We have a very vibrant neighborhood here in Cleveland Park N.W. Washington D.C. and I have been privileged to be a strong part of it for the last 12 years though I have been aware and a part of it for at least ten more years. It has enriched my life over the last twenty-two years I would say starting way back when I first came to sell my wholesale wines to Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits way back when Peter Anastopolos was the wine-buyer. I also came to dine when Lavandou opened with both my wife and our very young daughter and we have a great story to share with how we got our daughter to love the calamari that they prepared. I will tell you that anytime face-t0-face so just ask me the next time that you see me : if you can remember!
These are pictures that I took back in 2005-2008 I believe and they were not all taken with a great camera. I post them anyway because they still tell many stories ( each and everyone of them ) and they preserve precious memories, too of our fine and vibrant and varied neighborhood.
There are many pictures that I took that show some of the two blocks of our business retail community. As a group a number of the stores and the restaurants ( various businesses along this two-block stretch ) have banded together to look after the community and keep it really active, popular ( a destination place ) and vibrant of course. We meet on a regular basis now and I have decided to help with what I do best and that's publicity and getting the word out on what we are doing and plan to continue doing to keep our neighborhood in top shape and form. We met just a month ago at Ripple restaurant a couple of store fronts down from Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits. I took some pictures of that meeting ( being an artist the pictures are rather artsy ) and I will download at least one or two in this blog before posting it really soon. Time's-a-wastin'!!!!
These two pictures above and below are from the wine-tasting that we did at the store prior to walking down to Ardeo to do our wine-maker Matias wine-dinner with his COUSINO-MACUL wines back in 2006 I believe? It's been quite awhile, way before they did the recent renovations to their restaurant and combined Ardeo and Bardeo. It was a great evening as I have shown here in one of these pictures as we walked from the store down the block to Ardeo.
These are some of our regular customers trying wine with wine-maker Matias that has since this tasting left COUSINO-MACUL. I will have to ask where he is now? We have not seen each other for a number of years. I am sure that he has found another job in Chile where these wonderful wines come from.
The picture below is with wine-maker Matias and our local reps for Billington Imports ( John Peters ) and our local Winebow rep ( Jody Jackman ) just before walking down to Ardeo for our COUSINO-MACUL Wine-maker Dinner with Matias and a selection of his wines which included the then " new " Sauvignon Gris that was perhaps in it's second or third year of sales and production in the United States? I think so : memory fades a tad now.
So many great memories : so much to talk about and mention here in this blog about our Cleveland Park neighborhood and I will, too. But for the moment I will post this " as is " so that at least people can start to enjoy these pictures and the many stories that they tell. Have fun trying to figure them out for yourselves and I will soon fill in some of the details about them. I sure did have a blast taking these pictures. Stay-tuned for more really soon. Cheers, Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn P.S. It's now Wednesday morning here at home in northern Virginia at 10:15AM as I get ready to head into work - to Cleveland Park N.W. Washington D.C. as a matter of fact on this February 22, 2012 to start my busy day on a warmer, nicer, still a bit overcast now for the moment but promising to get much better really soon! A plus tard mes amis.
