DINER: Sediment At The Bottom Of An Old Bordeaux Bottle Lands Wine Writer In Court

(via NYT | photo Natalie Hayes) Recently, acclaimed wine writer Mark Oldman was leaving what sounded like an especially luxurious dinner at New York City’s Colicchio & Sons when he was written up by the police for carrying out an empty bottle of well aged Bordeaux as a souvenir.

Oldman tried in vain to explain that this was only sediment: “It’s what is left after you decant a mature bottle!” But the police issued him a court summons anyway.

Yikes. What follows then, is the awesome record of the court proceedings…

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Court Officer: Mark Oldman, Docket ending 9818, open alcohol container.

Jed Philwin, the court-appointed lawyer: Move to dismiss, facially insufficient.

Judge: What was this? [referring to the bottle in question.]

Oldman: It was an empty bottle of 40-year-old Bordeaux I was taking as a souvenir. I’m a wine writer. The officer thought there was something in the bottle. He started writing up the ticket. I’m a well-known wine writer.

Judge: A well-known what?

Oldman: Wine writer. I was taking the bottle as a souvenir. It was a 40-year-old bottle. I have it downstairs. They wouldn’t let me bring it up.

Judge: Let me get this straight. Your job is to go around drinking wine all day?

Oldman: Yes, it is. And writing about it.

Judge: Before or after you drink it?

Oldman: A little of each.

Judge: What’s your record in one day of consuming wine?

Oldman: It’s quality, not quantity. It’s not about drinking as much as you can.

Judge: Have you ever seen Night Train Express?

Oldman: I love it. Does a body good.

Judge: Who pays you to drink wine? I know of a lot guys that would like that job. Read more

GOODS: Gastown’s “L’Abattoir” Hunting For A New Foodrunner To Join Its Service Team

L'Abattoir is located at 217 Carrall St in Vancouver's Gastown neighbourhood | 604-568-1701 | www.labattoir.ca

The GOODS from L’Abattoir

Vancouver, BC | Gastown’s L’Abattoir restaurant is looking for a competent food runner to work 3 to 5 shifts a week on a flexible schedule. The restaurant will prove to be a great training ground for those looking to move up in the trade. Minimum restaurant experience unnecessary, but desired. The lucky candidate will really only need to be intelligent with a great attitude, a driven sensibility, and a yen for learning from some of the best in town. Only the brave need apply to paul [at] labattoir [dot ca]. Learn more about the restaurant after the jump… Read more

Five Minutes With Damian Van Zyll De Jong, Vancouverite And Creator Of Native Shoes

All the kids are wearing them. In fact, this season Native Shoes have reached an unprecedented level of cool in the EVA-foam-injected slip-on shoe world: the Fall 2011 limited edition Jimmy boot was designed by Marc Jacobs! Beat that, Crocs! Local boy Damian Van Zyll De Jong founded the company in 2009 with the help of his friend Matthew Penner. As the PR says, “as the visionary behind the Native brand, Damian sparked a footwear revolution, and his unyielding passion continues to propel the brand forward.” Scout stole five minutes of Damian’s time to ask him a few questions and this is what we got:

When did you know Native was really going to happen? When I started doing it.

Some folks describe Natives as Crocs for cool people. What do you think about that? Everything is everything.

Most mind-blowingly satisfying celebrity/Native pairing? Obama’s daughter.

When you see someone in your neighbourhood wearing your footwear, what goes through your mind?Amazing!

What is it about West Vancouver that makes you want to live there: The Mountains for sure.

Architectural style that you most identify with: Fave architect is Ai Weiwei.

Three words that describe the vibe of your current living space: Open, organic and free!

What inspires you? People who do things well.

Describe your favourite photograph: It’s a Tim Barber photo of a friend of mine standing on a diving board over the edge of a cliff.

Default drink: Carrot, Ginger, Apple.

When you can’t sleep: I text my employees.

Favourite place to see live music: A backyard.

Cheap place for dinner: The Fridge. Read more

Tea & Two Slices: On SoMa, The Burrard Gateway And Green Men

by Sean Orr | The Transition from Mount Pleasant to SoMa is almost complete: Massive project, 26-storey tower at Broadway/Kingsway. I blame Tim Hortons.

‘Burrard Gateway’ project proposed for area north of Drake. It would be better if it was an actual gateway so we could filter some of the riffraff that wander/cycle over that ill-forsaken bridge. Instead, it’s going to be a fancy Jimmy Pattison Toyota dealership with condos on top and an Urban Fare below, because obviously that is something we need.

Charge corporations that profit from conflict with war crimes, BC prof says. Whoa. That’s crazy! I mean, how else could we have built the Canada Line, duh? Just because SNC Lavalin makes bullets doesn’t make the Iraqis jump in front of them when they are fired by the US Army. There’s got to be at least some measure of personal responsibility.

Green Men make return tonight at Canucks game. OK…so often I make fun of the news for its frivolities, but for some reason I’m drawn to these guys as if ensnared in a modern, myth-making ritual. We are such a new city that it seems we have to embrace these micro-histories in lieu of the macros. Also, speaking of Green Men, I am really stoned. Perhaps I’m reading waaaay too much into this.

I can also deign to find this Vancity Buzz post humourous: Stop Masturbating in the Showers. Although I believe the story is quite old. Quite so, indeed.

Great Beginnings can sometimes have uncertain endings. I’m not exactly sure how – if Campbell stopped funding the project – this is somehow Gregor’s fault. I agree, however, that it’s pathetic how we as a city should have to resort to such corporate gimmickry.

Honorary Vancouverite of the Day: Gordon Pinsent. OK, now for Halloweeen I am for sure going as the kid who got punched in the face by Justin Bieber  Read more

5 Ways To Nirvana Through Art, Kimchee And Really Cheap Booze

The Contemporary Art Gallery of Vancouver (555 Nelson Street) opens a new group exhibition called Following the A Line this Thursday night. While the website description of the show might make you want to put a sharp hammer claw through your eyeball (total didactic nightmare), check out the opening reception just the same. This is a good line-up. Pretty sure they have a bar set up.

Or there’s “FLAKEY: The Early Works of Glenn Lewis”. “This exhibition marks the first in-depth investigation of the early works of Vancouver artist Glenn Lewis [...] whose socially engaged spirit helped incite the cross disciplinary and interactive practices informing west coast art in the late 1960s and 1970s.” Should be a cool body of work, but I think it’s also worth mentioning that this is the only thing going down this week that also involves a kimchee cooking demonstration. I have no idea what the connection is…but I’m pretty sure the best way to find out will be to hit the Presentation House Gallery on Saturday, September 11th. Check it.

Hit the opening reception for the new Pierre Coupey show, “Between Memory and Perception”, this Saturday, September 11, 7pm at Gallery Jones (1725 West Third Avenue). Coupey’s abstract works are at once muted and active. I’m partial to “Postscript: Rendition”, a 50 x 38 oil and beeswax work on prepared paper (sucks that it’s already old). Not that it has a terrific amount to do on the artists work, but if you’re writing a thesis on Comparative Aesthetic Temperaments in the Early 21st Century, it’s interesting to note that he was also a founding editor of The Georgia Straight and The Capilano Review.

The Grace Gallery is opening a show of Jennifer Mawby’s new works this Thursday, September 9 at 7pm (1898 Main at 3rd. It’s called The Sun, The Moon and the Stars. Jennifer looks to have it going on, so don’t miss out on…short version: an installation on the obsessive themes of love, loss, and conquest (full scoop here).

An opening/reception/exhibition showcasing Emily Carr’s Design, Media + Visual Arts Faculty goes down this Thursday, September 9, at 5:30pm in the North Building’s Concourse Gallery. “The annual Faculty Exhibition once again opens in conjunction with the start of the academic semester. This show offers a glimpse at the diverse range of interests and creative investigation of Emily Carr’s distinguished faculty, comprised of 61 regular and approximately 100 contract (non-regular) faculty members. The Faculty Exhibition affords an opportunity for both students and the public to appreciate the diverse areas of professional development of these educators, whose personal research and practice informs their teaching.” Details.

Zulu Report: Everything That You Need To Listen To This Week

Our friends over at Kitsilano’s Zulu Records once again present their weekly Scout feature, the Zulu Report. Within, staff from the West 4th music store provide The Track, the song that is on heavy rotation that week; The Playlist, which is pretty self-explanatory; The Gig, the must see show of the week; and The Glance, a view ahead to music on the horizon. From their ears to yours, enjoy…

The Track

!!!’s AM/FM video, directed by Black Dice, from the new album Strange Weather Isn’t It? (Warp).

On !!!’s fourth outing the band pulls out one of the classic rock moves by recording Strange Weather Isn’t It? in Berlin. Does this album sound particularly like a Bowie, Iggy or Lou album? No, not really, but that’s OK because Strange Weather is full of dense, rhythmic party bangers designed to carry from the late night right into the early morning, as this first single AM/FM makes clear. The colourful, psychedelic video was directed by NY art pranksters Black Dice, which brings !!! back to their roots as a Williamsburg loft project. It’s a great late summer video, guaranteed to make you feel like somebody slipped something into your drink. Enjoy. Read more

Smoke Break #691: When Pixels Invade And Take Over The Earth

(via Kuriositas) Patrick Jean’s new short depicts an all out 8-bit attack on New York City.

“I Looked Out The Window To See The Rain Turned To Snow…”

“The First Snow” by Reid Carrescia.

“I looked out the window late this afternoon to see the rain turned to snow—so I grabbed the Canon 7D and fired away.”

(via Likecool)

The New Logo For Kitsilano’s Refuel, Soon To (Re)Open On 4th

Scout broke the news a couple of weeks ago that Kitsilano’s award-winning Fuel Restaurant was going to go under the same reconstructive surgery that saw Parkside and Gastropod rebranded as L’Altro Buca and Maenam.

It has since closed, and now will transmogrify into Refuel, a casual restaurant of refined comforts at accessible price points. It opens on Wednesday (that’s the new logo to the left).

Times are tough, and when the going gets tough, the tough adapt. If they don’t, well…they die, and dying isn’t very tough, is it?  The change is a smart, necessary move, and the new food menu looks mighty fine, making Refuel a story of prudence I’m particularly looking forward to reading eating.

Hart House On Deer Lake Readies For Holiday Season Events

Hart House | 6664 Deer Lake Avenue, Burnaby, BC | 604-298-4278 | www.harthouserestaurant.com

News from Scout supporter Hart House

Vancouver, BC | Burnaby’s Hart House Restaurant is always a great place to celebrate life’s special moments. Our house is a welcoming retreat to enjoy the company of your friends and family during this festive time of year… Read more

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