Steel Kaleidoscopes

Naples Foursome

Teeing off at 7:05 on a glorious December morning, 70 degrees and rising.

A crisply hit tee shot with a generous fairway bounce makes my day.

Doug and I are teamed with Tony and Butzi, two retirees who made their living in New Jersey.

But now they're in Naples, like we are, enjoying 18 holes of golf on the green carpet of Arrowhead Golf Club.

Butzi is learning, but Tony may not be the best teacher. He's a little gruff with her, offering casual criticism without taking the time to show her what she's doing wrong.

Then again, who are we? I'm hoping to crack 110; Doug is looking to break 100.

The sun is getting higher in the sky, turning the summer-dew morning into a full blown summer day. We're playing golf in December and that's all that matters.

Even if it means watching Tony and Butzi putz around.

Top 10 Albums of 2005

This is not the typical "Top 10 Albums of 2005" list.

In fact, only one of the albums was released in 2005.

Instead, these are the 10 albums I listened to in 2005 that resonated most with me. They could be old, recent or new. What's consistent is that these were CDs that struck a chord with me when popped into the CD player this past year.

10. Yes "Time and a Word" (1970)
Second album foreshadows future brilliance

9. Tracy Bonham "Blink the Brightest" (2005)
Talented singer's debut on Zoe label

8. The Beatles "Revolver" (1966)
The transition from mop tops to legends

7. Anandi "The Mirror" (2002)
Superb songwriting with wonderful singing

6. The Doors "Box Set" (1997)
Hidden gems including snippets of Miami

5. Jefferson Airplane "After Bathing at Baxter's" (1967)
Inventive, experimental effort with no boundaries

4. Uriah Heep "Salisbury" (1971)
Sophomore release still sounds great today

3. Liz Phair "Liz Phair" (2003)
Spirited, poppy, sensual and very listenable

2. Guess Who "American Woman" (1970)
Classic rock doesn't get much better than this

1. Doobie Brothers "The Captain and Me" (1973)
Band's best album still very much relevant

Joining the iPod Revolution

OK. I caved. Sort of.

Thanks to the generosity of my in-laws, I am now the proud owner of an iPod with a 60GB hard drive.

So now I will load my music, packing the iPod with Iron Butterfly "Ball," Anandi "Forever Days" and Velvet Revolver "Contraband," among the other hundreds of CDs in my collection.

It's a wonderful gift.

But I will not use the shuffle feature.

At least not yet.

Quote of the Day

"Abandon the urge to simplify everything, and appreciate the fact that life is complex."

- Anonymous

2005

January
Dan, Actor and Sports Writer

February
Tim Gullickson and the Academy Awards

March
Kathleen Edwards, Dennis DeYoung and Bourbon Street

April
Uriah Heep and the Boston Marathon

May
What's up, Ms. Chloe?

June
Mulch and Movie Quotes

July
Top 100 Guitar Solos and a Torn Plantaris

August
God Bless New Orleans

September
Anandi and the Top 10 Concerts of All Time

October
Hurricane Wilma, Monks and Kurt Cobain

November
Bedell Wine Cellar, Theo Epstein and Drums

December
Deal or No Deal and an iPod for Christmas

Top 10 Wines of 2005

These are the Top 10 wines I sampled in 2005. While the specific vintages may be hard to find, the producers are generally consistent from year to year.

1. Rosenblum Rockpile Road Zinfandel, 2003
Port-like in style, but subtle with a long, long finish

2. Chehalem 3 Vineyard Pinot Noir, 2002
From the Williamette Valley, perfect balance and structure

3. Carmody McKnight Cabernet Sauvignon, 2001
From Paso Robles, an outstanding Cab and a great value

4. Clos Saint-Jean Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 1998
Velvet-smooth gem from the Southern Rhone

5. Rosenblum Pickett Road Petite Syrah, 2000
Blackberry jam, dark toast and vanilla flavors

6. Sterling Silver Lake Pinot Noir, 2000
A special bottling from a consistent Napa producer

7. Chateau Souverain Sauvignon Blanc, 2004
Excellent with crab cakes, shrimp and lobster

8. Chateau Cap de Faugeres Bordeaux, 2000
Terrific value from a classic vintage

9. Brophy Clark Pinot Noir, 2001
From San Luis Obispo, a vibrant burst of cherries

10. Yalumba Viognier, 2004
Nutmeg flavors dominate this robust white

Christmas 2005

Chloe on my lap. Eggs and sausage coming.

And fresh-squeezed orange juice.

A walk on the beach in the morning. Prime rib and Cabernet in the afternoon.

And football on TV.

Key lime pie as an early evening snack. More football.

And Chloe on my lap. Singing.

Waiter Rant

Restaurant perspective is everywhere, from professional reviews to food-savvy bloggers.

But here's something a little different.

Written by a waiter, here's some perspective on us, the customers.

(Link courtesy of Christine Della Monaca.)

Deal or No Deal

NBC's "Deal or No Deal" is going to be the next big reality show.

Trust me.

It may not be as big as "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" in its heyday, but this show will draw in viewers.

It's got everything -- high-stakes money, perky models, family/friend involvement, phone calls to the bank and the tension of watching someone go from rags to riches, or riches to rags.

Surprisingly, the formerly annoying Howie Mandell does a good job as host.

The initial four-night run ended last night, but "Deal or No Deal" will be back. It won't have the staying power of some of the blue-chip reality shows, but it will have a good run.

America's workforce is already picking up the vernacular when snubbing gifts in the annual Yankee swap.

If you've missed it, catch it when it comes back full force. If you've seen it, you know what I mean. It draws you in.

Hang on. It's the bank calling.

A Sliver of Paris

Photo courtesy of Sophie's Photo Blog.