Surely MTV and MuchMusic will be dead soon?...

While I am of the elitist "don't own a television set" set it is for lack of funds and time, not a revulsion towards the medium, which, can obviously be amazing and amazingly shitty.
I hear from people who purportedly know that the "music" channels of North America have devolved into a steaming mass of bisexual dating shows and the lurid chronicling of Californian teens. Let's face it, we all saw how low Moses Znaimer's music video vehicle could sink when "Much On Demand" was introduced to the derision discerning listeners and "whoo!"s of tweeny poppers. Rick the Little Temp was about all I could take. Obviously, there is an audience for whatever kind of gobshite is being broadcast by MTV and Much. It just isn't "us" (as in, the collective of discerning individuals).
Today, I thank the internet once again, for making music video channels obsolete. Gone are the days of pining over Erica Ehm or writing Sook Yin Lee to play a Dinosaur Jr. video when "The Wedge" had a host. Admittedly, fun times. But fuck rolling the dice when you want to watch something. Viva la internet!
This video makes me laugh a spittle flecked guffaw in the gaping maws of worn out channels.
Best dancing since Spike Jonze did vids.
Prodigious!

Boy, this wine is GRAPE!!!

I had a brief conversation the other day with lady who exploits me and other native English speaking foreigners in France into giving business English lessons over the phone for a pittance. I don’t resent this lady, quite the contrary – she’s savvy, has worked hard at her scheme and has a few of those endearing British mannerisms that make her seem like she’s teetering on the brink of bat-shit crazy. We were discussing how money is freaking everyone out and people are all cutting back on luxury items, trading evenings of fine dining pampering for ham sandwiches, Bentley’s for bus passes, cocaine for meth, you get the idea. But it seems like, shocker, people still want to feel like human beings and bloody treat themselves once in while. So while the airline and tiara industries are taking a battering, maybe the best position to be in right now is to be selling frivolous, low cost “treats”. Of these, I can only think of food related treats. And why not get yourself a fancy pickle or a cookie? I found this recent NY Times article inspiring (let’s just hope that whole movement doesn’t implode like most fads). But I have always found it difficult to find cheap wine I enjoy. Most of the readily available plonk in US and Canadian markets is, to put it mildly, fucking repugnant and should only be consumed if you are shitfaced or willing to whizwhack a bottle of Chardonnay. In Canada, I attribute the ineptitude at providing a palatable wine at a low price (read: around five bucks) to the Government over-taxing alcohol. But in some countries, the Government wouldn’t dare to threaten the populace’s inalienable right to swill decent, cheap wine with every meal, for fear of swift palatial stormings and guerilla insurrection (I’m lookin’ at you Chile, Argentina and Spain [wink!]). I’m finding this to also be true of France.

While the paragons of French wine (ie, Burgundies and Bordeaux) are out of most people’s current price range, I have been unwilling to forego a daily bottle with American Girlfriend over dinner, no matter how humbled my bank account. So I find myself seeking out and evaluating cheap French wines. Unsurprisingly, there are many a bargain to be drank round these parts.

So, this seemingly interminable introduction was to let you know that I will be giving my two loyal readers tips on buying cheap French wine. Since one of said readers is American Girlfriend and will most likely be consuming all the wine with me, Enjoy Kevin!

The first wine I want to tell you about is: Domaine Du Prieure D'Amilhac 2007 Chardonnay (5.40 Euros). It is not a subtle exercise in restraint highlighting a highly regarded terroir. I have bought this wine at least seven times now and have come to refer to it as the “Chard with Nards”. It is rich and full of fruit but the minerals do manage to peek through. I like it with chicken. And mustard. I’m starting to really check out the Languedoc – Roussillon region for deals. Sometimes the wines are super rugged and coarse but many are very well made and balanced, this being a nice example. I have no idea where to get it outside of France. In France Nicolas carries it.
Wine number two is: Les Deux Clochers - Les Vignerons de Saint-Pourçain 2006 (4.50 Euros). A Chardonnay – Tressalier (the local white grape from Saint-Pourcain in the Loire that I had never heard of) blend. Sharp and melony. Fraternizes with fish, of the shell variety or otherwise. I remember it tasted really nice with the basil from a caprese salad.
Was that too long? It seemed too long.