Around the New Year, I had a surprise call from Ginevra Casa and her husband, Charles Smith who notified me they were coming to Scottsdale to spend some time at the Valley Ho. I cruised over and brought my Petit BrabançonBrussels Griffon, Chuy, as Ginevra and Charles.had their French Bulldog, Lulu, in tow. Little Chuy never had it so good as his overnight treatment at Ginevra's Doggie Spa at the Ho.
The week evolved into a relaxing and fun week-end hanging out with Ginevra and Charles eating, drinking and relaxing by the pool. I had the great opportunity to try the new Secco Bubble line-up. The new labels are simply fantastic and I know these wines will become a substantial favorite of tippling fashionistas from New York and Miami to LA and Seattle. Trust me, Skinny Girl Bethenny Frakel has nothing on Italian Girl Ginevra Casa.
I brought red chile beef tamales the following morning that I made for the New Years celebration.and Charles opened up a great bottle of his spectacular 1996 K Syrah Phil Lane Vineyard. The best way to give that wine the accolades it deserves is to compare it to Joseph Conrad's layered literary masterpiece, Heart of Darkness. In fact, this initial rich syrah has become a myriad of dark red fruit and cocoa dust in it's maturity.
Since my wife was visiting family in Texas, Ginevra and Charles invited me to hang out with them and we enjoyed some great pizza Napoletana, and vino. The highlight of the week-end from my perspective, was our New Years Eve celebration at Sushi Rokyu at the W. We sat at the sushi bar, with our pixie-sized Korean Doll hostess and our funny and eager 20-something katana-wielding minions and the middle-aged Itimame who prepared our food. We also had four 720 ml bottles of sake from the Suehiro Sake Brewery in the Tohoku region from the Fukushima Prefecture. We had the "Ken" Daiginjo and the "Gensai" Daiginjo, but we all agreed the it was better to live by the sword than to face another bottle named after Japan's greatest samurai of the Edo period.
Speaking of sword for hire, If Charles ever sells his wine operation, and opens up a beach front Maui Taco Shack I volunteer to move to da Islands and run it for him. After all, I have been a restaurant Ronin for over two decades. Had a fantastic time at the Ginevra and Charles Show, cannot wait for part two in Walla Walla!
The week evolved into a relaxing and fun week-end hanging out with Ginevra and Charles eating, drinking and relaxing by the pool. I had the great opportunity to try the new Secco Bubble line-up. The new labels are simply fantastic and I know these wines will become a substantial favorite of tippling fashionistas from New York and Miami to LA and Seattle. Trust me, Skinny Girl Bethenny Frakel has nothing on Italian Girl Ginevra Casa.
I brought red chile beef tamales the following morning that I made for the New Years celebration.and Charles opened up a great bottle of his spectacular 1996 K Syrah Phil Lane Vineyard. The best way to give that wine the accolades it deserves is to compare it to Joseph Conrad's layered literary masterpiece, Heart of Darkness. In fact, this initial rich syrah has become a myriad of dark red fruit and cocoa dust in it's maturity.
Since my wife was visiting family in Texas, Ginevra and Charles invited me to hang out with them and we enjoyed some great pizza Napoletana, and vino. The highlight of the week-end from my perspective, was our New Years Eve celebration at Sushi Rokyu at the W. We sat at the sushi bar, with our pixie-sized Korean Doll hostess and our funny and eager 20-something katana-wielding minions and the middle-aged Itimame who prepared our food. We also had four 720 ml bottles of sake from the Suehiro Sake Brewery in the Tohoku region from the Fukushima Prefecture. We had the "Ken" Daiginjo and the "Gensai" Daiginjo, but we all agreed the it was better to live by the sword than to face another bottle named after Japan's greatest samurai of the Edo period.
Speaking of sword for hire, If Charles ever sells his wine operation, and opens up a beach front Maui Taco Shack I volunteer to move to da Islands and run it for him. After all, I have been a restaurant Ronin for over two decades. Had a fantastic time at the Ginevra and Charles Show, cannot wait for part two in Walla Walla!