KatieLoeb

cew: Foris Vineyards of Oregon produces a delicious and affordable wine called "Fly Over Red". It is a classic Bordeaux blend of Cabernet, Merlot and Cabernet Franc which is aged in French oak barrels. Smells and tastes like Bordeaux but is domestic. The "fly over" name is a reference to the small planes manned by Drug Enforcement Agency agents that "fly over" the vineyards, seeking illegal "botany experiments" planted amongst the vines. Seems that marjuana is a pretty big cash crop in the Pacific Northwest. This is the story I was told by my wine purveyor that carries this product, who says he heard it from the winemaker himself. Nonetheless, this wine is delicious, will pay off your bet in an interesting fashion, has a great story to go along with it and won't break the bank.

You've probably been there more recently than I have. I think I was there about 6 years ago, but I sent other friends about two years ago that reported back much of what I had thought of the place (i.e. What a Great Little Dive). However, if the management has changed I can't speak for that. I was only there (repeatedly) on the one vacation and loved the place. It was definitely the hole-in-the-wall one as well. I agree that the ambaince, or lack thereof, was part of the whole experience. Once we found that bar, we went virtually every day for a week!

A great bar with terrific seafood is The Lazy Flamingo in Sanibel. I think there's two of them. By no means a fancy place, but when I was there the food and drinks were just what vacation is all about. Great cocktails, cold beer and delicious fresh seafood for decent prices. Definitely a shorts and flip flops kind of place, but well worth the trip. Lots of locals there, which I always think is a good sign.

Viejo: Very cute place. Interesting preparations and fresh seasonal ingredients. BYOB so you could probably bring something really nice from your cellar, if you were feeling so inclined. Service has been friendly, if occasionally harried, but never so much so as to ruin the visit. Very reasonably priced for the quality and care of the ingredients and preparations. If you're considering this for the upcoming graduation weekend I hope you already have reservations. There isn't a reservation to be had anywhere in this city next weekend. What about your standing reservation at Striped Bass??? I was hoping next time you were in you'd ask the hostess to call me so I could introduce myself. I'm upstairs in the office fairly late sometimes, although I am trying to avoid weekends for the summer. Thanks for your kind words regarding Easter brunch. I printed your post fout or the manager and she was quite pleased.

Thanks Bill! I feel much better now. And I heartily agree with your criteria for choosing whom to like. Moscato as a shared passion in a friendship is a wonderful start! Craig, if he said anything dirty, I'd prefer NOT to have my bubble burst. I'm a sucker for a guy that speaks Italian to me. It has the same effect on me that Morticia speaking French did on Gomez... I raise my glass to you Signore! Salut e Cent Anni!

Say What? I've either just had my honor defended or been terribly insulted. Mercifully, I'm not sure which...

Hi Lissome! Here's your answer Basque Wine Info Apparently it's a mix of both white and a a small amount of red grapes. Sounds very interesting... My summer faves always include Albarino, Soave, Prosecco, Moscato, Viognier and Pinot Blanc. And of course any excuse to drink Champagne will do I agree on the suggestion of the Gruet. It's the house sparkler at one of my favorite restaurants and it is absolutely delicious. Who knew they could make sparkling wine in NEW MEXICO?? I just tasted a really delicious viognier from Domaine Cheze that was absolutely lovely. I think it retails for somewhere around $22.

One of my favorite pizza combos is prosciutto, black olives, artichokes and sundried tomatoes. Yummy! Fresh tomatoes, spinach and sausage is also high on my list.

Sara: I see the Stalinistas are still in residence (or shall I say entrenched) at Chowhound. Have we learned nothing from our prior experiences??? Need I say more...

Actually, I was talking about whether I was correct about the glycemic index stuff, not about subbing wine for beer exclusively. I'm not sure if she's being cruel, or if perhaps you've given her some reason to hope that you develop a case of laryngitis. Only you know that for sure...

Varmint: Best of luck with the lifestyle changes (I absolutely LOATHE the word "diet") related to your eating habits. Since I'm no shining example of sveltitude myself, you can take this advice with a grain of salt (or a handful of sugar) as you see fit. I'd cut down on the high glycemic carbohydrates, generally anything white like bread, white rice, white potatoes, pasta, etc. and try to get more carbs in your diet from whole grain sources, legumes and vegetables. It cuts down on the wild swings in blood sugar that lead to binging and cravings for sweets. Cutting out the beer and substituting wine wouldn't hurt either. You should ask Dr. Mrs. Varmint if I'm correct about this. Keep us posted on your progress.

The Heritage Diner in Hackensack, NJ was the site of many late night meals when I was growing up in that neck of the woods. The baked goods were (are?? I haven't been in ages) all freshly made on the premises and the California Pie was my all time favorite. Sort of a high custard cream pie with fresh glazed fruits on top like a tart. Lots of berries, apricots, kiwis, etc. YUM! Good grief I have to get up that way and have a slice... Growing up in Northern NJ it's easy to take diners for granted. There had to be at least a dozen of them within a 20 minute radius of my house, and they were ALL good, all open late or 24/7 and almost all baked their own baked goods. It's not quite the same here in Philadelphia, but if I'm really jonesing, I can go to the Mayfair Diner in NE Philly, or cross the bridge to South Jersey and hit Olga's or Ponzio's. Those are all very good diners too.

Pepi makes a California Chardonnay that is (oh my GAWD ) COMPLETELY UNOAKED!!! All done in stainless steel, and shockingly, tastes like what Chardonnay FRUIT tastes like, not what THE INSIDE OF A BARREL OR A BUNCH OF OAK CHIPS taste like. I like the liquid tongue depressor comparison. Pretty much sums it up for me...

DiNardo's = Snarky service. I prefer to order a bushel of crabs there and take them elsewhere or to a party. I have a friend who orders a big box for his annual beach party. The crabs are much better on the deck at his oceanfront home in LBI and without the nasty service. I still think that Bonk's and Byrne's are better if you want to get down and dirty right on the spot.

Kim: Please don't fail to report back on your Vetri dinner. And of course whether it was up to snuff with your fussy clients

Curiously, I'm in the opposite camp. I always LOVED Ron's Ribs, especially when I lived at 15th & Rodman Streets and it was just a few short steps from my door. My former roommate at that address probably put at least one of Ron's kids through college personally. I always found the ribs fairly tender and the sauces are delicious. I could live without the requisite Wonder Bread, but hell, that's how they served it. I had bad experiences at Phoebe's with gristly tough ribs and a borderline case of food poisoning. 'Nuff said. Not to mention the fact that they stole the concept directly from a former mutual employer.

Kim: I've not seen anyone in jeans, per se, although Panorama is located at the Penn's View Inn, where there may be toursits staying that are dressed more casually than a suit (khaki trousers and collared shirt). I've always seen folks looking at least "business casual" there, and certainly in the dining room proper, but perhaps a phone call to their front desk will reveal whether they actually have a dress code, and if it is enforced. They certainly do have tablecloths and nice china and glassware. Lots of exposed brick walls. The room with the 120 bottle cruvinet is the coolest place, IMHO, and gives you and your guests an idea of the depth and breadth of the wine selection available there. I've often seen groups of what appear to be business meetings going on in there. Are these clients that uptight that they'd rather eat mediocre food with other stuffy "suits" than have a truly memorable wining/dining experience even if there's some fool in jeans across the room? You are a far more patient lass than I am. I'd tell them to loosen up!

Kim: Here's a link to a review of Frederick's. It seems they get good marks for food, mixed reviews on service. No specific mentions of the wine list. I'd still stick with Panorama of the choices you've given, other than snagging that miracle last minute reservation to Vetri!

Although not words I would use tableside to describe to a guest, the words, "barnyard", "horse blanket" and "animal" are good winespeak for Gigondas. Also dried black fruit scents and "cedary" (think cigar box smells) are common desciptors.

Kim: Frederick's on Front Street is quite "grown-up" and seems like it suits your criteria. It's about five blocks or so away. I'd also suggest La Veranda which is just a little further north on Delaware Avenue. It's a bit of a "family" restaurant, if your family is in the cement or trash business, if you get my drift, but it's supposedly quite good and also seems like it fits what you're looking for. I'd still go to Panorama, even after a wine tasting, and just not do flights of wine. You won't find a better selection of wines by the glass ANYHWERE, and the wine list itself is excellent. I'm very fond of their lamb Bolognese pasta. It's not super formal or stuffy, but still a very nice restaurant.

Is this the same as CAPTAIN Morgan's spiced rum? It's pretty popular here in the States. Most folks just drink it with Coke, but I'd imagine it's tasty on it's own. I doubt it's as smooth as an aged rum for sipping purposes though.

Kim: Are you attending the "trade" tasting in the afternoon, or the public tasting in the early evening? I'll definitely be there in the afternoon and will probably stick around for a bit of the evening festivities too.

Grilled cheese sandwiches, cold leftovers nuked to edible temps, peanut butter on whole wheat crackers, can of soup nuked to edible temperature, or if I cheated I picked up chicken tacos at La Lupe on the way home. My very favorite drunk food...

Interesting. Grapes when left alone grow much like weeds, particularly in places where there are ideal temperatures, soil conditions, adequate rain or irrigation, etc. I wonder how many of these factors the kibbutz vineyard has going for it, and whether they're getting quantity or quality out of the harvest.

Philadelphia has it's share of "gay" restaurants, however, many of them attract quite a mixed clientele because they are some of the better establishments in town. Judy's, The Inn Philadelphia, Astral Plane, L2, Key West, Bump, and the Venture Inn all come to mind. I used to be the token straight chick on the staff at the local leather bar when they owned and ran the Cafe next door several years ago. Probably explains why not a whole lot phases me anymore . Those leather queens absolutely loved me because I gave the sass back as good as I got it. My favorite story involves a customer that, after examining the menu, asked me (in all seriousness), "Miss - I have a question about size", meaning the PORTION size. I, of course, looked at him completely deadpan and said, "No matter what they tell you, it DOES matter!" His dining companions really lost it.