Harvest postmortem

A (belated) review of Sky Harvest 2010

We wrapped up the 30 somethingth season at Sky a few months back. The season received rave reviews as it was happening and now that the dust has settled, it's time for a more measured analysis.

Each of the episodes featured a vast array of talented guest stars as well as blockbuster performances by the regular cast. Lore, the executive producer, managed again to bring together a ragtag gang of misfits and professionals (largely lawyers, chefs, engineers and medical care providers) to transform the mayhem into art.

The highlights of the season included:

~ great new costumes designed by Jesse and Paloma
~ a melodious score featuring acoustic guitar solos, toddler drumming, bawked death star anthems, and of course, the unforgettable theme of dueling bubuzelas
~ amy's harvest paella, several kegs of beer, and virtually unlimited bottles of rose, syrah and that fabulous 07 zin with the great label
~ great camradarie and memorable moments by the extended cast, most of which were well documented by the prolific paparazzi
~ a cameo by a hot female Serbian nuclear physicist
~ a dedicated crew of up and coming child actors
~ one crazy wrap party

The lowlights were few and far between, but worth mentioning was the uneven ripening of the grapes, a few minor cuts and burns, and the poor restroom facilities. I mean, can we get some portapotties on set, or what? And have they ever heard of locks??

The jury is still out on whether the large rattlesnake sighting was a crowd pleaser or should be cut (as in beheaded) next year.

All in all, another great season. Although, perhaps sharing directing credit as I do, I am a slightly biased reviewed.

Many many thanks to the entire cast and crew of Sky Harvest 2010!

A Monumental Change

I witnessed a rare and special sight this weekend.  Jesse on a piece of heavy equipment, reforming the landscape of Sky Vineyards.

The old vines in the Back are finally being torn out.  The vines have not been producing grapes for the last few years.  When  phylloxera hit Napa Valley in the 1980s, we hoped that we were safe nestled up in the hills.  Unfortunately, the pest eventually found its way up the mountain and our vines planted on the AXR rootstock - originally and apparently inaccurately touted for its phylloxera resistance - were attacked.  Phylloxera slowly and irreversibly kills grapevines.   We were able to tear out and replant half or two-thirds of the vineyard in 2000.  The remainder - the Top, The Back and most of the Front - has slowly continued their decline.  The grapes were last used for our regular zin in 2005. We picked through them one last time in 2008 for our rose. And now, finally, we say a final goodbye.

The grapevines at Sky were planted by  my family around1975.  My parents moved up to the property in 1973.  The house was built, my sister was born and grapevines were planted.  I came a couple of years later, in 1977.  And yes, again, for the record, Sky was not named after me; I was named named after it.

Here is Lore in the 1970s with the original planting.
The vineyard was composed several blocks: the Top, the Back, the Front, Upper Barrel, the Delta, the Battlefield, Ohio, Monkey Island, and Mirror Image.  Now, only the Top and Front remain, and likely, only for a short while.  

All that remains of the Back is the two vines on the right hand side (planted on a different root stock - St. George - which was actually resistant to phylloxera).  The Back used to occupy the entire corner.  The rows were long, the hillside was steep, and the battle against star thistle was difficult.  It was not the easiest place to pick through.

But the Back was a special secret spot.  It was not visible from the road and it hosted the only view of the winery possible from the vineyard.  The road that ran along the bottom was barely passable with a vehicle but was a cool part of the vineyard perimeter.  It felt more wild, like it had not been as domesticated as the rest of the vineyard. There were metal fence posts set at a diagonal through the block that demarcated the midpoint, where we could turn back and start picking toward to road again. I feel the memories of that place.

The Back has been there since before I arrived.  I have trudged through that rugged terrain almost every harvest of my life (i did miss five harvests out of the past thirty-two). It has been hard to see the old vineyard limp along on a death march and is hard to see that place disappear.

But it is also exciting to see Jesse on the tractor clearing the way for the future.  The vines are done and the land is better left fallow than marked with the abandoned dying plants.  We won't be replanting right now, but tearing out the old vines is the first step in that direction. The newly cleared horizon has possibilities and potential.  I may not be familiar with the new lay of the land and I may not be able to see what the space will look like in a few years, but whatever happens next, I know I will be part of it and it will become part of me.

I love Orange

I love the color orange.  I love wearing several shades all at once.  And I think orange and red work well together.  Some people don't agree.  Ayanna, my One L roommate, said to me on more than one orange occasion:  "You cannot wear that in public.  you get back inside and change your clothes right now!"  I always obeyed because, really, Ayanna has much better fashion sense than I do.

Why do I love it?  I can think of a few reasons:
1. It is bright and outrageous (two things I aspire to be)
2. It was my older sister's favorite color when I was young an impressionable
3. It is unique in having no English works that rhyme with it (which is just cool)
4. It sounds great when you say it correctly (as I do)
5. It makes many things strikingly beautiful (like my espresso machine, heath plates, and my newly framed Pat Curtan persimmon print )

But those are all just after-the-fact rationalizations.  My love for orange exists and abides.  As with most loves, you can't fully explain it - you just have to embrace it.

Here are Orange Things that I love:

My nephew wearing the orange hat I knit for him (it would have been even more lovable if his parent's hadn't put the seam in plain view).

 

My Orange jacket that Joyce and I bought on incredible sale matching the Judge's law library and I was sworn in as a lawyer in Santa Cruz, February 2006.

  

An orange life jacket to match my orange bag as Mica and I search for Monkeys in the Honduras mangroves.

More orange to come...

In the Pursuit of Wisdom

This week I turned thirty-three.  I'm pleased about it.  It is an appealing age for me mostly because I like the roundness and symmetry of the number.  I feel content with where I am in my life and as Grandma said, maybe I finally have a little sense.

Last night a high school friend sent some pictures out from our middle school and high school days.  We looked so young.  This was my crew circa 1991:

I unfortunately forget the particular event - it very well could have been my fourteenth birthday.  I look back at us and wonder about what we knew.  What did we know about what our lives had in store for us? We certainly look like we knew a thing or two about friends, fun, and causing innocent trouble.  But really, what did we know?

Another party, this one probably a few years later and perhaps another birthday party:

Still looks like fun, although perhaps a little less innocent.  And really, nobody thought to tell me about hair product? Really?  Perhaps after my Pat Riley phase in the sixth grade (no pictures available, sorry!), everyone thought I was better off going cold turkey.  Or at least they were waiting for me to go through a 12 step program and apologize for my past sins.  Believe me, there were many, at least in the haircuts department!

And the end of high school, June 1995: 

 

Going to college was certainly a significant life-changing transformation.  Or a series of them.  I learned a little more, but even then, what did I really know?

Fifteen years later, I certainly feel like I have more sense then back in high school - god, how cruel would the world be to have it be otherwise? - but really, what do I know?  I suppose, based on my recent birthday festivities, you could say that I know something about friends, fun, and causing trouble.  And I still like to throw a party.  And I still act more mature than my father - even if only just! 

Maybe next year I will find the wisdom and sense I seek ... or at least enough of it to confiscate cameras from the parties.

Oomasa sushi chef

In Little Tokyo, LA

Cole's bar

Can't figure out how to post multiple pictures to the last post

Eating in Hell A

GeoTagged, [N34.05091, E118.23799]

Born and bred, baby. Born and bred.

Being a good northern CA native, I oppose all things LA. And soCal related (btw, anybody see Amandas NorCal tat at Christmas eve? It was a little 'love never dies,' no?). So I am suffering through the week in LA and San Diego. Well, maybe not suffering, but I certainly walk around with the smug assurance of Northern superiority.

The food scene has been interesting. The recommended more upscale place last night was fine and interesting, but really, nothing to blog about.

Lunch, on the otherhand, from Coles, a bar and french dip sandwhich establishment around since 1908, was great. Sitting at the bar (pictured above), made me desperately want to drink. Not a drink, but to drink. Old style cocktails, prominantly displayed Chartreuse, cool lamp fixtures. Plus the pastrami dip with a bacon potato salad side was primo. Really, any place that offers only 3 sides, one of which is bacon potato salad, has got it going on.

Tonight I walked thru a sketchy tunnel, past abandoned streets and barefoot bums, and into Little Tokyo for dinner (pictured). So far, ebi, kampacha, hotate, and hamachi. It's all been quality and delightful.

Now I should wrap it all up with a wry insightful comment on life, sushi, or LA, but I got nuthin and my sushi is getting cold. So let me beg off by saying, despite the French dip and scallops...

LA SUCKS!

Archer!

We almost got an Isilador or a Conner, but instead the stork brought us ARCHER!

A perfect complement to our Bowman (of the Isobel variety), Archer has already brought new excitement to the Sky People.

Hopefully we will raise him right and teach him (through stellar example) that, contrary to the declaration of the Navi and certain supporters, Sky People Do What We Want!

New years resolve

I love the irrational optimism of the new year. Despite the past evidence to the contrary, we still have hopes that this year we will manage to tame our bad habits and be the super versions of our selves, at least for longer periods of time.

This year, matt resolved (for the nth year running) to road rage less. Good luck with that! He also resolved for me to shower more. So far, I'm one for one. Perhaps a record - I've showered every day this year!

I'm resolving to blog more. I'm checking out some new iPhone apps to encourage good behavior. Perhaps procrasting at life by blogging does not really count as self improvement, but I couldn't identify any other character flaws where a resolution would help. We'll see how it goes.

Best wishes to y'all in your lofty or low endeavors to make yourself more palatable to the rest of us. Hope the next decade rewards at least some of that irrepressible optimism.