Who Speaks "Wine"?

The girls met up this past Sunday to have lunch and to collect our wine order from Sandra. Total of 5 cases to be shared by 6 boozer wannabes. Not that we know anything about wines but we think we know a good wine when we have one. We agreed that we should take notes so we will know if we want to order more of the same next time.

With excitement, I opened up a bottle of 2005 COYAM from Chile last night. It was a very pretty wine: dark red in color, rich aroma of berries, full bodied, dry yet velvety. It was very satisfying. Ahhh...

OK, that was my notes. I decided to check out the real reviews just to see if my take was right. Hey, what do you know, my first impression was right on! This is a beautiful wine and it has received pretty good reviews. Kuddo for me! But, what the heck is this wine talk??? Here's an example of a review of this wine...

"Ruby-red. Spicy red-and blackcurrant aromas offer very good precision and are complicated by licorice and cocoa powder. Silky in texture, with concentrated red fruit preserve flavors, tangy minerality and slow-building tannins on the close. Offers a very suave blend of depth and vivacity." -- 90 Points. International Wine Cellar (www.wine.com)

Huh? Where can I learn to talk wine like that? Do I have to? Wouldn't it be nice to talk like a true wine expert? But I bet you if I give the girls wine notes like this, they will probably tell me to go fly a kite and JUST DRINK IT, Suts! Shish!

2010: May It Be Mine

Hey, I like what I read! My 2010 horoscopes is actually pretty good. I get excited because my previous few new year horoscopes have been pretty shabby. It has been: not good, no luck, no money, nothing for ya....Gee, what a way to start a new year. But for once, I got a good one. Woo-hoo!

As I read on...hmmm... something about I shouldn't be buying cars, computers, printers and phones when Mercury going retrograde in 2010... no idea what that means, but, heck, I've already bought a car, a PC, a printer and a phone this year, so I think I'm good. Isn't this FABU? It's as if all my stars lined up. Woo-hoo again!

Seriously though, horoscopes are for fun and giggles. Don't let them get to you. Good or bad, we are the only ones that can make things happen for ourselves.

Yes, make things happen and improve them while we're at it. I set a bar for myself to reach each year. 2009 was to GIVE MORE. 2010 will be to DO MORE. I'm blessed that I can so I should. Don't know what awaits me in 2010, but I'll do my best to make my good horoscopes come true.

Happy New Year to Me and to Everyone!!

Not the Perfect10 but It Worked

2000 - 2009. It seems a very long time yet not very long. I started a new job in February 2000 and I'm on my third gig ten years later. I left the comfort of an old familiar place that I worked in for 10 years and ventured into high-tech, back to retail and now in financial services. Funny how things worked but I guessed it was all good because I picked up new things and made new friends along the way.

2000 - 2009. A continued growth period for me. Went back to school after being out for 18 years. Went for my MBA going part time from Fall of 2002 to Spring of 2006. Can't believe I actually made myself going through the studying, cramming for exams and writing papers but that's already a distance memory. Looking back, yes, I would have done it all over again. It was time well spent.

2000 - 2009. A decade of family changes. Jason and Jennifer added 2 more to the Wu family: Brandon in 2000 and Carli in 2004. The total count is now 9. In these past 10 years, we gained quite a few new relatives yet we also lost so many: big Uncle, 4th Uncle, Cousin Cecilia and mom's and dad's many friends, all so dear to us. Mom's stroke was a big blow in 2007. It turned our family up-side down and our lives have not been the same since then. But, we are blessed because we still have each other.

2000 - 2009. It's a profound decade for us humans. I just hope that we have learned from our lessons as we head into the next era.

2000 - 2009. What has not changed? Robert and I are still hanging strong. Through thick and thin, we will be together for a quarter of a century comes May 2010 with Max, Dudu and now Dexter woven into our lives.

Good-bye, the first decade of the 21st century! It was nice knowing you. You could have been nicer but we really can't complain. It's up to each one of us to make things better. You've given us the chance.

Merry Christmas!

Can't believe it's another Christmas! Didn't we just had the last one? Did the earth speed up spinning?

Looking back, it was pretty pathetic this time last year. It was a grey, depressed and cheerless holiday season dragged down by the economy and all the financial crisis. Everyone knew it was going to get worse and no one was looking forward to the new year.

But the new year came anyway. We all faced it head on and people find ways to strive. Here we are at Christmas time again. I say we all have something to be merry about. For me: family, love, friends and health.

Despite the continued greyness around us, splash some happy red and spread the Christmas cheers. Things can only get better from here.

Merry Christmas to us all!

Sent from my iPhone.

Have You Bake Your Apple Pie Today?

Fall weather. Cold air. Dry leaves. Harvest time. Hot apple pie. Freshly brewed coffee. Can't ask for more!!

Apple Pie is easy to make yet it looks like million bucks. You can make very pretty pies that bring on Ooos and Ahhhs. Don't you like that? Here's how:

Start with the right apples. Some are just better than others. Pick ones that are tart, tangy and crunchy. Fuji apples are good ones to use. I don't like the peeling part but someone has to do it. OK... about 6 cups of sliced apples for a 9 inch pie dish. Toss the apples with: 3/4 cup sugar (I only use 1/2 cup because I don't like the pie too sweet), 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and dash of salt.

Prepare pie crusts. Huh, I fess up. I don't like making pie crusts. Too much work for me so I cheat. Pillsbury pie crusts are just as good as homemade. UGh! I know the real bakers are gasping now...
Arrange apple slices in the pie dish and dab the top with 2 table spoon of butter then top off with another pie crust. You can make a fancy top if you're up to it. Go ahead, do a pretty lattice top. I don't, because I get confused which stripe goes where.
Give the top a light egg wash before putting it in the oven. It will give the shell a pretty brown shiny coat when done.

Pop the pie in a pre-heated 425 degree oven and bake for 40-50 minutes depending on your oven. Mine is usually done between 40-45 minutes.

And what do you get? An apple pie that you can show off to family, friends and neighbors. Yes, you really can!! :)

See how easy it is? Even I, who doesn't like peeling, making pie crusts and who has no fancy baking talents can make yummy apple pies. Enjoy making the pie, enjoy baking, enjoy the season, and enjoy with your loved ones.

Happy Holidays, Everyone!!!