Hello, friends!
How are we? Weird? Unmoored? Existentially threadbare?
What do we do when the abnormal becomes the everyday? Judging by my own surrounds, the answer seems to be some combination of white knuckling every waking hour and talking incessantly about that one scene in The White Lotus.
What do I think about the wine tariffs? I don’t. It’s pretty clear at this point that we’re on a runaway train, and I’m not super keen to spend my energy worrying about whether we’re going to jump the track now or in three miles. I don’t mean that to be nihilist—I’m still planning Rebel’s Mobilize Monday initiatives (April’s initiatives are now up if you want to join us), and I’m still trying to do what I can to protect my community. I’m worried, of course, for myself and my businesses and the small businesses we rely on to import and distribute our wines and the winemakers who’ve fed and housed us and whose kids we’ve watched grow up and every young person hoping to pursue their passion and every farmer and farm worker who grows and harvests our wine. I’m worried for these people. I suspect we’ll figure out a path forward together, because that’s what communities do. But global trade policy? I don’t know her, babe.
What I do know is we have a few nice free and/or affordable opportunities to connect with the community coming up (these segues will continue to be largely inelegant, and for this I apologize, but… honestly, what the actual fuck). Here are a few:
FREE TASTING @ WILD CHILD
A reminder that we host a free tasting at Wild Child every Wednesday from 5-7PM. This Wednesday 3/26 (aka tomorrow), we’re hosting our pal Kosta Chernikov, a local hero and founder of the Georgian wine import portfolio Saperavi Brothers.
Kosta will be here with his mini qvevri (we hope), pouring four faves from the Republic of Georgia, including two orange wines and one from the native saperavi grape that Kosta told me today “absolutely crushes.” Come any time to chat and taste with Kosta—as always, tasting wines are available for 10% off.
QUEER TRIVIA @ DEAR ANNIE
On Sunday, April 6th, join us at Dear Annie for an afternoon of Queer Trivia with Pearl! Bring your pals and form a team, or go it alone and put that women's studies degree to good use. From 4-5PM, we're hosting a full hour of trivia celebrating queer history, icons, lit, politics, pop culture and more—and once the nerdiest queer has revealed themselves, y’all can stay for dinner.
As always, our queer-oriented events are open to all looking to engage with and celebrate their community!
ONE MORE THING
Harpist Ashley Jackson was on Morning Edition today, and I’ve had her new album, “Take Me To The Water,” on at the shop today. It’s very, very good. Here she is with pianist and composer Margaret Bonds.