Okay, in the interest of full-disclosure, the following post is NOT going to be about wine, or anything else wine/spirits/hospitality related. So, for those of my readers who choose only to learn about that sort of thing, you’re free to go…

Now, for those of you that are sticking around, here we go…

You are probably wondering what a Tough Mudder is… Well, as clipped from their web site:

Tough Mudder events are hardcore 10-12 mile obstacle courses designed by British Special Forces to test your all around strength, stamina, mental grit, and camaraderie. With the most innovative courses, 700,000 inspiring participants worldwide to date, and more than $5 million raised for the Wounded Warrior Project, Tough Mudder is the premier adventure challenge series in the world.

Now that you know what it is, I bet you’re asking why a 50 year old sybaritic intellectual, perhaps more accurately, curmudgeon like myself is taking part in such an excruciating exercise? Well, I asked the same question and I came up with the following:

First, there was a time, many, many years ago when I was actually into physical fitness. I virtually lived at Mike’s Gym in Cambridge and when I wasn’t at Mike’s, you could find me on one of the many squash courts in New England. Yup, I was in great physical shape and loving life… Then a few things changed, life intervened and, to use the appropriate sports metaphor, I took my eye off the ball. That’s okay, because life post-gym has been wonderful. Except for the fact that we are mortal beings and our inherent design is predisposed to deteriorate, at an alarming rate, actually, if we allow ourselves too much pleasure… In lay terms – if you fail to keep up with an exercise regimen as you get older, the results will be negative and the rate of decay will actually increase exponentially after the age of 45. So, despite my best intentions of re-committing to a regimen of physical fitness back in 2008, I thought, nothing like getting to a goal faster, than setting the platform on fire… A Tough Mudder is a “burning platform” as far as physical fitness is concerned. If you don’t know what that is… Google it…

Second, I try to be as charitable as I can within my means. I am not deeply religious, but I know that my life is blessed. I am loved by my friends and family, mostly… I have, as a dear old chum would say, “three squares and a flop” every day… I live in a place where freedom of expression (witness said blog) and the right to live my life as I choose is the norm… This latter point is of particular interest, because we all take for granted our lives in the good ole’ US of A. We often fail to remember that millions of men and women have paid the ultimate price so that we can enjoy said freedoms. I have many relatives who served, in many wars. Some came back heroes, some came back and were jeered as baby killers and some didn’t come back at all. The one common thread: they all went when duty called. That’s why when I see a man or women in uniform I say thanks. I want them to know how deeply I appreciate their sacrifice so that I can raise my son as an American – free and proud. Contributing to the Wounded Warrior Project is another way that I can say thanks. I consider it my shared sacrifice…

Third and last reason, a collection of very dear friends was looking for a way to contribute, to a noble cause and build even stronger relationships among our group. The Wounded Warrior Project is indeed a noble cause and nothing builds friendships like shared misery… or incredible camaraderie. Assuming we survive (you sign a waiver absolving Tough Mudder of any responsibility if you should perish), when we emerge from the other side of this obstacle course, the bonds of this group of friends will be tougher than forged steel.

Now that you know why, you may want to help out yourself… The Tough Mudder web site wants me to recruit friends and family to run beside me… not likely. However, you can “virtually” run beside me by making a donation to the cause at the following link: http://register.toughmudder.com/fundraising/donate.aspx?event=13389&fundraiser=r8425566

You can eliminate the pain, sweat, mud and tears, but still take stock in doing a good deed!

Doesn’t that make you feel better?

And I promise, my next post will return to our usual “musing s on the vine…”

Cheers!

I have written about the Historic Jacob Hill Inn (http://www.inn-providence-ri.com/) in Seekonk, MA in prior iterations of my Musings on the Vine newsletter, but I thought a refresh was in order.

Recently we spent a romantic weekend at this lovely property, a former horse estate built in 1722 and nestled on a quiet, wooded, country road, less than 15 minutes away from downtown Providence RI. An idyllic location combining the quaint appeal of an historic New England bed & breakfast with the luxurious amenities of a Select Registry property, The Jacob Hill Inn is a magical get away any time of year.

Bill and Eleanora Rezek are gracious hosts, providing warmth, hospitality and some of the best breakfasts in New England. They painstakingly restored and renovated the Inn, striking a perfect balance between historic character and pragmatic modernity. Amenities include in-room Jacuzzi tubs and plasma screen televisions, with a full size pool table and game room, as well as in-ground swimming pool and tennis courts. Most rooms feature King Size beds and romantic, comfortable décor.

One of the best features of the Inn is its location. Conveniently close to several major highways, the Inn provides a great base for exploration of southern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. On each of our visits we have made a point of taking in many of the fine dining establishments of Providence, as well as most of the wonderful wineries along the coast.

The relaxed vibe that permeates the property makes a stay at the Jacob Hill Inn a real treat, which is why we try to visit as often as we can.

Make sure to make your reservations early, the Inn’s popularity means it fills up quickly during the year!

The Boston Suite – Our Favorite Room!

Cheers!

We were looking for a nice, relatively inexpensive place to stay on an overnight in wine country (Central Coast – Santa Rita Hills/Santa Ynez). We like places with character and history, so the Santa Maria Inn (www.santamariainn.com) caught our eye. Billed as “the historic” Santa Maria Inn, the original property consisting of 24 rooms, 24 baths, a kitchen and dining facilities was built by Frank McCoy in 1917. Over the years additions were made to where the inn stands today: 164 rooms, including 18 suites, all recently renovated and refurbished in 2000 and 2005.

We opted to stay in the Tower section of the Inn, where the rooms are more spacious than in the Original Inn. Another thing that we learned about the Inn is that the Original Inn is haunted by a number of ghosts. I have to admit that the period decorations in the public spaces on the first floor, as well as the creepy child portraiture throughout the corridors and elevator lobbies create a mood not unlike Stephen King’s The Shining. We did not tell our six-year-old about the ghosts…

The hotel boasts of quite the guest list, featuring Hollywood A-list and International dignitaries alike. Guests such as Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, Rudolph Valentino, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Joan Crawford and Lee Marvin all enjoyed the one-time luxurious accommodations. Other notable guests included President Herbert Hoover as well as William Randolph Hearst himself (along with Marion Davies). Cecil B. DeMille also stayed in 1923 while filming the Ten Commandments in Guadalupe. Many of the rooms in which the rich and famous of yester year stayed are now marked with a star on the room’s door displaying who has previously stayed there. A neat piece of folklore…

There have been numerous reports of various ghostly, unexplained paranormal activities throughout the Inn, although most of the reports seem to contain the activity to the Original Inn and the surrounding gardens. The most famous ghost is that of Rudolph Valentino, who is said to enjoy playfully scaring guests in room 221. There is also the ghost of a sea captain, murdered by his mistress, who appears to like room 210. A lot has been written about the ghosts, but we can thankfully say that we saw nothing untoward during our visit. By the way – references to a piano playing without a player were easily explained – it’s a digital player baby grand – no ghost involved.

We dined in the Garden Room restaurant and had a lovely meal – classic, continental cuisine with a very nice wine list of local offerings. Service was impeccable – attentive without being intrusive. All of the staff was very friendly and there was ample parking in front of the Inn.

We certainly would entertain staying at the Inn again, especially if we were looking for someplace close to Central Coast wineries, The Hearst Castle, Solvang or any of the other wonderful destinations in that area.

Cheers!

Well, a few weeks ago I was interviewed for a piece on Bloomberg.com about the “Real Cost of Being and Oenophile.”

Many of the tools that the researcher used were from my Musings web site and we spent some nice time discussing this little obsession of mine…

The piece can be found at: http://www.bloomberg.com/money-gallery/2011-12-08/the-real-cost-of-becoming-an-oenophile.html#slide2

Enjoy!

After eight years hosting content at Musingsonthevine.com, it seemed like a good idea to get into blogging. The Musings site will continue to exist as a resource, with our database and archives of content remaining intact, but our blog here at WordPress will be a more real time delivery mechanism for hot wines, killer cocktails and just about anything else that may strike my fancy.

Sit back, pour yourself something tasty and enjoy the ride!

Paul