by Christina Waters | Jul 28, 2008 | Home, Wine |
Wondering what to have with that grilled lamb burger? Wonder no more. Help is available in the form of Gatos Locos 2005 Santa Cruz Mountains Syrah. Big, but not too big (13.8% alc.), spicy but not whimsical, this luscious red wine offers a center of leather and plums. Part of the sumptuous line of Wines of Vine Hill, it’s available at Shoppers for $19.95, or up at the Vine Hill winery — worth the spectacular drive up behind Branciforte — it tastes even better on Day Three (though it probably won’t last that long).
by Christina Waters | Jul 28, 2008 | Food, Home |
My new favorite light dinner – three fat, perfectly cooked scallops sitting on a bed of crunchy, roasted cauliflower. The sauce? A dazzling sweet-&-salty puree of raisins and capers. For $13, it’s an affordable luxury. Add a Gruner Veltliner and find yourself smiling despite the economy.
Soif – 105 Walnut in Santa Cruz.
by Christina Waters | Jul 24, 2008 | Home, Movies |
Too long, too cluttered, too disconnected — The Dark Knight contains one artistic masterpiece. The uncanny, ultra-vibrant performance by Heath Ledger. In his feverish hands, the Joker is one of the genuinely original creations of cinema history – and yes, I have to admit, it is such an exciting, smart creation, that it justifies sitting through one of the worst-written, least comprehensible exercises in directorial egomania I can recall. Let’s just say that Dark Knight ain’t Ironman, which still retains its title as champion adult comix film in recent memory.
But back to Ledger’s performance. I was ready for over-the-top. I expected darkly probing criminal psychology writ large. But nothing prepared me to be blown away by such an intelligent collection of acting choices — choices which, sadly, indicate just how high Ledger might have soared, had he lived.
Watching the portrayal of the cocky, quirky, brilliant madman/villain, I found myself rummaging through my film memory banks. Where had I seen some of those gestures? heard that insistent cackling voice, that nuanced, soaring derangement translated into highly specific bodily gestures? Here’s what I came up with. Think about tasting a great wine, all the different elements, the spatial range and movement of flavors from front to back of the palate. Okay.
The edgy stabbing hands and shoulders are pure (more…)
by Christina Waters | Jul 22, 2008 | Home |
At Hollins House. Last Monday. Monterey Bay Wine Company trade tasting. I expected a full dance card of amazing wines, but I wasn’t fully prepared for the spectacular appetizer display thrown by the chefs of Hollins House — which has got to own the finest view of the Monterey Bay available.
Here’s a sample — two-fisted, yet somehow petite, ham on francese creations with spicy pickled peppers on top. A wildly successful combination of very happy flavors.
Wines? Well, I’ll be posting more later on this palate-pushing event, but let me just give you one word for now: Alfaro.
by Christina Waters | Jul 21, 2008 | Food, Home |
Moss doesn’t grow on Lou Caviglia, who lies awake at night dreaming up ever more tantalizing deals-of-the-century. My friend Susan adores the Martini Dinner specials at Clouds, and she showed me why last week when four of us lived large for very little $$$ at the downtown Santa Cruz watering hole.
Here’s the deal: Clouds offers a long list of specialty martinis, to which you add your choice of light dinner entree. The result? A stiff drink, a delicious dinner and a price tag you can live with. Here’s an example. I don’t like martinis adulterated with fruit, flavorings or sauces. I like mine straight up and pure, i.e. cold gin in a glass.
So I ordered a Tanqueray martini with a dinner order of California roll sushi (see above). The price? $10.95. That’s what you might expect to pay for a martini alone. Are you liking this? I thought so. On the other end of the martini/dinner scale, Susan’s latest boyfriend Rich ordered his drink with a New York steak. Pricetag? $18.95. That’s for a drink and a steak. I don’t know, it sells itself. (more…)
