Monday, November 12, 2012

Blackstone - Red Blend @@@ (3 corks)

Retails: $8.99 (Target)

My apologies, friends, it's been a substantial amount of time since my last update.  Before we get into playing catch-up, let's chat about the wine.

This is a really dry, tart, jammy wine.  There's a lot of fruit flavor but don't expect sweetness from this bottle.  What I find particularly striking about this wine is the smell: floral with a slightly acidic smell, reminiscent of magnolias.  The taste (thankfully) doesn't match the scent.  I'd run this bottle through an aerator if you have one (or uncork and allow to sit for a couple hours) before serving.  It pairs well with mac n' cheese --- hey, we're reviewing cheap hooch on here, don't act surprised that I'm eating good ol' Kraft Mac n' Cheese (or "Kraft Dinner" if you're Canadian). 

Where to begin...


Let's begin with la douleur exquise.

(the exquisite pain)

I'm being un peux dramatique.

So, my friends, up until recently, I'm not particularly fond of dating in my late-twenties. When did every man on the planet start dancing the ever seductive waltz of non-commitment? This just about sums up a couple of my more recent endeavors: "date" for three months; vacation together; meet eachothers' friends (or in one instance, family); and suddenly feel "suffocated" if I'm puzzled as to why I'm still being introduced as "your friend?" Or, even better, be told that "you're absolutely perfect in every way...BUT...this can't go anywhere because you've been married before," even though said topic was already discussed months earlier.  And my all-time favorite: "you're perfect for me...but I just kinda feel like playing the field before I settle down."  The best part is being labeled "crazy" for feeling like any of those scenarios is complete bullshit.

To whatever girl decided to play along with this game and start the notion that this is "ok," or, heaven forbid, "normal," I promise you, I will punch you in the face if I ever have the opportunity.

To all the boys out there: this is NOT ok. In fact, this is a convenient way to avoid feeling any kind of responsibility for hurting the other person, or worse yet, potentially having your precious feelings hurt.

So, I went 2.0 with my dating efforts and decided to try online dating (again).  For anyone who has considered online dating but feels ashamed to try or would prefer a more "organic" approach to meeting someone special, I would encourage you to still give it a shot.  Dating isn't what it used to be and I think a multimedia approach to dating isn't a bad idea.  If you're a busy working professional like myself with very little time to spend going on countless, pointless dates, this is an excellent, streamlined approach to finding someone you could potentially be compatible with.  Although online dating can definitely become a job in and of itself, what with the combing through profiles and responding to winks/emails from potential suitors, I find that the rewards are worth the effort.  Rather than being asked out blindly by someone you meet whom you know little about, you're able to get a read on the person (and perhaps, find some shared interests) before you meet in person.  If you're relatively adept at correspondence, there's no reason why you shouldn't give it a try.  At the very least, you'll be thoroughly entertained by some of the freak shows who prowl the dating sites. 

So, kids, I have a new boyfriend.  The first, in fact, since "The Big D."  No, smart asses, he's not a freak show-prowler.  We began correspondence over a month ago, taking almost three weeks to actually meet in person --- this boy has some persistence!  I was nervous, driving to our appointed destination for the first date, a chill bar up in Tampa that I had been to a couple of times before.  Our date began at 8pm and lasted until past 1am, the conversation never stopped.  Our subsequent dates were similarly conversation-filled. There wasn't a single thing about him I didn't like or couldn't get past, and even now almost six weeks later, the more I know about him, the more I like him.  Halloween night, I invited him out for dinner in St. Pete with the promise of plenty of people watching and an epic couples costume (plug n' socket, WIN).  Over beers in a local dive, he asked me to be his girlfriend.  I, of course, said yes.  The perfect combination of modern conventions with old school charm -- what guy in this day and age actually requests a relationship?  Although the relationship is still in its nascent stages, I'm filled with optimism.  This, as any divorcee will tell you, is quite a feat in and of itself.  To find someone who can melt your bitterness and fear away is a rarity.  I'm looking forward to what the future brings, even if at the end of the day, it's just a solid friendship.  Guys like this are few and far between.  Much like an excellent wine, he is also only growing better and better with time.



 







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