Author Archive

I am, as is well known, is a huge fan of Spanish sparkling wine, which is known as cava. In fact, my enthusiasm for cava, and especially Cristalino, annoys more than a few retailers of my acquaintance.

One of them, in fact, insisted that the Casteller cava (about $10, available … more

There was a cyber brouhaha this week when the San Antonio Business Journal reported that H.E. Butt Grocery, the parent company of Central Market, was readying Dallas expansion plans for its HEB grocery stores. Given the vacant real estate in every neighborhood where we do magazines, this was big news … more

The Champagne and sparkling wine business is in tatters, and that’s not good news as we approach the most bubbly time of year.

This is almost funny enough for a contest — if it wasn’t so pitiful. What’s the best part about the news that the Trinity River levee, at I-35 and Regal Row, failed sometime over the weekend?

· This quote, from a city official: "This is a unique situation, obviously. You’ve … more

We are in mourning as we celebrate the Advocate’s eighth annual Cheap Wine extravaganza and $10 Wine Hall of Fame.

Have at it. Tell me what I’m missing because I’m sitting at home this morning typing this instead of running through a shopping mall or strip center looking for holiday shopping extravaganzas. But, really — Pep Boys with Black Friday specials? How many of are us going to give car … more

Twenty-five years ago, before Robert Parker and the Wine Magazines and five-figure bottles of French wine, Americans who drank French wine mostly drank three or four kinds. They were cheap, pleasant and Gallic — what more did one need?

We drank Beaujolais, usually the Georges DuBoeuf; Vouvray (I have fond … more

The blog is mostly off today and tomorrow, though Friday will bring our annual Black Friday post. We’ll return on Monday. Until then, a bit Thanksgiving silliness, courtesy of jth1963ut at You Tube. Love those disco globes. Happy Thanksgiving.

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Note to whomever picked the old ceiling fan up from in front of my house yesterday, a couple of hours before the city truck stopped by for its monthly bulk pickup. Be careful. There’s a short — or worse — in the fan, and the reason it was on the … more

What happens when you have a recession, empty real estate in neighborhood strip centers, and lower rents thanks to the recession and empty real estate? More 7-Elevens.

The Dallas-based convenience store chain, with 226 stores in the area, wants to add 75 more. And, say company officials, they want to … more