I'm on a co-ed softball team. A lot of the guys on the softball team played high school or college baseball (read: great arms). I play catcher, with no equipment. Two weeks ago I could have died from a near blow to the head with a baseball bat (fortunately, he missed). This week, my luck got the best of me when I missed a catch from my third basemen and the ball hit me smack in the middle of the face, right on my nose between my eyes.
After about sixty seconds of intense and massive bleeding, I was carried to the bench where I was to put pressure on my nose and hold a towel to it to soak up the blood. The blood finally slowed down, but my teammates and the EMT guy on the other team urged me to go to the hospital to get checked out. I really didn't want to go. I wanted to see the end of the game! Even as I was holding the towel over my nose, I was yelling orders to my teammates about where the fielding switch ups where and how to fix the batting order once I was out of it. I also complained how my nose used to be perfect, and I would like to keep it that way.
I was taken to the hospital by my friend, Mike. We were so eager to get to the closest CPMC emergency room, that we didn't realize we were going to the Pediatrics ER until we got to the door. The waiting room was filled with puzzles and books and toys, and Dora the Explorer was on the TV hanging above the room. I was taken into a nurse's room and got all my vitals checked. She was wearing scrubs with bright yellow suns and rainbows on them. Reminded me of the Zoe character from Nurse Jackie.
When I got to the next room, I met Nurse Katie. "Hi Kelsey, my name is Katie and I'm going to be your nurse. The doctor will be in very soon, but we want to take some pictures of your nose, okay?" My first thought was that she was going to take out a camera and use me as an example of what happens when domestic abuse goes too far. Then I realized she was referring to x-rays.
Upon entering the x-ray room, I was asked (for the second time that night) if there was any way I could be pregnant. Hell no, thank you. Snap. Snap. X-rays done. Is my nose broken? The doctor will tell you.
Me: Doc, is my nose broken?
Doc: It's fractured.
Me: Oh, that's good, right?
Mike: Kelsey, that means it's broken.
Me: Fuck. I bet you don't hear that from the little kids.
Katie: You'd be surprised what comes out of those little buggers' mouths.
After the doctor put my stitches in and showed me my x-rays, he gave me a prescription for Vicodin (hells yes, this injury was so worth it) and some antibiotics. He also referred me to an ENT to look at my nose break. They told me where the nearest 24 hr pharmacy was and Mike and I went there to get my pain killers and some other necessities (tissues, band aids, frozen peas).
Considering I had a light dinner, started drinking beer at 8, was on the playing field by 10, and bleeding profusely by 10:30, finished with the stitches at midnight, and in bed by 1:30 passing out and acting all loopy; I guess you could say it was just another night out.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
The Ramapo Tomato
My grandfather, making his third appearance in my blog, is known for his tomatoes - amongst other things. Last year he was given some more fame for a tomato he discovered many, many years ago: The Ramapo.
The Associated Press
Sunday, January 13, 2008
The quest for the perfect tomato began in New Jersey nearly 50 years ago and ended, for now, in a field south of Tel Aviv, Israel.
After eight years of taste tests from chefs and tomato lovers, agricultural scientists at Rutgers University say they have resurrected one of the most delicious Jersey tomatoes ever. The elusive "Ramapo" tomato seed has been reproduced in Israel and 572,000 certified organic seeds were shipped this month to New Brunswick.
The Ramapo tomato, named after a New Jersey Indian tribe and developed at Rutgers in 1968, will be back for this summer's growing season after an absence of more than 20 years. In New Jersey, considered to produce some of America's best tomatoes, that is big news.
"People all across the land are frustrated with hard, cardboardy-tasting tomatoes," said Jack Rabin, associate director of the New Jersey agricultural experiment station at Rutgers. "Ramapo gives them something that's an alternative ... that captures that famous Jersey tomato taste."
Seed companies stopped producing the Ramapo decades ago because commercial farmers sought varieties that grew well in other regions, and the Ramapo did well mostly along the East Coast, Rabin said.
The first major release of more than 8,000 seed packets will be sold by Rutgers in a few weeks, initially to home gardeners like Edmund Ryan of Irasburg, Vermont, who remembers first tasting the variety as a teenager from a neighbor in Red Bank.
"It was just the perfect Jersey tomato," said Ryan, 54, who recalled eating the tomatoes in a sandwich after football practice. "It's nice and tart and sweet but also just had a little extra that I can't explain."
Rutgers scientists have been busy pursuing that "holy grail" of productivity, good yield and taste in greenhouses and fields, experimenting with 154 varieties, with flavor as the most important characteristic.
Tomatoes have been an important crop in New Jersey for more than 100 years. Until the 1950s, many were grown for use in tomato products, including soup at the Campbell Soup Co., based in Camden, Rabin said.
After World War II, most of the large-scale commercial farms moved to warmer climates like Florida and California. What remains in New Jersey today are tomatoes for fresh use, at supermarkets, restaurants and farm stands.
In the 1960s, as transportation improved, breeders introduced new varieties to withstand the rigors of shipping from farm to supermarkets, often at the expense of flavor, Rabin said. "These firm, shipping varieties that predominate today, even vine-ripened, they leave us wanting in terms of flavor," he said.
A new process also helped shipping: picking the tomatoes green and exposing them to ethylene gas to ripen and turn red to allow for longer transportation and shelf life, said Martha A. Mutschler, a professor of plant breeding and genetics at Cornell.
She said the problem in taste comes when the tomatoes are picked immature green, and they can't fully ripen. "One reason tomatoes don't taste good is because they are picked too soon," she said. "Another reason is that people refrigerate them."
Of course, it's a matter of palate as well. Tomato lovers are passionate and often go without them during the winter, when they're not in season. "The flavor is the most important thing, you know," said chef Andre Soltner, who sold his legendary New York restaurant, Lutece, and teaches at the French Culinary Institute in New York. "When I cannot get good tomatoes with flavor, I don't use them."
For Lucky Lee, co-owner of Lucky's Real Tomatoes in Brooklyn, New York, which trucks ripe tomatoes during the winter from Florida back to New York in a day's turnaround, good tomatoes are also a source of nostalgia. "It reminds you of a different time, a more natural way of living before additives and chemicals were put in everything we eat to make it last longer," she said. "It's a simpler life, a nicer life."
The Ramapo tomato has elicited that nostalgia on tomato message boards from gardeners clamoring for the seeds.
It will grow well in New Jersey, but in other Mid-Atlantic states too, said its developer, Bernard Pollack. He started working on it in 1960 and is now a retired professor of plant breeding and genetics living in California.
Because the variety is an "F-1" hybrid, gardeners cannot save the seeds and replant them, expecting to recapture the same Ramapo with sweet-acid flavor. Instead, seeds must be pollinated by hand, usually by a seed company which does the labor-intensive work of crossing the two parent lines, Pollack said. The original "parents" were still at Rutgers.
The "Jersey Tomato working group" at Rutgers, made up of economists, breeders, horticulturists and plant pathologists and first convened in 2000, will present its findings about the Ramapo Tuesday in Atlantic City.
Once they decided to reintroduce the Ramapo, they found a seed company in Israel, which has a winter growing season, to replicate them at a good price, Rabin said. They will be distributed to home gardeners and later to some commercial farmers to test them. "As word gets out about the particular Ramapo tomato, there's going to be a huge demand for it across the country," said Paul Wigsten, farm liaison and produce buyer for the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.
Wigsten has never tasted a Ramapo, but has heard about the lore. "This will be a big day for tomato lovers. It's real gratifying to see Rutgers concentrating more on flavor than on any other characteristic of the tomato," he said.
___
After visiting my grandparents last year in San Diego, my grandfather sent me back to San Francisco with some Ramapo seeds to give to my friend, Luke, at the farmers market. I brought back the seeds for Luke, and more than a year later I have finally tasted the Ramapo tomato, grown by Luke and designed by my grandfather. It is by far the best tomato I have ever tasted. So good, that Luke himself isn't even selling them at his stand. He is hoarding them for himself, his friends, and me. I ate one for lunch today with a bit of salt and pepper, and just had another with a salad at dinner. I want more! I can't wait until next week when he brings me more Ramapos.
Thanks Luke, and even more thanks to you, Pop pop!
The Associated Press
Sunday, January 13, 2008
The quest for the perfect tomato began in New Jersey nearly 50 years ago and ended, for now, in a field south of Tel Aviv, Israel.
After eight years of taste tests from chefs and tomato lovers, agricultural scientists at Rutgers University say they have resurrected one of the most delicious Jersey tomatoes ever. The elusive "Ramapo" tomato seed has been reproduced in Israel and 572,000 certified organic seeds were shipped this month to New Brunswick.
The Ramapo tomato, named after a New Jersey Indian tribe and developed at Rutgers in 1968, will be back for this summer's growing season after an absence of more than 20 years. In New Jersey, considered to produce some of America's best tomatoes, that is big news.
"People all across the land are frustrated with hard, cardboardy-tasting tomatoes," said Jack Rabin, associate director of the New Jersey agricultural experiment station at Rutgers. "Ramapo gives them something that's an alternative ... that captures that famous Jersey tomato taste."
Seed companies stopped producing the Ramapo decades ago because commercial farmers sought varieties that grew well in other regions, and the Ramapo did well mostly along the East Coast, Rabin said.
The first major release of more than 8,000 seed packets will be sold by Rutgers in a few weeks, initially to home gardeners like Edmund Ryan of Irasburg, Vermont, who remembers first tasting the variety as a teenager from a neighbor in Red Bank.
"It was just the perfect Jersey tomato," said Ryan, 54, who recalled eating the tomatoes in a sandwich after football practice. "It's nice and tart and sweet but also just had a little extra that I can't explain."
Rutgers scientists have been busy pursuing that "holy grail" of productivity, good yield and taste in greenhouses and fields, experimenting with 154 varieties, with flavor as the most important characteristic.
Tomatoes have been an important crop in New Jersey for more than 100 years. Until the 1950s, many were grown for use in tomato products, including soup at the Campbell Soup Co., based in Camden, Rabin said.
After World War II, most of the large-scale commercial farms moved to warmer climates like Florida and California. What remains in New Jersey today are tomatoes for fresh use, at supermarkets, restaurants and farm stands.
In the 1960s, as transportation improved, breeders introduced new varieties to withstand the rigors of shipping from farm to supermarkets, often at the expense of flavor, Rabin said. "These firm, shipping varieties that predominate today, even vine-ripened, they leave us wanting in terms of flavor," he said.
A new process also helped shipping: picking the tomatoes green and exposing them to ethylene gas to ripen and turn red to allow for longer transportation and shelf life, said Martha A. Mutschler, a professor of plant breeding and genetics at Cornell.
She said the problem in taste comes when the tomatoes are picked immature green, and they can't fully ripen. "One reason tomatoes don't taste good is because they are picked too soon," she said. "Another reason is that people refrigerate them."
Of course, it's a matter of palate as well. Tomato lovers are passionate and often go without them during the winter, when they're not in season. "The flavor is the most important thing, you know," said chef Andre Soltner, who sold his legendary New York restaurant, Lutece, and teaches at the French Culinary Institute in New York. "When I cannot get good tomatoes with flavor, I don't use them."
For Lucky Lee, co-owner of Lucky's Real Tomatoes in Brooklyn, New York, which trucks ripe tomatoes during the winter from Florida back to New York in a day's turnaround, good tomatoes are also a source of nostalgia. "It reminds you of a different time, a more natural way of living before additives and chemicals were put in everything we eat to make it last longer," she said. "It's a simpler life, a nicer life."
The Ramapo tomato has elicited that nostalgia on tomato message boards from gardeners clamoring for the seeds.
It will grow well in New Jersey, but in other Mid-Atlantic states too, said its developer, Bernard Pollack. He started working on it in 1960 and is now a retired professor of plant breeding and genetics living in California.
Because the variety is an "F-1" hybrid, gardeners cannot save the seeds and replant them, expecting to recapture the same Ramapo with sweet-acid flavor. Instead, seeds must be pollinated by hand, usually by a seed company which does the labor-intensive work of crossing the two parent lines, Pollack said. The original "parents" were still at Rutgers.
The "Jersey Tomato working group" at Rutgers, made up of economists, breeders, horticulturists and plant pathologists and first convened in 2000, will present its findings about the Ramapo Tuesday in Atlantic City.
Once they decided to reintroduce the Ramapo, they found a seed company in Israel, which has a winter growing season, to replicate them at a good price, Rabin said. They will be distributed to home gardeners and later to some commercial farmers to test them. "As word gets out about the particular Ramapo tomato, there's going to be a huge demand for it across the country," said Paul Wigsten, farm liaison and produce buyer for the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.
Wigsten has never tasted a Ramapo, but has heard about the lore. "This will be a big day for tomato lovers. It's real gratifying to see Rutgers concentrating more on flavor than on any other characteristic of the tomato," he said.
___
After visiting my grandparents last year in San Diego, my grandfather sent me back to San Francisco with some Ramapo seeds to give to my friend, Luke, at the farmers market. I brought back the seeds for Luke, and more than a year later I have finally tasted the Ramapo tomato, grown by Luke and designed by my grandfather. It is by far the best tomato I have ever tasted. So good, that Luke himself isn't even selling them at his stand. He is hoarding them for himself, his friends, and me. I ate one for lunch today with a bit of salt and pepper, and just had another with a salad at dinner. I want more! I can't wait until next week when he brings me more Ramapos.
Thanks Luke, and even more thanks to you, Pop pop!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
90 Years of Wedded Bliss
Last night my family and I celebrated the anniversaries of my parents and grandparents - 30 years for mom and dad, 60 years for Mema and Pop pop (my grandparents). That's a total of 90 years, which is a pretty huge accomplishment if you ask me.
We went out to dinner at this wonderful Italian Restaurant in the middle of the Oceanside fields, called Rosina's. The owner, Rosina, and my grandparents have become very fond of each other, and it's been a favorite of theirs for the past year. The cuisine is authentic Italian food, with recipes inspired from generations upon generations of Rosina's family. Though she wasn't there last night (I had the pleasure of meeting her when I went there with my grandparents back in May), she made sure to make the evening special by giving us a complimentary anti-pasta made of fresh squash, eggplant, mushrooms, and red peppers. We also shared stuffed banana peppers with mozzarella and sausage. Our entrees were a spread of delicious Saltimbocca, the Escarole fish special, four cheese fettuccine with Italian sausage (the best and heaviest dish), and chicken Parmesan. Overall, the dinner was fantastic and the company even better.
I gave my grandparents a first edition paperback of Gone With the Wind, which I purchased at the bazaar outside my office on Thursday for only $6.00. My grandmother loved the gift, and praised me for my thoughtfulness. But in all honesty, they deserve much more than a book to celebrate their sixty years of marriage. My grandparents met at Penn State after my grandfather returned from the war. They were married after knowing each other less than a year, and even though they joke all the time about how they don't like each other, it's clear that they have been happy ever since.
My parents also met in college in Baltimore. They were married after about 4 years of courtship, and they drove across country to San Diego from Baltimore after their wedding. I was born a few years later, and my brother three years after me. As I've grown older, my parents are more open about stories of how they met and things that happened while they were dating. Last night my dad told me how my mom cried on their first night out at dinner when they moved from Del Mar to Encinitas because they weren't eating at her favorite restaurant anymore. They've since made it through 5 other moves, several different jobs, two college tuition's, 5 pets, and some pretty horrendous family vacations - I'm not even going to get into the disaster that was Key West December '04.
What's the secret to a happy marriage? From watching my parents and my grandparents, I'd say it's a few things: 1) the ability to laugh together and to have fun, and not to take each other too seriously. 2) the ability to make decisions together, even if it means letting go of your stubborn views. 3) The ability to be honest with each other, and especially with your children.
Here's to you guys! Happy Anniversary, and may you have 50 more combined years of wedded bliss!
We went out to dinner at this wonderful Italian Restaurant in the middle of the Oceanside fields, called Rosina's. The owner, Rosina, and my grandparents have become very fond of each other, and it's been a favorite of theirs for the past year. The cuisine is authentic Italian food, with recipes inspired from generations upon generations of Rosina's family. Though she wasn't there last night (I had the pleasure of meeting her when I went there with my grandparents back in May), she made sure to make the evening special by giving us a complimentary anti-pasta made of fresh squash, eggplant, mushrooms, and red peppers. We also shared stuffed banana peppers with mozzarella and sausage. Our entrees were a spread of delicious Saltimbocca, the Escarole fish special, four cheese fettuccine with Italian sausage (the best and heaviest dish), and chicken Parmesan. Overall, the dinner was fantastic and the company even better.
I gave my grandparents a first edition paperback of Gone With the Wind, which I purchased at the bazaar outside my office on Thursday for only $6.00. My grandmother loved the gift, and praised me for my thoughtfulness. But in all honesty, they deserve much more than a book to celebrate their sixty years of marriage. My grandparents met at Penn State after my grandfather returned from the war. They were married after knowing each other less than a year, and even though they joke all the time about how they don't like each other, it's clear that they have been happy ever since.
My parents also met in college in Baltimore. They were married after about 4 years of courtship, and they drove across country to San Diego from Baltimore after their wedding. I was born a few years later, and my brother three years after me. As I've grown older, my parents are more open about stories of how they met and things that happened while they were dating. Last night my dad told me how my mom cried on their first night out at dinner when they moved from Del Mar to Encinitas because they weren't eating at her favorite restaurant anymore. They've since made it through 5 other moves, several different jobs, two college tuition's, 5 pets, and some pretty horrendous family vacations - I'm not even going to get into the disaster that was Key West December '04.
What's the secret to a happy marriage? From watching my parents and my grandparents, I'd say it's a few things: 1) the ability to laugh together and to have fun, and not to take each other too seriously. 2) the ability to make decisions together, even if it means letting go of your stubborn views. 3) The ability to be honest with each other, and especially with your children.
Here's to you guys! Happy Anniversary, and may you have 50 more combined years of wedded bliss!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
The Core of Wine Madness
One of the highlights of the San Diego Morrison Family Vacation is always the annual "Wine Madness" evening. Every summer we get together for a big dinner party, complete with at least 12 different bottles of wine (not necessarily all finished by the end of the night). All wines are contributions of those in attendance; the original members of the elite La Jolla Bragging and Tasting Club (it's elite because nobody knows about it). This is the most intelligent, eclectic group of men I have ever met:
Siggins: 72 years old, surfer, neuroscientist, Harvard grad and musician (and it goes without saying, wine connoisseur). Always brings great dessert wines. Has three children, from two different generations. Currently unmarried. Claim to fame: taught Bob Dylan how to ride a motorcycle, and dated Linda Rondstadt.
Tibor: 60ish years old, mechanical engineer with a PhD in Psychology. Incredible collection of wines from the 70's and 80's. Never married, no children, but the Godfather to my brother. Once stopped wearing shoes for more than an entire year. Phenomenal cook (if you don't mind eating dinner at 10pm). Not-so-secret talent: can fall asleep sitting up, without any backing (i.e. on a piano bench)
Greg: 53 years old, molecular biologist, wine maker, architecture guru, gym buff, lady killer. Has a taste for bret wines, but loves a good Spanish wine (and Spanish lady). Unmarried, no children. Soon to be a member to La Jolla Bragging and Tasting Club. Coolest body ink: double helix tattoos on each bicep, designed by Odile Crick - wife of Francis Crick.
Jeff: 50ish years old, Only non-neuroscientist with degrees from Cal Tech. Wine genius. Loves a good Zin or an old Cab. Married, two children. Not an official member of the LBTC, but certainly an honorary member. Little known fact: got an 1600 on his SATs, way before they were out of 2400.
C-Lai: 50ish years old, Hawaiian, neuroscientist who recently relocated to Indiana (we missed him this year). Known for bringing blind tastings, and can usually trick every taster. Unmarried, no children, international slut slash Buddhist. Survivor: fully recovered from Lymphoma Cancer.
John: 57 years old, neuroscientist, med school dean, Yankee fan, fisher, world's greatest dad. Known for pouring wine down the drain if it's "no good." Married, two intelligent and lovely children. Collection facts: has been collecting since age 25, and currently holds about 1,000 bottles.
There you have it. The essential Wine Madness crew. These men have taught me 75% of everything I know about tasting wine (the other 25% coming from classes). Last night was a special night for me because I brought the blind wine! And I am pleased to report that it slipped by all who tasted, though they came pretty close by guessing the grape and general region. Kudos, gentlemen.
Siggins: 72 years old, surfer, neuroscientist, Harvard grad and musician (and it goes without saying, wine connoisseur). Always brings great dessert wines. Has three children, from two different generations. Currently unmarried. Claim to fame: taught Bob Dylan how to ride a motorcycle, and dated Linda Rondstadt.
Tibor: 60ish years old, mechanical engineer with a PhD in Psychology. Incredible collection of wines from the 70's and 80's. Never married, no children, but the Godfather to my brother. Once stopped wearing shoes for more than an entire year. Phenomenal cook (if you don't mind eating dinner at 10pm). Not-so-secret talent: can fall asleep sitting up, without any backing (i.e. on a piano bench)
Greg: 53 years old, molecular biologist, wine maker, architecture guru, gym buff, lady killer. Has a taste for bret wines, but loves a good Spanish wine (and Spanish lady). Unmarried, no children. Soon to be a member to La Jolla Bragging and Tasting Club. Coolest body ink: double helix tattoos on each bicep, designed by Odile Crick - wife of Francis Crick.
Jeff: 50ish years old, Only non-neuroscientist with degrees from Cal Tech. Wine genius. Loves a good Zin or an old Cab. Married, two children. Not an official member of the LBTC, but certainly an honorary member. Little known fact: got an 1600 on his SATs, way before they were out of 2400.
C-Lai: 50ish years old, Hawaiian, neuroscientist who recently relocated to Indiana (we missed him this year). Known for bringing blind tastings, and can usually trick every taster. Unmarried, no children, international slut slash Buddhist. Survivor: fully recovered from Lymphoma Cancer.
John: 57 years old, neuroscientist, med school dean, Yankee fan, fisher, world's greatest dad. Known for pouring wine down the drain if it's "no good." Married, two intelligent and lovely children. Collection facts: has been collecting since age 25, and currently holds about 1,000 bottles.
There you have it. The essential Wine Madness crew. These men have taught me 75% of everything I know about tasting wine (the other 25% coming from classes). Last night was a special night for me because I brought the blind wine! And I am pleased to report that it slipped by all who tasted, though they came pretty close by guessing the grape and general region. Kudos, gentlemen.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Morrison Family Summer Vacation
It's my favorite time of summer again! Every August, I spend a week with my parents and brother on the beach in Carlsbad, California (North Coast of San Diego). We've been staying in the same two-story condo on the beach for the past 15 years, and every year it gets better and better.
While they fly six hours from New York to get here, it takes me less than an hour and a half to fly from San Francisco. Every year my dad says "Now, we have to go to sleep at 9 tonight so that we're not jet lagged this week." Fortunately, this statement no longer applies to me (though, I still end up going to bed early and waking up early because that's how vacation works). Normally a mere comment like this would send my brother into his groaning eye-roll, but he agrees with my dad this time and mentions that it would be nice to wake up early and take advantage of the day.
Before settling into our condo, we stop for a nice lunch in Del Mar Heights. We sit atop the roof patio, sipping on a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and talking about how well our parents brought us up with such an open communication about drugs and alcohol. After our lunch arrives, we decide to order another bottle because, after all, we ARE Morrisons.
The rest of our afternoon consists of Mommy and me, Daddy and he activities: manicures and pedicures and some window shopping, and a trip to BevMo to stock up on booze (which will honestly probably only last the first two nights, if that) and a stop by the 24-Hour gym to sign up for the week - God forbid my brother goes a week without pumping iron. My dad pays a whopping $15 for the three of us to use the gym for the week, and he doesn't shut up about this deal, and he probably won't for the rest of the vacation.
We order take-out from our favorite California-Italian restaurant up the street, and watch the sunset - a family tradition for the first night of every summer vacation. My dad goes Ape-shit if he doesn't get to see the sunset at least four out of the six nights we're here. "That's what we're paying for! Sunset on the beach and the sound of the ocean in our bedrooms!" It never gets old.
After two bottles of white, and one of red, my mom suggests it's time to open another bottle of red. The four of us finish off the last of the four bottles of wine, sitting in front of my brothers laptop watching the Yankee game, streaming live from mlb.com. While my brother and my parents are DIE HARD Yankees fans, it only comes out in me when I am with them. Or if they're playing the Red Sox. In any case, the four of us sit together on the couch watching the game, making jokes and laughing about how ridiculous we would look to any other normal person.
At the ages of 24 and 20, I suppose my younger brother and I are old enough now to actually enjoy time spent with each other and with our parents. My parents have become more like friends to me, and I hope that my brother gets to that point soon. I can tell he is still annoyed by our constant presence around him, but hopefully he will be able to make it through the rest of the week without cringing.
While they fly six hours from New York to get here, it takes me less than an hour and a half to fly from San Francisco. Every year my dad says "Now, we have to go to sleep at 9 tonight so that we're not jet lagged this week." Fortunately, this statement no longer applies to me (though, I still end up going to bed early and waking up early because that's how vacation works). Normally a mere comment like this would send my brother into his groaning eye-roll, but he agrees with my dad this time and mentions that it would be nice to wake up early and take advantage of the day.
Before settling into our condo, we stop for a nice lunch in Del Mar Heights. We sit atop the roof patio, sipping on a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and talking about how well our parents brought us up with such an open communication about drugs and alcohol. After our lunch arrives, we decide to order another bottle because, after all, we ARE Morrisons.
The rest of our afternoon consists of Mommy and me, Daddy and he activities: manicures and pedicures and some window shopping, and a trip to BevMo to stock up on booze (which will honestly probably only last the first two nights, if that) and a stop by the 24-Hour gym to sign up for the week - God forbid my brother goes a week without pumping iron. My dad pays a whopping $15 for the three of us to use the gym for the week, and he doesn't shut up about this deal, and he probably won't for the rest of the vacation.
We order take-out from our favorite California-Italian restaurant up the street, and watch the sunset - a family tradition for the first night of every summer vacation. My dad goes Ape-shit if he doesn't get to see the sunset at least four out of the six nights we're here. "That's what we're paying for! Sunset on the beach and the sound of the ocean in our bedrooms!" It never gets old.
After two bottles of white, and one of red, my mom suggests it's time to open another bottle of red. The four of us finish off the last of the four bottles of wine, sitting in front of my brothers laptop watching the Yankee game, streaming live from mlb.com. While my brother and my parents are DIE HARD Yankees fans, it only comes out in me when I am with them. Or if they're playing the Red Sox. In any case, the four of us sit together on the couch watching the game, making jokes and laughing about how ridiculous we would look to any other normal person.
At the ages of 24 and 20, I suppose my younger brother and I are old enough now to actually enjoy time spent with each other and with our parents. My parents have become more like friends to me, and I hope that my brother gets to that point soon. I can tell he is still annoyed by our constant presence around him, but hopefully he will be able to make it through the rest of the week without cringing.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Carneros Knows Best
As many of you readers know, I enjoy frequent rendezvous in Wine Country from time to time. Yesterday, I traveled to the Carneros region between Napa and Sonoma for some wine tasting with my brother, Alex, and friend, Brion. Not only were we able to implement a relaxing, "go with the flow" schedule, but we ventured to four wineries that I had never been to, all within 5 miles of each other.
Jacuzzi: Recommended by a friend, we decided to make this our first stop. You can hardly miss it if you're heading up to wine country via the 101, to the 37, to the 121. It's only been around for a couple of years, but the wine is great, and complimentary tastings to boot! We tasted a great Sangiovese and a fantastic Barbera, but it was the Nero D'Avola that stole my heart and I just had to buy a bottle. We also tasted a reserve Valeriano, which is a unique blend of 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, 9% Malbec, 1% Petite Verdot. Highly recommended! And don't forget to visit the olive oil tasting bar on your way out!
Domaine Carneros: If you've ever driven down Route 12 towards Napa, then you've seen this beautiful mansion perched atop a hill. Owned by the Tattinger family and known for their sparkling wines, it's a great place to sit outside and sip on some bubbly while admiring the scenery (both land and people - Alex and Brion were especially taken with a bevy of beautiful barely clothed women that strolled by our table). We decided to buy a $26 bottle of their 2005 Vintage Brut because it was the most cost-efficient-get-you-a-little-boozy option. Both the bubbles and service were excellent! I managed to spill two glasses of champagne all over myself with one fell swoop of my hand (Brion saved the glasses and most of the sparking wine), and the server came by to fill up our glasses with the contents of what we had lost in the casualty. Kudos!
Bouchaine: Best stop of the day. Not too far from Domaine Carneros, Bouchaine is tucked back on a private road off of Los Amigos, and it straddles the Napa Valley-Carneros border. We brought some sandwiches with us, and they graciously let us picnic in the back (even though it's usually reserved for members only) before starting out tasting. Once finishes, we moved up to the outdoor tasting deck and sampled several fantastic wines. We started with a non-buttery Chene d'Argent Chardonnay that was delicious (we had to buy a bottle), and then we were poured the Pinot Gris which was also pretty tasty. My favorite white was the Gewurztraminer, which I put in a special request for after I noticed they only produced 240 bottles. The nose was sweet and floral, like nectar and daisies, and the palette was smooth and tangy - not like the typical sweet Gewurz that you get in Napa. We also sampled some great reds, including a Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and a Syrah. The atmosphere was so pleasant, and the servers were a delight. Definitely a must for anyone who is tasting in the area. They close at 4pm though, so don't delay!
Gundlach Bundschu: Had we known most of the wineries in Carneros close at 4pm on Sundays, we may have moved more quickly. Fortunately we discovered that Gundlach Bundschu (in Southern Sonoma) stays open until 4:30pm! So we rushed over there for our last tasting, and it was well worth it! For $5 per person, we tasted 4 wines each from a list of 8 or 9 vintages. I started with a nice Gewurz, and moved on to a delicious Temperanillo (which we ended up buying), followed by a spicy Zin and a smooth Cab - all good choices and three of them are only available at the winery. The winery has lots of property, and they even host concerts and other benefits in the picnic grounds above the tasting room. Definitely a fun place to check out if you're looking for one last stop before heading back to Fog City.
All in all, tasting in Carneros is a lovely experience, and pretty unique as far as tasting outside Napa goes. It was nice to avoid the crowds and snobs in Napa that a gorgeous day like yesterday tends to bring in. It should also be noted that we were only charged for one tasting! Granted, we bought bottles at every other spot, but the prices were good so what can I say?
Jacuzzi: Recommended by a friend, we decided to make this our first stop. You can hardly miss it if you're heading up to wine country via the 101, to the 37, to the 121. It's only been around for a couple of years, but the wine is great, and complimentary tastings to boot! We tasted a great Sangiovese and a fantastic Barbera, but it was the Nero D'Avola that stole my heart and I just had to buy a bottle. We also tasted a reserve Valeriano, which is a unique blend of 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, 9% Malbec, 1% Petite Verdot. Highly recommended! And don't forget to visit the olive oil tasting bar on your way out!
Domaine Carneros: If you've ever driven down Route 12 towards Napa, then you've seen this beautiful mansion perched atop a hill. Owned by the Tattinger family and known for their sparkling wines, it's a great place to sit outside and sip on some bubbly while admiring the scenery (both land and people - Alex and Brion were especially taken with a bevy of beautiful barely clothed women that strolled by our table). We decided to buy a $26 bottle of their 2005 Vintage Brut because it was the most cost-efficient-get-you-a-little-boozy option. Both the bubbles and service were excellent! I managed to spill two glasses of champagne all over myself with one fell swoop of my hand (Brion saved the glasses and most of the sparking wine), and the server came by to fill up our glasses with the contents of what we had lost in the casualty. Kudos!
Bouchaine: Best stop of the day. Not too far from Domaine Carneros, Bouchaine is tucked back on a private road off of Los Amigos, and it straddles the Napa Valley-Carneros border. We brought some sandwiches with us, and they graciously let us picnic in the back (even though it's usually reserved for members only) before starting out tasting. Once finishes, we moved up to the outdoor tasting deck and sampled several fantastic wines. We started with a non-buttery Chene d'Argent Chardonnay that was delicious (we had to buy a bottle), and then we were poured the Pinot Gris which was also pretty tasty. My favorite white was the Gewurztraminer, which I put in a special request for after I noticed they only produced 240 bottles. The nose was sweet and floral, like nectar and daisies, and the palette was smooth and tangy - not like the typical sweet Gewurz that you get in Napa. We also sampled some great reds, including a Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and a Syrah. The atmosphere was so pleasant, and the servers were a delight. Definitely a must for anyone who is tasting in the area. They close at 4pm though, so don't delay!
Gundlach Bundschu: Had we known most of the wineries in Carneros close at 4pm on Sundays, we may have moved more quickly. Fortunately we discovered that Gundlach Bundschu (in Southern Sonoma) stays open until 4:30pm! So we rushed over there for our last tasting, and it was well worth it! For $5 per person, we tasted 4 wines each from a list of 8 or 9 vintages. I started with a nice Gewurz, and moved on to a delicious Temperanillo (which we ended up buying), followed by a spicy Zin and a smooth Cab - all good choices and three of them are only available at the winery. The winery has lots of property, and they even host concerts and other benefits in the picnic grounds above the tasting room. Definitely a fun place to check out if you're looking for one last stop before heading back to Fog City.
All in all, tasting in Carneros is a lovely experience, and pretty unique as far as tasting outside Napa goes. It was nice to avoid the crowds and snobs in Napa that a gorgeous day like yesterday tends to bring in. It should also be noted that we were only charged for one tasting! Granted, we bought bottles at every other spot, but the prices were good so what can I say?
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