Weekend Wrap Up

The weekend was cool. In between lots of rain that came through, I got out a bit on Friday and spent the rest of the time lounging at home, getting some things done around the house and napping.

Friday I met Mr.Mixologist for lunch at Nundini Chef's Table an Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar. The food was good. He picked the spot and we will definitely be back so I can try their gelato. Since I had to go back to work, I didn't have any wine, but they seem to have a nice selection. The dining area is surrounded by wine bottles and you can see into the kitchen. They also have a seperate store/deli counter area. From the outside it looks like a warehouse but the inside is very cozy. I had the Talapia Parmesan which was deelish I had never had it prepared that way and it was moist and very fresh. My honey had a Panini with pasta salad that he really enjoyed.  If you are ever in Houston in the area called The Heights, its a nice spot for lunch or dinner.

Talapia Parmesan with Asparagus

Fresh Garden Salad

Italian Panini with Pasta Salad

Friday night we ended up going to one of our favorite neighborhood places, Cellar 17 Wine Bar. When we don't feel like leaving the Suburbs to head to Midtown or Downtown, this is our go to spot. I have been coming here for several years even before we met. The lady who owns this place is married to the owner of Mr. Mixologist's favorite cigar lounge which is next door, Serious Cigars. The customer service is great, they have lots of by the glass choices & can always help you find something you like. They have nice cheese plates and pizza but they actually let you bring in your own takeout if you wish & will provide you with plates & utensils.  One plus is they allow cigar smokers. They evidently have a great ventilation system because it is never smoky in the Wine Bar. We literally spend several hours here (it takes the Mr. about 3 hours to smoke 2 nice sticks).

Awesome Cheese plate for snacking with my vino !

I am trying to increase my knowledge and expand my palate for different cheeses and this place does not disappoint. They have lots of options and you can mix and match and customize your plate the way you like. I try to stick with what I know I like and try something new also. I know that people with vastly more wine knowledge than I, eat certain cheeses with certain wines, but I typically just find cheeses that I like and eat it with whatever I'm drinking. This week I had Brie, Gruyere, Beemster and  tried Carmody for the first time. I really enjoyed the new selection it was creamy and buttery but somewhat firm. 

Saturday morning I slept in after having quite a bit of vino ( I'm such a Wineaux !) LOL.  I made it to the hair salon, ran a couple of errands and then did some things around the house before taking a nice long nap.

Sunday, I went to Bedside Baptist and watched service online. LOL We had a visiting Pastor Dr. Joel Gregory and I like him pretty well. He is very sharp and knows his scripture. Pastor West seems pretty confident in him as well.  It was just the rain and laziness that kept me at home. Later on I did  some laundry and a bit of cleaning. Overall it was a nice lazy weekend.

How was your weekend ?  What did you do ?

Thoughts ? Comments ? Questions ? 

Beautifully Complex 

Wine Enthusiast !

One of the coolest Bloggers on the Planet, Serenity is having a contest over at her spot this week. I am trying to get some bonus points & try to win a little something, plus you might win yourself so be sure to head over there and check her out !http://serenity23.blogspot.com/2009/09/its-party-yall.html


I have been lea.rning more about wine for the last couple of years and have actually learned to enjoy it quite a bit. My favorites are whites, like Pino Grigio, Gewurztraminer, and Riesling. Most of my friends are on the bandwagon now, but I always enjoy taking someone to a new spot. There are numerous Wine Bars popping up all over Houston lately like, Cel.lar 17 and one owned by a young brother called 55 De.greez.


Today I will let you in on a few of my favorites in the Houston area. The first one is called Vinotropolis. Now I really like this place because the staff is extremely helpful and not at all pretentious like some places. I would recommend this place because the owners have tasted EVERY bottle on the shelf and have these little cards attached to the shelves that gives you a very specific & detailed explanation of the flavors and what the wine tastes like. This is very helpful for beginners. You can check their site out here.http://www.vintropolisbar.com/

Another really nice one is called Crush. Now its located in The Woodlands which is a really nice suburb just north of Houston, but don't that that deter you. This Wine Bar has two levels. My favorite spot is the roof top Patio which overlooks the waterway. Its really cool, especially at night and has lots of draped Gazebo's and reminds me of a place I went to in Miami several years ago. This is a nice place to take a date or a group of friends. Check it out !http://www.thecrushbar.com/gallery.php

Finally, my most favorite place in Houston, and a pretty well kept secret for a little while at least, is Son.oma Wine Bar & Boutique. This place is really cozy and intimate, they have a wonderful fireplace and you feel like you are sitting in someones well appointed living room. The wine of course is great but surprsingly the food is amazing too. They have expanded their menu quite a bit in the year and half I have been hanging out here. I had a wonderful party this past summer to celebrate my 40th Birthday & everyone really enjoyed the Wine and the food. I got so many compliments because so many people never even knew this place existed.You can check there site out too. Be sure to click on the photo gallery to see how they set it out ! http://www.sonomahouston.com/

I like to think of myself as an up an coming Wine Enthusiast, but my sister just calls me a "Win-o" LOL ! If you are ever in Houston, try to hit up one of these spots and I am sure you will enjoy it tremendously.

What are some cool spots for wine in your city ?

What is your favorite type of wine ?

How many glasses does it take for you to feel mellow ?