Wine and restaurant reviews
I’ve been in Las Vegas the last few days, celebrating the baptism of my nephew Dustin Parente. It’s been a while since I’ve been here, and in prior years it’s always been for business. We’re at the Trump Tower, and the service has been incredible. Whatever your feelings about The Donald, it’s a great place…
Gabriele and I had a really fine meal at Ray’s the Steaks in Arlington last weekend. We were giving Ray’s a second chance at their new Arlington location on Wilson Blvd. Michael Landrum has made a big name for himself with his growing empire of Ray’s locations. I’ve had a couple of good meals in…
Last week Gabriele and I had dinner at the Carlyle Grand in Shirlington. Sort of the flagship of the American Restaurant chain here in the DC area, it’s always a solid performer. You won’t be blown away, but you’ll rarely be disappointed either. The atmosphere is upbeat and there are always crowds, which is a…
I hope everyone’s summer is in full swing. Here are suggestions for some good juice at decent prices to enjoy this summer. First off, the search for a good value, good tasting Bordeaux continues. At times I feel a little like Don Quixote on this quest, but recently there was an encouraging find. I enjoyed…
Gabriele and I recently went for dinner at Tallula for the first time in a while. As readers of this blog know, we’re big fans of the restaurants in the Neighborhood Restaurant Group. Unfortunately, things had changed since we last ate at Tallula. I apparently was the last person in the DC area to realize…
Gabriele and I just got back from a very fun trip to Prague, where my best friend Chris married a beautiful Czech woman named Martina. It was a beautiful ceremony held at a castle outside of Prague, and we were thrilled to share the day with them. The service and food at the wedding was…
I’ve been drinking some good wine this month, or “good juice” as a friend of mine likes to say. Of course I’m doing this purely so I have a nice variety of wine notes to share with you, my readers. <smile> One nice discovery happened during a prospect dinner at Capital Grille Tysons Corner. The…
Lately I’ve been pairing my wine reviews with trips, and of course I like to write about the wine we have when we go out to dinner. But the quest for a decent $20 Bordeaux, a tasty Rhone or a powerful Zinfandel need not happen out on the town, or on the road. Here are…
I’ve stated often in this blog that you shouldn’t have to spend big money for a satisfying wine experience. There is more wine production going on worldwide than at any time in history, and on average much better production than in the past. There is a wine glut, and you the consumer are in the…
Gabriele and I had been meaning to try out Liberty Tavern in Clarendon, and last weekend we had a good opportunity. Our good friend Kristin had a party in Arlington, and after stopping by there we went for dinner. I had been a couple of times for drinks with friends and knew the bar was…
For the past couple of years Gabriele and I have rented a cabin in the Shenandoah for a quick, relaxing getaway from DC. It’s located about 14 miles outside Front Royal, VA. We’ve always had a nice time, but last weekend was especially fun due to some new food and wine discoveries. The first find…
With the days short, the nights long and with holiday bills to pay it’s easy to rely on old favorite wines during the winter. Gabriele and I can be guilty of that, but we try and make sure we’re trying new juice as well. Here are some winners we’ve found recently, enjoyed between digging out…
