Big Establishment Acknowledges the Blog-O-Sphere

  Blog Update #71, 2009: Big Establishment Acknowledges the Blog-O-Sphere My first introduction to the concept of applying numerical value to a wine as a way of declaring its worth came in the Summer of 1984.  I was working as a bar back at one of the most prominent Continental restaurants of its time in [...]

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Acknowledging the Nudges, Remembering Life’s Little Tales

I’ve been witnessing from my computer seat quite a bit of fury these past few days.  Along with that, I’ve left my mind completely open to every possible opportunity that presents itself before me.  The scenarios playing out are working both sides of my brain, rendering me both exhausted and yet somehow enthused.  And I’m [...]

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Notice of Tasting Cancellation – My Involvement at Least

  Well, after bringing lots and lots of folks to Mr. Smith for free business through my many blogs and weekly emails, I THOUGHT he and I had agreed to begin working together. I have an e*mail string here that I’m reading, trying to make heads or tails of Mr. Smith’s latest knee-jerk reaction, but [...]

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HWI Does the Underbelly of Houston’s Wine Scene

  So it’s early afternoon on a cloudy, humid day here in Houston and your consumer proponent is working up the energy to make the drive to 2410 Smith Street.  It’s been a leisurely day so far, the usual errands complete, consisting of Little M’s school run, a few paragraphs typed for articles due to [...]

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Houston Wine Idealist – First Week on the Job

Well, you certainly didn’t expect me to don the cap of Houston Wine ADVOCATE now did you? In response to the numerous e*mails received after the announcement of my plans to begin assisting the good folks of Houston with their wine buying needs, I took to the streets as a consumer over these past few [...]

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Letting Go – Servicing a Community in Need

My wife and I have spent these past several days attempting to construct a new life for our family.  Daily we have visited Early Childhood Program Schools, desperately attempting to find placement for our precious three year old daughter, as we simply will no longer be able to afford our family Nanny with the closing [...]

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Cork Taint – Recognizing the Obvious

It is routinely and conservatively estimated that between 3 and 5% of all of the world’s wines, wines sealed with the classic cork closure, suffer from what is widely described as “cork taint”.  This off-putting, wine destroying aroma, most readily compared to the disturbing nuances of mold, mildew and / or a filthy basement filled [...]

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And They Always Told Us Winter Kills

Revealing my age as much as my musical taste by referring to lyrics from the band Yaz, I’m playing a song on my mind’s record player as I rest my bones to pen this article: “Winter Kills”.  Today is the official first day of Spring, today is also the official closing of my now ten [...]

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A Toast to Roses and Tangerines

(originally published in 2009… sharing now with new friends…) So this morning I decided to turn the clocks back rather than forward as we did this past Sunday morning.  And just for my personal time keeping records, and just so the much-appreciated small band of readers out there can keep track, today we are beginning [...]

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Financing the Louvre when Mona Lisa gets Tossed Out

Stop for a moment and consider the impossible.  Consider for just a moment that you found yourself the owner of a boutique business (that’s not the impossible, stay with me).  Perhaps that business was centered around the world of art.  Or perhaps you were one of the independent entrepreneurs of my time, the 1980s, who [...]

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