2002-02-24 - 3:06 p.m. Retail Therapy Work has been sucking out my soul and eating up all my time for the last month. That's why I grounded myself for this weekend as a means to recuperate and recharge. so far, it seems to be working. After I completed my entry on my stay in Florence last year, I logged onto BevMo's Web site, and ordered myself up a mixed case of wine under $10 a bottle (I'm trying to cut back on my wine costs so I can splurge on some of the pricier wines I tried at a recent zinfandel tasting.) Since people frequently ask me for inexpensive good wine picks, I'll share my shopping list here: 2x Pepperwood Grove Zinfandel '99 ($6.99 each) 2x Rosenblum Zinfandel Vintners Cuvee XXIII ($9.99 each) 2x Shenandoah Zinfandel Reserve '99 ($8.99 each) 1x Beringer Shiraz Founders' '98 ($9.99) 1x Pepperwood Grove Syrah '00 ($6.99) 1x Nino Franco Prosecco ($9.99)* 1x Hogue Cabernet-Merlot '99 ($9.99) 1x Columbia Crest Merlot '98 ($9.99) 1x Pepperwood Grove Merlot '99 ($6.99) They almost fell over at the store when I showed up to pick up my wine. You see, in the special notes section, I asked them to bad the wine rather than put it in the box, since I was taking transit. Apparently, I don't give off a "sturdy" vibe to strangers. I deftly shoved half a case in my backpack and carried 3 bottles in sacks in each hand. You could tell they were sure I'd teeter over from the weight. Heh heh. I am happy to report my case of wine and I made it home safely. To celebrate, I popped open the Pepperwood Zinfandel and am having a glass now as I write. This caps of a little spurt of retail therapy I've been on...the other major area of splurge was buying a movie from my Amazon wish list (Doom Generation), and a slew of books (Shopgirl, Blood and Gold, Fellini:A Life, Cronenberg on Cronenberg, and Fast Food Nation.)This should keep me busy for the week. In addition to my single-handed propping up of the US economy through purchasing entertainment items, I split my sanservieria into 4 plants and repotted them all, procured some flea medicine for my dear kitty (he got fleas from the fluffy kitties next door), and have been doing laundry, cleaning, etc. What the hell has gotten into me? Next thing you know I'll be taking candy from strangers. ;-) I am guessing my flurries around the house are directly related to my work immersion next week, followed by a weekend packed full of noise pop events. If I can keep up this momentum (fueled in part by my awesome mix tape), I may be able to write about my Venice or Tuscany travels tonight too. Stay tuned... * Prosecco...I drank my first glass of this lovely Italian sparkler my first night in Rome, and drank my share of a bottle each night from Venice onwards...this specific one was a Wine Spectator pick, if I recall, so, I had to pick up a bottle. any comments? (0 so far) previous - next recently on almostgoldsf... in defense of an email box I came to do battle with SPAM - 2008-05-17 hello 2006 - 2005-12-31 Happy Thanksgiving - 2005-11-14 bon voyage - 2005-11-05 October already? - 2005-10-09