Another recycle bin full of delicious memories

I always wonder...

every time I walk our recycle bin to the end of the driveway, what the trashman thinks when he makes his stop to collect our accumulated mass of bottles, that's clinking and brimming to the top.

"Damn, these people are alcoholics"

The second thought that goes through my mind is, where the hell are our neighbors buying the booze they're putting out for recycling?

They better come to Swirl!!!

Stock up for Halloween, if you dare...

Come in and get some great deals for your Halloween party.

We got it all.

Beer,

Liquor,

and a few bottles of

wine to choose from.

Unattended children will be given a zombie friend

We want your experience here, at Swirl Wine, to be nothing short of spectacular, so we went the extra mile for you and your kids. Little baby zombies are the perfect playmates for your precious ones. We know how hard the daily grind can be, constantly and prudently watching over your little demon, it wears you down. So come in, find yourself the most perfect bottle of wine, while our little zombie watches over your loved one.

(Swirl is not legally responsible for any zombie attacks or zombie infection that may occur)

Well, what'll it be? - Drink psychology

Drink psychology:

What you drink, gives an impression to other people about your personality, and maybe a little more.

You walk into the dimly lit bar.

Friday night and the place seems to be coming to life.

You squeeze and side step through a crowd of people that have camped by the jukebox, and notice an empty seat by the middle of the bar.

As you approach and pull out the stool, the bartender makes eye contact, pulls down a dirty glass from the bar top, and quickly wipes down the counter in front of you.

"What can I do for you?"

You freeze up. What to order? The panic attack slowly starts trembling deep, down inside. This is an important, defining question. The drink in your hand becomes almost like an accessory to your outfit. It could speak volumes about what type of person you are and the image you're trying to project.

Do you order a:

1) Grey Goose martini, extra dry and extra dirty, with extra olives. Blue chz stuffed olives, if you got'em - A serious drink for a person who's going to be slurring their words after the fourth sip, and spilling their drink after the sixth. Wants everyone to know they're classy, stylish, and up to date on all latest occurrences of Real Housewives.

2) Vodka and Red Bull, with a splash of cranberry and 2 limes - easy there, Maverick. This is a pure signal to everyone that you'll be doing a disastrous, breakdance routine to a random 80's song, that's quickly followed by puking your guts out in the nearest trashcan.

3) Light beer - Conservative and not too adventurous.

4) Laganitas IPA - A bold beer for a person seeking amped up flavor. You are a someone who appreciates fine things and are looking for someone to talk with about the latest independent movie playing.

5) Makers Mark bourbon on the rocks - You are a rebel. A renegade. You have a slight hint of danger to you.

6) Jameson Irish whiskey and ginger ale - Not too rough, and not too light, this one is just right. You're a fun and easy person that's looking for a laugh.

7) Margarita - whoa, baby, you're not at the beach, or at a taco restaurant, but you want that everlasting summer to keep the conga line going. Yee-haw!

8) Strawberry Daiquiri - You've got, "I don't go out too much" written all over your forehead. You don't like the taste of alcohol and this is your standard drink to fall back to when pressed for an order. When you finish it, you'll go home and start crocheting granny squares.

9) A glass of Pinot Grigio - safe and classy. You're an adult, or just want people to think that you're an adult.

10) Captain Morgan & coke - You bring the party when you arrive. People can hear your laugh as soon as they open the door. You're ready to turn it up a notch and another Capt. is going to help you do that.

So, tell me, what drink are you going to order when you belly up to the bar and the bartender asks you, "What're you having?"

What drink defines you.

James

(drink #11: a Pale Ale with a shot of Reposado Tequila, and then follow that with a Rooty-Tooty-Fresh-and-Fruity with a curly straw and umbrella, please)

Is your beer manly enough?

I remember, when I was a little runt, sitting down with my Dad and watching the big football game of the week. There was always a beer commercial that caught my attention. It depicted a group of men that were usually out in the wilderness somewhere, either fishing, hunting, or something of that sort. Anyway, they gather back at the camp spot, with the big catch, and start cooking it over an open fire, while the beer froths at the lip of the can and snow-capped mountains loom in the far horizon.

One of the fellas raises his beer and looks to the others, and proclaims, "Guys, it doesn't get any better than this."

Men being men. Drinking manly, cheap beer that made you more of a man. It was a great ad. I'm not an Old Milwaukee beer drinker, but when a cowboy with an overgrown mustache hands you a fresh, cold one, who's going to say no?

Now a days, you got commercials depicting men asking which beer has the lowest calories and which one has the lightest, most refreshing taste. In 20 years, we've gone from the capable and secure, master-of-his-domain man, to the ultra-insecure, "am I too fat in these jeans" type of man.

What happened?

Advertising. Those clever bastards mess with our heads more than we know, or give them enough credit for. You see, this is an epic campaign of psycho-infiltration started decades ago, and the effects have become subconsciously wired into the general psyche.

The mighty corporate beers (Budweiser, Miller Lite, Coors Light, etc..) have spent so much money persuading us to ignore our senses, our reasoning and judgement, and obediently purchase only their product, it leaves little room for us to consider another tastier option. If you don't buy Bud (or if you say anything bad about it) you're labeled un-American and driven off without an offering of debate. Not sure if you knew this, but Anheuser-Busch isn't even an American owned company, it's a Belgium-Brazilian company, InBev, that is the world's largest brewer.

Why is it that when someone wants to drink a micro-beer (aka a small brewery not owned by the corporate fat-heads), they are labeled a "fancy pants," or too "hoity toity."

"Is our beer not good enough for yuh?" The old timers say out loud.

What the hell?

The advertisers and fat-heads have achieved what they were after: brand loyalty. If you drink, or seek out, another beer, you're labeled a traitor, a trouble-maker, or have perverted sensibilities.

Soon you'll be an outcast in the far, dark corner of the bar, drinking your imperial IPA.

Look around you before you saddle up to the bar and order. Take notice to what beers everyone around you in this bar is drinking: Bud Light, Miller Lite, Coors Light, with an occasional Michelob Ultra and a few bottles of Corona spattered around.

Then make a decision. Do you join the rest of the sheep and order a mediocre, watered down beer, or do I rebel against the programming, go outside the box, and order a beer with flavor and substance.

Man up.

Soon, they'll be changing their advertising tactics and go after the younger set. Gotta sell all that beer.

James

Touchdown! Give me five!

Oh, thank you, God.

My baby girl likes to watch football with me. As the Ravens were pouncing on the Steelers, and I was getting revved up, hooting and hollering, there was Vivian, getting all excited with me and I swear, I think she already understands the game of football.

Amazing.

My little football watching partner.

Lets Go Ravens!

Crush Tennessee this Sunday.

Time to go crazy!

I'm so excited.

Football is here. Thank god, we made it.

Tonight is the first game of the season, and Sunday, the Ravens play against the Steelers. That's the way to start off the season with a bang!

We have all your drinking needs here, at Swirl Wine, so come in and refuel your game-watching, tailgating supplies.

Whether you need some beer to guzzle, liquor for cocktails, or wine to pair with the meat off the grill, we'll take care of you.

Go Ravens.

Come to me, yummy Dogfish Head

I love beers with flavor, so I'm so happy to say that, it just arrived.

Dogfish head's Punkin Ale.

One of my favorite breweries, you give me anything from Dogfish Head, and I'm guzzling in content with a smile on my face.

If you're tired of the same old - same old, watered down beers that leave you with no memory of their existence after you drink them (except that you have to go to the bathroom faster), then come in and step into flavor country.

Two of my all-time fav's are: Dogfish Head's Midas Touch (honey & spice, so nice at 9% abv) & Palo Santo Marron (vanilla & caramel complexity at 12% abv).

I don't have the time at night to shoot down a whole 6 pack, so I look for a concentrated burst, an explosion of flavor that packs a wallop and sends me spiraling into my drunken oblivion.

Come join me in my perpetual oblivion.

James

Swirl Fun in the 'Burbs

Private Tastings at Swirl

Host your next event at Swirl! Need a chic yet informal venue for your next office gathering, girl's night out, birthday party, bridal shower, or book club meeting?Think Swirl! Private Tasting parties are perfect for any occasion. We do all the work & you have all the fun! We are now taking reservations. Rates vary according to number of guests. Give Austin a ring @ Swirl for details.

Swirl.Sip.Relax

We are excited to announce Wine Flight Wednesdays! Our first Wine Flight Wednesday will be September 14th. Mark your calendars! We have decided to take full advantage of being the only boutique wine shop in the area. Let our gorgeous space with our quality driven wine selection be your Wednesday night destination. For a nominal ticket price, Swirl, Sip, and Relax on Wine Flight Wednesdays. Starting September 14th. More details to come. Finally, Wine Fun in the burbs!

Cheers,

Austin

What to drink with (insert food)? Basic food pairings on the quick

I love Buffalo Wings!

Oh, I'm sorry, my love, we love Buffalo Wings.

Can't get enough. It's hard to be in a bar and pass up an order of wings, especially after a plate passes you buy and you get a whiff of that beautiful aroma. Mmmm. Used to be a time when I knew every wing special in town and where to find it on each day of the week. Kisling's used to have .10 cent wing night on Sundays, then Monday night at Fell Point Station for the meatiest .25 cent wings in town, etc.

Of course, now that I'm getting older, there's more of an emphasis on quality instead of quantity, so no more all-you-can-eat wing deals for $8.99 (which usually sucked anyway, because they always gave you the wing from an anorexic chicken). My stomach can't handle that wing onslaught anymore anyway. The advantages of youth and having a body that can rebound after eating and drinking binges have abandoned me as I've gotten older.

Now, just like most of our meals, it's all about preparing them at home. You not only save money, but the food and preparation are usually better than what you can get out.

And we can drink whatever we bring home from the shop. Yes.

So what to we drink with Buffalo Wings? In fact, what do you drink with most foods? What goes with what and what to drink with ______?

It's a common question we field here at Swirl.

I'm having such-an-such, so what wine would you recommend?
Hmmm, let's get a good one for you.

Throw all the rules out the window, and just drink whatever you want with whatever you're having. Sure, there's basic wine pairings that you can follow (big, red wine for meat, or a crisp, white wine for fish), but it really all boils down to what you like. What turns you on? What's going to make you happy? If you don't like reds, and you're grilling T-bones, a rich Shiraz, a fat Cabernet, or a dark Malbec wouldn't appeal to you, even though it might be the best appropriate wine for the job. It might be time to get you luxurious tasting, full-and-rich white that will tackle the job. Hell, maybe even a Champagne (they are notoriously the most food versatile wine available, didn't you know).

Ok, yes, there are some wines that match up beautifully with certain foods and cuisines, but for the most part, the common sense rule applies. If you're having delicate food, a big, full-bodied red probably won't be the perfect match. Light food = light wine. Hearty food ~ yes, you got it ~ a hearty wine.

For tonight's example: our Buffalo wings.

I'll be drinking a 6 pk of Dale's pale ale, from Oscar Blues Brewery in Colorado. Wings do go hand in hand with beer, and this is one of my favorite beers. So balanced with flavors and just the right amount of hoppy goodness and malty richness. Austin will probably be drinking either the Ponga Sauvignon Blanc, or the Ojai Rose (we got both in the fridge and I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't already have both opened for tonight). Austin has a great way of describing whites that makes me salivate, so I'll let her do the honors on that.

I'll let her chime in on anything else I didn't cover, which is usually a lot.

Can't wait to eat those wings.

James

Replacing the Ice Cream Man (Wine truck anyone?)

When you were a kid, how could you resist that seductive, siren call of the Ice Cream Man? Slowly driving his sketchy, old van, with the box sticker ice cream pictures sprawled out on the side. Playing that annoying music that was singularly recognized from at least a block away, and could quickly disperse any game of Cowboys & Indians, launching kids into a rabid frenzy, like a kicked hornet's nest. All to get that ice cream.

What about us grown-up kids? Don't we need something to get excited about again? What if you were out sitting on the bleachers, watching your son's little league baseball game in the hot, afternoon sun, and the Wine Truck Man pulled up? Or, you're out mowing the lawn and you could sure use a cold, crisp drink, but nothing is in the fridge.

Wine Truck Man! Wine Truck Man! or maybe call it, The Wino Van! Yeah, I like the sound of that. Wino Van!

Why not? Food trucks are all the rage right now. Don't we need something to drink too?

It would need some recognizable music, to really distinguish it from anything else.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Of course, there would be more offerings than just wine. Maybe a tropical pina colada or dacquiri, margaritas, mojito's, sangria, maybe a couple different beer offerings.

Now, I'm not sure if anything like this is actually legal, but wouldn't it be great? A bar that travels to you.

I'm getting thirsty just thinking about it.

Adventures in the baby pool

Like a trumpet sounding off from the arches of heaven, joined by a chorus of angelic voices bursting through the clouds, the package had finally arrived in the mail, and not a moment too soon. They promised it would arrive anywhere between 5-7 days, but they expeditiously outdid themselves in a rapid 4 day delivery. The baby pool was finally here.

Or, more specifically, the pink, whale-shaped, baby pool with a water spout. Wow! Big enough to snugly fit both Mommy & Daddy with the baby. Oh, yes. As the mercury thermostat bleeds into the upper 90's this week, the dire need for a cool, refreshing activity for the baby is at its utmost priority. Thank God for the pool.

But first things first, got to blow the damn thing up. Luckily for me (since I've been deemed to take care of its operation), I've got an old, air mattress pump, that took me 40 minutes to fill up with air, otherwise it would've taken a couple of days, working strenuously round the clock, to blow it up by mouth. After those arduous and monotonous 40 minutes, blankly staring at an inflatable pool take its shape, I was almost ready to call it a day and start drinking. But the baby was getting testy and needed a good diversion, so I dropped the hose in, turned the valve, and started filling it up with crisp, cold water.

Now:

* Put water-proof diapers on baby / throw on my swim trunks ~ check!

* Grab towels ~ check!

* Grab Mr. Ducky ~ check!

* Grab 6-pack of Resurrection cans ~ check!

It's swim time!!!

Ahhhh, nothing more refreshing on a hot day than lounging in a pink, whale pool, leaning back with a baby playing with her ducky on one hand, and a cool, frosty beer frothing at the lip on the other. The beach umbrella shielded us from the rays of the sun, while the brisk water penetrated the availing heat, chilling us to the bone. Everything was pure and blissful, until the baby looked me in the eye, and threw up her late afternoon bottle of milk.

Pool time was over.

James