road trippin

No wine today in Utah... I started my drive this morning and made it all the way from Vegas to Grand Junction, CO. I've gone 17,000 miles in the last 3 months, why not drive 2,600 more and end up in New York? I made a slight detour off of the i-70 to Moab and drove through Arches National Park (loved the Moab pub radio station KZMU). Tired, goodnight.

Ok, jump to friday morning. Good morning. I just went down to the holiday inn express breakfast, straight out of bed, with my "got wood" t-shirt on that I got from a cooper in Napa. Pretty. I've restocked provisions (apples from the breakfast bar) and will be on my way shortly. Today's goal is Omaha, but first I get to pass through Vail and Denver. I hear there is some bar named the Brass Ass in Colo, where?

Sunday I want to make it to Wrigley Field for the Cubs vs. White Sox, and if you have an extra ticket please email me. I saw that Dave Mathews will be playing north if Chi town in Wisc. that night...

Grand Junction is right on the Colo river and there are some Vinyards nearby in Fruita and Palisade. Maybe I can find a tasting room?

family

I'm at the airport waiting for my delayed flight back to Vegas. I'm rejuvinated and ready to start my road trip later this week across the US back east... after I sleep and fast for 2 days first.

Happy Birthday

Best wishes to my oldest brother Rick. Even after being abducted by aliens and turning half beast, he's still alright in my book. That's my sister Juliette, who also celebrated a June b-day. Love and cheers!

excuse me mr. president

I called the President, you can too 202-456-1414. Tell him what you think.

fried egg on top

Enchiladas with a fried egg on top, sopapillas (not the dessert kind) and the great chili debate: red or green. These are the things that make New Mexico great. Sopapillas are supposed to go with a meal, savory like tortillas, and not sweet at the end. I like encheladas flat, layered and loaded with onions and cheese. I saw Val Kilmer and Steve Zahn in Santa Fe today.

After visiting with family and friends for the next 2 weeks (NM, LV, SF), I'm going to make the move to New York. I tried to give the west one last chance, but it didn't work out. The job interview went well, but wasn't the right fit. I don't think they liked what I was wearing... ?

left turn

This post is coming to you from Albuquerque, New Mexico. After a quick drive from Vegas to Paso Robles, to San Francisco, down to LA (quick stop for a job interview - stay tuned) and back to Vegas, I flew in last night to visit family in N.M. I didn't make it to Santa Cruz, but had a really cool boat ride in SF Bay.

sand blast

After a short stay in Vegas, I had to take off and get close to the beach again. Maybe it's that I'm an aquarian, or that I really liked Mexico. Yesterday, I hit the dunes hard near Pismo beach (San Luis Obispo County, CA) and today will be hitting some wineries in Paso Robles. A friend from Napa is now the winemaker at SummerWood so that'll be my first stop. Bonny Doon's tasting room in Paso closed down in March, but maybe I can see them when I go to Santa Cruz on Saturday.

armageddon hangover

Well 6/6/06 passed and we're all still here. It's good because I have a lot more to do with this life. Check out pics from inside the wine tower at Aureole Las Vegas, inside the Mandaly Bay hotel. The wine angel is Heather.

todo es bueno

the waves have been absolutly huge here (playa costa azul and acapulquito) for the past few days. san jose is mellow compared to the squid row scene in san lucas, which of course I had to check out last night. food is better (and cheaper) north of the gringo party zone too. baja peninsula, bcs, is one of the mexican states where wine is produced. baja regions: calafia and guadalupe valleys, tecate zone, santo tomas valley, san vincente, mexicali.