Appreciation of circumstance

No job is perfect. There are plusses and minuses to all work situations. Consider yourself lucky if you’re working at a restaurant that has continuous staff wine training (beyond sales pitches by sales reps), and encourages or invests in outside education. Consider yourself lucky if you’re working at a retailer that encourages the whole staff Read More…

First tasted, last consumed

We have all seen this at tastings, but haven’t thought much about it. The wine that everybody rushes forward to try. And it also happens to be the last one consumed. It’s the flash in the pan wine. Look out for it. It’s fancy, it gets lots of attention, and it turns out it’s also shallow, one dimensional, Read More…

Never assume you know how a restaurant will do

No stars. Zero. “Poor,” the lowest rating possible, was the New York Times review in October of 2005 of the newly opened New York City restaurant Ninja. Frank Bruni’s review has even made the Ten Most Scathing New York Times Restaurant Reviews of All Time list. Referring to a choice of routes to your table (one Read More…

I finished, now what?

This is a brilliant idea from the floor of Barnes and Noble, where I’m writing this. To my left is a table of books. A variety, and I don’t know any of them. Above them is a sign. “I finished Twilight. Now what?” Books, like wine, can be intimidating. Plus there’s an investment of time Read More…