Sorry to be a blog slacker. . .it’s been a crazy week!

I went in search of the Prisoner by Orin Swift and found it, for $38.00. I almost bought it but the clerk said it wasn’t that great especially for the price; despite really wanting to toast to Lindsay Lohan’s incarceration . . .I just couldn’t do it.

Instead I picked up a Cabernet Sauvignon by R Wines. I’ve seen this bottle a couple times and liked the label design (I know such a great way to choose a wine). For some reason I was thinking this wine was made by the same people that make Bitch wine but I was wrong.

This really isn’t a bad wine but there was nothing unique about it to me either. When you first drink it I would describe it as light but it has quite a kick in the end. The price isn’t too bad, it was around $9.00. I would definitely drink this wine again.

It is a screw cap though, so just a warning if you have any hesitancy about them; no cork to remove.

Have you had this wine? What’d you think?

Cheers!

Technorati Tags: Cabernet Sauvignon, Lindsay Lohan

I should probably start this post by saying. . .it was at the midnight premiere of “New Moon” that I saw the preview for “Remember Me” staring. . .Edward, I mean Robert Pattinson. While I would probably classify myself as Team Edward (if I had to), it was my desire to see how his acting skills were when his character was “alive” that made the movie stand out.

But, I totally forgot about it until it popped up on my Netflix que and showed up in my mailbox last week. I really had no idea what this movie was about, so I didn’t know what to expect. I’m going to pause here to say, if you haven’t seen it already I’m going to ruin the ending for you, so STOP reading if you don’t want to know what happens.

*SPOILER*

Cliff’s Notes intro: Pattinson plays a character who is estranged from his father and dealing with the suicide of his older brother all the while being a good role model for his socially awkward little sister. Early on he feels the need to step in on a street fight and then talks back to the police officer that tells him to head home and then ends up beating him up and throwing him in jail.

His roommate sees that officer drop his daughter off at school the next week and gets this brilliant idea for retaliation against him. Pattinson can date his daughter. . .

Only problem, they fall in love; I know you are totally shocked. Here’s another curveball for you, she finds out why Pattinson asked her out originally; insert awkward drama for about 20 minutes before a family crisis reunites them.

At this point I thought okay, this mildly depressing movie might at least end on a good note. . .WRONG! Oh I don’t think I mentioned, the movie is set in New York and the last day of the movie is September 11, 2001. . .ending scene Pattinson is standing on something like the 50th floor staring out the window of the World Trade Center. . .

I did NOT see that coming at all. I realize it’s been almost 9 years now since that day and, just like all of you, I remember exactly where I was when I found out the first tower had been hit. . .so seeing it portrayed in fictional movie seems a little too soon and inappropriate. . .

Or is it just me?

Technorati Tags: New Moon, Remember Me, Robert Pattinson, Team Edward

I was on the hunt for a particular wine, but was not successful in finding it. On a positive not, at least I know what next week’s wine will be. . .however in my search I did stumble upon an unexpected treasure.

Recently two liquor stores opened just minutes from my house; I decided to check out Majestic because I hadn’t stopped in yet and they normally have a great wine selection. Since they didn’t have the wine I was looking for I walked up and down each aisle to see what I could find and stumbled upon the 2007 3 Girls Cabernet Sauvignon.

Because it’s made by 3 girls I decided it would be fun to get 3 girls’ opinions of it. I should preface the opinions with, none of us claim to be expert wine tasters we all just love wine.

First Girl: my sister Beth
When I asked her what she thought of the wine she said it was smooth and sweet, but not too sweet. She followed that up with, “I don’t know I just like to drink wine.”

Second Girl: Lacee
While she also described this wine as smooth, she thought it was light and had a hint of dried cranberry, but finished her description with, “I LOVE it!”

Third Girl: me
I have to agree with all that Beth and Lacee’s said about the wine. I loved it as well. It had a subtle fruity flavor that made it refreshing which is unusual to me for a Cabernet. As I drank it I actually thought, I bet this would be amazing cold; I know blasphemous.

I even tried pouring it through my new fancy aerator that I picked up last week at Bastille on Bishop and even though the effect was to make the wine seem more heavy it didn’t affect my opinion of the wine.
Wish I had picked more than just the one bottle. . .at under $12 I am impressed!

Unfortunately there isn’t much information available about “3 Girls” so if you know anything about them please send the information my way.

What are you drinking?

Technorati Tags: Cabernet Sauvignon

I started reading “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert because, of course, the movie is about to come out in theaters. I guess I should have realized that this wouldn’t exactly be a peppy, upbeat book because she is dealing with the end of her marriage and going through a tough divorce. With that said, this isn’t exactly a book I want to pick up and read so it’s slow goings for me so far. . .

And to avoid getting too long winded I’m going to split up my “review” into at least 2 parts but potentially 3. The book obviously is divided into three parts but if I make enough progress by next Monday you’ll get the next last portions in one review.

As I began reading the “Eat” or “Italy” portion, I was excited. The notion of leaving your current life behind to go explore the world or at least another city has always been a dream of mine. I regret never having studied abroad in college or moving off somewhere and trying to live somewhere other than Dallas. Not sure what it is but I’ve always felt tied down here, maybe its fear, maybe responsibility, maybe family, but maybe one day I’ll be able to muster the courage to try it.

I was disappointed that the book opens with such a bleak picture of Gilbert’s life leading up to her year of traveling. It was also surprising to me how much history she provides on the city, currency and population of Rome as opposed to elaborate descriptions of her exciting journey into the unknown.

I am about 20 pages away from the end of this first section, surprisingly so far the focus really hasn’t been food. She has talked about the large quantities of pasta and pizza that she has consumed, oh and she has become quite a gelato fan. I think she’s up to 3 times a day?

To be honest the loneliness of this section makes me nervous to keep going because Italy was the section I was most excited to read. But I keep reminding myself that this book has received a lot attention (and Julia Roberts is even playing the main character), so with that in mind I will press on and persevere.

Have you read this book? What did you think? Were you disappointed? What was your favorite section?

Technorati Tags: Eat, Elizabeth Gilbert, Italy, Julia Roberts, Love, Pray

So. . .it’s been 5 years since I have been on a trip that was longer than a weekend getaway. . .which means when my friend gchatted me and asked, “Do you want to go to the Dominican Republic in August?” I said yes. That was back in May, a whole 70 or 80-something days away. . .

Last week I realize I should probably get off my butt and go get my passport because I’ve already paid for the trip and I’m not going to miss it because of my passport and it is just over a month away. It’s a good thing I went when I did, because the cost of a passport just went WAY up. And since this procrastinator waited so long, I had to pay double and get it expedited, yuck!

As I stare out my window (on my lunch break), this sunny day in July I can’t help but wish I were, here:

The countdown is on. . .

Technorati Tags: Dominican Republic

I have to confess that I have actually had wine two nights this week. . .so far. But I’m not really sure Monday night’s wine counts because I’d already had both wines before.

In thinking about wine for tonight, I wasn’t sure what to have. . .then I found out on Twitter about Bastille on Bishop. Having grown up in Dallas, Oak Cliff was never a place I was encouraged to go. . .but I have to give them props. . .the Bishop Arts District has some great shops and restaurants and this was the perfect excuse for me to go check them out.

We each paid $10 and got a stemless wine glass and then all the wine we could drink. To get the wine you had to wonder from store to store on both sides of Bishop. This was both good and bad. . .

I found a few things I just had to buy and a few things I really wanted to buy but couldn’t afford. There were so many really amazing pieces of art I would have loved to have brought home to hang on my empty walls, but somehow I just couldn’t justify a $600 piece of art (and that was even at 30% off). . .even though I REALLY wanted it. I have this big empty wall in my kitchen it would have looked perfect on. Maybe one day when I’m rich I can buy it.

I had quite a few different wines tonight, but if I’m being completely honest I actually enjoyed the champagne punches and sangrias they had at several stores a lot more than any of the wines I tasted. Which means this is a pretty lame Wine o. Wednesday blog. . .but it was one of the most fun wine Wednesdays I’ve had in quite some time! Just goes to show that it’s not always about the wine but sometimes it’s about the company you drink it with and the place where you drink.

I’ll get back to the sipping by next week but until then, cheers!

Technorati Tags: Bastille on Bishop, Bishop Arts District

I have to confess. . .after being forced to read nothing but the classics in high school and then becoming an English major in college, it took me awhile before I could get into reading for fun. Fortunately my first “real” job included quite a bit of traveling with some really fun girls. One of whom was, Emily, and she was an avid reader. She introduced Rachel and I to Sophie Kinsella.

At the time Kinsella’s only books were the Shopaholic books. So, that is where I started. Now, whenever a new Sophie Kinsella book comes out I stop reading anything else and pick up her newest release.

This time around though I was little tardy to the party, and didn’t pick up “Twenties Girl,” until I could get it in paperback from Target. I was a bit skeptical about it because the whole premise seemed a little farfetched.

Lara’s great aunt Sophie dies at the beginning of the book and comes back to “haunt” her. No one can see her but Lara. . .however, Lara and Sophie develop such a bond as they search for Sophie’s missing necklace that Sophie becomes more like a guardian angel.

The thing I loved about this book was it made me laugh. . .I’m not sure how anyone couldn’t laugh at the journey Lara goes through (accompanied by her “ghost” aunt). . .I was embarrassed for her at times, proud of her, but overall highly entertained. . .

This time of year, if you are headed on any sort of beach vacation or pool time, I highly recommend this read; it is fun and easy. In fact if you are around Dallas, I’ll even loan you my copy. Just let me know. . .

Now I am off to work on next week’s book. Happy reading.

Technorati Tags: shopaholic, Sophie Kinsella