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28 August, 2014

WBC14: Bridlewood Estate Excursion

WBC14: Bridlewood Estate Excursion
Comments : 2 Posted in : Chardonnay, Wine, Wine Bloggers Conference 2014 on by : The Gourmez
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As I wrote in my thoughts on the 2014 Wine Bloggers Conference (WBC14), the overall value of the conference is one of the biggest reasons I’d consider going again in the future. And nothing can illustrate that better than the one additional excursion I attended the afternoon after WBC14 closed: the Bridlewood Estate Excursion. For
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26 August, 2014

Mac & Cheese Night #3: The Tipsy Pig

Mac & Cheese Night #3: The Tipsy Pig
Comments : 2 Posted in : Dining in San Francisco - CA, Restaurants on by : The Gourmez
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It’s only a few days until Mac & Cheese Night #4, and I’m just now getting the write-up done for Night #3—it’s been that sort of month, y’all. You’d think I’d be tiring of all that pasta, cheese, and sauce by now, but frankly, I want more comfort food bliss. Night #3 was our biggest
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21 August, 2014

Mirchi

Mirchi
Comments : 4 Posted in : Dining in Fremont - CA, Restaurants on by : The Gourmez
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One of my friends is a police officer in Fremont, and thus he knows all the awesome hole-in-the-wall spots to grab a bite in his precinct. Mirchi is one of those, and I’ve joined him twice for lunch there now. It’s located at the end of a small strip of shops, so you may pass
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19 August, 2014

The Quini App and My Changing Wine Reviews

The Quini App and My Changing Wine Reviews
Comments : 1 Posted in : Wine, Writing on by : The Gourmez
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Shortly before I headed out to the 2014 Wine Bloggers Conference (WBC14), I agreed to watch a demo of the new Quini app with Roger Noueim, the company’s CEO. Excepting the occasionally slow search functions, it works beautifully on iPhone, iPad, and the desktop. I’m mostly using a beta version for Android, which is much,
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12 August, 2014

Michael’s Sourdough

Michael’s Sourdough
Posted in : Dining in San Rafael - CA, Restaurants on by : The Gourmez
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Michael’s Sourdough is a small chain in Marin and Sonoma counties that specializes in giant sandwiches featuring their signature, fresh-baked sourdough rolls. Most of their meats are also hand-roasted, which is a huge undertaking for a sandwich shop in a small space, so applause! I’m guessing they have a central kitchen somewhere to pull that
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7 August, 2014

Red Blossom Tea Tasting at Café 4

Red Blossom Tea Tasting at Café 4
Posted in : Coffee Shops, Coffee Shops in Castro Valley - CA, Coffee Shops in San Francisco - CA, Events on by : The Gourmez
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Last week, I took part in a free Chinese tea tasting held at Café 4, one of my favorite coffee shops round these parts. One of these days, I’m going to give Café 4 its own post to highlight how awesome it is, but for now, just know that you can find it right near
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5 August, 2014

WBC14: Syrahs of the Ballard Canyon AVA

WBC14: Syrahs of the Ballard Canyon AVA
Comments : 2 Posted in : Events, Red Wine, Shiraz / Syrah, Wine Bloggers Conference 2014 on by : The Gourmez
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My favorite educational session at the Wine Bloggers Conference 2014 (WBC14) was assuredly our introduction to the Ballard Canyon AVA. This region of Santa Barbara County was just designated as an appellation in October 2013. If this panel and tasting were any indication, Ballard Canyon’s winemakers and their syrahs are ready to prowl. Patrick Comiskey
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