A Shopping Cart of Memories

Last week I saw this shopping cart on my street as I finished my run.  Out of nowhere, I had a flashback to my childhood that dates back nearly 40 years. 

I was with my grandparents, who had a huge impact on my life, as we returned from a weekend fishing trip.  As we entered a town on the way home, we saw 2 young boys, about my age of 12 or so, pushing a shopping cart down the street towards us.  Well, one was pushing it and the other was riding in it.  Anyway, my grandparents started commenting on how nice these boys were for returning the cart and how that kind of courtesy was rapidly disappearing in the younger generation.  No sooner had they finished this conversation, we passed the market the cart was from.  You guessed it!  The boys were stealing, not returning the shopping cart.  For some reason this "tickled" (my grandmother's favorite term) the hell out of us and we laughed about it for next hour.

Now, I see shopping carts all the time so it amazes me that seeing this particular cart this morning brought back a memory from 40 years ago with such clarity.  I can also tell you that it put a huge smile on my face and I spent the remainder of the run remembering other good times spent with my grandparents.  I also felt like I was more ready to face the day, come what may.

The moral?  For me, it was a good reminder that reflecting on the good and positive things from your past can help you overcome moments of negativity in the present.

Au revoir!

Impromptu Adventures in Wine Country

A few months ago, a good friend moved into a studio apartment in the Dry Creek Valley just outside of Healdsburg.  The views were supposed to be spectacular since the apartment was above the office of Pasterick Winery and we were looking for an excuse to go check it out.

Last weekend, a group decided to have dinner at Catelli’s in Geyserville to celebrate Julie’s birthday.  This gave everyone the perfect opportunity to meet at Julie’s for pre-dinner drinks and check out her new place. 

The views did not disappoint.  This view is from her landing.  She also has a few of the hillside vineyards and the wine cave (an actual cave) where Pasterick Winery hold their tastings.  It is a stunning piece of property that is as tranquil as it is beautiful. 

It also happened to be Passport Weekend so the owners, Diane and Gerry Pasterick, were hosting a tasting in the cave.  As we were hanging out on the landing sipping champagne and enjoying the views, Diane shouted up a big happy birthday to Julie.  She then invited us to see the cave and tasting room.

We strolled over to the cave as Diane told us about the history of the property and creating the cave itself.  Once inside, she began to describe their wine making process.  They exclusively grow and bottle Syrah in the Rhone tradition of big taste and smooth finish.  As I listened, I began to realize this was turning into a tour, which was fine by me since I really like Syrah.

After Gerry joined us we eventually found our way into the tasting room.  Here, we were treated to tastes of their 2006 Syrah along with a brand new wine, the 2010 Rose (made from Syrah).  These wines were exquisite and I will definitely be buying some in the future.

During the tasting, Diane and Gerry began to tell the story of how they met.  It was part romantic, part humorous, and thoroughly fascinating.  We had just reached the point when Diane had accepted Gerry’s marriage proposal when we realized we were late for dinner. 

We casually left the cave while calling Catelli’s so they knew we were on the way.  Of course, all of us wanted to hear the rest of the story so we decided we would arrange a tasting very soon where we get to sample more vintages of their great Syrah and hear how the story unfolds.  Since Diane and Gerry are together and have created such fantastic winery, I think we already know how the story ends.

Au revoir!

How to Turn 50

Last Friday, I turned 50.  Now, for a lot of people that’s a bit of a scary prospect but not so much for me.  Why not?   You see I don’t think I look 50 and I definitely don’t feel it.  In my mind, I’m still this youngish dude in my early 40’s.  Anyway, that’s how old I feel so I’m sticking with it.

Still, turning 50 is a considered a milestone so I took the day off to play.  The next question was what should I do?  As usual, I got up early, made a cappuccino and starting goofing off on the computer.  As dawn broke it was decision time.  Should I ride?  Should I go for a run?  I know, I’ll get another cup of coffee and think about it some more.  An hour and a half later, I was still sitting in my chair and drinking coffee when it hit me. I always ride or run on my days off, so doing neither would be the real birthday treat. 

After deciding what not to do, Sherry (who also had the day off) and I went down to The Flying Goat, our favorite indie coffee house.  There, we sipped our cappuccinos, ate pastries and simply enjoyed the morning and each other’s company.  After a little stroll through Old Railroad Square it was time to head to my birthday lunch. 

Sherry made reservations at Auberge du Soleil.  After being seated on the terrace, we started with glasses of Champagne, which were followed by very delicious salads, soups, lobster risotto and pork dishes.  Of course, all of this needed to be paired with wine so we selected a German Riesling that was extraordinary.  All of this was thoroughly enjoyed while checking out the stunning views of the Napa Valley. 

After our late lunch we drove to the historic town of Sonoma for another relaxing stroll.  From there, it was on to dinner with friends where we once again dined on great food and wine.  The dinner was also accompanied by lots and lots of laughter as well as the occasional old man joke.

The next day I chose to sleep in, which is very unusual for me.  When I finally got up, I managed to kick out a 7.5 mile run (my longest in a very long time) in Annadel State Park. 

The time spent with Sherry, lunches in Napa, dinner with friends, and long runs or rides all work harmoniously to ensure I continue to feel young.  And with all that working in my favor, I would can’t wait to see what the next 50 years brings my way.

Au revoir!

A curb-side lunch

Yesterday, was our national holiday to celebrate and remember the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  It also happened to be Munch Monday!

Munch Monday is a new concept in lunching for downtown Santa Rosa.  On a trial basis, the city is closing off 17 parking spaces in a large parking lot downtown and allowing lunch trucks to roll up and feed the masses.  Currently, there are six different lunch trucks offering everything from Chicago style hot dogs to crab sandwiches to dim sum with lots of choices in between. 

I learned about Munch Monday, as did a lot of other friends in my cycling world, from our friend Sarah who posted a link about it on FB.  So, after a short, and social cycling adventure (a rare treat for me on a Monday), six of us headed to a downtown parking lot, across from the post office, for lunch.

When I arrived I was surprised to see well over 100 people milling about and ordering food from the different lunch trucks.  As I surveyed my choices, I finally decided on a pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw and french fries.  It was really the fries that got my attention because they looked great (and they were).

After we got our food, we all walked over to one of the curbs to sit, eat, and chat.  This quickly turned into one of the best lunches I’ve had with friends in a long time.  There was something about the setting, eating on a curb and laughing with friends, that was special.  This was definitely one of those instances where the total experience was greater then the sum of its parts.  After about an hour of good food and great conversation, we all recycled our containers and headed home.

As of right now, this is still a trial and Munch Monday will only continue through the end of February.  But if yesterday was any indication, it is going to be successful so who knows how long the city will let it run.  I can tell you that I am already looking forward to my next curb-side lunch and chat.

Au revoir!

The Dinner

Each year, just after the holidays, Sherry and I host a dinner.  We look forward to this night all year.  It’s a quaint affair with no more then 8 guests.  However, the good food, vintage wines, and great friends always makes for a magical night and this year was no exception.

Let’s start with the menu.  Here are the food and wine pairings chosen for last Saturday’s dinner.  In case you were wondering, it was as good as it sounds.

• Hors-d'oeuvres - Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs NV Grand Cru Champagne (from the Rare Wine Company)
• Roasted pears with blue cheese salad - 2008 Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris (from Alsace)
• Cassoulet a la Bistro 29 - 2005 Chateau Les Hauts d'Aglan Cahors & 2005 Clos la Coutale Cahors
• Assortment of Artisan cheeses - 2005 Chateau Plaisance Bordeaux
• Pear and Stilton Tart - 2007 Chateau de Myrat Sauternes

The night lived up to its promise.  We ate.  We drank.  And, we laughed, told stories, and then laughed some more.  It was a perfect evening of food, wine and friends.

This year, Sherry and I had some help with the cooking.  Traditionally, I make my version of cassoulet for this dinner but since we are all traveling together to France later this year, I wanted something more authentic.  So, it was Bistro 29 to the rescue.  The chef there makes an awesome cassoulet so that’s what we served this year.

Another partner for the evening was Traverso’s.  After finalizing the menu I knew I needed the perfect white wine to pair with the salad.  So, up the hill to talk to Michael and he suggested the Pinot Gris from Alsace.  I will be going back up the hill to buy more.  It was a delightfully refreshing wine that I can see myself sipping in the back yard later this summer.  Traverso’s is also where I discovered the Clos la Coutale Cahors many years ago.

There you have it!  Another successful dinner with a little help from others.  Normally, I would already be looking forward to next year’s dinner but right now we have to finish planning for our trip to France. 

Au revoir!

Milestones

As you go through life, you will definitely pass a few milestones along the way.  Some of them are quite significant such as turning 21, getting married, or having your first child.  Others are more ceremonial like turning 30 or 40 where we tend to make a bigger deal out of these then we should.  This year, I will have one of each.

Let’s start with the more ceremonial milestone.  In April, I will turn 50.  For me, that’s really hard to believe because on the inside I don’t think I ever left my 30’s.  But time marches on and birthdays pass whether you want them to or not.  Since I still feel young at heart and mind, turning 50 doesn’t really concern me and I am looking forward to all of the celebration that comes with it.

The second 2011 milestone is much more significant.  In August, Sherry and I will reach our 25th wedding anniversary.  That means we have been married to each for half of our lives since she just turned 50 as well.  We are very proud of this achievement particularly given the today’s current divorce rates.

However, it’s not the number that’s significant.  It’s the fact that after 25 years we still prefer each other’s company to anyone else.  Sure, I love my bike rides with friends but given the option of a long ride with friends or a long leisurely lunch with Sherry, she wins every time.

The secret is not just love.  Lot of couples love each other.  No, I think it’s the pleasure we get for being together and the fact that as we’ve grown as individuals, we’ve also grown as a couple.  We are not the same 25 year olds who got married but the people we are today are even closer in many ways.

So there you have it.  There’s a lot of great things to celebrate in 2011.  You can bet there will be a big party in August at our house.  I hope each you have your own celebrations to look forward to as well.

Au revoir!

Taking a break

As the craziness of the holiday season kicks into full gear, I have decided to take a short break from writing.  However, I fully intend to return next month with fresh new stories of the little things that make life great.

Happy holidays and I’ll see you next year.

Au revoir!