We all have our unique preferences when it comes to food, although I must admit that there are very few foods that you’ll find me refusing…the only one that comes right to mind is olives. Don’t get me wrong I love a martini or two, but why must these salty, green creatures always have to accompany them? Give me a fruit float in place of an olive any day..

In San Diego Union-Tribune Scott LaFee explores why people hate certain foods— and I have concluded, after reading the article of course, that it all boils down to the whole nature vs. nurture debate. While reading I thought: Is it in my genes to hate olives? Perhaps… or could it be that my mother once forced me to stay all night at the dinner table when I refused to eat her mushed up milky version of a vegetable burger.. which was loaded with a medley of both green and black olives.. yuck. Apparently, food aversions can be both nature and nurture, natural and unnatural, intuitive and learned.  Though, as you may have guessed, more of our food aversions are learned…

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/apr/27/1c27food20114/

We stayed at swanky Chateau Marmont. My favorite hotel in California, hands down. To get the birthday festivities started, we drank a fantastic bottle of tequila while lounging on the couches in the lobby.. very non-chalantly counting all the celebrities surrounding us.. Next stop.. Key Club (yuck) to see a big hair band (yuck yuck).. when the band actually sang, they were spitting images of whatever metal rocker they were impersonating.. but unfortunately, they spent most of the evening trying their hand at comedy. Bad move. After the Brett Michael look alike guitarist gave the microphone a blo job, I threw in the towel and headed back to Chateau Marmont for a night cap and some snacks; French fries, calamari, hamburger, and a piece of chocolate cake.. all washed down with an ice cold peroni. Happy Birthday Dayna

We’ve all used the excuse ‘but wine is good for me’ as we reach for the bottle.. The May 2009 edition of Wine Spectator takes a closer look at the relationship between wine and health:

First things first– a “moderate” amount is one to two glasses a day…no, not filled to the rim (tsk tsk), but a healthy 4-6oz pour. Many studies have shown a correlation between moderate wine consumption and delaying dementia, preventing arthritis, keeping the flu away, lowering diabetes risk, and reducing throat cancer risk. One Spanish study showed that those who drank 8-14 glasses of wine a week were half as likely to develop a cold as those who drink beer, spirits, or no alcohol at all. So, go ahead and take another guilt-free sip…

The moderate consumption of wine is key and has shown to have health benefits for almost every major body part—including the brain, heart, eyes, stomach, colon, and lungs. And ladies, wine has also been shown to reduce the risk by 50% for developing ovarian cancer, according to an Australian study. And although there are many conflicting studies on the relationship between alcohol consumption and breast cancer a 2008 study found that resveratrol (found in wine) suppresses the metabolism of estrogen, ultimately protecting cells from becoming cancerous. The health benefits go on and on and on…

I think it’s time for that second glass…

Everyday thousands of letters pour into the White House, addressed to one person in particular, President Barack Obama—some share gratitude, others offer advice, and many voice their concerns. Receiving and reading thousands of letters a day would be a daunting task for anyone, much less the President…However, in his busy and oftentimes hectic schedule President Obama makes the time to read 10 letters a night from “average Americans” so that he can better understand where we are coming from, what’s on our minds, and how policies directly affect us. President Obama has even been known to write back by hand—sympathizing with mothers’ whose sons are at war, thanking concerned Americans who advise him to quit smoking, and offering support to hard-working Americans who have recently been laid off. I say having a President who makes it his commitment to stay connected to the American public is pretty amazing..

The letters and article is a must read.. so grab a glass of Graham Beck Brut from South Africa– the President’s choice of bubbles for his election night celebrations. Go to the link and toast President Obama. Cheers!

http://documents.nytimes.com/writing-to-the-president#p=7

We celebrate an intoxicating life filled with adventure, laughter, mischief and wine, of course. And this is why we are calling on all Borracha’s to send in fun photos while travelling, wine tasting with the ladies, doing some sort of outdoor adventure, or just having a blast in good company. We will post these pictures on our website and maybe even use them for some Borracha marketing materials. So send your photos our way… and in the meantime let’s toast to an intoxicating life!

You can email your pictures to info@winewipes.com

or mail them to our office located at:

1130 Morro St.

San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

A mid summer’s night dream—spent on the whimsical patio of Zaytoons, a popular Middle-Eastern restaurant located in downtown Santa Barbara. Now that the sun is shining and summer is just around the corner, I reminisce on the many evenings spent sipping imported Lebanese wines around beautiful stone fire-pits with curvaceously sensual belly dancers circling the table. I can taste the warm pita bread and delicious house garlic sauce melt in my mouth….and the subtle chuckle the waiter lets out as he refills the pita basket for the 3^rd time. The inviting ambiance, the authentic food, and the great company haunts me on days like these—days where I’m stuck in the office dreaming of those warm summer nights. Yes, an escape down south is much needed, and I hear the weather is supposed to be gorgeous this weekend……

Zaytoon

209 E. Canon Perdido St.

Santa Barbara, CA  93101

(805) 963-1293

Strolling aimlessly down Broadway on a chilly Sunday afternoon, looking for a café to escape the elements. I stumbled upon Via dei Mille-  Ushered through the door by an ascot wearing Lenny Kravitz look alike, into this charming, hip, quaint little Italian café loaded with beautiful people wearing their Sunday best… Every body thumping and bumping to euro house, and deep trace beats… Is it a Brunch, you say? No way, this is a whole separate category of Sunday fun.. Just keep close watch on your food because almost every table is subject to someone dancing on it! And don’t you worry, this isn’t a trumped up version of Coyote Ugly.. Its classy, hip, sexy and fun fun fun.. Now if they could just lay back on the ‘Rocky theme song’..

Via dei Mille
357 W Broadway
New York, NY 10013
(212) 431-0080

www.viadeimillenyc.com

In the vein of Ocean’s Eleven and Thomas Crown Affair Clever, Duplicity is a perfect afternoon movie to see with a friend and a bottle of contraband wine!. The Dialogue is witty and both Julia Roberts and Clive Owen make the world of Big Business seem sexy. The story traces the illicit love affair between two spies-turned-corporate operatives as they attempt to screw The Man.

Tony Gilroy (director)does an excellent job of exploring the world of corporate espionage and counter intelligence. Real life corporations such as Procter & Gamble, General Motors and Fruit of the Loom are notorious for spying on their competitors.

In 1943 a P&G employee bribed a worker for Lever Brothers to steal several bars of a soap under development called Swan. P&G used the formula to improve its own Ivory soap and ended up paying Lever $5.675 million for infringing on its patent.

In 2009, P&G agreed to pay Unilever, the renamed and now worldwide Lever Brothers, $10 million to settle another case of corporate espionage. This time, Procter reported the infractions, which included a contractor rummaging through trash outside a Unilever office in Chicago.

Corporate espionage has been around for decades, but the increase in activity prompted Congress to pass the Economic Espionage Act in 1996, which carried criminal penalties for theft of intellectual property.

I can only imagine what sort of tricks go on behind the corporate doors of competitors like Microsoft and Apple.

“Lets give this one a whirl”. Week 3 of Wine University at 15 Degrees C was a wino-bee’s tour of the world; Oregon, New York, Canada, Argentina, and finishing up with France.

My assessment of the eclectic adventure on the vine… Viva La France!!

Ali, owner/instructor/master sommelier, poured an outstanding bottle of Syrah from a tiny appellation in Rhone Valley called Cornas.. her favorite! Syrah is the only grape allowed in Cornas, which is home to only 5 vineyards.

Clape Vins de Amis Rhone 2007 Retails for $24.00 a bottle

Enjoy it with a thick bloody cut of red meat. Or if you prefer some cheese; try it with British farmhouse cheddar, Aged Gouda, or St. Nectaire.

A votre Santé