Reconnecting Once Again Today Sunday December 22nd, 2014 @ The Torpedo Factoy In Olde Towne Alexandria With Artist Susan Finsen And Loving It : What Grand Serendipitous Treat This Was!

An amazing serendipitous visit today, this cold and wet and drizzly and gray Sunday afternoon at the Torpedo Factory in Olde Towne Alexandria with artist Susan Finsen that is a customre of mine that I met in Clevelend Park Washington D.C., Northwest, when I did a wine-tasting at the Broadmore Apartments at the suggestion of my friend Nicolas during the art show there where Susan had some of her FABulour acrylics showing and we got to talking then, and when her piece spoke to me at the entrance to her gallery and I entered, saw her : exclaimed : " I know you! " and she remembered who I was , all but my name, bis \g smiles on our faces : we both off after that! Cheers! TONY What a treat it all was.

Kyle was nice enough to take these pictures with his Apple I-Phone and to send them to me. Thanks Kyle.

The art was what drew me in, I really was taken by the piece outside the front door to Susan and her friend's studio, Laura Edwards. That got me inside and the rest you know. We talked art and techniques. selling, having a gallery, where to buy art supplies. I kept looking for those pieces of Susan's like the three she is working on behind us here that I really like and I believe she should leave ' as is! " We will see, only time will tell. Excellent work, I liked it very much. A treat.

Happy holidays all, happy New Year 2015 to one and to all!   Anthony  ( TONY ) Quinn 12/22/2014

Talking About Peter Robinson Our Local FABulous PIanist Here In Washington D.C. That Is Currently Playing @ The Jefferson Hotel: Go Listen To Him PLay The Piano While You Enjoy A Fine Meal, Too!

Peter loves wine, here Brunello in various vintages and hues, and he loves French southern Rhône Gigondas, too!

Where are you playing piano now Peter? Cheers my friend, Tony
1/30/2020

Story follows after pictures ... read on.

Peter Robinson a fine, FINE, super-fine pianist is playing at the Jefferson Hotel these days, has been there for 5 days now! How do I know all of this? WEll Peter's daughter came in search of port, in particular the NOVAL Tawny that was written up and recommended in the Washington Post Food section this week, $18.99 that we were listed as carrying. When I found out she was Peter's daughter I flipped : " Peter Robinson the pianist?!? " I smiled and we were off talking about 2o-year old tawny ports , too like the " Quinta do Bom Retiro " 20-year from RAMOS PINTO, $75.99 a bottle. Then we spoke about the 10-year old tawny ports like the gift-set of the CALEM with the free glass, $36.49, and the BARROS 10-year old tawny, $27.99 : all three are excellent Portuguese port houses that are lesser-known here in the United States because they were not bought by the British. They represent fine quality and fine value, too. WE are happy to have all three. I explained all of them in detail to Peter's daughter while he drove and looked for parking to join us. She called Peter and explained and when she got off the phone I asked her what Peter had decided? He wanted two bottles of the NOVAL Tawny port, $18.99 because it represented such good value! I went out to say hello to Pater. He had a big, broad smile on his face and said immediately : " I follow your weekly email and enjoy reading it always. " I have known Peter since the early Mayflower Wine And Spirits' days way back when in the 80's. He started with me years ago loving the dry red burgundies from the Mercury region in the Chalonaise region for it's quality and value ... cheers, happy holidays and Happy New Year 2015 .... TONY 12/18/2014 Go hear Peter play the piano at the Jefferson Hotel, he's the best, really superb piano player and entertainer that has recorded and honed his craft the best way , by playing for years!

Tracy That Worked For The BEAULIEU Vineyards Winery In Napa, Valley Back In The Nineties Gives Me A ' Coastal " Gray Blanket As A Thank You For The Work I Did Back Then Selling The BV Wines Portfolio Of Fine California Wines In All Prices And Styles That Started Back in 1900! GO BV! Thanks Again Tracy!

Linus in the cartoon strip of Charles Shultz " Peanuts " has his blanket, well Tracy that gave this to me years ago when I worked at Forman Brothers in the fine Wines ESTATES portfolio and sold BEAULIEU Winery wines to my customers in D.C., you gave me this as a ' thank you ' as the East Coast rep for BV wines that included this ' Coastal ' series of inexpensive ' good-value ' wines to enjoy anytime from the dry reds of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and also Pinot Noir to dry whites of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. We also had that wonderful company Forman Brothers trip to the BV ranch house and Chris Blethen and I stayed in the Tapestry Room with a balcony and a glorious view ( BACK IN THE MID NINETIES, CHRIS WORKED FOR THE VINTAGE division of Forman Brothers ), too of the valley and the vineyards ... thanks Tracy, this blanket has kept me warm on my Monday day-off as I have valiantly tried to recover from a bad cold! Here's to all the Linus'es of the world that have their warm and welcome blanket when they need it most : I needed it today!   TONY  

 12 / 8 / 2014   5;13 PM ...

 PS : I wonder if Calvin in the cartoon strip " Calvin and Hobbs " had a blanket, too?!? Happy Monday all, stay bundled, it is cold and dreary and damp here today in northern Virginia ..

SHOCKED & DEVASTATED To Hear Last Night When Leaving The National Smithsonian Zoo That Tomorrow They Are Closing The Invertebrates Building Because Of Budgetary Constraints! Let's ALL Make Some Noise & Reverse This! Share This With Everyone Please!!

GO BY THE National ZOO quick : at the end of this week because of budget cuts there will no longer be the Invertebrates building and department open! They may be moving to another building and still exist in some form but that was unclear last night as I was leaving the Zoo and I ran into our dear customer Randy ( of Randy and Sandy fame : you might know them already well? ), and he told me this latest news. He volunteers like Les and so many of our customers do. He was going for a training class of birds. He's at the Big Panda building-complex now watching them on the t.v. screens , monitors them and ensuring their safety and well-being, etcetera. Wow, this is devastating news about the Invertebrate Building. I love it. I really do, always have. ... I just talked to another Sandy's friend, a good customer here buying the Ruby Red DEEP EDDY and I told her about this and she and her children know all about the Invertebrates department and the anemones as you walk in and the octopus, ... and she said : " So they just did this quietly? " I do not have the answer.
But talking about Sandy, there's another Sandy that has worked there forever and that used to come and buy the MIONETTO Merlot from us from Italy years ago because they had a wonderful picture of an octopus on it that reminded us all of Sunny the Octopus that reigned supreme for so many years at the Invertebrates building and that I took our children to see and that they loved, too, fed and watched from outside and specially from above at feeding time as Sandy and the other Invertebrates staff that we loved - including Alan the chief - were so nice to us when we visited, and they forged a bond for me that stands the strongest for me with the National Zoo : me and the Invertebrates - and I will always cherish this time and I want here to : MAKE SOME NOISE and get them to keep the building and department open, alive and thriving.
I was just there a couple of Wednesdays' ago and loved what I saw between the anemones that blew me quite literally away when I entered, to my left, and the other magnificent invertebrates including the spiders and their webs, as well as the couple of butterflies as I left flitting around ever so daintily-gracefully from one flower to the next. PLEASE SHARE this and go today and tomorrow and lets' see what we can do, late as it may be, let's all MAKE SOME NOISE! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn Thursday morning, June 19th, 2014 ...

What are the chances that three people all named Sandy came up in this blog post?!? I do love it, so wonderfully amazing and random yet important ...   TONY 

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Happy Birthday Today, Yes, It's Today, Come Celebrate & Enjoy The Dry Red 2009 & 2010 Red Bordeaux Wines With Pierre Marselan of the MAISON RIVIERE French Family Tonight : Tuesday, 5-8PM. Cheers, Free Tasting, Everybody Welcome.

Cleveland Park Wine Cleveland Park Beer, Liquor & Wine
Featuring a wide, international selection of fine wines, micro-brews and spirits

SUCH A TREAT : EARTH DAY TODAY. Just think about all that we treasure and love
about our earth and what joy and pleasure it brings us all. Amazing really. Just
yesterday I was cleaning out and bagging the leaves from the flower beds at our
home. It's sometimes back-breaking work and yet it looks so good once it is
done.

TODAY our garden and yard at home will be breathing easier today as I cleaned,
and arranged and watered and it all is easier now for all the new growth to poke
up and out and grow up and kiss the sun's rays as often as possible.

WITH OUR FIRE PIT a lot of the fallen branches and twigs and dried wild grass,
etcetera has been burned along with firewood and warmed us as I grilled and we
sipped our wine : some of the BARBI Umbrian Italian dry rose On Special for
$8.99, and some of the ' new ' vintage JUSTIN Vineyard's red Cabernet Sauvignon
that our local rep Donna Quinn left me recently. The BARBI was so crisp and tart
and dry and flavorful : the JUSTIN was round and medium-to-light-bodied and
fruit-forward, balanced and overall quite pleasing. Nice. Thanks.

I AM MOST PROUD of our plaque that we have outside ( our daughter got it for us
and it is a treasure of mine as I love to garden and spend time outside ) that
states that we are a friendly natural habitat as we use no herbicides or
pesticides at all. Have to find other ' natural ' ways to deal with the Japanese
beetles that love the delicate , pale old-fashioned tiny pink roses that we have
thanks to my mother that gave us the plant years ago at our old home and which
we brought when we moved. Thanks Mom!

SO HAPPY EARTH DAY, enjoy it, what are you all doing to celebrate it today?

WE HAVE PLENTY of choices here for you all to celebrate Earth Day later when you
get off. Perhaps a picnic, spend time outside. if it's breezy and cold perhaps
some porter or stout or some port? We have selections of all of those.
IF IT'S RAINING LATER today on Earth Day perhaps you need something a bit more
warming as you return from a walk in the rain : some dessert wine, some bourbon
or even some good, flavorful apple cider like our local CIDERWORKS, Jefferson ,
Maryland hard apple ciders, especially the Jefferson Bottle that they make that
is aged for awhile in bourbon barrels? That will work, that will be splendid if
it's cold and drizzly later.

SO GLAD that the Boston Marathon went off well yesterday and that we have many
happy stories and stories of personal triumph to listen to, watch and learn
about this year, one year after the terrible tragedy there.

SPRING FINALLY seems to be all around us, everything is so verdant and
blossoming and shades of yellows , pinks, lavenders and greens. I love that, we
all love that, makes us all feel good to see things pushing up from the ground
and the bare brown tree limbs all now covered in the most delicate shades of
baby greens.

I AM SURE I WILL be out soon drawing in my backyard as I like to do.

ON EASTER I drove my family to the National Portrait Gallery where we went to
see the show on the book and movie called " The Monument Men " and I thought of
our customer and friend Amy that works there on all the Hollywood and film
exhibits and shows. Amy we loved what we saw as we walked towards the Monument
Men exhibit : the whole museum is quite inspiring. And to be in Washington D.C.
on a drop-dead gorgeous day and to see all the zillions of paddle boats out on
the Tidal Basin, and what looked like a whole group of enthusiastic visitors
frolicking under a group of Cheery trees, taking pictures, laughing - all pretty
wonderful. Loved the experience, the drive and the show at the National Portrait
Gallery : what a treasure that is for us all, and free. Now that's special.

YOU ALL KNOW THAT it's EARTH DAY today, right? Well, it is.

YOU MUST STOP BY today and see what we still have some of - a very little bit
of - in stock specially for you!

YES, FOR YOU, ONLY YOU ... I got the idea just now as I remembered last night's
episode of " The Voice " and where Usher said to one of the singer's that they
had to make every person listening that the song was just for them and no one
else. I like that. That's the way we should all be made to feel : special. We
are special, we know it, nice when others say it to us. Makes us smile, makes us
feel good about ourselves.

SO : Ale, Beer & Cider From Santos :

CIDER -

1) ' Original Sin ' Premium Hard Cider is Devilishly Delicious ( On Special
for $11.99 a 6-pack , 6% alcohol by volume, 12 Fl. Oz bottles, from Canaveral,
Florida ) : supremely crafted some tasty original sin hard cider for you all to
discover!

2) Cidre de Thierache Brut Methode Traditionelle from CLOS De La FONTAINE
HUGO ( $11.99 a 750ml bottle, Producteur Recoltant / Owner Producer , 100% pure
apple juice with no sugar added , 5% alcohol by volume ) : from Rozay sur Serre,
and brand new here, exciting.

3) Sagarnoa from TXOPINONDO ' eleve sur lie ' from the Pays-Basque, (
$10.99 a 750ml bottle, 6% alcohol by volume, Cidrerie Txopinondo, made in
Ascain, go to : www.txopinondo.com ) something really new and exciting for us!
Perfect for the spring and today, Earth Day!

BEER -

1) : ' Jewbelation ' Reborn from HEBREW The Chosen One ( $13.99 a 6-pack of
12-ounce bottles, from SCHMALTZ Brewing Company , Clifton Park, NY 1 Pt. 6 Fl.
Oz bottle, go to : www.SchmaltzBrewing.com for more info ) : Born 1996, Reborn
2013 ...

2) ' Peaches ' WINDOWPANE Series Peaches Ale brewed with Natural flavor and
aged in Chardonnay Barrels ( $17.99 a 750ml bottle, from MOTHER EARTH Brewing,
Kingston, N.C. , go to : www.motherearthbrewing.com ) : " so delicate, so
smooth, so delightful, I really like how seductive and silky this taste and
flavor-profile is - a delight! Cheers.

LIQUOR - LIQUEUR From Malkit & Jagir :

LIQUEUR -

1) Pecan Liqueur ' Original ' PRALINE Since 1850 ( $19.99 a 750ml bottle,
21% alcohol by volume, New Orleans, LA. ) : " PRALINES have been a New Orleans
tradition since the French first brought the candy to the Crescent City in the
18th Century. Pralines remain today the essential confection identified with the
city ... "

LIQUOR -

1) Sweet Tea Southern-Style from JEREMIAH WEED , sweet tea flavored vodka (
$   , go to : www.jeremiahweed.com for more info ) : something that has now been
popular for a long time, and it's the proper time of year now to start things
all over again!

2) Blended Scotch Whiskey Aged 12 Years from GRAND MACNISH ( $25.99 a
bottle, 40% alcohol by volume ) : I liked the finesse, the polish and the
overall elegance of this line of blended Scotch whiskeies that we will try here
on Saturday, April 26th, 2014 from 2-6PM with Vince Grande. Come taste, really
good taste and really good value, too.

3) Straight Apple Brandy from LAIRD'S ( On Special for $29.99 a 750ml
bottle, bottled in bond, from distilleries in both  Scobeyville, NJ and also
North Garden, VA., founded 1780, ) : From America's oldest family of distillers.

4) Bourbon Whiskey Special Release from BRECKENRIDGE ( $55.99 a 750ml
bottle, a handcrafted bourbon whiskey, 43% alcohol by volume ) : Made at 9600
feet with snow-melt from the Rocky Mountains, Breckenridge, Colorado. Something
special to be tasting and including on today's Earth Day!

WINE For Earth Day Today & This Week -

1) Malbec 2012 from La Rioja, Argentina from CHANARMUYO Estate, Chamas
Honnorat Family Wines ( On Special for $9.99 a bottle, 14% alcohol by volume ) :
a more earthy, complex, peppery, spicy dry red that is a steal at $10 and a fine
food wine, too : as you walk around later today and survey your domain, go to
your vegetable and herb garden, take a walk outside and in the park and back
home later in the comfort of your home. Cheers.

2) Cinsault 2012 " Barroco " Dry French red from CAMBIS ( $14.99, a
Languedoc Southwest, French wine ) : made from 100% Cinsault grapes, one of the
five grapes found in Cotes-Du-Rhone reds and in red Chateauneuf-Du-Pape. Cheers.
Hearty, robust, steely and tart and a food wine, medium-bodied, tasty.

3) Nebbiolo dry red from GABRIELLE RAUSSE , 2011 ( $21.99 a bottle, 13.8%
alcohol by volume, from Charlottesville, VA. 22902 ) : a light, delicate,
elegant, refined and delicious dry red that is perfect for this warm and how
weather when it comes - and it will, and it will be ideal for then - even now to
set the tone, set the stage, set the taste as we transition on this Earth Day
into the spring and summer months. Gabrielle also uses 100% Virginia grapes to
make his wines, he does not blend wine from other states as many do in Virginia
today.

4) Cotes Du Provence dry delicate-shaded French rose, 2013 from the DOMAINE
DE PARIS ( $14.99 a bottle, from Brignoles, Var, France ) : Michel, Joe and I
all really liked this when we tasted it awhile back and we are delighted to have
it here now. What a refined, elegant, delicate, tasty and thrilling treat to
enjoy today on Earth Day and for the next couple of weeks. it's a winner, it's
perfect to sip and also to enjoy with many a meal.

5) ' Les Galets Dores ' Costieres de Nimes 2012 from the CHATEAU DU GRES (
$15.99 a 750ml bottle, 14% alcohol by volume ) : a dry and inviting white blend
of 40% Roussanne, 20% Grenache and 20% Vermentino - I enjoy this, and it's nice
with this slightly-cooler day today. Get some and enjoy some after work as you
prepare your meal.

6) ' Le Chant Des Griots ' Dry white French blend of Roussanne and Viognier
from CAMBIS in the Languedoc that needs a little food to really enjoy it fully.
Get some, take it up on a rooftop or a deck or balcony and enjoy! Cheerful,
zesty and engaging in it's flavors.

MAGNUM :

1) California Chardonnay ' Night Harvest ' from R.H. PHILLIPS ( $10.99 a
1.5ml bottle-size ) : we have sold the 750ml bottle size now so well for so long
and now have it for you in the magnum size, too!

2) THE Naked GRAPE California Moscato 3-liter box wine at $18.99 a box
offers value and a treat for everyone. Floral smooth, fruity, fresh and so easy
to enjoy all by itself on this day today, Earth Day, or for the rest of the
week. Once open it's good and fresh for at least a month!!

SAVE TONIGHT & TOMORROW :

TUESDAYS :

1) BUY ANY sparkling wine bottle over $20 a bottle and SAVE 15% OFF the
marked sticker price ( except for VEUVE CLICQUOT ).
2) Mix six or more bottles and save 10% OFF the marked sticker prices.
3) BUY 12 or more bottles of sparkling or still wine and SAVE 15% OFF the
marked sticker prices.
Includes Port, Sherry, Marsala, Madeira, Sake.

WEDNESDAYS :

1) BUY ANY Still Wine over $20 a bottle and SAVE 20% OFF the marked
sticker prices.
2) BUY SIX or MORE bottles of still ( non-sparkling wine ) and SAVE 15%
OFF the marked sticker prices.
3) BUY TWELVE OR MORE non-sparkling wines and SAVE 20% OFF the marked
sticker prices.
INCLUDED are Port, Sherry, Madeira, Marsala and Sake.
MIX THINGS UP. Have fun, get more of what you want this way. spread out
your experiences, too.

SAVE , SAVE, SAVE MORE @ CP WINES!

WEEK'S TASTINGS :

TONIGHT : Tuesday, April 22nd, 2014 : Come meet Pierre Marselan today that
works with Dan Terrasa od the Willima Harrison portfolio and taste some of
Pierre's fine red Bordeaux wines that include an excellent 2010 dry red Grand
Cru Saint-Emilion. There will be other dry reds from the 2009 and the 2010
vintage! JOIN US soon tonight on Earth Day : let's celebrate Earth Day and fine
French ' value ' red Bordeaux wines from excellent vintages... oh yeah, bien
sur, venez nous voir ce soir ...

Friday, April 25th, 2014 ( 5-8PM ) : Tony's ' Picks ' this week, I will do
another tasting here on Friday. I enjoyed doing the one last Friday so much that
I will look around and find the wines I would like to taste here this Friday. Be
rewarded and surprised. Cheers, ...

Saturday, April 26th, 2014 ( 2-6PM ) : We have Vince Grande here to taste
the blended Scotch whiskey I mentioned above :  GRAND MACNISH - 12 and 15
yr-old, as well as ' Inspired ' floral and fruit-forward red from California
that is a delightful blend, and some 2012 Kiwi New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc that
will be great for this weekend.

JOIN US, NEVER any charge, a treat for everyone. Everyone is always welcome.

THANKS FOR EVERYTHING, we appreciate all that you do for us, all your faith in
us, all your business that you choose to give us. Thanks.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER at : cpwinespirits and also at : wineenabler,

LIKE US on our Facebook account at Cleveland Park Wine & Spirits.

HAPPY EARTH DAY EVERYONE Enjoy some of it, stroll over here, stroll around your
yards , the park, see our earth.

OUR EARTH is changing and we have to know that and try and keep up and control
the damage we as humans do to it. But you already know that. I know.

My Drive To Work In Washington D.C. Coming From Virginia On Tuesday, April 17th, 2012 And Seeing The Discovery Space Shuttle...

I LOVED IT : driving along Route 50 ( Arlington Boulevard ) this morning trying
to get to work on time and being in traffic and looking up and focusing on what
I thought was the space shuttle Discovery flying above me. It was.

I FRANTICALLY LOOKED FOR my camera and snapped a couple of pictures quickly
before it was swallowed up by all the soft baby green-leafed trees and I
counted my lucky stars for having been able to take the pictures. I would have
loved to have taken some more. I was hoping that I could get to the Teddy
Roosevelt bridge in time and that was not to be as everyone else was already
there and prepared to witness this glorious sight and to take their many
pictures, too. Then I realized that my memory card was not in my camera and my
heart sank!

I THOUGHT BACK TO WHAT I HAD SEEN so briefly and so off-guard and I branded
those quick split seconds into my brain and thought that that would simply have
to do. At least I saw all of this though briefly " live " and I was treasuring
this moment. Little did I know that as I got closer to the Teddy Roosevelt
bridge that the Discovery would be passing back our way and that we would all
see it all over again!

PEOPLE WERE PARKED ON THE SIDES of the road and standing on fences and on
perches with cameras poised and ready to take the perfect picture. I got some
once again with my Panasonic Lumix camera ...   Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn  4/15/2014 


PEOPLE WERE PARKED ON THE SIDES of the road and standing on fences and on
perches with cameras poised and ready to take the perfect picture. I got some
once again with my Panasonic Lumix camera that was loaded with the battery and
ready to go. I liked the couple I got as the Discovery space shuttle flew over
the Washington Monument. That was simply luck on my part : being in the right
place at the right time. I, like many others I am sure was fifteen minutes late
to work.

I DID LOVE THE EXPERIENCE, however and thought to myself that many people would
be out looking up and out for the Discovery. I thought of my good friend Steven
perhaps up on the Kennedy Warren roof looking for and following the Discovery's
path as it wound it's way to the Smithsonian Udvar Center in Virginia.

I BEGAN TO WONDER what wine would be like to drink in space? Was anybody
allowed to drink any wine on the flights? Did John Glen enjoy ever a sip or two
or red or white wine? Does John Glen like wine? So many questions passed
rapidly through my thoughts as I moved slowly along the Teddy Roosevelt bridge
and past the Lincoln memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, the Kennedy Center and
then later along the blossoming Rock Creek Parkway.

I HOPE YOU DO NOT MIND INDULGING ME in these thought processes and these
seemingly random snatches of ideas and feelings. It was fun to watch all the
people on the bridges I passed under as I drove down the Rock Creek Parkway.

The Absolute Beauty That Is Now Crossing Over The Teddy Roosevelt Bridge Over The Potomac River Just Now Shrouded in Drizzle & Fog & Mist That Reveals To Our Eyes Perhaps One-Third Of What We Would Normally be Greeted By / The Heart, The Soul, The Guts Of The View From This Bridge : Mysterious, Beautiful, GO Take Pictures Now, Ahora, Agora, Maintenant!

To my photographer friends that shop here at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits : Ralph , Karen, Paul, Michael : I was blown away quite literally a few minutes ago crossing from Virginia into Washington D.C. to come to work  going over the Teddy Roosevelt Bridge that was like passing through a thick vail of fog and drizzle that covered everything, like a shroud, like gossamer, so many transparent " mille feuilles " to gently conceal and airily mask so much that our eyes would normally be greeted with! I loved it. I wish that I had had my camera with me. Please go there and cross the bridge and snap away and then post here and share your photos : how wonderful that would be. It was such an unexpected treat for once to see so little, perhaps only a third of what we would normally see. Like in a dream, a lovely, mysterious dream, to concentrate on less and perhaps to come away with more of the true essence of that space and view from over the Potomac River looking at all our national monuments and the Kennedy Center, the Vietnam Memorial, The Washington Monument, The Jefferson memorial, The Capitol, the Albert Einstein Center, the State Department and some of the Navy Yards, and so very much more. I missed my favorite this time, too : what I call the miniature living green-to-yellow-to-orange-to-brown, from small-to-mid-to-tall ivy and vine Washington-Potomac-River-Living-Monument that is probably pretty quiet and sad now with no leaves as it slumbers . Cheers, all, Happy Saturday, Happy Weekend! You've earned it, enjoy it!  Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn  1/11/14    And to my photographer friends from Randolph-Macon College, GO, Vais - Chuck, Martha, Ken, David ...   TONY

Michael Robinson. Local Amateur Photographer Living In Cleveland Park Northwest, 20008 D.C. Gives Anthony Quinn @ Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits His Third Calendar Of Pictures He Took, These In Color For First Time , Taken In D.C., France & Italy : Beautiful Michael, Thanks, Merci, Grazie!

Our local Winebow rep Jody Jackman was here yesterday to taste me on the LIDIO CARRARO Brazilian wines of Serra Gaucha and she saw Michael Robinson walk in and immediately smiled and started gushing and saying she needed his email address and how much she loved using this same calendar that he gave her a copy of just like he gave me here at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits! I liked that, made me smile, made Michael smile , too yesterday afternoon here on Wednesday, July 9th, 2014 ... cheers Jody and Michael ... always good to see you both ... makes my day ...   TONY

Already starting to fill up, telling the Michael Robinson story, one picture at a time Michael, the colors, the compositions, the places in time, Italy, France, Washington D.C. ... did you include a Cleveland Park photo? I will have to look again? Cheers, thanks for sharing and adding to our lives ... good neighbors are so important ... happy Thursday, still under the freezing mark here this morning, the sun's beautiful and I like seeing it cover things outside as I look out our window now. And, as Jerry another of our customers responded to me last night in the store about the cold : " Ugh, it's okay, as long as you stay in the sun . " Yes, Jerry, the sun is primo and whether it really warms us or not it is psychologically essential. Cheers to you both : have a great Thursday and come on by. Micheal, don't forget the Marselan red, $13.99 from southern France next time, and Jerry you have to give us an update on how the 2011 SEGRIES Cotes-Du-Rhone is drinking. By your very own definition these 2011 may be too old as you like your wines young! TONY 1/9/14

This is so coincidental that as we were tasting some " old " and some " new " wines with Jim Reeves ( pictured here on my left ) of Comete Wine Selections, Oscar Losama of Voila Wine Selections, and Regis Scheithauer of Roanoke Imports that our friend, customer and local amateur photographer, Michael Robinson would walk in and see us tasting and using his gift of his calendar with his color pictures taken in France, Italy and here in Washington D.C. to sign them up for weekend wine-tasting! What are the chances?!? I only wish that I had not thought to take a picture with you Michael here. We will do it the next time you come. In the meantime enjoy this picture of February I believe with Michael's picture of Paris' Place de la Concorde and the fountain! Jim and I are holding bottles of the Bourgogne Rouge 2012 dry red from the DOMAINE BALLORIN & F that's organic, along with the great vintage of 2009 Marsannay rouge from BALLORIN & F ( he must have a daughter and not a son, bravo! ) : BOTH were amazing, fruit-forward, balanced and delights to enjoy now. The Marsannay will be On Special fop $22.99 a bottle - regularly $39.99 a bottle, ... and the CLOTHILDE DAVENNE Chablis 2012 that was razor-sharp-brisk-bright-fruid and frisky DRY, brrrrr, loverly, really loveLOVEloverly! Really classic red and white burgundies, a real treat for us. Cheers, thanks Jim and Michael, merci a vous deux. here I am at home and enjoying both as I type and share this. Enjoyed them both earlier with my wife homemade vegetable soup and a grilled Swiss cheese sandwich : so  comforting, so very right! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn  Thursday night now in northern Virginia at 8:37PM, just before the show : Millionaire Matchmaker " with Patty that my daughter, son and wife love! I LOVE my French burgundies here, and the three of them, I am not so sure about Patty or her show. Oh well, always room for growth and improvement!  TONY

Michael ( Robinson ), it's  nice when things fall so nicely into place as they did yesterday Michael. See you soon. We have Chris Bartha coming to taste a selection of his fine wines which includes a great Petit Chablis white Burgundy this evening under $20 a bottle that has extra grip and grit and power to sustain even the harder blows of this cold and the sharp stabs of wet, piercing rain, too of this morning at least on a gray Friday as we start to dream of our weekends. LOVE your calendar and your photos, maybe we can have you come in and talk about them as we taste our wines? Bring some to show, art and culture and food and wine and good people and all?!? Winning combos for me ...  1/10/14 ...   Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn   

• Cleveland Park Wine & Spirits The calendar is beautiful, got it, we are using it! THANKS Michael! TONY 1/4/14

  January 4 at 11:15am · Like
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  Michael Robinson I'm delighted! Happy New Year Tony!

  January 9 at 1:15am · Like
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  Cleveland Park Wine & Spirits Already starting to fill up, telling the Michael Robinson story, one picture at a time Michael, the colors, the compositions, the places in time, Italy, France, Washington D.C. ... did you include a Cleveland Park photo? I will have to look again? Chee...See More

  January 9 at 8:48am · Like
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  Michael Robinson I will definitely try the Marselan when I come in next. Good to see you today (and to see my calendar in use!)

  Yesterday at 12:45am · Like
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  Cleveland Park Wine & Spirits Michael ( Robinson ), it's nice when things fall so nicely into place as they did yesterday Michael. See you soon. We have Chris Bartha coming to taste a selection of his fine wines which includes a great Petit Chablis white Burgundy this evening unde...See More

  Yesterday at 9:05am · Like

Cleveland Park Wine & Spirits

40 minutes ago

To my photographer friends that shop here at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits : Ralph , Karen, Paul, Michael : I was blown away quite literally a few minutes ago crossing from Virginia into Washington D.C. to come to work going over the Teddy Roosevelt Bridge that was like passing through a thick vail of fog and drizzle that covered everything, like a shroud, like gossamer, so many transparent " mille feuilles " to gently conceal and airily mask so much that our eyes would normally be greeted with! I loved it. I wish that I had had my camera with me. Please go there and cross the bridge and snap away and then post here and share your photos : how wonderful that would be. It was such an unexpected treat for once to see so little, perhaps only a third of what we would normally see. Like in a dream, a lovely, mysterious dream, to concentrate on less and perhaps to come away with more of the true essence of that space and view from over the Potomac River looking at all our national monuments and the Kennedy Center, the Vietnam Memorial, The Washington Monument, The Jefferson memorial, The Capitol, the Albert Einstein Center, the State Department and some of the Navy Yards, and so very much more. I missed my favorite this time, too : what I call the miniature living green-to-yellow-to-orange-to-brown, from small-to-mid-to-tall ivy and vine Washington-Potomac-River-Living-Monument that is probably pretty quiet and sad now with no leaves as it slumbers . Cheers, all, Happy Saturday, Happy Weekend! You've earned it, enjoy it! Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 1/11/14

" The only reason I'm on Facebook is because of you! " Dan proudly said with a bright smile to me when he greeted me here by the Italian wines last night. He said that he did not like Facebook but since his visit for our Part Two BUBBLY Tasting of 21 sparkling wines and French champagnes of Monday night, December 30th, 2013 he decided to LIKE us on Facebook and see what we were up to here on a daily basis. Thanks Dan, we appreciate that, we really do. It was great to see you last night here again. When you came on the 30th of December you liked the Champagne DUMANGIN and had a half-bottle of the NV Brut dry rose that you bought, $29.99 as well as another one or two which I cannot remember now. Oh well, too much to keep track of. On that night you and Jane and Michael our local amateur photographer all had lengthy conversations here. As a matter of fact Michael wanted to know Jane's name as he and she both shop here and taste often together at our tasting table. Cheers Dan, Jane and Michael! Come TODAY and taste with John and Theresa Morrison " new " arrivals from South Africa from 2-6PM! Cheers,  Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn 1/11/14