IT'S GREAT WITH SO MUCH YOUNG TALENT TODAY- it is everywhere we look every way we turn - it is our present and our future!

THE WOMEN'S MARCH is this weekend - hurray!

SO : WHAT CAN WE DO?

HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS -

BEER & CIDER from Santos Rivera -

1) ' Full Time ' INTERBORO ' spirits & Ales - double dry hopped India Pale Ale, $5.99 a 16 ounce can with 6% alcohol by volume. From New York, from Brooklyn, a lovely sky-blue label that makes me want to open and try it asap!

2) Asian Lager , world acclaimed since 1932, this TIGER lager is On Special for $9.99 for a 6-pack of 12-ounce bottles : " When the equator is just a stone's throw away, you learn a thing or two about refreshment. For us tropical lagering wasn't just a clever way to brew beer in the heat of Singapore, it was an essential way to keep a country cool. " Love this idea!

3) ' Browns Lane ' Classic English dry hard cider from California's CRISPIN, a 4-pack of 16 ounce cans On Special for $9.99 . This has stood the test of time, come by and try it if you already know it, or try it for the very first time! Cheers.

LIQUEUR and LIQUOR from Jagir -

1) Creme de Griotte from G.E. MASSENEZ in Alsace, France, $29.99 a bottle, this is fun to sip all by itself and or pour on vanilla ice cream of with pound cake, cookies, or blend into some still white wine or sparkling wine : many great and fun ways to explore the joy thie French liqueur holds! Cheers.

TWO Ryes from TEMPLETON -

1) ' The Good Stuff ' Rye whiskey , aged 4 years, On Special now for $39.99 ( regularly $42.99 a bottle ) , with 40% alcohol by volume - try some soon.

2) ' The Good Stuff ' rye whiskey aged 6 years On Special for $49.99 ( regularly $55.99 a bottle ), with 45.75% alcohol by volume ... come try this , too and see if you find it more satisfying than the Aged 4 years?!? Is it worth to you the $10 difference?!? It also has a deeper color.

3) Lavender Gin small batch from SPRINGFIELD MANOR , made in Maryland, $41.99 a bottle, this has a softening taste to the gin and when tried again this past Saturday I found it having a bit more guts and stuffing. I liked it, it surprised me some as this stronger yet smooth flavor was intriguing and welcoming and many of you liked and bought a bottle, even with the threat of a whole lotta white snow, you all bought a bottle to hunker down with and enjoy as more snow continued to follow! What a fun treat.

4) BLACK LEAF organic French vodka made in Cognac, France was again poured to you all this past Saturday by owner Kevin. Once again this vodka turned many heads and had many of you reaching later for your wallets to buy a bottle as the snow started to fall more heavily. On Special for $25.99 ( regularly $29.99 a bottle ) - this is a wonderful ' new ' treat to have here for you all. Sante nos amis. Beautiful color, too.

WINE from Chris and Tony ( yes, we selected these together as we say our ' good byes to Chris and wish him well on his future endeavors ) :

1) Fiuza makes in Portugal a dry, flavorful white from the indigenous grape called Arinto. We have the 2015 estate-bottled, deep color dry white On Special for $12.99 ( with a 3 for $33, and a 6 for $60, too ), that is excellent for a meal I liked it a lot - flavorful, tasty and a great way to enjoy the snow and the damp and cold and a meal and a glass of wine all in one moment! Yes!

FOUR to be tasted here this Friday by Andy -

1) Verdicchio di Matelica dry Italian white from BISCI, a 2016, On Special for $13.99 a bottle ( regularly $16.99 a bottle ): a stunning success in a dry white wine with flavor and sublime melodic liquid taste. I met the owner at a trade tasting years ago on a Monday at Nora's organic restaurant. I loved it then and will love it again on Friday. Join us and try it. Great value, too.

2) 2012 Vermentino from California's Sonoma coast, from RUMPUS and made by Scott Peterson, this is an amazing dry white wine flanked with bracing acidity, muscle and structure, form, flair and flash. I love it, and from Sonoma and Sardinia, Italy?!? I was floored, and thrilled to have it and offer it On Special at $12.99 ( with a 3 for $33 and a 6 for $60 ) : this is a really great value, perfect to warm us up with melting snows and rain this weekend!

3) ' The Field Marshal ' 2012 a dry red blend from southern Africa, from BOER & BRIT. With 14% alcohol and a blend of 41% Mataro ( discover the joys of Mataro! ), 24% Shiraz, 20% Cinsault and 15% Carignan - Andry really likes this and I cannot wait to see how it has evolved in the bottle. It, too is On Special for $12.99 ( with a 3 fro $33 and a 6 for $60 ), this will be good for this cold and damp and now soon-to-be-wet-with-rain weather of ours!

4) Claret Estate-Grown Rogue Valley, Oregon, from the DEL RIO Vineyards, On Special for $16.99 ( regularly $24.99 a bottle, with 13.9% alcohol ) : I was made immediately aware of the firmness and the intensity of this wine, and I thought that with a meal it would ' flesh-out ' really nicely. : " Established in 1997, the single vineyard has blossomed under the nurturing hands of a 4th generation farmer. " Like a Bordeaux French wine : " Lush, fruit-forward Merlot is combined with Cabernet Sauvignon, giving the wine structure and depth. Malbec balances the wine and contributes dark spices and floral notes. The Cabernet Franc finishes the experience with herbal characteristics. " Come atse and figure out whether you like or love or simply must have it, or not?!?! Choose!

COME TASTE all these Friday 5--8 pmm with Andy! #freewinetasting #neveranycharge #joinus

AND NOW To Return to our regular programming -

THREE MORE Wine recommendations for you -

1) Carmener 2015 Central Valley, Chile, a magnum bottle size ( that is two bottles of 750ml inside ) : this ANAKENA dry red Carmenere is On Special for $12.99 , regularly $16.99 a magnum and gives a whole lot of pleasure for this price. Fine to enjoy with family and friends and while playing board games and watching a movie or a sitcom or sports. Cheers.

2) Merlot Thracian Valley dry red 2012 from K Cellars in Bulgaria with 14% alcohol. I loved the pure guts and soul of this honest, un-manipulated dry red that will complement many a meal. This is for those that like traditional dry red wines that have not been tummy-tucked, photo-shopped : that are what they are with flaws, strengths and all - plain to see and to taste - authentic!

3) Thracian Delight off-dry red from BULGARIANA in Bulgaria with 13% alcohol by volume. This 2015 red is a fun sipping red that has loads of fruit but some edges and accents of plms and faeries and magic and all! $9.99 a bottle and well-worth every penny. This will delight some of you a whole lot, and the label is fun, too!

WEEK'S TASTINGS -

FRIDAY, January 19th, 5-8pm : We have Andy Gable here and I have written about his four wines to be tasted above.

SATURDAY, January 20th, 2019 : 2-6pm, we have Ian and Alyssa Wolf here of their own Red Wolf Imports here to pour a selection of fine South African wines as wel celebrate the Women's March and all that it represents and means for us all, the hope, the aspirations, the dreams, and the good that will be served as more is done to equal-out our present political, work, home , community landscape where women deserve to get equal compensation, respect, pay, benefits, etc as anyone else. Enough is enough, let's continue to pave the way, ride the wave, save the day, help women and get the government working once again, Congress functioning once again. JOIN US!

LOVE IT : IT ALL IS VERY INSPIRATIONAL for all of us!

WE HAVE A YOUTH and a population to help move forward and not backward. Let's save the earth, ourselves, the other living things from animals to plants, insects, etc - we can do it - we must do it! Cheers!

WE LOVE YOU ALL and that is why we are here - to make your lives easier and more enjoyable.

IT IS a beautiful Tuesday here with the white snow outside slowly melting now with the sun's shine, and the snow that landed on branches , too all around melting a falling.

PERHAPS we can use this glacial cold and silent and powerful force of nature as a metaphor to our present political and government - governing situation in our country? Perhaps the sun will help to melt it and make it come together to open paths and ways to move along instead of remaining as it is? Change is inevitable and moving and action better than silence and no movement at all.

WE HAVE THE WONDERFUL WOMEN'S MARCH as well on Saturday the 19th to fire and inspire and unite us, too. That is so much hope and promise and good all wrapped up into one that it absolutely makes me cry with unbridled joy!

AND WE HAVE earlier on the Today show scenes from Puerto Rico with Jose Andres talking about the progress that is slowly being made and felt there - and that is so encouraging and wonderful as well.

AND MY WIFE this morning showing me an animated video with dogs and the caption that they would make the cats pay for their wall! Gotta smile at that even though the implications are so devastating, crippling, maddening, wrong and wasteful and mean - as well as narrow-minded. My wife told me not to speak of this - that it was political. She is right, it is, and yet these times are political and every waking moment of every day now it is being thrown at us from all venues, outlets, sources, and we cannot run and hide far enough away to escape it. So we must deal as best we can. We must do whatever we can, as best we can.

WE ARE AN OASIS here, that is what we can be. We can be here as a community, that is what we are, that is what we must never ever forget.

WE NEED to be aware of this, to capitalize on it, to not squelch it, to help it grow strong and with purpose and conviction, with goals and dreams that can and should come true. Just like planting a seed and watering it and watching it grow healthy and strong alongside so many promising other seeds! Yes, si oui, all good, all really great!