The past few days’ warmer climes are a dead giveaway, but for those who prefer to celebrate by the book: Spring officially begins Sunday.

(If you’re annoyed by the fact that this column so often begins with a reminder as to what holiday or season is on the horizon, apologies. Let it be your constant reminder to drink in season, just as you should eat in season.)

More important than the fact that yesterday was St. Patrick’s Day, or that a certain day this year marks the 244th anniversary of the invention of soda water, the start of spring gives us permission to polish off our brown liquors and move into lighter territory (think gin, tequila, light rum). True, bourbon remains an excellent transitional spirit to be enjoyed in the months warming up to Derby Day in early May, but toasting the equinox deserves a bit more effort.

That said, go out. Yes, this column primarily encourages staying in and trying your hand at drink recipes. This weekend, go out. Yes, in the rain. (It’s part of spring, after all.) Sit somewhere with windows that have the capacity to open up to the elements, even if it’s too cold to do it just yet. Allow yourself to daydream about temperatures that reach into the 60s. No — the 70s. We’re almost there, folks.

This is the cocktail you should drink while you’re waiting: The Soiled Dove at Bangers & Lace (1670 W. Division St., 773.252.6499).

Comprised of silver tequila, dry sherry, agave, lime and grapefruit juice, it’s served in a Collins glass with ice (it’s been a long time since you had a tall drink, no?) and is finished with bitters and black salt. As for that added salt: Don’t let the mention of it conjure images of rock salt-strewn sidewalks. We’re past that now.

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According to a new report from MMA Junkie, number one UFC Middleweight title contender Chael Sonnen will be on the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s agenda next week at their May 21st meeting.

Sonnen will likely have to answers questions regarding a therapeutic use exemption he app…

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However, there really is more here than food and wine. You could go golfing between sips and bites. For those inclined to spoil a good walk, the Napa area provides some pretty interesting choices. And many don’t require you to mortgage your home. Here are some excellent choices.

Eagle Vines Golf Club
Located about 15 minutes east of the town of Napa in American Canyon, Eagle Vines is a challenging but fair Johnny Miller-designed track that will give you the opportunity to swing away and practice your target golf. It’s a pretty course, surrounded on many holes by vines and water coming into play on eight holes. It’s nicely groomed and the greens tend to be quite true and of moderate to quick speeds. The two putting greens leave something to be desired. And be careful, in my experience, the putting greens tend to be slower than the course greens. You can find green fees ranging from $39 to $80. My favorite hole is #11, a par five with water to to the left off the tee and a second shot that requires first a carry over a stream then a carry over a lake to reach in two; or a precision shot between water and bunkers to set up a pitch to the green.

Chardonnay Golf Club
Located direct adjacent to Eagle Vines is Chardonnay Golf Club. It, like Eagle Vines, is incorporated into a vineyard landscape with vines coming into play on a number of holes. The views from many of the elevated tees are spectacular. Uniquely, Chardonnay presents six par 3s, six par 4s and six par 5s. Beware that the par fives are difficult holes. Many of them are long and demand a careful carry over ravines and washes. The practice facilities here are quite good with a large putting green and a grass range. There are numerous elevated tees here, some of them monumentally elevated. And like its neighbor, Eagle Vines, wind can be a serious factor later in the afternoon. My favorite hole is the elevated par 3 8th that hits to a undulating narrow and wide green. Given the wind factor, I’ve hit everything from a 52 degree wedge to a 7 iron on this hole.

Napa Golf Course at Kennedy Park
This is Napa’s local municipal course, and it’s a good one with lots of challenges. Like most municipal courses it’s not in absolutely pristine shape (some sand traps remain “rock traps”). However, water comes into play on 14 of the 18 holes and in many cases, this isn’t just incidental water. It’s you-better-hit-your-tee-shot-straight kind of water. As you would imagine, prices as Kennedy are lower. You can easily get on for $35 or less. There is a driving range with mats as well as a fine putting green. My favorite hole is #8, a medium length par 5 with water on both sides and lake about 100 yards out that must be traversed. You can get to the green in two with two good shots, but you’d better not be errant.

Vintners Golf Club
This is the Valley’s local 9-hole track located smack dab in the middle of the Valley in the culinary haven of Yountville. They keep this little nine holer in very good shape and it is mightily popular with locals not only for the quick round it provides but also for the driving range that allows for hitting off mats as well as grass. Water comes into play on three holes but only on number 4 is it of any consequence. The folks that run this place are fantastic and the local pro, Jeff Dennis, is outstanding. Rates range from about $20 up to $40 for a round of 18.

Hiddenbrook Golf Club
This one is located about a 25 minute drive from the town of Napa and it might be the best course around that you can easily get on. It’s an Arnold Palmer-designed course that has hosted LPGA events and it is a challenge, well-groomed and well worth an afternoon.The course features some huge elevation changes, a number of holes with wide open fairways and holes that require you traverse water to reach the green. In my mind, it is the most challenging of the easy-to-get-on-courses in the area. From the blue tees you have a 71.1 rating and 133 slope. This course comes highly recommended. Rates for a round range from $40 to $100 depending on when you play. Hiddenbrook also provides a driving range, an undulating putting green and a chipping green.

Mare Island Golf Club
Located about a half hour from Napa in the town of Vallejo on a former army base located on an island of sorts, Mare Island Golf Club is unique. Opened in 1892 as a nine hole track it claims to be the oldest golf course still operating west of the Mississippi River. In 2000 an additional 9 holes were added providing for two very different golfing experiences between the original nine and the new nine holes. The front nine is a traditional layout with tree-lined fairways and greens like postage stamps. The new back nine opens up, and provides a more links-like experience Much of Mare Island is target golf, made even more difficult by the frequent afternoon winds that can turn a 9 iron into a 5 iron. The green fees are great values ranging from $15 to $45 depending on day and time of play. A small putting green is provided with an irons only driving range.

There are other courses in the area, most of which require membership or a stay at the connected resort. All of the courses described above require no more than a tee time. I tend to rotate around these course and find something to like about all of them. For golfers coming to Napa, a few hours away from the food and wine will be rewarding. And the wine will always be here.

 

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It happened again.

Nick Diaz no-showed his internet pay-per-view main event BJJ match against Braulio Estima at the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo tonight in California.

There had been rumors throughout the evening that Diaz was not in the building, however it wasn’t until just before t…

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The past few days’ warmer climes are a dead giveaway, but for those who prefer to celebrate by the book: Spring officially begins Sunday.

(If you’re annoyed by the fact that this column so often begins with a reminder as to what holiday or season is on the horizon, apologies. Let it be your constant reminder to drink in season, just as you should eat in season.)

More important than the fact that yesterday was St. Patrick’s Day, or that a certain day this year marks the 244th anniversary of the invention of soda water, the start of spring gives us permission to polish off our brown liquors and move into lighter territory (think gin, tequila, light rum). True, bourbon remains an excellent transitional spirit to be enjoyed in the months warming up to Derby Day in early May, but toasting the equinox deserves a bit more effort.

That said, go out. Yes, this column primarily encourages staying in and trying your hand at drink recipes. This weekend, go out. Yes, in the rain. (It’s part of spring, after all.) Sit somewhere with windows that have the capacity to open up to the elements, even if it’s too cold to do it just yet. Allow yourself to daydream about temperatures that reach into the 60s. No — the 70s. We’re almost there, folks.

This is the cocktail you should drink while you’re waiting: The Soiled Dove at Bangers & Lace (1670 W. Division St., 773.252.6499).

Comprised of silver tequila, dry sherry, agave, lime and grapefruit juice, it’s served in a Collins glass with ice (it’s been a long time since you had a tall drink, no?) and is finished with bitters and black salt. As for that added salt: Don’t let the mention of it conjure images of rock salt-strewn sidewalks. We’re past that now.

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1. Natural Wine
I fear this one is with us for a long time to come, yet a gimmick it is with no real meaning and, worse, an ideology underscoring it that demands all other wines be denigrated in order for this niche to gain real, honest credibility. We are talking about a marketing term here and very little else. Everything claimed to be spectacular and miraculous and lovely about “natural” wine is very old hat, techniques mastered by many a winemaker over the past 20 years on every continent. Yet, gimmick it is.

2. More Golfer Wines
Yes. I understand that the demographic that tends to indulge in golf also indulges in wine. But do we really need more golfer wines. These are, in almost every case, wines produced by folks who understand winemaking so that the name of a person can be placed on the label that knows little or nothing about winemaking.

3. “This wine will age, but is drinking wonderfully now”
I swore off using this atrocious claim on client’s back labels and data sheets some time ago after I found I couldn’t look myself in the face and felt the need for a shower after writing it. The use of the phrase, all too common, is a gimmick meant to try to appeal to everybody by saying nothing.

4. Another App That Matches Foods with Wines
I lost count of how many such apps for mobile platform now exists. I honestly never understood this fear people seem to have of drinking the “wrong” wine with a certain dish. Yet, this fear is played upon by nearly every app out there trying to help the consumer with gimmickry. Yet, the apps themselves just give steam and legitimacy to the fear.

5. “The Next Napa”
I read just the other day the claim that a certain wine growing region is “the next Napa”. I’ve heard about the next “Bordeaux” and the next “Burgundy” too. Do we really need another Napa, Bordeaux or Burgundy. The gimmick of “the next whatever” is used by marketers who are too lazy to offer some intrinsic value to what is surely a unique region.

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Posted on 03.28.2012 10:00 by Simona Filed under: Mini | compact cars | coupe | Spy Shots and Rendering | hatchback | Mini Cooper | special editions | Cars | Car Reviews | Mini

The top model Mini from the last generation was the JCW GP – a special edition with just 2,000 units. Now it seems history is about to repeat itself as Mini has just unveiled the official details on the new John Cooper Works GP, described by the company as the fastest Mini ever built: it laps the Nürburgring-Nordschleife in 8 min. 23 seconds.

The new John Cooper Works GP will be offered with powertrain, chassis and aerodynamics technology inspired directly by motor sport, but Mini did not announced any specifications just yet. However, they did confirmed it lapped the Nurburgring ring in 8 minutes and 23 seconds – an improvement over the previous GP model by 19 seconds.

On the exterior the new model will be distinguished by large front and rear aprons, striking side skirts, a bespoke roof spoiler and newly developed rear diffuser. This impressive package continues on the interior where the car has the rear seats removed in order to get a more racing appearance.

The new model will go on sale later this year in a limited run of 2,000 units.

Updated 05/12/2012: This review has been updated with the official details, images and specs..

Mini John Cooper Works GP originally appeared on topspeed.com on Saturday, 12 May 2012 14:00 EST.

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It happened again.

Nick Diaz no-showed his internet pay-per-view main event BJJ match against Braulio Estima at the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo tonight in California.

There had been rumors throughout the evening that Diaz was not in the building, however it wasn’t until just before t…

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It happened again.

Nick Diaz no-showed his internet pay-per-view main event BJJ match against Braulio Estima at the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo tonight in California.

There had been rumors throughout the evening that Diaz was not in the building, however it wasn’t until just before t…

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