wine on wednesdays

I believe I might have mentioned that I was recently on vacation.  Well, in case you missed it, I just got back from a few days visiting my mother in Destin, Florida.  There are a handful of places that I always plan on going to every time I am there.  Some are restaurants, some are stores and sometimes I don’t manage to get to them all.  However, for the past few years there has been one place that I always make a point to visit. 

This is Chan’s Wine World.  They have an amazing selection of great wine from all over the world, plus great wine accessories like openers, stoppers and aerators.  Also inside is a massive cheese shop and a restaurant.  To be fair, they also sell beer and liquor, but I haven’t really looked at those sections.  I assume they are as well stocked as the wine. 

As awesome as this store is, there is another little place that, in some ways, tops it.

From the makers of Chan’s Wine World, we bring you Wine World Outlet.  Yes, an outlet store for wine!  As with all outlet stores, the stock isn’t consistent, but you can get some outstanding deals.  I’ve only been there once without leaving with a mixed case of wine. 

This trip, I took the opportunity to stock up on wine that I hadn’t yet tried.  Trying new stuff is always fun, especially when you can buy said stuff at wholesale prices. 

Here’s some of my haul:

Can’t wait to dig in!

*********

As always, if you have a suggestion or question for Wine on Wednesdays, please email me at wineonweds at hotmail dot com.

back to life, back to reality

I’ll pack up the car and drive the seven hours home tomorrow.  My vacation ends tonight. 

However, it seems a little like cheating to call this a vacation.  Really, I am visiting my mother and grandmother, who just so happen to live at the beach.  I’ve been visiting my mother here for about 15 years, now.  I have my own room, I know where all the dishes go, I can make myself a sandwich.  This is home, but better. 

Because I have been coming here for so long, I’ve seen all the sights.  I’ve eaten at the restaurants, been to the beaches, driven the go-carts and partied at the bars.  I know my way around and I notice when things change.  When I am here, I know where I want to eat, I know exactly where I want to go.  This isn’t a long list.  So, visiting here is not so much about the things I did on my summer vacation, but more about what I didn’t do. 

I didn’t get up early. 
I didn’t stay up late.
I didn’t make plans and I didn’t feel guilty about it.
I didn’t leave the house one day even though there is a beach a mile away and I didn’t care.
I didn’t make any decisions harder than did I want my shrimp grilled or fried.
I didn’t take a shower every day. 
I didn’t check my email.
I didn’t wear makeup.
I didn’t wear a watch.
I didn’t think about work.
I didn’t worry about money.
I didn’t take care of anyone.
I didn’t hurry.
I just didn’t.

This isn’t so much a vacation as it is an escape from reality.  A bizarro world where things get done without you doing them and there is fresh coffee waiting for you every morning when you wake up.  No, this is more than a vacation.  This is therapy.  And after a good session, I feel that I am ready to re-enter the real world.

i made it

Thursday, I get home from work and say, “f*ck it.”  I packed up and left for Florida at 7:00 that night.  Traffic was light and conditions were perfect.  Life is a highway and all that noise.  Well, apparently, I thought my life was the Autobahn because soon I see blue lights in my rear-view.  How soon?  About 20 minutes into my trip.  Yep, barely one county from where I live, I get pulled over for traveling 84 in a 65 zone.  The nice officer took pity on me (because of my non-existent record, no doubt) and entered my speed as 80 on the ticket.  Thanks, officer.

Well, I took the Garp philosophy in regards to this incident.  A plane crashes into the house you’re interested in and that convinces you to buy it because what else bad could happen to it.  I figured that I just got all my bad luck out of the way early, so I buried the pedal for the rest of the trip.  My record remains clean in Alabama and Florida. 

Around 2:00 am (1:00 Florida time) I pay my toll and cross the Mid-Bay bridge.  I roll down my windows and inhale the warm ocean air.  I should be tired, but I’m energized.  I almost drive straight to the beach right then, but I know that my mom is expecting me. 

This morning, I wake earlier than I normally would, especially after only six hours sleep.  I want to see everything in the daylight. 

It stormed most of the day today so a trip to the beach was out, but I did see the shore and dipped my toes in my mom’s pool. 

Good enough for now.

running on fumes

I am done.  Finished.  Over it.  I have zero motivation and even less energy.  I shuffle through my day like a zombie who has lost the taste for brains.  I am a waste of space.  One word:

I designed a new header image (like it? hate it? discuss.) and that kept me entertained for a little while, but now that it’s done I am aimless again. 

I had the great goal of posting every Monday, Wednesday and Friday with an alternate post on the weekends if I was so inspired.  My plan was to write the posts the night before and publish them first thing in the morning.  I kept that up for exactly one week.  Pathetic.

There are stacks of paper (aka: bane of my existence) on my desk at work that need my attention.  My email inbox is full of important requests from clients and because I am the low bitch on the totem pole, I am the only one who can answer them.  Do I care?  Nope.  I am writing this lousy excuse for a blog post instead.  Useless.

I am tired of fixing and I am tired of dealing.  I want someone else to handle it for a while.  I need . . .

Water.  Great expanses of water, crashing waves, salty mist breezes, the silence that enfolds me once my head goes under and I swim like the dolphin I wished I was as a child.  I could swim before I could walk, so water has always been my second home.  In the water I am everything I am not on land: light, agile, graceful, confident.  It renews me, adjusts my perspective and makes me feel at one with this wonderful planet.  Water is ctrl-alt-delete for my soul. 

In five days I will be there.  I am literally counting the minutes (6,060, 6,059, 6,058 . . . ) which is not recommended, because it does nothing to make the time pass any faster.  I pray, for the sake of those around me, that I make it that long. 

mini-cation

I’ve mentioned that I’m not adept at making decisions.  Well, on Wednesday of last week, I made a humdinger of one.   

See, I’ve been sitting on a good little bit of money.  It’s actually been stashed in my underwear drawer, but let’s not split hairs.  My mom gave my sister and me some cash after cleaning up our grandma’s condo about a month ago.  It wasn’t enough to pay but a fraction of our debt, but it was too much to just deposit and let daily life chip away at it.  After reviewing all the responsible ways I could put the money to good use, I finally said, “Screw it!  We’re gonna have some fun.”  My husband and I have not done anything fun yet this year.  Our trip to Michigan was a vacation in the broadest sense of the word – we didn’t clock into our jobs for a week – but, it was anything but relaxing.  Plus, our life since that trip has been stressful.  We needed a getaway.  

So, I booked us a room in the Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Atlanta and purchased two tickets to the Georgia Aquarium with the “behind the scenes” tour added for good measure.  I even splurged for the valet parking at the hotel.  Yeah, I felt like a rock star.   

We arrived at the hotel around noon on Saturday.  Here was the view from our room:  

That's the back of the aquarium, directly across the street from the hotel.

  The room was very comfy, the shower was fabulous and the bathroom was stocked with Neutrogena products which I promptly tossed into my bag.   

After we checked every drawer, the mini fridge and the room safe for any potential prizes from past occupants, we trekked over to the aquarium.  We had both been there before a few years ago, but that trip was on a weekday during the fall.  This was a summer Saturday.  People out-numbered the fish 20 to 1.  We managed to elbow our way through the throngs of humanity to view the exhibits.    

  

  

  

I took forty thousand pictures, of which there are about five worth showing to anyone.  All you people who have photo blogs – I hate you for making it look so easy.  Yes, I know my Sony Cyber-shot will never churn out the same quality photos as your fancy schmancy Cannon Digital SLR, but I can carry my camera in my purse and I have a small purse.   So there.  

After a couple hours of kicking small children out of the way so I could get closer to the aquarium windows to take my crappy photos, it was time for our tour.  We were very pleased to find out that there were only six other people signed up for our tour’s time slot and only one was a child, and she was very well-behaved.   

The behind scenes tour was wonderful.  We got to see the big tank from the surface and were lucky enough to be there during the whale sharks’ feeding time.   

Nom, nom, nom.

  We saw the beluga tank from above as well.  

  

 We saw the filtration systems, where they prepare the food for all the animals and small tanks of fish that were not ready to be displayed or may never be displayed, but used for research.  If you are at all interested in the technical side of things, it was well worth the price.   

After the aquarium, naturally, we were hungry.  

You're lucky I didn't have any drawn butter, big guy.

So, we went back to the hotel, changed clothes and walked a block to Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse.  We had never been to one before, so we didn’t know what to expect.  In a word:  Rad.  My husband wanted to crawl inside his filet and live there forever.  My medallions with grilled shrimp was scrumptious.  If you are a fan of red meat and have the opportunity, I highly recommend this restaurant. 

The next morning we ate breakfast in the hotel which was wonderful.  Three words: Belgian Waffle Station.  Then we walked to The World of Coca-Cola after a short detour through Centennial Olympic Park.  We didn’t get lost, it was the scenic route.  Yeah. 

Unless anything and everything Coke gives you joy seizures, then the World of Coca-Cola will resemble walking through a big commercial.  Before you enter the museum proper, you are forced to watch a rather trippy cartoon that shows you what happens behind the scenes after you put your quarter (one? yeah, right) into the vending machine to purchase an ice cold Coke.  There were cute animals and magical landscapes.  There was also a creature with rings in all six of its nipples.  I kid you not.    

Inside there was a 4D movie.  I think the fourth D stands for Dull.  Or, maybe Daft. 

The only redeeming thing about the place is the Taste It area.  Here is where get to sample how people from Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America get their soda on.  Most of it tasted like super sweet sugar water with some random fruit flavor.  Some were quite good, others were disgusting.  I really liked the Kinley Bitter Lemon.  I used it to rinse out my mouth after some of the others like Beverly from Italy, which I think some sadistic Coke person put out there as a joke to see how many people would actually drink turpentine. 

Quite nauseous from all the soda samples, we headed home to Athens.  But, our little vacation wasn’t quite over because we ate dinner at one of our favorite little places, Cali ’n Tito’s.  Awesome fish tacos and homemade beef empanadas.  Yum! 

A wonderful weekend planned by yours truly.  I hope this clears me from making any more decisions for a while.  I also hope this inspires you to take a mini-vacation in your own area.  It’s not as expensive as a long getaway and you get the same benefits: relaxation, new sights and time with ones you love.  I even had some money left over to pay a few bills.  Yay for responsibility!     

local tourist

I love packing a suitcase.  I’m rather good at it, too, because I would travel a lot as a child between my mom’s house in Georgia and my dad’s in Michigan.  I know exactly what to take and how to maximize space in my bag.  I pick out my best clothes, the cutest, most flattering outfits, my favorite jewelery and a couple pairs of shoes that match everything.  Overnight stay or a week-long journey, I can pack a bag in 30 minutes or less and not forget anything necessary for the trip. 

What I love most about packing a suitcase?  It means I’m going somewhere!  I’m going to see new things and eat great food.  I love to travel, it doesn’t matter how near or far, I just love getting away. 

And that’s just what I’m doing.  Getting away.  A small, overnight trip to the Big City for some much needed quality time with my husband.  I predict penguins will be involved as well as steak (not penguin steak, that would be wrong). 

Poorly lighted pictures and sarcastic commentary to follow . . .

vacation? not really.

Tomorrow morning, my mom, husband and I will begin a 13 hour drive to Hastings, Michigan.  Why are we going to Michigan and why, for the love of all that is holy, are we driving?  Well, we’re driving because my mom and husband hate to fly (I love it, but I got voted off the plane).  We are making the trip to clean out my gramma’s condo to get it ready to sell.  My mom finally convinced gramma that, at 93 years old, she can no longer live by herself.  So, gramma is living the good life in FL at my mom’s and we are going up to MI to clean up all her crap.  A metric ass-ton of crap.  Enough empty butter tubs, newspapers and plastic bags to clog up BP’s milkshake straw. 

Other than just being an amusing anecdote, I am telling you this because I will be in MI for a whole week.  Most houses in MI still don’t have air conditioning, so the odds that I will find a working wi-fi connection are slim to none.  That means, Amy will not be able to bring the funny.  I know you’re crushed.  If it’s any consolation, I should have tons of new material when I return. 

What are you going to do for a week?  Well, here are two websites where you can waste your entire life, much less a week. 

Etsy - I love this place,  You can find the most wonderful, handmade stuff here.  I’ve spent hours browsing through the shops and adding items to my Favorites list.  Great place to find one-of-a-kind gifts for anyone you know or a special treat for yourself.  I love this bag.  If anyone would like to buy it for me that would be awesome. (Click on the pic to go to the Esty shop where this bag is sold.)

Cheezburger Network – The directory for all the Cheezburger family of websites.  Lolcats, loldogs, ironic signs, badly dressed people, cuteness, Engrish, crazy cars, fails and general WTFery.  If you can’t find a website here that makes you smile then you need to go ahead and donate your organs to someone who needs them.

And, if that isn’t enough, then here’s a riddle to ponder:
Saturday morning, a polar bear walks out his front door and sees a penguin washing an El Camino.  The penguin is left-handed.  The polar bear asks the penguin why he’s washing the car.  The penguin tells him he’s getting ready to sell the car to his sister who currently lives in a US state that borders only one other US state. 
What did the polar bear have for dinner the night before?
It’s a tough one!

I will miss reading everyone else’s blogs while I am in the Great (thank God it’s no longer white) North.  I will miss internet in general, but at least I’ll still have wine to get me through. 

Have a great week, everyone!

vacation, all I ever wanted

One year ago, I was at a resort in the Dominican Republic having the most wonderful time imaginable.  This year, my summer vacation isn’t quite so extravagant, but I am looking forward to it none the less.  In a few weeks my husband, pups and I will load up the Matrix and head down to visit my mom in Destin for July 4th. 

White sugar sand, warm salty breezes, diving under the waves and the roar of breaking surf, short sudden storms that leave the air smelling electric, swim-suits thrown over lawn chairs to dry in the sun, pink shoulders, sun freckles across my nose, SPF 30 and aloe, tacky beach shops along the strip, free hermit crabs, henna tattoos, hair pulled back, sunglasses on, flip-flops 24/7 even at dinner, frozen drinks on weather-worn decks, fresh oysters, shrimp, grouper, amberjack, red snapper, wedges of lemons picked from mom’s trees, laughter between bites, everyone talking over each other, raising our glasses to the chef, walks along the docks at sunset, gulls and pelicans perched on pylons, boats straining against ropes as thick as my wrist, dolphins playing in the bay, craning our necks to watch the fireworks from the deck of the sailboat, music echoing out across the water and champagne on the beach at midnight. 

Another thing I love about beach vacations is being able to live out of a suitcase.  Life is pared down to the basics, the essentials, nothing extraneous to weigh me down.  I pack all my favorite clothes, the ones that fit the best or are the most comfortable.  I bring my cutest pajamas, two favorite swim-suits and three pairs of shoes to go with everything.  I have only one eyeliner, one eyeshadow, mascara and SPF 30 moisturizer.  Then throw in my hairdryer, a couple of books, my journal and a pen.  I take my small travel purse and empty my wallet of everything except license, debit card and health insurance card.  That’s all I need and it is liberating.  I like not having to sort through a closet full of clothes to find the one shirt that I really want.  When I’m on vacation, that shirt and the four others I love are all I have to choose from.  It’s like going to a restaurant that only has grilled salmon on the menu and you love grilled salmon. 

That’s the kind of vacation I want: I don’t have to make any decisions, but if I do, they are obvious.

thatched roofs and palm trees

I have returned from the vacation that I thought would never happen.  There was one minor glitch with our connecting flight in Ft. Lauderdale being that the seat numbers we were assigned didn’t actually exist on the plane.  We got an upgrade to 1st class, though, so no worries!  After that it was all thatched roofs and palm trees.  Pool drinks and blue water.  Ocean breeze and latin music.  I entered a state of relaxation normally reserved for coma patients or yoga masters.  Our biggest worries were what we were going to eat for dinner and if we were going to have a vodka tonic or vino tinto.  I read a book.  I got a tan.  I said “hola” and “gracias”.  I loved every moment. 

Here was the view from our balcony:

The picture does it no justice.  You’ll just have to go see it for yourself to fully understand how beautiful it is. 

countdown

No, not the Final Countdown (do duh doo doo, do duh doot doot doooo!), that will be happening next Tuesday night as I’m lying sleepless in my bed waiting for morning so I can drive to the airport.  But, we are counting down.  Five days.  Then I will be here.  I’ve never been anywhere like there before and neither has my husband.  We’ve been wanting to take a trip like this ever since we got together.  We are a couple who have a passion for travel, but who have never actually been anywhere.  Well, I’ve been a few places when I was a kid, but once you’re married, if you haven’t experienced something with your spouse, it’s like it didn’t happen.  Things are only truly real if I can share them with Tom. 

I’m buying trip insurance.  Just a little extra coverage to pay for an emergency flight home in case of a major medical incident or natural disaster.  How grown-up is that?  Am I a friggin’ responsible adult or what!?  When I was in college (and for many years after) when I went downtown for drinks or to a club or concert all I would take were my keys, debit card and drivers license (and maybe lip gloss).  Now, I add my health insurance card to that list (and my glasses).  Good by care free youth!  It doesn’t help that I work in insurance.  This job makes you constantly think about all the bad things that could happen and if you have the coverage to pay for it.  Not only am I an adult, but a paranoid adult.  Urg!  Man, do I need this vacation!