5 Things for this Summer

I'm always refreshed and inspired to start something anew when summer comes around, aren't you? For starters, I dusted off the little porch grill last night and grilled some turkey brats. Paired with Pimm's and a fresh salad made for a pleasant Memorial's day evening. It was beautiful here in Denver, a little windy, but sunny and pleasant overall.

So here are five new inspirations I'd like to do this summer:

1. A day visit to the wineries on the Western Slope

2. Go hiking for a day in the Rockies

3. Visit and reconnect with friends in Colorado Springs

4. Read five books

5. Take a trip back to Hillsdale for a week, perhaps in August

I'll keep you posted! Cheers, L

Lo-Do

The nice thing about having two part-time jobs is getting random days of the week off as your "weekend." This week for example, I work through Memorial weekend and yesterday, Wednesday, was my day off. I actually liked having a weekday off - I had a greater sense of productivity and adventure because the world was awake and open for business.

So yesterday, I ventured to Downtown Denver, more commonly referred to as "Lo-Do." My time was limited however (partially due to unpleasantly high parking costs), so I restrained my wanderings to 16th street. You know what's amazing?? They have a free public transit line that runs all the way up and down 16th. It definitely helped make my time more efficient, though I do prefer to walk outside and soak up the culture around me. It'll take a couple more times for me to fully figure out the vibe of Lo-Do, but for my one brief visit it showed great potential.

I have the unfortunate habit of comparing every major American city I visit to the wonderful experiences I had in European cities such as London, Oxford, Paris and Vienna to name a few. Perhaps I need to revisit some cities like San Francisco, Chicago or NYC and experience them anew through the eyes of an independent adult without parents or siblings around (college years don't count - you're still somewhat dependent at that point and still growing in many ways). Well then, I guess Downtown Denver was my first foray into my beginning adult metropolitan experiences. Though I technically live in Denver, I'm on the outskirts of the city limit and its more suburban than anything with mass amounts of traffic, big box stores and chain restaurants. Lo-Do offers the things I look for living in a big city: privately owned businesses with unique themes, a higher class and quality of living than you find in Target or Walmart, and the sidewalk population is a blend of modern commercialism with indie and artsy threads woven throughout.

On this first visit I patronized a couple of unique establishments. Wines off Wynkoop is a small wineshop that you can only access by alley-way. I felt so "in on the know" walking back to the shop doors. Bonus, Wednesday happened to be a special discount day - save 15% off domestic whites when you buy 2 or more! Next door, past the alley, is the Tattered Cover Book Store. It reminded me so much of Blackwell's in Oxford! The place is so characteristic of a family owned bookstore with well worn hardwood floors, a mix of used and new books, leather furniture just begging you to sink into with a hot Mocha Cappucino. It's a good thing I don't live anywhere nearby, otherwise I'd be spending hours relaxing there. I simply must bring my camera next time to take some pictures of my own & share with you all! They also have a really great line-up of events and visiting authors on a regular basis.

Both of these stores show what makes small privately owned businesses so characteristic of downtown areas. In order to stay in business, they have to work incredibly hard to attract new customers and retain loyal customers with different promotions, events or rewards programs. They don't have the automatic clientele loyalty to a brand such as Starbucks, Barnes & Noble or Beverage More may have, so these small businesses make up for it in other ways. In all honesty though, its those personal touches and going the extra mile for the customer that makes me so much more loyal than to any chain store.

So I'll have many more small business experiences to share with you next time I go Lo-Do. What are some of your favorite unique downtown shopping experiences?

Wine 102

J'ai fini! I passed the test with flying colors and now have my diploma as a "Certified Wine Merchant." This basically states that I am knowledgable in the fundamentals of wine, wine evaluation, wine description, wine tasting as well as wine and food pairings. I learned an incredible amount of information and sharply refined my palate and sense of discernment. I also came away with some great suggestions of wines to try again, some of my favorites being:

1. J. Lohr, Monterey County, Valdiguie "Wildflower" 2009

Light body, low tannins

Aromas of boysenberry, cherry and cranberry

Excellent food wine

Approximately $10

2. J. J. Prum, Kabinett Riesling 2008

Sweetness intensifies with food

Elegantly floral and herbal aromas

Also a great food wine

Approximately $30

3. Saintsbury, Carneros Pinot Noir 2007

Paired well with hot plates like Pork and Flank Steak

Very pretty nose, nicely balanced with a medium body

Approximately $25

4. Domaine Latour Meursault "Chateau de Blagny" 2002

This is an example of why I am so partial to Burgundy wines

Delicate, elegant bouquet of tropical fruits & baked desserts

Medium/Full body with a nice balance

A very pleasant wine to drink

Approximately $45

5. E. Guigal Condrieu 2003

Very powerful aromas of baked peach, pear, honeysuckle and mineral

Medium and smooth body with soft tannins, almost buttery texture

Would go very well with spicy foods

Approximately $37

6. Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, NZ

Surprising aromas of kiwi, grapefruit, artichoke and jalapenos

Medium full body

Taste complemented the aroma

Approximately $12

I hope you're able to try one of these sometime, the prices aren't too bad either, all things considered. What are some of your favorite wines & why??

Wine 101

Today was saturated in learning about wine - my long awaited class in level I wine certification! Though I still have tomorrow's course left, today covered a good deal of material I have sought to learn more about: French wines, American wines and fortified wines. We also tasted 28 different wines from these regions. It was an extremely valuable exercise, but my palate is completely exhausted! I won't bore you with too much detail, so here are a few tidbits of fun wine information I learned today:

• Bordeaux glassware is shaped to direct the flow of wine to the center and back of the palate for optimal exposure to tannins
• Burgundy glassware is shaped to allow a bigger swirl when aerating and is tapered to direct the flow of wine to the sides of the mouth for exposure to acids typically characteristic in Burgundy wines.
• Port, Madeira and Sherry fortified wines are enhanced with neutral grape spirits from the same harvest, not brandy or any other liquors, as is most commonly perceived.
• When you 'nose', or smell a wine, a wide discernment of scents can best be attained by an upward motion and don't be afraid to stick your nose deeply into the glass. This allows you to experience first the base aromas at the bottom of the glass (mostly earthy tones) followed by the bouquet (typically the floral or more characteristic notes) at the top of the glass.

Tomorrow we're tested on the material, followed by lectures in organoleptic evaluation. That's fancy wine lingo for wine and food pairing.

One wine that really stood out today was Villa Maria Private Bin, a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. I picked up some really interesting notes of kiwi and jalapeno. Perfect for a brisk summer's day!

More to come tomorrow - Cheers, L

Party with Pimm's

Have you ever had Pimm's No.1 liquor? I was first introduced to it when living in Oxford almost 4 years ago. The summer of 2007 was full of fun park outings, British attempts at "American" barbeques and lazy punting voyages down the River Isis. I took the picture to the left when we were crossing under Magdalen Bridge. One thing you learn about the British is that no social event occurs without an alcoholic libation of some sort. In the summer sunshine, we often deferred the typical pub ale in favor of Pimm's for its crisp and refreshing qualities.

I've forgotten about Pimm's until I stumbled upon it at work today. So many memories rushed to my mind, inspiring me to pick up a bottle to open the summer of 2011 with. It just goes to show how influential food or beverages can be in cataloguing the very sensations we identify with personal memories or experiences.

Pimm's can be difficult to find if you aren't living near a more metropolitan area, but it never hurts to ask your local vendor if they can add it to their summer inventory.

Here are a few ideas of how to celebrate your summer this year in classic British style:

When you throw a party or barbeque, don't forget bunting! It instantly creates an added sense of festivity that is unique to the warmer months of the year. Bunting is really easy to make out of quilting squares and pinking shears. Plus, you can find some really fun and brilliant patterns or colors at your local craft or quilting stores. Simply create a triangular template and cut the desired number of fabric flags. Sew each of the flags onto a ribbon, leaving 3 to 5 cm between each flag. Iron the flags, hang, and voila! Instant party atmosphere!

Next on the party to-do list. Serve a pitcher of Pimm's Original.

Pimm's Original

Mix 1 part Pimm's No. 1

3 parts chilled lemonade

Add mint, cucumber, orange and strawberry

Pull out the croquet or badmitton set, encourage the ladies to wear floppy sun hats, fire up the barbie and you've got yourself a great summer fling! Enjoy! Love, L

Spring Cleaning

Hello lovelies! Spring is well underway and so is the inspiration that comes with budding trees and fresh Rocky Mountain air. As you can see, I revamped the look of Haec Cogitate. What do you think? I was going for a less cluttered look - and the wine glass stain is a shout out to my second most discussed subject.

Now for the news I promised last time, I have also done some spring cleaning in my career of late. I've always had a difficult time settling on a singular career path. There are so many interesting choices out there; between my passions for marketing, history, wine, reading, business management or museums, I have had so many different possibilities cross my mind. After a full year after graduation, I've finally decided upon a singular vision. So this next week I officially begin my first job in the world of wine business. It's a tough field to break into, so I have a loooooonnnng road ahead of me. Beginning with sales, I aspire to make my way in through continued education and some hardcore networking. Why the wine industry?

Well that can get pretty detailed, so I'd better save that for another post.

Other spring cleaning notes... Last Sunday I was feeling domestic so I potted a couple plants to liven the porch for summer. They look a little something like this picture. I chose Sweet Basil and Greek Thyme for both cooking ingredients and to help make for a pleasant smelling porch.

I've also been swooning over this adorable proposal lately. Though its not my personal style, what girl wouldn't want to be in her shoes when you see how surprised and happy she is?

Also, a dear friend introduced me to these fabulous recipes in mutual pursuit of more gastronomic adventures. I personally love the Queen Mother's cake - I am a sucker for the deep flavors in flourless chocolate cakes.

Only one more week till my wine courses! Have a lovely weekend friends!

On Opinion

I know I haven't written in a while and this may seem like a heavy subject to start out with, but it's been on my mind lately...

The nature of personal opinions seems to have changed in the last couple generations. From my exposure to its context in various literature, film and histories, opinion used to be given upon invitation only. Rarely do I recall an opinion being offered without solicitation first. Today, I believe, the sense of entitlement that has run amok in the younger generations of society has encouraged people to proffer their personal opinion whether it was invited or not. I am sure there are many other sociological explanations as to why and how opinions are so much more rampant in today's culture.

My particular observation comes from opinion's role in social manners and etiquette. As an example, today I was expressing to a colleague my passion for wine and personal goals to further my wine knowledge through study. He abruptly put a end to any of my desire for further conversation, when he gave his opinion that I needn't take classes to learn more about wine. Yes, there is truth in that comment, but could he not have taken the opportunity to ask further questions? Asking the question "why" would have perhaps uncovered the fact that I've already spent a great amount of time learning on my own.

There are three facets to analyzing this. First, people no longer actively engage in "giving" conversation only "taking." This blog post gives a fascinating explanation of how "giving" fosters building relationships versus "taking" as a destructive force. Second, people do not understand the consequences of their words before they speak, large or small. In this case, the fact that Thomas killed any joy in our conversation with his unthoughtful opinion resulted in a decrease in my respect for him. Other scenarios may result in injured feelings or heated debates. Third, people no longer listen attentively to each other. Listening carefully and following the natural flow of conversation is a sign of respect for the other person and their time. An individual who proffers an unwanted, or even irrelevant opinion, has signaled that they were not fully listening and thus do not respect the other individual's time or interest. Avoiding the pitfalls of unwanted opinions and narcissism will help us all become better, and perhaps, more involved conversationalists!

As for other information - I may have some news coming soon! I'm awaiting confirmation before I announce anything, so be sure to check again sometime later this week. I am very excited to share it all with you once I can! Cheers, L

Mondovino

I just rediscovered the beauty of a Panini - simple to make, throw in a couple unique ingredients and you have an artisan lunch. I made a really great one today out of left overs in my fridge:

Whole Wheat Bread

Cracked Pepper Turkey

Aged French Swiss Cheese

Capicola

grill with a little olive oil and oregano on the outside

Voila! Its a great way to add some character and liveliness to a typically boring meal. This site has some other great panini suggestions too.

I watched a really interesting documentary on wine globalization today called Mondovino. What was best was watching and listening to some of wine's greatest icons such as "flying winemaker" Michele Rolland, Leon winemaker for Chateau Mouton-Rothschild, Robert Mondavi and family as well as the famous critic Robert Parker. Did you know that Parker's nose and palate are insured for over $1 million??

What I loved best is its a very raw documentary, so you see both the human and professional side of all these individuals during interviews. This documentary definitely addressed head on, the controversy of wine globalization - a subject I attempted to decipher in my wine thesis a year ago. I still find myself going back and forth on the issue, hence my effort to marry 'tween the two. On the one hand the practical business person in me pushes traditionalists to adopt marketing practices and globalize in order to keep up with the industry; on the other hand, I do see their point in that globalization taints the spiritual relationship between man and nature in pursuit of money. Its a fascinating debate.