It seems we all need to do more these days than what our job description entails. At the newspaper, I’ve been helping out on the forklift. We use a lift to pull pallets of newspaper inserts off of delivery trucks. Under the patient tutelage of Matt our operations guy, I’ve become accustomed to using the [...]
Entries from May 2009
May 30, 2009
Where the dogs play, politics goes on in the background
Who would defecate in a dog’s water dish?
Apparently, that behavior has been encountered by a few of the regulars at the Lodi dog park where Christine and I often take CoCo for a little exercise. The park is a large and open grassy expanse that has plenty of room for dogs to play with each [...]
May 25, 2009
What I’m drinking …
The word of the day is caipirinha. I think I butcher it every time I say it, but the pronunciation is kai-pur-een-ya. This is reportedly the national drink of Brazil. I wish I had been to Brazil or knew some native Brazilians to confirm it.
I do know from field research and trials at home that [...]
May 24, 2009
The fox that dances
Christine and me had been hearing the buzz about a new tasting room/winery/restaurant/bakery/cheese factory in Downtown Lodi so we decided to check it out during the long weekend.
I always have doubts about places that try to do too much, and The Dancing Fox seemed like it could be one of those places that offers a [...]
May 21, 2009
Double chop good life at Wine and Roses
Every wine region seems to have its signature hotel and restaurant. In Lodi, it’s the Wine and Roses. Located in a rambling farmhouse that has been converted into a hotel and spa, Wine and Roses is emblematic of Lodi’s growth as a wine region.
Christine and I visited the restaurant on a sumptuous weekday night. As [...]
May 18, 2009
What I’m drinking …
After a few shots on a hot day, you get a little tired of just slugging back straight booze. You need something calmer, more meditative. Cocktails. Tasked with mixing some mixers with some party fixers, I improvised with cranberry juice, Kiwi Strawberry Snapple and Skyy vodka. Everything tastes better chilled down and shaken up. The [...]
May 17, 2009
Contract versus traditional
In Saturday’s paper I had a story about Estate Crush, a new contract crush pad opening in Lodi. The owners are a group of four Lodians who are looking to meet the added winemaking demand from the area’s fast growing wine industry. They seem to have the wine business savvy to make the company a [...]
May 17, 2009
A great spot in Calistoga
One of my favorite places in Napa Valley is the Calistoga Inn. Located in downtown Calistoga, the inn is a rambling old hotel with a gorgeous patio situated alongside a creek. I recently went there with my friends John and Heather and we all had a great time. I had a roasted turkey sandwich with [...]
May 13, 2009
Emergency vet visit
Around 6:30 on Sunday evening, I was drinking a Coors and watching the Giants battle into extra innings with the hated LA Dodgers. I was making tacos and had some flank steak marinating in the fridge and was about to apply my spice rub to some chicken. The only concern I had was if I [...]
May 9, 2009
Journalists and car salesmen
In today’s newspaper, I had a story about how car salesmen in Lodi are persevering despite bleak sales. During my interviews I drew on the struggles of the newspaper industry to establish a common ground between myself and the sales guys. After reflecting on it, I realized there were quite a few connections between the [...]
