I share a lot of memories and random stories. I can get a bit nostalgic, or even maudlin at times, I suppose. But though the warm holiday season is upon us... this is not one of those sentimental stories. I was 24, and had been teaching Middle School for a couple years. My friend and his roommates hosted a giant cocktail party at their large rented house in Echo Park. With the drinking and festivities going late, I was persuaded to stay the night and crash on the sofa - my girlfriend drove home and left me to the late night libations. We woke in the morning with expected hangovers, daunted by the avalanche of beer cans and wine bottles and half-consumed gin and tonics in solo cups. 

It seemed foolish to dress in a clean suit once again to tackle the mess, so I skipped the slacks and shuffled about in my white briefs, stacking sticky paper plates plastered in dry hummus and chocolate cake. A bit later I was dragging a couple black trash bags filled to burst with rattling bottles - and kicking empty errant beer cans out the door toward the recycling bins out front. Tugging and tearing and making a ruckus, I was blinded by the morning light and suddenly realized, to my shame, it was not morning but nearly noon. And there I was, standing out on the sidewalk, squinting, wearing only my underwear, stinking of booze and aluminum. And now realizing that not just one, but two of my students were standing in the street a few feet in front of me, tossing a frisbee back and forth. Turns out one of them had just moved in next door and had hosted a much more innocent sleep over. "Hey, Mr. Schmidt...", Lorenzo said, with unwarranted respect, and tossed the disc back to Anthony, who kept his gaze fixed on Lorenzo. We didn't speak of it at school on Monday, and by all empirical evidence they never mentioned it to anyone.


Thankfully, I'm not 24 anymore, and cleaning up after the party here this weekend was a completely different experience. A spring in our step, a particular pride, a warm glow all about. And more than anything, a profound feeling of joy and of gratitude. THANK YOU... to everyone who came out to celebrate our 5 year anniversary with us, and thank you to all who were there in spirit - and for all who continue to support this shop and our community. The holiday season is upon us and, happily, there will be many more days and nights of celebration ahead for us all. Let's keep the party going...

We'll have holiday gift packs and an ocean of food-friendly wines selected for you, perfect for all your Thanksgiving feasts. Check out our ONLINE SHOP for Holiday Favorites or stop in to the store to see our many staff picks. And if you need further inspiration, we'll be pouring special Holiday Flights tonight and Saturday for anyone who wants to sample our seasonal selections!

FLIGHTS TONIGHT & SATURDAY: Thanksgiving Wines! Aromatic dry whites and lively, fresh, food-friendly reds. All sure to shine and delight and to pair perfectly with your Thanksgiving fare. 

11/18 THURSDAY NIGHT FLIGHTS ($12) from 5-9pm & wines by the glass until 9pm.
11/20 SATURDAY FLIGHTS ($15) from 2-6 and wines by the glass all weekend.

Feeling festive (and fully clothed),

Daniel