For All Of You Young Parents Who Desperately Want Your Kids To Be As Cool As You Used To Be Before You Had Kids...

Habitat Threads is a brand new, eco-conscious kids' clothing line co-created by my brother-in-law, Nick. Their mission is to provide cool, earth-friendly and sweatshop-free kids fashions that are hand-printed right here in America using only environmentally responsible materials.

Their brand new website is up and you can CHECK IT OUT HERE. Whether for your own kid or as a totally unique Christmas gift for your niece, nephew, neighbor, etc. - the holidays are the perfect time to take a look. Everyone on your street will think you're the raddest.

Or, at least they'll think your kid is...

The Layer Cake is BACK!

We became big fans of this wine last year. In fact, I was just thinking about it over Thanksgiving and today I got the following e-mail from Crush Wine & Spirits. If you like really big, jammy reds- CHECK IT OUT. Even better, stop by Crush in person and pick yourself up a couple bottles. It's our favorite shop. (Food & Wine Magazine named it "Best New Wine Store In America" in 2005) Worth checking out next time you're in midtown. . .

2006 Layer Cake - The New Vintage of our Most Popular Shiraz, EVER! JUST ARRIVED!

The Secret Behind Layer Cake

Those of you who have sampled the highly sought after Hundred Acre know Jayson Woodbridge achieves such incredible results through a "money is no object, I just want to make the best damn wine possible" philosophy.Woodbridge has quietly and miraculously made a deal on the ultra-prime vineyards in the "Golden Mile." Located in the heart of the Barossa Valley, grapes from this hallowed parcel of land are selected for Australia's first and foremost collectible wine, Penfold's Grange ($200 - $700).Layer Cake starts in the vineyard with sustainable farming of the highest quality fruit from low-yield vines - 3-4 tons per acre as opposed to 7-8 tons almost everywhere else in the valley!The "Draconian" grape selection process is matched only by the fastidious attention to detail and uncompromising commitment to quality in the winery.

Where in the World:

Barossa Valley - Located 1 hour north of Adelaide in the state/territory of South Australia, the Barossa Valley is the most famous wine region in the country.Barossa is home to the famous Penfold's Grange, which broke the Australian wine scene with its first vintage in 1951 and historically has been known as the benchmark age-worthy Australian Shiraz.Despite the fact that Phylloxera ravaged other parts of the country in the late 1870s, Barossa vines were never infected.The valley itself is 40 kilometers (24 miles) in length and is filled with gently rolling hills. Because Australia is in the southern hemisphere its seasons are reversed and the harvest begins in March and continues into April.Settled in 1842 by immigrants of Prussia and Silesia, the name Barossa comes from the Australian Colonel William Light who took the name from the Spanish Barrosa Beach, the location of an Anglo-Spanish v. French battle in the early 1800s Peninsular War.

Layer Cake may be the most popular (and undervalued) Australian Shiraz ever.We featured the 2005 vintage in an email about a year ago and the response was overwheming. What was truly amazing was the incredible number of customers who must be called: Layer Cake Fanatics! While we are used to repeat orders, customers came back 3, 4 and 5 times to restock this Australian anomaly!Through the course of the year, Layer Cake has only gained momentum. Though the last vintage sold out sometime in the early Spring, the calls continued to roll in and customer reservations totalled in the hundreds of bottles - really just on the hope that a 2006 vintage would be produced! For a while it was not clear whether "The Cake," as the staff affectionately calls it, would be a one-off for New World Genius Jayson Woodbrige, or an ongoing project.About a month ago we received word that the 2006 was a reality - the "Layer Cake Nation" rejoices!

COULD YOU PLEASE JUST NOT?! Turns 1

...Hard to believe that tomorrow is the one-year birthday of The Little Blog That Could. Fitting that it falls right after my birthday and smack on top of Thanksgiving. Those of you who check in regularly may have realized, as I have recently, that what started out as merely a place to vent my spleen has actually become something a little more interesting than just a rant page. I think it has blossomed into a fairly dynamic and random and unhinged and all-over-the-place thing and I would expect nothing less from something I created. To be honest, I don't know what this blog is - or who it's for. And frankly, I hope I never do.

I do know that tomorrow is Thanksgiving. And that despite my usual spew of bile and dissatisfaction, I have much to be thankful for. Outside the usual, familiar nag of dayjob and career bullshit, my life is a rich and abundant thing. So, thank you to all of those of you in my world who help to make it so.

Autumn (and more specifically - the birthday) has always been a hopeful and productive time for both me and The Missus. It has always felt like a beginning. Hence, it's when we traditionally mark the start of our New Year. And in that spirit, I proposed what would come to be known around our house as "The Chrysalis Year". A 12-month span between this November 18th and the next, in which we begin a developmental growth stage, ala the caterpillar into the butterfly. Flowery language for what will surely be a decidedly unflowery process. But, I think we've both reached a bit of a breaking point with certain aspects of our individual lives and are looking for something more, different, better, etc. We have some specific goals in mind and some specific ideas about how to attain them, but the rest is a gray area. We're heading into foggy waters and very much looking forward to the ride.

And hopefully you'll come along. Each of us has things brewing - both personal and professional - and I'll be keeping you up to date on them here. I can't say what it will entail exactly, but I promise it'll at least be interesting, if nothing else. ...Even when it's not.

It's Our Birthday

And as you can see.... She's still cute and I'm still a fan of pointy hats.

P.S. The race was a blast. Thanks to those of you who supported...

Our Times: ..........52:47.....................52:33

$ Raised: ............$190.......................$650

So.... The Missus beat me on both accounts. Which is awesome.

Next time, baby... Next time.

The Way ALL Dogs Should Be Treated

This was sent to me by a friend and it makes me smile every time I see it. Finally, someone gives dogs the props they deserve...

Nepal is celebrating the festival of Tihar, its equivalent of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. In Nepal, on the second day of the feast, special honour is bestowed on dogs.

Here at the Police Dog Training School, it's recognised that no animal has a closer relationship with people.

THERE'S STILL TIME...!

...To support me in this Sunday's GLWD Race to Deliver. (see previous post)

Click here to make your tax-deductible contribution to a great cause.

If you do, I'll think you're even more awesome than I already do.

Unless I don't think you're awesome, in which case you've got some catching up to do anyway, so get on the ball...

Since I Know You've Been Racking Your Brain About What To Get Me For My Birthday...

So... I am not a runner. I am not someone who, you know... runs. On purpose. Without being chased. And even then - unless it's a bear or something - it's unlikely. It's just not something I do. If I'm late, I'm late. My fault, I'll accept the consequences. But I'm not going to run. Got a mugger on my tail...? Here. Here's my wallet. You're willing to put out the effort, far as I'm concerned you've earned it. Fair's fair. But I'm not going to run.

What better way, then, for The Missus and I to spend our birthday ... than running! (Yes, my wife and I have the same birthday. Both cute and creepy, right? )

Kate told me about the GLWD Race to Deliver which was happening on our birthday and said she was going to register. And I thought, "What a great thing... for her to do." But the thought of standing on the sidelines with my hands in my pockets like a schmuck, cheering her on while she was out there doing something cool and challenging was just too much. PLUS, we'd be able to raise more money with both of us doing it. So, of course I chimed in... "Hey, Why don't I do it with you?"

SO... That's what I'm doing on my birthday. I'm running. Well, probably some running mixed with some walking. And a fair amount of panting sprinkled throughout.

Info on the race is below. God's Love We Deliver is a great organization and I've set a fundraising goal of $500. (The Missus has already raised $450, so - as I'm sure will be the case on the day of the race as well - I've got some catching up to do.)

If you'd like to sponsor me by making a contribution, you can do so by clicking on this link. If you were thinking of buying me a drink on my birthday, channel your dough here instead. (I'm sure I'll find a way to have that drink regardless.)

WISH US LUCK...

ABOUT GLWD
God's Love We Deliver's mission is to improve the health and well-being of men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other serious illnesses by alleviating hunger and malnutrition. We prepare and deliver nutritious, high-quality meals to people who, because of their illness, are unable to provide or prepare meals for themselves. We also provide illness-specific nutrition education and counseling to our clients, families, care providers and other service organizations

ABOUT THE RACE
HISTORY
Entering its fourteenth year, the Race to Deliver is God’s Love We Deliver’s largest annual fundraiser. Since its inception, over 55,000 New Yorkers have joined us in Central Park to raise nearly $8 million, providing more than three million meals for men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other serious illnesses. The Race to Deliver is an event for the whole family, featuring a 4-Mile Run/Walk and a Kids Fun Run with special distances for all age groups.

Last November, the Race to Deliver was not just another walk in the park for the 6,000 participants. It brought over 1,800 supporters of God’s Love We Deliver to Central Park. The event was hosted by the ever-topical Joan Rivers. Sponsored by their friends and families, participants walked or ran for the benefit of God’s Love We Deliver. Blaine Trump, Fox 5’s Jim Castillo, Law & Order’s Annie Parisse, M.A.C Cosmetics’ President John Demsey, deserve extra kudos for helping to make this remarkable event a success.
___

P.S... If you still haven't figured out something fun to do this Friday night, see my previous post....

What are YOU doing Friday night...?

I'll be here:

...Watching my buddy Neil.

I'm even going to join in on electric on a couple of numbers.

It's going to be a good time.

You should come.

NEIL POYNTER @ BLAGGARD'S PUB
Friday, November 9th at 9:45pm
8 West 38th Street
www.myspace.com/neilpoynter

It's Ugly, But It's FINISHED...

Some of you may remember this post, which detailed much drama surrounding the stoop/porch/pain-in-my-ass project that has been going on since goddamn AUGUST.

Well... as of last week... It Is Finished.

It was really beginning to turn into The Money Pit around here, but we stuck it out and - now that it's basically winter - we finally have a place to have coffee on weekend mornings.

...

....Yay, us.

Full Disclosure

In the interest of blogoristic integrity, I feel compelled to add a footnote to my post of October 23rd.

Since that original post, The Missus and have actually gone ahead and visited the aforementioned Panera Bread Company restaurant that recently opened in our neighborhood.




3 times.







Man, that shit is good...


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