In this country we don’t value rest. We all talk about getting rest, needing rest, but do we actually ever rest? The underlying current of our society tells us to rest is to be lazy and lazy people don’t make the world go around. The world, of course meaning the United States. Our country seems to think we’re the only “world” of importance. Pitiful.
I don’t take vacations except for once a year. Mostly it’s been for financial reasons, but also because all of my various jobs are freelance. Acting, writing, comedy, directing-“ I never have to be anywhere unless I tell myself to be there. This is a blessing in many ways, but I often forget to tell myself to rest as a result. Right now I have vacation narrowed down to August. Four weeks in August where I stay in a Cape Cod home I bought with my mother and my two sisters. This way we pool our vacation funds and make it possible for all of us to take more time off. We’ve always been very communal that way.
So once a year I go away, which is a big adjustment for me, but also for my colleagues and friends. I told my agent I was going away for three weeks, “Well I just don’t know if I’m happy about that”. Once I had a businees partner when I was selling real estate and when I told her and told the development team on a building I’m going to be selling that I’ll be gone for three weeks, “Three weeks? You mean she won’t be at our meeting Monday? Well I guess that’s ok…” My close friends don’t know what to do without me. I received an email from my friend Bricken about missing me. Or rather it was to my Blackberry:
Hi Blackberry I miss you when you are gone. Who will type back to me, who will think of me even on the subway? Ho hum…
Love Bricken
People in my life are insane. I love them. They all complain about me leaving for so long until I turn around and remind them I only go away once a year. Then they feel guilty and leave me alone. “Have a wonderful time and don’t think of us even once!”
Yeah, sure.
There is a physical price to be paid for not relaxing on a semi regular basis. Particularly if you live in a city. It’s hard to wind down- very hard. It’s particularly hard since I vacation with my family. Why? Well they are all the same way and we all know each other VERY well. One persons winding down process can make everyone else insane. For example- when I’m on vacation and I get behind the wheel of a car for the first time you can tell how wound up I am. I drive fast, swerve a tiny bit here and there (enough to make my mother yelp), and I’ll avoid traffic jams at all costs. Even if I have to make an eight point turn. I did this on a small residential street in Martha’s Vineyard once and toped it off screeching away like Scooby Doo’s Mystery Machine. This made my family uncomfortable- screamingly so- but ultimately relieved and appreciative we didn’t have to sit in traffic for two hours.
Here’s to vacation- cheers!
Ok this is the beginning of my Brotherhood Winery section.I recived an email from a woman who told me all about her family and her wine business. She refers to her self as The Winemakers Wife. All I can say is he’s a very lucky man.
Sam,
My husband thinks the best way for you to taste these wines “comedicly” is to do so without any information. I was prepared to send you the fact sheets on the wines (she sent me six!), but won’t do that. This way it will really be a blind tasting! By the way, there’s this fella- Mitch Shapiro- who promotes one of the most well attended charity wine tastings around- Monday, September 25th at Crest Hollow Country Club was out in Long Island. The other day we ran into him after not seeing him for a very long time. My husband, exclaimed, “Mitch, good to see you!” Mitch replied, “Wish I could say the same.” Mitch happens to be blind.
Her name is Annette. She makes me laugh.
Annette,
I received your email! Thanks so much for trusting my comedic sense with all of the lovely wine you sent! So far so good. Even on vacation I am being diligent with my quest to learn about wine and thankfully, you have provided me with a six-bottle project!
I would very much like to email your friend Mitch. I’d love to know about his wine obsession and why he thinks a wine tasting is so appealing to people- in general. I’d like to pick his brain. Can you pass my email onto him?
Also- you mentioned tasting at Italian Amarone with your daughter in Williamsburg. I would love to try one for my book. Any ideas on who I might contact? I’ll include your explanation of it in the front of the chapter. It’s intriguing,
Sam
Let’s see what she writes back! Meanwhile- let’s get drinking…
Brotherhood Winery- Estate Bottled Nostalgia-2004
Oak Aged Reserve Carmanere
Price I would pay
(Annette wants me to price these wines! How the heck do I know what to price them at? $12 for a bottle of wine is a huge investment for me!!)
$25-$35
Packaging
Copper wrapper. Easy to open. Nice soft cork. Very dark green bottle. Black label, gold trim, a drawing of a woman riding a horse-yellow mane, blue dress. Woman reminds me of me. That’s fun.
Food
None
Breathing Time
10 minutes. The family was all going to bed. I had to get myself all settled and snug in the living room. I thought I’d sort of celebrate my first night on vacation alone. Testing this first wine. One weird thing about very old houses is you can see light through the floorboards. So I knew my sister would have streams of light on her ceiling upstairs while I was reviewing this wine. That didn’t make me hurry, but my whole being alone thing wasn’t really clicking too well. It’s a family vacation. How much privacy can you expect?
Company/Location
Crickets. Frogs. Air. Max asleep on the couch. Martha’s Vineyard- West Tisbury. A dry town. Naughty me!
Time/Season
10:30pm- summer
First sip: Sharp! I said “Woo!” out loud. I can taste the alcohol immediately. This wine should be with a steak. A very flavorful steak. This is a very full and flavorful wine. VERY oaky. One glass will do me fine.
Second sip: Peppery! Ok I am a huge fan of pepper so this is intriguing to me. I’ve never tasted pepper in wine before. Is that pepper? Very smooth and warm. I feel warm.
Third Sip: Nothing at first-then the pepper again. I’m used to it now. This wine would be a good date wine. Then again, a date in general would be nice at this point.
Fourth Sip: Still sharp but very spicy now. Very nice. This wine grows on you. Elegant. I bet it would be great in a marinade for the grill.
Research:
So per the winemaker, the winemaker’s wife was not allowed to tell me anything. So I won’t even look at their website, which I’m sure Annette is secretly hoping I’ll do. I think she really wants their wines to come off well here. If this wine is any hint about the quality of the rest of their wine, I’d say Annette can rest easy.
Ok I’m reading the back label. This wine is from Chile. Why doesn’t this surprise me? I’ve never been there, but I imagine Chile to be full of spice and life. I know I like to eat chili. Spicy Chili. Is chili from chili? I should write a book about chili. No I shouldn’t. My stomach would probably explode.
When they talk about the title of the wine- Nostalgia- they use words like magical and beautiful. I think better words would be intense or adventurous! Oh- here’s a fun idea for them. On the back of each of their wines-instead of describing the wine they could have a story. You know like:
Adriana returned from a long ride on her horse, The Magistrate, along the Chilean waters. She dismounted at the camp where she found Philippe setting the table with a freshly grilled chicken and a bottle of Nostalgia wine. Adrianna tossed her riding crop to the side and went to him. The crickets whirred in the bush as Philippe embraced her passionately….
Ok- maybe that’s pushing it. But I’d drink wine with a story like that on the back. Wouldn’t you? I’m full of great ideas.
The Winery
Insert info about winery.
Overall
Story
Ok- these people are amazing. I get regular emails from Annette about trips she’s taken with her husband to try wines. They were in Williamsburg with their daughter sampling a wine last week. A few days ago they went to a tasting in New Paltz. I love New Paltz. It’s where I went to college. Annette is full of information and I’m grateful.
Taste
A great food wine. Truly- I feel fabulous after this glass of wine. I love wine that makes you think about it. Consider it. This wine is healthy. A great toast to begin my vacation!
After Notes
I think Martha’s Vineyard is haunted. No I’m not drunk. I have a thing for ghosts anyway. Seeing them. Sensing hem. Believe what you want. Here I’ve seen two so far. One is in the tree outside my window right now. I’m not telling my family this. They hate that stuff.
