Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wine Goes Great With A Bloomin' Onion
Last night my mom and I decided to bring the Outback Steakhouse to our own kitchen! We looked online and found some recipes for a few of our favorite Outback dishes and spent most of last night cooking them up. We grilled up some great center cut fillets and even made some Bloomin' Onions.
Let me assure you that the Bloomin' Onion process is not a simple one. I think it would have been a lot easier if we would have had the special little tool that the Outback uses for cutting the onion. Unfortunately we don't so we had to figure out a way to cut all of those tiny petals in the onion without breaking them. A lot harder than it sounds!
Luckily they tasted pretty good even though they weren't the most beautiful onions in bloom. We even fond the recipe online for the sauce to dip them in. The only thing missing from the Outback equation was a nice wine charmed glass of Riesling. Only 7 more months to go!
The Wine Rack Store Encourages Environmental Responsibility
The Wine Rack Store strives to be an environmental friendly business and appreciates it when others try to reduce environmental impact. One such group is a bunch of students in Indonesia who have found a solution for the lack of building material for homes in developing regions. Traditionally clay and wood is used but these resources are fast running out and clay excavation ruins the landscape.This building material, known as EcoFaeBricks, are bricks made from cow dung. These bricks are 20% lighter and stronger than the normal clay bricks. Cow dung is very plentiful in these rural areas so as long as there are cows, this is a sustainable process. These bricks serve two purposes. It provides an eco-friendly, cheap building material and help remove pollutants from the surrounding environment.
The organization is looking to expand the project further within Indonesia and then through out the world. The impact of this project could turn out to be amazing and I hope it all works out.
Labels: enviromentally friendly, wine rack, wine rack store
Chilling Some Wine off the Wine Rack Fast
I hate to admit it, but I am one of those people who never plan properly what I am going to make for dinner. Because of this, I have to make constant runs to the grocery store and never have a good accompanying wine properly chilled. Well I found a quick solution to my problem.This will work for wine or any other beverage you want to cool fast. First grab a large pot from the kitchen. Fill it full up with ice and cold water. Than add 2 cups of salt. The salt is the crucial ingredient. Stick the bottle in and put it either in the freezer or refrigerator for 10 minutes. The wine will then be perfectly chilled.
With this method I won’t have to worry about warm wine off the wine rack or forgetting the bottle the freezer. There is not better way to ruin a wine than to freeze it. Good thing I only committed that offense once on a bottle of Two Buck Chuck.
Labels: ice, wine rack, wine rack store
Checking the Wine Rack for Carpenter Bees
I now understand why people have screened in porches here. The bugs are absolutely terrible. Last weekend we tried to have a picnic outside. As soon as we sat down we were swarmed by some kind of bug that would constantly fly in our faces. I spent most of the picnic walking around trying to eat my sandwich and run from the bugs at the same time. They also have cockroaches here but luckily I have yet to see one of those.Probably one of the scarier looking bugs in the carpenter bee. These bees are huge! They are quite a bit bigger than a bumble bee and hang out in swarms. You definitely would not want to find one tunneling into your wine rack. According to a park ranger we spoke to, the bees generally won’t bother you. They will how ever try to use you as a wind buffer, which can be a bit unnerving. I for one try to keep a good amount of distance from these buggers.
Labels: insects, wine rack, wine rack store
Too Hot for any Wine Rack
We got a brief taste of summer weather these past few days. This weekend it was in the mid 90’s and so far this week it’s been in the 80’s. Definitely not a good temperature to leave a wine rack in. I may be a California girl at heart but I do not handle heat well. My fair skin is just not built for constant sunshine. This weekend when we were touring the countryside I would just have to dart from shady spot to shady spot. My constant companions besides my fiancé were my hat and sunglasses.I really don’t know how people can live in that heat for 4 months out of the year. I really couldn’t venture to far from a cool place for too long. I guess I have really been spoiled by the cooler climate in Washington State. You can really utilize the outdoors in the warmers months there. Here that’s not really an option unless you are willing to be cooked by the sun.
Labels: sun burn, wine rack, wine rack store
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
A Good Temperature for Full Wine Racks
The Shenandoah “Mountains” in western Virginia are full of caves. I put mountains in quotes because compared to the Cascades in my home state of Washington; these mountains look like foothills. Underground rivers created the cave we toured. The cave was full of stalagmites, stalactites, and other wondrous formations.There are many caves to tour but we chose Endless Caverns because of the positive reviews and convenient location. The tour itself was over an hour long and went over a mile through the cave. It was a lovely 55 degrees. A perfect temperature for a full wine rack! It felt great after being out in the 85-degree sunny day.
I haven’t toured a cave this spectacular before so I was in awe most of the tour. Every bend in the path afforded a new view of the almost alien looking rock structures. I tried to take pictures but none of them revealed the beauty of cave.
I would definitely recommend this kind of cave tour to anyone. Be wary though it you are a bit claustrophobic or are afraid of bats. A few of those furry buggers flew pretty close to my face.
Labels: caves, virginia, wine rack, wine rack store
Just One Bottle for my Wine Rack
During our exploration of the Virginian countryside, we were keeping our eyes open for wineries. Since Virginia is the 4th leading state in wine production we figured we should try some of their wine. We saw a sign off the main highway and followed them until we arrived at the Cross Keys Vineyards. The land on which the winery sat was beautiful. There was a nice view of the surrounding hills.They were offering a tasting of 6 wines: 1 white, 1 rose, and 4 reds. I was also able to keep the glass as a souvenir. The white and rose were pretty good but the reds were less than amazing. Virginian wineries are known for their white wines, not their reds, and now I see why. All the reds I tasted just lacked a depth in taste. It's like drinking a flat soda, the basic flavor element is there but it just doesn't taste good. That being said, we did the purchase the Joy White for my wine rack.
Labels: virginia, wine rack, wine rack store, wine tasting
No Wine Rack Recreations
Remember how I wrote about the fabled house of Thomas Jefferson, Monticello, a few months ago? I was able to tour it this weekend. It is a pretty spectacular home. The house is fully furnished with items Jefferson had owned. He was an avid reader and his book collection was immense. The grounds on which the house was set is beautiful. The garden was in full bloom with tulips and other plants. Since the house is up on a hill you can see 50 miles in each direction.What disappointed me was that his love for wine was not elaborated on. The old wine cellar was a bare room while the beer cellar was full of props and information. I wanted to see some wine racks full of faux bottles! The only wine related thing that was pointed out was a pulley system which ran from the cellar to the dining room. A servant would put a bottle in the contraption and it could be raised up through the fireplace mantle to the dining room.
Labels: Monticello, thomas jefferson, wine rack, wine rack store
Friday, April 24, 2009
I’d Rather Buy Wine for my Wine Rack
I hate paying for dry cleaning. It always feels like I am throwing my money the second the item becomes wrinkled. I also have a sneaking suspicion that a lot of the clothes with that evil little label can probably be washed by hand. I would just hate to accidently ruin something because they are the more expensive pieces in my wardrobe.I just had to spend nearly $16 on a $35 dress. $16 for just a plain ole’ summer dress. It’s not like it was a wool coat or something. Granted it did contain a lot of pleats but I know my dry cleaner back home won’t charge that much. That $16 could have gone towards a really good bottle of wine for my nearly empty wine rack. I just couldn’t take a chance had washing this particular dress though. I think I may want to use it in the future for some important photos.
Labels: Shopping, wine rack, wine rack store
How Do I Protect a Wine Rack From a Puppy?
I must be out of my mind. I am obviously to far from my wine rack and the grief of it has made me finally lose it. I was talking to my mother this afternoon and I heard my father say that he saw a flier at work that was offering a free 7 month old chocolate lab puppy to a good home. I actually suggested that he should call and get some information for me about it. This wouldn’t be such a big deal except that I am on the opposite coast and won’t be able to care for it until the beginning of June.My boyfriend and I have wanted a dog for a very long time. We are experienced dog owners. Our families have owned dogs since we were young. I didn’t want to bother with one until we were done with this east coast adventure. We keep going back and forth about what breed we want. We have also considered adopting a dog.
If for some reason my insanity continues and we offer to adopt it, they’ll be a lot work involved. I’ll have to make the house dog-friendly, fix up the yard, and then the obedience training begins.
Labels: pets, wine rack, wine rack store
Prettier Than a Full Wine Rack
My favorite flowers have always been gerbera daisies. They come in a host of colors and they do well in a vase. I think I will try my hand at growing them in my garden this year again. I always had planned on using them as a centerpiece in my future wedding bouquets. Some roses I received yesterday may have just pushed them out of the running.I have never been a big fan of roses. They just seem so typical and boring. My mind was changed when I saw these “hot princess” roses yesterday. They are absolutely gorgeous. Even more gorgeous than a fully stocked wine rack. Their color is something I can’t even describe. They are labeled as hot pink but the color is much more rich than that.
This is bad news for the wallet though. Roses tend be quite a bit pricier than daisies. Oh well, it will be worth it.
Labels: roses, wine rack, wine rack store
Too Busy to Appreciate a Wine Rack
This past weekend we visited the Wright Brother Memorial Park in Kill Devil Hills in North Carolina. Atop the hill where they took their first glider flights is a large granite memorial. From up there you can look down and see where the first motorized flight took off.Besides climbing up to the memorial, there are many other things to do in the park. There is a sculpture of the first flight, which I was able to climb on a get a picture with. There is also a museum with a recreated model of the first motorized plane. The park rangers put on talks about the brothers through out the day. There was also a special display on NASA and the history of aviation.
Their original cabin and plane hanger were recreated out near the old landing space. Their cabin was pretty small, drafty, and definitely not a good place for a wine rack. It wasn’t a terribly comfortable existence but they definitely discovered something that changed the world forever.
Labels: air planes, North Carolina, wine rack, wine rack store
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Wine vs. Jell-o Flavored Water
Through this whole pregnancy thing it looks like I am going to be one of the lucky ones who struggle with nausea. Although I am still able to eat without loosing the contents of my meal shortly after I really struggle first thing in the morning, especially when I brush my teeth.
A friend of mine is on her second pregnancy and recently told me to try putting some Jell-o powder mix into a bottle of water. For some reason this seemed to really help her out so I figured that I would give it a try. Besides helping with the nausea, I have to drink tons of water so I might as well add a little sugar-free flavor to it.
I tried this Jello-y concoction for the first time this morning. I was sadly disappointed. To be honest, it didn't help with the nausea and was a bland (to say the least) version of Crystal Light or something along those lines. I would have much rather pulled out a bottle of apple cider from my wine rack, poured myself a glass and sat on the couch trying desperately to ignore the mouth watering feeling of oncoming nausea. Oh well, it was worth a try but back to the drawing board!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Haven’t Seen a Wine Rack This Tall
This last Saturday we took a trip to the North Carolina coast. The Outer Banks to be more precise. It is a huge tourist destination in the summer time. Since it is still early in the season the crowds were not too large.The goal of the trip was to visit a few of the lighthouses. We first went north and visited the Currituck lighthouse in Corolla. It was built in 1875 and stands 158 feet tall. That’s as tall as stacking 44 144 Bottle Premium Wine Racks on top of each other. That would be a lot of wine! We were able to climb to the top of it and enjoy the view. That is the second lighthouse I have been able to climb out here.
After we climbed down we headed south, stopping at the Wright Brother Memorial, and then on to the Bodie lighthouse. We were not able to go into this one. Besides being painted, it was an exact replica of the one we had seen earlier. After checking out the surrounding marsh we embarked on a 3-hour drive back to Virginia.
Labels: lighthouse, North Carolina, wine rack, wine rack store
Wine Rack Can’t Replace Everything
In an attempt to get in shape for summer, I have been dieting and working out religiously. I have definitely been more successful going to the gym everyday than cutting bad things out of my diet. That being said, I have kicked my soda habit that I have been struggling with for years. That extra 150 of liquid calories a day does make a difference when it is added. If you have just one soda a day you could be gaining nearly 15 pounds (55,000 calories) of weight a year. Now, I do let myself have one when we go out for lunch or dinner on the weekends. It’s funny, after you stop drinking it regularly it doesn’t taste as good as it used too.As a substitute, I drink water with lemon and cucumber pieces in it during the day. It helps me rehydrate because the humidity on the east coasts makes me sweat like crazy. It’s much more satisfying than plain water and doesn’t contain any calories.
Although I have cut out high calories drinks I still make the occasional trip to the wine rack. I do work out so I can enjoy the occasional treat, right?
Labels: diet, soda, wine rack, wine rack store
Keep the Wine Rack Out of the Rain
When it rains in Virginia, it’s serious. There is no drizzle, which is what you usually experience in Seattle. It just pours. It pours so hard the streets become small rivers. Deep puddles spring up every where. The storms leave as quickly as they come. It can go from sunny to thunderstorm and then back again in a few minutes. What is also strange is that the rain is warm because it is coming from the south. In Washington it is usually colder when it rains.Today I needed to walk to a store nearby to pick up some chocolate chips and champagne. I wanted to make chocolate covered strawberries as a treat for my boyfriend. It was raining when I left but I figured it would pass and left with my umbrella and flip-flops. Big mistake. It began to rain harder. By the time I made it to the store I was soaked. I grabbed what I needed except the champagne because I didn’t want to carry it. I will use a substitute off my wine rack instead. And of course it poured all the way home.
Labels: rain, weather, wine rack, wine rack store
Monday, April 20, 2009
Overwhelmed by Their Wine Racks
To try to fight off boredom I like to walk around the neighborhood my apartment is located in. I have yet to ride the bus so I haven’t be able to explore too far yet. Within a mile there are 4 different shopping centers. Within one is a wine and beer store. I decided to check it out last week.They have a huge selection. Probably the biggest I have ever seen in one store. I just walked down the aisles with glossy eyes. The wine racks were packed full and extended to the ceiling. I was completely over whelmed. There were so many bottles and signs vying for my attention I couldn't concentrate on just one thing.
This always seems to happen to me when I go into wine shops. I am never looking for anything in particular so I end up going into sensory-shock from all the different bottles. There is so much to choose from, I end up not picking out anything. I guess next time I go into a store like this I will have a game plan and attack it one wine section at a time.
Labels: wine rack, wine rack store, wine selection
From Williamsburg to Your Wine Rack
We decided to try another Virginian wine this weekend and we finally hit the jackpot. I was browsing through the local wine section and came upon a bottle I had seen a few times before. It was from the Williamsburg Winery located north west of Virginia Beach. It was called Governor’s White. It was on sale for $6 and looked good so I purchased it.We decided to have it with relatively light pasta meal. It was very fruity just like the bottle advised. It went well with dinner and was so good we finished off the bottle which we do not do too often.
There is no information about which variety of grapes it is made from or what vintage it was. I really hate when that isn’t added! Nonetheless, I am sure we will be purchasing it again for the wine rack. The mix of price and quality is to good to pass up.
Labels: virginia, wine rack, wine rack store
Life is Good (With a Full Wine Rack)
My boyfriend and I are big fan of the Life is Good brand. Their items usually feature a stick man and his yellow canine companion. My boyfriend really likes it because the dog reminds him of his old dog. I like it because the clothes are comfy and its "life is good" theme fits well with our hippy-ish life style.I’ve mostly run into the line of items here and there with out much selection. This weekend in North Carolina, we went into a large store where half of the space was dedicated to Life is Good merchandise. They had about 30 different t-shirts to choose from. They also had many hats, dog accessories, and child/baby size items. I picked up a water bottle with the mascot man on a bicycle printed on it. My boyfriend got a hat with the man and the dog in a boat fishing.
They didn’t have any wine themed items. I think a great t-shirt idea would have the man holding a wine glass and underneath him have “Life is Good with a Full Wine Rack” printed.
Labels: life is good, wine rack, wine rack store
Wine Rack Store Baby
Although it means that the Wine Coffee Table isn't going to get much use, I am proud to announce that I am going to be a mommy! My husband and I are pretty excited but also pretty nervous. This will be our first (and most likely only) so there are tons of worries and nagging emotions that keep getting in the way of my absolute happiness. There are so many new things that are running through my mind that I feel like I am on over drive!
I had so many questions that I had to go out to Barnes and Noble and buy a couple of books so that I didn't have to call my mom every five minutes. I found 2 really great books: Pregnancy for Dummies and What to Expect When You're Expecting. Those things have been absolute life savers! Pregnancy for Dummies sounds a little silly but it is actually my favorite of the two. It breaks everything that you are going through down into 'laymens' terms to help you understand without having to look up the explanation that your doctor has given you on the internet.
I can't wait until I get through the first trimester. I am hoping that things will be a little easier then and that I will not worry about every little cramp or period of nauseousness. Wish us luck!!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
No Wine Rack Plate
A big trend going out here is vanity license plates. It seems like just about every car has some personal message. Many are cryptic and take some time to work out. Some we can’t even figure out. That kind of defeats the point, right?When we were on the Outer Banks in North Carolina this weekend, everyone wanted to let you know they lived there via their license plate. The abbreviation for the area is OBX and if it wasn’t on their license plates they probably had a bumper sticker instead. It was a nice area but I don’t think I’d feel the need to brag about living there.
I have not seen any wine or wine rack vanity plates. Maybe I will see some when we head up to Virginian wine country sometime this month.
I am not the biggest fan of vanity plates. I don’t like the idea of having to pay the extra fee. The regular yearly fee is painful enough.
Labels: North Carolina, wine rack, wine rack store
Time to Fill Up the Wine Rack
Here is a good excuse to visit the wine store: fine wine prices have dropped again. So go out and fill that dwindling wine rack! There are many factors that led up to this price drop. There has been a surplus in many wines so the market is flooded. Some also saw the high prices as unsustainable because of the downturn in the economy. Now the prices are “back to normal.”I suppose this price change shouldn’t come as a surprise. People aren’t spending as much on luxuries such as wine so the prices are lowered to make the wines more attractive to more people.
I haven’t been taking much advantage of these lowered prices in any of the retail sectors. I haven’t even done much clothes shopping. This would probably be a different story though if I was within walking distance of a decent mall. I don’t like dragging my boyfriend around with me because I know he gets bored.
Labels: fine wine, wine rack, wine rack store
Can’t Fit This on the Wine Rack
Tired of serving wine out of boring, old-fashioned bottles? Don’t worry, it is classier than box wine. It’s a mini barrel. It looks pretty cool but it definitely won’t be able to fit on your wine rack. It is also 100% recyclable like traditional bottles.This little wine barrel is made by Red Truck Wines out of Sonoma, California. The barrel contains 4 standard bottles or 20 glasses of wine. The wine is a non-vintage red wine and is a mixture of Syrah, Petite Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Mourvedre
It’s well priced at $30. I can’t really vouch for how the wine tastes since I haven’t tried it myself. I did always want to try another one of their wines, Pink Truck, but I haven’t seen it for sale much in the Northwest. This barrel is a little informal so I probably wouldn’t suggest it for a cocktail party but I think it would fit in real well at picnic.
Labels: silly packaging, wine rack, wine rack store
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Definitely No Wine Racks In the Hold
When you think of the ships that the original English colonists traveled to America on you imagine they are pretty big right? Wrong. This weekend we were able to tour and go into 3 different recreated ships. They were incredibly small. I can’t believe they could stuff the amount of people they did on there. I also can’t imagine weathering a big storm in one of those. It’s amazing they even made it all the way here at all.The inner rooms of the ships were very small. I couldn’t even stand up with out hitting my head. They probably had casks of wine because there definitely was no room for a full size wine rack. We were told that the holds were so full you had to basically crawl around on top of all the supplies. You’d also have to be very comfortable with your fellow riders because the sleeping areas were very small and you had very little space to share.
If I was alive at the time I don’t think they could ever convince me to get on a ship like that for a 4 month ride.
Labels: History, virginia, wine rack, wine rack store
The Colonists Did Have Wine Racks
This weekend we explored the Jamestown Settlement museum in nearby Williamsburg. Here in Virginia Beach we saw where the colonists landed initially so we wanted to complete the story by seeing their final landing place. The museum was incredibly well done. Probably one of the best I have ever been too. That had many informative displays and items from that time.It traced the histories of the English, Africans, and American Indians affected by these colonies. You were able to see how all the different groups lived, worked, and suffered.
England wanted the colonies to be prosperous and export materials. The most lucrative exports were tobacco and furs. The colonists also tried to grow grapes to make wine. Although they were able to fill up many wine racks because it wasn’t as successful as the tobacco industry.
It was a bit pricy but I would suggest this museum to anyone looking to learn about the roots of American history.
Labels: History, virginia, wine rack, wine rack store
Wine Racks and Chinese Food
Some foods just seem impossible to pair with wine. For example, no matter how well stocked your wine rack is, you probably won’t find a good match for potato chips. I suppose those probably fall into beer-pairing territory. I always kind of felt like Chinese food and wine just don’t mix. This article from the New York Times begs to differ.Traditionally Chinese pair their meals with a type of grain alcohol called baijiu. Now that wine is gaining popularity in China, restaurants there are starting to offer wines.
Chinese food is hard to pair wine with because of its complex flavors. You never want to over shadow a dish with a flavorful wine or have the wine muted by the dish.
In an attempt to find some good pairing, the author of the article proved a group of food enthusiasts with Chinese food and 8 different wines. Out of the 8, the Riesling worked well as did a Pinot Noir.
Labels: chinese food, wine rack, wine rack store
Wine Rack Store Blogger in Washington DC Part 3
Why is it that free maps full of advertisements always lie? I wasn’t exactly prepared when we arrived in Washington DC so I had to rely on a map I found at a visitor center. When I looked at the National Mall, I thought it looked fairly small. I was very wrong. It turned out to be 2 miles long.Since I thought the monuments were much closer than they turned out to be, I over estimated how much we could see. After finishing one end of the Mall we headed towards the Capitol Building at the other end. After some stops on the way there, we finally made it to the steps of the Capitol but were sorely disappointed when we learned you couldn’t actually enter the building. This last stop was the beginning of the end of our strength.
We still managed to drag ourselves through another museum and than set our sights on the Thomas Jefferson memorial. We figured we could catch the Metro home at the Arlington Cemetery. I under estimated both the of distance and the size of the crowds. The sidewalks were so crowded we were moving at a snail’s pace. By the time we made it to the Jefferson memorial we were completing exhausted. After seeing the memorial we headed towards the Metro. It was pretty much a death march to the train.
We traveled an immense distance in one day. According to a pedometer we walked 17 miles. I believe this is the most I walked in one day. All I wanted to do when I got back to where I was staying was collapse on the couch. I didn’t even have enough energy to cap the day off with a bottle of wine off my hostesses' wine rack.
Labels: Washington DC, wine rack, wine rack store
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Some Decent Chardonnay for Your Wine Rack
I have been pretty wine deprived out here in Virginia Beach. My wine rack is sitting at home in Washington and we haven’t purchased many bottles here yet. I couldn’t stand it anymore the other day so we picked up a bottle from an Australian winery, Yellow Tail. We were having something light for dinner so I opted for their chardonnay.It was very reasonably priced at $6 a bottle. It was on sale at the particular grocery store but I am sure you can find this deal elsewhere. I found it quite enjoyable. It was very fruity. I would definitely consider is a “summer wine.” Praise aside, I would suggest drinking it all at once because it wasn’t as good a few days later.
Since we had such good results with this Chardonnay, we will have to try some of Yellow Tails other wines. I hope their other wines prove to be such a bargain too.
Labels: wine rack, wine rack store, yellow tail
Happy Easter from the Wine Rack Store
I’d like to wish everyone a Happy Easter. Today is the day to enjoy those Cadbury Eggs without guilt! Have that champagne you’ve been saving on the wine rack! It is also a day to spend with family. Sadly, I won’t be spending it with mine this year. I’ll even miss out on the ham dinner but that’s okay because I am not a big fan of ham anyway. However I am going to miss dyeing eggs. I always liked mixing colors and coming up with some less than traditional designs.I have a lot of fond memories associated with Easter. As a child I always loved hunting down the Easter baskets. If I were home my mother would probably still hide some now even though I am 22 years old. This week I did receive a package from her, which I wasn’t allowed to open until today. It was filled with candy and other treats. There goes my diet!
Labels: bunnies, Easter, wine rack, wine rack store
More Dismal Than an Empty Wine Rack
This weekend we wanted tour more of the countryside so we headed down to a wildlife refuge known as the Great Dismal Swamp. It was dismal indeed. Much more dismal than an empty wine rack. We got lost trying to get to one of the trail heads. To get to the parking area we had to drive down a long, gravel road through the swamp. It was really creepy so we decided not to hike around.It was still early so we decided to drive around the swamp and into North Carolina. The countryside was dotted with farms but the swamp always loomed in the distance. I don’t think I would feel terribly comfortable living next to it. We briefly got lost in North Carolina but managed to make our way to a state park contained within the refuge. Here we went through a visitor center and were able to tour a bit of the swamp via a boardwalk. We didn’t see much wildlife except for some birds flying high in the trees.
A canal flowed around the edge of the park. This canal was built before 1800 by slave’s hands. It was quite a marvel. It was built to connect North Carolina and Virginia for shipping.
Labels: swamps, virginia, wine rack, wine rack store
Not Ideal for my Wine Rack
I have been on the look out for some Virginian wine. I found some reasonably priced bottles at a local liquor store. I didn’t not buy any there because I didn’t want to carry in all the way back to my apartment.I didn’t have another run in with Virginian wine until a few days ago. While I was getting a hair cut, my boyfriend walked around a local strip mall. One of the stores he found was a privately owned wine shop. He brought me in there after I was done with my appointment.
It’s a pretty nice little shop. They were even having a beer tasting while we were shopping around. I looked around to see if anything stuck out at me. I finally happened upon the Virginia section and picked out something. Not asking for assistance, which would have been gladly given, was a mistake.
I picked out a Sauvignon Blanc from a winery in Salem, Virginia. We opened it the next day and were pretty disappointed. It was overly sweet. This sweetness tried to cover up the less than tasty flavors of the wine. Needless to say, we won’t be purchasing that wine for our wine rack again.
Labels: virginia, wine, wine rack, wine rack store
Thursday, April 9, 2009
The Reason For a Wine Rack
We talk a lot about wine and wine racks but we seldom talk about the critical item you need to make the wine, the grape. I love grapes. I am on a health-kick right now and grapes are one of my favorite snacks. They are nice and sweet and manage to satisfy my sweet tooth cravings.The growing of grapes started in ancient history. There are Egyptian hieroglyphics showing grape cultivation. The ancient Greeks and Romans continued this practice for eating and wine making. Because of this long history, there are many different kinds of grapes. My favorites to eat are the purple seedless type although my favorite wine comes from white grapes.
The majority of the world’s grapes are grown in Spain. The United States is the 5th largest producer. The majority of these grapes, 71% is dedicated to wine, 27% is for fresh fruit, and 2% is made into dried fruit.
Labels: diet, fruit, wine rack, wine rack store
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Something a Little More Exotic Off the Wine Rack
I was first introduced to sangria back in college (when my wine rack was the top of my refrigerator). There was a restaurant in a neighboring town that was well known because of their delicious sangria and other wine related cocktails. In Idaho it is hard to get a liquor license so restaurants are forced to get creative with wine and beer.Sangria is a mixture of red or white wine, fruit, fruit juice, club soda and sometimes brandy. I have never made my own but I have enjoyed it at a few different restaurants. Last night we went out to a pizza joint and I treated myself to a white wine sangria with orange and pineapple. It was pretty good although I think the wine taste was a bit too watered down.
I think next time I will try to make one myself. The recipes online make it look pretty simple and it will definitely cost a lot less.
Labels: fruit, sangria, wine rack, wine rack store
Wine Rack Store Bloggers Visits DC Part 2
I think we visited more stuff in Washington DC than most tourists do. After touring the Lincoln Memorial and war memorials, we set our sights on the Capitol building. Our goal for the day was to see the outdoor memorials and than come back for the Smithsonian museums on another weekend. We couldn’t resist going into a few of them though.The first one we went into was the Aero and Space Museum. I had a little bit of interest in it but most of the displays were only interesting to my boyfriend. We saw displays about the history of astronomy and space exploration. They had some of the original space suits used on the moon. They also had recreations of space vehicles and satellites.
The other museum I wanted to see was the Natural History Museum. My goal was to see the dinosaurs and the Hope diamond. The building was incredibly crowded. It was hard to navigate around the people and strollers. I did briefly get to enjoy the T-Rex skeleton. It was very big, much bigger than any wine rack I could ever dream of owning.
The Hope diamond was spectacular but smaller than I imagined. It was hard to see because there was a crowd 6 people deep around it. Good thing I am tall so I could see over everyone. We left after that. I wanted to see the other exhibits but the crowds were to frustrating to deal with.
Labels: History, Washington DC, wine rack, wine rack store
They Must Have a Haunted Wine Rack
After seeing the bloodiest battlefield in American history, we toured the local area. I wanted to visit the local cemetery where many of the soldier’s remains have been buried. The cemetery was a military one so it didn’t contain the unique head stones I enjoy reading.Across the street from this cemetery was an old plantation house. This plantation house served as a field hospital for both sides during the battle of Cold Harbor. As we walked towards it to read the informational sign and I commented on how the residents must of run away during the battle. To my dismay, the sign informed us that the residents were forced to live in the basement during the battle. They had to witness blood drip down through the floorboards from the surgeries going on above.
We have all heard how barbaric these field hospitals were and how they didn’t have good survival rates. I don’t really believe in ghosts but I have to imagine between the hospital history and the battlefield this house must be haunted. Funny thing is, the house is currently being lived in. You couldn’t pay me to live in a house with a history like that. I bet my wine rack would shake from ghostly energy every night.
Labels: civil war, virginia, wine rack, wine rack store
Time to Dust Off the Wine Rack
Spring is here and so it’s time for some spring-cleaning. Open up those windows, grab that broom and get to work! It feels so good to be able to air out the house. I hate the stuffiness of my house in the winter. I have to open the window in my bedroom before I go to bed at night for some fresh air.I know we all hate dusting especially the wine rack full of nook sand crannies but think of how shiny the bottles will be when you are done. Dusting makes all your furniture look newer and brighter. It will also help with allergies.
If you just can’t get rid off that strange musty odor, try cleaning the carpet. You can hire professionals, which is a bit expensive, or do it yourself. You can easily and cheaply rent a carpet cleaner at many grocery stores. You can get surprisingly good results if you take your time with it.
Labels: cleaning, spring, wine rack, wine rack store
No Wine Rack There
I am not well educated on American history so in an attempt to rectify this, we have been visiting a lot of historic sites in Virginia. This weekend we stopped at a civil war battlefield near Richmond.The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought at the particular battlefield. It was the site of one of America’s bloodiest battles. 180,000 soldiers fought and nearly 16,000 died in less than two weeks. The Union saw the heaviest losses at 13,000 dead.
What was interesting about this battle was the use of trenches called earthworks. This was the first time this type of warfare had been utilized. The Union suffered so much loss because they would charge the hunkered down Confederate army and would just be mowed down. These trenches can still be seen today.
What’s great about the historic sites here is that they are well taken care of and are full of informational signs. They are easy to read and provide a lot of information. If only wine on our wine racks were labeled as well. Perhaps than we could choose bottles easier.
Labels: civil war, virginia, wine rack, wine rack store
Monday, April 6, 2009
Wine Rack Store Blogger Visits DC Part 1
I been to a lot of places in America, but I have never been to our capitol, Washington DC. Since I was young, I had always wanted to go explore all the monuments and memorials I had seen in textbooks. This weekend, I finally got that opportunity.I really wanted to go this particular weekend because all of the famed cherry trees were in bloom. This probably wasn’t the best plan because a lot of other people had the same idea. I had never seen so many people in one place in my life. It made me feel terribly claustrophobic at times.
We took the train into the city so we wouldn’t have to worry about parking. Our first stop was the White House. I kept my eyes open for President Obama but of course saw nothing. We then headed toward the tallest monument on the Mall, the Washington Monument. It was a lot taller than I had imagined it. I wonder if a wine rack was built that tall, how many bottles could fit in it.
We than headed towards the Lincoln Memorial, passing the WWII memorial and reflecting pool. The reflecting pool was really gross because it was bright green. I hope next time we go that’s cleaned up. A lot of things there seemed in disrepair. I found this disappointing since the city is representing America and America’s rich history.
Labels: cherry trees, Washington DC, wine rack, wine rack store
Missing my Home (and Wine Rack)
I’ve come to learn in the last few weeks there are some stark differences between the east and west coasts. One I have experience with on a day-to-day basis is littering. There is trash everywhere here. It’s in parking lots, in parks, and piled in ditches. It is absolutely disgusting. I can’t believe people are so lazy here and disrespectful of their community.Don’t get me wrong, Washington is not perfectly trash-free but it is nothing like this place. I think people in Washington feel more invested in their environment and actually want to take care of it. I think Washington litters also may face more fines if caught in the act.
What’s even worse than the litter is people throwing lit cigarettes out of their cars. Every time we go somewhere I see at least one driver do it. On the highway home yesterday I saw at least three people do it and I was enraged every time. Do these people not understand that these don’t degrade well and can spark fires?
This ghastly behavior makes me miss my home state and full wine rack even more.
Labels: littering, virginia, wine rack, wine rack store
Thunder Shaking my Wine Rack
Being from Western Washington, I haven’t seen much wild weather. We are lucky to get two thunderstorms a year. They are usually quick and since the trees are so tall around my home, I am unable to see any lightning. Because they are such a rarity, I really enjoy them when they do happen. I just find the storm’s power and Mother Nature’s fury to be exhilarating.Here in Virginia, big storms are the norm. We’re talking thunder so loud it shakes the wine rack. This morning when I turned on the news, they were broadcasting a tornado watch for Virginia Beach and the surrounding areas. Although I know a tornado is pretty unlikely the thought of it is pretty unnerving. They don’t have basements here so I guess I’d have to hide in the bathroom if one came by.
They also have hurricanes here in the late summer. Thank goodness I’ll be long gone before any of those storms hit.
Labels: thunder storm, virginia, weather, wine rack, wine rack store
Friday, April 3, 2009
Don’t Torture Your Wine Rack Anymore!
Thanks to our less than rosy economy, a lot of people are cutting back on frivolous expenses. Sadly the fullness of our wine racks may be one of these frivolous expenses. For me, it is my closet that is suffering. I am trying to get as many miles out of my clothes as possible.A lot of people may toss that blouse because it is missing a button or that pair of jeans because of a hole. It is incredibly easy to save a lot of money by doing some simple repair on your clothes. These fixes cost just about nothing. Try a patch kit on those pricey jeans. If you do it right, they’ll look like new. Remember those extra buttons that came with that blouse? I keep all those extra buttons in a bag I can easily access to do repairs. If you don’t have that extra button, go to a craft store. They have a large selection buttons and you’ll probably be able to find one similar enough to sew back on. For 50 cents you can save a $30 blouse.
A little bit of thread, patience, and time can save you a lot of money.
Labels: saving money, wine rack, wine rack store
More Popular Here Than Wine Racks
Being from Washington, I am used to Starbucks being on every corner. Here in Virginia Beach you have to look a little bit harder. There aren’t Starbucks across from Starbucks here like there are in Seattle. Instead the convenience store, 7-Eleven, is everywhere. You can drive down a road and see one on nearly every block.I love 7-Eleven because I love Slurpees. The icy, fruity concoction is one of my favorite drinks. They are great in the summer to beat the heat and feel great on sore throats. If I could set up a Slurpee machine next to my wine rack at home I’d be in heaven.
Back at home the closest 7-Eleven is located in Bremerton, about 8 miles away. My friends and I have been known to make the occasional pilgrimage there just for the Slurpees. Some would say it is a waste of gas but I need to have my Slurpee fix. Now that there are so many around here, I’ll be having them all the time.
Labels: slurpee, wine rack, wine rack store
Free Information For Your Wine Rack
Wikipedia has always been my go-to information source since it became popular a few years ago. Whenever I want to learn about wine that I put on my wine rack I head to Wikipedia. Because of Wikipedia’s popularity I am not surprised to hear that Microsoft is closing down it’s rival Encarta.I think the main reason Encarta couldn’t keep up is because of its cost to join. I can remember doing research papers in high school and ending up on the Encarta website. They’d give you the first few paragraphs of the article of interest and then ask you to pay to see the rest. I always steered away from it because I refuse to pay for some information that I can find for free elsewhere.
Now don’t get the wrong idea, Wikipedia isn’t always the best resource. It is inherently flawed because any anonymous user can edit the entries. They can put whatever they want up there and it will stay until someone else edits it out. Because of this, in college I never used it as a primary resource. I would, however, see the primary sources used in the article and than use them.
Labels: wikipedia, wine rack, wine rack store
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