10 posts tagged “qotd”

What is the best beer on planet Earth? 
Submitted by Remmy Van Hornie.

Just one?!

Of course, I love Guinness.  I think it's quite possibly my favorite beer of all time.

I'm also a big fan of Anchor Steam's Christmas Ale. 

For the summer months, I really love Hoegaarden.

Are you a morning person or a night owl?

I hate mornings.  If I could sleep until 9am everyday, my quality of life would increase tenfold.

What was the highlight of your summer?
Submitted by ladym.vox.com.

Obviously, that would be selling our loft and buying the current Casa Caudill.

If you could only save one thing in a house fire (thing, not person), what would it be and why?
Submitted by donnunn.

This is assuming pets are included in the "not person" stipulation, of course.

I used to say it was our wedding photos, but not so much anymore.  I definitely think it'd be our wine.  I wonder what Alan would say.

Speaking of wine, my new favorite is 2004 J Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley.

The Vineyards
J’s 2004 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is an elegant composition of wines made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes sourced from our Estate Vineyards as well as from selected growers in the Russian River Valley Appellation.

Processing
Our grapes are picked at night or in the cool morning hours to preserve freshness. The fruit is then carefully hand-sorted before de-stemming into a variety of open-top and closed-top fermenters. The must is given 3 days of cold soaking before fermentation is allowed to begin. Malolactic fermentation occurred in both oak tanks and French oak barrels. Our process allows us to craft a wine that is balanced, exhibiting layered complexity of flavors and aromas.

Ageing
Malolactic fermentation occurred in oak tanks and French oak barrels. The wine aged for 11 months in French oak barrels, 30% of which were new French oak. A loose filtration process with no fining was employed before bottling.

Tasting Notes
The 2004 vintage exhibits the full potential of our vineyards and the unique terroir of our region. The growing season in 2004 was relatively long and warm, with low yields, concentrating fruit flavors in the berries. As you pour the wine, Bing cherry and plum aromas burst forth. Hints of blackberry, violets, wild fennel, spicy cinnamon, and creamy vanilla round out the bouquet. The finish is full, long and silky with coffee, smoked bacon, warm spice and brown sugar notes.

Harvest: August 17 - October 1st,  2004

Final Analysis: Alcohol 14.1% by volume

Bottling Date: January 2006

Cases Produced: 20,000

What was (or is) your favorite subject in school?

In high school, my favorite class was Interior Design.  In college, my favorite classes were The Roaring 20s (literature), Shakespeare on Film, Philosophy of Film, and Art History.

What albums are in heavy rotation for you right now?

These are basically in my car at all times (with the latest addition being Christina Aguilera).

ETA: I knew I was forgetting a couple. These two are always in my car for when I'm feeling angsty.

When was the last time you had to speak in front of a group?  How did you feel?

That would be yesterday. The seminar I gave at my client's office went really well.  Some of the people who were supposed to show up didn't, but the people who did were very participatory and the session was definitely interactive.  We came up with a lot of good ideas, so I'm hoping everyone considered it a success.  Overall, I have no problem with public speaking, as long as I'm prepared.

What magazines do you subscribe to, and why?

InStyle, Martha Stewart Living, Cottage Living, Better Homes & Gardens, Bon Appetit, Dwell, Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, and Sunset. 

I really enjoy reading about homes, food, wine, and just generally the good life.  I used to also subscribe to Conde Nast Traveler and Real Simple but I found the Traveler articles too esoteric for my tastes and the tips in Real Simple to be so overly practical that there was no way I could ever implement them, so I let both subscriptions lapse.  In regards to Real Simple, I sometimes I found myself thinking, "this is written for people who have no clue how to clean their house properly."

I think my favorite of the bunch is definitely Sunset.  People laugh because they think it's a magazine for old ladies, but that's the furthest thing from the truth.  They often profile couples in their mid-30s who have just remodeled their houses in an interesting way, recipes that are fabulous for dinner parties, and travel destinations that make you want to go there. 

Do you have any tattoos? If not, if you were going to get inked, what would you get?

I have one tattoo, a blue daisy on my right shoulder.  I got it when I was 18, during the summer before my sophomore year of college. It's much larger than I intended for it to be and it was one of the most painful experiences I can recall as an adult.  I don't think I would ever get another one.

ETA: I was going to post one of our wedding photos, but apparently when we switched over to the new computer, we didn't copy any of the wedding or honeymoon photos over.  Doh!  Instead, here's one from when I was trying dresses on.  Why I still have those, I have no idea.

What is your favorite cover song?
Question submitted by Ray.

I really loved Kelly Clarkson's version of Annie Lenox's "Why" as performed in concert during her last tour.  I would love for her to put it on her new album.