Three Beautiful Things 01/27/17: Writing at Panera, Moosehead Memories, Nostalgic Ale and Dinner

1.  I enjoy writing letters/cards by hand and I enjoy doing this writing at Panera over a cup of dark roast coffee and a some kind of cinnamon baked good while listening to a Pandora station. Today I wrote an overdue card and created a Pandora station, "Chicago Chamber Music" and listened to small ensemble classical music while writing away.

2. I picked up my order of Heavy Seas 21, a 21st Anniversary Celebration Imperial Rye ESB, at Total Wine and took a long time to do some slow browsing and shopping in the beer section. I made one very nostalgic purchase. Back in 1979-81, a Kellogg friend, Roger, used to drive down from Salem and we often went to DeFrisco's in the downtown Eugene Atrium where we loved drinking a Canadian lager, Moosehead, on tap. As boys from Kellogg and the Silver Valley, where beer taps were dominated by Oly, Miller, Bud, and Lucky Lager, drinking Moosehead felt uptown to us. The beer was crisp, clean, and easy. Today, at the mix and match section of the imported beers, I spotted bottles of Moosehead and bought a couple. I last purchased Moosehead beer at the 18th and Chambers Albertson's in Eugene on October 11, 2010 -- it's noted on my blog! --  when, like today, I longed to recreate memories of those nights dropping in at DeFrisco's with Roger -- well, and with other friends and I used to go solo on occasion to enjoy a Moosehead or two and it seemed like the house recorded music always featured the Go-Go's and "We Got the Beat".

3. It was a long week for the Deke, so we went up to Old Line for two beers. I couldn't resist a snifter of Hopslam and then I decided to some early 21st century nostalgia drinking and ordered a pint of Arrogant Bastard Ale. Despite Arrogant Brewing's warning that "it is quite doubtful that you have the taste or sophistication to appreciate an ale of this quality" (ha!), I totally enjoyed it. Memories of late Friday afternoons drinking wine and beer with fellow LCC instructors at The Broadway flooded back and I enjoyed that pint long travel back in time. Earlier I had fixed an eggplant, chickpea, onion, garlic, red pepper, diced tomato mixture seasoned with cumin, cinnamon, chili powder, red wine vinegar, paprika, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. The Deke and I enjoyed it over basmati rice and relaxed into a peaceful evening.