Peoples' Lack Of Response / What A Great Short Writing/Blogging Ride It's Been Since May 1st, 2008 !

I've really enjoyed collecting so many stories and pictures to share with you all. I do something/ add something pretty much every day and I love that. I have got seven or eight blogs that I work on and the two that I add to most are this one : chatwine.blogspot.com and also chatpoetry.blogspot.com. I also have a series devoted to the various trips that I have taken to different wine-producing areas of the world. I add to them when I think of it or have time which is infrequently at this point I am sorry to state. I will get better at that as well as create other blog sites, too. As two friends recently told me at different times : " Tony, you were born to blog ". Seems to be the case, I do seem to love this medium.

I also paint, draw, make collages and write poetry. I enjoy all these artistic releases of mine, feel like I have never been more fully inspired/creative/alive/productive than at this exact period in time of my full life. If I have complaints it is simply that I both would like to be more creative and to find more time to do so. I am working on both of those constantly. I can get better at both, focus, focus and more focus.

I love taking photographs. I should have mentioned that above. I take them pretty much anytime I find myself with or actually put a camera in my hand. I can't stop myself. I intend to buy a new camera to take better pictures. I also intend to have this camera with good video capabilities so that I may include " motion and sound " into these blogs of mine. I think that will add another really invaluable element to these blogs.

I apologize for some of the lesser, grainier, out-of-focus, blurred pictures that I have taken over the years. I include them anyway because even out-of-focus and not of the highest quality the preserve and help to tell a story in pictures. They help to recreate these moments of which I write. I want them to come alive to those that did not experience them and for those that did I want them to be rekindled.

All the photos are mine even the close-ups with me in them. The others are taken by the people there in that same time and place that offer to take one or two so that I may be in them. To all of you I give my thanks and wish that I could remember all of your names each and every time and give you credit for your fine work. You know who you are when you see the photos. Thanks again, it's nice to be included in some of these images.

The response rate or messages / notes that get posted is very, very small indeed. I would love to have more comments left or written to me in private at either : tonythewineguy@gmail.com or at anthonyquinn@clevelandparkwine.com. It's always encouraging to have both positive and negative ( or should I just say constructive ) criticism and praise. It's just nice to know that someone has visited the blog and is willing to share in print their comments. I do have some of you come to Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits where I manage the wine department on Connecticut Avenue, Washington D.C. northwest, 20008 and say that you logged on. Thank you for letting me know. A couple of evenings' ago ( Friday, Sept. 12th, 2008 ) the winemaker Ithier Bouchard of DOMAINE TARIQUET dry white wines from the Vin de Pays Des Cotes de Gascogne told me just before doing his in-store wine-tasting with our customers that he had googled Tariquet and my blog had popped up. He said this with a broad smile I think of both approval and appreciation. That is the idea, for this to be able to happen : you must have something out there for it to begin. I'm glad that he saw and read my shorter blog with pictures and text about his wines in Armagnac land and the home to the fourth musketeer in southwest France not too far from Spain. Oh, it is also the land of the great, famous and much-appreciated chef to Washington D.c. that unfortunately passed away several years ago : Jean Louis Palladin. His wife still keeps him alive with her great fish restaurant called Pesche on P Streets N.W., D.C. I had a great luncheon there a couple of years ago with Eric Plat ( Robert Whale Selections ) and winemaker Will of TAMAR RIDGE, Tasmania. Great memories.

Anyway I just wanted to give an up-date so far after four months of intensive blogging and photo additions here - 135 or more so far. You may count on many more, too. This is just the beginning. I still have many pictures and stories from the past to share with you. The pictures, some of them are downloaded here on my computer at home and the others at work. It will take time and effort to find and connect both the pictures, the signed pages and other pamphlets/ info that was left with me at the time of the visits of winemakers or owners or both along with my recollections/stories. Lots for me to look forward to and I hope you enjoy my continued and casual story-telling. That's what I like most , that's what I understand most.

Of course there will be lots of current stories, too " as they happen " or shortly after. I want to share with you all the wealth of activities that pass through Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits ( and filtered through and by me ) and those, too that happen outside the store.

I will also share many other" older stories " ( after 2006 ) and make-digital the pictures I have, too to share with you. I have so many old ones ( my trip to Austria and Italy ) taken with the camera given to me by Tatiana Maria ( vice president of Gemmex Intertrade America ) that used to sell us wines. She realized that I needed a better camera. She was right and now I need an even better one! Time marches on.

I just like preserving these memories of our winemakers and wine owners. They are our rock stars and celebrities and I think it is a real shame that there is not more said or pictures taken of them as they make and then later help promote and sell their fine products. There are many priceless moments that are never recorded and shared. These are opportunities to bring these people, their wines, dreams and aspirations to life and to share and make more apparent to all of us. There's a lot of joy in all of this. It is not simply just about making more money. I consider myself in this sense a valuable historian. I take pride in recording and bringing perhaps even more to life and to our attention these events, people and their wines. Cheers.

Here are three pictures of me, one with friends in the neighborhood ( Matt and Mike ) celebrating good friends, wine and food ), me at work with Mike Martin and me in Australia at night in a beautiful bread-and-breakfast garden filled with rose bushes late at night in Australia's Barossa valley - Feb 2008.

I am the look-out now to tell next the story of my oddysey with one bottle of 1982 Chateau Petrus of which I have pictures of. I bought and owned one bottle and I'd love to find the two pictures I have and tell this story. Stay-tuned.

To all of you that have commented so far " thanks ". To all of you that have not please take a moment to do so. I hope you like what I have done so far over the last four or so months. Take care, sante, prost, salute and a glasses clinking a BIG CHEERS to one and all , TONY