It was with a tinge of sadness that Mr. DS and I walked down 69th St. in Upper Darby; we're getting to that stage where we realize that each concert may be "the last one". You can probably relate; you focus on your career, go back to school, maybe start a family or a cat rescue, your favorite artists sell-out or blow their heads off…attending concerts just drops to the bottom of the list of priorities. Then there are other little things like how the music industry as a whole is just a big machine, with no more moral high ground than any big pharma or oil company anymore. Purchasing tickets has become an adventure in racketeering. Simply put, there are easier ways to spend a Tuesday night.
But when I found out that the Pixies were actually coming to Philadelphia, I broke down and I had to go. They are really the last vestige of music as I remember it being when I was just out of school, very broke, totally prodigal, with more good years ahead of me than behind me. But a lot of time has passed and things happened to all of us: loved ones got sick, people we cared for died, we got divorced, we lost touch with friends or lost friendships altogether, we got fired from jobs or had to look for new jobs. The Pixies and I have more in common now than we did 20 years ago. And that's why I went.
So they played some B-sides and the entire Doolittle album which was cool on one hand, but totally reeked of path of least resistance on the other (20th anniversary not withstanding). But path of least resistance is what it's all about when you get to that certain stage of your life when you just don't want surprises anymore…because when you get past 40, most of the surprises ahead of you are not good ones. I did sense that the band was not totally into what they were doing. They seemed glad enough to be there, but they really didn't interact with the crowd – I mean come on, this was the opening show of the tour, you can't be tired of it already. But yeah, you can. Some people can come to work every day on auto-pilot and still do a pretty damn good job because they are so good at what they do and they've done it for so long that it doesn't require full engagement. They've got it down to a science. The Pixies, after playing since the 80's, have got it down to a science. They didn't need to work too hard at it because they know they're good and they know we know they are good. I'm willing to cut them some slack for that. On the other hand, they did give me what I came there for…loud music written by folks from a generation who didn't think they would still be here by now.
For those of you who missed it, here's the set list:
Dancing the Manta Ray
Bailey's Walk
Weird at My School
Manta Ray
Debaser
Tame
Wave of Mutilation
I Bleed
Here Comes Your Man
Monkey Gone to Heaven
Mr. Grieves
Crackity Jones
La La Love You
No. 13 Baby
There Goes My Gun
Hey
Silver
Gouge Away
Encore 1:
Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf)
Into the White
Encore 2:
Nimrod's Son
Isla de Encanta
Vamos
Where is My Mind?
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
Who are the (Sketchy) People in Your Neighborhood?
The Early Years - New York
Comedian Patton Oswalt describes a condition called "Sketchy-Head" wherein a person is drawn towards that which is shabby, shady, and perhaps tinged with risk and danger. Usually this is a condition of economics, but sometimes it's a character flaw. I cop to the character flaw, enhanced by economics.
The first place after my parent's house was an apartment over a nail salon, deep in the urban heart of Albany, NY. The entrance had that fake nail chemical odor, but you would stop smelling it after a few minutes in the apartment. We had a beautiful view of an overpass and an abandoned church. The abandoned church attracted crack-heads and teens looking for a place to fornicate. But you know you are living in a shady neighborhood when the Chinese place with bullet-proof glass at the counter won't deliver to you. No Chinese restaurant would deliver to us unless we took great pains explaining that we lived on the north end of Green St. and not the south end. And even then, it was only 50-50 that they would agree to deliver.
Then there was the place "just outside the Stockade district" in Schenectady. To the outsider, Schenectady has a reputation as all sketch all the time, but it's not. There are many beautiful, historic places to live. I just couldn't afford any of them. So I moved into a shoebox on the second floor of a pre-civil war building that was literally next to the bridge that divided the Stockade from the its shabbier neighbor. Rents dropped by $150/month just by virtue of a bridge. Talk about being on the wrong side of the tracks.
The first flaw of this zoning disaster was that there were no closets. Blinded by the appeal of cheap rent, I never noticed the lack of closets until moving day. I kept my clothes in laundry baskets (the Louis Vuitton of sketch-head luggage) during the entire time I lived there. The bathroom was so small that you had to climb into the shower to close the door. The landlord hadn't bothered to clean the place between tenants and there was birdseed stuck between the edge of the carpet and the wall. My downstairs neighbor (in an unwitting attempt to be ahead of the drug trend) was an un-employed meth tweeker who called me the N-word when I banged on the floor to let him know his wife-beating was too noisy. Since using the front entrance meant that I would have to encounter "Tweeking White Guy", I routinely used the back steps…also known as the fire escape. There were no bugs. That's the only nice thing I can say about it.
Stay tuned for the New Jersey installment.
Comedian Patton Oswalt describes a condition called "Sketchy-Head" wherein a person is drawn towards that which is shabby, shady, and perhaps tinged with risk and danger. Usually this is a condition of economics, but sometimes it's a character flaw. I cop to the character flaw, enhanced by economics.
The first place after my parent's house was an apartment over a nail salon, deep in the urban heart of Albany, NY. The entrance had that fake nail chemical odor, but you would stop smelling it after a few minutes in the apartment. We had a beautiful view of an overpass and an abandoned church. The abandoned church attracted crack-heads and teens looking for a place to fornicate. But you know you are living in a shady neighborhood when the Chinese place with bullet-proof glass at the counter won't deliver to you. No Chinese restaurant would deliver to us unless we took great pains explaining that we lived on the north end of Green St. and not the south end. And even then, it was only 50-50 that they would agree to deliver.
Then there was the place "just outside the Stockade district" in Schenectady. To the outsider, Schenectady has a reputation as all sketch all the time, but it's not. There are many beautiful, historic places to live. I just couldn't afford any of them. So I moved into a shoebox on the second floor of a pre-civil war building that was literally next to the bridge that divided the Stockade from the its shabbier neighbor. Rents dropped by $150/month just by virtue of a bridge. Talk about being on the wrong side of the tracks.
The first flaw of this zoning disaster was that there were no closets. Blinded by the appeal of cheap rent, I never noticed the lack of closets until moving day. I kept my clothes in laundry baskets (the Louis Vuitton of sketch-head luggage) during the entire time I lived there. The bathroom was so small that you had to climb into the shower to close the door. The landlord hadn't bothered to clean the place between tenants and there was birdseed stuck between the edge of the carpet and the wall. My downstairs neighbor (in an unwitting attempt to be ahead of the drug trend) was an un-employed meth tweeker who called me the N-word when I banged on the floor to let him know his wife-beating was too noisy. Since using the front entrance meant that I would have to encounter "Tweeking White Guy", I routinely used the back steps…also known as the fire escape. There were no bugs. That's the only nice thing I can say about it.
Stay tuned for the New Jersey installment.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
The Hopewell Furnace: A Colonial, Industrial Cathedral
We took a very impromptu trip to the Hopewell Furnace in Elverson, PA on Sunday. Our typical holiday ritual involves enjoying one of the many beautiful parks that are plentiful in this part of Pennsylvania. After a late breakfast, I got the idea to visit French Creek State Park. When we arrived in the park, I saw a sign pointing to something called Hopewell Furnace. I suggested that we follow that sign and we found ourselves at an historical site that is actually run by the National Park Service.
Mark Bird hounded the Hopewell Furnace in 1771 and it operated until approximately 1883, primarily manufacturing pig iron and cast iron stoves. Now the site provides an excellent example of early American industrialism. I found it surprising that such "heavy" industrial enterprises should be located so far from anywhere. Hopewell Furnace is nowhere near Philadelphia or Pittsburg. There were no train lines or canals to deliver the products out of the forge. The Park Rangers are quick to tell you that everything that wasn't produced at the furnace came in and went out went by horse and cart. I think of urban industrialism when I think about the industrial revolution. But my impression was completely changed when I learned that there were similar forges dotting the landscape of southeast Pennsylvania.
For those of us who remember studying medieval history in school, the cathedral represented the heart of a community. It stood in the center of the town and all activity flowed from it and circulated around it. The Hopewell Furnace was a self-contained complex, surrounded by a main house, livestock, barn, cultivated farmland, fuel for the furnace, a store, a blacksmith, and tenant housing for workers. The furnace complex is w few steps from the main house (where the owner lived) and the tenant housing. Since many of the workers and craftsmen lived on the property, for these folks, there was never any getting away from work as the furnace operated 24 hours a day. You could always see the spire from the cast house from anywhere on the property. And the air was probably thick with dust from coal and smoke from the furnace. You didn't just come to work for a shift. A craftsman had to make each cast, wait fro the iron to be ready, then pour the mold and wait for it to cool. This was a long, involved process you simply could not walk away from. On Sundays, pig iron was made from what was left over in the furnace. Living next to where you worked meant you could be "on the clock" almost all the time, much as we are now. It seems in the age of Blackberrys, email, and teleconferencing, we've come full circle – we're never off the clock either.
The craftsmen who made the products were paid a higher wage, but they were not paid for the time it took them to make the product. They were paid by the piece. So all the time it took them to create and pour a mold was not paid for. If the finished product was perfect, they were paid in full. If the product was imperfect, but still usable, they were paid half. If the product was too flawed to use, they were paid nothing and all the time and effort creating it was lost. So there was a lot of incentive to get it right the first time…do-overs cost the furnace owner and the craftsmen money.
Apparently, Ikea did not invent the idea of flat-pack construction either. Cast iron stoves were Hopewell Furnace's hot item. But the stoves were constructed in pieces that could be stored flat and assembled on site. Not only did this make transportation more efficient, but it protected the stoves from damage. Cast iron may be heavy, but it is brittle. A cast iron stove was also an expensive, made to order, consumer item that would have been the pride and key element of a home. Imagine your dismay if your stove arrived broken! This flat pack idea was a brilliant piece of engineering.
No description of the furnace is complete without mentioning the water wheel that drove the bellows in the cast house. If you've never seen a working water wheel, you will be struck by the level of engineering it would have taken to conceive of and build such a thing in an age where a simple infection could kill you. The combination of the falling water and the low groan of the wheel echoing throughout the cast house are soothing and melodious to the modern tourist. But at the same time the water wheel feels like a barely controlled animate creature; a Polyphemus that could crush and devour you. You know you are in the presence of something very powerful – the casting house itself reminded me of some kind of crazy, industrial cathedral with its high ceilings and Romanesque arches. The craftsmen would have been its high priests and the molten iron would have been a daily communion.
While the furnace produced cannons for the American Revolution and weapons for the War Between the States, it was plagued by economic downturns, natural disasters and ultimately cast upon the industrial, evolutionary heap. Eventually, the Federal government obtained the property and its restoration became a public works program during the first great depression.
In addition to the historical site, where we were treated to a sand-casting demonstration and a brief overview of life on the complex and exhibits of typical farm livestock, the traditional park elements are available. In the fall, there is an apple orchard with a variety of apple species to pick. There are picnic grounds and walking trails. It is surrounded by forests that promise a majestic foliage show in the fall. It was a hidden gem that we literally stumbled upon by serendipity alone.
More information about Hopewell Furnace is available here.
And a free, downloadable book about the site's history, prepared by the National Park Service is available here.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Trolley House Antique Emporium, Quakertown, PA
I've been following this shop as an eBay store for about one year. I knew they were literally in my back yard, but I had not made the time to visit and I am disappointed in myself for not having stopped by sooner. Simply put, the Trolley House Emporium store is awesome! This store takes up half a block on Broad St. in Quakertown, which appears to be enjoying a little bit of a renaissance. There are a lot of antique shops and boutiques and cute little places running through the heart of this little borough. Why isn't anyone talking about it? Check it out, people!
The Trolley House Emporium has an eBay store where the user name is “Glittering Generalities”; a perfect name for a shop that has a little but of everything: junque, mid-century modern, early twentieth century and older. There are three main rooms chock-a-block full of stuff; everything from Fiestaware to horse tack. The back room is mostly full of furniture, ranging in age from the 40's through the 80's. There is an upstairs room full of chairs and beds and other randoms stuff. The eBay story truly doesn't do justice to the amount of things that this store has. The owner, Jen, is friendly and willing to bargain. When I visited, she and her partner were unloading new arrivals into the store. This is what thrifting and recycling should be like. I saw at least two items that are haunting me.
I will definitely be back!
The Trolley House Emporium has an eBay store where the user name is “Glittering Generalities”; a perfect name for a shop that has a little but of everything: junque, mid-century modern, early twentieth century and older. There are three main rooms chock-a-block full of stuff; everything from Fiestaware to horse tack. The back room is mostly full of furniture, ranging in age from the 40's through the 80's. There is an upstairs room full of chairs and beds and other randoms stuff. The eBay story truly doesn't do justice to the amount of things that this store has. The owner, Jen, is friendly and willing to bargain. When I visited, she and her partner were unloading new arrivals into the store. This is what thrifting and recycling should be like. I saw at least two items that are haunting me.
I will definitely be back!
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Good Things in Small Packages: A Review of Ten Tiny Dances: Ten Different Visions. One Very Small Space
April 30, 2010. Bethlehem, PA. Touchstone Theater. I attended this event at the invitation of a friend who was performing. I had not had the opportunity to see any of her recent endeavors even though we've been living within an hour's drive of each other for the last 2 years or so.
The organizing principle of the show was that each dance had to be contained within a small space. In this instance, the space was defined by a 4'x 4' platform raised about 8" off the stage. Anyone who has danced in their living room knows how hard it is to keep from tripping over your coffee table, so I was anticipating the challenge posed by this kind of space limitation. But every performer pulled it off without a hitch.
The first performance, "A Bend in the River", featured a dance performed on a spinning wheel. The effect was somewhere between a dervish and Pilates class. But you could appreciate the athleticism of the dancer and what a challenge it was to stay balanced on the wheel. The music also added to the dervish feel, a mystical voice over primal rhythms.
The next performance was that of my friend, who called her piece "Early Onset", with music "Eet" by Regina Spektor. "L" incorporated her stage presence into the dance and told a story of longing and frenzy. I could see the drama presence and I was drawn into the story through her facial expressions. I don't need to mention that it was a complete thrill to see my friend perform. Bravo!
"Shoulders Down, head raised, a pleasant expression upon your countenance" was the next dance. This comic piece wove classical ballet with spoken word and mixed classical music. I think it offered a little of everything to everyone. While the two dancers moved through typical ballet moves, a spoken word track played over the music, providing narration (presumably ballet theory) about how you should move and look and think while you are dancing. The performance offered some comic relief as the dancers played off each other's moves and tried to "out ballet" each other on the tiny stage. Among many things it was a marvel to behold the choreography that went into keeping two fully grown dancers contained in such a small space.
"Choice" was a bold piece set to a tango. The dancer strutted and sashayed using a red ball as a prop. I have my own theories about what the ball might represent, but in the end, she was able to lose it...gracefully. I have never seen a tango executed by one dancer before. But I think one of the key themes of this show was to change our perception of what dance can be and overturn our expectations of what we thought we were going to see. A large component of dance is discipline. The space limitation creates a certain amount of tension by limiting where you can go and the types of moves you can do, but doesn't throwing out one convention liberate you to explore a host of other possibilities?
Another humorous pas de deux featured two young and devastatingly attractive dancers. "Lovers Being Lovers" (Barbara Streisand "People") set the two dancers against one another, each wanting to be part of the other but wanting to be separate as well. Most remarkable was the opening pose where the woman completely supported the weight of the man. This is a remarkable feat when you consider the size of the woman, but at the same time, it was a wonderful demonstration of how dancers use body mechanics to defy gravity.
After a brief intermission, we resumed the journey with "Buried in the Brain". Of all the pieces, this one was the least accessible to me. I was looking for a connection between the spoken word (I am not overly familiar with Emily Dickinson's poetry, but I recognized one line from "My life had stood a loaded gun", I think.) and the dance; I sensed a descent into madness, a rage. The dance itself was well executed, I liked the movements, but I found the spoken words distracting and maybe a little overwrought. I would have rather just seen the dance and left off the poetry - but maybe I wasn't in a head space to receive the message.
In "BodyRock" our devastatingly attractive couple returned for a street-influenced number performed to Moby's "BodyRock". This set was not as playful as I would have expected. The dancers didn't appear to feel the movement until the very end - when they loosened up and enjoyed the music. But I think it was paced perfectly. It served as a perfect foil to the previous piece and set the tone for the rest of the performances.
"Rocking", another humor set, was one of the most interesting pieces of the entire show because it featured three women and three rocking chairs. With their chairs as partners, they rocked, moved in, through and around within that 4' X 4' space. It was an innovative and at the same time languorous performance. It reaffirmed to the audience the endless possibilities that remain when you through off convention. Who says a pas de deux has to be two people? For some reason, (maybe it was the music or the general pace of the piece) it reminded me of the scene from "Oh Brother, Where Art Though" where the Sirens are washing their clothes on the rocks in the river. I don't know why, but it provided a very pleasant association for me.
No off, off, off, off, off, off, off Broadway performance would be complete with out a "drag" number. "Lip Syncing for My Life" was less about dance and broke more of the "rules" about using the limited space than any of the other numbers. And it seemed clear to me that this performance was part of a larger piece (that I would love to see). The performer lip synced "I Need You" from the Eurythmics with an energy worthy of any cabaret I have ever seen. It was funny, irreverent, cheeky and it clearly had alot of fans in the audience. I don't know that it met the letter of the constraint, but it surely embraced the spirit.
Nearly all the performers participated in the finale, where the first dancer returned as the centerpiece on his spinning wheel and each of the dancers took a turn spinning on the wheel and spinning around each other. I could have sworn the music was The Pixies, but alas I was wrong; it was the Ravonettes. It was probably not the most rehearsed of all the dances, but it was fun and a perfect dollop of joy on top of a wonderful exhibition of dance.
While some of the dancers were professional faculty and some were students, all are talented to one extent or another. It was impressive to see a wide range of body types, dance styles and interpretations, proving that big things can flourish in a small space.
The organizing principle of the show was that each dance had to be contained within a small space. In this instance, the space was defined by a 4'x 4' platform raised about 8" off the stage. Anyone who has danced in their living room knows how hard it is to keep from tripping over your coffee table, so I was anticipating the challenge posed by this kind of space limitation. But every performer pulled it off without a hitch.
The first performance, "A Bend in the River", featured a dance performed on a spinning wheel. The effect was somewhere between a dervish and Pilates class. But you could appreciate the athleticism of the dancer and what a challenge it was to stay balanced on the wheel. The music also added to the dervish feel, a mystical voice over primal rhythms.
The next performance was that of my friend, who called her piece "Early Onset", with music "Eet" by Regina Spektor. "L" incorporated her stage presence into the dance and told a story of longing and frenzy. I could see the drama presence and I was drawn into the story through her facial expressions. I don't need to mention that it was a complete thrill to see my friend perform. Bravo!
"Shoulders Down, head raised, a pleasant expression upon your countenance" was the next dance. This comic piece wove classical ballet with spoken word and mixed classical music. I think it offered a little of everything to everyone. While the two dancers moved through typical ballet moves, a spoken word track played over the music, providing narration (presumably ballet theory) about how you should move and look and think while you are dancing. The performance offered some comic relief as the dancers played off each other's moves and tried to "out ballet" each other on the tiny stage. Among many things it was a marvel to behold the choreography that went into keeping two fully grown dancers contained in such a small space.
"Choice" was a bold piece set to a tango. The dancer strutted and sashayed using a red ball as a prop. I have my own theories about what the ball might represent, but in the end, she was able to lose it...gracefully. I have never seen a tango executed by one dancer before. But I think one of the key themes of this show was to change our perception of what dance can be and overturn our expectations of what we thought we were going to see. A large component of dance is discipline. The space limitation creates a certain amount of tension by limiting where you can go and the types of moves you can do, but doesn't throwing out one convention liberate you to explore a host of other possibilities?
Another humorous pas de deux featured two young and devastatingly attractive dancers. "Lovers Being Lovers" (Barbara Streisand "People") set the two dancers against one another, each wanting to be part of the other but wanting to be separate as well. Most remarkable was the opening pose where the woman completely supported the weight of the man. This is a remarkable feat when you consider the size of the woman, but at the same time, it was a wonderful demonstration of how dancers use body mechanics to defy gravity.
After a brief intermission, we resumed the journey with "Buried in the Brain". Of all the pieces, this one was the least accessible to me. I was looking for a connection between the spoken word (I am not overly familiar with Emily Dickinson's poetry, but I recognized one line from "My life had stood a loaded gun", I think.) and the dance; I sensed a descent into madness, a rage. The dance itself was well executed, I liked the movements, but I found the spoken words distracting and maybe a little overwrought. I would have rather just seen the dance and left off the poetry - but maybe I wasn't in a head space to receive the message.
In "BodyRock" our devastatingly attractive couple returned for a street-influenced number performed to Moby's "BodyRock". This set was not as playful as I would have expected. The dancers didn't appear to feel the movement until the very end - when they loosened up and enjoyed the music. But I think it was paced perfectly. It served as a perfect foil to the previous piece and set the tone for the rest of the performances.
"Rocking", another humor set, was one of the most interesting pieces of the entire show because it featured three women and three rocking chairs. With their chairs as partners, they rocked, moved in, through and around within that 4' X 4' space. It was an innovative and at the same time languorous performance. It reaffirmed to the audience the endless possibilities that remain when you through off convention. Who says a pas de deux has to be two people? For some reason, (maybe it was the music or the general pace of the piece) it reminded me of the scene from "Oh Brother, Where Art Though" where the Sirens are washing their clothes on the rocks in the river. I don't know why, but it provided a very pleasant association for me.
No off, off, off, off, off, off, off Broadway performance would be complete with out a "drag" number. "Lip Syncing for My Life" was less about dance and broke more of the "rules" about using the limited space than any of the other numbers. And it seemed clear to me that this performance was part of a larger piece (that I would love to see). The performer lip synced "I Need You" from the Eurythmics with an energy worthy of any cabaret I have ever seen. It was funny, irreverent, cheeky and it clearly had alot of fans in the audience. I don't know that it met the letter of the constraint, but it surely embraced the spirit.
Nearly all the performers participated in the finale, where the first dancer returned as the centerpiece on his spinning wheel and each of the dancers took a turn spinning on the wheel and spinning around each other. I could have sworn the music was The Pixies, but alas I was wrong; it was the Ravonettes. It was probably not the most rehearsed of all the dances, but it was fun and a perfect dollop of joy on top of a wonderful exhibition of dance.
While some of the dancers were professional faculty and some were students, all are talented to one extent or another. It was impressive to see a wide range of body types, dance styles and interpretations, proving that big things can flourish in a small space.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Barrels on the Brandywine, Part Two
It was under much different weather conditions that we set out for our second foray into Pennsylvania wine country. The sky was overcast and threatened rain; and the breezes were damp and cold. But our resolve was unshaken. We were determined to taste wine!
We were the first to arrive at the Penn's Woods Vineyard and Winery in Chadds Ford. It was off the main road and located among rolling hills and horse farms. We filed into the quaint converted farm house and took our places at the bar where we sampled Traminette, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and the "No Name" rose. I preferred the Traminette a fruity and playful wine and the rose. I don't usually prefer roses at all because they are too sweet, but the balance of sweetness of this rose tasted correct to me. It's a perfect summer wine for out on the porch.
We moved on to the reds and we sampled the Merlot and the Ameritage. I am less able to tolerate some of the heavy flavors of the reds these days, but the Ameritage worked for me. Note the lack of fancy wine lingo here, there's what tastes good to me and what does not.
There were vendors offering flavored olive oils and aged balsamic vinegars, but I am not a connoisseur of either of these things, so I passed. We wandered away with a few bottles of lovely wine and a complimentary tote bag.
Our next vineyard was Paradocx. According to our wine companions, they had built up the vineyard quite a bit since their last visit a few years ago. This event was one of the few we visited with a theme, "Cheeseburgers in Paradocx". Unfortunately, the weather did not lend itself to organic grilled hamburgers and sausages on the patio. However, Paradocx was kind enough to allow us to camp out in one of their tasting rooms and eat our picnic lunch in warmth and comfort.
At this winery, we enjoyed a barrel tasting of chardonnay and merlot. I must have an uncultured palate because on the whole, I most enjoy the wines from the barrel that are "not ready". I would love to understand this phenomenon. Perhaps my palate is hopelessly pedestrian…I enjoy cheese curls too.
Paradocx was the only winery we visited with a gimmick: wine in a paint can. They offered red and wine table style wines in a multi-bottle paint can arrangement instead of the box. I picked up the Whitewash wine in a paint can for anticipated family visits and a bottle of the 2006 Leverage, which I thought was the most superior of the wines I tasted that were already bottled.
Our next winery was pure fun. The Kreutz Creek vineyards are located on a family home site in West Grove. The vibe is basement converted into tasting room; it's no muss, no fuss and very relaxed. The family was working pouring the wines for tasting. I have to say, there were so many wines that I was feeling pretty happy by the time we got to the barrel tasting.
We tasted Vidal Blanc, Stainless Steel Aged Chardonnay and barrel aged chardonnay. The difference between the stainless aged wine and the wine aged in a barrel is that the one aged in steel should have a more "buttery" and less "oaky" flavor. I agree that the steel aged wines are less oaky, but for the most part, I think I just don't care for chardonnay. It does something in the back of my jaw that I simply don't like.
We moved on to the Proprietor's Red, the Wickerton Red, the Chamboursin, and the Cabernet Franc. I think these wines were simply too dry for my palate. But I think the crowning event of the tasting at this winery was the barrel tasting. In this tasting, we sampled three of the same wines at different stages. Even after all the wine I had consumed, I could absolutely taste the difference. We started with the Kordeaux, which was a little oaky for my taste. Then we moved on to the Kordeau Reserve, which I liked better because the berry flavor was more pronounced and the wine felt "lighter" on my palate. The final Kordeaux was right out of the barrel. This wine was definitely lighter and fruitier – truly my favorite, but alas not to be consumed this year. We were also able to sign the barrel. (Berger kitty, we miss you every day.)
The Kirkpatricks were not done with us yet. Where would we be without desert wine? We sampled Niagara, which was very grapey and reminiscent of Manichevitz and the Ruby K Port, which we sampled with dark chocolate. They had me at chocolate. I envisioned a very adult milkshake made with Ruby K Port and raw milk ice cream. In my opinion, this was the most fun of all the wineries. It was relaxed, unpretentious and I really got the sense that they wanted you to enjoy their wine. After all, life is short. We'll be back!
Our last stop was unplanned, but recommended by one of our fellow wine travelers from Penn's Woods. Patone Cellers in West Grove is not officially open yet, but they would have been remiss to lose out on this promotion opportunity. After circling West Grove farm country for 20 minutes, one of us had the bright idea to call. Sure enough, the address on our passport was wrong and we had practically passed the place twice. We finally arrived at what looked like a suburban ranch home fronted by a wine barrel with a hand written sign tacked to it. This must be the place! We wandered into a tasting room located in the garage. It felt very underground. But the place was pretty full and the folks at Patone welcomed us with barrel tastings and snacks. We sampled their 2009 oaked Chardonnay, a lovely 2008 La Fleur Blanc, and a 2008 Sauvignon Blanc. We sampled a Sangiovese from the barrel, which was not scheduled to be ready until 2014 – I could be anywhere by then, but really, it was delicious just as it was. We also sampled the Merlot and a Carmenere. I was too taken by the Sangiovese to really care about the last two wines. But this tasting was fun too, because we really felt as though we were in on the ground floor. You could buy wine, but it was cash only. If you wanted to make other arrangements, you could call Mario the wine maker. How cool is that? We were even treated to some local Philly gangland color. Some dude showed up in a stretch limo with his lieutenant and a Chiquita who clearly had some strange ideas about wine-tasting giddy-up. Sweetie, no one goes to wine tastings in Pennsylvania on Palm Sunday afternoon dressed in fur-trimmed leather. Dial-back on the comare vibe.
Currently the Patone Cellars does not have a vineyard. They are buying grapes from area vineyards and mixing their own. Reports are mixed as to whether or not they will buy their own land, but even if they do, they won't have produce from their own vineyards for years. Don't let that stop you, the wine is just fine.
And so that wraps up our first foray into wine tasting in Pennsylvania wine country. I had no idea we had such a rich wine heritage here. It was enlightening and a pleasure. See you next year at the Barrels on the Brandywine. I have some wine to get through between now and then…
We were the first to arrive at the Penn's Woods Vineyard and Winery in Chadds Ford. It was off the main road and located among rolling hills and horse farms. We filed into the quaint converted farm house and took our places at the bar where we sampled Traminette, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and the "No Name" rose. I preferred the Traminette a fruity and playful wine and the rose. I don't usually prefer roses at all because they are too sweet, but the balance of sweetness of this rose tasted correct to me. It's a perfect summer wine for out on the porch.
We moved on to the reds and we sampled the Merlot and the Ameritage. I am less able to tolerate some of the heavy flavors of the reds these days, but the Ameritage worked for me. Note the lack of fancy wine lingo here, there's what tastes good to me and what does not.
There were vendors offering flavored olive oils and aged balsamic vinegars, but I am not a connoisseur of either of these things, so I passed. We wandered away with a few bottles of lovely wine and a complimentary tote bag.
Our next vineyard was Paradocx. According to our wine companions, they had built up the vineyard quite a bit since their last visit a few years ago. This event was one of the few we visited with a theme, "Cheeseburgers in Paradocx". Unfortunately, the weather did not lend itself to organic grilled hamburgers and sausages on the patio. However, Paradocx was kind enough to allow us to camp out in one of their tasting rooms and eat our picnic lunch in warmth and comfort.
At this winery, we enjoyed a barrel tasting of chardonnay and merlot. I must have an uncultured palate because on the whole, I most enjoy the wines from the barrel that are "not ready". I would love to understand this phenomenon. Perhaps my palate is hopelessly pedestrian…I enjoy cheese curls too.
Paradocx was the only winery we visited with a gimmick: wine in a paint can. They offered red and wine table style wines in a multi-bottle paint can arrangement instead of the box. I picked up the Whitewash wine in a paint can for anticipated family visits and a bottle of the 2006 Leverage, which I thought was the most superior of the wines I tasted that were already bottled.
Our next winery was pure fun. The Kreutz Creek vineyards are located on a family home site in West Grove. The vibe is basement converted into tasting room; it's no muss, no fuss and very relaxed. The family was working pouring the wines for tasting. I have to say, there were so many wines that I was feeling pretty happy by the time we got to the barrel tasting.
We tasted Vidal Blanc, Stainless Steel Aged Chardonnay and barrel aged chardonnay. The difference between the stainless aged wine and the wine aged in a barrel is that the one aged in steel should have a more "buttery" and less "oaky" flavor. I agree that the steel aged wines are less oaky, but for the most part, I think I just don't care for chardonnay. It does something in the back of my jaw that I simply don't like.
We moved on to the Proprietor's Red, the Wickerton Red, the Chamboursin, and the Cabernet Franc. I think these wines were simply too dry for my palate. But I think the crowning event of the tasting at this winery was the barrel tasting. In this tasting, we sampled three of the same wines at different stages. Even after all the wine I had consumed, I could absolutely taste the difference. We started with the Kordeaux, which was a little oaky for my taste. Then we moved on to the Kordeau Reserve, which I liked better because the berry flavor was more pronounced and the wine felt "lighter" on my palate. The final Kordeaux was right out of the barrel. This wine was definitely lighter and fruitier – truly my favorite, but alas not to be consumed this year. We were also able to sign the barrel. (Berger kitty, we miss you every day.)
The Kirkpatricks were not done with us yet. Where would we be without desert wine? We sampled Niagara, which was very grapey and reminiscent of Manichevitz and the Ruby K Port, which we sampled with dark chocolate. They had me at chocolate. I envisioned a very adult milkshake made with Ruby K Port and raw milk ice cream. In my opinion, this was the most fun of all the wineries. It was relaxed, unpretentious and I really got the sense that they wanted you to enjoy their wine. After all, life is short. We'll be back!
Our last stop was unplanned, but recommended by one of our fellow wine travelers from Penn's Woods. Patone Cellers in West Grove is not officially open yet, but they would have been remiss to lose out on this promotion opportunity. After circling West Grove farm country for 20 minutes, one of us had the bright idea to call. Sure enough, the address on our passport was wrong and we had practically passed the place twice. We finally arrived at what looked like a suburban ranch home fronted by a wine barrel with a hand written sign tacked to it. This must be the place! We wandered into a tasting room located in the garage. It felt very underground. But the place was pretty full and the folks at Patone welcomed us with barrel tastings and snacks. We sampled their 2009 oaked Chardonnay, a lovely 2008 La Fleur Blanc, and a 2008 Sauvignon Blanc. We sampled a Sangiovese from the barrel, which was not scheduled to be ready until 2014 – I could be anywhere by then, but really, it was delicious just as it was. We also sampled the Merlot and a Carmenere. I was too taken by the Sangiovese to really care about the last two wines. But this tasting was fun too, because we really felt as though we were in on the ground floor. You could buy wine, but it was cash only. If you wanted to make other arrangements, you could call Mario the wine maker. How cool is that? We were even treated to some local Philly gangland color. Some dude showed up in a stretch limo with his lieutenant and a Chiquita who clearly had some strange ideas about wine-tasting giddy-up. Sweetie, no one goes to wine tastings in Pennsylvania on Palm Sunday afternoon dressed in fur-trimmed leather. Dial-back on the comare vibe.
Currently the Patone Cellars does not have a vineyard. They are buying grapes from area vineyards and mixing their own. Reports are mixed as to whether or not they will buy their own land, but even if they do, they won't have produce from their own vineyards for years. Don't let that stop you, the wine is just fine.
And so that wraps up our first foray into wine tasting in Pennsylvania wine country. I had no idea we had such a rich wine heritage here. It was enlightening and a pleasure. See you next year at the Barrels on the Brandywine. I have some wine to get through between now and then…
Friday, April 2, 2010
Barrels on the Brandywine, Part One
A clear, sunny 70 degrees; nice enough to be in shirtsleeves, but not warm enough to need a fan, you couldn't have ordered up a nicer day! On this perfect day, Mr. DS, Dear Schoolmate, her Beloved, and I set out to sample the Brandywine Valley's grapey offerings.
Our first stop was Twin Brook Winery in Gap, PA. Nestled behind an historic farmhouse, the tasting house was at the top of a long flight of stairs. The wine bar was ready for us though. As the last tour wandered downstairs for a barrel tasting, we bellied up to the ornate bar and sampled the offerings. We started with whites and worked our way to the reds. Some where pretty good, others we just ok, but every drop was a new adventure.
Since we wanted a barrel tasting, we headed down to the cellar where Tim Jobe, the wine maker answered our questions and shared the upcoming reds. Most notable was the Merlot. The best way I can describe the taste is that I felt a smile happen at the back of my throat. We all agreed we wanted to be on the list when this Merlot was ready. Incidentally, Tim said that he lost his wine assistant, but unfortunately, he wasn't looking to replace him. Had anyone told me in high school that a chemistry degree could be used in wine making, I would have treated the whole affair with more seriousness. I rediscovered a love and affinity for chemistry when I was taking classes for nursing school. Alas, yet another career that shall never be.
We enjoyed a picnic lunch of Tim's homemade gumbo, and bread and cheese brought by Dear Schoolmate. We reminisced, shared stories, and laughed ourselves silly in the sun. Mr. DS took pictures of the vineyard, and then we headed off to the next stop.
Our next stop was Black Walnut Winery, located in a repurposed historic building on Business 30 in Coatesville. With its exposed beams and original hardwood floors, this building just cries out for an intimate reception or party. It's a wonderful space. We were provided with 7 tastings and again, we started with the whites and moved along to the reds. It should be noted that this winery does not grow its own grapes. They purchase from a grower and blend based on the quality of what's available. I walked away with a lovely half dry Pinot Gris. I'm looking forward to trying this wine with risotto.
Our last winery had the most surprising and winning environment. Located at the end of a residential block in Coatesville, the Stargazer's Vineyard featured sweeping landscapes and a repurposed building with a dramatic glass front. Here again, we were had 7 tastings and were given bottle cap "tokens" to keep track. For me, the star of this show was the sparkling brut. It was very crisp and dry with no oaky aftertaste at the back of the throat. I could have used all my tokens just tasting that wine, but there were other intriguing options. There was a Tinto, a red desert wine and a Pinot Noir that found their way home with me.
One of the unique features of the Stargazer's tasting was the inclusion of local producers. There was a cheese monger featuring raw milk cheeses and a vendor from Fat Spike Lavender. I went home with two cheeses and the most heavenly lavender spray that I can use on linens and skin. It really smells like you are walking through a field of lavender.
My car was transformed into a wine-mobile, and by the end of the day, the trunk was full of wine and cheese and loveliness. We were tired and sun-baked but absolutely stoked about all the glorious wine we tasted – all without having to buy a plane ticket!
Our first stop was Twin Brook Winery in Gap, PA. Nestled behind an historic farmhouse, the tasting house was at the top of a long flight of stairs. The wine bar was ready for us though. As the last tour wandered downstairs for a barrel tasting, we bellied up to the ornate bar and sampled the offerings. We started with whites and worked our way to the reds. Some where pretty good, others we just ok, but every drop was a new adventure.
Since we wanted a barrel tasting, we headed down to the cellar where Tim Jobe, the wine maker answered our questions and shared the upcoming reds. Most notable was the Merlot. The best way I can describe the taste is that I felt a smile happen at the back of my throat. We all agreed we wanted to be on the list when this Merlot was ready. Incidentally, Tim said that he lost his wine assistant, but unfortunately, he wasn't looking to replace him. Had anyone told me in high school that a chemistry degree could be used in wine making, I would have treated the whole affair with more seriousness. I rediscovered a love and affinity for chemistry when I was taking classes for nursing school. Alas, yet another career that shall never be.
We enjoyed a picnic lunch of Tim's homemade gumbo, and bread and cheese brought by Dear Schoolmate. We reminisced, shared stories, and laughed ourselves silly in the sun. Mr. DS took pictures of the vineyard, and then we headed off to the next stop.
Our next stop was Black Walnut Winery, located in a repurposed historic building on Business 30 in Coatesville. With its exposed beams and original hardwood floors, this building just cries out for an intimate reception or party. It's a wonderful space. We were provided with 7 tastings and again, we started with the whites and moved along to the reds. It should be noted that this winery does not grow its own grapes. They purchase from a grower and blend based on the quality of what's available. I walked away with a lovely half dry Pinot Gris. I'm looking forward to trying this wine with risotto.
Our last winery had the most surprising and winning environment. Located at the end of a residential block in Coatesville, the Stargazer's Vineyard featured sweeping landscapes and a repurposed building with a dramatic glass front. Here again, we were had 7 tastings and were given bottle cap "tokens" to keep track. For me, the star of this show was the sparkling brut. It was very crisp and dry with no oaky aftertaste at the back of the throat. I could have used all my tokens just tasting that wine, but there were other intriguing options. There was a Tinto, a red desert wine and a Pinot Noir that found their way home with me.
One of the unique features of the Stargazer's tasting was the inclusion of local producers. There was a cheese monger featuring raw milk cheeses and a vendor from Fat Spike Lavender. I went home with two cheeses and the most heavenly lavender spray that I can use on linens and skin. It really smells like you are walking through a field of lavender.
My car was transformed into a wine-mobile, and by the end of the day, the trunk was full of wine and cheese and loveliness. We were tired and sun-baked but absolutely stoked about all the glorious wine we tasted – all without having to buy a plane ticket!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
