new relevant topics. 11e filled 29 volumes and contains over 44 million words populating more than 40,000 articles written by over 1,500 authors within their various fields of expertise, many of the entries written by the most famous people of the age. As such, it was considered to represent the sum of human knowledge at the beginning of the 20th Century. When T.S. Eliot wrote ‘Soul curled up on the window seat reading the Encyclopedia’ he was certainly thinking of the eleventh edition.”

A gave me a copy of The Know-it-All: One Man’s Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Guy in the World. Some nibbles along the way -

He completes his 33,000-page journey through 75,000 articles. He learns a little bit about the eating habits of Emile Zola and our friends the zombies. He knocks off the letters U, V and W, compiling odd information about White House security and American Gothic painter Grant Wood. He found under “theater” that mimes used to perform live executions on stage. “S”claims more entries in the Encyclopaedia Britannica than any other letter — many dealing with the topic of sex. From the speedy copulation habits of elephants, to randy King Solomon and the misguided contraceptive measures of the Middle Ages, many fun facts. The curious origins of the humble razor. Prehistoric men resorted to shark teeth and clamshells to tame their beards, while Egyptians preferred theirs made of solid gold. Later, a socialist businessman used profits from his razor business to fund his revolutionary tracts. The many attempts to assassinate Russian mystic Rasputin. In his classic book Remembrance of Things Past, Marcel Proust recounts the story of how biting into a madeleine prompted a rush of memories that inspired him to write. But the magical memory cookie was actually a dry piece of toast known as a rusk cracker. And pastries don’t just prompt books – they’ve started at least one war, as have pigs and beer. The secret lives and histories of two common foods that fall under the letter “O” — oysters and olive oil. Oysters, it turns out, can change their sex from male to female and back again, depending on water temperature. And olive oil played a vital role in the building of the Egyptian pyramids. A knowledge of Latin saved the life of playwright Ben Jonson, and King Louis XIV of France may have possessed the first biological weapons.For those aiming to be written up one day in the Encyclopaedia Britannica, a word of advice: The surest way to end up in the immense reference work is to get beheaded. He talks of the nudist origins of the word “berserk,” the history of canned laughter and the financial woes of Robinson Crusoe author Daniel Defoe.

Perfect San Diego

San Diego is California’s second largest city and has no weather. There is more than Shamu to see.

Hotel del Coronado, the inspiration for Oz’s Em City, is lush and exquisite. Cross the bridge to downtown and check out Seaport Village (ships, tuna). Caution: kitschy shop overload. Lunch at Marion’s Fish Market but save room for dessert in Horton’s Plaza, a short walk eastbound.

Up the hill is Balboa Park, home of the San Diego Zoo which houses animals in ecosystems similar to the native. Skyfari aerial tram. Hummingbird Aviary. Scripps Aviary for rare African birds. Mingei International Museum of Folk Art.

Back to Coronado down the Silver Strand for dinner at the glamorous Prince of Wales grill. Extraordinary California reserve wine list. Johnny Ace Harris, jazz piano. Pop over the bridge to the U.S. Grant Hotel, then to the Gaslamp Quarter on Fifth Avenue for disco (Jimmy Love’s) or Croce’s Top Hat (blues and jazz). Bitter End for a Black Martini (Absolut, Kahlua, chilled espresso, whisk of cream in oversized chilled stem martini glass) nightcap.

Everything is tonier in La Jolla than the rest of San Diego. Hurl over the Bridge north on I-5. Brunch at La Jolla Cove’s Brockton Villa. Check local treats in the Reader or San DIego Union-Tribune Night & Day. Up the cobblestones to Girard and Prospect Streets for handcrafted chocolates and designer duds. Good bookstores: John Coles’ Book Shop, D.G. Wills.

Venturi-designed Museum of Contemporary Art. Lunch at Roppongi before heading to Birch Aquarium at Scripps to ogle at fish in giant tanks. North on La Jolla drive to North Torey Pines Park Road to Torrey Pines State Reserve. Swimsuit-optional Black’s Beach (caution: nude is not always beautiful no matter how deceptive the CK parfum ads make it seem). Hang glide off Torrey Pines Glider Port.

South on I-5 to Shelter Island for appetizers at Humphrey’s, saving room for dinner at Ocean Beach’s Thee Bungalow. White linen and French food. Dress. Theater in Old Town, Horton Grand Theater or Civic Theater. Classical music at the SD Symphony, SD Opera House or California Center for the Arts in Escondido. Coffee with port follows at opening of Laurel Restaurant and Bar!

Del Mar and Carlsbad are in the North County, casual elegance coupled with surf style. “Del Martians”. Brunch at Pacifica Del Mar in Del Mar Plaza with macadamia nut waffles. Screwdrivers at LaValencia on Raymond Chandler’s barstool. They used Kenwood sparkling. Boutiques to browse. Curious indeed. Down 15th Street to old Del Mar train station. Del Mar racetrack and fairgrounds.

Up Hwy 101 past San Elijo State Beach for surf-hip Swami’s Cafe to Carlsbad’s antique district.
Witch Creek Winery (I know, I know) for old-vine zin or mag merlots. Bellefleur Winery and Restaurant for lunch, well paired with local Pinot Noir, chardonnay and grape leaves. $5 Martini Mondays.

Upscale outlet shopping at Carlsbad Company Stores but head south before nearby Legoland spews the munchkins. Afternoon tea with harp music at Four Seasons Aviara and then hot air balloon sunset ride over Del Mar. Dinner at Pamplemousse Grille. Heavy on seafood.

Still missing elusive Perfect Buddha despite plethora of Asian Antique stores on Solana Beach. Dancing after dinner at Solana Beach’s Belly Up Tavern. Champagne flights at Top of the Hyatt (40th floor of the bayside Hyatt regency) and you can take the flutes to the sand as the morning breaks. Many Asian antique stores.

Vegas SF

So you leave the citi but you don’t want to “leave the citi” and you’re in Vegas. Fear not!

Fleur de Lys
Mandalay Bay Hotel: (702) 632-9400.
Dinner 5:30-10:30 nightly

Nobhill
MGM Grand; (702) 891-7337.
Dinner 5:30-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, until 10:30 Friday, Saturday.

Bradley Ogden
Caesars Palace: (702) 731-7110. Dinner 5-11 p.m. nightly.

Burger Bar
Mandalay Place: (702) 632-9364.
Lunch and dinner continuously until 11 p.m.; 1 a.m. on weekends.

Postrio
Venetian: (702) 796-1110.
Lunch 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily; dinner 6-11 p.m. nightly.

Crustacean
Desert Passage in the Aladdin Hotel: (702) 650-0507.
Dinner 5: 30-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, until 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday.

Seablue
MGM Grand; (702) 891-3486.
Dinner 5:30-10:30 p.m. nightly.

Michael Mina
Bellagio: (702) 891-7337.
Dinner 5:30-10 p.m. nightly.

Bouchon
Venetian: (702) 414-6200.
Breakfast daily;
lunch 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday;
dinner 5-11 p.m. nightly (oyster bar opens at 3 p.m.)

Friday 13

A person with an irrational fear of Friday the 13th is a paraskevidekatriaphobe but there is considerable discussion about its origins.

Fridays are significant in the Christian tradition: Good Friday was the day Jesus Christ was crucified; Adam and Eve supposedly ate the forbidden fruit on a Friday; the Great Flood started on a Friday; the builders of the Tower of Babel were tongue-tied on a Friday and the Temple of Solomon was destroyed on a Friday. They should have just taken the day off. Not so casual anymore, eh? Of course, there is no specific Biblical note about the day of the week but pre-Christian pagan cultures hailed Friday as holy days. “Friday” is derived from a Norse deity who was worshipped on the sixth day of the week and who represented marriage and fertility. Thus, Fridays in the early Norse culture were associated with love and considered a good day for weddings. With time and love, mythology transformed the Norse fertility goddess into a witch, and Fridays became an unholy Sabbath. Incidentally, the goddess’ sacred animal was a cat, which may explain the legendary connection between witches and cats, as well as the superstition about black cats heralding bad luck. The sixth day of the week also was execution day in ancient Rome and later Hangman’s Day in Britain. This was entertainment at the end of the work week. Now we have “American Idol“. Same difference.

Onto 13. Both the Hindus and Vikings reportedly had a myth in which 12 gods were invited to a gathering and Loki, the god of mischief, party-crashed and incited a riot. Tradition in both cultures holds that 13 people at a dinner party is bad luck and will end in the death of the party-goers. This has not been my experience. The Last Supper in Christian tradition hosted 13 people and one betrayed Christ, resulting in the crucifixion. The ancient Egyptians, for example, believed life unfolded in 12 stages, and the 13th stage was death; they considered death a part of their ultimate journey and looked forward to the spiritual transformation but, like so many others, the tradition warped through time and cultures, eventually associating the number 13 with a more negative and fearful interpretation of death. 13 may have an unlucky connotation because of its association with the lunar calendar (there are 13 lunar cycles in a year) and with femininity (women have 13 menstrual cycles in a year).

There is only one seminal event that ties the two superstitions together. On Friday, Oct. 13, 1307, that France’s King Philip IV had the Knights Templar rounded up for torture and execution. Da Vinci Code much? They were an order of warriors within the Roman Catholic Church who banded together to protect Christian travellers visiting Jerusalem in the centuries after the Crusades. The Knights eventually became a rich, powerful and allegedly corrupt order within the church and were executed for heresy. Opus Dei. The date may be forever cursed by one event that occurred nearly 700 years ago, or by a series of cosmic coincidences.

Week in Wine

WHITE
2004 The Jibe Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ($10)
2003 Rodney Strong Charlotte’s Home Vineyard Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc ($10)
2003 Domaine Petit Chateau Cuvee Prestige Vin de Pays du Jardin de la France Chardonnay ($9)

PINK
2004 Frog’s Leap La Grenouille Rougante Napa Valley Pink ($10)
2004 Marques de Caceres Rioja Rosé ($8)
2004 Pedroncelli Sonoma County Zinfandel Rosé ($8)
2004 Shenandoah Vineyards Amador County White Zinfandel ($6).

RED
2002 Barton & Guestier Cotes-Du-Rhone ($9)
2002 Annie’s Lane Clare Valley Shiraz ($10)
2002 Estancia Keyes Canyon Ranches Paso Robles Zinfandel ($10)

CHIANTI CLASSICO AND RISERVA

2002 Alaura Chianti Classico: $11
2003 Banfi Chianti Classico: $9
2002 Brolio Chianti Classico: $23
2002 Carpineto Chianti Classico: $20
2001 Castello di Gabbiano Riserva Chianti Classico: $17
2002 Lanciola Le Masse di Greve Chianti Classico: $30
2001 Panzanello Chianti Classico: $20
2001 Ricasoli 1141 Chianti Classico: $16
2002 Straccali Chianti Classico: $8

Caution: Wines listed are available but may not be in all stores. Start with local wine merchants, but also try larger stores. I get my wine from BevMo. Drinking during pregnancy is associated with birth defects.

Goodness sake

Sake happens when clean water, good rice and a wicked yeast (koji) meet and make merry. like coffee, water is the key and makes up as much as 80% of the final product.

Traditionally sake was served warm. Better brewing technology permits it to be better served slightly chilled. Overchilling eclipses flavor. Ginjo and other premium sake are good lightly chilled. Junmai (fuller and more acidic) is better slightly cool or at room temperature. Warmed sake must not be too hot, i.e., must not exceed body temperature by to much, perhaps 45 degress maximum.

Warming sake: place filled flask in a saucepan of hot water. For emergencies (it can happen, I had a Thai food wine pairing emergency on Wednesday evening), microwaving is really so outre and one is better served by letting it gently warm tabletop into room temperature.

Pouring sake: Small cups (ochoko, guinomi) and a larger serving flask (tokkuri) permit frequent refills. Hold the tokkuri with two (2) hands when pouring. Lift the ochoko off the table, holding with one hand and nestling in the other. Pouring for yourself is tejaku and rather impolite. Take small sips and check your (clockwise) neighbor’s level as she looks unto you for refilling.

Storing sake: Prolonged exposure to heat or direct light, like any grape wine, spoils sake so refrigerate or store in a cool dark space. Consume soon after purchase or, at best, with in a few months. Once opened, try to finish it within three (3) hours or find more sociable friends. If you simply cannot, premium sake may be refrigerated after removing air for two (2) days but it oxidizes quickly and this impacts the taste. Here are some sake recommendations.

R wanted to know how to serve a Sake Bomb. It is simply the combination in a pre-chilled iced tea glass of one (1) shot of 2.5 oz premium lightly chilled sake and a lovely chilled 4 oz. serving of beer consumed in great haste. I am not the sake-nazi but please do not ask me to make you a sake-tini or sake-plolitan (50 mL premium sake, 15 mL cointreau, 15 mL kaffir lime juice, 100 mL ocean spray white cranberry juice). That is just ever so wrong. Domo arigato gozaimasu.

Patriot Games

The clumsily titled Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USAPA) introduced a plethora of legislative changes that significantly increased the surveilance and investigative powers of law enforcement agencies in the United States but did not provide for the system of checks and balances that traditional safeguard civil liberties in the face of such legislation. The PATRIOT Act is a compromise version of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) of 2001

Vinci Vincero

Trendy to do the da Vinci Code experience.
Fly SFO to Paris November through March (5/5/5 is one year of Air France on the NYSE so there are special rates).
Follow Langdon’s footsteps in the Louvre insuring you see the following works of art:

Other plot points include Notre Dame, the Arc de Triomphe, la tour Eiffel, and Chateau de Versailles, just downt he road from CHateau Villette, home of Sir Teabing!
The following day, take the Eurostar through the Chunnel to London and check out the conspiratorial happenings in Westminster Abbey and Temple Church, with brief stops at the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament. Include Shakespeare’s birthplace and Warwick castle.

Bubble Trouble

Consumer confidence fell to its lowest level in more than two (2) years this month hurt by the hurricane damage and high energy prices. In California, natural gas bills are expected to increase by 71% this winter. New home sales fell sharply in August and foreclosure rates are slowly increasing. Recent hurricanes do not historically have a lasting impact on the economy but it is curioious that the large decline in new home sales comes a day after another report showed a surprising increase in existing home sales in August. This is nationwide; in California, people ocntinue to buy homes at an alarming rate at even more alarming prices.

The Conference Board indicated it was finding less complacency reporting its consumer ocnfidence inde fell from 105.5 in August to 86.6, its sixth biggest drop since the index was created in 1967. This is bigger than the 17 point decline in confidence after 9/11. The index is based on a survey of 5000 households that ended 9/20, longe nough to include the imapct of the hurricane past and hurricane impending. Analysts expected an index reading of 95. Katrina contributed to higher energy costs by knocking out gulf coast oil production lines with gas prices routinely topping $3 per gallon up from $1.886 one (1) year ago. In San Francisco, we expect to see gas prices crossing $5 per gallon soon enough.

New home sales fell nearly 10% from a record setting July (?school transfers) but the median sale price rose 2.5% to $220,300 (nationwide) and $671,000 in the Bay area, where fully 40% of consumers spend more than 33% of their income in mortgage payments. The National Association of Realtors said that existing home sales rose 2% to an annual rate of 7,290,000 and the median sale price was a record $220,000 (nationwide, up 15% from a year earlier). Pre-lived homes make up about 85% of all home sales. Conversation about the imminent burst of the “housing bubble” is egregiously common. And vulgar. Many websites are now predicting the future of said bubble. Some fun facts.

Mom’s Day

I am not celebrating Mothers’ Day today. Scroll to the bottom to see why.

The earliest Mom’s Day celebration was in ancient Greece in honor of Rhea, Mom to the Gods. In the 1600s, England celebrated “Mothering Day”, the fourth (4th) Sunday of Lent, to honor all of the mothers of England. Peasants who worked as servants for the wealthy and lived in their servant quarters were given the day off and encouraged to spend the day with their mothers with a special “mothering cake” to provide a festive touch. As Christianity spread through Europe, the practice changed to honor the “Mother Church”, the spiritual power that gave them life and protected them from harm, blending the honor of Mothers and the Church of England.

In the US, Mothers’ Day (note where the possessive goes) was suggested in 1872 by Julia Ward Howe (author of the Battle hymn of the Republic) as a day dedicated to peace in Boston, MA. In 1907, Ana Jarvis (Philadelphia, PA) began a campaign to establish a national Mothers’ Day. She persuaded her mother’s church in Grafton, WV, to celebrate it on the second anniversary of her mother’s death, the second (2nd) Sunday of May. The following year, it was also celebrated in Philadelphia, PA. It was successful as by 1911 Mothers’ Day was celebrated in almost every state. In 1914, it received proclamation from President Woodrow Wilson.

Other countries that celebrate Mothers’ Day on the second Sunday in May are Denmark, Finland, Italy (of course), Turkey, Australia and Belgium.

Me: not so much. EVERY day is Mothers’ Day to me.

Day in Wine Country

Shafer tours by ringing 707-944-2877 six (6) weeks in advance. No holidays or weekends! Snobs.

Roadside snack:
Taylor’s Refresher: Espresso Bean Milkshake

Morning
Schramsberg tour booked @ 1000; excellent tour but avoid the reds, stick with the bubbles
29N through St Helena. L on Peterson Dr.; R on Schramsberg rd
707-942-2414
Directions
Tricky final road – follow the instructions explicitly and do not look for signs. They want to avoid busloads of desperate housewives from WI

Casa Nuestra tour by ringing 866-844-WINE
Calistoga Winery Annual Spring event $10
3451 Silverado Tr N, St Helena 94574
866-844-WINE
Directions
Nice tamales. Crummy wines. “Quaint” tasting room. Two goats.

Lunch
Bosko’s Trattoria
1364 Lincoln Ave, Calistoga CA
707.942-9088
Play it safe and stick with the wood fired pizza. Two (2) waitresses, one (1) hostess, 34 tables. You do the math.

Brannan’s Grill
1374 Lincoln Ave, Calistoga, CA
707.942-2233
Directions
An alternate. Standard fare. No surprises.

Afternoon
Pine Ridge Barrel tour at 1400; also 1000, 1200 $20
5901 Silverado Trail, Napa, CA 94558
800.575-9777
Snobbiest tour guide ever: “I think I smell dutch sheep’s milk in this cheese sliver” WTF!

Cliff Lede Vineyards tour at 1430 and 1030
1473 Yountville Cross Road, Yountville, CA 94599-9471
800.428-2259
Directions

Rombauer walk-in tours 10-5
5322 Silverado Trail, St. Helena, CA 94574
800.622-2206
Directions
Chard good. Cab OK.

Burgess Cellars tours by ringing 800-752-9463
1108 Deer Park Road, St. Helena, CA 94574
800-752-9463
Directions

Caymus tours by ringing 707-967-3010
8700 Conn Creek road, Rutherford, CA 94573
707.967-3010
Directions

Peju Province Open 10-6
8466 St. Helena Hwy, Rutherford, CA 94573
707.963-3600
Directions
Nice design of Tasting room. Very amusing wine pourer. Ask him to rap for you.

Miner Family Vineyard
Awesome 2001 Stagecoach Vineyard Merlot. Avoid Cabs and Sangiovese.
Ask for Alejandro to pour. He was a senior coffee server at French Laundry.
800-366-WINE
Wines cheaper at Wine Thieves

Chimney Rock
Find of the day
2001 Cab Sauv Reserve. Drink wisely! Ask Mike to pour.
800.256-2471

Dinner
Terra
1345 Railroad Ave, St. Helena, CA 94574
707.963-8931
Directions
dinner Wednesday through Monday. No lunch.

Uva
1040 Clinton St (at Brown), Downtown Napa, CA 94599
707.255-6646

Piccolino’s
1385 Napa Town Center, Napa, CA 94599
707.251-0100
Directions
No corkage on Mondays

Fume Bistro and Bar @1830
4050 Byway East, Napa, CA 94558
707.257-1999
Directions
Service poor. Food middling. Bar good: ask Adam to mix his Bellini for you.

Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant
2555 Main St, St. Helena, CA 94574
707.967-1010

Julia’s Kitchen at COPIA
500 1^st St, Napa, CA
707.265-5700
Directions
Thursday night is Local’s night. 3-course tasting menu at $29 and NO CORKAGE! Friday evenings dinner, wine and a movie $24. Family night Sunday with platters for $30/adult and $15/child

Caution: Wines listed are available but may not be in all stores. Start with local wine merchants, but also try larger stores. I get my wine from BevMo. Drinking during pregnancy is associated with birth defects.

Perfect Firenze

Florence Resources
Italian Toursim Board
Sons of Italy in America
Tour of Galleria degli Uffizi (map, gallery descriptions)
Florence Art Guide
Italian Wine

Eurostar from Rome to Florence
Florence is in the center of Tuscany, half hour from Fiesole, Pisaa and Lucca, and north of Siena
Weather in Florence

Sunday
Pantheon
Via dei Coronari
Mercato at Piazza Borghese
Lunch at Piazza Navona: Panificio at Via del Governo Vecchio, 29
Via dei Baullari to Campo de’Fiori
Palazzo Farnese
Via Giulia to cross the Tiber onto POnte Sisto
Trastevere: basilica of Santa Maria
Dinner: Sora Lella
Theater of Marcellus

Monday
Breakfast: Caffe Sant’ Eustachio
Via di Campo Marzio to Via Condotti
Piazza di Spagna
Via Margutta to RistorArte
Piazza del Popolo
Salita del PIncio into Villa Borghese gardens to Galleria Borghese
Cab to Monte Testaccio
Dinner: Checchino dal 1887
Testaccio Village: Radio Londra for jazz

Tuesday
Breakfast: Caffe Tazz d’Oro
Cab to Basilica San Clemente
Colosseo

Via di San Gregorio to south entrance of the Forum (not main on Via dei Fori Imperiali)
Cros Capitoline HIll to Il Ghetto
Enoteca: Anacleto Bleve
Palazzo Altemps, north of Piazza Navona
Via dell’Orso: dinner at Il Convivio
Cab to foot of Capitoline Hill
Piazza del Campidoglio
Night tour of the Foro

Wednesday
Breakfast: Piazza della Signoria – A Rivoire
Galleria degli Uffizi (make advance reservations to bypass line of peasants)
Lunch: Belledonne
Offician Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella
Dumo and Baptistery
La Pentola dell’Oro
Jazz Club

Thursday
Breakfast: Gilli
Via dei Tronabuoni
Palazzo Spini Feroni (Ferragamo!)
Down Via della Spada for leather goods
Cellerini on Via del Sole
Lunch: Cantinetta Antinori
Via Maggio antiquarian – Bartolozzi e Maioli (13r)
Via dei Vellutini (5r)
Galleria dell’Accademia (David!)
Santa Croce
Recross the Arno on Ponte Vecchio to Via dei Benci
Via di San Giuseppe to Via dei Macci for Cibreo Caffe
Olive oil tasting at Il Cibreo
Dessert: Vivoli
Bar Maramao

Friday
all’aperto breakfast on Torre di Dellosguardo
Cab to monastery of San Marco
Museo Nazionale del Bargello
Lunch: I Fratellini (on Via dei Cimatori)
San Miniato al Monte
City center through Via San Leonardo
Caffe Concerto: dinner
Cab back but stop at PIazzale Michelangelo

Saturday
Fly back to San Francisco

Week in Wine

Cinco de Mayo is a party that celebrates freedom and liberty. The 5th of May is not Mexican Independence Day: Mexico declared its independence from mother Spain on midnight, the 15th of September 1810. It took 11 years before the first Spanish soldiers were told and forced to leave Mexico. 4,000 Mexican soldiers smashed the French and traitor Mexican army of 8,000 at Puebla, Mexico, 100 miles east of Mexico City on the morning of May 5, 1862.

The French had landed in Mexico (along with Spanish and English troops) five months earlier on the pretext of collecting Mexican debts from the newly elected government of democratic President (and Indian) Benito Juarez. The English and Spanish quickly made deals and left. The French, however, had different ideas. Under Emperor Napoleon III, who detested the United States, the French came to stay. They brought the Hapsburg prince (Maximilian) to rule the New Mexican Empire. Napoleon’s French Army had not been defeated in 50 years, and it invaded Mexico with the finest modern equipment and with a newly reconstituted Foreign Legion. The French were not afraid of anyone, especially since the United States was embroiled in its own Civil War. The French Army left the port of Vera Cruz to attack Mexico City to the west, as the French assumed that the Mexicans would give up should their capital fall to the enemy — as European countries traditionally did.

Under the command of Texas-born General Zaragosa, (and the cavalry under the command of Colonel Porfirio Diaz, later to be Mexico’s president and dictator), the Mexicans waited. Brightly dressed French Dragoons led the enemy columns. The Mexican Army was less posh. General Zaragosa ordered Colonel Diaz to take his cavalry, the best in the world, out to the French flanks. In response, the French did a most stupid thing; they sent their cavalry off to chase Diaz and his men, who proceeded to butcher them. The remaining French infantrymen charged the Mexican defenders through sloppy mud from a thunderstorm and through hundreds of head of stampeding cattle stirred up by Indians armed only with machetes. When the battle was over, many French were killed or wounded and their cavalry was being chased by Diaz’ superb horsemen miles away. The Mexicans had won a great victory that kept Napoleon III from supplying the confederate rebels for another year, allowing the United States to build the greatest army the world had ever seen. This grand army smashed the Confederates at Gettysburg just 14 months after the battle of Puebla, essentially ending the Civil War. Union forces were then rushed to the Texas/Mexican border under General Phil Sheridan, who made sure that the Mexicans got all the weapons and ammunition they needed to expel the French. American soldiers were discharged with their uniforms and rifles if they promised to join the Mexican Army to fight the French. The American Legion of Honor marched in the Victory Parade in Mexico, City.

WHITE
2004 McMannis Family Vineyards California Viognier ($10)
2004 Smoking Loon California Viognier ($9)

RED
2003 Castle Rock Central Coast Syrah ($9)
2002 Caves des Papes Heritage Cotes-du-Rhone ($10)
2002 Forest Glen California Shiraz ($10)
2003 Handpicked Langhorne Creek Shiraz Viognier ($10)
2004 The Little Penguin South Eastern Australia Shiraz ($8)
2001 Martin Ray Angeline Paso Robles Syrah ($12)
2003 Screaming Jack North Coast Syrah ($10)
2003 2 Brothers Big Tattoo Colchagua Syrah ($10)

ITALIAN PINOT GRIGIO
2003 Attems Collio Pinot Grigio: $20
2003 Bella Sera Delle Venezie Pinot Grigio: $7
2003 Campagnola Veneto Pinot Grigio: $10
2003 Castello Banfi San Angelo Pinot Grigio: $17
2003 Dellatorri Delle Venezie Pinot Grigio: $12
2003 Gabbiano Delle Venezie Pinot Grigio: $10
2003 Masi Masianco Delle Venezie Pinot Grigio & Verduzzo: $14
2003 Maso Canali Trentino Pinot Grigio: $16
2003 Santi Sortesele Delle Venezie Pinot Grigio: $14
2003 Tiefenbrunner Delle Venezie Pinot Grigio: $15
2004 Val Verde Terre Degli Osci Pinot Grigio: $8

Wines that go with Thai Food

Riesling
Pacific Rim Riesling 2003 (CA)
Beringer 2003 Johannisberg (CA)
Firestone Vineyard’s Select Riesling 2004 (CA)
Robert Mondavi Private Selection Johannisberg 2003 (CA)
Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Riesling 2004 (CA)
Fetzer Vineyards Valley Oaks Riesling 2004 (CA)
Wynns Coonawarra Estate Riesling 2002 (Aus)
Hogue Cellars Johannisberg Riesling 2004 (Washington)
Felton Road Riesling 2004 (NZ)
Rosemount Estate Diamond Traminer Riesling (Aus)

Chenin Blanc
2003 Mystique Chenin Blanc (CA)
2003 Worthington Chenin Blanc (CA)
Sutter Home Winery Chenin Blanc (CA)
Beringer Chenin Blanc (CA)
2004 Santa Rosa Chenin-Chardonnay (Argentina)
Baron Herzog Chenin Blanc (CA)
Hogue Cellars Chenin Blanc (WA)

Premium
2001 McWilliams Regional Margaret River Semillon Sauvignon Blanc
2000 Mount Pleasant Hunter Valley Verdelho (AUS)
2002 Firestone Gewurtztraminer Santa Barbara (CA)
2002 Fess Parker Riesling Santa Barbara (CA)
2002 Columbia Crest Riesling, Columbia Valley (WA)
2003 Van Duzer Pinot Gris Willametter Valley (OR)
2002 King Estate Pinot Gris Oregon (OR)
2003 Estancia Pinot Gris (CA)

Wines from Campania

2001 Feudi di San Gregorio Rubrato ($15)
2004 Terredora Il Principio Irpinia Aglianico ($14)
2004 Terredora Irpinia Falanghina ($14)
2003 Terredora Loggia della Serra Greco di Tufo ($19.50)
2003 Mustilli Sant’Agata dei Goti Falanghina ($20)
2002 Salvatore Molettieri Irpinia Cinque Querce Aglianico ($20)
2001 Villa Matilde Falerno del Massico Rosso ($18)
2001 Benito Ferrara Greco di Tufo ($20)

Margarita Jelly Shot
* Place 1 oz lime juice and 0.75 oz sugar dissolved in 1.5 oz water in a small measuring cup
* Add 0.25 oz unflavored gelatin (or lime Jello) and sit for one (1) minute
* Microwave on high for 30 seconds
* Stir till gelatin dissolved
* Add 3 oz 100% agave white tequila, 1 oz Cointreau and stir well. Add food coloring if needed
* Pour into ice cube trays (you get 8 oz of liquid) for 8 servings
* Refrigerate 1 hour, preferably overnight, until set
Salut!

Caution: Wines listed are available but may not be in all stores. Start with local wine merchants, but also try larger stores. I get my wine from BevMo. Drinking during pregnancy is associated with birth defects.

Mean time

The United Kingdom is on British Summer Time (GMT+1) and not GMT. GMT does not switch.

Greenwich, England, has been the home of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) since 1884. GMT is sometimes called Greenwich Meridian Time because it is measured from the Greenwich Meridian Line at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, the line and place from which all time zones are measured. While clocks change (spring forward and fall back; fall is autumn), GMT remains the same all year round. Check the local time in the USA, Canada, Europe, UK, China and Japan with respect to GMT.

GMT marks the starting point of every time zone because it is situated on the Prime Meridian or Longitude Zero degrees. GMT is the mean (average) time that the earth takes to rotate from noon to next noon, and thus sets current or official time around the globe. While GMT has now been replaced by Atomic Time (UTC, or Universal Time Conversion), it is widely regarded as the correct time for every international time zone.

There are twenty-five (25) integer World Time Zones from -12 through 0 (GMT) through +12. Each is 15 degrees of Longitude measured east and west of the Prime Meridian. Some countries have adopted non-standard time zones, usually 30 minutes offset. Using this nomination, GMT is also known as Zulu Time. In California, we observe GMT – 8 known as Uniform (military) or Pacific Standard Time (PST, civilian). The time is that observed in Tijuana or Los Angeles, California.

Seizure activity

You have seen the video of the handcuffed toddler marking the divorce of common sense and reason from reality. Children are being arrested for trivial offenses. Because the MSM overhypes child abduction and pedophilia (which are both statistically less common than in the 1970s), codes of conduct in our schools today prohibit any physical contact between a teach and pupil, thus precluding the use of any simple restraining techniques that do not put the child in any peril to herself or her classmates. One in seven (7) children today is on Ritalin and other psychotropics that make them swing between drooling and wildly swinging.

On the other hand, teachers are woefully unprepared and underrepresented. Today is National Teachers’ Day. California pays its teachers well: $55,000 p.a. compared to South Dakota at only $32,414. Remember these people are responsible for our collective tomorrows. Beginning teachers are paid less – anywhere between $37,401 (Alaska) to $23,052 (Montana) with California a respectable #5 at $34,805

Mortgage Disinterest

Mortgage interest upon a borrowed loan for your principal (main) home, secondary (holiday) home, or rental property is fully deducitble on your tax return. To be eligible for this deduction, you must meet the IRS requirements. The deduction should be listed on Schedule A in Form 1040. Up to $1,000,000 of loans obtained after October 14, 1987 qualify for the deduction (or $50,000 if married yet filing separately)

There are two (2) types of home mortgages:
(i) home acquisition loans – used to buy, construct or improve upon taxpayer’s principal or secondary home
(ii) home-equity loans – loan for any other purpose. Up to $1000,000 of such debt qualifies for an interest deduction. It may even be used to pay off consumer debts on which the interest is not deductible. All of the interest on a home-equity loan is deductible as long as the balance on the loan is less than the actual equity in the home. Actual equity is determined by subtracting the actual balance on the first mortgage from the fair market value of the home. This means that no interest deduction is permitted for any portion of the home-equity loan which exceed the actual equity (the FMV reduced by the first mortgage balance)

Home mortgage interest is generally any interest you pay upon a loan secured by your home (principal or secondary). The loan may be a mortgage to buy your home, a second mortgage, a line of credit, or a home equity loan. If your 2004 adjusted gross income exceeds $142,700 ($71,350 if married yet filing separately), your home mortgage interest deduction is subject to the 3% phaseout rule (3% reduction of itemized deductions).

All of the interest you pay on a mortgage to purchase your home is fully deductible. Second mortgage interest is also included. Your home mortgage is reported to you on Form 1098, Mortgage Interest Statement issued by the financial institution to which you made the payments. As with any deductible, the IRS has requirements that you must meet:
(i) you itemize your deductions
(ii) you must be legally liable for the loan
(iii) the mortgage must be a secured debt on a qualified home

A “secured debt” is one in which you sign an instrument (e.g., mortgage, deed of trust, land contract) that:
* makes your ownership in a qualified home security for payment of debt
* provides, in any case of default, that your home could satisfy the debt
* is recorded or satisfies similar requirements under state law

A “qualified home” is your main or second home, which is a porperty that has sleeping, cooking and toilet facilities.

There is a two (2) residence limit for qualifying mortgage debt. If you own more than two (2) houses, you need to decide which residence will be considered your second residence. The home mortgage interest on the second residence is fully deductible.

With real estate taxes, you can prepay your real estate taxed ue next year and deduct them on your tax return. The rules are different with home mortgage interest. If you prepay interest for a period that goes beyond the end of the tax year, you must spread the interest over the tax years to which it applies. You can thus deduct in each calendar year only the home mortgage interest that qualifies as home mortgage interest for that calendar year.

If you refinance your original mortgage for a new mortgage that is greater than the original one, you cannot deduct interest “in excess” of the current balance on your original mortgage.

High income tax payers (AGI exceeding $111,800) lose some deductions under the 1994 3% reduction rule. For example, if your AGI exceeds the $111,800 by $20,000, you lose $600 of your deductions (3% of the excess of $20,000)

Loans used for substantial home improvement are treated as acquisition debt subject to the $1,000,000 ceiling instead of the $100,000 limit.

If the loan proceeds are used to purchase tax-exempt bonds, then the interest is not deductible.

Points paid during refinancing must be deducted over the life of the loan. For a thirty (3o)-year loan, you divide the points by 30 and get to deduct that fractional amount each year. However, if you did a “cash out” refinance and used some of the funds to improve your primary home, a portion of the points is deductibel in the calendar year in which you paid them, that portion related to how much of the loan was used for home improvement.

As a first-time Homeowner, I found Publication 530 (Tax Information for First-Time Homeowners) very useful. Another useful document is Publication 536 (Home Mortgage Interest Deduction).

If you are moving to a New Home, your moving expenses may be deductible on your federal tax return using Form 3903 if you meet the following criteria:
* Move closely related to the start of work at a new joblocation
You should actually go to work (report) at the new location within one (1) year from the date of move. if you do not move within one (1) year of the date you begin work, you ordinarily cannot deduct the expenses unless extenuating circmustances precluded you from moving within that time.
* Meet the distance test
New main job location is at least fifty (50) miles farther from your former home than your old main joblocation was from your former home. The distance between a joblocation and your home is the shortest of the more commonly traveled routes between them. This does not take into account the location of your new home.
* Meet the time test
(i) For employees: you must work full time for at least 39 weeks during the first 12 months after you arrive in the general area of your new job location
(ii) For self-employeds: you must work full time for at least 39 weeks during the first twelve (12) months and for a total of at least 78 weeks during the first 24 months after you arrive in the general area of your new job location
If your employer reimburses the cost of the move, the remibursement has to be declared on your tax return.
Reasaonable deductible moving expenses are:
(i) actual cost of moving your household goods and personal effects (including in-transit or foreign-move storage expenses), and
(ii) travel (including lodging but not meals) to your new home
* for travel by personal car, this includes actual expenses (gas and oil, if you keep an accurate record of each expense) and standard mileage rate (14 c/mile for FY 2004)

As part of your moving expenses, you cannot deduct:
* any part of the purchase price of your new home
* car tags
* driver’s license fee
* expenses of buying or selling a home
* expenses of getting or breaking a lease
* home improvement to help sell your home
* loss on the sale of your home
* loss from disposal of memberships in clubs
* meal expenses
* mortgage penalties
* pre-move househunting expenses
* real estate taxes
* refitting of carpets and draperies
* security deposits given up owing to the move
* storage charges except as incurred in transit and foreign moves
* temporary living expense

If you sell your principal home, you are able to exclude up to $250,000 of gain (per person filing) from your federal tax return, an exclusion permitted each time you sell your main home but not frequently than once every two (2) years. For eligibility, your home must have been owned by you and used as your principal home for at least two (2) of the last five (5) years prior to sale. You cannot exclude gain on another home sold during the two (2) years before the current sale.

Use Form 8822 to notify the IRS of your Change of Address.

Hotel Italia

Rome

Rome Hotel San Francesco
In Trastevere
Via Jacopa de’Settesoli,
7-00153 Roma
Tel: +39-06-58-3000-51
info@hotelsanfrancesco.com

Daphne Trevi
Via degli Avignonesi 20, int 4
00187 Roma
Tel: +39-06-47-8235-29
Cell: +39-340-960-9086
info@daphne-rome.com

Daphne Veneto
55 Via di San Basilio
Rome 00187
011-39-06-4782-3529