Tag: family

Satisfy My Soul

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Is there a little bit of Old Soul in all of us?  That’s a question of the ages, or for the soul if you will.  If you feel the need to proclaim yourself as one than there’s some more questions you need to be asking.  Wait, what am I talking about again?  The soul or wine? Are these two entities really that separate from one another?  This goes deeper if you want it to.

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I had initially brought the Old Soul Pinot Noir from Oak Ridge Winery as a gift so some dear friends.  I told them to save it for a special occasion, because there was symbolism and meaning for the recipients of this wine.  That conversation and metaphysical discussion will be left between us and the universe.   And we’ve all had these in-depth and philosophical meetings at least once (and if we’re fortunate, many more) in our lives.   This is the kind of wine that encompasses all that is good with the atmosphere.

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So after all that, the special occasion turns out to be a Halloween party?  Makes sense if you think about it.  Cut out the seriousness, and how fitting of a holiday to serve such a perfect and purposeful wine.   Not sure this is the kind of soul discussion I was hoping for. I think you get what I’m referencing.

At my local stores I’ve seen this priced anywhere from $13-$16.  I say that’s a fair price and one I’m willing to spend a few more dollars on than my traditional $10 and under purchases.

The immediate stand out is the intense fruits when I uncorked the bottle.   What a beautiful array of berries and as the synopsis says, floral tones.  I knew I was in for something special.  The aura and energy of the wine seemed distinctively familiar.  And it may be possible I’ve had this wine or any one of their other varietals.  But I think there’s something bigger here.  There’s something bigger than us.  Maybe it’s the name, the label, that beautiful tree, or all of the above.  This wine really hits nerves on a multitude of levels.

And it tastes a lot more fuller than your traditional Pinot, and that’s mainly due in part that it’s blended with Zinfandel.  I kept saying to anyone who would listen that this wine was fantastic.  Well I would say some pals agreed, or they wanted an alternative from a mixed drink or cold beer. This wine never stood a chance.  It was decimated in minutes, and I was lucky to get a second cup in.  Seriously, the taste of blackberries and whatever else may be inside the soul was something to savor.  I thought I may have gotten some vanilla.  Again, as I’ve said before, our palates are all different.  We all may get a little something and a little bit of the same with this wine.  That’s what makes this so fun.

This is a wine meant to be shared, but more importantly shared with the people you care about the most.  Yes, this was a Halloween party and the seriousness should be left at the door and especially when wearing a goofy costume.  But this wine really touched my soul. There’s a big picture with this.  Which means I must try more, and share it with everyone here.

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But for now I’ll leave with some of the foods that were paired with this one.  This was early on in the party so you see the easy plates of appetizers such as hummus, pita bread, and some sweet baklava and pastries that were opened later.

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All this will be revisited again soon.  I’m a huge fan of this wine and think this winery is bringing some of that positive energy that we all need, and what a perfect time to talk about it was we steadily approach the holidays.

For information on where to find there wines in your area click here.

More is coming!

Ideen

 

I Love Ellicott City

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alacartewithfood2

For as many years as I can remember Historic Ellicott City  has been a fun place for me to visit.  I’ve taken several trips with family, many with friends, and now the last few have been on my own.  It has been a breath of fresh air. It conveys the old town soul and feeling that’s fortunately close to home and just feels the same.

I’m not here enough.  Cozy and welcoming towns like this are where I was meant to hang out.  I can’t speak for anyone else, but I suspect many feel the same.  I can’t turn back time but a set-up like this is where I would love to grow up.  Maybe in the next life.  Maybe in a previous life.

Over the summer I found myself here, and not by happenstance.  I don’t believe in that.   I believe in destiny.   A little sight seeing, a little food, a little shopping, but mostly becoming immersed and lost all at once in this quaint and welcoming community.   I didn’t formally know a single soul here, but I didn’t care.  I felt like I belonged. If I lived here, I assume I would make friends over time.  It just has that energy.

There were a few stops I wish I had made back in July, but maybe some cosmic force had other ideas.   I don’t know what to say.  But just three months later I found myself back here and making up for lost time.  Maybe this is all how it was meant to be.  I can’t predict these things.

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For the life of me I have no idea why I had never been to Pure Wine Cafe.  I love wine.  I love approachable establishments.  And I loved the energy of this place.  Yes it took me all this time.  Maybe the summer and every other time I walked by led me to this moment.

Well it only took me five years.

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I envisioned this place being spacious yet snug and homelike, and that’s exactly what happened.  Sometimes your visions match the results.  Think about that one.

Dan, who is one of the managers could not have been more friendly.  We had a spirited discussion about wine, the joys of wine drinking, and the rules of pairing.  He, like me, knows there are no rules to this thing.   It’s about going with your instincts, your feelings, and the mood you’re in.  And just maybe you go against all that, but not this time.

With this being pumpkin season and all, one item from the menu caught my eye.  The Roasted Heirloom Pumpkin was my small place of choice.  So what next, oh right, the wine…

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I was secretly hoping for a white to go with this and that’s just what he suggested. Actually Dan suggested a couple but I leaned towards some grapes I’ve never had.    I don’t have white blends often.  I tend to take those for granted.  I’m sure plenty of reds will be poured and savored as the colder weather approaches but I was looking forward to something different. Different can end up being a part of a repertoire later.

I went with the 2014 A La Carte.  More on these wines can be found here,  and over here.  And here’s a place to order online.  At around $15 retail in stores, calling this a bargain would be a major understatement.

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Those grapes you see in the synopsis (look at W12 – more on that momentarily) are none I’ve ever heard of nor will I pretend otherwise.  But I loved the combination.  This wine is a winner.  As Dan said, this is a perfect winter white.   And this was an affordable wine by the glass.

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I love how they’ve broken the wines down by body, strength, and value. I’m sure I left some other fancy words out too that I could have used.

Even more importantly, here is their story and why they call themselves Pure.  It’s all about the wine and the food.  Oh and the little things too, which could also be the big things.

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My roasted pumpkin never stood a chance.  The pumpkin seeds were toasted perfectly, and the paprika and tzatziki sauce added flavor that I never thought to put on pumpkin. Actually I don’t know the protocol of what does or doesn’t go on pumpkin but this belongs at the top of the list.

This was a perfect pairing. This was affordable.  And this was the perfect day.

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A nice quiet afternoon in a wine bar is always something to look forward to or even better when it’s spontaneous.   Find any beautiful town like Ellicott City, we can only be so fortunate to have a place to visit like Pure Wine Cafe.

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This place is worthy of all the praise in the world.   But don’t take my word for it.  This is the awards show part of the blog.  

If you’re interested in visiting, here is their contact and location information.

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But most important of all, if you’re in the Maryland vicinity, definitely come back to visit Ellicott City.  This is a town that’s loyal to their community, their businesses, and most important of all, to each other.   it’s a community that’s got so much going for it.  Many businesses will be opening and re-opening in the next few weeks and months.  And they would greatly appreciate our business.

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I know I will be back many times over, so the posts will keep on coming.   I support local business, I love local business, and I love Ellicott City.

I leave you with a bunch of photos of what’s happening now, the flourishing, and what’s still to come.

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Love,

Ideen

 

 

Dance Party!

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No, not really.  Well, unless you incorporate laying around as much as possible as some form of interpretive dance.

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I’ll cut right to the dance and step in where I can, this dance party was brought to us by our friends from Trader Joe’s.  The 2014 Cotillion Pinot Noir is an exclusive to TJ’s and I wouldn’t expect it any other way.

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I can’t fully explain into words but there’s certain stores you walk into, and you can just tell the food, the drink, or what have you is synonymous with that store.  If I saw this bottle somewhere at a friends house,  I would sense this can only come from one place. That’s a testament to the bottle and the energy of this store.

The fact that I’m expounding on this so long on this may come off as an indictment of the wine itself than a love for the label.  Well there is a love for the label.  How do you not like animals dancing the Cotillion.

My one issue is the price.  I think in general they’ve steadily raised their prices $1-$2 (and sometimes more) for most of their exclusive wines.  The same wines I used to see for $3-4, yes you read that right, are now in the $5-7+ range.

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This wine goes for $10 and it’s ok for that price.  The tasting notes have been provided for you, and Trader Joe’s is so good with making that accessible and easy for anyone to understand.  The berries are easy to detect as with many California wines, but the vanilla spice is the stand out here. Maybe in colder temperatures I’ll appreciate this even more.

It screams fall and it screams a cozy situation where doing nothing as much as possible is ideal. That’s more projecting and a personal observation than anything else.

Since it’s a Pinot Noir, it can be paired with anything and nothing all at the same time. After a few minutes of letting it breathe, it improved in taste.  Initially I was weary.  But that’s why you know never judge a wine on first sip, immediately upon opening.  And you never judge a wine by its label, unless it’s as charming as this one.  In that case, judge away, as long as it’s positive. Animal friends always deserve to be happy.

And we should be happy with whatever wine we’re drinking.

I would be happier if this was a few dollars less.  And I may have been spoiled since I’ve had many great wines at $7.00 or less from Trader Joe’s.

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As seasons change so does our eating habits.   Some dear friends supplied a wonderful spread of cheese, crackers, and finger foods to complement the vino.  It’s a team effort! For even more on this group collective, go here.

And the team at the Trader Joe’s in Alexandria, VA has always been accessible.    Since my first time visiting I’ve always had a good feeling about this store.  It’s been one of my go-to wine shoppes for the past few years.  And when I make my way to the vicinity I make it a priority to stop by.

Even though prices for certain vintages have gone up, there’s still bargains that are second-to-none, that you can’t find everywhere.  Being a national chain is part of why they can lower their prices.

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Lower prices doesn’t always mean lower quality.  Just as a cheap bottle can lead to cheap wine. So have fun and do some research.   Before you know it the holidays will be here and if you live near a TJ’s that sells wine consider yourself fortunate and find some great deals.

Here’s a sampling of my Trader Joe’s posts from the past.

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We’re just getting started and more sweet deals are hopefully to come.

Cheers,

Ideen