B.Y.O.M.

I've made it through training at the new gig and I'm on the schedule Mon-Fri. this week. I had a chance to lead an Abruzzo tasting last week. White: Trebbiano Red: Montepulciano. A homeless dude asked me for money... "do you have a dollar for the homeless?" I could ask him the same thing. Wine tasting at work on Saturday was good. Did you know that if the Yankees lose the game you get Liza singing the new york song at yankee stadium, and if it's a win then it's Frank's turn? Took a Sunday drive through the city to see if I can do it on a work day, b/c the subway late at night when I get off of work sucks bad. It's going to be hot this week and a chilled Lambrusco is the answer. I saw Inconvenient Truth yesterday. Not so much good news, and please buy my car. Gore explains why it's so hot outside. See it.

climate crisis

I'm drinking what's in reach.

My car is my pain this week. Ticket #2 for the last 3 days was just placed on my windshield. These people are watching me.

NYPD

I didn't get arrested but my car did. My car got towed, and it was an adventure to find it and pay to set it free.

Over the weekend I took a drive to the new Fairway grocery store in Red Hook. Very nice big store and Red Hood is a really cute hood, no subway there though . As we were leaving the store I noticed a great view of the Statue of Liberty.

As I went looking for propane and the tow yard, I saw areas where Tony Soprano would dump bodies. I know you are probably saying he's in Jersey, but I'm guessing it looks the same.

IL Mimo, a rose of nebbiolo, was the wine I had at Gramercy. I made a mistake in my earlier post. I had the Spanish rose at Bar Jamon (very cute bar, but tini tiny).

I worked some "try out" shifts over the weekend, and I got a job.

yankee stadium

As Judy's dad said after seeing a game at Yankee stadium for the first time, I get it. Great people and fans, remember it was a day game... fun to hear people discussing baseball with the NY accents. No onions or relish for the dogs, only found small packets of ketchup and mustard. Whatev. I didn't see any wine sales or cup holders on the chairs, I'd go back though, it's a nice park. See my pictures posted on my flickr page.

Met up with my new wine friend at Gramercy Tavern later on in the evening for some delicous cheese and Muga Rioja Rose.

hotter than two packrats in a wool sock

Bastille was a fun day in Brooklyn over the weekend. Monday met with the GM of one my fav bistros in the city for an interview and he was so negative. He just wanted to debate me, tell me what I was doing was wrong and that I was taking a step backward in looking for a service position. After I told him about my Napa experience, he said "Why did you come back?" The meeting knocked me down for a minute, and I asked myself the same thing later as I wiped the sweat amd tears off my face. Maybe he's not having fun in NYC anymore? I am dammit. I'd pair my meeting with him with something bitter.

I spent some time yesterday reworking my resume and strategy, as well as working on interview questions/answers. I'm going to do some laundry later then maybe hand my resume to a couple of Brooklyn joints. I'm not sure if these people know who they are dealing with...

Current experience is forcing the concept of living in the NOW.

FREE BOOZE!

Remember that scene in Officer and a Gentleman when Zack Mayo is getting his butt kicked by Sgt. Foley and almost has a breakdown and screams "I got no place else to go!" That's how I'm feeling... almost. Didn't get any love from my interviews last week, but that's cool. I'm still hitting the pavement and I got some ideas on places to hit Monday. I got a note from Napa that said I'm welcome back there if I need it.

If my money situation gets really ugly (right now it's unattractive) I found this great site for drinking on the cheap . MyOpenBar.com. I'm gonna brainstorm and come up with MY big idea.com.

Wine selection for Bastille day: Gigondas, good value (which I need) reds made from grenache, syrah and mourvèdre. Or the French 75 cocktail of Cognac, lemon juice, sugar topped off with Champagne.

A new friend introduced me to a cool German bar Zum Schneider (Avenue C & 7th Street) and a dish called carrot and oyster pie. The carrots help you see at night, and the oysters are so you have something to look at.

on the verge of madness

Interviews are going well, got a big one today and I'm studying up on my Italian wines to make sure I have my game face on. Funny thing about wine studies, the more I study the less I know. Freaking me out. I really had fun doing my bartending try out, if they offer me the job maybe I should just take it? I found a great place for a glass of riesling, Blaue Gans on Duane St. I hear that they have several sister restaurants and I'm going to check them out because the food looked great as well as the prices.

I'm meeting new people and making new friends because I've realized I get a little insane if I spend too much time on my own. I need to be bouncing my energy off others.

I'm having an easy time with my car here in Brooklyn (would be more difficult in Manhattan) and have been able to park in front of my building, no prob. I just have to remember to move it twice a week for street cleaning. So nice to feel the open road... as I drive around. I haven't ventured beyond the hood (with the car I mean) since I got here. Maybe Monday, unless of course (gasp) I have a job. What happens when it snows?

The Green Grape wine store is just around the corner from me. The owners are ex-lawyers who gave it all up for the glory of wine. See the theme here? They always have bottles open for tasting. I picked up a Spanish garnacha (grenache) from Las Rocas in Calatayud.

Las Rocas

Blaue Gans/Wallse

Release the hounds

The job hunt is on. I have an audition shift tonight at a steakhouse in tribeca after another interview with a Tom Colicchio place. My concern about the steakhouse is that their wine selection is limited to domestic picks, but we will see. Could be alright because the GM seems cool. Big interview on Tuesday, and big means that it's at a place I would die to work at. Awesome selection on wines and very popular. The weather is warm but nice, which is good for running around in interview clothes. I brought a bottle of 2003 Cab from Groth in Napa with me, and it's my pick to drink while you are looking for a job in New York. You might be thinking it should be something lighter, but it's a mellow valley floor cabernet that can stand up to the stress of selling yourself, and I need the comfort of the velvety texture to keep my confidence up.

I made it!!!

Sleeping in Brooklyn tonight, yahoo! Had a fun bbq and a great restaurant waiting for me. Luz on Vanderbilt was the place I needed to ease into my new town and watch Italy beat the Germans. The food was fantastic and service was special (triangle of intimacy). All sorts of people out in the BK enjoying fireworks and cooking out for the 4th. I'm home.

incoraggia l'Italia. desidero andare di nuovo all'Italia ed amo la gente italiana.

state of independence

I made it to Pennsylvania after crossing Indiana and Ohio today. Should be just a few hours in the morning and then Brooklyn. I'm in my new timezone.

on a mission from God

ok so I found a winery on the west side of the rockies and then...
proud mary played as I drove across the mississippi (radio w's and k's divided by the river)
cant drink and drive or take pictures and drive
wireless at road-side rest stops
mr state trooper please don't stop me
chi pub radio, blues blues and more blues
aj pierzynski for the white sox, why didn't he do anything for the giants???
the game at wrigley rocked
slept in lexington ne, passed through lincoln, omaha and de moines. goal nyc for tues world cup game italy vs. who? fireflies in the corn, like fireworks

I got more to say (particularly something I learned about the court of master somm class here in chicago), just a quick post b/c I gotta hit the road