06.05.06
Posted in Blogs, Wine, friends and family at 10:33 am by spryken
Well, Kate has still not started posting on London Calling. So, I guess I will have to try to make her jealous of all the good times we are having on this side of the pond…..
Summer Fest has started!! Here in the Raleigh/Durham area of NC, in the town of Cary, the NC Symphony has a summer series of concerts. They play in the Koka Booth Amphitheatre. The venue is lovely and you can bring your own picnic. The concert featured Beethoven’s Fifth.
We met up with some friends, including Kate’s husband (Steve) and dad (Jim). We have been doing this for years. We each bring some wine, food to share, tablecloths and wine glasses.
This time we had Chicken Masala, Sesame Noodles (Kate’s specialty - from Harris Teeter), Dilled Meatballs, Bean Salad, and a Cheese and Meat Platter. The Chicken Masala was a little spicy, so it suited me just fine, others thought it was too hot.
We didn’t coordinate on the wine too well. We had an abundance of white and very little red. Oh well, it was still good.
The weather behaved, the symphony played. We ate and drank and fellowshipped. We even lent out our corkscrew. Seems like some sad soul always forgets to bring one…..They see us set up with tables and glasses. They just know we have a corkscrew.
I’m looking forward to this week’s concert already, Fairy Tales & Fantasies. Of course it doesn’t matter what music is scheduled. The food, wine and friends combined with the beautiful venue and NC Symphony is always a winner. Even if the weather gets a little rough. Just need to remember to bring more red wine this time.
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05.28.06
Posted in addictions, amusements, friends and family at 10:45 am by spryken
Over the Memorial Day weekend, I took Matt and Cory with me to Mom and Dad’s. Dad warned us to bring the fishing gear. He was going to take us to a friend’s pond. We all caught fish, but this is the prize. Matt pulled a 2 1/4 pound Large Mouth Bass out. He was using a small Bream that one of the other kids had caught for bait.
Of course the real story of the day is “The one that got away”. My brother, Gary, had given up. He had been skunked, the only one who had not caught a fish. He had a line in, not really paying attention, when he got a big strike. He was using 14 pound test line, but did not have his drag set well. The fish never gave him a chance. It snapped the line within seconds. The line sounded like a bullet when it snapped.
Talk about disappointed, upset, frustrated……etc.
Oh well, that’s what keeps you coming back.
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04.26.06
Posted in amusements, friends and family at 3:30 pm by spryken
Slee accuses me of knowing everybody. Or at least someone every where we go. I’m not just talking about around town. It seems every where we go, I see someone I know.
The most recent time was our last weekend away. We pack up the boys and drive to New Bern, NC. I have never been there. Never!!
We visited the original State Capital and the Tyron Palace. We learn a lot about North Carolina history that I didn’t know. And I am a native. It is the last night and we are going out to eat. We get to the restaurant and of course there is a wait. So we are waiting outside, I look up and say “You’re not going to believe this”. Walking up the street to the same restaurant is a co-worker and his wife. I had no idea they were going to New Bern. They just decided to get away.
As we were packing the car to leave, I struck up a conversation with a older man. He had looked familiar. Turns out, he knew my father from High School from back in China Grove/Landis/Kannapolis. That’s 2 in one trip!!
What does all of that have to do with the Title of this post, you may ask. Well, nothing really. But at lunch today, I was in a local fast food restaurant. I had to change tables due to some cramped seating. I spoke to the older couple sitting beside me, explaining why I sat down and immediately got up to move.
They then struck up a conversation. We had a pleasant chat, just like old friends. I found out that he was her boyfriend. Not only that her first boyfriend. They had lost touch for 50 years. And since her husband died, they re-met and have been together for 10 years.
We had a very nice conversation. Being open to such chance meetings brightens my life. I hope I brought as much joy to their lunch, as they did to mine.
Maybe this is why I always know someone every where I go. Or at least seem to know someone. I learned this from my dad, or inherited it, not sure which. I just am open to talk with people I chance to meet.
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04.21.06
Posted in BoyScouts, addictions, friends and family at 11:09 am by spryken
Ok, I had to get in that Matt and I went to Philmont last year. And since I wanted to test posting a image file, I thought this would be the time.
It was truly a great trip. If you get a chance….GO!!
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04.17.06
Posted in Wine, friends and family at 10:42 am by spryken
Over the Easter weekend, Slee and I hosted an Easter cookout. This was the second time that we have invited friends over for roasted Leg of Lamb, wine and fellowship.
This time we had a friend, Thornton, offer to bring a Vertical tasting of Paraduxx. How could we refuse????
Here is a little history of Paraduxx. Paraduxx is blended California red wine. The Winery is Duckhorn Wine Company, located in Napa Valley. Paraduxx is their proprietary red blend. From their website, they explain….
Paraduxx is a unique Napa Valley Red Wine in the tradition of the world’s great blends. From the Super Tuscan wines of Italy to the Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon blends of Australia, each great winegrowing region has created its own authentic varietal pairings. Paraduxx’s goal is to craft a world-class blend with a distinctly Californian personality by using Zinfandel, a grape synonymous with California, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
So, the two wines that are in each vintage is Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The vintages that Thornton brought were the 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2001. He would have brought the 2000, but he only had a Magnum and we did not need that much for our guests. After all, most brought a bottle to share…..
The 1997 is 65% Zinfandel and 35% Cabernet Sauvignon with a recommendation to drink now to 2008. It tasted of cherry and chocolate. Rich and drinkable. You could definitely taste the Zinfandel influence.
The 1998 is 65% Zinfandel, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot with a recommendation to drink now to 2007. At first it seemed closed, as if it needed to breathe more. The fruit was definitely there, but so were the tanins. A little time in the decanter and it opened up. There was even more cherry than in the ‘97.
The 1999 is 60% Zinfandel and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon with a recommendation to drink now to 2009. Lots of fruit, mainly berries. Raspberry, cherry, currants. Still some good tanins which give it a good finish. This was lovely with the lamb.
The 2001 is 70% Zinfandel and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon with a recommendation to drink now to 2010. Like the ‘99, the 2001 was rich in fruit. Lots of cherry, dried cherry. Paired with the lamb, it was out of this world. Good structure and a long finish.
I would recommend any of these wines for any occasion. But if you are having lamb or game, they rock!! The jamminess of the Zinfandel which matches so well with game, paired with the structure of Cabernet Sauvignon is a great combination. The winemaker has been able to get a blend that remains true. That is you can recognize the wine from year to year. The core taste and value is there in each vintage with some distinction each year. This is not some mass marketed blend designed to be the exact same year in and year out. It is artistically crafted each year, adding just the varietals required to get the depth and palette that can be indentified as Paraduxx.
Thanks, Thorton for sharing with us… and maybe next time we will try with rabbit, venison or maybe even duck.
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