Laiola - Wine

My second job in the bay area was at a chocolate/coffee shop in the Marina of San Francisco. The Marina is a hub of wealth, the water, and a mix of liberals & conservatives. It is one of the wealthiest areas next to Pacific Heights in the city. Most of the food is high end and mediocre. I spent a lot of time in the Marina and occasionally frequented the Winestar California Wine Merchant on Chestnut Street. In the Marina, Thursday night is the Friday night of parties. I would bring friends or go with co-workers. There best wines are mostly high end pinot noirs and syrahz. It had a dive bar scene, the client el is mostly professionals (ie- doctors, ect). Some 30 something man gave me shit for wearing a nose ring and having a tattoo. He frequented quite often and cheated on his girlfriend in front of everyone while he was drunk. Ah the conservative Marina, where mostly people from Orange County go to live when they want the big city life. Well some how I am still friends with an old co worker who lives there and I ended up going to visit the night of the Folsom St. Fair after having worked all day. The Folsom St. Fair is a corporate sponsored sex party, not too shabby, but not too exciting. The lady getting flogged and clamped at the charity spanking booth was something to look at. It's kind of exciting to be a pervy voyeur with lots of other people.

My old co-worker and I went to Laiola (pic below) which is the new wine bar featuring tapas and Spanish wines. They aren't very vegetarian friendly but I had probably the nicest bread and rosemary almonds. The wine was mediocre but the atmosphere was much friendlier than anything I have seen in the Marina. Makes me wonder how long it's going to last. I had a glass of Tempranillo Reales, La Mancha 2005 which made me realize how much I don't like newer wines. The wine from Parea that I like is from 03' Spiropoulos, and it's Greek. Spanish wines are much drier as well which is another reason they should age for longer.