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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 282
    edited June 2006
    I recall hearing something about that wine taste off -- never be so sure of yourself...you just never know!! We get so many wonderful selections to choose from here in Ontario -- from all over the world. For me it comes down to taste -- what appeals. I've had some French wines that would curl my toes, and I've had some California that I love (a Robert Mondavi that I was given by a friend as a thank you and I just loved it -- treat myself now and then, but of course it's one of the more expensive...). I like an Argentinian merlot, a white from South Africa, a chardonnay from Oyster Bay (NZ), I used to drink German white but it's now too sweet and I really need a dry. I generally opt for a "0" in sweetness...One of my recent favourites is Little Penguin from Australia...and some of the names of these wineries in Australia make me laugh "Cat Pee on a Bush" (!), there's one from France called "Fat Bastard"...who thinks these things up!? The latest trend is wine in tetra paks...call me a snob, I like my wine with a cork in the bottle...but because cork is becoming extinct a lot of vineyards are switching to screw cap...(no complaint, makes it easier to get in and out of the bottle, especially when my shoulder is stiff!)..but a tetra pak? One winery has them in a 4 pack -- can you imagine making sure the kids don't think it's a juice pak?? Supposedly created to be "environmentally friendly"...good idea, but I haven't tried the wine...

    Good grief...I should get my shoes on and do those groceries. It's so much more fun though to talk about things like this. I haven't really been drinking much at all since I started with bc, but I do enjoy a glass now and then, I miss my once every few months martini evenings with the girls to just gossip and catch up with each other (I don't have the same enthusiasm, taste for alcohol...my body has changed so) it's the fun of the evening and I still have that without the alcohol...and I love a night when I'm feeling I'm up for one which I'll really savour and enjoy..and anyone looking at the board at this hour of the morning and seeing this topic up top is going to think we're lushes!! Hopefully they read and see it's not about "having a drink" as much as it about having a life and the things that make us interesting as people!!
  • JanieMarie
    JanieMarie Member Posts: 25
    edited June 2006
    You guys are cracking me up because the "dirty little secret" I have is that I LIVE "somewhere" IN WINE COUNTRY!

    ...ahhh, you ladies just reminded me that I have little to complain about; and A Lot to drink to!

    Cheers (okay, not quite yet - it's only 10a.m. here).

    I hope you have a wonderful weekend, gals. I will be checking out that SF trip.

    Janie
  • inspiewriter
    inspiewriter Member Posts: 54
    edited June 2006
    I like a glass of wine while cooking dinner, too.

    Love your wine country stories.image
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 282
    edited June 2006
    JANIE!!! My best friend!!! We'll be there soon -- book the flights Rosemary!!! But there you go Rosemary, all this started from your "quest" to lunch in SF, and we meandered into vineyards and dining and sampling and sipping...and there's Janie, waiting for you, "somewhere" in wine country. Lucky, lucky girl!!!

    Robin, I LOVE that glass -- looks just like one I have and it always looks best with red!!
  • Rosemary44
    Rosemary44 Member Posts: 272
    edited June 2006
    Janie,

    Which valley should I meander to? Napa or Sonoma? I'm trying to find a light red, not too full bodied. A red summer wine, if there is such a thing.

    Living in wine country, how lucky can one girl get?
  • 2up
    2up Member Posts: 944
    edited June 2006

    bwa ha ha ha! i live in "wine country too" amherstburg ontario............sorry but i crack up at the "wine country signs" around here.........there are a few good wines being made here but wine country? come on we're in the sticks IN CANADA!

  • Rosemary44
    Rosemary44 Member Posts: 272
    edited June 2006
    Robin,

    Your making me want to open that red shiraz I've been saving. Ok, it's coming out of the refrig now.
  • JanieMarie
    JanieMarie Member Posts: 25
    edited June 2006
    Rosemary - I am partial to Alexander Valley (Sonoma County). A "light" red...hummmm..I have no good recommendations because my taste is for the heavy reds! A Syrah would be nice.

    Did you know that Coppola winery sells champagne in cans?! It's called "Sophia" and it comes in little pink cans with a straw as an accessory. It's not bad!

    I know what you mean about "wine country" - my father is from Idaho and they also have their own "wine growing region" as does Texas (Grapevine). I actually had the best time wine tasting in Texas about five years ago! I was by myself and wondered into this winery, family owned and very small, sat down and spent the day drinking wine and visiting with complete strangers! It was a hoot. I can't remember the name now, but it was a quaint little house, down a small lane in Grapevine TX. The wine was quite good.

    Anyway, back to your light red...Beringer (spelling?) makes a "white" merlot that I hear is pretty good.

    Oh my goodness - I need to get off this computer! Back to housework and such. Take care ladies! Salute`!

    Janie
  • 2up
    2up Member Posts: 944
    edited June 2006

    well "salute" to all of "us".........i'm raising a glass of "keiths" in celebration of all of us.......i walked today in detroit with a group of gals from "here" and some of my personal "non BC" friends...........today was truly profound.........now i'll go watch edmonton get the hell beat out of them lol!

  • christineK
    christineK Member Posts: 735
    edited June 2006

    "Salute Shel" I walked in the St. Louis RFTC today. I was with you all in Detroit in spirit. I had a team of 30+, not bad for last minute and first time.

  • 2up
    2up Member Posts: 944
    edited June 2006

    what an amazing day...........congrats on your team, somehow we've gotta make a difference........cheers!

  • HERO2
    HERO2 Member Posts: 19
    edited June 2006
    Hey, Janie

    I'm still where I was back when....when I was sooo confused with the possibility that if I drank, I was putting a nail...in my coffin

    The difference is that now.... I drink....will I feel guilty if I re..occur?

    sorry, guys, bad week...

    I LOVE MERLOT..............


    HERO
  • JanieMarie
    JanieMarie Member Posts: 25
    edited June 2006
    HERO - yeah - I hear ya. I have the same thoughts. If I recur will I regret that glass of wine or two I had with dinner; will I regret the 5 times I ate Taco Bell beef burritos etc. I am a worry wort - no doubt about it and, honestly, if I recur I am going to second guess my every decision - that's pretty much a given.

    I just hope I have lived most of my life healthy and wise and the fact is, we don't hold the clock in our hands - a good message to remember from Diane aka 3Strikes. I hate that I am a worrier and it's something I try to work on.

    I hope your friend in chemo is hanging tough. Chemo sucks - that quesy feeling, no hair, dry mouth, no taste buds working, bad stomach, tired...I send my prayers to both of you.
    Janie
  • HERO2
    HERO2 Member Posts: 19
    edited June 2006
    We're here at the same time!!! Woo Hoo!!!

    I am 3/4ths down a botle of Chilean "Concha y Toro" Merlot

    Right now, I will say ....I don't CARE! I just hope I don't ....go there again..then, I KNOW, I will lament this bottle of wine.......

    But, this is me....and this is us....and this is why this thread began...

    Whoa, this is the first time I write as I am drinking..

    If I misspell anything...

    I AM NOT WEARING MY GLASSES...LOL!!!!!!!!!

    HERO
  • Rosemary44
    Rosemary44 Member Posts: 272
    edited June 2006
    Thanks Janie,

    I didn't know the Coppola's had a winery. Champagne through a straw, I'll have to think about that one.

    I've changed my mind about Napa or Sonoma, I'm going to the Santa Cruz mtn. wineries. I finally found the story of the wine taste off again, the first one was in '76 and they had another one recently, and Ridge Monte Bello won the grand prize this year. So I have to go there for a taste, and it's free!

    About a recur, I think of it this way. How would I feel if it did have one and I was dry all this time? I'd be pretty well ...*&%(@#!!
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 282
    edited June 2006
    Glad you found the article Rosemary..that will make it even more enjoyable for you -- not just the trip, but being able to sample something that you're looking forward to.

    I agree with you about a recur...I've met a number of women who ate "right", exercised, were/are fitness instructors, did only organic and they all said the same thing" "I did it right and I still got breast cancer".

    Hero and Janie, I hear the concerns which was why the thread was started in the first place. Stress kills...there's too much of it in life and I know that much of what has happened to me in my life with health can be directly linked back to stress. The whole thing is a catch-22, because we really don't have a "firm" answer.

    What I've learned from cancer is to live my life in a well-rounded way, to be good to my body -- in every way -- with moderation in everything, and I've learned new coping mechanisms. When I'd get stressed I found I drank that extra glass of wine (or 2), I've learned to let the stress go and if I'm starting to feel worried/scared/nervous, I use my new mechanisms. I still socialize and enjoy a glass. I'm ER/PR- but that doesn't mean alcohol is good for me either. The reality is, it isn't "good" for anyone, but we enjoy it, it's a nice way to relax and we have to continue living as best we can.

    Ladies, we need to be kind to ourselves ... a little bit of this and a little bit of that..it all goes a long way. And one of the nicest things is that we have so much support for one another here.
  • JanieMarie
    JanieMarie Member Posts: 25
    edited June 2006
    HERO - Were you missing your bra and panties this morning? Well, even if you weren't, I hope you had a heck of an evening!

    Rosemary - I don't know if you have been to Santa Cruz or the Monterey area before, but if you do go to Monterey let me recommend an inn - The Spindrift. It's small, ocean views, right on canary row with lots of food, shops etc. Anyway, we stayed there for the first time this year (we usually stay at the Portola Plaza Double Tree, but they were booked - and more expensive!) We received the best service and best ammenities for us, than anyplace we have EVER stayed. If you can't tell - I was very impressed. Monterey is a bit further down the coast from Santa Cruz, but just thought I would add my 2 cents.

    Sometime in the late summer/early fall Capitola (small town next to Santa Cruz) has a wine festival. I went last year and it was fun - a lot of art and wine, right on the beach boardwalk. Beautiful. No idea when it is this year, but I am sure I will be in attendance.

    Thanks for your support ladies - you are right - we are all in the same boat on this journey - Let's enjoy! Cheers.

    Janie
  • sierrasusieq
    sierrasusieq Member Posts: 16
    edited June 2006
    Some Chianti's are light. At least compared to Zinfandel which is one of my favorites.

    I am making dinner tomorrow night for 2 freinds. We are having lemon cream sauce with pasta and asparagus and fresh parmassen on it. Salad. Garlic bread. We will start of with a nice Chardonnay.

    Now, how does that sound?? I am trying to think of a quick desert I could make. If I can't think of any then we will just have some dark chocolate with a zinfandel or port wine.
  • Rosemary44
    Rosemary44 Member Posts: 272
    edited June 2006
    Thanks Janie, it must be fun to live in northern CA. Look at all things you get to do, pop in the car and there's a wine festival to go to. I lived in LA for 4 years, and we would take off every other weekend to do something. Back then a person could still get on the freeways and actually get to somewhere in good time.

    I'll definately book that Inn today. Do you have any recs for Carmel? We may make it that far south.

    Susie, you have to share that lemon cream sauce recipe. If I threw some dill in it would it be good for a sauce over a fish dish? I tried to make a lemon dill sauce with capers, hmmmm, not good. Thanks for the wine recs also.
  • christineK
    christineK Member Posts: 735
    edited June 2006
    Susie
    Maybe something a lil more summerier(sp?) Like a Fresh Berry Trifle with a sparkling something or a Fresh Melon Sorbet with Moscato or M.Chiarlo Nivole. YUM! These have a lot of fruit, if you don't like sweeter dessert wines, go w/ the port idea.
    The pasta sounds really great. Have fun!
  • HERO2
    HERO2 Member Posts: 19
    edited June 2006
    DUH.....I don't drink with bra and panties on!

    That way I don't haveto worry about where they went!

    Anywho....I fell asleep in my tv room.... he he he

    It's all good


    HERO CLASS OF '05
  • 2up
    2up Member Posts: 944
    edited June 2006

    as ya'll know (i think) i'm not a wine drinker.......beer lovin canuck here........however my "dh" is a red wine lover and he swears that a good "valpolicella" goes better with dessert than sex lol! i just made a "vat" of my famous spaghetti sauce and we sampled it with some bread and a glass of merlot..........it'd been better with a beer in my opinion but we are having fun either way, and my friends and family are "geeked" to know that i finally made my sauce again.........the news got around and my phone is ringing off the hook! lol!.........it feels good to do something "normal" ya'll know what i mean? cheers as i jar up this 5 gallon pot of sauce.........it feels great to be "back" lol

  • sierrasusieq
    sierrasusieq Member Posts: 16
    edited June 2006
    okay, dinner was a success!

    I made the lemon, garlic sauce.

    Grate some lemon peel about a teaspoon or so.
    1/2 cup of olive oil.
    3 cloves or so of garlic
    half lemon , squeeze the juice in.
    warm up and splash or so of heavy cream.
    salt and pepper.

    toss with pasta ,some lightly cooked asparagus and fresh grated parmessan cheese.

    It was great, and with salad and garlic bread.

    a nice Charles Krug Reserve Chardonnay (yes even charles krug makes quality wine)

    For desert we had a mixed berry pie ( rasberries, blueberries, and blackberry ) with a crumble topping , served with vanilla Dreyers ice cream and a glass of Muscat (desert wine).

    Yumm Yumm.

    One more glass of wine and a hot bath and hopefully I can find my bra ( oh yea ! took that off long ago! I hate bras ! and panties in the morning. )
  • christineK
    christineK Member Posts: 735
    edited June 2006

    Ha Susie -very funny. I know about those Krug wines, once I did a wine dinner at a hotel I usd to work for, all Krug - the vintage sparkling rose was the evening's best! Dinner sounds great, sorry I missed it.

  • pdgd
    pdgd Member Posts: 18
    edited June 2006

    Hi all. I'm here in the library of the small town we vacation in. Had to check in... I am so enjoying wine and beer on vacation. Sherry.... loved your response about hockey!! Have fun! Pam

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 282
    edited June 2006
    Hey Pam! Glad to hear you're enjoying vacation...and how nice of you to head to the library to "check in" and see what's happening here -- but remember, it's a v-a-c-a-t-i-o-n lady!!! Sounds like you're enjoying things and I'm glad you're relaxing and enjoying some wine/beer/whatever!! Tell us all about it -- when you get back!!

    Susie, your recipe sounds really good so I'm going to give that one a try. My guys aren't hard to please, but after awhile they want something "new" so I do my best. We don't have "Krug" here -- but I bet I can find something just as nice. And I loved the dessert -- this is such a good time for fresh berry anything -- lovely and light. You made me smile about the glass of wine and heading to the bath...we don't entertain like we used to and I want so badly to get back to that -- but that was always one of my favourite parts of having friends over for a meal...after all the hard work...load the dishwasher and take the remainder of the bottle of wine (usually worth one glass!) and head to a nice soak in the tub -- my treat for a job well done.
  • rondab
    rondab Member Posts: 87
    edited June 2006
    OK ladies - pizza & beer at my house tonight!!! Saw my onc today. I'd had bloodwork done last week & a CT scan. The test for cancer markers was NORMAL and the scan was CLEAR! No sign of anything he said! He told me to finish those last 2 rad trmts, then buy me a nice bottle of wine and celebrate. I'll have lab & another scan in 3 months.
    Ronda
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 282
    edited June 2006
    Yipee!! Whoohoo Ronda!! That's wonderful news...let the celebrating begin!!
  • mc24
    mc24 Member Posts: 10
    edited June 2006

    way to go. good job!!!

  • jaybird627
    jaybird627 Member Posts: 1,227
    edited June 2006
    Quote:

    OK ladies - pizza & beer at my house tonight!!! Saw my onc today. I'd had bloodwork done last week & a CT scan. The test for cancer markers was NORMAL and the scan was CLEAR! No sign of anything he said!
    Quote:



    Yea Ronda! I'll have a scotch first (pre-dinner) and then some wine (with dinner). Congrats on a great doctor visit!

    Janis L

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