How does one have fun in Syracuse other than going to Wegman’s on a Saturday? Here are some of my favorite activities:
Coffee: I am addicted to coffee, and I hear that as far as addictions go, this is the least harmful one. My favorite coffee roasters and coffee shops are located in Chicago: Intelligentsia, Ipsento (cayenne peppered Ipsento latte is a killer) and Metropolis. Their baristas are world famous, and are winners of numerous World Barista Championships — yes, there is such a thing.
Aside from the above three coffee shops, I have a few other coffee shops I enjoy when I visit New York City. These include: Stumptown Coffee at Ace Hotel and the various locations of Joe: The Art of Coffee.
Wine: My research interests include pricing of wine and mitigating risks in the production of wine (see the descriptions under What’s On My Mind). As a result, I developed a palate for some wines. Here are my personal favorites:
Thanks to Steve Stein, professor of history specializing on the history of winemaking in Argentina, I developed an interest in Malbecs of Argentina, and here are my two personal favorites to serve with steaks:
I also like wines from California. I am a big fan of the following three Paso Robles wineries:
- Justin: Their Isosceles is well-balanced, smooth and velvety
- L’Aventure: Côte à Côte is an amazing wine
- Turley: Excellent producer of zinfandel
From Napa and Sonoma Valleys, I also like:
From France, I love:
Finally, from Australia, I like the wines of
- Mollydooker: Love their marketing ideas, and of course, find the stamp-like labels extremely creative.
Music: I am a big fan of Afro-Cuban and Latin Jazz. The musicians I frequently listen to in this category include:
- Mongo Santamaria: Conga player
- Poncho Sanchez: Conga player
- Israel Lopez Cachao: Bass player
- Candido: Congas and percussion
- Patato Valdes: Poly-rhythmic percussion player
I also like the suggestions I get from Marina. I recently got into listening to:
- Julietta Venegas: Enjoy her album “Limon y Sal.”
- Bande à part