Scene to be Seen

Rudolph Projects ArtScan Gallery is pleased to present

Beyond the Alps, Swiss Artists in Texas
Opening Saturday February 9, 6-8pm

Artists: John Bernhard, Bertrand Clerc, Anne-Joelle Galley, Willy Gunther, Rolf Laub, Grace Megnet, Barbara Tennant, Catherine Winkler Rayroud

The cultural diversity of Switzerland is remarkable in many ways. The four linguistic regions are perhaps its most evident aspect and, as one knows, the language spoken in one region of a country always reflects the culture of that region. Each language, instead of dividing the country adds to the complexity and diversity of the culture.

"Beyond the Alps-8 Swiss Artists in Texas" gives a glimpse of this Swiss diversity. Each artist expresses him/herself in a very different way and yet, their works side by side, remind us of the cultural wealth of the small country that is their homeland (text by Bertrand Clerc)
This exhibition is presented by The Swiss American Society of Houston

Work on view through February 22, 2008Rudolph Projects ArtScan Gallery

Rudolph Projects ArtScan Gallery
1836 Richmond Avenue
Houston, TX 77098
713.807.1836
http://www.rudolphprojects.com/
info@rudolphprojects.com

Gallery Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 10:30 - 5:30 PM and by appointment

Scene to be Seen

I'll be here around 5:30-6:00 to see Charlie Roberts speak before heading to another opening in the Rice area. I'm excited as this will be my first visit to the Rice Gallery!

Farewell Cork Belly Wines

Well, okay, not farewell, but definitely so long.

I have decided to take my Cork Belly musings to their own blog. You are more than welcome to follow my adventures in wine at Cork Belly @ corkbelly.blogspot.com. I will be kicking off this new blog with the first round of the Cabernet Sauvignon.

Cheers!

Adventures in Mobile Phones

Normally, changing cellphones would not necessarily make the front page of Urban Houstonian. However, after some thought about the amazing new and exciting direction cellphones have taken in the past few years, and the the fact that this new phone of mine will have a pretty substantial effect on this very blog, I feel it is appropriate to tell you about it.

I have been a Sprint customer since I received my first cellphone back in September 2000. It was a Samsung clamshell number that lasted me about a year and a half. I then switched to the next generation of my phone before making the jump to the now ubiquitous camera phone from Sanyo. I stayed with Sanyo for one more generation that ended up dying before its time about two years ago. Looking for something sleek and sophisticated, I made the jump back to the Samsung A900 which, to this day, remains the best cellphone I have ever owned.

Throughout this entire journey, I always reupped my contract with Sprint with little or no regard to what I was doing. Sprint has always been good to me in terms of service, but I often envied the phone offerings at Verizon and Cingular/AT&T because they always seemed to draw the sexiest handsets. It was for this reason that I had made the decision to wait out my contract with Sprint, and make the jump to a new carrier with, I presumed, a sexy new phone.

Enter Verizon and the Samsung SCH-u740. You've probably seen this particular phone out on the street. It flips two different ways, giving you the normal clamshell phone that also flips open to take advantage of a full QWERTY keyboard.

Sidebar: Ever wonder why they call it a QWERTY keyboard? It got the name from the first six letters on a normal computer keyboard, starting with the top row of keys from the left. See? End Sidebar.

I was looking for something with some hardcore Internet capabilities and a keyboard to allow me faster and more efficient texting. Bringing Twitter into my Urban Houstonian universe has made faster texting a very real necessity. I had made the assumption that it was Samsung, not Sprint, that made my A900 such a great little phone these past two years.

So after a little bit of delivery drama, I got the phone Monday (1/14) night. I did not get much time with it, but found myself a bit befuddled because the Mobile Web service just didn't seem to be what I expected or, more importantly, was looking for. I chalked it up to me not knowing the new phone. Well, after a little more time with the phone, I started to realize that the problem wasn't with the phone, but with the software that had been installed on it. You see, this Samsung phone had none of the features I had come to love on my previous Samsung handsets. I began to realize that I had made a pretty serious mistake in my choice to leave Sprint.

Wednesday rolls around, and I decide to run over to a Sprint store to see if they would take me back. I found out that there was a 30-day period where you could cancel your service with Sprint, but I would need to see what Verizon's trial period was. I ended up running across the street to a Verizon store. Acting like a possible new customer, I asked and was relieved to find out that Verizon had the same 30-day period. THANK GOD!

Thursday, I had my number, which at this point had already been ported to the new Verizon phone, ported back to my old Sprint phone. Once that was accomplished, I mailed the now old, new Verizon phone, and purchased a Palm Centro from the Sprint website. It turns out to be only slightly longer and thicker than my A900, and comes with all sorts of goodies for life on the go. That, and it comes with fully customizable mobile web. I didn't mention that earlier, you cannot choose a homepage on your phone's mobile browser with the u740.

So, here I am, now a Palm Person. It will probably take me all of the two years on my current contract to fully utilize all that it has to offer. However, I am happily enjoying my new/old Sprint service. It's funny, but I may be the only human being that loves Sprint as my cellphone provider. I've heard horror stories from people who left Sprint for another carrier, and couldn't be happier. I've often wondered if there was something wrong with the way I look at my cellphone because I honestly have never really had issues with Sprint whether it be issues with my contract or coverage and reception. Call me crazy, but I expect to lose calls every now and then, and have rarely found them to be all that problematic. The only major issues I've had with my contract were actually my insistence of sticking to a service plan that was held together with duct tape and chewing gum. You see, when I started with Sprint, it was as an add-on to my brother's corporate plan. It worked out pretty well, but I had to expand past its small limits. It took me a while to finally break away from the corporate plan, and this new contract is the first where I bought everything from scratch just the way I like it. Oh, I should also mention that Sprint offers what I feel is a more powerful data package that is about 10%-20% cheaper than the other guys.

As for the Palm. I just might be in heaven. I do have one more call to make in regards to getting my Gmail account fully operational, but it's just about everything I need. No, it isn't an iPhone, but I'm just biding my time until those are made available to all carriers. Both the Sprint and Verizon reps are under the impression that that glorious event will happen sometime next year. Believe me, I cannot wait! My dad got an iPhone for Christmas, and I am anxious to get one of my own.

In the meantime, I am Twittering better, and looking to create some more interesting on-the-go entries to Urban Houstonian. I am also very much interested in discussing how gadgets can influence and/or improve our urban existence. Stay tuned. . . .

Funkified in 2008

Dear Readers,

I must apologize for the lack of real Urban Houstonian updates in the past month. I know some of your are enjoying the Cork Belly saga, but that is really not something I plan on making a permanent part of UH. While I do have plans to have a sort of co-promotion between Cork Belly and Urban Houstonian (can you say the list of best Wine Bars in Houston?), I need to get back to the business at hand.

All this will be explained better in the next Thoughts, whenever it gets posted.

No, I have recently (this morning) discovered that I am in a small bit of a funk. It doesn't appear to be anything serious, just a general feeling of the blahs has taken over. My professional life is going very well, and I cannot complain about my personal life either. But I find myself in a rut nonetheless. I'll get out of it soon enough, just need to figure out what the malfunction is at the moment. I'll get back on track soon enough. Just wanted to touch base with you in the meantime.

Hope your 2008 is off to a better start than mine! Well, let's be honest, mine is off to a good start, just got this nagging whatchamacallit giving me some problems! :)

Cork Belly Wines - Merlot, Final Round, cont'd

I must admit it, I cheated a little bit tonight. I took the Blackstone Merlot down to the kitchen while cooking the most delicious BBQ Chicken Pizza. My God, I have to tell you, this is one of the most amazing little meals I have made for myself. I am very much looking forward to perfecting it; it was one of those wonderful shots in the dark we all try from time to time that came out PERFECTLY!

I will tell you that I made the final call for the Merlot while reading the latest issue of TIME and the chicken was baking in the oven. It is that decision that has me sipping the Blackstone while finishing this delightful meal. Yes, the Blackstone goes very well with a good meal, but it is NOT the chosen Merlot in the Cork Belly Wine Challenge.

No, the chosen Merlot is most definitely Red Bicyclette. As I said last night, it is just a fun little wine, which makes it a perfect Merlot for the purposes of this little challenge.

But looking back over the other Merlots in the Challenge, I wanted to give my personal comments on each of the four lesser candidates.

YellowTail
I would not turn down an invitation to crack open a bottle of Yellow Tail Merlot. It was a delightfully sweet Merlot that would be well served to be shared among friends. Grab one of the larger bottles, and make a night of it!

Smoking Loon
Basically, I found that this competition came down to two types of Merlots, the sweet and fruity vs. the intense flavors. Smoking Loon definitely had a strong flavor, but there were two that came out ahead in that department; namely Mirassou and Blackstone.

Mirassou & Blackstone
If you are serving food and want a Merlot, I would select either of these two wines. I'd lean more towards the Mirassou, but you can't do wrong either way. Their strong flavor will complement many a fine meal.

Now that we have our Merlot, it is time to move on to our next varietal, Cabernet Sauvignon.

I have also decided to change things up a little in our next competition. I had five wines in the Merlot challenge, and it admittedly made things difficult. You might remember that I essentially dismissed Smoking Loon after it took the first round. No biggie really, but I would rather work with an even number of wines moving forward. That said, I am removing YellowTail from further competitions.

I do this for three reasons:
1. YellowTail, while a perfectly respectable wine, is a tad too readily available. When you can find a wine in a gas station, it is time to pull back your marketing . . . just a bit.
2. Because it has a wine in all of the three varietals that remain (Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Syrah/Shiraz), it made it very easier to remove it than trying to knock out a different winemaker in each varietal. I'm essentially killing three birds with one stone.
3. The Cork Belly Challenge needs a follow-up, and a romp through the offerings of YellowTail fits the bill quite nicely.

Now to the four competitors:
Black Opal
Blackstone
Mirassou
Smoking Loon

See you with a nice Cabernet . . .

Cork Belly Wines - Merlot, Final Round

Blackstone Merlot
Back of the Bottle
Our Blackstone Merlot is produced from vineyards located throughout California's finest grape growing regions. At Blackstone, we believe that each appellation contributes unique flavor an structure from the area's soil and climatic conditions. After harvesting the grapes, each vineyard lot is carefully developed to capture its distinctive flavors and aromatic qualities.

The signature of Blackstone is an integrated Merlot with rich fruit; surrounded by elegant creaminess, supple oak flavors and firm tannins. This Merlot is friendly, flavorful and balanced, encouraging the marriage between food and wine. Enjoy at home or in fine restaurants with a variety of flavorful cuisines.

Right out of the Bottle
This wine comes with some pretty strong flavor that smooths out on the back end. Yeah, I mean S-T-R-O-N-G flavor. Actually, it is almost too strong for and everyday wine. Don't get me wrong. This is a very delicious wine, but I think I would enjoy it more with a fine meal. Still, this may prove to be the best wine after time if this strong flavor mellows a little once it has aired out a bit.

Red Bicyclette
Back of the Bottle
Bonjour! Welcome to Red Bicyclette, from a little corner of the very best place in France. Wines from a place where the sheer joy of living is as easy as riding a bike. Wines from the villages where the butcher, the baker and the candlestick-maker, still exist. Wines that are meant to be shared, like magical moments pedaling together through the countryside. A field of flowers, a hillside of lavender, the scents and flavors of the countryside captured in the bottle. Rich, jammy, red fruit with hints of vanilla oak. Beautifully balanced and easy to enjoy, easy as riding a bike.

Right out of the Bottle
I have always love the descriptions on the backs of wine bottles. Rich and jammy . . . Vanilla Oak, you expect just an explosion of flavors with every sip. Still, reading the labels is always a good way to discover the wines you are more likely to enjoy. For instance, if you enjoy the rich jamminess of this Red Bicyclette Merlot, you are going to enjoy other wines that speak of red fruit preserves. I particularly enjoy the smooth vanilla finish of this wine to go with all that fruity goodness. It's almost like a glass of strawberries and cream.

Winner, Right out of the Bottle: Red Bicyclette
Again, Red Bicyclette comes out on top. It is just a more enjoyable wine to drink. However, if there was a steak in front of me, I think I would rather have the Blackstone. But, we are not looking for a wine with a good steak, we are looking for a wine that makes ordinary experience more than ordinary. Straight out of the bottle, that Merlot is Red Bicyclette. Now, let's see how it holds up after a fresh breath of air, shall we?

Cork Belly Wines - Merlot, Round 2 cont'd

Unfortunately, I have not gotten around to the second half of the matchup between the Mirassou and Red Bicyclette Merlots. Both of them have lost a lot of their original flavor. It's not that they taste terrible, it's just that I don't think they taste as good as they would have a week ago. Still, there is a surprising chocolatey flavor to the Red Bicyclette that I wouldn't have expected.

The Mirassou just tasted like old wine. Not unpleasant, just old.

So we move on to the final round between Blackstone and Red Bicyclette. I have a pretty busy weekend up ahead, so I should probably have plenty of time at home during the week. That said, we should be able to crown the Cork Belly Merlot by the end of this week. Emphasis on the word should. In the meantime, have a great week. Thoughts will return next Sunday.

My (un)Lucky METRO Ride

Tonight was supposed to be the first night of a New Years diet. This Urban Houstonian has started to develop a nice paunch, and is not very happy about it. I've been a pretty bad boy in the diet department, and just want to start eating right. Tonight's dinner was going to be a boiled chicken breast with a touch of Italian dressing and brown rice. Something simple and nutritious. Instead, I had an Ultimate Cheeseburger meal from Jack in the Box, probably a little tastier, but a whole lot less satisfying.

What brought on this junk food binge is a tale that is both comical and a bit gruesome, and I do mean gruesome.

This first day back from the Christmas and New Year holiday, I got up early, refreshed and charged for a nice bus ride in the cold weather. Don't know about you, but I love walking in the cold air; it's clean and refreshing. Well, after a delightful trip and work day, I was ready to head back home for my tasty meal. Well, I was across the street when my bus, the 36 Kempwood/Lawndale was just leaving the stop. I waved to catch the driver, but he either didn't see me or ignored me completely. And, a bit of conventional wisdom I learned from Esquire Magazine's 2006 What I've Learned issue, "Don't ever run to catch a bus or train. If you fail, and you will, you will look and feel like an idiot. That, and you'll be huffing and puffing like a fool in front of a bunch of strangers.

Along with the 36, the 40 Pecore/Telephone can take me home from Downtown. It takes a negligible amount of time longer, but the 40 runs ahead of the 36 in Downtown. It was a bit cold to be standing on the street, and it just so happened that there was a 40 a few blocks down the street. So I walked a block down Dallas to Travis where HPD headquarters is. It is here where the gruesomeness sets in. As I am walking up to the corner, a homeless begins vomiting near the traffic signal. I should have taken this as God's signal that I should have stuck with my trusty 36, and almost did.

I queue up to board this 40, and notice that it is rather crowded. I don't mind crowded buses, but after watching someone vomit on the street, I was a little weary of a crowded, and possibly odiferous, ride on the bus. So I tromped back to my roost at Dallas and Milam to wait for the 36 once more.

At this point, I glance down the street, and see another 40! This time almost completely empty! Well, I tromped down the block once more to catch it.

NOTE: To avoid further gruesomeness, skip the sidebar.

SIDEBAR:
Upon returning to the corner of the aforementioned vomit attack, my morbid sense of curiosity got the better of me, and I glanced back at the corner of the offense. Turns out this poor man was let forth a torrent of blood, no vomit. I find myself a little saddened by the fact that this man is likely going to die this evening. I mean, if you're vomiting blood like that, and the temps are going to be sub-30 degrees, I don't really like your chances of survival. After sitting down I began to ask (read: convince) myself that there really was nothing I could have done for this man. What do you do when someone, particularly a homeless man, is vomiting blood? It's not like you want to speak to him for fear of him letting forth another round. Shit, there are some nasty diseases to be found in blood! Oddly enough, the man appeared to shuffle off as if nothing was the matter. Still, I feel guilty about the thing. I do ask that if you made it through this nasty bit of business that you say a prayer for this poor man.
End of SIDEBAR

After getting on the bus, I dove into, ironically enough, the 2007 What I've Learned Issue of Esquire Magazine. All this deep reading distracted me from the fact that my bus was not travelling the same route that I had run on previous trips on the 40. In fact, I didn't realize my apparent error until we were hurtling down the I-45 South HOV lane. I didn't panic initally because I knew that the Eastwood Transit Center was along this path, and was likely a slight detour that most routes take from time to time. Read the map I always tell you, right? Well, when we sailed past the ETC, I began to wonder exactly where this runaway bus was headed. I ask the bus driver what the deal was. I was right, it was a detour, but much more of a detour than I had expected. In fact, I ended up near Gulfgate Mall. I asked the driver what I should do. Her suggestion was to get off at the next stop, and take another 40 the other way. Okay, no problem, she's going to the Gulfgate Transit Center, I'll be able to catch a 36, 40, or maybe even the 42 Holman Crosstown! No problemo.

This was my second error. She tells me that I am getting off. I look around, and find myself with no transit center in sight. No, instead I am in a rather rough part of town. Well, I shouldn't say rough, but unfamiliar and not so comfortable. She tells me to cross the street to an unlit stop on the other side of the road. So, this is when I find myself at Woodridge and Thurow on a dark, cold night with hardly any way to figure out exactly when the bus was set to arrive; I was damned if I was going to pull the schedule out of my Manhattan Portage. Well, if I wanted to scream MUG ME, that would have been easier. No, I got on my cell phone and called the METROline. Of course, not knowing what the 40 did in this particular part of town, I couldn't make sense of the bus schedule. The good new is that a 40 pulled up less than five minutes after getting off my first mistake.

So, now I'm sitting on another 40 heading, finally, in the right direction. We hit Telephone, and I could see the shimmering lights of Downtown, home of my first mistake and a, likely, dying man. At this point, I ditched my plan for a healthy dinner, and opted for the Jack in the Box that just happened to be along this particular bus route.

The aforementioned paunch isn't a surprise when you find out that the lady behind the counter at this particular restaurant knows me by sight. In fact, she even calls me by my first name.

Cue music:
Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
and they're always glad you came.
You wanna be where you can see,
our troubles are all the same
You wanna be where everybody knows Your name.

Writer's Note: I liked this reference so much that this is a new ringtone on my phone!

Yeah, so I caved in after what was a frustrating, tad scary and more than a little disgusting evening. But after I got my way-too-large soda cup, and went over to the soda fountain for some Coca Cola, I see a lonely penny laying in the overspill trap. I pried up the grate, and grabbed this lucky little guy. It's a 1999, which doesn't hold a lot of meaning to me, but on a night like this, I needed me a lucky charm. Tomorrow, I'll pop this little fella into the fountain in the Jones Hall Courtyard outside my office.

Now what in the hell am I going to wish for?