June 2009 Archives
toward the end of my ride today (fargen wind, argh!) i passed up some skater/stoner kids on bmx bikes near palm and south b. as i was heading up b, i heard a big crash behind me, and looked back, and saw one of the kids had crashed his bike in the middle of the street.
my personal code requires me to offer assistance to cyclists. these dudes weren't really cyclists (i think the one who fell was the one who was texting on his iphone while riding), and i didn't have any parts that could help repair his bike, so i had to think about whether my code applied. i figured it did, though i really don't remember much first aid. i circled around.
as i got closer he started getting up. i saw no blood, bike was in one piece, and he had a scrape on his forearm but nothing that broke the skin. i turned around again to leave, when a rousing cheer arose from the door of the dive bar across teh street (at 1:30). "yeah, walk it off!" the drunks shouted.
har har har.
it's Frobuary 1, YOMHC 0x43!
i went to a pro stylist for a change, and remember now why i don't like doing that.
the good:
1) it's a really good haircut. the sort of fade/blend that i guess you have to go to cosmetology school to learn how to do.
the bad:
1) it was expensive
2) i got incorrect change and didn't notice it until later, so it was really, really expensive
3) i didn't get the cutter i came for: i went to the crazy elvis themed shop on 3rd, but got catherine. catherine did a great job, but i really wanted the crazy elvis guy. i guess i have to make an appointment to get him.
anyhow, i am happy with the look. if hops can duplicate it, i wont need to go back unless i secure an appointment with the crazy elvis guy.
thumbing through my napa notepad last night to find notes on the fleury cab i planned to drink for dinner, i noticed two consecutive pages. on one, my notes implored me to buy 2+ bottles of 05 artesa foss valley cab, and on the very next page, i reviewed the same wine, saying, in effect, "meh".
i looked through the notepad some more, and found tasting notes from the other artesa visit (we went twice) in which i raved about the wine.
subjective, indeed!
not only that, but the fleury cab was, last night, a bit of a "meh" itself. i apparently did not take notes during my fleury winery tasting. i mis-remembered this cab as being my favorite of the whole trip, but now i don't think so -- i think it was actually hops' favorite. i sure hope it was someone's favorite, because according to fleury's price list, it was definitely one of the priciest bottles i brought home.
it got way better by the final glass, as all wines seem to do. concentrated cab with very subtle oak, minimal tannins. delicious. but not worth the price, imho, and not the best pairing with steak.
everywhere we went in napa (except rombauer, of course), when they poured us their lightly- or non-oaked chardonnay, they prefaced the pour with the caveat, usually proudly, "now this chardonnay is not going to be like what you're used to, it doesn't have much oak or butter". yeah, dude, you and everyone else are making now-trendy un-oaked chards. by the end of the week, it was they chardonnay style i was used to.
napa did not inspire me to blog.
it inspired me to cook. tonight: two course meal.
first course: baby shiitake and morel mushroom medley, sauteed in butter with sea salt, european (forget where) saffron/peppercorn cheese, and napa olive oil.
second course: grilled leeks, grilled sea scallops with lemon/butter marinade and a different peppercorn cheese, drizzled with napa olive oil.
now, if i'd had the good sense to pair this with a napa wine, this would be a great meal. but instead i poured some crap from manteca. bleh.
get what you pay for.
