Saturday was filled with surprises and then some. My brothers invited me to lunch and I walked into a room filled with family and good friends. Naturally, I yelled “surprise” before anyone else could! It was a glorious afternoon filled with food, drink, laughter and love. And, a few people told me that this is just the beginning of the celebration…there is more to come. I can’t wait! I came home, rested up for awhile and then went to meet a friend for dinner. As much as I would have enjoyed some wine, I actually refrained, having had my quota for the day. I must go pick some peonies now before the torrential rains come in! Have a happy Sunday!
Cheers! Penina Friday was non stop with clients, driving all over creation, meeting a friend for a quick hug and then finally getting in the pool for a late afternoon swim. In between it all, my peonies are finally opening up, so I ran outside to cut and fill up a vase full…the first of many! After my swim, I marinated swordfish, cut up veggies for grilling and got ready for the arrival of friends. The goal was to eat before the Stanley Cup began…no pun intended. I had plenty of Chardonnay and Rosé chilling in the refrigerator, however one of my friends’ brought a few bottles of wine with him. We opened 2011 PlumpJack Chardonnay Reserve from Napa Valley. It was pale gold in color with aromas of tropical fruit, peaches and apple. There was a range of flavors bursting on the palate. In addition to fruit, there was a hint of spice and lemon. The texture was smooth and had a subtle buttery feel. The finish was long. Very good! http://www.plumpjackwinery.com The food, wine and company were great…the Stanley Cup…not so much. It was heartbreaking to watch the NY Rangers lose. We sipped the last of the wine in silence and then called it a night. Congrats to Tampa Lightning who will now advance to the 2015 Stanley Cup Final. They are the first team ever to win a Game 7 against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Happy Saturday!
Cheers! Penina With all the hustle and bustle of late, I decided to give myself a day off yesterday. Although I had a little running around to do in the morning, the brakes were activated by lunchtime. I had a lovely lunch with a friend at a new place in town and then scurried off to hang out with another friend at my pool. It was pure bliss. Between swimming, reading, talking and zoning out, I felt all the tension in my body melt away. By cocktail hour I was ready for Grey Goose vodka. I was tempted to open up one of my Rosés but decided to save it for the weekend. With the impending storm, we decided to forgo grilling the salmon and retreated to the kitchen to cook. All in all…a good day! And now, back to work!
Happy Thursday! Cheers! Penina Yesterday was a full day of tending to business, meeting friends, getting hugs and finally taking a much-needed swim. Towards the end of the day and into early evening my home was filled with people coming and going. It was a low key, but party like atmosphere. Some opted for cold beer. I opened a bottle of 2013 Firestone Sauvignon Blanc from the Santa Ynez Valley to usher in the sunset. This is an easy drinking wine with aromas of pineapple, grapefruit and citrus. The palate offered a tropical blend with a tangy citrus zip to it. It’s a nice starter wine and the price is right. http://www.firestonewine.com As eight o’clock approached, I made everyone settle down to watch game six of the Stanley Cup with the NY Rangers vs Tampa Bay Lightning. The Rangers did not disappoint…great game! Happy Wednesday!
Cheers! Penina It was a great weekend filled with friends, impromptu get-togethers, swimming and of course grilling and wine! One of the wines served was a 2012 Stags Leap Chardonnay that I tasted back in the fall. My friend had a few bottles and opened this one for me. It was as I remembered. It had a light straw color with inviting aromas of pear, honeysuckle and citrus. Pear, green apple, a hint of vanilla and a buttery smoothness were on the palate. It had a nice crisp finish. We opened another bottle! www.stagsleap.com I took a little “me” time as well to plant strawberry and cherry tomato plants this weekend. I’m looking forward to summer salads! Happy Tuesday!
Cheers! Penina Santa Claus made a surprise visit yesterday with a small selection of wines to taste and review. He also brought some cool weather with him that deterred me from taking a dip in the pool. However, it is beautiful and warm today. After my work commitments this morning, I am definitely going to jump in the pool later for some laps and aerobics. I was invited to a friend’s home for dinner last night, so I grabbed one of my “Santa Claus” bottles of wine to start off the evening. It was a 2012 Chateau Mourgues du Gres Les Galets Rosés Costieres de Nimes Rosé from the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It is mostly Syrah with a touch of Grenache. The color was very dark pink, with wild berries, cherries and floral fragrance. The fruit flavors, especially raspberry, were intense with an interesting spice kick and orange zest on the palate. The finish was long with spice lingering on. Thumbs up on this Rosé! http://www.mourguesdugres.com I’ll be back on Tuesday…Happy Sunday!
Cheers! Penina Friday morning began with a series of productive meetings. As the weather warmed up, I ran home to tend the garden, one of my many passions. My main goal was to “harvest” delicate and intoxicating miniature lilacs. The little lilac bush was a gift from a special friend that was planted many years ago. The bush has endured hard winters, hurricanes, etc. and yet unfailingly produces beautiful bouquets every year. So I snipped away and filled my home with lilacs. Now I must patiently wait for my peonies to burst open…. all thirteen bushes! Years of love have gone into the gardens and I hope to enjoy the fruits of my labor for many years to come! The rest of my day was non-stop. I finally took a moment to breathe before getting together with a friend for a fun evening of Kirkland Vodka, Italian food and of course, the Stanley Cup. Go Rangers! I’m hoping to sneak in a swim later today before preparing for the evening’s activities. Happy Saturday Cheers! Penina It was a cool day yesterday and a chilly evening. I was back to wearing jeans and a sweater. Crazy weather! The day passed quickly and before I knew it, the sun was beginning to set. So, I dashed over to a friend’s home to watch the Stanley Cup. He opened a 2010 Stonestreet Estate Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma Valley. It seemed fitting for the cool evening. The wine was deep red with aromas of blackberry, anise and spices. Flavors burst onto the palate with blackberries, cherries, and licorice leading the way. Hard tannins settled into a softer mouth feel as the wine opened. Spices, hints of mocha and a touch of tobacco lingered into a long luscious finish. This is a big wine and I’m sure that it is going to be even more so in the next several years! It was a treat to drink this! An interesting note: Stonestreet Estates is formerly known as Monument Ridge. It was making the transition at the time of bottling the 2010 vintage. Some of the labels read Monument Ridge and some labels read Stonestreet Estates. http://stonestreetwines.com Even though the NY Rangers lost last night, it was an exciting and high scoring game!
Have a great Thursday! Cheers! Penina How did it get to be Wednesday? What happened to Tuesday? The days are racing by and I’m juggling clients, writing, and setting up my deck for summer fun and pool time. In between it all, friends have been popping over for some fun distraction. I had a little down time with a friend yesterday afternoon and then as I was about to settle in for a quiet evening, another friend stopped by for a little Stanley Cup viewing, conversation and cognac. I pulled out the Camus VSOP and we each had a tiny snifter. We sipped, watched the game and the incredible “lightning” show going on outside. And now, onto another busy day!
Happy Wednesday! Cheers! Penina It was a beautiful Sunday filled with lots of activity. Between a quick walk, visiting with friends, watching the Stanley Cup and cooking, it was no wonder that I blissfully crawled under the covers last night for a much-needed sleep. One of the highlights of yesterday was a delightful afternoon lunch with a friend. We popped open a 2014 Whispering Angel Rosé from Chateau d’Esclans Coted de Provence. This southern Rhone blend was made from Grenache, Rolle, Cinsault, Syrah and Mourvedre grapes. The color was a delicate pale salmon with aromas of strawberry, peach, and tropical fruits. It was crisp, filled with fruit flavors and a touch of spice. This was a fabulous Rosé with flavors that lingered for a long finish. http://esclans.com I have included a photograph of the back label. I love the quote! Have a great Monday and don’t forget to watch the NY Rangers tonight! Cheers!
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