A quick story about a cat, and a neighbor. This happened at my last apartment. I was living there for a few months and came home late from work one night. The orange kitten who belonged to a woman in the building had escaped and was cornered and taking a beating from a feral neighborhood cat. I ran toward the ruckus, chasing off the bully.

The wounded kitty found it's way back in eventually, and the next morning there was a small package in the foyer, outside my door. A bar of chocolate and a little note from the owner (who apparently witnessed the incident from her window), but playfully written as being penned by the orange kitty. It read: Thanks for looking out - your pal, Pumpkin and it had a paw print "high-five" signature. I didn't see Pumpkin’s “mom” all week to thank her/Pumpkin, so I thought I'd just be neighborly and close the episode by leaving a small note too. I was making wine for a living at the time and had dozens of shiners (bottle without labels that I wouldn't be able to sell), so I left a bottle outside the owner's door with a note written to the cat offering my best wishes toward a speedy recovery.

A couple days later I see the neighbor and we chat. Oh, no problem. Yes, thanks for the chocolate, etc. No mention of the wine though. No big deal. A few days later my wife alerts me we have some mail that belongs to the "cat lady" and observes me dropping it at her door. Things turn left quickly and come into focus. "Daniel, that's not the cat lady's apartment... that's the younger woman who just split with her boyfriend who I heard crying last week...". With my head in my hands I can almost hear my note read aloud by a heartbroken stranger, completely out of context, creepy as hell: Hi Pumpkin, here's little something to get you through the cold nights as the wounds heal - Daniel.


It's National Good Neighbor Day this weekend. We're pouring flights of wines from Argentina and Canary Islands. Come join your local community of kind folks and friendly kooks. Come say hello. Bring a friend. Bring your friend's neighbor. Bring your cat. We've got the wine and chocolate covered. TONIGHT: Thursday Night Flights... German Whites and Spanish Tempranillo. Flights $12 from 4-9 and wines by the glass until 9pm!

SATURDAY 9/28: Argentina! Torrontes, Criolla Grande, Garnacha, Malbec. Four unique and delicious wines, new arrivals and new vintages. Flights $15 from 2-6 and wines by the glass until 9pm.

SUNDAY 9/29: Canary Islands. Can you imagine what wine might taste like in soils and vineyards that look like this? Volcanic and mineral, smoky - and lifted, expressive and savory. Come taste these dynamic wines and experience them for yourselves! Flights $15 from 2-6 and wines by the glass until 8pm.


Hope to see all you pumpkins soon,

Daniel