Post by ellen on Feb 25, 2007 11:29:49 GMT
Current mood: content
Category: Travel and Places
After being away for over five weeks, it feels amazing to be back in new york. --and it's the Saturdays like today's that rekindle my love for this city. In an attempt to put my body back on east-coast time, I got up relatively early, ate breakfast and hit the gym. Walking over the 3 avenues to the 3rd-floor "sweatshop"—my still-groggy senses came to life as the crisp winter air filled my lungs. After a 5 mile run and some light strength training, it was back to my flat for a shower, two cups of coffee, return a few emails, a myspace check-up, and then head down and catch the subway for a 12-noon appointment. After that Central Park South stop, I headed over to Westerly Market to grab some supplements I was low on. The natural foods market was bustling with still-bundled weekend shoppers and it felt a bit like they were giving vitamins away... Grabbing what I needed, I headed over to the downtown-L.
Getting out and the southwest-end of the Union Square, I was greeted with an amazingly clear-bleu sky. The air was fresh and the sun caused all the subway travelers to squint as they exited the dark under-city. Looking at my Treo, I noticed I was a bit early for today's 2pm. With the extra time, I wandered around the park, looking at vendors selling local produce, homemade cheeses and baked goods, handmade wares, and flowers. The Union Square Market is always a gratifying part of a lazy Saturday morning, but at the tail end of winter--or the middle of fall—there's something rather undefined and special that make it feel romantic.
My 2pm appointment was at Union Square Wine & Spirits for a tasting. Frequently I get emails sent to me from www.localwineevents.com—making me aware of various wine happenings in the city. (Check it out and see if some groovy things are being poured in your city/town…) Three importers/distributors were pouring some fantastic juice this afternoon! I'm sure many of you know that most of the time tastings will have one single producer/distributor showing 2-4 wines from their portfolio. Little did I know that there would be three producers at today's event—and with that 17 different wines being highlighted. There were some BRILLIANT things being poured from all areas of the world and at all price points. Italy, Spain, South Africa and France were the biggies today. Most of the time I'm a big proponent of "new world"-styled wines. Big wines from America, Australia, New Zealand, etc. But over the past few years I've noticed my palate appreciating the "old-world" more and more. There were 4 wines that really wow'd me. (Di Majo Norante 2003 Ramitello, Sierra Cantabria 2001 Reserca, Numanthia 2003, and the Chateau Péby Faugers 2003 St-Emilion.) Most of the wines I tasted were out of my price-range—but that's what makes tastings like these so cool. I would rarely get to try these wines outside of this kind of environment. If you're just getting into wine, I can't encourage you to seek out tastings in your area—that's what got me hooked 12 years ago. Don't get me wrong, however—there are some amazing wines out there within everyone's reach! (one of my top-4 was $12.99—which I'm sure can be found for less outside NYC.)
After going thru the wines--and making a few new friends along the way--I was off to grab a late lunch from Whole Foods to take back to my apartment.
Presently I'm sitting down to enjoy some TV, my chicken-spinach-mushroom and baked tofu salad, and a bottle of sauvignon blanc from USQ—procrastinating the 3 loads of laundry that call to me from the closet door…
tv
p.s. Btw, for the many of you who wrote in with concern—worry no more. Santa will be just fine this coming December—seems that I merely snacked on a relative of his leading sleigh-flyer on the Finnair flight.
Category: Travel and Places
After being away for over five weeks, it feels amazing to be back in new york. --and it's the Saturdays like today's that rekindle my love for this city. In an attempt to put my body back on east-coast time, I got up relatively early, ate breakfast and hit the gym. Walking over the 3 avenues to the 3rd-floor "sweatshop"—my still-groggy senses came to life as the crisp winter air filled my lungs. After a 5 mile run and some light strength training, it was back to my flat for a shower, two cups of coffee, return a few emails, a myspace check-up, and then head down and catch the subway for a 12-noon appointment. After that Central Park South stop, I headed over to Westerly Market to grab some supplements I was low on. The natural foods market was bustling with still-bundled weekend shoppers and it felt a bit like they were giving vitamins away... Grabbing what I needed, I headed over to the downtown-L.
Getting out and the southwest-end of the Union Square, I was greeted with an amazingly clear-bleu sky. The air was fresh and the sun caused all the subway travelers to squint as they exited the dark under-city. Looking at my Treo, I noticed I was a bit early for today's 2pm. With the extra time, I wandered around the park, looking at vendors selling local produce, homemade cheeses and baked goods, handmade wares, and flowers. The Union Square Market is always a gratifying part of a lazy Saturday morning, but at the tail end of winter--or the middle of fall—there's something rather undefined and special that make it feel romantic.
My 2pm appointment was at Union Square Wine & Spirits for a tasting. Frequently I get emails sent to me from www.localwineevents.com—making me aware of various wine happenings in the city. (Check it out and see if some groovy things are being poured in your city/town…) Three importers/distributors were pouring some fantastic juice this afternoon! I'm sure many of you know that most of the time tastings will have one single producer/distributor showing 2-4 wines from their portfolio. Little did I know that there would be three producers at today's event—and with that 17 different wines being highlighted. There were some BRILLIANT things being poured from all areas of the world and at all price points. Italy, Spain, South Africa and France were the biggies today. Most of the time I'm a big proponent of "new world"-styled wines. Big wines from America, Australia, New Zealand, etc. But over the past few years I've noticed my palate appreciating the "old-world" more and more. There were 4 wines that really wow'd me. (Di Majo Norante 2003 Ramitello, Sierra Cantabria 2001 Reserca, Numanthia 2003, and the Chateau Péby Faugers 2003 St-Emilion.) Most of the wines I tasted were out of my price-range—but that's what makes tastings like these so cool. I would rarely get to try these wines outside of this kind of environment. If you're just getting into wine, I can't encourage you to seek out tastings in your area—that's what got me hooked 12 years ago. Don't get me wrong, however—there are some amazing wines out there within everyone's reach! (one of my top-4 was $12.99—which I'm sure can be found for less outside NYC.)
After going thru the wines--and making a few new friends along the way--I was off to grab a late lunch from Whole Foods to take back to my apartment.
Presently I'm sitting down to enjoy some TV, my chicken-spinach-mushroom and baked tofu salad, and a bottle of sauvignon blanc from USQ—procrastinating the 3 loads of laundry that call to me from the closet door…
tv
p.s. Btw, for the many of you who wrote in with concern—worry no more. Santa will be just fine this coming December—seems that I merely snacked on a relative of his leading sleigh-flyer on the Finnair flight.