After almost four years of being a road warrior, I'm calling it quits.
I know that sounds dramatic and it implies I was on the road constantly. Well, it's not quite that dramatic of a turning point but it is a loss and a change. And no, I wasn't on the road constantly except for a fifteen month stretch where I spent almost 100 days abroad. But my tour of duty as my employers' main trouble shooter had me visiting sixteen different cities for the very first time, tenuous as some of the visits might have been, and had me staying at twenty five different hotels - that's about a decade's worth for 'civilians' - with about fourteen one night stands. The experience has changed me, arguably matured me, and I'll miss it.
What I'll especially miss is the wine shopping. I know, I'll still have family vacations and private trips to look forward to but somehow it won't be the same without the fringe benefit of eating out of supermarkets to save money from the per diem expenses for buying wines.
At least I went out in style, with one final trip to Paris. If you read the previous paragraph carefully, you'll understand why I will not be describing my culinary adventures in the city of lights though I will share one item on from my final shopping list as a road warrior. Ghislaine Barthod, Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru, "Les Cras", 2004. Yes, friends and prior experience have informed me that red Burgundy 2004 is a vintage to buy only after tasting, but I have such intense memories of the 1997 version of the same wine (1997 arguably being as much a problematic vintage as 2004) that I felt I owed it to the woman who introduced me to sex - I mean Bourgogne. True to the 2GrandCru ethos, the other three bottles purchased were white.
I know that sounds dramatic and it implies I was on the road constantly. Well, it's not quite that dramatic of a turning point but it is a loss and a change. And no, I wasn't on the road constantly except for a fifteen month stretch where I spent almost 100 days abroad. But my tour of duty as my employers' main trouble shooter had me visiting sixteen different cities for the very first time, tenuous as some of the visits might have been, and had me staying at twenty five different hotels - that's about a decade's worth for 'civilians' - with about fourteen one night stands. The experience has changed me, arguably matured me, and I'll miss it.
What I'll especially miss is the wine shopping. I know, I'll still have family vacations and private trips to look forward to but somehow it won't be the same without the fringe benefit of eating out of supermarkets to save money from the per diem expenses for buying wines.
At least I went out in style, with one final trip to Paris. If you read the previous paragraph carefully, you'll understand why I will not be describing my culinary adventures in the city of lights though I will share one item on from my final shopping list as a road warrior. Ghislaine Barthod, Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru, "Les Cras", 2004. Yes, friends and prior experience have informed me that red Burgundy 2004 is a vintage to buy only after tasting, but I have such intense memories of the 1997 version of the same wine (1997 arguably being as much a problematic vintage as 2004) that I felt I owed it to the woman who introduced me to sex - I mean Bourgogne. True to the 2GrandCru ethos, the other three bottles purchased were white.
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