“It has always remained in my memory, this note written with red ink in the margin of a French composition. I was eleven or twelve years old. In thirty lines I had stated that I could not agree with those who called the autumn a decline, and that I, for my part, referred to it as a beginning… this vast autumn, so imperceptibly hatched, issuing from the long days of June, was something I perceived by subtle signs, and especially with the aid of the most animal of my senses, which is my sense of smell.” — Colette, Earthly Paradise: An Autobiography of Colette Drawn from Her Lifetime Writings
Sending blessings of protection and hope in brutal times, dear friends ~
Terrace at Palette’s tomato & stone fruit salad
I continue leading/moderating or being interviewed on virtual industry panels, webinars and tastings — plus daily outdoor dining, takeout or delivery research, which I am posting about @ThePerfectSpot on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram — including Golden Gate Restaurant Association (GGRA) “Restaurants Rising” series where I interview chefs, restaurant owners, sommeliers, bar managers, food media and activists in food. Series/episodes viewable here.
Amid the ongoing circus of corruption that is the White House, the Restaurant Stabilization Act is now stalled with the HEROES Act, despite passing the House vote early October. Please help save our nation’s biggest private sector employer and cultural heritage in all our great cities: independent restaurants. You can contact your local reps here, as we have already lost thousands of our greats and will lose thousands more small businesses each week this stalls. Thank you for raising your voice!
THIS ISSUE:
Virginia with Javier Wong at Chez Wong
Top Tastes — Magical Outdoor Dining: In my Bold Italic article, five top restaurants killing it in outdoor dining.
Imbiber — Distiller Bottle Column: This month I review the likes of elote/corn liqueur, mezcal, dill aquavit, four grain whiskey, peated Irish whiskey, dry Italian vermouth, and more.
Wandering Traveler — Travel Memories/Honoring Cultures: Favorite places, food, drink, memories and music of Peru.
On the Town — Now that Indoor Dining is Back, Here’s How To Break Bread Inside… Safely: My Bob Cut checklist and call out of city laws/restrictions.
As your personal concierge who tells it like a good friend would, I create personalized itineraries; provide food and drink consulting for restaurants and bars; and classes at companies for the layperson wanting to dig deeper in food and drink (more info at virginia-miller.com).
Virginia