Hunting the Albino Alligator

One nice thing living in the Washington, D.C. area did provide was a broad range of museums within which to totally nerd-out for free. The Smithsonians are owned by the American people, and we are indeed members of the American people, so our tickets were already paid for (through taxes, which might mean technically we paid the entrance fee far, far in advance, but let’s not get technical). Moving out to San Francisco, we were suddenly faced with the decision to either pay $30 to get our nerd fix, or save that money for true necessities, like champagne.

But every once in a while, the museums of San Francisco take pity on the middle class geeks of this fair city and offer something for free. A short time ago, we took advantage of just such an offer, and were able to spend our entire afternoon joyously giving our natural history muscles a workout at the California Academy of Sciences, for free! While we loved numerous exhibits throughout the museum, like the mammoth catfish that could easily swallow a five-year-old child, or the adorable poison dart frogs who look just like candy (tricky little devils), our favorite part of the visit this time around was Claude, the albino alligator. The mystery, the majesty, the creepy way he never moved while we were looking at him and yet was always in a different position when we stopped by ten minutes later. We are already planning new ways to sneak up on him in action when the next free weekend comes around six months from now. It may involve ski masks.

And since this weekend outing was free, we had money in our pockets for the essentials, like another bottle of sparkling wine, ripe for a review. This time we chose the j Cuvée 20 ($27). We already spoke favorably of the j Rosé, and were hopeful that the rest of the varieties would not disappoint. This wine certainly did not. It was very crisp, bubbly, and bright. It had a clean, light, almost peachy aroma. With delicate undertones to every sip, it was fun to drink and had a very light bitterness that actually balanced the complex flavors of the wine. It was impressively balanced and nuanced for a California wine. But we must admit, it was no albino alligator.

Score: A unanimous 4.

Recommended: Yep, it’s a little pleasure in a bottle.

Just Get Me Through to Morning

It might be a little too early to celebrate anything right now on this election evening. Ballots are still being counted, bruises are still bursting their way to the surface of many a battered soul (politics makes us alliterative). There have been a few turn of events that have actually made us smile, a lot that made us queasy, and a few that just made us scratch our heads – like that witch-lady, did she really think she was going to win? If you have to run an ad on television declaring you’re not a witch, we’re pretty sure you’re really a witch.

But no matter who wins or loses, or what ridiculous propositions pass that will give more money to the bajillionaires down in their beach homes in Malibu, there are still a few things to tip a glass to tonight. First, we will no longer have to see Meg Whitman’s smug little face talking about how she’s all about the California dream. If she was auctioning her “truthiness” (thank you, G.W.) she’d get negative bids. But most importantly, no more political ads! We can finally turn on the television for a lively game of Jeopardy without being inundated with bad lighting, annoying voice-overs, and things we “can’t afford.” Geez, it’s a recession, you don’t have to tell us what we can’t afford.

Although, that Yes on 21 ad didn’t bother us too much, what with those cute little foxes and all.

So if you’re ready to sip some bubbly in celebration of commercial breaks returning to little geckos and pizza salesman, try a bottle of Drusian Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore ($15). A wine from Italy? Yes! Because who isn’t tired of America right now? And prosecco is easier on the wallet then French champagnes, so you can save your money for all the whiskey you’ll need once you realize the state the country is in after the elections. But back to the prosecco. This one smelled strongly floral and fruity right out of the bottle, with a refreshing amount of carbonation to give it just the right amount of kick. It had a sweetness that fills your entire mouth and lasts long after you’ve drunk it down. It did retain some mildly bitter apple undertones with a light dryness, but these didn’t detract from its easy drinkability. It mostly made us think of this past summer, a time when anything was still possible and hope was still alive. Eh, maybe we’ll just move to Italy they don’t have any crazy politics, right?

Score: It was a unanimous 3, but in a good way.

Recommended: Yes, this is a solid prosecco that is sure to keep its promises.