From Pink To Red

“You coming to Tracy’s?” Amy asked me yesterday morning. Tracy’s is our go-to meeting place, sports bar, serious drinks and pretty damn good food, we love it, it feels like home and those of you that have been reading for a while, (all 4 of you) might remember that Tracy’s is the place where the crew met up for Dom Perignon, and The Mess…a diabolical breakfast food of biscuits, onions, mushrooms, hash browns, eggs and sausage gravy, tickles my gag reflex just thinking about it. Anyway, Amy has been on the “road to wellness” lately, eating light and drinking very little, don’t worry she hasn’t taken the cure…she has been plagued with tummy issues, she’s seeing a doctor and will be back in the game in no time! She was feeling her inner monster and looking for a martini and hot wings, heartburn schmartburn, when the monster growls…it must be fed.



“Not sure” was my slightly nervous answer, see where she has been all saintly, I have been working my sinner…was not sure I was ready, or in the right frame of mind for Tracy’s after a 9 hour shift, rollercoaster ride of emotions, (with the baby coming and all) and this, “what the hell, have another” sprite that has been nibbling on my shoulder. So, the day was excruciatingly slow, like 2 customers in a 2 hour period, yeah…I bought a bottle of 2008 Charles Joguet Chinon Rose, ($16.99) my current wine of lust right now, to invigorate my palate, and my spirit. This wine is beginning to have an un-natural power over me, my “I’m the boss of you” is being crushed by the, “fuck…that’s good” that this wine inspires. Tons of lusty Cabernet Franc aromatics, blue fruit, spice, wet slate, with a powerful mouth feel and a long but bright finish…one or two sips in, and I am so this wine’s bitch.

“So you coming” I was asked again, long day, too few customers and my sexy ass Rose… “Yeah, I’m in” amazing how that happens. Sent Call-O the text, “meet us at Tracy’s” touched up my mug, (which means a swipe of powder and a smear of lip gunk) jumped in the Camry and I was on my way.



Something happened on the brief ride over…I got all growed up and stuff. “What can I get you?” and my newly reserved self replied, “I’ll have a Gin & Tonic”, see at Tracy’s I tend to start with a martini….I am also often finished with, or by their martinis. “Oh being good huh?” Amy poked, “I’m not. I’ll have a Belvedere martini with no olives, I brought my own, I’ll just need a pick” Amy’s monster chimed, “Oh and an order of Ultimate Fries with a side of wing sauce to start”…..I could feel my tummy churning.

We waited for Ronnie, (he was at a trade tasting) before placing our dinner order, my order got an audible gasp from the table, “I’ll have another gin & tonic and the super salad” that’s right, I ate a salad in a bar, so what?! I’ve been in the middle of a crap food cycle as of late, it had to end somewhere and the salad looked, (and was by the way) delicious. Now this is where Tracy’s is evil, the second and third drink, sooooo much stronger than the first, what the hell up with that?! So after the dinner drink I ordered a martini, (shaking my head…damn you nibbling sprite….damn you) so here’s the thing with salad, doesn’t soak as much as a French dip or whatever…things took a turn.



I made a comment to the hubby about a woman that he eyeballed, and before people go thinking I’m one of “those” I don’t care about looking, shit wouldn’t have mattered if he waltzed over and chatted…just not jealous, but she was so, not hot….but my, “dude, aim higher” comment went over like a fart in church, and got me another eye roll…grumble, hate the eye roll, so dismissive, which is bad enough but dismissive after salad and 3 drinks, irked the shit outta me. An uncomfortable discussion later, no yelling or anything, just prickly….I was at the bar with Amy, “Jamison” and I was on my way home. Turns out, “prickles” are the killer of fun, on a normal evening there would have been another drink or two, but my “bar salad” eatin’ self wanted to come home, have a glass of wine, wash the day off my face and relax.



I wanted a wine that would hug me so I grabbed a bottle of 2006 Chateau de Puligny-Montrachet Monthelie Rouge, ($29.99) “Sigh” exactly what this leaf eater needed. Bright red cherries, faint whiffs of smoke and charred meat, lean but focused in the mouth with a finish that wrapped itself around my palate and refused to leave….the hubby and I laughed about our little scrap, I sipped my lovely Burgundy…..I got my hug.