...pop! The cork is ejected from the bottles neck with a quick snap of the wrist and already my mouth is salivating. I can't even smell the perfume of the bouquet yet, but I know it's coming. I know that as soon as my server leaves the table, I am going to grab my oversized goblet in two hands and bring it towards me with the biggest grin ever. This grin would make the Grinch who Stole Christmas run in the opposite direction. ...swish...The pour of the elegantly ruby gem is slowly rising to the middle of the glass and I can start to taste it on my palate. The schnozberries taste like schnozberries... I can sense that sheer delight that you get when you slip into a new pair of jeans; the sexy feel of when you put on a new lacy bra or, wrap a warm cashmere blanket around you...this is the excitement that I get when I taste my first sip from a bottle...it's really the one time in my day where if it were a commercial you would see me take a sip of wine... http://www.nydailynews.com/img/2009/02/26/gal_barack_13.jpg (insert image here - getting pissed that images wont upload to blog) and then at that moment as if in one of those cheesey 80s movies, you here it...that music that is in the background (fade to television screen -enter stage left and right -man and woman, dressed in white linen shirts and pants/skirt; running towards eachother, slow motion, hair blowing and then the reuinion they have dreamed of....) this is how my first taste of wine plays in my head...Reality....(dj scratches record "ccccshhh May I have your attention please!") the kids are running around the house half naked, screaming at one another about how unfair it is that So, my 5yr old drama queen, isn't getting married anymore because the boy doesn't think that her shoes are good enough; while Smelly, the 4 yr old giggle monster, tries to console here as she is wearing nothing but quackash (Portuguese for undies) and a cape made out of the Canadian Flag. This is my life and it's not even the half of it! For me, that first sip of wine, takes all the noise; all the drama; all the angst from my day, and makes it better!! tonight's selection is all over the winelist folks. I started with finishing off the bottle of Barolo I had from the other night, and now have moved on to my favorite casual everyday wine "Little Penguin Merlot" At $9 bucks at the LCBO you can not go wrong here... I hope to complete this rant, figure out why the Trojans are attacking me...WHAT THE HELL DID I DO TO YOU???? I watched 300 you know...the Spartans will kick your sorry ass! Finally, I hope to complete the work that I have committed myself to doing... AHHH Inspiration...where are you???? I am trying to pull my wits together and write about why people go to SanFran....I go because I want to get a glimpse of Uncle Jesse's house; I want to go play and bask in many of the vineyards - and perhaps come up with a new "randy" term for doing it in the vineyard at sunset...ok, maybe not...but I don't want to go to the museums... I want to walk around the Ferry Building and go into every single market that there is! I want to take a day trip and spend 2 hours walking in the French Laundry's gardens, and perhaps be fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of the excellence at work in the kitchen. I want to drive around Napa and go to Beringer Estates Winery and sample the Goods!!! BRING IT ON Robert Mondavi!! In San Francisco, I want to go to all 30 restaurants that are on my Bucket List of restaurants (Slanted Door, Gary Danko, A16, French Laundry, AdHoc, Ranch at Canneros Inn, Foreign Cinema and more....) I am taking a momentary walk around SF and NV in my head...pardon the elevator music while I fantasize.... ooooh...(bowchicabowwow) Ok, I am back (as I shake my head and take another gulp)...I am searching for ideas..if you have any let me know..I am in need of a hit of inspiration! Until then, Merlot and I will discuss our current state of uninspired... ahhhhh...it's almost gone :(