So, as I’ve mentioned in my previous entry: I spent most of my time drinking. Before he came into my life. Thing is, I don’t really like drinking, nor do I drink to look cool. I have never liked the taste of alcohol, its like poison going through your esophagus down to your digestive tract that you can feel the heat of it as it slowly slips down there. I’d rather gulp on a liter of blue slushie.
Why do I drink then? I have no idea. I’m not an alcoholic, really. I mean sure, I used to drink every night and day but I never got dependent on it. And I usually don’t end up crawling back home because I’m in a drunken stupor. Its probably peer pressure? Oh wait, that can’t be right. I’m usually the promoter of drinking sessions.
There it is, I drink because I want to hang. Alcohol is a social lubricant, usually my friends don’t have that much tolerance for it. So I enjoy the festivities, the drama and whatever surprise they have in store. It gets tiring to rant about your life. But seeing others rant about it when they’re drunk amuses me. You know what they say: The drunken mind speaks a sober heart. Then you realize: Hey, we’re pretty much on the same boat.
That’s the beauty of drinking for you. Glad I’m over that phase though, yeah I have the occasional shots. But that’s about it.
In the hot weather of March and April big meals are not very attractive. Alas, Thailand has a lot of choice in seafood and lighter dishes are the go. Some rice with tofu and green vegetables and plenty of scrimps are the right stuff for a light meal. The question is which wine to drink with it?
A simple “Chinese set” meal
There is a lot of choice actually. As far as white wines are concerned one could choose a Chenin Blanc from Gran Monte, Thailand, for instance. Or one could have a Pinot Grigio from Italy or Germany. Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are other possible choices.
If the dish is spicy, and the above one was, the ‘Grande Signature de Rapatel’ by , France, a blend of Roussanne and Bourboulenc, is a great choice. The wine is oily and thick and full of apricot flavour. It balances the spicyness of the food in a wonderful way. I never thought that a Roussanne could be such a good complement to Asian food. My tip of the day: try it.
PS: You can get bottles of this wine in Bangkok from and .
Last night was the first night of Passover. In America, typically the first two nights of Passover are a huge deal in the Jewish household (in Israel they only have Seder on the first night). Families get together for big feasts of traditional foods and celebrate the liberation from Egypt led by Moshe himself, called a Seder. I do want to state that I am not religious, I’m atheist. However, I am culturally Jewish and thoroughly enjoy a meal that consists of Matzah Ball Soup and slow braised Brisket. This year my brothers and I had the first night at our cousins with my mom’s side of the family.
Here is the traditional Seder Plate that sits in the middle of the table. It contains the symbols of the Passover story. Starting at 2 o’clock is the Beitzah, a roasted egg that symbolizes the festival sacrifice. Then is the Zeroa, a roasted shankbone symbolizing the lamb’s blood that was marked on doors to keep the Jews safe from the 1oth plague. After that is the Maror, we use green onion to remind us of the bitterness and harshness of slavery. Charoset is next, apples, honey, walnuts, and wine that are blended into a thick paste representing the mortar used by Jews in constructing Egyptian storehouses. Next is Karpas, parsley is used for the coming of Spring. There’s a bowl of saltwater that is used to show the tears shed by Jews in slavery. You dip the Karpas into the saltwater. Finally, in the middle is a glass of wine that’s set aside for Elijah the prophet.
At each individual seat there’s a small plate with the edible symbols. After we get through the and eat the Seder plate dinner gets started.
The first thing that get’s passed around is Gefilte Fish. It’s basically a classic Eastern European fish dumpling made out of whitefish and pike. It’s eaten with horseradish.
Next is the Matzah Ball Soup. I had two matzah balls, but had already cut them up into bite sized pieces when I remembered that I needed to take a photo. I also forgot to take a pic of the matzah, but that isn’t the end of the world. I do have to say that my Matzah Ball Soup is far superior, but that’s always the case.
Then some fresh vegetables. Cucumbers, tomatoes, and red onions.
Here’s Grandma’s chopped chicken liver. Unfortunately it’s the only thing she makes anymore. She cooks up the livers, seasons them, and mashes it all down. My cousin Lorrie has to salt it though. Grandma’s taste buds aren’t quite what they used to be. But hey, she’s 86! She gets a pass.
Some bagels made out of matzah meal. They resemble bagels in shape only, but they aren’t bad.
Here’s the famous slow-braised Passover Brisket. Brisket is to Passover what turkey is to Thanksgiving. Again though, my brisket is better. I made the brisket last year, but not this year. I need to take charge of it again for the betterment of all our digestion.
Dessert consists of various cakes made with matzah meal flour and fresh fruit. Chocolate cake with raspberries, strawberry shortcake, brownies, carrot cake, grapes and strawberries.
For some reason I always tend to eat too much at Seders.
I've just spent a couple of days in Australia's Barossa Valley, with its rolling hills of ancient rock worn down to nubs by the sands of time. I arrived in the first real rain of Autumn, the moisture a welcome relief for most everyone in the drought stricken region, and doubly so for the fact that almost all the fruit had been harvested.
I came to the Barossa for two reasons. The first was to see some of the classic producers and lay my hands, or at least my eyes, on some of the oldest and some of the most unique grapevines in the world: 150-year-old Shiraz growing on their own roots, untouched by the ravages of Phylloxera. The second was to find out what was new and interesting in a region that has largely become a victim of its own success and stereotypes. There had to be more to the Barossa than huge point-inflated fruit bombs, right?
All of which is how I found myself seated yesterday afternoon on a sunny brick patio with a group of (mostly) young winemakers who have banded together under the name Artisans of Barossa. Formed in 2005, this group of producers consists of 10 different wineries, most of whom have production levels of just a couple hundred to a couple of thousand cases. Each member either owns their own winery or their own vineyard, or both. The group's self described purpose is to maintain and celebrate "the regionality, environmental sustainability, traditions and cultural spirit of our home - The Barossa" while making wines "that excite, inspire and delight our customers and each other."
In talking with a portion of this group, it seems like they are still finding their way in terms of what they aim to achieve, but they seem to be quite clear on what I believe is the most important fact of their existence -- that they represent an important reality of winemaking in the Barossa that should be more visible.
The promotion of small production, independent wineries I believe to be one of the most important priorities in a world of wine where increasingly such players are shut out of the market due to consolidations in the distribution chain, as well as their own lack of marketing resources. While the Artisans' tagline "Custodians of the Future" may slightly overstate their importance, the core of that sentiment is certainly true, and much more so for Australia than some other wine regions.
Most consumers' experience with Australian wine has come at the hands of huge corporate winery operations and "ready-made-for-export" brands that have no real presence in Australia (as the wines are made from bulk wine purchased and then packaged to be sold in the USA). The idea that there are thousands of small independent wineries whose products are available, albeit with a little searching, in America needs to be much better understood. Likewise, the demand for such wines needs to be encouranged in the US, as well as the UK.
Additionally, while some of the wines from the group are a bit over the top, most of them belie the notion that Barossa is about massively extracted, high alcohol wines. I was happy to find many of them making 13.5% to 14% alcohol, elegant and delicious Shiraz (some from very old, microscopic family vineyards , and lean, low-alcohol Rieslings from the Eden valley). The group also takes pains to point out that among their members, they are making wines from 11 distinct sub-regions of the Barossa valley, each with a different character. I'm not entirely sold on how important this further dissection of the Barossa is, but in my travels around the valley, it's clear that regional variations in soil types, exposure, and temperature are quite distinct.
I'm quite pleased that Artisans of Barossa exists as a group, and I hope they grow and other such groups arise to help the smaller producers of Australia get more visibility.
Here are the wines that the group brought to lunch.
TASTING NOTES:
2009 Radford Riesling, Eden Valley, Australia
Light yellow gold in the glass this wine has a nose of floral aromas with green apple and bright candied lemon peel scents. In the mouth the wine has a fantastically explosive candied lemon peel quality. Super juicy with excellent acidity, the electric lemon quality stays lingering in the finish keeping the mouth puckered and salivating for nearly a minute. One of the best Eden Valley Rieslings I've tasted. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $20.
2007 Radford Shiraz, Eden Valley, Barossa Valley, Australia
Dark garnet in the glass with a cloudy haze, this wine has rich blackberry and blueberry aromas. In the mouth the wine comes across as juicy with lush blackberry and cassis flavors. Great acidity and lightly tacky tannins add complexity while the wine finishes with a sour cherry note and the barest hint of alcoholic heat. Despite the heat this is quite a tasty wine. Score: around 9. Cost: $48
2007 Hobbs of Barossa "Gregor" Shiraz, Barossa Valley, Australia
Medium to dark garnet in the glass, this wine has a nose of chocolate and black cherry with notes of espresso. In the mouth the wine has a fine grained tannic structure and excellent acidity with chocolate, cherry and blackberry flavors. Good acidity lingers in the finish. Tasty. Score: around 9.
2007 Hobbs of Barossa Shiraz, Barossa Valley, Australia
Dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of rich chocolate and cassis aromas. In the mouth the wine has fantastically rich chocolate and espresso flavors with a distinct but well integrated signature of new oak. Bright acidity makes this quite juicy and delicious, but this is a wine for those looking for a slightly riper, more fruit driven style, but wanting to stop well short of a fruit bomb. Quite tasty. Score: around 9.
2007 Kalleske "Clarry's" Red Blend, Barossa Valley, Australia
Dark ruby in color with a distinct cloudy haze, this blend of Grenache and Shiraz has a nose of cherry, leather, and hints of dried flowers and chocolate. In the mouth it is juicy with cherry and raspberry fruit that has a spicy note to it. Faint tannins and a citric quality lingers in the finish. Juicy and ready to drink. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $30
2003 John Duval Wines "Plexus" Rhone Blend, Barossa Valley, Australia
Dark garnet in the glass, this blend of Shiraz, Grenache, and Mourvedre has a nose of chocolate covered cherries and leather. In the mouth the wine has a wonderfully velvet texture with flavors of stewed cherries, prunes and a chocolatey leather quality. Wonderfully soft tannins and the texture that some fine sediment provides give this wine an extra dimension of pleasure. This is the first commercial vintage of this wine. Score: around 9. Cost: $40.
2008 John Duval Plexus Rhone Blend, Barossa Valley, Australia
A blend of Shiraz, Grenache, and Mourvedre, this wine has a dark garnet color in the glass. It smells of black cherry, cassis, and cedar. In the mouth the wine offers a nice suede-like texture with fine grained but aggressive tannins, and flavors of cassis, blackberry and black cherry. Very nice acidity. With a couple of years the tannins will mellow and make this a very well put together package. Score: around 9. Cost: $40
2006 Massena "The Moonlight Run" Red Bled, Barossa Valley, Australia
Medium ruby in the glass with a cloudy haze, this blend of Grenache, Shiraz, Mourvedre, and Cinsault smells fantastically of violets and cassis aromas with an undercurrent of fresh herbs. In the mouth the wine has a juicy cherry and raspberry fruit core with a spicy sandalwood and incense haze that hangs around the edges of the fruit. Excellent acidity and faint powdery tannins. Outstanding. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cos: $25.
2007 Schwartz "Thiele Road" Grenache, Barossa Valley, Australia
Medium garnet in the glass, this wine has a nose of sweet cherry and black raspberry fruit. In the mouth the wine is quite ripe with black cherry and raspberry fruit mixed with cedar and black tea flavors. Moderately aggressive, muscular tannins linger with a cedar note into the finish. Good acidity and quite aromatic in the mouth. Quite dark fruit for a Grenache. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $37.
2008 Spinifex "Indigene" Red Blend, Barossa Valley, Australia
A Shiraz dominated blend with bits of Mataro and Grenache, this wine has a dark garnet color to it. It smells of bright cassis, black cherry, and violets. In the mouth it is wonderfully juicy with powerful tannins that wrap around a core of cassis and blackberry flavors tinged with leather and wet dirt. Very nice violets and cassis aromas linger on the finish. Excellent. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $45.
2009 Teusner "Joshua" Rhone Blend, Barossa Valley, Australia
Medium to dark garnet in the glass, this blend of 65% Grenache, 25% Mataro, and 10% Shiraz smells of sweet cassis and mulberry flavors. On the palate the wine is velvety, with thick, sweet tannins that wrap around flavors of cassis, blueberries, and mulberries. A slight bit of alcoholic heat emerges on the finish, the only adverse quality of this otherwise delicious wine. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $19.
2006 Teusner "Albert" Shiraz, Barossa Valley, Australia
Dark garnet in the glass, this wine has a nose of chocolate, stewed prunes and black cherries. In the mouth the wine tastes of cherry and sandalwood with cassis notes. Sandpapery tannins and juicy acidity take the cherry flavors and launch them onto the palate in a quite tasty way. The finish is juicy and mouth puckering. Score: around 9. Cost: $55.
2006 Dutschke "Oscar Semmler Single Vineyard Reserve" Shiraz, Barossa Valley, Australia
Dark garnet in the glass, the wine has a nose of cocoa powder and blackberry fruit. In the mouth the wine packs an alcoholic heat that lifts flavors of blackberry chocolate and cassis into the top of the mouth and drives them through the finish while an earthy and leathery tannic structure lingers in the mouth. Some heat continues in the finish. Score: around 8. Cost: $40.
2004 Tin Shed "Single Wire" Shiraz, Barossa Valley, Australia
Dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of stewed prunes and blackberry jam. In the mouth the wine has an interesting savory/sweet character that is a combination of roasted figs, kalamata olives, and dried black cherries. This wine is quite jammy with its cooked fruit characters, and a bit heavy on the palate. Good acids keep it from being overpowering, but it is definitely a bit overdone. Score: around 7.5. Cost: $42.
2004 Tin Shed "Three Vines" Rhone Blend, Barossa Valley, Australia
A blend of Mourvedre, Shiraz, and Grenache, this wine is a cloudy dark garnet in the glass, with a nose of chocolate, mulberry, and blueberry aromas. In the mouth the wine tastes quite alcoholic, with high toned alcohol lifted flavors of cassis, mulberry, and incense. An aromatic finish of violet aromas has a good deal of alcoholic heat to it. Somewhat unbalanced. Score: around 8.
At breakfast I was rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ down the almond butter river… letting the AB melt on the hot oats makes it last longer as it spreads over more oats. More bites with AB equals yummier oats.
Some coffee helped me buzz through a bunch of work and then I rolled on over to Chipotle for lunch.
Pile of guacamole equals fats, albeit healthy fats, but the gall bladder doesn’t discriminate. Right now that means pain (although any emotion makes me cry, I have a high physical pain tolerance) and some stomach troubles. Post-surgery my body will have to adjust to digesting foods with fats and it’s suggested to do this trial (and hopefully not error) at home and um, near the loo.
After running a bunch of errands and cleaning, I ate some PBJ toast and eventually made my way to track practice!
Track included:
Mile warmup @ 9:10/mile pace
3 x 800 (aka 0.5 mile) @ 7/mile pace
Side note: didn’t know I had that in me!
Tempo mile @ 8:50/mile pace
Mile cooldown @ 10:00/mile pace
I should have done more of the 800s but missed the group heading out to warm-up and had to do that first. Still pretty happy with my speeds!
A cucumber + balsamic simple salad helped tide me over ‘till dinner warmed up.
Way before track practice (love saying that… I feel 10 years younger. OMG, was I really in high school 10 years ago??? Crazy.), I started prepping this . It is VERY fast for me to make a recipe so close to seeing it but I just couldn’t wait!
A few substitutions were made. Instead of 3 white potatoes, I used 2 Russet and 1 sweet potato. Something about sweet potatoes and Indian spices just works.
I did start off with a whole onion as the recipe calls for.
There was a delicious picture of spices and a complex list in but in a “I’m moving in 2 months so I should use what I have” type of logic, I went with red curry paste (substitution #2). Totally not the same flavor as aloo gobi though, which doesn’t contain curry powder. Plus this curry is Thai and not Indian… so it was a poor substitution and a completely different flavor.
Coconut milk, tomatoes, and onions swimming around together.
A head of cauliflower, a drained & rinsed can of garbanzo beans, 2 Russet potatoes, and 1 sweet potato later.
Much later (definitely over an hour), after simmering away and absorbing curry.
While my “substitution” might have turned this into a different dish altogether, it was still flavorful and delicious.. thanks for the inspiration !
Unfortunately, after having a few too many bites to “test” it, I wasn’t very hungry once the rice was ready (not that I even needed rice). I did enjoy a small bowl with some wine on the side.
I’ve been doing so good to not drink and to be good but I really feel the urge to let loose and party! A part of me hopes this passes (since I do have a bad drinking problem) but the other part of me is yearning to break free and paint the town red.
There is something so freeing about being out of control. I want a night of no cares or worries. I want a night of no responsibility. I want a night of freedom and liberty to do whatever I please.
We picked our first grapes for vintage 2010 on Tuesday March 30th which is only 2 days later than last year. It is a little surprising that we are not later as many around Marlborough were not expecting to get underway before Easter due to the cool start to the season. The talk around NZ after this cool summer is for global warming to hurry up and get here.
While the flowering was later than last year the lighter crops that the vines are carrying has allowed the vines to catch up.
It is always good to some grapes into the winery and there are usually teething problems with equipment that has been sitting idle since last vintage and this happened this morning with the crusher de-stemmer requiring some running repairs.
With the repairs out of the way it was all go on the sorting table. The grapes are very cool having spent the night in a cool store to get their temperature down for a cool soak. Having passed through the sorting table the grapes go through the crusher de-stemmer where the stems are removed and the grapes are lightly crushed. The grapes / juice are known as must at this point and are tipped into an open topped tank to soak and warm naturally. When the must warms up enough for the yeast’s liking ferment will begin.
As the inlaws and relatives are piling into your space for the holiday, escape to Downtown Kalamazoo. Free your mind with the help of local artist at another monthly installment of Art Hop!
It’s finally warm outside, so take advantage of walking the Kalamazoo Mall and surrounding streets with friends and fellow artist this Friday.
For those who don’t know, Art Hop is like a museum in downtown Kalamazoo. Local artist display their work and participating businesses sponsor an exhibit or gallery of the artist. The art includes paintings, photography, jewelry, metal work, like music and dance, poetry, sculptures and more.
This month, my pic for a must-see is the , 326 Kalamazoo Ave, Suite 103A.
While this fest may seem like a nerdy venture through a library of cookbook, it is actually a tasty display of creative concoctions inspired by books. It should be fun to see all the ways the artist form these dishes and see different interpretations of what a book is.
For a map of exhibits, visit
As always, the Art Hop features free food and drinks, both non and alcoholic. If you want to partake in the freebies, get there early. Things get popping at 5 p.m. and simmer down at 9 p.m. Afterward, feel free to stop in at any of the featured Downtown Dates restaurants. Click on the archives to see a reviews of some of downtown’s best dining venues, or click to see the entire Downtown Dates series.
Will Brisbane’s heavy-handed 2AM club lockout kill-off its music scene?
It was about one thirty in the morning, and I had just stumbled out of the 299 Bar in Fortitude Valley in search of a ride home. Getting a cab this time of night isn’t all that easy, especially if you’ve had a few. I joined a queue at one of the taxi ranks along with other worn club patrons who looked as if they’d also had a long night. A police van and several heavily armed officers sat nearby. ‘At least here’, I thought, ‘I don’t have to worry about being mugged’.
Just as I was reaching the front of the line, the police van started up and drove off. A few minutes later it pulled across a nearby junction from the other side, blocking any traffic from getting to where we were standing. The realisation that we were all going to have to find another way home because we’d made the mistake of standing next to a police van was a less than comfortable feeling.
A young couple, tourists judging by their accents, seemed less than impressed. “Welcome to Queensland” they said with the barest hint of amusement, shaking their heads and turning into the crowd. One guy, who had clearly had too much to drink, and having already started fights with two different people in the queue, sat down on the curb, covered in glass, and buried his head in his lap. A girl, eye makeup running slightly, swaying from the third, possibly fourth rum and coke, began wandering off by herself in what she probably hoped was the direction of the nearest official taxi rank.
Eager to get some questions answered first hand, I approached a pair of men with nametags and stethoscopes standing nearby. One of them turned out to be Lance Murgard, head of Chaplainwatch, a non-profit organization that provides first aid. I asked why the police were blocking off the road, and they announced that it was an illegal cab rank. I then suggested (in my best sober voice) that allowing people to get a cab from outside the club was the lesser of two evils compared with having them wander round The Valley with enough alcohol in them to kill a horse. Needless to say, I was promptly told to sod off.
” If we keep going at this rate, it’s only a matter of time before our music scene and infrastructure begins to crumble like it did down south. We’ve got an amazing scene here; pound for pound, it’s easily the best scene in Australia.”
With that attitude in mind, the Queensland Police Union is pushing a 2 or 3 AM closing time for all Brisbane clubs and pubs. Union President Ian Leavers claims that “closing drinking hotspots in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast is the only way to stop the chaos on our streets”. Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson added last week that one in four police officers has been assaulted during violent, alcohol related incident in Queensland. This follows previous controversial moves by the Queensland Government to ban glass from high-risk venues.
Naturally there’s been a great deal of criticism towards this proposal. Venue owners, while not best pleased about the violence, are worried that the ban will severely affect the economy of the entertainment strip, and that pub and club workers almost certainly stand to lose jobs. Labor MP Dean Wells suggested that the proposed ID scanners at clubs could be used by third parties to get hold of your personal details. Dr.John Saunders, head of Pine Rivers Hospital drug and alcohol rehabilitation program, suggested that patrons would simply compensate for the earlier closing time; something that the alcopop tax introduced by the Rudd government was intended to stop.
While only a tiny fraction of this criticism ever makes it into the mainstream press as it is, one element that’s been receiving little or no attention at all is how the ban will influence Brisbane’s music scene.
Lord Mayor Campbell Newman has thrown his support behind the lockdown, saying he is willing to risk Brisbane’s reputation as “A new world city” if it will mean a reduction in violence. Tourists are already discouraged, perhaps needlessly, from visiting Queensland at certain times of year anyway, and the lockdown will almost certainly tarnish its reputation as Brisvegas. Because the cost of renting in Brisbane is relatively low, and already has a well-developed series of venues catering to a variety of musical tastes, the city is popular with acts who are trying to get stated and with established ones touring from overseas alike.
Most bands don’t play until the early hours of the morning, with the vast bulk of pub-goers arriving in The Valley around midnight. Moving closing time back to 2AM places severe restrictions on how long acts are able to play, what sort of audience they’re likely to get during that time, and ultimately, how much everyone is likely to get paid. This leaves little incentive for smaller groups to play here.
“Not only will this proposal cost jobs, but there will be significantly less live acts coming to play in Brisbane, resulting in our city becoming a cultural wasteland”.
Steve Bell, editor for Time Off, noted that after similar restrictions were introduced in Melbourne and Sydney, it eventually meant that well-known venues like The Tote and the Hopetoun Hotel were forced to close. ” If we keep going at this rate, it’s only a matter of time before our music scene and infrastructure begins to crumble like it did down south. We’ve got an amazing scene here; pound for pound, it’s easily the best scene in Australia.”
Joanna Nilson, of The Butcher Birds, cited Billboard’s naming of Brisbane as an international music hotspot back in 2007. “Without supportive, economically sound live music venues, musicians will find it very difficult to hone their craft and develop – let alone build a following or a fanbase”.
Zach Salar, spokesman for lobby group Queensland Locked Out, not only thinks the government should rethink the proposal for earlier closing times, but should also wind-back the existing regulations made over the past three years.
“There will be a trickle- down effect to not only venue operators and staff, but all musicians, DJs . . . will be affected financially as these venues make most of their money after midnight”.
“Not only will this proposal cost jobs, but there will be significantly less live acts coming to play in Brisbane, resulting in our city becoming a cultural wasteland”.
The UK has had similar problems with alcohol in the last few years, but recent research there has revealed that removing fixed closing times, rather than enforcing them, will reduce violent incidents. The fear is that having everyone staying in the clubs until the last minute and then leaving all at the same time will not only make the violence worse, but will make it almost impossible to get home. It’s hard enough getting a cab at one in the morning; I’d hate to see The Valley at closing time.
“Even their own government report stated that there was no proof that the current lockout has worked”, “Extended trading hours allows people to leave in their own time and effectively stagger the number of intoxicated persons on the street automatically”.
Two weeks ago, the group staged a protest outside of Parliament House, where about 600 young musicians were present. Rock-band Powderfinger, who got their start here in Brisbane, have been particularly outspoken about the proposed lockdown; guitarist Ian Haug was present at the protests.”There will be a trickle- down effect to not only venue operators and staff, but all musicians, DJs . . . will be affected financially as these venues make most of their money after midnight”.
“If Brisbane wants to be a modern city, with well-managed nightlife venues, and have a thriving music scene, this cannot happen”.
I know I promised pictures of my weekend trip…..wine reviews, fun stories, and PG rated stories of our giggling. But………..
I’m tired. I got home Monday night just in time to change clothes and go to Kenny’s baseball game. Then I came home and unloaded the car and got the kids off to bed. Meanwhile Johnny was fully wound-up – finishing the laundry, packing his bag for work and getting his resume’s off to Sacramento for the Captain’s list. It was exhausting to watch him and I felt guilty that all I wanted to do was cuddle up in my big fluffy bed and go to sleep. I felt guilty that I had left home about 30 minutes after he got there, and that he had to go back to work this morning. We had no quality time together at all. **sniff, sniff**
So much happened while I was gone, too! I went to really great party in Los Osos, wrote a business plan and did financial projections with my two friends, drank WAY too much wine and ate FAR too much GOOD CHEESE! I was offered a new position at work, and laughed until I nearly cried with my girls.
The kids were back in school today, so that meant being up at 6am, packing lunches and supervising h brushing of teeth. As of this week, I’ve taken the kids out of daycare to save some money – until I go back to work – probably June.
I took a short break and found that our friend Angela had added some pictures to her Facebook album that she had taken when she and Bill were over earlier this month. SO CUTE! I mean WHO couldn’t love this face???
An absolutely perfect way to let go of the stress I’m feeling in my shoulders. (More like PAIN, actually!) But just look at her!
Ok….I am perfectly melted now.
Hmmmm…….Seen any bugs around here?? I could really use a nice juicy mealworm right now!
Well if you’re not gonna help a girl out, I’m LEAVING!! Hmmph!
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