Tonight's dinner will be one of my most favorites since I discovered artichokes.
The fare:
I think we will start off with a Beefeater's Gin and Tonic for before dinner cocktail and maybe snack on some Lox and toasted bagels.

Dinner will be served at 9pm(summer hours)
Broiled Chicken
Steamed and sauted baby carrots
Steamed Artichokes with mustard dipping sauce.

Chardonnay with dinner.

Fresh Strawberries dipped in granulated sugar for dessert.

yummm.

Alas! I did NOT turn into a mermaid, in spite of it all. I do plan to continue my water therapy because it seems to build and strengthen my leg muscles. I can feel it when I am walking up the hill from my house to my car. Yes, strong leg muscles! YEA!! But the pain is still there. I am beginning to think the pain will be a part of my life until the end. UGH...

My physical therapist supplied me with a belt to strap around my hips when I am experiencing unbearable sciatica. Surprisingly, it does help! I was totally tongue in cheek when she first fitted me with it, but after wearing it for 2 days, I was convinced! The sciatica was under control. I hate sciaticia...it is totally exhausting. This little belt seems to scrunch everything together like I have real muscles and am not aging and my body totally agrees with it. It is a good thing.

Aside from aching knees, shoulders, hips and ankles, I am in pretty good shape. I can still walk without aid from a cane or walker. I can still drive my car and the school bus. My swimming is not the best, but it is improving. With that improvement, I expect to be able to run a 10K by the cool time of year....maybe in November. Yes, life is good.

New E.Blast will come out tomorrow

Thirsty? You still have time to take advantage of my last offers at:

http://www.gabrielsonline.com/html/02/

That is Until tomorrow - when the new ad rolls out.

If you're not on my distribution list...

Log on to: www.GabrielsOnline.com and sign yourself up on the top right

or e.mail me: OlivierTheWineGuy@gmail.com and I will add you to my list.

Hint and preview of the new ad: 10 year old Bushmill Irish Whiskey (St. Patrick's day - get it?)

Talbot Chardonnay - CHECK OUT MY PRICES. THEY ARE U-N-B-E-A-T-A-B-L-E!

Cheers et a bientot!

Olivier the Wine Guy

Clarendon Hills Wines

A quick addition to the previous post: Have anyone ever heard of: Clarendon Hills Wines ? From time to time, I will review and offer opportunities to procure certain scecific wines for all of you aficionados out there. Sometimes the wines will be "IEW" (Inexpensive - Everyday Wines) other times the wines featured will be "ESOW" (Expensive - Special Occasion Wines). Clarendon Hills Wines fall into the second category but they are highly rated and I have gotten my hands on a treasure trove of them. Want to know more? Contact me. OlivierTheWineGuy@gmail.com

From Olivier the Wine Guy

Calling all wine drinkers out there!! Hi! This is Olivier the Wine Guy (courtesy of this blog initiated by Sheila).

Please log on to: gabrielsonline.com and sign yourself up in the top right corner, to access a world of wine intelligencia accompanied by great discounts.

to view the content of my latest and most current discounts and special offerings, please click on: http://www.gabrielsonline.com/html/

You can also e.mail me at: OlivierTheWineGuy@gmail.com or call me @(210)637-7393.

Tune in to San Antonio's talk radio - KTSA - 550 on the AM dial, every Thursday at 10:35 am to hear my segment: Olivier the Wine Guy with Jack Ricardi and "The Dish".

This blog will be updated at least once every two weeks during the next couple of months. Then I will try to update it at least once a week, depending on work schedule and response/interest out there. So don't be shy and contact me with any wine questions or ORDERS $$ - Remember, I'm here to assist you with any question you may have about NOT ONLY wine but also liquor, beer, wine and food pairing, recipes, party planning etc...

A bientot!

Olivier Bourgoin
aka. Olivier the Wine Guy

Celebrating life...again

So...it is Presidents' Day. Not sure how to celebrate this one, so I think that I will just celebrate life...another day of living in this country of bountiful harvests.
Since my situation restricts a true victory garden of sorts, I am making a list for the grocery store.
Dinner will be
Grilled Salmon with garlic and garden onions sauteed in olive oil
New Potatoes/gorgonzola cassarole
Fresh Green Beans
Spring Mix Salad with SASS Sesame/Garlic dressing
Maybe some Parmesan French bread...maybe not.
Red Zinfandel...or maybe a Fosters Beer...still undecided.
Getting up early for school bus driving curtails drinking alcohol late at night...so..Maybe we will opt for sparkling water with a fresh lime squeeze.
Dessert???not sure. Any suggestions?

Speaking of wine

Speaking of wine, I am far from the connoisseur. I just know what I like and what I will drink. For several years, my favorite cheap wine has been a Lindeman's Bin 40 Chardonnay. It has been affordable at about $6 per bottle and has served the purpose of complimenting most any dinner that I can serve. However, lately, after drinking some of the better wines, @$30-$40 per bottle, with my son, I have settled for another sort of less expensive wine. Hess Chardonnay. It has body, fruit flavors, and that wonderful dry aftertaste. It is about $10 per bottle. Try some, I think you will like it.

The NEW Dinner

My most unfavorite thing to do in my whole life, in the whole world is SHOP! I hate shopping!! I hate having to shop for shoes, clothes, food...you name it. At any rate, I deem it to be an unnecessary evil in this life, but I shop anyway.

HEB...our favorite grocery store has taken away all of the chores of cooking. They have answered the prayers of the single mother/dad, the working mother/dad or couple. OMG!! Shopping at HEB is like dreamwalking in heaven. If you can dream a meal, it is fixed. All you have to do is take it home, heat it, serve it and eat it. This is NOT your frozen dinner fare...this is Central Market gourmet.

Tonight we had their famous Rotisserie Chicken. The cost of the Chicken parallels with the time it takes to go to the store, staying focused, buying a raw chicken, looking for seasonings and sides, going home, unpacking the groceries, cooking and eating several hours later. For some, that would be a shopping nightmare with tired, hungry children.
HEB has fixed our problems. They serve up healthy nutritious foods that are available right now, taste wonderful and maybe even make one's personal life much more enjoyable...or maybe even more responsible, as in more time for the kids and the homework, less time spent on TV and mindless activities in the kitchen.
Oh...and dont forget to buy and drink a bottle of good wine. My favorite for the Rotisserie Chicken/Cheesy Baked Potatoes/Green Beans tonight was Hess Select Chardonnay. Wonderful, delicious. Baked Cherry Pie with Vanilla IC for deserrt.
tomorrow's dark roast coffee is already calling for me...and so is that very cold and lonely school bus! Shiver!!!