Annual Block Party at Bob's House!

Ron and I were able to attend this year's annual block party in Long Beach where good friends Bob & Margaret live.

Bob is a friend of Ron's from music school in the late 80s. He plays bass and graciously maintains a relationship with us over the years and miles.

Margaret is a fantastic woman who takes good care of the band with food and beverages while managing her children, socializing with neighbors and participating in games.

She and Bob have four young and bright kids who are very talented.

Each year, they get a city permit and block of the street for a day.

Neighbors organize games for the kids. A local family prepares and serves delicious traditional tacos with all the fixin's. Some folks set up tables with food and beverages.

But the main attraction for us is the music.

Ron went to Musician's Institute in Hollywood with Bob (pictured to the left) and a few other musicians who may or may not attend each year's block party.

The photo above features the musical team (L to R):

Mike R. on guitar (and keyboard), Larry S. on guitar, Jim on drums (keyboard also), Bob R. on bass, neighbor Chris on percussion, and Ron on guitar.

Let's talk about Bob!

Like all these musicians, he is versatile and willing to try just about any rock song, 50s through 80s.

Also, he sings a lot of songs either lead vocal or harmony.

Very talented and fun to be with on stage.

Bob's nickname: Answer Man.

To the left:

Larry, another Musician's Institute pal.

This guy plays and sings a massive variety of songs: rock, country, Beatles, etc.

He is a stalwart at the annual block party.

Larry is easy to work with, a real professional.

I found out in Bob & Margaret's kitchen this year that Larry has a good sense of humor, too!

Okay, Mike.

It's difficult to get started with Mike.

No! I mean, he is very talented and so it is challenging to describe him in a small space like this blog post.

Suffice to say, Mike plays guitar.

Mike sings.

Mike plays keyboard.

Mike is a ton of fun on stage and will try just about any song the band suggests.

Did I mention that he is unafraid to show his effusive personality and love for stage drama?! Quite entertaining.

Now, on to Jim M., yet another Musician's Institute buddy.

First, Jim's nickname is Question Man.

He plays keyboard and drums.

He sings and provides harmonies.

Jim will pick up a tambourine or other hand percussion and play while hammering out chords or a melody on the keyboard with the other hand.

He has a dry sense of humor to accompany his understated performing style.

I think it's pretty obvious that I have a little crush on Jim.

I hope his girlfriend is okay with that. I AM happily married!

Speaking of that...

Ron mostly plays guitar at the block party events. He also sings both lead and harmony.

But he will happily fill in on drums or percussion or keyboard. If there was a trumpet on stage, he would play it.

His guitar playing is so tasteful... it's SICK!

The other musicians know it, too.

Not to brag or play favorites, but he's my husband and he's my favorite.

And moi? Well, yeah, the old boys' club let me sit in this year. I sang a couple of "girl" songs, played flute on two tunes, and even strummed guitar a few times.

Also, no one takes pictures of me but it's okay because it's not my gig.

But, one time that afternoon, I opened my song book to follow guitar chords for a tune and a band member who shall remain nameless on this post said, "No charts!"

I eyeballed two other musicians who were both occasionally peaking at charts, then looked back at the commenter. I shot him my middle finger and that was the end of that!

All in all, Ron and I have a good time at the block party. Bob and Margaret and their kids are a total blast. They are hugely generous people. And all the musicians are talented and fun to play music with for an afternoon of "How about 'Black Magic Woman'" (or fill in the blank with another classic rock song).

We get to hang out with an amazing and fun family, musicians and neighborhood folks and kids. And we make music "for the fun of it," which is good now and then...!

More Central Coast Wine Tasting!

Our friend Brie invited us to join her and her friend Rose for an afternoon of wine tasting.

We packed a light picnic lunch and headed for Tablas Creek, where Brie is a member.

Pictured here L to R: Brie, Rose, me and Ron.

Tablas Creek grows a huge selection of grapes in a certified sustainable environment. Their tasting list is extensive and offers many delicious white and red varietals and blends.

Our host was native Atascaderan, Shawn. He was gracious and humorous enough to let me snap this classic photo of him appearing to have horns (the wine bottles).

We gave him a new title: Inventory Reductionist Par Excellence.

I'm sure the owners of Tablas Creek will appreciate that.

I enjoyed the 2009 Côtes de Tablas Blanc, the 2007 Grenache, and the 2006 Esprit de Beaucastel.

Personal fave on the tasting list for me was the 2007 Esprit de Beaucastel, which I gave three stars.

Or as they say in french, "trois étoiles."

Next, we zipped into Niner, a newer winery on the west side.

Rose and Brie posed for a lovely photo in the expansive tasting room.

Brie liked the 2009 Sangiovese Rosato (pretty sure she purchased a bottle of it).

Here is a photo of the terrain from the back side on Niner's tasting room. It's called "Heart Hill." Of course!

Back to wine. Rose, like me, was partial to the 2008 Sauvignon Blanc.

I almost forgot to mention that Rose speaks fluent French!

I was so excited to have someone to converse with and learn from that was way beyond my ability!

Rose was very patient with me, just like my French professor at school.

Brie and Ron were left out of the conversation a bit, but I tried to bridge the language gap by sharing what Rose and I were talking about!

Rick, the Niner tasting room host who poured for us, educated us on the fact that "tannins" are found in the skins of red grapes but not white grapes.

Red wines "lay down" longer than white wines because the tannins act as a preservative.

After Niner, we crossed over to the 46 East area, which is on the east side of Hwy 101 in Paso Robles.

Our friend Shakeh, singer-songwriter from the Los Angeles area, was performing at a winery where Ron and I are members, Sculpterra.

We definitely wanted to support her, as well as show off one of our favorite wineries to Rose. It was a fantastic tour, and we all purchased wine.

Time was on our side and we traveled over the dry wash to make a pit stop at another of our wine club wineries, Clautiere.

The girls tried on wigs and gave photo-ops. See Brie and Le Coquette Rose above, and moi, avec les cheveux orange, posing while Ron purchased wine.

Then, we headed over to Maloy O'Neill for a tasting.

Brie purchase the Port and something else. I forgot. I like everything at Maloy O'Neill.

That's why Ron and I are members there.

Plus the fact that Shannon is an amazing person, winemaker, super-taster, friend and fellow non-conformist (nod to the nuns)!

Visit these wonderful "vignobles" and let me know your comments on the wines, tasting rooms and service!

Tell them Sharine and Ron sent you. It won't get you any freebies because we're not famous or rich, but they will definitely have stories to share!

More Sculpterra Fun!

We just can't get enough of Sculpterra Winery and both planned and impromptu educational sessions with winemaker, Paul Frankel!

On the last day of July, we zipped out to take advantage of the monthly wine specials. As good luck would have it, Paul was in the tasting room!

After sampling yummy vintages at the bar, Paul invited us to thieve from the barrel of one of his new wine "projects..." and one more reason we love him!

Paul's 2009 AKRB (a Rhone blend pictured above in the photo) contains 44% Syrah, 28% Mourvedre and 28% Petite Syrah.

Each of the varietals was crushed separately, then barreled separately. They were blended after 8 months in their individuals barrels, on July 21, 2010.

Nice experiment! But WAIT! There's more.... Paul employed numerous yeasts in this process.

The Syrah contains 3 yeasts, and the Mourvedre and Petite Syrah each have 1 yeast, for a total of FIVE different strains of yeast for one blend of wine!

Paul thieved from the barrel so we could sample this incredible blend, featuring a rich coffee bouquet, chocolate and black cherries and lush berries on the palate, and even a subtle hint of bacon.

But please don't freak out!

This is a fantastic, slightly exotic Rhone blend that will satisfy all of us who appreciate these big berry bombs.

Did I mention that Paul told Ron and me that, besides himself, we were FIRST to taste the AKRB?!?? Feeling special, are we? Uh, yeah!

Go now, Sculpterra is an amazing and fun winery, Paul is brilliant and delightful, and the tasting room folks are wonderful, warm people!

The photo here shows four Puncheon wine barrels, full of different varietals. Puncheon barrels are a unique size, holding 500 litres.

Calcareous Vineyard

We had taken off time to celebrate our seven-year-itch anniversary by visiting friends in Los Angeles, but Ron came down with bronchitis.

So we ended up on a "stay-cation" which we dubbed "Club Meds!"

No problem, we saved money, which is a good thing. And, we visited some new wineries.

First on our list was Calcareous, recommended

to us by many of our wine-loving friends.

Calcareous sits on a high hill overlooking valleys and mountains in every direction.

The tasting room is nice blend of modern and rustic, and the grounds are perfect for picnics!

We had made a pit-stop at TJ's and bought a loaf of bread, some gooey pesto/cheese spread and a big tray of sushi... we were ready to chow.

But we started by sipping through the tasting list with our host, Christy.

Everything was delicious, and three wines in particular stood out as exceptional:

The 2006 Syrah at 15.8% alcohol and the 2007 Tres Violet, a blend of 58% Syrah, 30& Grenache and 12% Mourvedre which also boasted 15.8% alcohol.

Ron, of course, loved the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, another 15.8% alcohol wine.

Oh, and I can't forget to mention that the winemaker, Jason Joyce, has been making magic with a 2008 Pinot Noir.

We were fortunate enough to get a sample from the barrel that afternoon!

I bought a glass of the Tres Violet and Ron got the Cab, then we headed out to the picnic area.

Since we were the only guests at the time, we had our pick of tables.

It was surprising, as this place is really lovely with gorgeous views and delicious wine.

Anyway, we pigged out as the wind (dang, it has been a windy, cold summer!) tried to thwart our happiness but to no avail -- ha haaaa!

The wine was just too good, along with all our lunchables, to be ruined.

We will go back to Calcareous many times, and depending on our future economic status, we would like to become members!

And of course, we recommend that YOU check out this gem of a winery.

Eagle Castle Winery

We have a castle right here in Paso Robles!

Even better, they sell wine at the castle, because this is a winery.

It's called Eagle Castle and it is situated just off Highway 46 West.

Ron and I visited in July while most everybody else in north

county was at the Mid-State Fair.

It's our favorite time to get out and about during summer. Why?

No crowds! We don't do crowds very well unless we happen to be on a stage playing for them.

Here is Ron gazing over the moat.

Because, really, you can't keep the castle safe without a moat!

We did not, however, see alligators or sharks swimming in the moat.

The tasting room was but one large room on the first floor, and the bar was probably 40 feet in length!

Tim assisted us in our wine tasting experience.

Both Ron and I especially liked the two white wines on the list: the 2008 Chardonnay and the 2008 Viognier.

Both topped out at 13.9% alcohol and were highly drinkable. We are old school about our Chardonnays and prefer them to carry the oaky/buttery thing on the palate. Un-oaked Chardonnay is not worth our time except for scientific reasons!

We discovered this old piano in the tasting room.

So I sat down to play a few bars of Mozart, just for kicks.

Of the reds, I enjoyed the 2006 Trinity, a blend of 58% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Syrah with alcohol by volume at 15.01%

The 2007 Royal Red was also a good blend, featuring 56% Syrah, 30% Merlot and 14% Cab. Alcohol came in at 15.5% and the wine received "Best Red Wine Blend" at the California State Fair wine competition. Nice job!

Ron liked the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon (14.9% alcohol), and I also picked out the 2007 Petite Syrah (15.5% alcohol) -- no big surprises there!

Overall, the Eagle Castle Winery is a fun tour. They even have a restaurant which serves lunch and is the hosting room for their events. It's beautiful! Go on a warm afternoon and enjoy a bottle of their white wine or pick your favorite red from the tasting list.

My Book!

I am beside myself "literally" as I announce to you that I am writing a book! ("Literally," get it?! I know it's totally cliche, but I am pretty excited!)

This isn't just a poetry book with, like, 22 poems. Although, my poetry books are good, too. And you should buy and read my poetry books. They have soulful energy to help you feel alive and connected with your quirky universe.

But no, I'm talking about a REAL BOOK! A non-fiction collection of tales and yes, recipes of all persuasions, concoctions that may or may not be edible AND more. Yes, more.

But... I'm not telling any more except that it has everything to do with this blog.

And my other blog.

And my web site.

And it has everything to do with every person, place, thing or thought that led to the creation of Ravings, Cravings & Misbehavings and that's all I am saying!

So I PhotoShopped this little graphic based on a blank book image that I found which was created by BazaarDesigns, to help me and all of us get excited about my book.

This is definitely getting my creative juices flowing! (Thank you, Susie and Vanessa and Ron, and everyone who knows about the concept for my book and is supportive!)

I have written several stories so far and intend to finish my first draft by August 15, 2010. Yeah, that's what I said.

So, post a comment here or email me with a reason that I should put you in my book. And you'd better make it a really good reason or I won't even reply! Because I'm a busy writer now! Get to it!

Email me: sharine [at] sharine [dot] com

Falafel Patties with Tabouli Salad and Tahini

It was FINALLY hot over the weekend! Summer has arrived, late but ever-so-welcome.

In honor of the triple-digit temperatures, I decided to make Falafel and Tabouli with Tahini.

It required several major stages of cooking/baking, since I started with dry bulgur, but was well worth the effort.

And, it yielded enough yummy food for several meals! Don't these look scrumptious?!

FALAFEL PATTIES WITH TABOULI & TAHINI

FALAFEL INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup TVP (textured vegetable protein)

3/4 cup vegetable broth

1 cup garbanzo beans, mashed

5 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup onion, chopped finely

1/3 cup parsley, chopped

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs or panko

1/3 cup vital wheat gluten

1 teaspoon baking powder
Non-stick cooking spray or olive oil

FALAFEL METHOD:
In a large mixing bowl, rehydrate TVP in vegetable broth for about 5 minutes. Add ingredients through bread crumbs and mix until combined. Stir in vital wheat gluten. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spritz with non-stick cooking spray.

Remove Falafel mixture from refrigerator. Fold in baking powder. Form in 8-10 patties and place on baking sheet. Spritz each patty with cooking spray or brush with olive oil.

Bake 20 minutes, turn over each patty then bake for another 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

TABOULI INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup cooked bulgur wheat

1/2 English cucumber, seeded

and coarsely chopped

1/3 cup parsley, chopped
6 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced
2 medium tomatoes, chopped

Freshly ground pepper

TABOULI METHOD:

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

TAHINI INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup tahini

1/3 cup water or vegetable broth

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

TAHINI METHOD:

In a small bowl, slowly whisk together tahini and water or broth. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

SERVING IDEA:

Check out another photo of this delicious meal!

As you can see, I served my Tabouli over chopped romaine in a light raspberry viniagrette from TJs.

The Falafel patties are lightly drizzled with Tahini.

(And yeah, that's ketchup on the side. I am a big fan of both ketchup and mustard!)