Major Tom And The Atoms- Great Britain Hotel

For my first gig of 2013 I headed down to the Great Britain Hotel in Richmond last night with Mary to see Major Tom And The Atoms.  We got there just as Brother James was finishing their set.  It's been a while since we last saw Major Tom And The Atoms live, so I was looking forward to hearing some new tunes and we weren't disappointed.  They started their set with "Merri Creek (Dead & Gone)" and played a mix of new songs and old favorites such as "Mr. Lucky," new single "Hey Flo," "Ball And Chain" and "Wishing Well."  The new songs sounded really good and included "Boom Boom Boom," "Evil Angel," "Boogaloo," "Sherlock Holmes" and a funk number about buying drugs in Chinatown.  The set kicked into another gear with "The House That Love Built" as both Tom and Sean came onto the floor during the song, and they finished the night with the hand clapping fun of "Mockingbird."  It was great to see them live again and I'm looking forward to the release of their debut album sometime this year.

Fly, Fly Away

Well, my holidays have come to an end and I am back in Australia.  I also have a hideous head cold which I got around Christmas, so the congestion just added to the joy of a long haul flight.  Thankfully the flights were smooth and I didn't have any major coughing fits.  However, the pressure on my ears when landing was a bit painful and I'm still waiting for them to completely pop.  I watched three movies on the flights: Pitch Perfect, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and Beasts of the Southern Wild.  I also got to see the sunrise while at Auckland Airport waiting for my flight to Melbourne.  At least I have another day to recover before returning to work on Monday.

Christmas Dinner

It has been two years since I was last home for Christmas so I was really looking forward to the annual Christmas dinner at my parents' house.  Before dinner though there was a lot of cooking and cleaning to be done.  I baked up a storm on Christmas Eve, making sugar cookies, snowball cookies and pumpkin pie while Mom made tiramisu.  When my aunt Chrissie and cousins Leilani and Meinani arrived we had the cookies along with cheese, dip and crackers for hors d'oeuvres as well as my favorite holiday drink- mulled cider.  As is the case most years, my brother had to work so he was unable to join us.  Simi, her parents, Logan and Kylie were running late, so by the time they arrived and settled we were ready to sit down for dinner.

As requested Mom and Dad made some of my favorites for dinner.  We started off with vegetable soup, and then had turkey, stuffing, scalloped potatoes, green beans and biscuits for dinner.  Lei brought one of the sparkling wines from our little wine country adventure- the Gloria Ferrer Va de Vi, which everyone enjoyed.  Logan was pretty well behaved throughout dinner, but the lure of presents under the tree became too hard to resist, so as we finished we headed out to the living room to open presents.  All my gifts were Aussie themed this year as I bought nearly everything before I left Melbourne.  We were also treated to a photo slide show of Chrissie and Lei's trip a few months ago to Sicily and Italy during dessert.  It was a lovely evening, and the kids were very well behaved. 

Today Mom, Dad and I headed up to James and Simi's for lunch.  It was good to finally see their new place, which they moved into a couple months ago.  We also got to give James his presents and finished up opening the rest of ours.  It was a bit sad to say goodbye to everyone as I have had such fun spending time with my niece and nephew on this trip.  Tomorrow afternoon I head back to the airport for the long flight to Australia.

Angela and Kevin's Wedding

Yesterday was my cousin Angela's wedding, which she thoughtfully scheduled during the time I had already planned to be in the Bay Area.  The ceremony took place at Saint Ignatius Church in San Francisco, which was decorated for Christmas and looked amazing.  Since this was a black tie event everyone was dressed very glamorously as they arrived at the church.  Thankfully the rain held off so we didn't get drenched.  It was a rather large wedding party that preceded the bride down the aisle, including Angela's sister Jennifer who was the matron of honor (and got married a little over a year ago).  Angela looked beautiful in her dress and they did a full mass for the wedding ceremony.  After mass they took group family photos on the alter before we all headed off for the reception.

The reception was at the San Francisco Design Center which they decorated in a winter wonderland theme.  We had the cocktail hour up on the second level before coming down to our tables for dinner.  All the cousins were sitting together near the back of one side of the room, while our parents were on another table closer to the dance floor.  When we discovered that there was a photo booth we went to do a few shots in there before dinner service started.  Once again we had a multi-course Italian feast that was both good and filling.  During speeches my uncle Tony pointed out the generational family connections between the bride and groom, which was interesting to hear.  After the father/daughter dance we all hit the dance floor.  They had the same band that was at Jennifer's wedding, so it became a real party atmosphere.  While the female cousins let the bridal bouquet fall to the floor around us, our cousin Alan somehow ended up with the garter during the toss.  The cake cutting went smoothly and each layer was a different flavor (I sampled the vanilla and chocolate pieces).  After some more dancing and another dash to the photo booth we decided to call it a day and head for home.  It was nice to see all my extended family again and I wish Angela and Kevin all the best in this next phase of their life together.

Wine Country Adventures- Napa

I knew Day 2 of our wine country adventure would be rainy, but it was a bit of a worry waking up to torrential rain this morning.  However, Lei and I were brave and headed out for breakfast at Bubba's Diner in San Anselmo (the creme brûleé French toast did not disappoint) before hitting the road to Napa County. 

Thankfully the rain calmed down as we arrived at our first stop for the day, Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards in Sonoma.  Their tastings are seated, which allows you to relax and take as long as you need.  Lei and I were interested in sampling sparkling wines not on their tasting menu, so we each ordered two glasses.  However, since they weren't tasting size we actually got four full glasses of sparkling wine, which was a little much at 10:30 am!  Our four choices were:

- 2004 Extra Brut
- 2007 Brut Rosé
- Anniversary Cuvée
- Va de Vi
Even though the Va de Vi was more sweet and fruity tasting, I liked that one the best.  The staff in the tasting room were very knowledgeable, and having four separate glasses allowed us to revisit each one as it warmed up.

Our next stop was Domaine Carneros in Napa, which features an impressive château that houses a tasting room overlooking the organic vineyards.  We decided to do the sparkling wine sampler which included:

- 2008 Brut Cuvée
- Brut Rosé
- 2008 Verméil Demi-Sec
Our server was a lovely guy who really took care of us when he saw Lei's tasting wheel and notebook.  He generously also allowed us to sample:
- 2008 Ultra Brut
- 2006 Le Rêve Blanc de Blancs
- 2007 Le Rêve Rosé
Along with these fabulous sparkling wines we also got a cheese platter of both soft and hard cheeses from producers in the North Bay.  It was a really wonderful tasting experience, and the 2008 Brut Cuvée was my favorite one.

We next headed to Domaine Chandon in Yountville.  I had been to their winery in the Yarra Valley in Australia a few years ago, so I was expecting similar service.  However, the servers in the tasting room seemed distracted and not very interested in us as potential customers, which was disappointing.  Lei and I shared two different tastings.

Prestige Tasting:
- étoile Brut
- étoile Rosé
Reserve Tasting:
- Reserve Blanc de Blancs
- 2007 Carneros Vintage Brut
- Reserve Brut
I preferred the 2007 Carneros Vintage Brut, which is exclusive to the winery.

After so much sparkling wine I was ready to take a break for a late lunch.  We went to this great place that is well known by the locals in Napa, the Rutherford Grill.  I had the hickory burger which was very filling.  The place had a comfy vibe to it, so I can see why Lei used to be a regular here when she lived in Napa.

Our final stop on the two day sparkling wine tour was Mumm Napa.  We were fortunate enough to have a seated tasting and another excellent server who looked after us since Lei was in the wine industry.  We shared two different tastings of sparkling wines which were at least 3 years or older.

Club Vivant Taster:
- 2008 Devaux Ranch
- 2007 Blanc de Blancs
- Brut Prestige Extended Tirage
Staff Favorites:
- Brut Reserve
- Brut Reserve Rosé
- Santana Brut (done in partnership with guitarist Carlos Santana)
Our lovely server also treated us to the 2000 DVX, which was amazing and my favorite wine of the day.  It had a strong creme brûleé scent and taste right from the start, and I think Lei ended up buying two bottles!  Although my palate was a bit blown out by the end of our wine tour I still had a great time. 

We finished up our Napa adventure by heading over to the Oxbow Public Market for a light dinner.  It reminded me a lot of the San Francisco Ferry Building with its boutique artisan stalls.  I tried some oysters at Hog Island Oyster Co. (and discovered I am not a raw oyster fan).  Since I was still full from lunch and all the sparkling wine, I settled for dessert from the local and organic Three Twins Ice Cream (I remember when Neal was just starting out the business at his Terra Linda scoop shop).  The scoops of lemon cookie and peppermint stick ice cream were amazing.  I also picked up some holiday themed cupcakes from Kara's Cupcakes to share with the family.  After a quick drive around Lei's old neighborhood in Napa we headed back on the road for home.

Wine Country Adventures- Sonoma

My cousin Leilani (writer of the blog Wine Deviant) decided that since I was in town we should hit up some wineries for tastings.  She organised a mini two day sparkling wine tour for us, and today we focused on Sonoma County.  Our first stop was J Vineyards & Winery in Healdsburg.  We sampled from their J Sparkling Flight option which included:

- 2002 J Vintage Brut Magnum
- 2003 J Vintage Brut Magnum
- 2005 J Vintage Brut
- J Bin 1008, NV Brut
- J Cuvée 20
The woman leading us through the tasting was knowledgeable and even threw in a Brut Rosé for us to sample. Since she provided each sparkling wine in its own glass it allowed us the opportunity to let them breathe and return to each one after it had warmed up (I found it interesting how much more you could smell/taste).  My favorite was the 2003 J Vintage Brut Magnum.

Next we drove to the Korbel Champagne Cellars in Guerneville, which were established in the late 1800s.  Lei and I each chose four different complementary sparkling wines to sample and share:

- Le Premier
- Master's Reserve Blanc de Noirs
- Brut (made with organic grapes)
- Brut
- Chardonnay California Champagne
- Brut Rosé
- Sec Anniversary Cuvée
- Riesling
At this tasting we used the same two glasses throughout so we didn't get the opportunity to go back and compare each one.  After finishing we went to their delicatessen for lunch and both ordered the warm pastrami sandwiches and shared a roast vegetable salad.  The sandwiches tasted amazing and were perfect for a cold day.

Our last stop was Iron Horse Vineyards in Green Valley.  Their tasting room is outside on a hill overlooking the vineyards but undercover with heat lamps to keep you warm.  Thankfully the rain held off while we were there.  Lei and I shared two of the flight options.

Sparkling Flight:
- 2008 Wedding Cuvée
- 2008 Classic Vintage Brut
- 2008 Russian Cuvée
- 2003 Brut LD
- 2006 Brut Rosé
Reserve Sparkling Flight:
- 2007 Ocean Reserve
- 2008 Brut-X
- 2008 Fairy Tale Cuvée (made exclusively for Disney)
- 2004 Chinese Cuvée
- 2008 Winter's Cuvée
I really liked the informal and rustic tasting room which allowed for different groups to chat with each other during their tastings.  Unfortunately we once again only had the two tasting glasses, and therefore couldn't really do a full comparison of the sparkling wines.  Iron Horse seems to partner with different organisations for limited edition wines, and the Russian Cuvée was originally served at the Reagan Gorbachev summit meetings!

Overall I enjoyed this first day of tastings and learned about the percentage blends of pinot noir and chardonnay that make up different types of sparkling wines, as well as some new terms such as dosage.  I am looking forward to tomorrow's trip to Napa.

Shopping And The City

Since it is the holiday season I think everyone is currently focused on shopping for Christmas presents.  I have been to every major mall in Marin County over the past week and a half, even though I bought nearly all my gifts before I left Melbourne.  However, when I come home I do stock up on clothes and other items, so it's been a mixture of online and store shopping for myself. 

I have also been catching up with family, friends, and former work colleagues. We attended Logan's preschool Christmas pageant last week, which consisted of his class walking up an aisle to a Christmas song and waving (very cute and short!).  Today I headed into San Francisco with Lynne for some shopping around Union Square.  It was a sunny yet cool day in the City, and I had Boudin's clam chowder in a bread bowl for lunch and then we went over to Ghiradelli Square for some hot fudge sundaes after our shopping adventure.  Both were very yummy and quintessential San Francisco!

Back In The Homeland

Yesterday was my epic long day of travel across the Pacific.  I killed my time on the plane trying to sleep, listening to music, and watching a few movies- The Campaign as well as the documentaries I Am Eleven and Paul Kelly: Stories Of Me.  I arrived to a crisp but sunny San Francisco Bay Area and repeated December 7th all over again by catching up with my family and trying on my online purchases.

Today we had my nephew Logan's family celebration of his 3rd birthday that was earlier in the week.  He is so much more talkative than when I was last home, but still a whirlwind of activity.  I also got to meet my niece Kylie for the first time, but spent the majority of my time playing with Logan outside as he rode around on his little bike and scooter.  We had a very yummy lunch of my Dad's clam chowder and my favorite Bordenave's sourdough bread.  After opening presents we gathered around to sing "Happy Birthday" to Logan- his third celebration this week!

Fave Albums: Oh Mercy - Deep Heat

My final fave album is actually my favorite release of 2012: Oh Mercy's Deep Heat. This is their third album and lead singer Alexander Gow took a different tack this time and wrote lyrics in the third person, which resulted in each song taking on the perspective of a different character.  Steve Berlin does some amazing saxophone work throughout, particularly on "Fever" and the Roxy Music inspired "My Man."  While the album is very different sonically to previous Oh Mercy releases, at the end of the day it's all about the songs, and they stand up whether played by the full band or solo on acoustic guitar.  From the driving beat of "Europa" and "Deep Heat," the urgency of "Pilgrim's Blues," to the reggae sounds of "Still Making Me Pay" and the groove of "Drums" it is a great leap forward for Oh Mercy and foreshadows an exciting musical future.

Favorite Lyric: I met the Governor of California, I called him mate ("Fever")

Favorite Song: "Pilgrim's Blues"

Fave Albums: The Ocean Party - The Sun Rolled Off The Hills

Melbourne (via Wagga Wagga) band The Ocean Party released their debut album The Sun Rolled Off The Hills early in 2012.  In the great tradition of the Australian singer-songwriter the album features quite honest lyrics that tell a story about everyday life with references to the Australian landscape.  It is a subtle album that features jangly guitars, piano, and Lachlan Denton's laid back vocals on songs such as "The Farm," "Shakin' Like A Leaf," "Still Raining," "Shepparton" and "Every House."  For a relatively young band it is a solid debut, and they are also prolific as they have recently released their second album Social Clubs.

Favorite Lyric: Shakin' like a leaf when I said it was my first time ("Shakin' Like A Leaf")

Favorite Song: "Still Raining"

Fave Albums: Gotye - Making Mirrors

You would have to have been living under a rock during the past year to have not heard Gotye's (aka Wally De Backer) worldwide smash hit duet with Kimbra "Somebody That I Used To Know."  The track comes off of Gotye's third album Making Mirrors, which was released in 2011.  For this album Wally not only used samples from records he had found, but also recorded different types of instruments note by note onto his computer so he could play them in new ways.  The very first single "Eyes Wide Open" includes samples from the Winton Musical Fence and has a strong environmental message.  The album contains a range of songs, from uplifting tracks like "I Feel Better," "In Your Light" and "State Of The Art" (written in honor of his Lowrey Cotillion organ) to more introspective numbers such as "Giving Me A Chance," "Save Me" and "Bronte."  Gotye is more than a one hit wonder, and this album proves it.

Favorite Lyric: We walk the plank with our eyes wide open ("Eyes Wide Open")

Favorite Song: "State Of The Art"

Fave Albums: Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

Seattle's Fleet Foxes make some of the most beautiful folk music out there today.  Their second album, 2011's Helplessness Blues, is full of layered vocal harmonies and these incredibly epic songs that sonically change direction halfway through.  "Montezuma," "Battery Kinzie," "Helplessness Blues," "Lorelai" and "The Shrine/An Argument" are my personal favorites on an album that is full of high quality lyrics and instrumentation. 

Favorite Lyric: So now I am older than my mother and father when they had their daughter, now what does that say about me? ("Montezuma")

Favorite Song: "Helplessness Blues"

Fave Albums: Sarah Blasko - As Day Follows Night

Australian singer-songwriter Sarah Blasko's third album As Day Follows Night was released in 2009 and led to a Best Female Artist award at the ARIAs.  Starting with the beautiful piano driven "Down On Love," the album goes from haunting songs such as "All I Want," "Bird On A Wire," "Is My Baby Yours?" and "Night & Day" to the more upbeat sounding "Hold On My Heart," "We Won't Run" and "Over & Over."  It's a moving album that takes you on an emotional journey from start to finish.  And if you are lucking enough to get one of the deluxe versions of the album, you can enjoy the Cinema Blasko disc of Sarah covering some of her favorite songs from various movies (including an unexpectedly lovely version of "Xanadu").

Favorite Lyric: Hold on my heart, find your stronger parts ("Hold On My Heart")

Favorite Song: "All I Want"

Fave Albums: Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

New York band Vampire Weekend released their eponymous debut album in 2008 to much hype and acclaim.  Their sound has hints of African beats and ska music and the album spawned the singles "Mansard Roof," "Oxford Comma," "A-Punk" and "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa."  There really isn't one bad song on this album, and it all flows really.  It is uplifting and fun to listen and sing along to.

Favorite Lyric: Who gives a fuck about an Oxford comma ("Oxford Comma")

Favorite Song: "A-Punk"

Fave Albums: Little Red - Listen To Little Red

The first time I saw Little Red live in 2007 I knew they were something special.  After winning the hearts of Melbourne with their entertaining live shows and a couple EPs, they finally released their debut album Listen To Little Red in 2008.  It is full of their self proclaimed "doo-wop punk" style and some of the sweetest vocal harmonies you may ever hear.  The three main songwriters take turns singing lead throughout the album, with highlights including Tom Hartney on "Coca Cola," "Little Annie" and "Jackie Cooper," Quang Dinh on "Witchdoctor," "Fool" and "If You're Lonely," and Dominic Byrne on "It's Alright," "Stare In Love," "Misty, I" and "Fight Song."  This album is how I will always remember Little Red, with all those fun gigs around town and watching them become more and more popular.

Favorite Lyric: If you ever need a shoulder to cry on, well honey I got two shoulders and they're strong ("If You're Lonely")

Favorite Song: "Misty, I"

Fave Albums: The Basics - Stand Out/Fit In

Any regular readers of this blog would know that I am a big fan of Melbourne's The Basics and a frequent attendee at their live shows.  This album, 2007's Stand Out/Fit In, is what first got me into the band.  The album cover is shot out in front of The Espy in St. Kilda with Kris Schroeder, Tim Heath and Wally De Backer wearing their trademark grey suits.

This album is full of so many songs that are staples of their live set, including "Rattle My Chain," "Memory Lane," "Have Love, Will Travel," "Hey There!," "Just Hold On," "Lookin' Over My Shoulder," "Better" and "Three Cool Cats."  The musicianship and vocal harmonies just shine through on all these songs as Wally and Kris take turns on lead vocals (with the occasional song from Tim).  It's such a fun and uplifting album that you can't help but sing along and want to dance while listening to it.

Favorite Lyric: We're going nowhere fast, but I'm just glad I'm going there with you ("Hey There!")

Favorite Song: "Lookin' Over My Shoulder"

Fave Albums: Amy Winehouse - Back To Black

2006's Back To Black was the album that put Amy Winehouse on the map with the breakout hit single "Rehab."  Produced by Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi, the album is a mix of British soul and ska music that features Amy's honest lyrics and unique voice.  Standout tracks include "Me & Mr Jones," "Back To Black," "Tears Dry On Their Own" and "Wake Up Alone."  Despite her well publicized personal issues and untimely death, there is no doubting Amy's incredible talent.

Favorite Lyric: And no I'm not ashamed, but the guilt will kill you, if she don't first ("Just Friends")

Favorite Song: "Back To Black"

Fave Albums: Starky - Starky

The fantastic eponymous second album by Sydney band Starky was released in 2006 and spawned the hit single "Hey Bang Bang."  It's a synth and guitar driven album that you can really dance to throughout, especially on the songs "Me Michelle," "We Don't Exist," "The Wreckery," "Is This How It Ends" and "We Generate Friction."  From start to finish there isn't one bad song on there.  It's too bad though that Starky didn't record any further albums before breaking up (especially considering this one was successful).

Favorite Lyric: Here's to you and me and all the things we'll never be ("Is This How It Ends")

Favorite Song: "The Wreckery"

Fave Albums: Bic Runga - Birds

New Zealand singer-songwriter Bic Runga released her third album Birds in 2005.  It's a bit of a darker and more mysterious affair than her previous albums, but contains many moving songs such as "Say After Me," "Listen," "Birds," "If I Had You" and "Captured."  There are also the more upbeat songs "Winning Arrow" and "Blue Blue Heart," as well as the country-tinged "No Crying No More" and Nick Cave-esque "Ruby Nights."  It's quite a beautiful album even with its sense of melancholy.

Favorite Lyric: A crazy love that waits for you, why must it wait forever? ("If I Had You")

Favorite Song: "Winning Arrow"

Fave Albums: Doves - Some Cities

Some Cities is the third album by British band Doves, which was released in 2005.  It is full of indie guitar rock with the driving beat of "Some Cities," "Black And White Town," "One Of These Days" and "Sky Starts Falling," the beautiful jangly guitar parts in "Almost Forgot Myself," "Walk In Fire" and "Ambition," as well as the trip hop feel of "The Storm."  It's a lovely album which I seem to associate with driving on East Bay freeways to and from work.

Favorite Lyric: Too much history coming down, another building brought to ground ("Some Cities")

Favorite Song: "Almost Forgot Myself"