02/22/12

Truth in Labeling, Sometimes and Always

You cannot be around wine very long without someone commenting on the labels. Luckily for me, I am around wine a lot. Unluckily for me, I hear the label discussion all the time.

It goes like this: Who can read this damn thing and make any sense of it at all? Long words, abbreviations, references to places no one ever heard of, and not a mention at all as to what grapes are in the bottle. 

Who would you choose as the country with some of the worst wine labels in the world when it comes to communicating information about what is in the bottle?  It’s not Germany, Italy, France or Spain, which are probably labels that drive you crazy, maybe to the point of avoidance. And it’s not Australia, Argentina or Chile, nor is it one of those...

Posted at 04:11 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

02/15/12

Carnival Miscellany

(Which is sort of redundant

Posted at 05:02 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

02/09/12

The Vagaries of Valentine's Day

Don’t put yourself in a negative relationship posture entering the height of the Carnival season. If you are like me, you can find plenty of ways to disappoint and annoy the one you love. I know, it’s not supposed to work that way, but there you are. It does.

During the course of a year, there are plenty of opportunities to screw up (technical term). Birthdays, anniversaries, special events, holidays, and moments lost when some suitable remembrance is a proper recognition or response, all have the capability of being wonderful times, bringing you and your love closer together. Or they can go the other way. Don’t ask me why.

Coming up next week is Valentine’s Day, Tuesday, Feb. 14, and you can tell yourself all day long that it is a...

Posted at 12:32 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

02/02/12

The Enlightened Already Know

Today’s Happy Hour column is coming at you with suggestions for visiting several new places, thanks in no small part to my inability to concentrate on one thing for any lengthy period of time. I don’t think it’s just me, but Carnival season needs to get into full swing as quickly as possible. After an exciting time around the end of 2011/beginning of 2012, I’m bored.

Thankfully, and not a moment too soon, the Krewe du Vieux rolls - actually it’s more like a series of lurches - this Saturday night. I’m way beyond ready.  

Anyway, while my pal Robert Peyton over on his Hautes Plates blog somewhere next to this one has featured many, many new restaurants...

Posted at 04:45 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0