Happy Hour

A Cautionary Tale

As most of my lovely readers know by now, a few weeks ago I was accepted to graduate school.  I didn't share all the gory details of the process of applying to my program here on the blog, but let me assure you it wasn't the easiest thing I've ever done.  There were entrance exams, essays, and the final hurtle a group interview.  For an introvert like me, just the idea of a group interview and the competition that could (and likely would) ensue was enough to send me running for the hills!  So it was with great relief that I successfully completed my interview and even felt I'd not made a complete fool of myself in the process. 

After the interview I was told I'd get a call or email within 7 to 10 days letting me know whether I'd made it into the program.  This was the week before Thanksgiving.  My interview was on that Tuesday, so I figured maybe I'd find out by the following Monday.  I tried not to think about it and happily distracted myself with work, kids, laundry, etc.  On Thursday after work I opened up the computer to check my email and saw much to my surprise and delight that I'd officially been accepted!  Honestly I didn't even have time to fully enjoy or process the news because the kids were fighting about something, and someone needed to go somewhere, and dinner, and .....there was no absorption of the news.

*here is where the cautionary tale begins...hold tight!

I decided as a way of celebrating I'd pour myself a big old glass of wine while I started dinner.  Mr. Veen came home, we ate, and I continued to top off my glass of wine.  After all - this was BIG NEWS!!  Something needed to happen to acknowledge it, even if it was just an extra glass of wine.  When dinner was all cleaned up I thought I might dredge up some chocolate and continue my merriment on the couch, however Mr. Veen had another plan.  You see, thanks to moi, Mr. Veen and I have taken up jogging in the evenings.

 Unfortunately, that was our night to jog.  Unfortunately, Mr. Veen has some serious will power and abilities to shame and guilt.  Unfortunately, it was dark and raining.  And most unfortunately of all, I'd had two big glasses of wine!

Within five minutes of our jog I stumbled and fell flat on my face.

Ouch.

Big ouch, big tears, big explosion of the days pent up emotions all over the dark, wet, drunk sidewalk.  I felt like there surely was blood spurting out of my face, hands and knees.  I limped my way back home (which wasn't that far) and discovered much to my chagrin that I barely had a scratch on me. 

Mr. Veen said he was going back out to finish his jog.  I, (being not competitive or stubborn at all) said I would join him. 

Two minutes later I stumbled and nearly fell again. 

The moral to this story is simple.  Whatever you do  - please don't drink and jog.

Wordless Wednesday: Forever Friends

Methven Winery

Yesterday I had the extreme joy and pleasure of accompanying three of my favorite people to Methven winery to celebrate my dear friend Carol's birthday.  It was a fantastic afternoon starting with a very fun wine tasting.  I was impressed with the quality and quantity of wine in our $5.00 flight but was particularly smitten with the first wine we tasted, a 2009 Pinot Gris.  Here is the "official" description:

There is an initial hint of minerality, but then a wave of pear and anise compote fill the nose.  Once in the mouth, the supple velveteen texture of the wine invites the taster to linger awhile.  The rich, but not overwhelming sweetness speaks to ripe conditions of the fruit at harvest.  There is a firm and fleshy finish that will pair elegantly with any Salmonid dish you can invent.

My very non expert opinion is that this is the perfect wine for a warm summer day!  I appreciated the crisp pear notes and found it overall quite refreshing.  This special wine will be saved for our next beautiful summer evening  - can't wait!

The bottle our birthday girl decided on was a 2006 Pinot Noir which was deliciousness too!  Officially described in the following way:

This wine was crafted from new estate vines and older vines from Elton Vineyards. Wonderfully complex aromas of root beer, pine pitch, and vanilla, vaporize out of the glass. The mouth-feel is velvety and supple, with flavors of currant jam and cassis. White-pepper and alcohol add a thrilling finish to the wine, making this a powerful, full-bodied food wine

I would heartily recommend this little winery to anyone.  It has a gorgeous view of Mt. Hood and the patio was perfect for enjoying our wine and packed snacks.  I will make it a point to visit this little piece of heaven on earth again very soon!

So thank you to Carol for being awesome and for having a birthday to celebrate!  Stay tuned later this week for more pictures of our fun time at the winery.

Cupcake Wine

Awhile back I discovered this delightful brand of wine and was instantly smitten with it's cute name - cupcake.  I was further delighted by it's taste and especially favored the Chardonnay.  But a few days ago I was strolling through the store and spied the familiar logo with Red Velvet printed on the bottle.  What?!  Red Velvet cupcake wine?  Now this I had to try.

The label describes this wine well:  "This wine shows a heady nose of chocolate, deep rich blackberries, red fruits, and a creamy mocha finish that is unmistakable in its intensity and length.  It's reminiscent of a blackberry chocolate cupcake with a mocha coulis."

I tasted it and agree that the mocha finish is unmistakable.  I'm no wine expert but I enjoyed the fact that it doesn't end on an oaky or bitter note but definitely has layers and the coffee taste.  I think this wine is delicious on it's own and would also be yummy served with dark chocolate for dessert.  I grabbed this bottle for about $9 which is a great price for a fun wine such as this!

Go out and try some for yourself and give me your review!