Monthly Archives: July 2013
Day 332: Prayers for Luke . . .
As we go about our busy lives, we often times don’t stop and take enough time to appreciate what we have . . . each other, our daughters, our faith, our extended family, good friends and our health. To be honest , most of these things we just take for granted and never give a second thought. Tonight we want to stop and pause for a moment or two (or 400 words or less if you are a blogger!) and just count our lucky stars.
During our almost 54 years we have come across all kinds of people – some whom we relish and some we just tolerate because it’s the right thing to do. But, we have to admit there is a young fella named Luke – who while we know a bit . . . mostly through his parents . . . we think is a shining example for all of us. Luke was born premature and from what we know has faced more obstacles in his short 3+ years than most of us will face in a lifetime. His medical issues have ranged from grandiose to not so grandiose – but challenges nonetheless. Every, and we mean EVERY time we’ve come in contact with him, we have been gifted a shy smile and an eye twinkle that melts our hearts. This young man is just contagious – not a water-walker mind you, but contagious in his joy of life . . . while most likely way too young to totally comprehend what he has faced – he lives life to the fullest. With four older siblings to lead and guide him, this remarkable person named Luke has taken life by storm.
Tonight we dedicate this post to Luke as he prepares to undergo some very tough surgery on Wednesday. Part of his health challenges include the need to do some major surgery on his skull . . . so, we ask that each of you take a moment or two on Wednesday morning and say a prayer for Luke to come through with flying colors. Pray for his parents to be at peace during the surgery and place complete trust in the capable hands of the surgeons whom our Heavenly Father has placed on this earth to perform such medical procedures. Pray for his brothers and sisters as they anxiously await word on their brother whom they love, dote on and care deeply about – finally, pray for all those who will provide before, during and aftercare for Luke – he will need their attention and skill.
Tonight, after a busy day for Jean helping D#1 move into her classroom and then search for a place to live in Austin and a busy day for Brian videotaping “San Marcos Shining Stars” for his upcoming Chamber business expo, we opened a little wine we found during our “work weekend” in Kerrville for less than $12. We opened a 2011 Cigar Zin . . . their motto is “grab life by the bottle” – interesting theme . . . and interesting flavor.
In the glass – its’ color was medium body, a little thin on the ruby-red side but a pretty sight to behold. On the nose, this little gem was classic Zin – peppery, spicy and lots of dark fruit. On the palate, really . . . really fruity with less spice than on the nose, but a fruit bomb nonetheless. It’s a blend of 90% Zinfandel, 5% Petite Sirah, 5% Syrah . . . WOW, what a combination! This wine was also hand harvested at peak season to ensure quality and flavor, the fruit for Cigar Zin was sorted then fermented for 7 days then prepared the wine in French (50%) and American (50%) oak barrels for 11 months. No wonder its soooo good! We will add this one to the Bondy Deck Wine list and am thinking it could make the Top Ten list (well, maybe the Top 20).
Thank you for being out there – thank you for reading our blog – and most importantly tonight, thank you for praying with us for Luke. Have a great night and remember to enjoy responsibly and recycle whenever possible.
Day 331: Change Can Be Tough . . .
So, by now anyone who reads our ramblings on a regular basis has figured out that we are just slightly a bubble off-center. Our sense of humor is somewhere between The Beverly Hillbillies and Monty Python’s Flying Circus – oh well, we just like to have a good time regardless of the situation. After spending the night in Kerrpatch with P & L and having a hearty breakfast on the deck at Taqueria Jalisco (another one of the places we love to dine at when in town) – we popped over to Casa del Vino’s remote location . . . aka “the West Crest House”. We knew we had a couple of chores to do before our renter was back to finish packing up and vacating the house.
So in we jumped . . . bet you didn’t know that two bedrooms of fairly decent size could be painted in less than an hour and a half – well four hands working together can do just about anything – bamn . . . check that task off “the list”. Next up – put a final coat of fresh paint on the front door . . . this was painful for Jean – ya see, in EVERY house we’ve ever owned the front door has ALWAYS been painted red – why, because growing up EVERY house Jean lived in (with the exception of the Whittier house) had a red front door compliments of Margaret (aka Mom) . . . it was just a tradition being carried forward – well, the realtor said the red had to go . . . fighting mental tears, Jean painted red to brown (boring . . . but, if it sells the house – acceptable).
Ok, that sad task being done – next up was changing out the mailbox that we had come to know and love . . . yep, another story – ya see, when we purchased the house back in 2003 we thought it was too funny that the mailbox said “MacDonald” – obviously the woman who had lived there since the 80’s was named MacDonald . . . well, most people – which we are not (reference sentence two of this blog) – would have immediately changed out the mailbox . . . well, what more can we say – we didn’t because we thought it would be fun. And we must tell you that over the years, it was VERY fun to watch people coming to see us pull up in front of the house – look at the address – look at the mailbox – shake their head in confusion – and finally call us from their cell phone to confirm they were at the right house . . . which they were and chuckled when they looked up and saw us waving from the front windows. But alas (a shout out to poor Yorick) – well, the realtor said the mailbox had to go . . . fighting mental tears, Brian changed out the mailbox (boring . . . but, if it sells the house – acceptable).
So, now our house has a brown door and a nice shiny black metal mailbox – just like everyone else on the block – – – oh well, at least we have our memories to keep us young – and our sense of humor isn’t going anywhere anytime soon – it can’t be painted or replaced!
After our chores were finished we popped back to our “B&B” and were greeted by P&L with tall glasses of ice water to rehydrate – not sure about where you are, but it was VERY hot here today – we worked up quite a sweat and had two glasses of H20 before L pulled some homemade epanadas out of the oven and we cracked open a bottle of wine that was picked up at Western Beverage in Ktown for less than $8.00 – yes, we were a bit concerned a) it was so cheap and b) it was a white . . . BUT, we must admit it was not so bad. Our tasty treat was a 2011 Sauvignon Blanc from Brancott Estate in Auckland, New Zealand.
On the nose, it was crisp and citrus all the way – kind of like having a grapefruit at the end of your sniffer. At first sip we recoiled from the tartness – almost overpowering – but, as it warmed up, the zing eased up and some really nice flavors came shining through. Would definitely buy again and have with some salmon, creamy cheese or some asparagus. And the price can’t be beat . . . a bargain – will need to swing by and get some more of this puppy. One other really cool thing about this wine is that it has a QR code on it – you scan, download an app and what fun . . . you get to go to some really neat virtual landing pages with information about the wine, food pairing, the winery, climate (you can make it rain on your phone) and facts about the region. It made for a great time before we climbed into the car and headed back to San Marcos.
As you look around your house – what special touches have you added? A crazy rug, a loud room color, some funky decorations (we have a lava lamp tucked away somewhere) – whatever it is . . . make your abode speak volumes about who you are! As you decorate, remember to enjoy responsibly and recycle whenever possible!
Day 330 – Crimes Of The Past
No doubt…we are big fans of Australian wines. Now, granted, some are WAY better than others, but as a general rule, we’ve come to appreciate big, bold Australian wines. When we started our red wine sojourn several years ago, we remember trying a wine from Australia made by . . . and thought we had died and gone to heaven. We could only buy it at Specs and would go out of our way to buy it…and at less than $9 a bottle, we thought that we were living life large! Uh, that is until we tried a different wine from Australia that was better. WAY better!
Tonight we also give a SO to Scott and Kathryn – congrats on 17 years of bliss . . . you two are a great example for all of us! Here’s to 17 plus more !!!!
Fast forward a few years and we meet Patrick Wilt from Grape Juice and he introduces us to a big Australian wine called, Ball Buster. If you’ve been following this blog for any time, you’ll know that we’ve talked about Ball Buster and to this day, it remains one of our favorite wines. . .hands down! The memory of the previous Australian wine was gone the minute we tried this wine. It had so much taste and smoothness, that the other wine didn’t. . .we KNEW that we’d “graduated” to the next level of wine enjoyment.
Push to button to go forward to today and we’ve once again found an Australian wine that knocked out socks off. The name alone was enough to stop Jean in her tracks. . .along with a VERY cool bottle. . .19 Crimes from Australia. If you read the label, the story details how criminals in Britain—back in the late 1700’s—instead of being sentenced to death, were sentenced to transportation. Yes, transportation. . .as in transported from Britain to the colony of Australia. . .along the way, many criminals died, but those who survived became the founding families for that land. It’s a great story and the wine that is named after it is equally up to the task.
This bottle of 19 Crimes features the picture of John Boyle O’Reilly. . .an Irish poet who was arrested, tried and convicted of mutiny and was sentenced to 20 years in the Australian penal colony. Even though Mr. O’Reilly has a relationship with the daughter of a constable, his escape was arranged through cooperation with a Priest on the island. The wine, on the other hand, is hardly criminal. . .in fact, it’s almost like royalty. The nose wasn’t overly attractive, but gave hints of raspberry, cocoa, and even hints of strawberry. The taste was smooth, fruity and had a nice kick on the finish. While we’re pretty sure that other reviews would give totally different information than what we’re writing. . .we really liked this wine. And for the money, we’ll definitely try to get more. We picked it up at Western Beverage in Kerrville for around $12, , ,not bad for the money . . . a new addition to the Bondy Deck Wine list.
Speaking of Kerrville, we spent the day getting the house ready for the market. So, if you know someone looking to buy a great property in Kerrville, let us know, we’ve got a great place—2,200 square feet—and we’d love to show it to you. From a fresh coat of paint to weeding the planter beds, we spent a busy summer day. . .and really enjoyed and were rewarded by tonight’s blog wine. . .19 Crimes.
You’ll be pardoned for enjoying it! For the record, enjoy your favorite wine responsibly and remember to recycle whenever possible.
Day 329: A Visit from the Godfather . . .
Enjoying good wine can be an expensive hobby – which is why we really, really, really like when we find a good wine on sale. Tonight we opened one more of the bargain wines that Jean found at Twin Liquors in Kyle last weekend. That’s right, we are talking $10 closeout shelf wine – and while sometimes this experiment in frugalness (is there such a word?) backfires, tonight we reaped the benefits of a sale wine tasting really good.
After a long and busy week – Brian had a couple of work events and Jean a couple of day drives for work and one night meeting – tonight we decided to just kick back and relax and do a whole lotta nuthin’. Brian fired up the grill and we enjoyed a link of our all-time favorite sausage from Krolczyk’s in Hempstead. Tucked away at an Exxon gas station off the beaten path, Krolczyk’s offers up a great line of processed meats and sausage. We’ve written about this place before and strongly encourage all to stop in for a look-see. Do not let the fact that they sell gas, bait and tackle scare you off.
When you open the doors of the market – WOW, WOW, WOW – the smells just jumps out from behind the counter and demands that you take something home. Our favorite is the link sausage and dried beef jerky – spiced up to perfection. Brian and D#1 stopped on way home this past Monday and picked up some goodies for Casa del Vino and a few other special people. Again, stop by next time you are out and about on 290 heading into Houston.
So, we digress – back to the wine. Tonight we popped the cork on a 2006 La Segreta from Sicily. Produced by the Planeta family and not just part of one winery, but many. Since the 1600’s the Planeta family has owned an estate at Sambuca di Sicilia. Here, three enthusiastic young Sicilians – Alessio, Francesca and Santi Planeta – began their winemaking venture in the mid-1980s. Have to be honest, we kept waiting for Vito or Michael Corleone to knock on the door and demand to come in to partake of a glass or two . . . it’s that Italian.
The wine itself was very surprising. Initially the color was questionable – a bit of a bronze hue that usually spells trouble for the taster – but given a minute or two, it changed and really turned into a nice deep red (amazing what a little bit of oxygen can do!). An interesting mix of wines – 50% Nero d’Avola, 25% Merlot, 20% Syrah, 5% Cabernet Franc – combined together to create a super glass. On the nose we were greeted with an explosion of fresh fruit – mostly raspberry, cherry and prune – and something else in the spice world caught our sniffers. On the palate we got more berry, especially that raspberry with a warm roasted nutty taste tossed in for good measure. The finish was quite the surprise – a long, smooth taste of chocolate and coffee combined with some acids from the berries made things just darn good. Have to admit, this one was good – just might have to pop up to Kyle and see if there is any more on the “bargain shelf”.
So, as we check another week off the list – can it really be July 26? – we wish you good tidings and a fun weekend and as always encourage you to enjoy responsibly and recycle whenever possible.
Day 328 – No, It’s NOT Perrier!
It’s official! NFL training camps have opened. The Boys of Summer are about to give way to the Warriors of Fall! But, lest we forget that professional sports are a business, and when multi-million dollar investments. . .errrr, players. . .show up to work overweight and out of shape–well, they can be (to quote our favorite show) “Chopped”! While there are numerous stories already taking place across the college and professional spectrum, we were caught by a player from our favorite team, the St. Louis Rams. It seems that 2012 draft choice Rokevious Watkins showed up to camp LAST year overweight and out of shape and started his rookie season by being on the Physically Unable to Perform list. Oh, yeah, he eventually got into playing weight, but an injury here and there cost him games. It’s not rocket science to understand that if you’re being paid millions of dollars, then your should probably work out 3-4-5-6 days a week? And, in addition to working out, maybe lay off of Mama’s home cooking? Fast forward to 2013 and during spring workouts, Mr. Watkins was looking good–in shape, sharp on his feet, beginning to show what the scouts had seen from him in college. Ahhh, but the temptation of free time took its’ toll on Rokevious, and between spring drills and the opening of camp this week, he’d gained a whole lot more weight and was not even close to being in playing shape. Instead of working on his craft and staying focused, Mr. Watkins opted to not do what was necessary to keep his millions of dollars contract. And today, he was released by the club. Easy come–easy go. A reminder that the pitfalls of ‘stardom’ are extremely real and that money must be earned and not made.
A good lesson for young athletes–young professionals and those who watch too much television and think that what they see is easy. It’s not easy. The number of kids that play high school football across the United States numbers in the thousands (probably tens of thousands); however, that number dwindles significantly when the number of college ball players are counted. Not everyone is cut out to be college-caliber material. By the time that the NFL has their draft and the undrafted free agents sign their contracts, the number dwindles dramatically—there are, after all only 32 NFL teams. BUT, each team carries up to 90 players into training camp so there is some hope, right? Yes, but the hope is short-lived because the final rosters for all NFL teams is 53 (or thereabouts). So, the humongous number of high school athletes gives way to fewer college players and fewer college players gives way to fewer NFL players and at the end of training camp, ONLY 53 men make the squad—and YOU report to training camp overweight and out of shape. . . and just like that, you’re out of a job. A job that pays VERY WELL!
C’mon people…where’s the work ethic? Where’s the ‘let’s get it done right the first time’ mentality? It’s enough to drive a body crazy! Which is why we thought it appropriate to taste a French wine tonight. A 2005 French blend called Perrieres and includes the varieties of Syrah, Grenache and Carignane. Rated by Parker’s at 89 points, we found a slightly musty aroma as we opened the bottle; however, there were hints of caramel, smoky oak, some dark, very ripened fruit and other aromas less pronounced. On tasting, we got some of the same elements plus a terrific taste of black cherries and black raspberries. It was an amazing taste–for an 8-year old wine. The finish was quick but delicious. . .not very long but satisfying nonethelesss.
Don’t take the example of Mr. Watkins too lightly. When you work hard, people notice. When people notice, they want to be around you and when they want to be around you, you are considered a professional. Mr. Watkins opted to not work hard, and the result was that people didn’t want to be around him and is no longer considered a professional.
Thanks for reading on Day 328 and remember to enjoy your favorite wine responsibly while remembering to recycle whenever possible.
Day 327: Zen is it good to enjoy wine?
The name alone grabs your attention. The price probably makes you want to forget it. Depending on your level of wine ‘sophistication’, you’re either WAY past this wine or not in the same league! Seriously, most people try zinfandels because they think that it’s the same as (oh my), white zinfandel. Many times, when these troubadours make it home with their new-found selection, they’re disappointed to find a red wine and not a ‘pink’ wine. ‘YUCK!’
Anytime we see the word ‘Zen’, we immediately think of the book from high school, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. The book describes, in first person, a 17-day journey on his motorcycle from Minnesota to California by the author (though he is not identified in the book) and his son Chris, joined for the first nine days by close friends John and Sylvia Sutherland. The trip is punctuated by numerous philosophical discussions, referred to as Chautauquas by the author, on topics including epistemology, ethical emotivism and the philosophy of science. Not a real exciting piece of literature when you’re 17 years old, and you’d rather be ANYWHERE other than English class! No offense, just sayin’!
When we saw this wine, we also thought about zen…you know, zen, it emphasizes the attainment of enlightenment and the personal expression of direct insight in the Buddhist teachings. As such, it de-emphasizes mere knowledge of sutras and doctrine and favors direct understanding through zazen (not to be confused with Zazu from The Lion King!) and interaction with an accomplished teacher. . .HUH?
Ultimately we have a wine from the folks at Ravenswood. Not a bad name when it comes to producing quality zinfandel wines at reasonable prices. According to several sources, “and this wine is Ravenswood at its’ quirky best. A blend of old vine Zinfandel from great sources throughout California, expertly married by Joel Peterson to make this vibrant, fruity, in your face Zinfandel. Perfect with just about anything, hey that’s the Zen part, but really good with anything fresh from the grill.” Unlike lesser zinfandels, Zen of Zin is not a fruit bomb — it has real tannins, and a dry finish. It’s not complex or superb, but there’s almost nothing wrong with it. Nothing sticking out here. Nothing poking your taste buds there. It’s opulent and affordable, but there’s something missing. While it’s label is highly unattractive, the wine itself takes the entire time the bottle has been opened to air out. For a $9-$10 bottle of wine, we’ve tried a lot of others that deliver the taste, the complexity and the importance to get the job done, but this one doesn’t fit the bill!
Even after 327 days, we’re finding wines that may not be worth the investment. We’ve definitely found some new ones that will make return appearances in the months ahead, but we are still looking for those value-priced wines with the killer tastes! We know that within the next 43 days (or however many) that we’ll find some additional bottles that knock our socks off. . .this on didn’t.
Whether you’re looking for Zen And The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance or Zen as a form of relaxation, you won’t find either of them in the 2011 Zen of Zin from Ravenswood. Please remember to enjoy your favorite wine responsibly and recycle whenever possible.
Day 326 – A Hot Dog A Day Helps Keep…
So, did you ever thought you’d rue the day they invented hot dogs? By now perhaps you are scratching your head and question – why, why, why. Well, since today is National Hot Dog day–why would anyone celebrate a day about a tube of chicken, beef and pork–rolled together in a skin and saturated with preservatives? Hot dogs are as American as it gets. Who can’t remember their first hot dog? Who can’t remember their first hot dog at a baseball game or football game? Who can’t remember hot dogs for dinner; hot dogs for lunch; hot dogs on buns; hot dogs on a plate; hot dogs with ketchup or hot dogs with mustard; who can’t remember hot dogs at Grandma’s or hot dogs at home? You see hot dogs are an integral part of our life. Like its’ cousin the hamburger, we’ve grown up on these things. We call them ‘comfort food’, but realistically they’re just easier to enjoy —and digest!
Variations of the hot dog at ball parks all over the United States include Italian sausage, bratwurst, southwest sausage, smoked sausage as well as several others. . .all of them draw upon the area where they are made, cooked and served. A southwest sausage on a bun does REAL well in Texas but not so much in Massachusetts! Hot dogs have withstood the tests of time, and whether you’re favorite is Oscar Mayer, Ball Park Franks, Der Wienerschnitzel or whatever your hot dog of choice, they are still one of our country’s favorite ‘snacks’ or late nights meals. . .especially after a night of partying!
Tonight we opened another Twin special buy and at less than $15 a bottle we enjoyed a 2004 Avignon Rosso di Toscana. . .it’s advanced age, while a little bit of a concern, was soon dismissed as an opportunity for a nice tasting Italian wine. From our friends at Cellar Tracker.com, “The dirt, the vegetables, the sour cherry, and most definitely the acidity…it’s all there. This has a mild oak influence going on as well. For most this will be a food wine, unless you really are a big fan of this style, in which case you might find this medium bodied rustic Italian, a decent house wine.” We both felt that the wine, while tasty, left something to be desired. . . not that we’re complaining; ultimately, this wine came down to selection, price and location!
Good wine. . .yes. Great wine. . .no. Bondy Deck Wine. . .not happening. Thanks for reading and remember to enjoy your favorite wine responsibly and remember to recycle whenever possible.
Day 325: Spicing Things Up . . .
As the countdown to the final 40 days of Casa del Vino tick away, we’re reminded that not spending time with the ones we love is probably one of the most regretted things in our lives. As Jean covered the blog over the weekend while Brian was spending time with his Mom, it was all brought into focus. We’ve been extremely fortunate, even though we’ve each lost a parent, to spend some amazing time with our remaining parent. Jean’s Dad and Brian’s Mom have had the opportunities to watch our girls grow up, graduate from high school, one has graduated from college and the other isn’t too far behind. We stop and smile every time the girls get a moment to visit with these terrific people. . .their body of knowledge and wealth of life’s experiences keep us grounded in knowing that we still don’t know as much as we thought we did! We hope that as you enjoy your wine tonight or the next time you open a bottle that you can draw on the experiences of a close family member. Their eyes have seen things before us that we can only read about. Their ears have heard things that today can only be reproduced. Their hearts have been through more than ours and our kids’ combined. They are a treasure trove of memories. Stop and cherish them. . .and if you’ve got some strains in those relationships, now’s as good a time as any to patch them up. We’ve learned that their history is our history and their grandkids’ legacy. . .good stuff when you stop for a moment and soak it in!
Mondays are good days in that we get back into the swing of things after a weekend. . .and whether visiting family or staying home, when we’re off in different directions, it kind of messes up the ‘body clock’. We’re happy that the weekend was fruitful from a bigger family perspective, but very happy that the weekend is over and we’re back under the same roof. And so, while he was gone, Jean had some extreme success at Twin Liquors–finding some great closeouts and other deals for the tasting.
Tonight’s selection is a 2010 Spice Block Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina. This wine exhibits noticeable flavors of blackberry, black cherry compote with a slight hint of mocha yielding a velvety finish of very fine and supple tannins refined by oak aging of 9 months. It had a very nice roasted aroma combined with an almost nutmeg scent. It’s dark purple color was beautiful to look at and swirl in the our glasses. This Spice Block Malbec is definitely suited to compliment grilled beef — which Argentina is so famous for! Unfortunately, we opted for tasting only tonight after a nice break at Garcia’s for tortilla soup, chips and queso and chicken fajita quesadillas! Oh well, so much for “perfectly” pairing food with wine!! As value-priced wines go, this Malbec has some chops! Priced around $12 a bottle, you’re going to find a wine that has very nice appeal now, and if you can hang on to it for another 6-9 months will probably be even better!
Love to be around family. Yes, we know that not everyone does. But, when you spend time around those who are related to you, you’ll be amazed at what you learn and who you’re related to! Family is the spice of life and we hope that you’ll shake some into yours every once in a while. When you share your favorite wine, you have a common denominator with those who are part of your world.
Enjoy your favorite wine responsibly (hopefully with family) and remember to recycle whenever possible.
Day 324: A Gentle Reminder . . .
casa del vino 