Daily Postings for week of
Sunday, November 17 to Saturday, November 23, 2019
Welcome to the 595th consecutive post to the blog, existentialautotrip.com
November 23, 2019
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Lead Picture
The couch before the reupholstering.
See the worn spots.
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Commentary:
November 23
We need friends.
On Saturday morning a fellow is coming with newly-ordered fabric to reupholster my couch.
I bought the couch at Jordan’s furniture, a large, L-shaped piece, near five years ago.
The space it filled was rigid, no leeway.
And there is was, in faux leather, all-black.
Perfect.
Paid very little for it
Therein the rub.
A scant five years later, the entire skin was shredding.
It always something.
There is no bargain.
You get what you pay for.
I could have gotten it for you wholesale.
Oh! The warranty is good only for 1 year.
Anyway, water under the bridge.
On Saturday morning a fellow is coming with newly-ordered fabric to reupholster my couch.
Fortunately, the architect who designed and remodeled my apartment is a friend who lives nearby.
For the price of a double prime rib and a shot or two of St. George’s Terroir Gin, Jack H will be in attendance.
So important.
Anyone who has done anything creative, like remodeling a toilet, or reupholstering a couch, knows how many decisions have to be made in the process.
I am reassured that Jack will be there to help with these decisions.
How many thousands of times daily do we have such examples of people helping people?
Friends.
We who have them are very lucky indeed.
Chuckle
Thanksgiving, when the Indians said, "Well, this has been fun, but we know you have a long voyage back to England".
Jay Leno
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Lead Picture for November 22
Profile Portrait of a Young Lady is a 1465 half-length portrait in oil on poplar
Thumbnail:
Commonly attributed to Italian artist Antonio del Pollaiuolo.
A minority of scholars attribute the portrait to another Italian artist, Piero della Francesca. Wilhelm von Bode attributed the painting to Domenico Veneziano;
it has also been alternatively attributed to Alesso Baldovinetti.
The emphatic use of line and the clarity of the contrasting colour surfaces in the work are typical features of the Florentine School.
The anonymous woman is depicted in a brocade dress, with her posture suggesting that she is sitting in the marble embrasure of a window or balcony.
The painting is now in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie, Berlin.
Painting credit: Antonio del Pollaiuolo (attributed)
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Commentary:
I know I’m driving you crazy.
But I can’t help myself.
Always tweaking.
Always searching fo a better way;
a better product;
a better me.
And here’s the latest improvement:
Henceforth,
All entries will posted in chronological order.
On Wednesday, I recorded another entry, Chapter Eight, to the Conflicted, by Dom Capossela, me, Podcast.
I also recorded the first video in a series called “Hello, my friends.
(Both the video and the podcast are available here on the Sunday, Nov 24 posting.)
Both recordings represented a good deal of work, months, actually, in the thought, the planning, the writing, the technology, the arrangements.
But that’s not the end of it.
Afterwards, there’s a serious effort involved in the filing and the marketing.
And more technology to effect these.
But, with the seriously new blog format, the podcasts, and the videos in the assembly line, I can focus on creating a rhythm for their execution. I love rhythm.
I love routine.
Less time needed for organization.
More time available for what I love to do: write.
After taking a pummeling from the birthing of the new ventures, creativity is rearing its head once again as the driving force.
But the struggles aren’t over; they’ve merely crested. But the first results are in: podcasts and videos much improved over past efforts.
Again and again, thank you for your patience.
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Chuckle from Jay Leno:
If God doesn’t destroy Hollywood Boulevard, he owes Sodom and Gomorrah an apology.
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News re: volunteers to work on the blog
Looking for someone or two who would like to help with some part of the blog.
Are you interested?
domcapossela@hotmail.com
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Meals and Food
So I made the curry-saffron sauce on Thursday.
Using the recipe in the blog. To find the recipe from any page, just click the magnifying glass which pulls up a ‘Search’ block; enter the recipe name and hit ‘Enter.’ What could be easier?) (
The recipe produces a curry with my favorite attributes: exotic, creamy, zippy, pretty.
I used it over Broiled/Seared Salmon, (To find the recipe from any page, just click the magnifying glass which pulls up a ‘Search’ block; enter the recipe name and hit ‘Enter.’ What could be easier?) and it was perfect.
perfect.
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POSTED EARLIER THIS WEEK:
Do not miss scrolling these pieces especially:
the podcast and the video;
especially:
the mailings from Colleen G from Room to Write and Anthony K from Ratio wineries,
and more chuckles, commentaries, and acknowledgements, and, of course, the ‘Good Morning.’)
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Below: Evolution of mobile phones, to an early smartphone
Lead Picture for November 21
Below: The look of the new videos, “Hello, my friends.”
Look at Commentary for an explanation.
Lead Picture for November 20
Below: Evolution of mobile phones, to an early smartphone
See below: Commentary, Nov 20
Lead Picture for November 19
Enclosed Field with Peasant (below) is an oil-on-canvas painting by Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh, painted in October 1889.
Vincent van Gogh - dwHRblMadk4YEA at Google Cultural Institute maximum zoom level
Read more in the Thumbnail section of the blog.
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Previously Posted:
Here’s the turkey out of the oven.
Factor in that I took no time to give it a setting or to further baste it with butter to make it shinier, and you have the bird which tasted as fine as it looks.
Read more below in the Commentary section of the blog..
Pictured below:
Helleborus orientalis
Dominicus Johannes Bergsma - Own work
This picture shows an H. orientalis flower from the Netherlands, showing swollen seedpods.
Read more in the Thumbnail section of the blog.
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Commentary
Posted 21 November
So today I met with immense success.
Things like that happen.
i knew that recording the videos in a professional studio would be an improvement, but today’s result has wowed me. Wow!
So not following any prescribed rhythm or calendar, I’ve posted the freshly-minted video in today’s blog. It’ll run for a week: next Wednesday expecting to record another.
Meanwhile, some advisers are pushing to delete all the prior videos as being too poorly done to continue to have them out there.
Others are opting to retain them as examples of how far we’ve come.
Leaning to the idea of simply not uploading them anymore to try to gain attention.
But leaving them in the dom capossela library for those who go digging.
anyway, check it out.
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Commentary
Posted 20 November
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Chuckle Posted 19 November:
“President Bush announced tonight that he believes in democracy and that democracy can exist in Iraq.
They can have a strong economy, they can have a good health care plan, and they can have a free and fair voting.
Iraq?
We can’t even get this in Florida.”
– Jay Leno
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Commentary
Posted 20 November
The myriad wonders of the smart phone: radio, TV, communications, directions, reassurance.
Who can deny the benefits?
Who could wish to turn the clock back?
Not you. Not me.
And yet…
And yet…
It does come at great sacrifice.
It’s driven out the #hereandnow.
The #hereandnow.
What connects us to where we are.
To the when.
To the place.
To the people.
Use the smart phone.
But not to separate from the world around.
Not to lose connection.
We love you.
We want you with us.
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Commentary___19 November___
I put the heavily spiced, pedigreed-turkey in at 3.00am this Sunday morning. (Pedigree as being organic and free range with a premium cost to match.)
The 11 lb bird roasted at a comfortable 200* for 11 hours and, after a sopping brushing with melted butter, blasted at 475* for 15 minutes then removed to settle for 30 minutes before (guests not arriving for several hours yet) I lopped off one of the wings.
No blood showing at the joint indicated the turkey cooked through despite the pop-up thermometer still in place.
No oozing of juices out of the bird onto the cutting board affirmed that waiting 30 minutes for the juices in the bird to settle is important to the overall tasting experience: juicier meat.
One bite of the juicy meat showed the success of the slow roast in keeping all of the bird’s juices in the turkey.
The skin was almost chip-crispy and, with the spices, delicious.
The recipe is criminally-easy.
With turkey day fast approaching, get the recipe right here:
Click the magnifying glass top-right of every page, ‘Search’ will appear.
Simply type in Roast Turkey or Turkey or Slow-Roast Turkey and, except for the spices which you can play with, precisely follow the recipe.
Here’s the turkey out of the oven.
Factor in that I took no time to give it a setting or to further baste it with butter to make it shinier, and you have the bird which tasted as fine as it looks.
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Published earlier this week:
I’m reposting wine notes that I jotted after tasting and drinking an Oregon Pinot Noir labelled Ratio, 2015.
I was so taken with the wine that I forwarded my notes to the producer, Anthony King.
He responded.
His thoughts and artistry are edifying and educational and I thought I’d share the first two today, others to follow.
See the Letters section which contains these letters, as well as a lovely letter from Colleen G.
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Chuckle, Added Today: 18 November:
You can't stay mad at somebody who makes you laugh.
Jay Leno
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A “Conflicted” podcast
Conflicted, by Dom Capossela, is a spiritual/fantasy story about a sixteen-year-old mystic-warrior conflicted internally by her self-imposed alienation from God, her spiritual wellspring, and, externally, by the forces of darkness seeking her death or ruination.
In Chapter Six we met Dr. Mike, her new psychiatrist, who ended their first session by asking Dee a startling question that will prematurely launch Dee into battle.
In this, Chapter Seven, we’ll meet two Boston police officers who, on Dr. Mike’s recommendation, bring an unusual case to Dee.
Dee leave her recovery house prematurely and returns with them to Boston where she gets a makeover in preparation for what may be her first battle against the enemy’s Plan B.
The podcasts are also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Pinterest, Pocket Cast, and Facebook.
Search: dom capossela or conflicted or both
Dom’s website: existentialautotrip.com
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An “Hello! my friends,” Video
Number 1 in the series:
“Faye Dunaway Loses her Head, and Christopher is distraught”
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The video series “Hello, my friends” are also available on iTunes, Stitcher, Pinterest, Pocket Cast, and Facebook.
Search: dom capossela or videos or both
Dom’s website: existentialautotrip.com
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Posted 11/20
The Supreme Court has ruled that they cannot have a nativity scene in Washington, D.C.
This wasn't for any religious reasons.
They couldn't find three wise men and a virgin.
Jay Leno
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News re: volunteers to work on the blog
Looking for someone or two who would like to help with some part of the blog.
Are you interested?
domcapossela@hotmail.com
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We love getting mail.
Contact me at domcapossela@hotmail.com
This from Colleen G:
Hi Dom,
I love the reflection on your life as a single dad to daughters--situations that even dads who are not single run into and can relate to:)
Also, being a lover of poetry as the roots feeding my love of words in general--I love the popping-up-of-poems this week. They seem more abundant than usual and that's just fine by me:)
Keep up the good work!
Cheers,
Colleen
Web Meister responds: These are kind words and have a great impact. Thank you, my dear.
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We love getting mail.
I wrote these notes on tasting the Retina, 2015:
Retina Pinot Noir
Dundee Hills Pinot Noir
2016
Jessie James Vineyard Eola-Amity Hills, Vidon Vineyard in Chehalem Mountain AVA, and
Three Carriages Vineyard high up in the hills south of Portland.
AVA: Willamette Valley
Clones: Dijon 115, Dijon 777 Pommard & Wadenswil
Harvested September 12-30, 2016
Brix at harvest = 24
15% whole cluster
16 months in 21% new French barrels
Alc. 13.5%
138 cases produced
Label: Dogiel, 1891, Human Retinal Ganglion Cells
Winemaker’s goal: classic, age worthy wines with vibrant acidity and singular expression
The wine’s purple is thin, not saturated, indicates delicacy: no extra aeration, not even decanting.
I see a slight tinge of orange, indicating readiness.
pale to medium ruby-purple
citrus scents forest floor berries and herbs .
purity of dark red cherries on the nose here.
cinnamon, elusive mint nutmeg? reaching
with a nose of warm red cherries, dried cranberries and crushed blueberries with accents of Earl Grey tea, dried leaves and earth.
rich, spices
Light to medium-bodied, with supple, smooth and silky mix
The palate is immediately red and nervy with a mineral quality that draws to a long, juicy finish with lingering floral and spice notes.
forest/earthy touches and cinnamon suggestions
Long, noble tannins., with a good frame of fine-grained tannins and lovely juicy acidity, finishing long and spicy.
Ripe, well-integrated tannins are balanced by the graceful structure.
Harmony of tannins, fruit, and acidity on the palate
harmony fine supple elegant gestalt eminently quaffable
will last but it is perfect right now
One of my favorite wines ever
an all-star
best 24 dollar wine I ever tasted
Will keep second bottle for next great meal
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I published the notes and then mailed them to the winemaker, Anthony Hill.
He responded with this letter:
From: Anthony King <anthony@ratiowines.com>
Sent: Thursday, November 14, 2019 11:31 AM
To: domcapossela@hotmail.com <domcapossela@hotmail.com>
Subject: Notes about Retina
Hi, Dom.
I read your notes on the Retina. Thank you so much. I love them.
To clarify, was this the 2016 or 2015 Retina? I saw that you noted a $24 price point on the wine and am wondering if you bought it through Vivino, where I sold the last cases of the vintage at a lower price.
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Posted 11/20
The Supreme Court has ruled that they cannot have a nativity scene in Washington, D.C.
This wasn't for any religious reasons.
They couldn't find three wise men and a virgin.
Jay Leno
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News re: volunteers to work on the blog
Looking for someone or two who would like to help with some part of the blog.
Are you interested?
domcapossela@hotmail.com
Thanks again. Great notes!
Regards,
Anthony King
Ratio Wines
To which I responded:
On Thu, Nov 14, 2019 at 1:28 PM dom capossela <domcapossela@hotmail.com> wrote:
Yes, my son, Mino, bought the wine from Vivino.
Although I live in Boston and he in NYC, on his idea we tasted the wines simultaneously.
After the tasting, Mino bought another case.
The elegance of the wine for me is the essence of its gestalt.
It doesn't appear to me that you shortened the time a pinot might ordinarily spend on oak, relying more on its fruit acids for structure.
Is that accurate?
dom
PS. will you mind if I post your letters to the blog?
Hi, Dom.
It must be the 2015 because that is what I sold to Vivino. Unfortunately, the text is small and difficult to read on the label.
That wine is from a tiny, high-elevation vineyard in Eola-Amity Hills called Jessie James (named after the owners - James and Jessica). I shared that vineyard with a couple friends who I really respect and we each did a great deal of our own work on the vines. Older vines on volcanic soil; it makes a lovely elegant, silky wine with red and dark fruits.
Part of the spice on that wine is from whole-cluster fermentation - about 30% of the clusters were left whole, which contributes texture and savory notes along with changing the profile of the fruit expressed. The wine was actually in barrel for 16 or 17 months, if I remember correctly. Longer than typical because I was just starting my brand in 2015 and waiting to finish label design. In general, I prefer 14-16 months, which is still longer than many Pinot Noir producers....providing that the vintage has the structure and fruit to merit the time in barrel.
Thanks again for the notes and for buying the wine! You are absolutely welcome to post any of my comments.
Regards,
Anthony King
Ratio Wines
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Comics Corner
"How come you never see a headline like 'Psychic Wins Lottery'?"
Jay Leno
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Thumbnails
Posted Today: 19 November
Enclosed Field with Peasant is an oil-on-canvas painting by Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh, painted in October 1889.
The painting was created during one of the most tumultuous parts of Van Gogh's life, after he voluntarily committed himself to an asylum in Saint-Rémy in southern France.
He was recuperating from a nervous breakdown he suffered on Christmas Eve in 1888, during a visit with fellow post-impressionist artist Paul Gauguin.
The painting is now in the collection of the Indianapolis Museum of Art in the U.S. state of Indiana.
Painting credit: Vincent van Gogh
A tip o' the hat (U.S. President Calvin Coolidge, 1924) after signing an Indian treaty.
Sly devil that he was.
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Acknowledgements
Thanks to Anthony King for sharing his techniques in winemaking with us.
Thanks to Colleen G for her kind thoughts.
And to Jay Leno for the chuckles.
Thanks in general to the Microsoft team at the Prudential Center for their unflagging availability to help with a constant flow of technological problems.
Always thanks to Wikipedia, the Lead and the Thumbnail sections of the Blog very often shaped from stories taken from that amazing website. They are truly worthy of public support.
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Good Morning
Another exciting week.
Love the wine note interchange.
But now? Gotta go.
Che vuoi? Le pocketbook?
See you soon.
Your Taeyeon