Monthly Archives: May 2014

Dosh (rhymes with posh) luxe wallet

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The traveling adventurer needs a wallet that is slim, holds credit cards and cash–and is waterproof.

5794_1_FThe luxe wallet from Dosh fits the bill. It’s molded in a durable water resistant polymer that feels soft and pliable, not stiff and plastic. Inside, there’s room for six credit cards and as many bills as you can slip into a hand-crafted stainless steel money clip.

It’s hip, Euro detailing gives Dosh a lean, slick look. (But don’t be fooled. Dosh is designed and manufactured in Australia.) It comes in lots of colors, including bright orange, so you can always locate your wallet in a drawer or on the night stand.

You can order Dosh and other hip wallets for guys from the thewalletshoppe and other online outlets, or buy one in selected stores in Hawaii, New York and California. Or pick one up next time you are Down Under. Expect to pay about $75 in U.S. dollars, mate.

A bouquet of rosé for Mother’s Day

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On Mother’s Day, you can give your mom roses. Or you can serve her rosé.

110821dOne of the prettiest pours you will find is Isabel Mondavi Deep Rosé Cabernet Sauvignon, a lovely dark pink that reflects the wine’s  aromas of strawberry and cranberry, with notes of green apple. It’s slightly acid. Of course, your mother is not.

The real-life Isabel is a mom, the wife of Michael Mondavi, who co-founded Michael Mondavi Family Estate in the Napa Valley with son Rob and his wife Dina, who sent me a bottle to sample.

It’s a light and lively wine, ideal for toasting mom on the deck, especially if you are grilling salmon or turkey.

As for the winemakers, they pour IM rosé as an aperitif. Start with a big glass, so you can add lots of ice. Garnish with a slice of orange or an edible flower.

Mondavi family members have dubbed the drink “Isabel Rocks.” That’s a tribute most moms would cherish. Expect to pay about $17, so mom won’t worry about you spending all your money on her.

Then again, you might have enough left over for roses.

 

Mastersingers perform tonight

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Mastersingers12111_3If you haven’t had the pleasure of listening to Mastersingers of Wilmington, a highly polished and talented choral group, there are still tickets available for tonight’s concert, presented by Market Street Music, a nonprofit group dedicated to bringing high-quality music to the city. (Full disclosure: I serve on MSM’s board of trustees.)

Mastersingers of Wilmington will perform some of our most loved — and hard to sing! — choral music, including Mendelssohn’s He Watching Over Israel and Stanford’s Beat Quorum Via. Marvin Mills is at the organ, with David Schelat conducting.

The music starts at 7:30 p.m. at beautiful First and Central Presbyterian Church on Wilmington’s Rodney Square. Tickets are $25 at the door.

The last Wilmington Garden Day?

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Gather ye rosebuds and great gardening ideas while ye may.

running-water-over-rocksAfter 67 years, Wilmington Garden Day is putting on its final tour, at least in the same format the annual rite of spring has had since 1947. A sponsor tells us there aren’t enough volunteers for the event to flourish.

If the tour ends, it will be a true loss to folks who enjoy lovely homes and gardens. Wilmington Garden Day is a splendid opportunity to stroll through some of the Brandywine Valley’s most captivating gardens. The tour is self-guided and takes place from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on May 3. Rain or shine.

Proceeds from the event support underserved children in Delaware. Tickets are $30 in advance, $35 the day of the tour. To find out where to buy your ticket and learn more about great places along the way to enjoy lunch, go to www.wilmingtongardenday.org