There are some days that I feel overly contemplative. I wonder about things that I'll never have the answers for and I probably shouldn't be asking the questions in the first place. I'm completely aware that it's a waste of time and energy, but I continue to do it. One day about ten years ago, I was in this state of mind when I woke up that morning. I knew I needed to think some things out, but I wasn't sure what those "some things" were. My wife had just laid down for a nap with our daughter and I was left alone with my brain. Rather than sit around the house and think, I decided that I would go for a drive and think.
It was late on a Saturday afternoon, which was my only day off at the time, so I had nowhere to be and no one to see. So, I got in the car and drove. The classic rock station was playing songs that I'd heard a thousand times over the course of my life. The Top 40 station was playing songs that I'd heard a thousand times over the course of that week. I opted for silence. As I drove the rural routes around San Antonio, I stared and tried to think of something. Something I was missing or something I needed to do. Nothing came, so I just drove. Soon the silence was too much to bear, so I put the radio back on. I hit the scan button to see if there was anything new or exciting or worldly. Anything but southern rock, hip hop, or the preacher in the old time gospel hour. The preacher's station was low on the dial like they always are. What was also down on that end was NPR. I was vaguely familiar with the station. I knew that I heard some news once, some classical music, and an interview or two. I should have realized that I would love this station because I like to know what's going on in the world, I like most classical music, and I enjoy hearing people's stories. But NPR was a haughty people's station, wasn't it? Instead of zipping by NPR that day, I stayed tuned in to it. I heard what sounded like a commercial, but it was a live commercial for something called "Powdermilk Biscuits". It seemed real enough, but then again, not quite real. Next, I heard two men talking in a northerner's version of a cowboy drawl, which I always find entertaining. I heard someone making sound effects like crackling fire, horses settling down, and a howling wolf. It was odd enough to keep my attention. As I drove across the countryside, I discovered I was listening to a radio variety show like I'd heard my parents and grandparents talk about. I turned up the volume and started listening more carefully. The Dusty and Lefty skit finished up and the announcer, whom I would later discover was the talented Garrison Keillor, introduced a bluegrass band. I can't remember the name of the group, but I recognized the music. I had heard it from a family that was from the town in which I grew up. They loved to play and sing old gospel and bluegrass just like what was on the radio now. It definitely wasn't classic rock or top 40 and that was perfectly fine with me. I finally made my way home but didn't get out of the car until the final soliloquy was finished, Garrison's weekly story of his hometown of Lake Woebegone.
My mind expanded a little bit that day. I had listened to funny skits like Guy Noir, great fake commercials like The Ketchup Advisory Board, music like I hadn't heard in years, and a heartfelt story of a place that only exists in the mind of one man. Since that day, I have listened to countless editions of A Prairie Home Companion. Each one amazingly written during the week since the last show and performed live in front of a theater full of people. It showed me that the world didn't have to be as fast-paced as I thought it needed to be. Sometimes you have to stop and listen to a story, or a ballad, or a guy making a string of sound effects. The show taught me to listen to the world around me, because there are stories to be heard in some of the oddest places. Stories of real people that have done real things. Listening to these talented performer's stories is my break from constantly telling the world my story. I'm always thankful for a mini vacation, even if it's just to Lake Woebegone.
Here is their home on the web. http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/
If you've never had the chance to see No Reservation, Anthony Bourdain's show about his travels around the world, then you've been wasting your television viewing time. He has traveled to so many places that I've lost track of where he's been, but I'm always "hungry for more" as the intro to his show states. I've actually been fortunate enough to follow in his footsteps a couple of times, even though I stayed in the U.S. to do it. Chicago, New Jersey, and Florida were a few of the places that I have gone and, before I left, I watched those episodes on Netflix just so I could eat where he ate. And I do this not as a Saint Bourdain worshiper, but as a fellow food lover. Since I've eaten a few of the same dishes that Tony did, at the same place he did, and I loved them as much as he did, then I think it's safe to assume that his and my tastes are relatively similar. That makes watching his show that much more enjoyable. If he says the kimchi is nice and hot, then I can rest assured that it is. I look forward to venturing into Asia, Briton and Europe to eat, drink and make my own memories of various pork products.
When I happened upon a copy of Anthony's latest book Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook, I couldn't pass it by. I was hooked like a mahi mahi from the opening story about a clandestine dinner involving a little European bird. The book is a text geared more toward people in the food industry like chefs, food critics, restaurateurs, and the like. Even though I am no longer in the food business, I am still an avid food lover. (Working for a Michelin starred French restaurant will spoil you very quickly.) He wrote candidly about celebrity chefs, in-the-trenches cooks, food writers both good and bad, an OCD fish-prep Superman, and how that world is very foreign to those that are not a part of it. The food service industry is an exclusive club with their own lingo and roster of heroes much like any club, but with sharp knives, mise-en-place, and the reverence for names like Fergus Henderson and David Chang. One of the main points I took away from Medium Raw was the fact that it takes all kinds of people to make a restaurant successful and it takes even more people to make the food industry successful. And those people are you and me. Anthony cusses as much as I do, so be aware that there are quite a few expletives in the book. For me, it only added to the enjoyment, but some might not agree with me. To them I say "#(@* You."
This is the Facebook link to his new show's page. https://www.facebook.com/PartsUnknownCNN
Originally started to bring together the minds of those in Technology, Entertainment, and Design, TED has spearheaded the effort to again make the short speech an effective and important tool for conveying ideas. With over 1,100 filmed speeches in their inventory, TED presents the world with an overwhelming olio of subjects ranging from what makes us laugh to the future evolution of the human race to oceanic mysteries. They have asked some of the world's most interesting people to tell us about what they're passionate about. The speeches are usually 15 to 20 minutes long, entertaining and very informative. What you will glean from these talks and demonstrations is inspiration, mind expansion, and knowledge that the world is even bigger than you thought.
One particularly poignant speech that I watched recently was from a Nigerian author named Chimamanda Adichie. First of all, she's gorgeous so watching the speech wasn't difficult at all. But what she had to say was much more important than how she looked. She grew up reading children's books from the U.K. and eventually started writing her own stories that mimicked those books. She wrote about white children with blond hair drinking ginger beer and talking about the weather. These were her stories even thought she hadn't seen a white person, didn't know what ginger beer was, and never talked about Nigeria's unwavering hot weather. She had what she called a "Single Story" about how books and people were supposed to be. For an example, she told of the house boy that her family hired. Her mother always told her that the boy's family was poor. So, in her mind, that family's single story was that they were poor. It wasn't until she visited them in their home and saw that they made beautiful woven baskets out of raffia that she realized they don't have a single story. There are things that represent them other than being poor. As she discovered African authors, she started changing her stories to fit what she knew, which was being Nigerian. She encouraged the crowd on hand to explore the things you think you know about and learn to reject the Single Story about anything and anyone. "Reject the single story and regain a bit of paradise." I will. Thanks, Chimamanda.
http://www.ted.com/talks This is TED's home page.
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story.html This isChimamanda's speech.
This film stars one of my favorite actors, Peter Dinklage, the dark haired guy from Elf, Death at a Funeral, and Game of Thrones. The story is that Finbar (Dinklage) works at his only friend's hobby train shop. When things take a turn for the worse, Fin moves into an abandoned train station in New Jersey that has been bequeathed to him. The station was once a fully functioning depot, then someone's residence, long abandoned, and now Fin must fix it back up since it's the only place he has left to go. While Fin is trying to live a quiet secluded life, he meets Joe, played by Bobby Cannavale (Louis, Cold Case). Joe is a man that vends hot dogs from his family's food van and, since he's a very talkative guy, can't help but pry into Fin's life. He's just trying to be neighborly! Throw in the wonderful Patricia Clarkson (Pieces of April & Good Night, Good Luck) as Olivia, a woman with a sad past of her own, and you have a witty and dramatic combination of characters attempting to be alone and hoping to find companionship at the same time. The actors' subtle expressions and awkward silences between themselves make this film such a great departure from super hero action movies (which I also love). This is definitely a character and dialogue driven movie, so no chase scenes or explosions. But it's a perfectly simple look into the lives of these three sad people that luckily find each other. I hope you get as much out of it as I did.
Over the years, I have listened to a lot of music and one of my favorite bands since I first heard them is Dave Matthews Band. So, when I heard that Dave was collaborating with renowned winemaker Steve Reeder, I knew it was going to be a freestyle, casual mixture they would come up with. When I was fortunate enough to try this blend, I could tell that was exactly what they had accomplished.
A little history about Steve; he has lived and worked in Alexander Valley and Sonoma County in California, a few other states, France, England and Germany. All that time he was developing his wine making styles and becoming more adept at his chosen profession. All of his efforts have landed him as the winemaker and general manager of Simi Winery and, according to him, he has found his home.
About Dave's contribution to this project, he's not just a famous guy who put his name to a wine label. Dave has worked and cultivated a winery in Virginia, learning as much as he could about the beverage he loves. He wanted to jump into the California wine producing business, but he knew he would have trouble pulling it off without a little help. A "little help" turned out to be one of the most prominent winemakers in California today, Steve.
Now, onto the wine itself. Crush (named after one of Dave's songs) is a vague blend of grapes from the North Coast area in California. I say vague because the mix they've come up with is masterfully blended to not highlight one particular varietal. The result is that it simply tastes wonderful. In the first glass, I usually try to pick out which varietals they used so I can feel like my wine training was worth the effort, but for this one I didn't care. I just wanted to drink it and be happy. When I poured the second glass, I did analyze it a bit closer. It has a prominent raspberry jam kind of flavor and hints of sweet blackberries. The great aroma is the prefect lead in to the flavor. What I got out of it was Zinfandel, a little Cabernet, Syrah, Merlot and maybe a splash or two of Cab Franc. Whether those were the grapes used or not is completely irrelevant. The only thing you need to know about Dreaming Tree's Crush is that it's smooth and fruity, slightly tannic, and well worth the price. ($15-$20 depending on where you buy your wine.) I serve all of my red wines at cellar temperature rather than room temperature. Compare 60 to 65 degrees in a cellar to 75 to 80 degrees in most rooms, and there's a big difference in how a wine smells and tastes. If you're like me and don't have a cellar, put the wine in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes before you open it. You'll be amazed at the difference. Enjoy Crush slightly cool and you will love it as much as I do.
Other Dreaming Tree Wines that are also fantastic are their Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Everyday White. (Reviews for those are on the way.)
Check them out here. http://www.dreamingtreewines.com/
It appears that we're about to be neck deep in hot weather, so I thought I'd review the tasty adult beverage Hendrick's Gin made in a remote distillery in Scotland. Gin from Scotland? Aye!
This fantastic gin is a rare bird indeed. Distilled in a rare Bennet still and an even rarer Carter-Head still, this spirit is crafted in small batches (about 450 Liters). All the usual suspects go into the making of Hendrick's, like pure water, juniper berries, herbs, and the rinds of lemon, lime, and orange. The lads at Hendrick's go a step further and infuse the gin with rose petals, giving it a faint floral aroma. They also infuse it with cucumber which imparts a smooth, cooling effect that is refreshing and unique. I take Hendrick's to every party I go to and the result is at least one more fan of this amazing gin. I've always been one to stay pure and serve it as a shaken dry martini, but there are so many ways to enjoy Hendrick's. Here's a great summertime recipe that will please anyone that partakes of the punch bowl.
1 quart of lemonade (fresh is better, but a mix will work too)
24 oz. of Hendrick's Gin (that leaves about 1oz in the bottle for a little nip while you're making this)
1/2 of a large cucumber peeled and sliced into thin wheels
1 lemon cut into wedges
1 cup blueberries
Ice
It's really easy. Make the lemonade, add the gin, toss in the fruit and veg, add ice, and stir very well.
Makes quite a few servings depending on how big your glasses are. And you'll want large glasses for this one.
During its opening weekend, I made the short journey from my house to Bentonville, Arkansas to experience the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the brain child of Alice Walton (Sam's daughter). From what I had read up to that point, Alice had made it her goal to bring art to Arkansas from American born and American transplant artists. Her quest was a labor of love for sure, so I needed to see it. I printed off the Google Maps directions, loaded up my wife and daughter, and meandered to our neighbor state. The Google Maps directions led us right to a walking trail. It was a big walking trail, but if I had used it as a driving path for the truck, I would have surely been arrested. Navigating what seemed like a residential area for ten minutes, we finally found the entrance to the museum grounds. The drive in was what you might expect from a museum, manicured lawn and trees. It wasn't awe inspiring, but it was nice. My ho-hum attitude toward the experience was short lived however. When the museum rose into view, I couldn't have been more impressed. Set in a small wooded valley, a huge modern structure of wood, glass, copper and concrete seemed to be perfectly at home there in the forest. From the picture below, you can see that the museum's designer, Moshe Safdie, was trying to be as modern as possible without completely disregarding the surrounding terrain. The beautiful copper roof gives a hint of something natural and elemental, while the glass walls reflect the oak and maple trees that swaddle the grounds. Already I know I will be back to this place many times and I haven't even been inside yet.
From the parking garage, we take an elevator to an open air courtyard complete with an art piece in the center. The gift shop is to the right, but I'm not interested in that right now. I want to go left and see some priceless American Art. The ladies at the front desk were very helpful, quickly pointing out which direction various styles of art were located. We opted to begin at the beginning, so we made our way to the Colonial wing. We herded into a small group of people that was being asked to wait by a gallery guard. When he was satisfied with the number of patrons present, he gave a speech that was short and sweet. It was basically No touching, No drinking, No eating, No gum, and No running. Essentially he was saying, "act like you're in a museum, doofus" without calling everyone a doofus.
The Colonial part of the museum was heavy on portraiture. The painting of George Washington in full uniform by Charles Willson Peale was certainly a highlight, but that was one of dozens of paintings of aristocrats, Native Americans, and the great landscapes and seascapes of the Eastern Seaboard.
The museum was further divided into 19th century art, modern art (1900-1980's), and an ever-changing contemporary art gallery. There were hundreds of works in the whole collection; oil, acrylic, pencil, pastel, sculpture, light, video, and textile.
This museum would have been totally fulfilling if the exhibits were all that Crystal Bridges had to offer. However, the small additional things made it a true "Art Is Life" experience. The cafe, the learning library, the reflecting pool, the knowledgeable employees on hand, and the walking trails through the surrounding estate made this a unique and memorable visit. We're planning an evening trip to the museum so we can sit in the cafe and watch them light up the reflecting pool. The employees we talked to said it would be worth the effort to come back again. I hope you take the time to go enjoy this American Art collection as much as we did. To make the best better, Alice has made the museum completely free to enter and park. So that's one more reason to go.
http://crystalbridges.org/
