Monday, September 6, 2010

Wild women in wine country - what could go wrong?

Mrs Notthat, along with a group of friends, spent the weekend visiting Arabrab (not her real name) up in the wine country. Since I wasn't there, I had to make some guesses about the pictures that ended up on Mrs Notthat's camera. (Yes, I expect to spend the night on the deck after this, but some of these pictures I couldn't resist doing some speculation about.)


This is most of the group in front of the Vino Van. From left to right (and not their real names - probably my only hope for avoiding the deck tonight): Einnob, Adnil, Yduj, Ydnas (the ring leader), Aehterod (the troublemaker), Adnerb, Arabrab (the one they were all visiting), Yekcim, and Mrs Notthat.


That same group standing on Arabrab's front porch.


And then they were all off to hit the wineries. Adnerb and Arabrab are sisters. They are both card sharks as well - I have LOTS of memories of them winning LOTS of Hand and Foot card games, with many "rules" being remembered at convenient times. I'm just saying...


Here are Ydnas, Aehterod (NOT the designated driver!), and Arabrab's daughter Eus wandering out of a winery and heading towards the next.


Mrs Notthat, Ydnas, and Aehterod posing in front of some random trees (note that Aehterod is keeping a keen eye on her wine glass).


I'm sure this hog sculpture provides a great clue as to where they are.


Ydnas posing in a scenic area. You can't throw an empty wine bottle around there without hitting something scenic.


The group hanging at a tasting bar. I'm pretty sure none of them did the sip, swish, and spit thing that snobby wine tasters do. Also, hopefully none of them asked about where they could find that Boone's Farm place that made that fine Strawberry Hill stuff from when they were younger.


OK, maybe one of them did ask since they look awfully grumpy after being kicked out of that tasting room. (I blame Yekcim, who after Aehterod, would be voted Mosty Likely to Cause Trouble.)


Mrs Notthat, who won't touch wine, posing in front of a scenic area. Love her hairdo!


I wasn't going to add this picture - the next one has more of the group - but I loved Ydnas's hair (and am pretty sure Yekcim had something to do with it looking like this).


Same view with more people (Adnil was squatting for a better picture composition and not due to enthusiastic wine tasting - probably).


The evening was spent annoying the neighbors with karaoke. Here, Nod (husband of Eus and the sacrificial male member of the group and designated bail poster) belts out a stirring rendition of Purple Haze.


Einnob joining in on the chorus. The bright lights by Yekcim's head were the spotlights from the squad of police cars that were eventually brought in to break up the party. (Instead, Ydnas convinced them to join in with thirty minute long version of Friends. That's an extremely inside joke, but the thirty minute thing is probably true.)

And that's about it. I believe they all had a great time but it's great to have Mrs Notthat back. (When I picked her up I passed out bags of tomatoes to the others - our garden is hitting it's stride as far as providing tomatoes.)

That's it - move along...

6 comments:

DAK said...

I was wondering about Mr. That and the wine. She looks great, I think she must love having her picture taken these days. And as for the hint as to where they were: The pig statue leads me to think they went to Santa Fe Springs in L.A. to the Farmer John Bacon Plant. Can't figure out the wine angle, though. Where else would there be a statue of a pig out in front?

Anonymous said...

If you look carefully at the black bag on the table you will know which winery we were visiting :)

notthatlucas said...

Was that the one with the hog statue? Why was that there? (I tried to find a translation for "Sbragia" but Google just giggled a bit.)

Anonymous said...

OK Burt Crocker, you are in trouble now!

notthatlucas said...

You meant "even more in trouble now" right? I'm pretty sure I've never been not in trouble with you. Except maybe when I bake something nice.

Mrs. Notthat said...

The wild boar was a present from an owner's wife to him and the plaque went into great detail but I grew bored reading it (pun intended) and didn't finish it. Very pricey and bronze though (I remember that much).