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Sunday, January 31, 2010

Blog moving!

Friends:

It was announced today that I will be appointed to a new position effective July 1, 2010. To help with the transition to a new pastor for this church, I have transferred my blog. Click on the following link: http://foodforthoughtbodyandsoul.blogspot.com.

Hope you'll check out the new blog site. Thanks so much.

Grace and aloha,

Tom Choi

Friday, January 29, 2010

MTW Online Giving.

MTW has launched on-line giving!

It's convenient, It's fast! What will they think of next??

Super Easy Two Step Instructions:

1. Click on link below.

2. Follow MTW directions.

DONATE HERE!


(i think i did that right... I hope so... hmmm...)

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

So, in addition to eating lots of wonderful and delicious food, I also got a chance to help out with some of the ministries at the church.


This is a picture of the mime we presented on Sunday morning. The pastor had asked if I could put a short mime together that helped to illustrate the sermon. After a lot of prayer and a bit of brainstorming we came up with a mime that illustrates how the only way to God is through his son, Jesus and not by just doing good works or trying not to sin.
Since we had limited casting options Peter Bakelaar, one of the long term missionaries, helped us out.



This is the advertisement for our church!


And here's the church! Isn't it so pretty? ... And do you notice the orange sign on the left? That my friends, is the bookstore. Two of my favorite places right next to each other. So nice.



This is the mom and kids club that the church has every week as a way to reach out to the community. When I was there, I helped them make bird mobiles from paper cups and feathers, then the little ones practiced their colours (in English and Japanese), and we read a bible story.



Tuesday, January 26, 2010

right o... well, since this blog is looking rather sparse at the moment, here are a couple pictures of when I went to Nagoya, Japan in 2008.
Along with me came my fierce and stalwart travelling companion, Horatio. (the little green dude with the ears). Together we embarked upon our most exciting journey yet.
Here we have Horatio and I in the Detroit airport, waiting for our flight... please excuse my bad self portraiting skills...




On the plane! 13 hours of fun and excitement. Though toward the 7 hour mark, Horatio was feeling a might queasy....




Here we are in the subway station. Nagoya eki, in Japanese, I think...



In the RAMEN shop. One of my most favorite of foods... EVER. noodles, meat, boiled egg, bamboo shoots etc. all nestled in a lovely broth. What's not to love? Horatio, however, missed his chicken soup...




Here we are in the subway, along with my roommate for two weeks Michelle Schwartz. Michelle was interning with the Nagoya team, and she was the best at helping me figure out what to do, how much money to pay, where to find good bentos, and all sorts of other things.





... em, more food. This time it was Takoyaki! Which I suppose if one translated literally would just be grilled Octopus, but what it actually is are these bits of Octo tentacles wrapped in a little ball of dough. only the dough is a bit more smushy and not as firm... and and they pour them into these little pans and... you know what, here's a link: http://www.justhungry.com/takoyaki Maki explains it a lot better than I can ( BTW: this is an awesome site if you are interested in cooking or just learning about Japanese food... I'll stick it over with the other links)




..... No, we didn't just eat all the time... but, well I like food. and so does Horatio. Here we have two different kinds of Onigiri, balls of rice that sometimes have a filling and sometimes have seaweed wrapped around them. I think one of them had salmon in the middle and the other was pork. They were like a dollar each and mighty tasty (if you like rice and salmon, that is).
Behind Horatio is a bottle of milk tea. Which is mostly milk and sugar, and a little bit of tea, But it is also delicious.

So there you have it. Horatio had a great time and can't wait for when we get to go for 2 years.
Next time I'll post some more pictures of the church and what I did while horatio was getting over jet lag.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Sustainable Pet Food: How Can Your Pet Eat Green?

We love our pets. But what are we feeding them? While we might be feeding our human family organic, local, and sustainable food, the quality and the origins are the food that we feed our pets often leaves something to be desired. Pet food is food, and when we talk about sustainable food we want to consider the diets of all members of our family, including the non-human ones. In the US alone, there are more than 61 million pet dogs. That’s million, folks. That’s a lot of pet chow.



Now, there are a number of ways to green your pet’s eating. There’s even the hard-core option of seeking vegan-friendly foods for your carnivorous pets, an action that attracts a lot of controversy on both sides of the fence. If Fido and Fluffy are going to be carnivores, though, what can you do to make their impact less profound?



Even before we touch on what’s in the food, think about the packaging that your pet’s food comes in. Is it sustainable? If you’re using many miniature cans of cat food or very small packages of non-recyclable cat treats, it might be worth looking at bulk options. Even buying pet food in larger cans makes a difference. Make sure that you choose packaging that is recyclable, if at all possible.



Many people swear by homemade or raw food diets for their pets. When you’re feeding a pet raw or homemade food, it’s possible to look into all sorts of local, sustainable, and ethically-raised sources of meat. While you may not end up feeding your pet the prime cuts, you’ll know that the pet food you’re feeding your pets is raised in the same way as the rest of your food. You’ll also be supporting a local farmer and using up some of the less-choice cuts of meat.



If you’re looking at commercial pet foods, look for foods that incorporate organic and ethically-raised sources of meat. Many pet foods incorporate the leftovers from human foods like fish into the creation of food for pets. Now, it’s good to use the leftovers, but if the industry itself is depleting the oceans or damaging air and water, are its byproducts still sustainable?



Pets are very much an industry, with marketing and branding just like food for people. Yet for some reason, the pet food industry has avoided much of the push for sustainable food. Next time you visit the store to pick up some dinner, think about the origins and the packaging of what’s in the pet food aisle, just as you think about it in the other sections of the store.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Glass Half Full: Sustainable Wine

All wines are not created equal, and as with most things, some are far more sustainably produced than others. I think we tend to imagine wine arriving at our table from some idyllic little vineyard in Italy or France. The truth, however, is that like almost any agricultural endeavor, viticulture has gone industrial and many giant vineyards depend heavily on the use of pesticides and herbicides to keep their vines productive. When choosing a sustainable wine, it is important to not only consider whether or not the wine is organic and if chemicals have been used in the growing period, but the rest of the production process as well. Every part of the system, from where the grapes are grown to the packaging and everything in between, affects the sustainability of the product.

Organic is important. However many organic wines have developed a bad rap for taste because by USDA standards wine cannot be considered organic if any sulfites are added. Sulfites, although not the best additive for us to ingest, play an important role in the preservation of the wine, and therefore the taste, and have been used as a stabilizer in wine for centuries. While it is of utmost importance that grapes are grown organically, it is perhaps less important is low amounts of sulfites have been added.

While searching for wines made with organically grown grapes is great, as many of us know, organic does not necessarily equate to sustainable. Though you might have to do a little research, choosing wine that comes from vineyards that practice sustainable or biodynamic agriculture is ideal. Even better is if the winery relies on renewable energy for the wine production, like solar or wind power, and conserves and reuses water. A few of well known wine-producing areas such as California, Oregon, are adopting localized, third-party certification standards that vineyards must meet to be officially labeled Òsustainable.Ó These standards are based on a variety of factors, ranging from energy efficiency to local ecosystem preservation. The energy and resources put into bottling, labeling, and distribution should also be considered.

There are a few wineries and vineyards that really stand out as aiming to be as sustainable as possible. Perhaps the largest is Paducci, which is part of a larger wine operation in Mendocino, California. Paducci is completely carbon neutral, using both solar and wind power as well as biodiesel-powered tractors and are committed to organic farming and pest control. FrogÕs Leap of Napa Valley practices organic and dry farming techniques, conserving water and working with the local environment. They are also on their way to becoming LEEDS certified and use 100% solar energy. The Òtetra prismaÓ multi-layered, collapsible containers that French Rabbit ÒbottlesÓ its wine in are less traditional but much more environmentally friendly than glass, which is very heavy to ship. It is good to note, however, that tetrapak containers are not yet widely recycled in the US as they are in Europe.

While these wineries are certainly stellar, I can't help but put in a plug for all of the small wineries that are popping up everywhere. Local wines from small vineyards are often conscious practitioners of sustainable viticulture and in tune with the local environment. A huge benefit of drinking local wine is that the wine doesnÕt travel far to get to your glass. Scope out the vineyards in your area, and you just may find a local version of that idyllic, family-run vineyard of your imagination.

Book Review : Only 13




Apa yang pertama kali Anda pikir begitu mendengar kata prostitusi? Pastinya, semua hal negatif yang lebih berat ke arah menyalahkan dan menghakimi wanita-wanita tersebut. Yang jarang diungkap, bagaimana sebenarnya bisnis prostitusi itu sendiri dan keadaan seperti apa yang menyebabkan seorang wanita terjebak dalam bisnis prostitusi.


Saat kemarin jalan-jalan ke Bangkok, kebetulan saya melewati daerah red district dan melihat langsung betapa ramainya kehidupan prostitusi di Bangkok. Dan kebetulan, saya menemukan buku yang mengungkap tentang industri prostitusi Thailand dari sudut pandang Lon, seorang mantan PSK Thailand. Buku berisi kisah nyata itu berjudul Only 13.


Secara penulisan, tidak ada yang terlalu menarik dari buku ini. Kata-kata yang diungkapkan dengan bahasa yang sangat sederhana, hanya berupa diary kehidupan seorang mantan PSK sejak dia berumur 13 tahun sampai 20an tahun. Beberapa bagian cerita yang diungkapkan pun terlalu detail sampai pada hal-hal yang tidak penting. Namun, justru efek pasca menamatkan buku ini sendiri yang benar-benar terasa.


Kekomplitan cerita ini membuat kita mendapat gambaran utuh tentang hal-hal yang dilalui Lon serta perasaan-perasaannya selama bertahun-tahun berada dalam industri prostitusi. Mulai dari gambaran kehidupan miskin di kampung halaman Lon serta berbagai konflik keluarga saat ia masih kecil yang menyebabkan perilakunya menjadi sangat nakal, kematian ayahnya yang menyudutkan dirinya, dan awal kepindahannya ke Bangkok untuk mencari pekerjaan untuk menghidupi keluarganya sampai terjebak dalam industri prostitusi. Fase berikutnya bercerita tentang tekanan ibunya agar Lon terus dan terus mencari uang, kedekatannya dengan berbagai pria asing, perasaannya merasa tidak mempunyai nilai lagi di mata keluarga dan masyarakat, industri prostitusi di Pattaya, kepindahannya ke berbagai negara Eropa, serta berbagai perasaan bersalah yang menghantuinya dan terus ditumpuk bertahun-tahun. Dan semua hal itu dilaluinya di usia yang masih sangat muda. Selain itu, buku ini juga sedikit menyinggung kultur negara Thailand baik dari segi watak orang daerah sampai masalah buruh dan tenaga kerja, lengkap dengan jumlah upah yang diterima untuk masing-masing pekerjaan (sebuah pemaparan yang dapat menjadi alasan kenapa akhirnya banyak perempuan muda yang terjebak dalam industri ini). Keadaan-keadaan ekonomi sosial yang sebenarnya tidak jauh berbeda dari Indonesia.

Secara karakter, Lon disini digambarkan tidak terlalu baik. Dia sendiri mengakui bahwa dia banyak berbohong dan menipu semata-mata untuk uang dan bersedia melakukan apa saja demi uang. Begitu juga karakter-karakter para pria asing yang mengencaninya, semua tergambarkan dengan sangat apa adanya.


Sampai hampir akhir buku, cerita ini seolah tertebak : kisah sukses seorang mantan PSK yang berhasil melewati kisah kelam masa lalunya, berani untuk berbagi cerita sebagai pelajaran bagi masyarakat, dan sukses membangun pekerjaan baru lagi. Ternyata sayangnya, tak ada happy ending dalam kisah ini. Pada akhirnya, Lon menderita skizofernia akut dan sampai saat ini berada di rumah sakit jiwa. Sebuah kisah yang sangat tragis.

Hal paling menarik dalam buku ini adalah mengungkapkan bahwa sebetulnya dalam industri prostitusi, pada akhirnya semuanya menjadi korban. Kisah Lon mengungkap narasi yang jarang muncul, bukan sebagai pembenaran, namun agar membuat kita kita terbuka dengan sisi-sisi lain yang sebetulnya menjadi akar permasalahan prostitusi di seluruh dunia, antara lain kemiskinan, budaya materialistis, dan kurangnya pendidikan dan skill. Hal-hal yang sayangnya sering tergeser dari perhatian akibat stigma super negatif orang yang terlebih dahulu memojokkan dan mengsimplifikasi permasalahan ini dari awal.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

The Drop In Cafe - First Take


One of my blog readers suggested that I try a new place in the Aikahi Shopping Center in Kailua (near the Marine Corp Base): The Drop In Cafe. It's in the space previously occupied by the Muddy Waters Cafe.

It has coffee, sandwiches, and the like. When I walked in, I was met by a very cheerful and particularly nice server/host. When I said that this was my first visit and what would she recommend, she immediately said, "the Chicago Dog - it's fantastic!"

So I got one, and it was pretty good. The bun was sesame seed instead of poppy seed, but it was good nonetheless. Some of the other requisite ingredients - including pickle spear, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and the famous "nuclear green" relish - were present. I'm guessing that mustard was omitted to give the diner the choice of how much to put on; celery salt was listed as an ingredient, but didn't seem present in mine. It didn't bother me, though. I enjoyed it.

I still think Hank's is better, but this one is a bit bigger and for my taste, better than Flavors of Kailua.

I was, however, very heartened by the enthusiastic attitude. At a time when good service is hard to find, I appreciate a new place that tries hard to please.

How would I rate the experience? I'm humbled that another one of my blog readers has started using a code term at restaurants for whether or not she and her husband liked a place. She now asks her husband: "Would you blog about it?" which means "Do you think it's good?" This is because I don't blog about restaurants that I don't like or that have little or no redeeming value.

The other ways of evaluating from other companions are: "Would you make a special trip to go to this place?" or "Would you come back?" or "Would you tell your friends that you absolutely have to go to this place?"

Well, I'm blogging about this place, and I do plan on coming back. I would not, however, make a special trip just to go if I wasn't already in Kailua.

All this is to say that I hope that you give the Drop In Cafe a try. The food is fine and I want to see nice people succeed in business.

Grace and aloha,

Tom

P. S. We've all been concerned about the situation in Haiti. It's at times such as these that I'm proud to be part of the United Methodist Church. The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is one of many organizations that provide relief. The one very compelling reason to give through this channel is that 100% of your donations go to relief efforts, because UMCOR's administrative structure is supported by the denomination.

A poignant note to this is that the executive director of UMCOR, the Rev. Sam Dixon, was in Haiti to strategize ways to help this already beleaguered nation when the earthquake happened. Rev. Dixon perished in the catastrophe.

If you would like to donate to Haiti relief through UMCOR, you can do so online: http://secure.gbgm-umc.org/donations/umcor/donate.cfm?code=418325&id=3018760.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

The Peanut Challenge

In my September 2, 2009 blog post, I said that Costco had a number of their proprietary brand products were the best at any price. Among those was the Virginia peanuts.



One of my church members took exception to this claim and insisted that the peanuts from the Peanut Shop of Williamsburg (Virginia) were superior.



So I issued a challenge: we would have different people in the church from various generations do a blind tasting and vote for the one each thought was the best.

The results: 20 people chose the Peanut Shop peanuts. 19 chose the Costco peanuts. Those who preferred the Peanut Shop peanuts thought they had a more pronounced peanut flavor (I do agree with that opinion). Those who like the Costco peanuts cited the larger size of each peanut and the particularly nice crunch.

Technically, I lost the challenge. But consider this: a 32 ounce tin from the Peanut Shop costs $21 (it nets down to a little under $17 if you buy a case of 6) plus the required express shipping to Hawaii: $15. That makes it $36 for a single 32 ounce tin.

A 40 ounce tin from Costco costs a little less than $8. For a product that is essentially evenly matched with the premium brand and slightly more than 20% the net cost, I'll take the Costco brand every time.

Grace and aloha,

Tom

P. S. Virgina figures prominently in the birth of the United States. There is also a lot of debate about the faith and religious life of the Founding Fathers, such as Virginians George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison. It seems that like America today, the Founding Fathers were a mixed bag religiously: Deists, Unitarians, and Orthodox Christians. One important difference: even those that did not have traditional Christian beliefs nonetheless saw civic importance of organized religion and most never made a formal break with the churches of their upbringing. These days, it seems that the importance of organized religion is diminishing, and the result, I'm afraid, will be a further splintering and division of people, for when people are individuals about everything, they will disagree on much.

I think the Founding Fathers had it right.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Sebuah Refleksi Pertemanan

from 1993 to 2010

“Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.” – Anais Nin

Dari Bekasi Sampai Bandung

Berbicara tentang pertemanan cewek, ada 4 orang gadis normal yang tumbuh dan besar di Bekasi. Namanya Gini Arimbi, Dyna Mariana, Putri Aninditha, dan Sarah Anzaita Putri. Kenal sejak playgroup dan sama-sama besar di SD yang sama membuat mereka memiliki childhood yang kurang lebih setipe: menjadi anak SD normal, tidak kurang dan tidak lebih dengan segala pengajaran khas ala Al Azhar, menjadi aktivis pramuka, melakukan kebodohan dan hal-hal cupu khas anak SD lainnya, berada di era kartun dan komik ngetop yang sama, pergi ke tempat-tempat main yang sama, mengagumi artis-artis idola yang sama di eranya, dst.

Selepas masa SD yang bahagia di SD Al Azhar Jakapermai, 3 dari kami melanjutkan di SMP yang sama. Ketika SMA, saya dan Dyna lagi-lagi bareng di SMAN 8 Jakarta sedangkan Ditha dan Sarah pindah kota melanjutkan di SMAN 3 Bandung. Walau gak selalu update berita, tapi setiap kali ada liburan, kami pasti menyempatkan untuk ketemu dan ngobrol. Walaupun beda kota dan kegiatan, kami tetap nyambung satu sama lain.

Saat kuliah, Sarah sudah setahun lebih dulu masuk ITB (karena dia aksel), saya dan Dyna ‘terjebak’ di ITB (padahal waktu kelas 3 Dyna pengen banget masuk FK dan saya ngotot kuliah di Singapur), serta setahun kemudian si Ditha menyusul. Walaupun sempat terpisah kelas, sekolah, kota, dan angkatan, namun dengan ajaibnya ujung-ujungnya kami bertemu dan bareng lagi di ITB. Terpaut 3 angkatan dan menjadi 3 jurusan (Teknik Geofisika, Teknik Sipil, FTMD).

Walaupun lokasi kos di Bandung sangat dekat satu sama lain, namun dengan segala kegiatan dan aktivitas jurusan masing-masing yang sangat menyerap tenaga, kami jadi jarang ketemu dan jarang menghabiskan waktu bersama. Tapi ini juga satu hal yang sangat khas, ketika saya cerita tentang suatu problem, sering banget reaksinya adalah “Wah gila, gw juga pernah banget tuh ngalamin hal kayak gitu.” “Aduh, kok sama banget sih problem kita.” Bahkan ketika saya belum selesai cerita pun, mereka kurang lebih sudah bisa meraba problemnya apa dan apa yang saya rasakan. Mungkin, karena frekuensi yang udah nyambung akibat akumulasi interaksi selama belasan tahun ini. Itu juga yang membuat saya sadar, walaupun kita menjalani kegiatan yang beda setiap hari dan masing-masing punya ketertarikan pada bidang-bidang yang cukup beragam, basic nya ya kita adalah tetap orang-orang yang sama.

Buat saya, mereka bertiga lebih dari sekedar teman. Mereka orang yang kenal saya luar dalem sampai busuk-usuknya dan sisi-sisi paling aneh, begitu juga sebaliknya. Mereka orang yang saya percaya banget yang bakal saya minta advice ketika ada problem atau lagi galau. Makanya, bisa aja saya terlibat banyak interaksi dengan banyak orang, tapi yang akan jadi tempat cerita, ya itu itu aja. Bisa dihitung dengan jari. Dan untuk mencapai level itu, jelas dibutuhkan waktu yang gak sebentar. Belasan tahun bukan waktu yang singkat untuk mempertahankan pertemanan.

Antara Kenalan, Teman, dan Sahabat

Menjalani berbagai macam pertemanan selama bertahun-tahun membuat saya menarik sebuah konklusi. Bisa aja dalam satu waktu saya kenal dan berinteraksi dengan banyak sekali orang, dekat banget sesaat karena kondisi tertentu (entah itu satu kelas, satu jursan, satu kepanitiaan), namun pada waktu berikutnya mereka gak lebih dari sekedar kenalan.

Ibarat konsep pasangan, saya yakin masalah pertemanan pun juga ada ‘jodoh’nya. Sesuatu yang terkadang gak bisa dipaksain, yang gak bisa dikira-kira. Ketika kuliah dan bertemu orang baru, bisa jadi kita ketemu banyak orang hebat, orang yang kelihatan sangat asik, atau orang yang kelewat ramah dan friendly. Tapi, belom tentu cocok buat kita sebagai teman. Bisa aja menjadi teman. Tapi untuk jadi sahabat, itu persoalan lain. Dan dari teman dan sahabat pula kita belajar mengenali diri sendiri. When we judge others we are judging ourself. Akan membuat saya bertanya “Kenapa saya kurang nyaman sama dia?” Dari sinilah kita belajar mengenai karakter pribadi.

Bisa aja waktu SMA saya kenal dengan banyak orang, tetapi lantas ketika kuliah dan balik lagi ke Jakarta, cuma ada beberapa list nama yang akan saya hubungin. Kenapa? Karena semakin besar, waktu kita semakin terbatas. Prioritas semakin banyak. Orang-orang datang dan pergi. Friend list di facebook sebenarnya bukan kumpulan teman-teman tapi sebatas database kenalan. And at the end of the day, there are only several who remains there.

It's Quality That Matters

Bahwa semakin kita gede, akan semakin banyak karakter orang yang kita temui. Akan semakin macem-macem masalah yang kita hadapi. Terkadang, kita akan cepat galau menghadali suatu problem, bukan karena problem itu sendiri, melainkan emang karakter kita yang dihadapkan tentang konflik tertentu akan bereaksi seperti itu. Dan pada saat itu, disitulah orang yang benar-benar menegerti karakter kita dari sejak kecil berperan. Orang-orang yang ngerti kejelekan dan sifat-sifat nyebelin kita, dan bisa jadi pengingat yang baik dan tau batas-batasan kalau kita udah mulai di luar batas, bukan orang-orang yang seenak jidat menstereotipkan sesuatu atau diam-diam jadi backstabber.

Dan pada akhirnya, waktu juga yang akan jadi filter paling ampuh. Yang nyambung ya bakal nyambung, yang nggak nyambung ya bakal nggak nyambung. Gak perlu jadi orang lain biar pengen terlihat asik atau gimana. Pada akhirnya pertemanan itu suatu proses yang alami kok. Gak perlu bikin geng geng an segala, men decalre bahwa (sindrom2 anak SMP bikin geng haha, I was one of them) kita best friends forever sejati, atau apalah itu.

Dan sekali lagi, saya percaya bahwa ada banyak sekali faktor untuk menggeser konsep ‘teman’ menjadi merasa ‘saudara’. Gak perlu pake kondisi eksternal yang dibuat-buat, apalagi pakai acara disiksa biar rasa kebersamaan tumbuh. Ketika kita cepat merasa ‘saudara’ dengan orang lain, kenyataannya akan semakin gampang pula kita melupakannya. Percaya deh, ini observasi yang telah saya lakukan bertahun-tahun. Sesuatu itu gak ada yang instan.

Maka, memiliki 3 orang sahabat yang (dengan ajaibnya) ditakdirkan ketemu lagi di ITB merupakan salah satu hal yang cukup baik dalam hidup saya. Saya bukan tipe orang yang cepat akrab dengan orang baru, tapi punya lumayan banyak sahabat baik yang bertahan dari dulu (entah dari jaman SD, SMP, atau SMA), adalah benar-benar sebuah harta karun. Dan harta karun itu akan semakin berharga ketika semakin lama terpelihara.

In Between

Ada berbagai alasan untuk menulis, dan ada berbagai alasan pula untuk tidak menulis.

Untuk orang yang sejak kecil menjadikan menulis sebagai hobi rutin, saya sangat sadar dengan istilah writer's block, sebuah kebuntuan dalam memproduksi tulisan. Biasanya, hal ini disebabkan memang lagi tidak mood atau tidak ada inspirasi. Beberapa bulan belakangan, saya sering mengalami hal itu. Namun, bukan karena tidak ada inspirasi. Justru terlalu banyak ide yang ingin dituangkan. Banyak sekali hal-hal baru yang terjadi dalam satu semester yang sayangnya tidak sempat saya dokumentasikan dalam bentuk tulisan. Mulai dari pemilu RI sampai feminisme, mulai dari keterlibatan di Pengabdian Masyarakat kampus sampai konsumtivisme, sampai dunia pelajaran teknik sipil yang kelewat menarik untuk dijabarkan satu per satu.

Sebenarnya ada satu hal yang saya amati tentang masalah ini. Semakin kita besar, semakin banyak pertimbangan kita dalam menulis. Ketika waktu kecil, saya bisa dengan sangat impulsifnya menulis tentang apapun. Seiring bertambahnya usia dan wawasan, ada ketakutan bahwa tulisan ini kurang ilmiah, terlalu subjektif, dst. Ada keengganan untuk menulis tentang suatu bidang yang kita pelajari, karena justru kita semakin belajar bidang tersebut, semakin kita sadar bahwa yang kita tahu semakin sedikit.

Contohnya saja, saat SMP saya bisa dengan gampangnya menulis tentang kemacetan hanya berdasarkan 1-2 referensi artikel di koran. Namun sesudah saya kuliah dan mengambil mata kuliah transportasi, ternyata ada jutaan aspek yang belum saya ketahui tentang masalah kemacetan. Dan perasaan 'saya ternyata tidak tahu apa-apa tentang bidang ini' yang membuat resistensi menulis menjadi semakin besar. Dan lantas, berbagai pertanyaan dan kebimbangan pun terus bermunculan.

Apakah saya harus memakai bahasa yang formal layaknya artikel serius di koran?
Apakah saya harus mengecek segala kevalidan data?
Apakah saya harus menunggu sumber yang komprehensif untuk membahas suatu masalah?
Apakah saya harus menulis bidang-bidang spesifik sesuai mata kuliah?
Apakah saya harus menulis dengan bahasa formal seperti karya tulis, terlihat canggih, namun tidak akan dinikmati orang banyak?
Apakah saya harus tetap bertahan dengan gaya bahasa sederhana yang dapat dimengerti tapi terasa kurang advance seiring bertambahnya usia?

Kebimbangan-kebimbangan ini sayangnya tidak solutif. Yang ada, berbagai draft setengah jadi pun terus bertambah, tanpa pernah terselesaikan dan terpublish dengan sempurna. Padahal kalau dipikir-pikir, justru hal ini yang akhirnya jadi dobel merugikan.

Kerugian pertama ada pada diri sendiri. Saya tipe orang yang mesti merangkum dulu untuk memahami sesuatu. Selama ini, menulis membantu saya memahami dan belajar tentang sesuatu. Semakin menunda-nunda untuk menulis tentang suatu topik, semakin terhambat pula kesempatan saya belajar tentang hal tersebut.

Kerugian kedua, saya melewatkan ajang berbagi info dan pengalaman pada orang lain. Info, sekecil apapun, bisa menjadi referensi. Hal sesimpel apapun yang saya tulis, bisa jadi sebuah bantuan untuk orang lain, we never know. Pengalaman sehari-hari yang saya jalani, bisa saja menjadi ide buat orang lain untuk melakukan sesuatu. Jika saat ini saya belum berpenghasilan tetap dan tidak bisa berbagai secara finansial, minimal saya bisa berbagi informasi kan?

Maka, harus ada keinginan untuk sadar untuk jadi tidak seperfeksionis itu dalam menulis. Dan sekali lagi, konsistensi yang luar biasa tinggi.

Toh ujung-ujungnya, ini hanya blog pribadi. Bukan untuk karya tulis. Bukan media komersil. Bukan pula statement negara. Dan biarlah sudut pandang saya berubah seiring dengan berjalannya waktu dan bertambahnya wawasan.

The conclusion is... i'll write, then i'll write.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Apparently the vegan community is good in a crisis.

I can't believe it's been over two weeks since I made a post on this blog! Well, happy belated New Year. And now to the news: we've already had a really horrible natural disaster for the year 2010.

Well that's just great. Crap!

Being a person who had my own city destroyed in a semi-natural very-disaster not so many years ago, I have to say that sitting here watching this happen is really, really anxiety provoking. I have absolutely zero connection to Haiti, other than the facts that it's also populated by humans and cool animals and is on the planet earth. Nevertheless, the mere thought of the magnitude of human suffering that is happening there right now makes me start to freak out and cry a little bit. So honestly I'm trying not to think about it, and but by the grace of dog there go I, to have the happy privilege of not being one of the hundreds of thousands of people whose lives are directly affected by this earthquake.

What's giving me some consolation, though, is that it seems the whole world has jumped to action. Everywhere I look, everyone is trying to send help to Haiti or to groups that are helping Haiti. And by help I mean money, because let's face it - when a whole slew of people are in need of medical care and a significant portion of your infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, what you need is money and plenty of it.

Even my stupid FaceBook games are getting in on the action! (And so help me, they had better be on the level about it.) Zynga's top three games as well as FishVille (and maybe others?) have all instituted features that promote donating to their Hatian fund, and their blog also has links for direct donations to the nonprofit they're partnering with, the World Food Programme. They're claiming that 100% of profits are being donated!

So... why am I writing about this on the vegan blog? Because! The response that the vegan community has had to this egregious event is quite astounding. We're all having bake sales!

OK. Now, on its face that sounds really stupid. But hear me out. When done right, a good bake sale can bring in some dough. (Ha ha! Pun enjoyed but not intended.) And believe me when I tell you we're doing it right. You get some vegans together who are really into baking, and the delicacies that come forth are out of this world. And then there's the matter of quantity. So check it: so far, that I know of, there are 14 vegan bake sales already organized across the U.S.! And counting! Of course Isa Chandra Moskowitz of Post Punk Kitchen fame has been a major catalyst in making this bake sale thing happen and for this, Isa, NYiG applauds you.

I'll be participating in the bake sale here in NYC - it's going on all day long at Moo Shoes on Sunday, January 31st. Yeah, I'm making cupcakes. You know it. We're donating the proceeds to Doctors Without Borders - those docs do pretty amazing work, and amazing doctors are definitely needed over there right now. I'll also be stopping by this month's Vegan Drinks on Thursday the 28th, which will be featuring its own mini vegan bake sale for Haiti! Like that event needed to get any awesomer. They will be supporting Sodopreca, a group of veterinarians heading across the border from DR to help out.

[Geography Lesson] Hispaniola = the island on which are the countries of Dominican Republic and Haiti.[/Geography Lesson]

But guess what? Bake sales aren't it! There's also the amazing Josh Hooten and his partner Michelle of Herbivore Clothing Company: they teamed up with Ink Brigade to create this fab t-shirt. Naturally proceeds are going straight to the epicenter. I've already ordered mine... you're waiting for what, exactly?

Below you will find a list of all the vegan action happening for Haiti thus far, lifted directly from Animal Rights & AntiOppression (thanks, you're totally awesome!). When something this drastic happens, it's crucial that we all realize it could happen to any of us. Really. And please, please, PLEASE remember that this is not going to be over in a week or a month or even a year. These people are going to be suffering and rebuilding for a long, long time. Just because it's not the top news story, that doesn't mean it's done with. Keep these people in your hearts and minds (and prayers, if you're so inclined), and do whatever it is you can do to help... with or without chocolate chips. :)

California
1/23 (Sat) Sacramento
Sugar Plum Vegan Cafe
2315 K Street
11:00 – 3:00 pm
Benefits Food for Life Global
1/23 (Sat) Sacramento
R5 Records
2500 16th Street
10:00 – 3:00 pm
Benefits the American Red Cross
1/23 (Sat) San Francisco
Patricia’s Green
Hayes St. at Octavia
11:00 – 4:00 pm
1/31 (Sun) Los Angeles
Locali
5825 Franklin Ave
11:00-4:00 pm
Benefits Doctors without Borders

Minnesota
1/30 (Sat) Minneapolis
Ethique Nouveau
317 West 48th St
12:00-5:00 pm

Nebrasaka
1/24 (Sun) Omaha
McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe
302 S. 38th St
12:00-2:00 pm
Benefits Mercy Corps

New York
1/28 (Th) New York City
Angels and Kings
500 East 11th St.
7:00-9:00 pm
Benefits Sodoprec (Dominican veterinarians, site in Spanish)
1/31 (Sun) New York City
MooShoes
78 Orchard St.
11:30 – 6:00 pm
Benefits Doctors without Borders

Ohio
1/23 (Sat) Akron
Vegiterranean
21 Furnace St.
11:00-5:00 pm
Benefits Doctors without Borders

Oregon
1/31 (Sun) Portland
People’s Coop
3029 Southeast 21st Ave.
2:00-5:00 pm
Benefits Mercy Corps

Washington
1/31 (Sun) Seattle
Neptune Coffee
8415 Greenwood Ave North
2:00-5:00 pm
Benefits Partners in Health
Facebook invite page here.

Washington D.C.
DC Vegans
1/24 (Sun) DC
Takoma Park Farmer’s Market
Carroll Ave & Laurel Ave
10:00-2:00 pmFacebook Event Page
Benefits Mercy Corps

Monday, January 4, 2010

Breakfast on the Windward Side of Oahu - A Brief Roundup

Kailua has received some national attention when Rachael Ray visited a couple of this Windward town's restaurants for her "Tasty Travels" show on Food Network. One of them specializes in breakfast, so I thought that this post would focus on breakfast places on the Windward side. I'll be focusing on distinctively Windward places, so I won't be talking about Denny's, IHOP, or even Zippy's.

I'm trying to be nice, so I'm going to say at least one redeeming thing about each place.

Best Muffins - Moke's Bread and Breakfast
Moke's is located at 27 Hoolai St in Kailua, next to Boston Pizza and across the street from Blockbuster. It has homestyle breakfast (and only breakfast, BTW) with nice service. I must also say that the interior is very nice and homey.

Now by homestyle I mean that if I were to get Moke's kind of food at someone's home, I would be delighted. As a restaurant, however, the food is okay, but not great, and certainly not the kind of accolades it received on Yelp (whose reviewers with whom I consistently tend to disagree). I have gone to Moke's a few times, the last time in December with a party of 12. The service was good, with just about everyone saying pretty much the same thing: the food was okay, but they've had better.

The sole exception was the truly outstanding banana nut muffin. It was light but substantial, flavorful without overdoing the banana flavor.

I think if you would like to have a nice, relaxed breakfast in a cute setting with good service, Moke's is for you, especially if you like muffins.

Biggest Portions - Times Coffee Shop
Times is on 153 Hamakua Dr, pretty close to Safeway. Times is a local style place: big portions, hole in the wall atmosphere, fairly good service.

From pancakes, to Loco Moco, to meat and eggs plates, Times does a good job. Their fried rice is among the better ones around.

The ambience is definitely "Spartan," and the service is generally polite and pretty efficient, if not overly friendly.

Who would like Times? Local folks and people in general who have big appetites. It's definitely a solid choice.

Excellent Breakfast with the Most Unusual Meat Dish - Koa Pancake House
Located on 46-126 Kahuhipa St, Koa Pancake House has a big menu and good food with cheerful, attentive service. Pancakes, waffles, omelets are all good.

What makes Koa's distinctive is Vinha D'alhos (pronounced Vinna Dosh - like the first part of "Kosher" - the pronunciation indicates that the Portuguese who introduced this dish to Hawaii came from the Azores, an island archipelago off the coast of Portugal; maybe that's what attracted these islanders to the Hawaiian islands). It is a Portuguese dish that means "wine and garlic." The Hawaiian version appears to be stewed and then fried chunks of pork in a vinegar base. The waitress described it being like pork adobo but drier. I thought it looked and tasted a lot like the Cuban dish masitas de puercos. In any case, it is delicious and good alongside eggs and potatoes, or in an omelet.

Koa Pancake House would be one of my two favorite places to have breakfast on the Windward side.

The Best Single Breakfast Dish in Hawaii - Boot's and Kimo's
*Sigh* I have a real love/hate thing for this restaurant, located on Hekili street in a new location across the street from Hawaiian Island Creations. On one hand, the food is excellent, with great tasting omelets and if you hang around late enough for lunch, one of the best garlic chicken plate lunches around.

They also have what I think is the single best breakfast dish in Hawaii: pancakes with the macadamia nut sauce. Many people have speculated what this sauce is made of, as it is absolutely delicious and a deeply guarded secret. My guess is that it is melted and heated vanilla ice cream with crushed macadamia nuts on top. I have to try that sometime at home to see.

But I must regretfully confess that I do not particularly care to go there, except when people visit us who have never been there. For one thing, the wait to get a table is interminable (it's kind of like what Yogi Berra said once about a restaurant in New York: "Nobody goes there anymore - it's too crowded").

The other thing that is difficult is that the service is generally rather indifferent. I thought it was just me, but nearly everyone I have talked to says the same thing. I would characterize the service as giving off an attitude along the lines of "If you don't like the service, that's okay, you don't have to come back...we have plenty of diners who will take your place." And unfortunately, that is true: they have tons of diners lining up and waiting outside to get a table at almost all hours of operation.

But those pancakes are heavenly. If you are visiting Hawaii, it is definitely on the to do list, but be prepared to wait and think only about how good the food is. If you live in Hawaii and you've never been there before, do go once and then decide if on balance it's worth going back.

The Best All Around Breakfast on the Windward Side - Cinnamon's
This restaurant located in a large business plaza that's off of Maluniu (or Aulike or Uluniu, depending on where you're coming from...the best landmark is that the plaza is across the street from the McDonald's on Kuulei). I don't think that there is anything that is absolutely the best I've ever had, but just about everything is very good to outstanding. This was the place featured on Rachael Ray's show (the other place in Kailua, by the way, was Kalapawai Cafe, which I'll write about in a future post).

They are famous for their pancakes, which aren't quite as good as Boot's and Kimo's, but close enough without the wait. I recommend the guava pancakes, the carrot cake-like pancakes, and the strawberry cheesecake pancakes (occasional special item).

Their best omelets are actually more like frittatas (or egg foo yung), with ingredients mixed in with the eggs before cooking. I like the Chinese omelet, which has things like bits of char siu, bean sprouts, and green onions. The Hawaiian omelet is good too, with kalua pork as the main ingredient.

They have good Eggs Benedict (no place will ever quite replace the superb Eggs Benedict from the old Tahitian Lanai, but Cinnamon's is the next best), with creative alternatives to Canadian Bacon, like mahi mahi, and spinach and tomato.

S.A.N.D. (Start of A Nice Day) is popular: kind of like a version of the Grand Slam Breakfast: pancakes, one egg, and bacon (a three run home run?).

The service is outstanding and they are able to accommodate large parties with ease. They also have al fresco dining in the courtyard.

Happy Eating!

Grace and aloha,

Tom

P. S. The word "Breakfast" means to "break a fast," which is the long period without eating that comes with sleep.

Breakfast is featured prominently in one of the accounts of the Post-Resurrection appearances of Jesus. In Luke 24, the first thing that Jesus does when the disciples see him is serve them breakfast.

Perhaps the breakfast was symbolic of breaking the fast from the presence of Jesus that the disciples experienced. With the resurrected Christ, they would never be without him, and that opportunity is available to us.

So may breakfast always be reminder of the constant and renewing presence of Christ in our lives.

The Sampler Islington

The Sampler Islington

The Sampler Islington is unlike any wine shop on this fair isle. Not because it carries the most exclusive range (though it does), not because it has the most special offers (that too) and not even because the walls are covered with enomatics (as the walls of Heaven).

The Sampler Islington is my favourite wine shop in the world because it allows, nay encourages, wine geeks like myself to stay for hour upon hour sampling great wines, genning up on Parker and Jancis and, most crucially, making new wine buddies. Forget Corkd and Snooth, if you want IRL wine chums then head up (or down) to The Sampler and make your way through the world of wine from as little as 30p a sample.


So it was, on a snowy, Pre-Xmas hike up to Islington, battling train delays and the snow that myself and The Wine Sleuth spent three solid hours working our way excitedly through 25+ wines from all over the world. The enomatics are handily split up into regions and grape varieties allowing you to taste correctly, going from white to light reds and finally onto the serious "fine wine" selections or, you can stand in the middle, dazzled by the variety and just amble over haphazard from Vouvray to Sangiovese to Pinot as I did until Denise kindly set the rules for the tasting! "Rules help control the fun", cheers Monica!

Eyes Left. This is a standard issue Sampler card. Don't lose it, don't leave it on the table and don't entrust it to your best friend. This is what goes for currency around these parts, no card; no vino. Let the staff know how much paper money you'd like this card to represent, they combobulate their till machines and, as if by magic, you have full access to the enomatics and all the wines within them. Tidy.
There's a range of 800-1000 wines at the Sampler, at any one times 80 of these will be available for sample, the rest available to buy. As samples start from as little as 30p, even if you just have a crisp £10 note you can still sample several great wines and have a great hours worth of fun.

To get an idea of the current range of wines available for sampling click here.

Look how shiny! Tasting samples are available in three different sizes. However the smallest size is certainly good enough for a sample and as variety is the spice of life, I'd recommend sticking to the 25ml and trying as many wines as possible. As the 1000 strong range are on rotation, you can come back the following month and be faced with a whole new set of wines. So, rule #1, stick to the small samples, more for your money innit.

Rule 2: If somethings worth doing it's worth doing right. The fine wines!

It's not often your eyes pass over the 1978 Chateau Cheval Blanc but with the 1998 Chateau Mouton Rothschild by it's side you must be careful to give all the "icons" their props. At any one time there are six "Icons" available, and in December those included these two greats plus JL Chave's Hermitage 1998, Conterno's Barolo Gran Bussia Riserva 1997, Screaming Eagle 1996 and Penfolds Grange 1978.

During my three hour visit I managed to taste my way through 27 different wines the most interesting of which have tasting notes to follow.

You can purchase Sampler gift vouchers and these would be perfect for any London based wine fan for Christmas next year, a Birthday or any other event where the swapping of gifts is customary.

The Sampler is located on 266 Upper Street, Islington and enquiries can be made on 020 7226 9500. However, I wont lie to you, by the end, Christmas or not, we were proper steaming. So, Rule 3 - if you do want to emulate myself and Sleuthy and enjoy yourself at The Sampler you might want to brush up on the art of spitting.

Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1998
Dense ruby red in colour. This wine is a monster from the first whiff on the nose till the finish, power all the way. Quickly developed aromas of tobacco, leather, blackcurrant and bitter chocolate. The palate is ultra drying with massive tannins but also shows good blackberry fruit. Hugely concentrated wine with a truly long satisfying finish. 95 Points

Chateau Guiraud 1er Cru Sauternes 2001
A beautiful mid golden colour, on the nose the wine was all oranges, creme and even smoke. To me it smelt like an orange pudding of sorts. On the palate this wine is beautifully rounded, thick and heavy with a long showstopping finish. Niiiiiiice. 95 Points

JL Chave Hermitage Rouge 1998
Touch lighter than expected but still a dense ruby red despite the 11 years. On the nose acres of spice, smoke, olives and blackberry. The palate shows exceptional balance with a full rounded mouthfeel, still tannic but smooth and pleasant. Super powerful and thick from start to lingering finish. 94 Points

Gilet Vouvray 1976
Deep golden colour. Aromatically gorgeous and expressive with a honeyed nut profile. On the palate the wine reminded me strongly of Lyons golden syrup drizzled over Kelloggs Crunchy Nut Corkflakes. Full bodied with hints of marmalade on the finish. This is desert in a glass but not sickly sweet. 93 Points

Chateau Cheval Blanc 1976
A garnet red tinging brick on the rim. Another blockbuster nose, rich and desert like with notes of glazed cherries, tobacco and marzipan. Wonderfully fresh and lively still today on the attack but the midpalate does hollow out with the flavours coming back with gusto on the finish. 94 Points

Leave a Comment
Christmas is always a chance to try many new wines and find a passion for new varities. I had a very Tuscan/Umbrian new year with loads of IGT Umbrian wines on show that I'll report on the next entry. What did you drink over the Xmas/New Year period? Any comments on these wines also appreiciated.

Top Read Blog Posts - May 2011
Tignanello 2006
Italian Wines 2011
Verdicchio di Matelica

The Sampler Islington

The Sampler Islington

The Sampler Islington is unlike any wine shop on this fair isle. Not because it carries the most exclusive range (though it does), not because it has the most special offers (that too) and not even because the walls are covered with enomatics (as the walls of Heaven).

The Sampler Islington is my favourite wine shop in the world because it allows, nay encourages, wine geeks like myself to stay for hour upon hour sampling great wines, genning up on Parker and Jancis and, most crucially, making new wine buddies. Forget Corkd and Snooth, if you want IRL wine chums then head up (or down) to The Sampler and make your way through the world of wine from as little as 30p a sample.


So it was, on a snowy, Pre-Xmas hike up to Islington, battling train delays and the snow that myself and The Wine Sleuth spent three solid hours working our way excitedly through 25+ wines from all over the world. The enomatics are handily split up into regions and grape varieties allowing you to taste correctly, going from white to light reds and finally onto the serious "fine wine" selections or, you can stand in the middle, dazzled by the variety and just amble over haphazard from Vouvray to Sangiovese to Pinot as I did until Denise kindly set the rules for the tasting! "Rules help control the fun", cheers Monica!

Eyes Left. This is a standard issue Sampler card. Don't lose it, don't leave it on the table and don't entrust it to your best friend. This is what goes for currency around these parts, no card; no vino. Let the staff know how much paper money you'd like this card to represent, they combobulate their till machines and, as if by magic, you have full access to the enomatics and all the wines within them. Tidy.
There's a range of 800-1000 wines at the Sampler, at any one times 80 of these will be available for sample, the rest available to buy. As samples start from as little as 30p, even if you just have a crisp £10 note you can still sample several great wines and have a great hours worth of fun.

To get an idea of the current range of wines available for sampling click here.

Look how shiny! Tasting samples are available in three different sizes. However the smallest size is certainly good enough for a sample and as variety is the spice of life, I'd recommend sticking to the 25ml and trying as many wines as possible. As the 1000 strong range are on rotation, you can come back the following month and be faced with a whole new set of wines. So, rule #1, stick to the small samples, more for your money innit.

Rule 2: If somethings worth doing it's worth doing right. The fine wines!

It's not often your eyes pass over the 1978 Chateau Cheval Blanc but with the 1998 Chateau Mouton Rothschild by it's side you must be careful to give all the "icons" their props. At any one time there are six "Icons" available, and in December those included these two greats plus JL Chave's Hermitage 1998, Conterno's Barolo Gran Bussia Riserva 1997, Screaming Eagle 1996 and Penfolds Grange 1978.

During my three hour visit I managed to taste my way through 27 different wines the most interesting of which have tasting notes to follow.

You can purchase Sampler gift vouchers and these would be perfect for any London based wine fan for Christmas next year, a Birthday or any other event where the swapping of gifts is customary.

The Sampler is located on 266 Upper Street, Islington and enquiries can be made on 020 7226 9500. However, I wont lie to you, by the end, Christmas or not, we were proper steaming. So, Rule 3 - if you do want to emulate myself and Sleuthy and enjoy yourself at The Sampler you might want to brush up on the art of spitting.

Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1998
Dense ruby red in colour. This wine is a monster from the first whiff on the nose till the finish, power all the way. Quickly developed aromas of tobacco, leather, blackcurrant and bitter chocolate. The palate is ultra drying with massive tannins but also shows good blackberry fruit. Hugely concentrated wine with a truly long satisfying finish. 95 Points

Chateau Guiraud 1er Cru Sauternes 2001
A beautiful mid golden colour, on the nose the wine was all oranges, creme and even smoke. To me it smelt like an orange pudding of sorts. On the palate this wine is beautifully rounded, thick and heavy with a long showstopping finish. Niiiiiiice. 95 Points

JL Chave Hermitage Rouge 1998
Touch lighter than expected but still a dense ruby red despite the 11 years. On the nose acres of spice, smoke, olives and blackberry. The palate shows exceptional balance with a full rounded mouthfeel, still tannic but smooth and pleasant. Super powerful and thick from start to lingering finish. 94 Points

Gilet Vouvray 1976
Deep golden colour. Aromatically gorgeous and expressive with a honeyed nut profile. On the palate the wine reminded me strongly of Lyons golden syrup drizzled over Kelloggs Crunchy Nut Corkflakes. Full bodied with hints of marmalade on the finish. This is desert in a glass but not sickly sweet. 93 Points

Chateau Cheval Blanc 1976
A garnet red tinging brick on the rim. Another blockbuster nose, rich and desert like with notes of glazed cherries, tobacco and marzipan. Wonderfully fresh and lively still today on the attack but the midpalate does hollow out with the flavours coming back with gusto on the finish. 94 Points

Leave a Comment
Christmas is always a chance to try many new wines and find a passion for new varities. I had a very Tuscan/Umbrian new year with loads of IGT Umbrian wines on show that I'll report on the next entry. What did you drink over the Xmas/New Year period? Any comments on these wines also appreiciated.

Top Read Blog Posts - May 2011
Tignanello 2006
Italian Wines 2011
Verdicchio di Matelica