So another week has flown by, my to-do list hasn’t budged and I’m wondering what the heck happened. Here are a few things I can account for:
1. Pelligrino – Is it possible to become addicted to sparkling water? When I first met my husband I couldn’t stand the taste of the stuff. Now, I can’t wait ’till dinner to have a glass. Today, I drank it straight from the bottle and it was only 2 p.m…..I think I have a problem.
2. Pan-Roasted Brined Pork Chop
- bonappetit.com
We made this for Hubby’s B-day celebration and it was Ah-mazing! Be sure to use 2 inch bone-in pork chops as the recipe states and marinate no longer than 8 hours or they will be very salty. We drank some good juice and started off with a 2010 Capiaux Pinot Noir from Sonoma Coast. Earthy, medium bodied with cherry cola notes, just the way we like it….paired well with the pork. Next up, 2009 Shafer Relentless, which is a Syrah/Petite Syrah blend from Stags Leap, Napa Valley. The 2008 was Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year and the 2009 was drinking beautifully. I don’t usually buy into that stuff but my honey kept saying it over and over and by the end of the evening I was repeating him like a parrot. Yeah we had a bit to drink….
Two Ah-mazing wines and Grand Marnier in the snifter…
3. Earlier this week it was Winter and all of our plants froze. Yes, we did wrap them in sheets and burlap but Mother Nature laughed in our face. Today, Spring is teasing us and I’m sweating just thinking about what is to come. I can’t take the heat….Tell me again why we live in Phoenix??
4. Twitter….I am now on Twitter (@cherylhjohns) and it’s my new crack. I love that you can stalk follow peeps on Twitter without having to know them. Here are a few of my new favorite “friends” Jerry James Stone @jerryjamesstone – he’s all about cooking in SF, Hot Food Porn @hotfoodporn – I’ll admit they had me at food porn, but when I saw the pigs on their Twitter wall I was a gonner! And finally, an amazing photographer Nick Ulivieri @ChiPhotoGuy who uses Chicago as his photo backdrop.
5. The Art of Barter. It’s January and this is the month you are supposed to get rid of all the useless crap you have hoarded over the last year! Don’t throw it in the landfill; one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Sell it, barter for more useful items but don’t contribute to mass consumerism. Seriously though….think before you buy.
6. Jackie from Marin Mama Cooks – my new blog crush… Lots of quoina, kale and veggie recipes. She features meat as well as cookies and cakes but what I love most is her step-by-step pictures that work oh so well for the not so confident kitchen cook that is me. When Hubby and I move to Northern Cali, Jackie will be one of my BFF’s she just doesn’t know it yet…
7. This goofball keeps me on my toes. Is she praying to the sleep Gods or practicing doggie yoga? Either way I decided she needed a memory foam mattress in her crate since she has spent a bit of time there this last week while I was off getting myself beautified and what-not.
Yes, She really sleeps this way!
8. Music finds – Macklemore…..Thrift Shop – Love this song! It has a message with a bit of fun! One kind reader was gracious enough to point out that I’m just tagging along to be weird and non-conformist and I should stop trying to sell a lifestyle that’s based on deception. There was something in there about the relevance of this song with wine and blah, blah, blah. I stopped listening because I was having too much fun and really life should be about having fun. Be sure to check out Patty’s favorite “Same Love” – this brings me to tears every time I listen. Also check out Heather’s favorite “Irish Celebration”.
9. I love when my sister visits me, which happens several times a year. She’s visiting again in a couple of weeks and I have a mile long list of things we “Have To Do”, most of which we never get to. We do eat well thanks to her culinary skills and drink lots of good juice but don’t take my word for it, check out her latest post on the Rose Pistola Rocket Salad. I’m hungry now!
10. Let’s end with some eye candy…..Adam Levine. The Food and Wine Hedonist did this so well I really don’t need to add much more except if you like men or have Man-Crushes be sure to check out his post and click on the link for the picture of Adam in all his glory. And then check out this one on his FB page…
Want to know what wine I paired with Macklemore’s Thrift check it out here.
Happy Weekend peeps and Cheers to you! What’s in your glass?
My Love Affair With The Vine 