Just in case you think that wine tasting is a piece of cake, check out this sea of stemware—and this is only partial snapshot—up at the historic Burrell Schoolhouse, yesterday, where a few dozen of us worked through four flights of Santa Cruz Mountain pinot noirs for ranking at this year’s Pinot Paradise.
(That’s Hallcrest’s John Schumacher at far left and Big Basin’s Bradley Brown right, front.)
Here is something rococo—and delicious—we sampled last week from the hand of Cellar Door chef Jarod Ottley. A froth of tender local squid, accompanied by pink grapefruit and pea sprouts dotted a long mound of quinoa. Brilliant crimson beet puree accompanied and a slick of rich date confit provided the sweet visual accent.
A lot going on. All of it good. We partnered our meal last week with glasses of never-better Nebbiolo and Cigare 2006, from the oeno-mind of Randall Grahm. And yes, Cellar Door service is outstanding.
My current favorite, guilt-free, dining addiction. And here’s my appetizer order, minus the three dumplings I inhaled within moments of their arrival.@ O’mei.
Congratulations to Cabrillo culinary students and to Mike Wille, instructor at Cabrillo College’s Advanced Culinary Arts program. Wille’s inventive chefs-in-progress made a brilliant showing at this year’s Clam Chowder Festival – taking First Place in the “Best Restaurant Boston” category, Second in “Best Restaurant Manhattan” and won the “Overall People’s Choice” award in the Professional category.
Wille admited that these recent awards were an honor for his talented students, and that he was “excited about the quality of this year’s entries.”
So you have even more reasons to dine at Cabrillo’s Piño Alto dining room.
By now you all know the story. Two brothers, one a crackhead, the other a straight-arrow. Both are fighters, one on the way down, the other on the way up.
Domineering mom, dysfunctional but loving family. Barmaid with a heart of gold.
Co-producer Darron (The Wrestler) Aronofsky knows his gritty rustbelt atmosphere. The collars here in the film’s location of Lowell, Mass, aren’t just blue, they’re fraying blue, just like the language that punctuates the dialogue like so much taser fire.
I went to see The Fighter mainly so I could make a few reasoned calls as to Oscars, and I will just cut to the chase and admit that yes, Christian Bale should absolutely walk away with the Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Skeletal, glazed-eyed and letter perfect with New England accent and rhythms, Bale – along with co-star Mark Wahlberg – creates the most physically electrifying opening to a film this side of Do the Right Thing. (more…)
A book of sensory adventure: The rituals, passions and discoveries of an engaged life.