I am out in the great state of Michigan today with the boys (my wife somehow was able to avoid this trip), leaving behind the record temperatures in Philadelphia (it was 72º yesterday when we left!) for the somewhat more seasonal temperatures of Southeastern Michigan. Most of my extended family will be in attendance this afternoon, which means a trip to a local wine store is a necessity. Before I hop in my trusty rental car and head out on that ever important vinous exploration, I thought I would throw a few reminders your way this Saturday.

1. The new theme for the next Monthly Wine Writing Challenge was put forth by this month’s winner, Jill of L’Occasion. The deadline is still a couple of weeks away, but you should start the ruminating over “Second Chance.” All the details are HERE.
2. Several people have already signed up for my next wine dinner at Fare Restaurant in Philadelphia on January 20th. This go around, the wines will all come from the Lodi Appellation in Northern California, which was recently named Wine Enthusiast’s Wine Region of the Year. Once again, there will be five courses, each paired with its own wine. The cost for the dinner is $75 (plus tax and tip, so $96 total) but space is limited this go around to 20 people, and there are just a couple of spots left, so call now to make a reservation: (267) 639-3063.
3. Saturday Showcase: I am stealing this idea from a group of bloggers that are doing the same thing on Sundays, but since I already have something planned for Sundays (at least for now), I thought I would add it in here. The idea is a great one: throw some light on some of the other blogs that I find particularly enjoyable. One of my New Year’s Resolutions this year will be to cook more. I already make dinner a lot (about half the time, I would guess), but I tend to stick to the old staples as they do not require all that much thought or preparation. This year, though, I plan on ‘finding a few more “staples” to add into my repertoire and I know exactly where to look. I follow a host of cooking blogs, but one of my favorites is Chef Mimi Blog. Her combination of welcoming prose, seemingly easy to follow recipes, and scrumptious looking food won me over from the first post of hers that I read. Another contributing factor? Let’s face it, there are a lot of bloggers out there that you would probably never want to meet–people like me, for instance, but Mimi is different. Her writing is so inviting that I can’t wait to show up on her doorstep one day for dinner. You should certainly check out her blog!

Have a great Saturday folks!