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Did you read this from Food and Wine?
Italy finally approved the sale of Prosecco rosé as of January 1, 2021. Formerly, Prosecco’s Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) status didn’t allow for rosés. Wineries found a work-around by labeling pink fizz as spumante, but no longer. New regulations allow for actual Prosecco rosé, as long as it’s made from Glera (the grape of Prosecco) plus 10% to 15% Pinot Noir (hence the color). The Prosecco consortium estimates that total production of Prosecco DOC rosé may climb to 30 million bottles per year; cue the cheering from rosé and Prosecco fans alike.
Top Prosecco Doc Rosés
2019 Mionetto Prosecco Doc Rosé ($15)
Very pale pink, with a ripe citrus–red apple aroma, this bottle from one of Prosecco’s best-known names is appealingly fruity without being overly sweet.
2020 Villa Sandi Prosecco Doc Rosé Brut Millesimato ($17)
This salmon-pink wine has a distinctly crisp, refreshing zestiness. Its strawberry and green apple flavors end on an appealing dry, saline note.
2020 Bisol Jeio Prosecco Doc Rosé Brut ($18)
Bisol’s Jeio rosé upholds this top producer’s high standards. With delicate bubbles and scents of toasted bread and cherries, it offers a lot of complexity for the price.
2019 Val D’oca Prosecco Doc Rosé ($15)
Founded in 1952 by 129 farmers, Val D’Oca is consistently high-quality, which is rare for co-op wines. Its lightly spicy rosé is lively and bright, with a faint toasty note.
2020 Tiamo Prosecco Doc Rosé ($16)
One of the few Proseccos made with organically grown grapes, this pale pink bottling recalls watermelon Jolly Rancher candies (but without the sweetness).
2020 Angelini Prosecco Doc Rosé ($12)
This effusively bubbly sparkler offers plenty of juicy watermelon and apple flavor and heads into a slight licorice note on the finish. Chill it and drink it all summer long.
Sparkling Wine Summer Bargains
NV Faire La Fête Brut ($19)
France’s Limoux region made sparkling wines as early as 1531. A good crémant de Limoux like this one is delightful, with smooth bubbles, pear and apple fruit, and a lightly bready note.
NV Roche De Bellene Cuvée Bellenos Brut ($18)
Crémant de Bourgogne is the sparkling wine of Burgundy. This toasty, apple-scented one is a dead ringer for a brut nonvintage Champagne, except for the price.
NV Malvirà Rive Gauche White ($20)
Malvirà specializes in Piedmont’s Arneis variety, making several excellent non-sparkling single-vineyard versions of it, as well as this vino spumante, with its earthy, toasty finish.
2018 François Chidaine Brut Tradition ($23)
This wine from Loire Valley star François Chidaine offers flamboyant quince and pepper aromas; on the palate, it’s savory, intense, and completely dry.
NV Ferrari Trento Brut ($25)
Unlike Prosecco, this classic sparkler from Italy’s Trento region is 100% Chardonnay, which gives it an elegance and crisp focus that’s hard not to love—as is the lingering, creamy finish.
2017 Domaine Carneros Brut Cuvée ($37)
This graceful, brioche-scented bottling from a top California producer isn’t inexpensive—but it can easily go head-to-head with much pricier Champagnes.
June 2021
If you have never tried Prosecco rose’, I suggest starting your tasting adventure at Trader Joe’s. They have several Prosecco rose’ choices at a very reasonable price. And they are pretty good!
First, let’s define regifting.
(from Well+Good) As the name implies, this is essentially the practice of giving a gift that someone gifted you to someone else.
For a long time, regifting had a bad rap. But as people start looking for more sustainable living solutions in every facet of their lives, the concept is catching on, especially amongst those who are looking to buy less. From a faux pas perspective, Nick Leighton, an etiquette expert, and host of the podcast Were You Raised By Wolves?, says there’s no hard-and-fast rule around regifting. Some may say its deceitful, while others believe it’s a genius way to pass along an item to someone who will use and enjoy it.
The only rule I would subscribe to for regifting: A regift should be something that you would’ve purchased for the receiver if you’d gone to the store yourself.
So, have you ever been the recipient of a regift? I am certain that the worst gift I have ever received was a regift. What was the gift? A book of math tables from an unnamed relative. You know who you are! But I was curious.
I opened the book one day and found a table of random numbers. For what purpose does anyone use such a table? Random number tables have been used in statistics for tasks such as selecting random samples. This was more effective and removed any bias than using dice or cards. These tables have now been replaced by computer generated random numbers.
We received some wedding gifts that were regifts. One was from my ex-sister-in-law! How do I know? The original card was tucked inside!!
Have I ever regifted? Yes, most likely a bottle of wine, probably something that I do not enjoy, like a zinfandel or chardonnay, but never a cheap wine. In fact, someone just gave me a rather expensive $65 wine since I know he does not drink. I am certain it is a regift. Thank you🙏 very much!
I have also gifted items that are new and bought for myself. This would include wine, books, and food items. What in the world does anyone do with a neck tie?
I also have been known to give my best used clothing to my brother. He loves the golf polos and the Tommy Bahama shirts. But he knows the clothing has been worn by me!
Please share if you have a funny regifting story.
Did you see this?
Airports with the Highest Likelihood of Delays
The percentage shown indicates the percentage of arriving late or canceled flights between July 2019 and July 2021.
Newark Liberty International (EWR), New Jersey: 24.29% (I never fly out of here)
- LaGuardia Aiport (LGA), New York: 22.52%
- Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW), Texas: 20.77% (I have been lucky here, no delays in the last 4 years)
- Fort-Lauderdale Hollywood International (FLL), Florida: 20.22%
- Palm Beach International (PBI), Florida: 19.66%
Airports with the Lowest Likelihood of Delays
The percentage shown indicates the percentage of arriving late or canceled flights between July 2019 and July 2021.
- Daniel K. Inouye International (HNL), Hawaii: 11.69% (Yes, generally great)
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL), Georgia: 12.68% (I think it is problematic with so many flights here)
- Minneapolis St. Paul International (MSP), Minnesota: 12.73% (Unless it snows)
- Salt Lake City International (SLC), Utah: 12.78% (Unless it snows)
- Detroit Metro Wayne County (DTW), Michigan: 13.10% (Unless it snows)
Airlines with the Most Delays
The percentage shown indicates the percentage of arriving flights that were late or canceled between July 2019 and July 2021.
- Allegiant Air: 27.31% (They have really improved as of late)
- JetBlue Airways: 23.20%
- Frontier Airlines: 21.24% (I avoid Frontier!)
- Envoy Air: 19.52%
- United Airlines: 18.60% (Count on at least once a year with a terrible delay)
- American Airlines: 18.55% (I have had good connections lately)
- Spirit Airlines: 17.96% (I never fly this airline!)
- Southwest Airlines: 16.97% (They postponed my flight about 12 hours, I call them SouthWORST!)
- Alaska Airlines: 16.82% (I have good luck with Alaska)
- SkyWest Airlines: 15.99% (Usually small delays, but nothing serious)
- Republic Airways: 15.73%
- Delta Airlines: 13.31%
- Hawaiian Airlines: 11% (No problems here)
Again, I generally experience fewer delays with foreign airlines, even the discounters like Air Asia, Ryan Air, and Easyjet. I am not a big fan of Southworst, but it is hard to argue with their fee structure and freebies. My personal favorites in the US are Alaska, and Hawaiian, but they do not fly everywhere. Just beware when you fly some of these airlines.
Yes, we have all been to Vegas a dozen times or more. Nothing surprises us anymore. The Strip, mega-casinos, and various attractions seem to blend in now. But I rarely hit the Strip, or even downtown, any longer. I head out to Summerlin, where my dear friends reside. Their gated community is an oasis in the Valley and feels like it could be located anywhere in the country.
So, this trip, like many others, will not involve the Strip, shows, gambling, or fancy dinners. Instead, and I must emphasize preferably, I will spend my time out in Summerlin, playing cards, and enjoying my friends, Ken and Debbie.
You might ask what we do with our time. Since I no longer play golf, the TPC Summerlin course sits not more than a 3 wood from their home. Mostly, we play cards, have some group meals, and just enjoy each other’s company.
That Vegas is just a place where my friends live is an understatement. The Vegas influence looms over everything, even out here in the suburbs of Summerlin. For one, most everything is new, rather over the top architecturally, and semi glitzy. Even the simplest of shopping areas have some bling about them. Most everything is clean, and well maintained. The cars and homes are high end.
But my friends are just the best hosts, very caring people, with many friends and relatives always around. They are my second family!
And we get to have dinner at a Thai fusion place nearby, called Nittaya, owned by some of their friends.
Vegas has become a real sports town, as opposed to a sports betting city. They now have NFL Ray-duhs, and the NHL Golden Knights, minor league baseball, the NBA Summer League, and the Pac 12 and Mountain West Conference Basketball Tournaments. Vegas has a plethora of golf courses, and hosts PGA tournaments.
Shopping is another big attraction here. Two big outlet malls, one near the airport, another just west of downtown attract many tourists. And when we drive to Vegas, we always stop in Primm, about an hour south of Vegas for more outlet shopping. All the big names have one or more locations in the bigger casinos, like Caesar’s, Bellagio, Venetian, and ??
However, I do miss the days of big-name entertainment here in Vegas. Remember the big names, like Sinatra, Elvis, Nat, Wayne, Sammy, and The Folies Bergere?
Can you believe Resorts World Las Vegas just bought a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner? They can fly 282 guests in a two-class configuration, but only 18 Business class seats. The range is 8,200 nautical miles. Crazy?
I am just happy to spend a few days with good friends.
Over the past two years, my visit to Athens has been postponed a half dozen times, due to Covid. Well, Greece opens up to tourists on May 14. When will I get there? May 14! I plan to fly into Athens from northern Europe, and spend a week here, splitting my time between Athens and the island of Santorini. You are probably amazed that I have not been to Greece heretofore.
Rather than take you back to Neolithic Age, Pericles, the Ottomans and Greece’s long (3400 years old) and colorful history (you can refresh your European history on your own), let’s just focus on the present. Athens became the capital of the modern Greek state in 1834. Best of all, the city’s historic center has been converted into the largest pedestrian zone in Europe.
Let’s save the Acropolis and its surrounding area for another email. The core of the historic center is called The Plaka (northern side of the Acropolis). The narrow streets are said to remind people of a time machine with ancient monuments, churches, Turkish baths, museums, and interesting tavernas. Which ones do you think I will visit? The Plaka is the best place to shop in the city.
Moving on to Monasteraki, with more narrow streets and small buildings, this is the home to the city’s traditional bazaar (Yousouroum). And of course, nearby are a plethora of bars, tavernas, ouzeris, and clubs. This is the center of the city’s nightlife.
Nearby lies the “heart” of the historical and commercial center along Ermou Street, home to over 2500 shops of all shapes and sizes. The area is also home to the Town Hall, the Municipal Market (meat, fish, and veggies), and Kotzias Square.
Closer to the Acropolis is the Makriyanni neighborhood, with smaller museums, and loaded with bars, cafes, and restaurants. Downtown with Syntagma and Omonia Squares dominate the neoclassical buildings. The area is home to the Greek Parliament, the National Garden, monuments, and the stadium where the first Olympic Games were held (1896).
The various neighborhoods create stunning panoramic views of the city. Everyone says to avoid the suburbs (just like any big city). Greater Athens has an area of 165 square miles. Athenians do not consider themselves to be a mix of European and Asian cultures, they want to be Greek or Athenian!
Surprisingly, Athens is considered the hottest city in Europe, with an average summer temperature of 94 degrees F. The Olympics in 2004 started a dramatic makeover for Athens, including a massive transportation infrastructure, public transportation, and the new international airport.
I hesitate to give you too much history and geography. It is definitely the people here in Athens who make the city so lively and interesting. Greeks are friendly and hospitable (courteous) to a fault. They also believe in intellect, intuition, artistry, and a healthy respect for the past. But perhaps more than anything else, Greeks love to drink, dance, and eat. My kind of people!
I have always enjoyed Greek and Mediterranean food. This is a great opportunity to widen my taste and wine palate. I look forward!
Just to whet your appetite for Greece, here is a list of their ten most famous writers and philosophers: Homer, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Socrates, Aristophanes, Aristotle, Nikos Kazantzakis, George Seferis, and Yanis Varoufakis. I remember reading some of these in high school: Thesius and the Minotaur, Perseus kills Medusa, Poseidon, Athena, Zeus, and Apollo.
On the other side of their personality, Greeks are also verbose and intense in conversations. They love and respect logic. They also exhibit great charm, and may ask a rather personal question, just to get to know you. While these may be rather generalized personality traits, I found it rather refreshing, compared to Americans back home.
Kent State, April, 1970, one of our nation’s soldiers had just killed one of our own.
Her arms are raised, a young 14 year old runaway from Florida, who was not protesting the war, just in the wrong place at the most awful time. She unknowingly became part of history, and significantly helped end the war early. The US was invading Cambodia, expanding the war. John Filo, the student photographer, won a Pulitzer for this photo. He is now head of photography for CBS. What about Mary Ann Vecchio?
It is quite a story, and brings to mind the George Floyd case of today.
But back on May 4, 1970, this event had a profound effect on me. A bunch of us in the fraternity house, pharmacy school, and faculty decided we would strike, protest, and make a stand against the war. It was a day I will always remember, because it felt so important, and so necessary.
Most of you already know this: There’s an actual Earl of Sandwich credited with inventing the term “sandwich.” When one day he decided to eat his meal with one hand, slapping two pieces of bread—with the meat between—the sandwich was born. Here are a few stories about ten American sandwiches.
The Reuben was born in Nebraska in 1925 of all places. I have no memorable Reubens, other than the artist.
The Peanut Butter and Jelly was born in Boston back in 1901. As an adult, I find them too sweet.
The Philly Cheesesteak was born at Pat’s King of Steaks in Philly in the 1930s. I had several on my first visit to Philadelphia back in the 70s. It remains one of my favorites when done with the right amount of cheese, onions, and peppers.
Surprisingly, the Maine Lobster Roll comes not from Maine but from Connecticut back in 1929. The best roll comes with a special roll, spilling over with lobster chunks, and a side of sweet pickles and potato chips. If you cannot make it to Maine, try the Old Port Lobster Shack on Middlefield in Redwood City. They fly the lobster in to the cafe daily.
The famous Grilled Cheese was born from an article in Good Housekeeping magazine in 1918. The best ever was in all places, the airport in Lima, Peru. The grilled cheese is enhanced a thousand percent by great tomato soup. Numerous grilled cheese only type sandwich places have opened and closed recently.
The Po’ Boy from Martin Brothers French Market Restaurant became reality in 1929. With so many variations, my best suggestion is to hit Johnny’s Po’ Boys in Nawlins. Any of them might contain fried oysters, fried shrimp or crawfish. You will love it! Johnny makes a mean breakfast too!
One of the oldest sandwiches is the Club Sandwich from the Union Club in New York City, 1889. It must be cut into halves or quarters, held in place with toothpicks, and heavy on the mayo. The best club I can remember was at a sidewalk cafe in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Sloppy Joe’s were created in Havana, Cuba in 1924. My Mom made the best Sloppy Joe’s in my memory. The secret ingredient is Worcestershire sauce!!! I think my Mom skipped it!
The French Dip comes from Los Angeles, at either Cole’s Pacific Electric Buffet or Philippe the Original in 1908. Both insist they rolled the French Dip in 1908. My personal favorite is the Chicago beef at Portillo’s, located in Chicago or Scottsdale.
Number ten is the famous Primanti Sandwich, from, you guessed it, Primanti Brothers in Pittsburg, PA. They now have 38 stores in seven states, though the original was born in the 1930s. This quirky but also no-nonsense sandwich (fries inside the sandwich is genius, right?) debuted when Joe Primanti fried potatoes on the grill and spontaneously stuffed them into a sandwich. Truckers and delivery drivers loved it because they could eat lunch with one hand and have the other hand on the steering wheel.
I am sure each of you have your favorite and a good story to go with it.
This was my favorite song as a young pre school boy growing up here in the Valley. My first dog was a Cocker Spaniel, named Betsy. I was about 3 or 4 at the time. I even have a photo of the two of us, somewhere in the archives.
It was Patty Paige, with these great lyrics for the little boy (me):
How much is that doggie in the window?
The one with the waggly tail
How much is that doggie in the window?
I do hope that doggie’s for saleI must take a trip to California
And leave my poor sweetheart alone
If he has a dog, he won’t be lonesome
And the doggie will have a good homeHow much is that doggie in the window?
The one with the waggly tail
How much is that doggie in the window?
I do hope that doggie’s for saleI read in the papers there are robbers
With flashlights that shine in the dark
My love needs a doggie to protect him
And scare them away with one barkI don’t want a bunny or a kitty
I don’t want a parrot that talks
I don’t want a bowl of little fishies
He can’t take a goldfish for a walkHow much is that doggie in the window?
The one with the waggly tail
How much is that doggie in the window?
I do hope that doggie’s for sale
Fast forward to day, since pet adoption has reached a peak during the pandemic. Did you know the Australian shepherd is America’s favorite dog? For many years, it was the Golden Retriever. Our neighbors to the north still favor the Golden. Top dog in Australia is the border collie.
Yes, the chihuahua is still the most popular dog in Mexico, and surprisingly Germany. The rottweiler, often used to herd sheep, is the top dog in 34 countries. And the poodle has declined in popularity in France. But it remains popular in the former French colony, Vietnam! The French seem to like the Australian shepherds as much as Americans.
In Japan, you would expect a pure-bred dog, much like the culture and race there. It is the Akita, of course. And leave it to the English to want the expensive French bulldog. And so do the Aussies! What would de Gaulle say?
As for us, our first dog was a rescue, a rare (non AK breed, a German Hunting Terrier, also known as a jag terrier. Buddy was bred to hunt wild boar and bears, at only 25 pounds. He could climb trees as well. Experts warn against trying to make them into the family dog. But he adjusted nicely.
After a little terrier mix rescue who did not like me, we made a big decision. Since we figured it would be our last dog, we decided to get exactly what we wanted. The first choice was a Labradoodle. We found a puppy farm up near Portland, OR, with Australian mini-Labradoodles. What makes Lexi Australian? Apparently the Australian Labs have Springer spaniel in their bloodline.
We even found an organization strictly composed of Australian Labradoodle owners. It sort of explains Lexi’s unique coloring, an all-white (dapple) body with a dark chocolate head. But she has brothers and sisters who fit the more traditional look of a doodle.
Please google “Wings of Rescue” if you want to see the great work of a friend of mine. They rescue animals from far off places, usually a disaster zone, and transport them by air to safe areas where adoptions take place.
During this pandemic, pet ownership has increased to over 70 million households. Fully 54% of American households have a pet. Another 10% own other household pets, such as reptiles, rabbits, hamsters, birds, and fish.
Whatever you have, please make them part of your family. We treat Lexi like a little daughter, perhaps spoiled. No, definitely spoiled. But she is an absolute joy to have, she is good company.
Official-ESTA.com, a third-party visa application website for the United States Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), crunched numbers from the World Travel and Tourism Council and The World Bank to determine the countries with the greatest loss of tourism revenue in the first ten months of 2020. They are as follows:
United States: $147.245 billion
- Spain: $46.707 billion
- France: $42.036 billion
- Thailand: $37.504 billion
- Germany: $34.641 billion
- Italy: $29.664 billion
- United Kingdom: $27.889 billion
- Australia: $27.206 billion
- Japan: $26.027 billion
- Hong Kong: $24.069 billion
Wow, ten countries, $400 billion!
But it gets worse:
Official-ESTA.com has also crunched the numbers for the countries that have lost the highest percentage of their GDP due to the pandemic’s effect on tourism. They are as follows:
- Macao (a special administrative region of China): 43.1%
- Aruba: 38.1%
- Turks and Caicos: 37.8%
- Antigua and Barbuda: 33.6%
- Maldives: 31.1%
- Northern Mariana Islands: 28.5%
- St. Lucia: 26.8%
- Palau: 26.3%
- Grenada: 26.0%
- Seychelles: 20.6%
Out of all of these places, I have only been to Macao. And it seemed to me that gambling and casino related $$ are the focus here. I know people who are from Macao, so I do sympathize, despite the opulent casinos.
So, when is recovery likely?
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