Wino Wednesday | Dom Perignon at the Brown Palace Hotel

This week has truly been an adventure in wine, the most memorable being the Dom Perignon Brunch at the Brown Palace Hotel. It has been a long time since I have felt "invited" to take my time and enjoy the atmosphere, live music and friendly company at a meal - by which I mean staying longer than an hour. Sadly, gone are the days of 5 hour social dinners and multiple course affairs.

The Brown presented a beautiful spread. One particular treat that caught our fancy was the hot chocolate rum. Served in shot glasses it was like sipping traditional Italian Hot Chocolate, incredibly thick in consistency with the added twist of spiced Bacardi Rum. My dad got the recipe - I'll post it for you sometime later. Wouldn't that be a great treat by the fire at Christmas time with Peppermint Schnapps instead of rum??

Best yet were the bottomless flutes of fine champagne. I may have had three. Or was it four? Haha, nevertheless, should you find yourself looking for a high society experience in Downtown Denver you simply must stop by the Brown. The hotel's architecture is gorgeous and has a fascinating history representative of Denver as a whole. So even though this wasn't as much a feature on wine as Wednesdays are supposed to be, its an homage to one of the greatest Champagnes out there! Did you know that the Brown Palace Hotel does a champagne pyramid to celebrate the start of the holiday season? Definitely on my calendar this year!

So in the spirit of popping corks & the clink of glasses, I bid you "Cheers!", "Salut", and "Prost" and leave you with three things:

• Thou shalt not limit the beauty of Champagne to Weddings and New Year's Eve.
• Aren't these Andy Warhol designs for Dom Perignon brilliant?
• As it is mythically reported, Dom Perignon said "Come quickly, I am drinking the stars!" when he first tasted Champagne. What a perfect image that conjures!

Playing Catch-up

I have been a busy little bee lately. Sorry about my long absence! So much has been happening lately, I don't know where to start. I guess I'll feature each of my recent adventures in regular posts this week - it'll help me collect my thoughts more easily.

As for now, here's a little something that has peaked my interest lately, Downton Abbey is a fascinating British Edwardian Drama miniseries. I love the wit and polite banter between characters (especially when they're really insulting each other!) And the web of love triangles and drama! (not to mention the costumes)

My folks came to town this week and we did so much around Denver! I'll post about our Dom Perignon Brunch at the Brown Palace Hotel tomorrow for Wino Wednesday. Following that I'll post about a day trip to Colorado & Manitou springs with my mother.

Other fun Denver activities we did:

The Molly Brown House is beautifully restored, and she's such an aspiring and philanthropic leader!

Visited St. John's Anglican Cathedral. Such beautiful architecture, though the liturgy isn't entirely adherent to the BCP but none-the-less a great candidate for a home church here with a large choir and young adult population. They label themselves as "progressive" so we'll have to see where this goes.

Wino Wednesday | Are Box Wines a Sin?

To wine snobs, yes. Anything not in the traditional bottle screams poor quality. However, consumers for box wines are still a huge target market for producers, so they've come a long way lately in quality. I'm always one for second chances. Some brands that have won my respect for higher quality include: Black Box, Bota Box, and Big House Wines. I'm sorry to burst anyone's bubble but Franzia, Vella and Corbett Canyon is a sad excuse for wine. It's basically alcohol and grape juice in a box. Okay, I'm venting a bit, so here's some unbiased Pros and Cons for Box wines on shelves today...

Pros:

• Affordable. They hold 3 liters, or the equivalent of four regular 750 ml bottles of wine. And you pay around half the cost!
• Box wines last longer after opening. These typically last 4-6 weeks after opening whereas a typical bottle will spoil after 3 days.
• Box wines are more eco friendly. Less packaging = less resources used & cheaper transportation costs!

Cons:

• Quality is Low. They may be fine for everyday table wines, but they aren't anything to write home about. Let's just say you won't see a Wine Advocate or Parker rating tag on these shelves anytime soon.
• Shorter Shelf Life. Box wines don't last more than six months on the shelf.
• Hard to control temperature. As far as entertaining goes (especially for outside events this summer) its hard to control the temperature outside of a fridge. And nobody likes uber warm wine.
• No Romance. There is nothing romantic about a cardboard box with a plastic membrane in it. Where is the tradition of popping the cork?

In short, I still believe your average box wine is a sin. Some appellation conscious producers, however, are helping turn the box wine market around. Remember though, always choose quality over quantity my fellow winos!

Sweet Nothings

There's this adorable English Tea Shoppe nearby that I love shopping from occasionally so I can have my occasional ration of clotted cream, Cadbury digestives and Shepherd's pie mix. (not together of course - eeewww) Last time I was there I saw this adorable Royal Wedding souvenir, except it was an apron instead of a poster- I simply must indulge and buy it the next time!

What an original way to label your herb garden. Very vintage chic.

I've been looking for a light summery salad to place on the menu for the upcoming parents' visit to Denver, and I think I found it. How does a watermelon, basil and Feta salad sound to you??

We seem to have been getting quite a bit of rain lately here in Denver. I asked a colleague about it and evidently every July (though typically later in the month) there is a "Monsoon" period here. Not your biblical sized floods of course, but rather a brief thunder and lightning storm that passes through every afternoon. Lately its been 3:00 on the dot and never ceases to entertain me. I was sad to leave some of the apocalyptic thunderstorms Michigan has in the summer, but glad to find Denver has its own little lightning shows. You will literally see blue skies and puffy white clouds in one direction, with a menacing black wall in the review mirror behind you.

Countdown to the final installation of the Harry Potter series! So bittersweet...

Speaking of Harry Potter, I have always had this thing for Neville Longbottom. No, seriously! I really felt connected to him because of his genuine nature, quirkiness and overall nerdiness. Granger is a great character, but she's what I call a goody-two-shoes nerd. Neville is my kind of nerd - a little more relaxed. He needs a girl who appreciates his love of herbology. So who said nerds can't grow up to be seriously attractive??? Judging by the evidence below, I rest my case.

Wino Wednesday | Get Frisky

Hello, dearlings. This week my wine impulse was Australia's "Frisk" Prickly Riesling - a great Riesling/Muscat blend under $10 for those of us who don't like our Rieslings too sweet.

Subtle yet appealing aromas of pineapple, grapefruit, citrus, minerals and a slight hint of baked or honey sweetness. Flavor is light and playful - perfect for a warm summer's day. The prickle part is the slight bite you'll get from the effervescence.

It came along with the cutest marketing collars. Shaped like a door hanger (as seen in hotels) one side said "Feeling Frisky" the other, "Feeling Prickly - Do Not Disturb." It is now hanging off of Thistle's cage door - she's always feeling a bit prickly!

Happy Independence Day!

Last night I decided to celebrate it big city style by attending the Independence Eve Concert at Civic Center Park. What a night to remember! The programme was phenomenal, not to mention having the opportunity to hear the world famous Colorado Symphony Orchestra play (for free may I add). Arriving a couple hours early, I found a great seat front and center, about 50 yards from the stage and was able to enjoy an afternoon picnic with some Blue Moon, fresh veggies and a good book until showtime.

The 12 acre park was packed - every square inch - and people sat as far back as the steps of the Capitol building. In this video of part I of the concert, you can see how packed it was! The concert began with the Star Spangled Banner, Fanfare for the Common Man (Copland), Jubilee (Chadwick), and Three Dance Episodes from Bernstein's On the Town.

Tchaikovsky's 1812 overture was as moving as ever. If you can't watch it all, at least watch the last 5 minutes of this video of part II showing Copland's Lincoln Portrait, William's Liberty Fanfare, an Armed forces medley and the 1812 overture.

The last three selections were the biggest fanfare of all as it was accompanied by choreographed fireworks from the courthouse. Fireworks are great, but never before have I realized their beauty as when they are synchronized perfectly to patriotic music, enhanced by theatrical lighting and illuminate beautiful architecture as the Denver Courthouse. I love Sousa's Stars & Stripes Forever, but this experience took the cake! Of the three videos I linked, you HAVE to watch the finale in part III: America the Beautiful, Colonel Bogey March, and Stars & Stripes Forever.

This sort of event is what I believe our founding fathers had in mind when they envisioned Americans rallying around the birth of our nation. A weekend filled with music, games, activities, celebration in a public atmosphere and most of all a patriotic sense of community that brings us together as a civil union. The only thing missing was a reminder of the ideas and truths that brought this country into fruition (i.e. the Declaration of Independence reading anyone?), however I must concede that the recitations that accompany Lincoln Portrait present a remarkable moment in our nation's growth.

P.S. Does this painting look familiar to any of you Hillsdale Grads? hint, hint - its on display at the Kirby Center...

I hope to go again next year to share this patriotic experience with a group of friends, picnic encampment and everything! Next time I'd love to hostess with a cute picnic set and wine glass holders so we can enjoy some New Age or other refreshing summer Torrontes/ Sauvignon Blanc varietals with a great meal.

Wishing you all a happy July 4th surrounded by family, friends & fireworks! What sort of traditions do your cities put on for Independence Day?