Wine is the Elixir of Life. And other cliched sayings

The plan all along for today was "wineries."  The implied contract was that I didn't whine about it. (I've got a million of 'em, so don't flinch).

I am afraid I was ruined years ago for wine tastings by the movie Sideways.  That Miles thinks he can get that last note of broccoli in that pinot is...well, fucking funny.  So is his sidekick Jack's tasting: "yup, wine." Gulp gulp.

It didn't help that we started Sunday night at Belhurst Castle with a server who made Sideways seem real:  he did the description -- "a cheeky little wine with buttery notes with hints of lemon and grass" -- in a dead monotone.  Think the teacher in the Wonder Years.  This might not have been bad, but I got to hear him to do it three times.  In monotone.

But our full day started better at Ravines, where we are club members.  Judy, the pourer, was very chatty.  It's always good to know a lot about the biography of someone you will never meet again.  But this running monologue, interrupted by mentions of the wine, included her overpouring the glasses and giving more tastes than the standard 5.  In fact, there had been extra already when she realized that the sparkling had been opened and we must taste that!

This stop included tasting next to a very nice young couple from Philly.  They just got married on Friday.  He is a CPA, she a doctoral student in history.  Since it's our anniversary trip, there was kizmet.

I was "promised" we wouldn't go far from Geneva -- Ravines was actually almost in sight of our house (here's a pic to show the view from the portico, Ravines is just over the grape fields to the right)

So, a handful of miles down the road.  Most notable here was that the staff all seemed to be college students.  They were mildly chirpy and did a good job of explaining and pouring.  There was, oC, a view of the lake.  (more on this later)

Our newlywed friends recommended Weimer, another 10 miles down the lake.  Here I saw a phenomenon I'd never seen before: my wife used the spit bucket.  I asked if she was filling it for Miles for later (again, a Sideways reference) but she just wasn't a fan of their wine or the server.

We went back through Geneva, stopped for a healthy lunch of ice cream and donut holes, and continued to V-something.  Again, disappointment with the wine and server, but the view right on the lake was great.  And watching the sparrows eat cracker crumbs on the back porch was amusing.

Finally, as 4 o'clock neared we ended at Zugribe.  Named after the founder and owner.  Whose name is Fred.  Whose son, the wine maker's name is Fred.  They have a wine called 4 Freds.  so, OC, I called the pourer Fred.  :). Small amusements.

Fred did a good job.  K ended up buying 3 different varietals (see,I pay attention!) there.  Making a total of 8 for the day.

Then, after going back to the room and changing (okay, there was a nap in there, watching so much wine tasting is tiring), we went to this place for dinner.

The two of us often wonder on these trips how crazy people with money are.  You know, I
ve got lots of money, so lets build a mock Italian villa on the shore of Lake Seneca.  Built in 1910, that's what Geneva on the Lake is.

The restaurant specializes, as so many do these days, in local ingredients.  Like wine pourers, this is imminently mockable.  "Hand-picked corn from the field nearby...". The filet walked in this afternoon...etc.

We shared the caprese salad ("local fresh tomatoes")

 There was a peach sorbet for amuse bouche between (hand picked locally)

Then K had the filet, but I had the scallops ("fresh from the lake outside")

Then a walk outside in the dusk to see the back garden (the "cement pond") --

And I didn't even mention the obnoxious guy at the next table who everyone in the tiny restaurant could here actually read the two women at his table the history of the building, as well as tour guide for the rest of the area.  ):  ah, well...

In all, a good day.  No crashes, good food, & it seems we made it to our anniversary another year. :)

The World Turned Upside Down. And Brunch.

Day 2 started with Sunday brunch in Albany.  After some searching, we landed at the Cafe Madison, which rather tellingly, doesn't take reservations.  The wait was supposed to be 45 minutes but was only 25 (rah!).

CM's motto is "brunch without booze is just breakfast."  Their drink menu lived up to it; I had the strawberry lemonade (it had vodka in it, duh) & K had the cranberry ginger.  Pictured. For the bright color.

Then off to the National Historic Park at Saratoga.This was a last minute selection -- something different.

It is beautiful ground.  As you can see here from the visitor center:

That's Vermont across the Hudson on the horizon, BTW. 

The park has a nice one-way, 9-mile drive, with 9 stops to give you local knowledge.  There's not much reconstructed.  There was a house, which was the headquarters for General Gates. We wondered what Chip and Joanna could do with it. 

The Battle of Saratoga is full of legendary moments and monuments.  General Arnold (he who shall not be named) was shot in the leg during the battle and there's a boot statute denoting the spot, though not mentioning who the two star general was.  Clever.  

British General Simon Fraser was shot there, too, and is buried there on the battlefield.  

BTW, the audio tour did not make fall weather in that part of New York sound pleasant.  OC, it is different if you are in a tent all the time.  

One selling point was that there was an 18th c fair on the grounds where General Burgoyne actually surrendered days after the battle.  There we learned that churning butter is hard (who knew?) and it's easier to make it in a mayonaisse jar and shaking.  And whey tastes awful.  

We learned that beer was food back then, with low alcohol content.   I know several people (who are reading this in fact) who believe that.  

And there was this Punch and Judy show, replete with a sign warning that it was an 18th c show and not PC.  Who knew?

Then a long drive to Geneva, where we are staying in a restored/renovated old mansion, with almost a view of Lake Seneca.  

Dinner in Geneva was a disappointment.  K had the pizza du jour which was white pizza with duck and brussel sprouts.  I wondered why.  & there was a discussion of whether it was pizza without red sauce (no!)

And then back to the room,to watch GoT on HBo Go (the wonders of modern tech) & act surprised Jaime is still alive.  & Little Finger is a sneaky prick.  Who knew?

A Day at the Races

It's time for our annual August vacation trip -- this time to upstate New York (which, to the uninitiated means "anywhere north of New York City").

Last night and tonight we are staying on Mansion Row in Albany, in a place on the historic site index, built in the late 19th century for a woman who became a famous suffragete.  And here's the view from the room -- the capitol and east beyond to the mountains, and Massachusetts (right?)

Probably the highlight of dinner, at the Ginger Man (named, it said, after the Donleavy novel), was this -- for those of you too old or too young, this is fondue!

It was fun.  And the other food was good, too.

***
We started the day with breakfast. We hit a place a short walk from the hotel. Nothing special.

Then we went to "the Spa" to the races.   The big concession to MY addiction (hint: tomorrow night we are actually staying in the guest house of a winery).

Despite warnings all week about the day's weather, it started beautifully!  The race track at Saratoga is famous for its grove of trees, where people picnic and watch the races on TV.  And there are lots of vendors.

To my shock, Mrs H bought a hat!!!! I've been known to buy hats to commemorate trips, but here she is, stopping at the vendor, looking at the tag and not passing out, then actually trying on a straw hat in the "Slavin style."  She also kept singing, which made me wonder...

We had good seats in the grandstand (photo here) and spent most of the day pissing away money -- unable to sustain even a show parley (where you pick a horse to show in the race and bet the winnings on the next race to do the same -- it can add up if you can pick horses to show).

But near the end of the day it darkened, then rain.  Then, with all the customers under the stands (there were about 30,000) it lightninged!  NBD, but the crowd oooh-ed and aaaah-ed --I told K it was like a fireworks display.

After a 25 minute delay, they ran the big race, the fourstardave (I guess it's a NY sports bar?), on soft turf.  I ended the day hitting the Grand Slam (Josh will know), which paid $30 for my $1 bet.  Salved a pretty bad day.

Then back to Albany (about 40 miles) for Italian for dinner.  It was not clear who chose the Italian (she called!) -- the papardelle bolognesse was excellent.  Mio Posto.  I guess there's one in Saratoga, too.

Day one down...later I'll write up day 2.