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Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Ten on Tuesday #2 - Favorite Drinks

Today's Topic is 10 Favorite Drinks

1. Water - I confess I drink it all day & through the night when I wake up. Weight Watchers made a believer out of me!

2. Coffee (with half & half) - I grind the beans ... (half regular and half decaf mixed together)... and brew it fresh each morning when I arise ... 1st thing!

3. Pepsi (not Coke) - especially the Cherry Flavored variety, but I seldom indulge this habit any longer because I can't stand 'diet drinks' and try to be mindful of my sugar & caffeine intake these days.

4. Milk - I drink 3 glasses each day, every day ... always have! I prefer 'whole milk' but gave it up decades ago for 2% because of the fat content and in the past couple of years I've managed to switch to 1%. I doubt I'll ever drink the non-fat variety ... but stranger things have happened.

5. Starbuck's Caramel Macchiato (hot or cold depending on the weather)

Venti with 2% milk - 300 calories

A signature Starbucks® beverage. A creamy mix of vanilla and freshly steamed milk marked with intense Starbucks® espresso, topped with velvety foam and our own proprietary buttery caramel sauce.


Venti with 2% milk - 330 calories

The iced version of our signature Starbucks® beverage. A creamy mix of vanilla and fresh cold milk poured over ice, marked with Starbucks® espresso and topped with our own proprietary buttery caramel sauce.


6. Cadillac Margaritas (on the rocks with salt) - but given the calorie count (you really don't want to know if you'd like to keep enjoying them ... trust me) I 'settle' these days for 'wines' instead.

7. White Zinfandel - my usual when I decide to imbibe

White Zinfandel, often abbreviated as White Zin, is an off-dry to sweet, pink-colored rosé wine. White Zinfandel is made from the Zinfandel wine grape, which would otherwise produce a bold and spicy red wine. As such, it is not a grape variety but a method of processing Zinfandel grapes. As of February 2006, White Zinfandel accounted for 10% of all wine sold by volume, making it the third most popular "varietal" in the United States. Demand for White Zinfandel has been falling in recent years, but it still outsells red Zinfandel 6:1 by volume.

8. Pino Grigio

Pinot gris is a white wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot noir grape, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name ("gris" meaning "gray" in French) but the grape can have a brownish pink to black and even white appearance. The word "Pinot", which means "pinecone" in French, could have been given to it because the grapes grow in small pinecone-shaped clusters. The wines produced from this grape also vary in color from a deep golden yellow to copper and even a light shade of pink. The clone of Pinot gris grown in Italy is known as Pinot grigio.

9. Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon became internationally recognized first through its prominence in Bordeaux wines where it is often blended with Merlot and Cabernet franc. From France, the grape spread across Europe and to the New World where it found new homes in places like California's Napa Valley, Australia's Coonawarra region and Chile's Maipo Valley. For most of the 20th century, it was the world's most widely planted premium red wine grape until it was surpassed by Merlot in the 1990s.

Despite its prominence in the world of wine, the grape is a relatively new variety being the product of a chance crossing between Cabernet franc and Sauvignon blanc sometime during the 17th century in southwestern France. Its popularity is often attributed to the ease of cultivating, with the grape's thick skins and hardy vines being resistant to rot and frost, as well as the grape's consistency in presenting structure and flavors expressing the typical character ("typicity") of the variety. Familiarity and ease of pronunciation have aided Cabernet Sauvignon wines to be good sellers among consumers, even when from unfamiliar wine regions. Its widespread popularity has also contributed to criticism of the grape as a "colonizer" that takes over wine regions at the expense of native grape varieties.

10. Water - by far my favorite drink deserves a 2nd spot on this list because I drink it all day (and night) long!

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For my previous Ten on Tuesday
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Thought for Today
"Fixedness of purpose is the root of all successful efforts." James Allen

33 comments:

Ivanhoe said...

I am with you on the water and Pepsi. I am not a wine person though. And I very seldomly drink coffee - I prefer tea. Happy Tuesday!

Karen said...

I'm with you on all the drinks...except Pepsi...I was raised a Coke girl and there's no going back. (Though I actually seldom drink Coke, either--the thought of what it does to my bones puts me right off!)

Anonymous said...

i'm a coke fan :) and yeah, fruit juices too. i also like starbuck's caramel machiato. not much of a wine drinker. and a bad habit is i don't drink much water, my hubby has to force me just so i'll drink some water.

Anonymous said...

ahh i'm the other way - has to be Coke and NOT pepsi! lol
I'm so picky though -dont drink tea or coffee, orwine or beer... too fussy when it comes to drinks obviously!
thanks for visiting my 10!

storyteller said...

Ivanhoe – I don’t drink much wine either, but it’s become a substitute for other alcoholic drinks when I do imbibe on occasion because the ‘count’ is simpler as a Weight Watcher.

Karen – It’s funny how many of us are one or the other on Coke & Pepsi. I find Coke too sweet and Pepsi more ‘fizzy’ … but you’re right about what the carbonated drinks do to our bones putting me off too.

Chepot – I started drinking water when I became a Weight Water 23 years ago … and it’s become a habit I enjoy that’s healthy too.

Marylin – I recognized you from Haiku Friday, so naturally I had to check in today. In case you missed it last week, I left an award for you there so check it out when time permits.

Thanks to all of you for visiting my 2nd ‘Ten on Tuesday’ post. I hope you all have a terrific Tuesday.
Hugs and blessings,

frizzyeatworld said...

Yeah, been under the coke [light] spell for pretty much forever. Pepsi ain't all that bad though. To each his own, yeah?

Thanks for stopping by my blog. ;)

Bottoms up!!!

Grandy said...

Ok you...with all these liquids I have to ask. Do you live in a bathroom? Inquiring minds wanna know (ok maybe just my crazy one).

Sandy M said...

I have got to try the Caramel Macchiato. I too am a Pepsi fan, not Coke.

Sonya said...

I'm trying to embrace the WW advice on water. I'm doing better but still not where I need to be. I'm getting 4 servings each day but I need 6.

The Starbucks drinks are making me want to take a trip down there this evening! Mmmmmm!

storyteller said...

Frenchkys – You’re welcome. I always enjoy meeting new bloggers and these ‘memes’ provide a wonderful opportunity to do so.

Grandy – Hahahaha … I love how you ‘stole’ my favorite line … and I do perhaps visit the bathroom more often than many (especially after drinking coffee and/or Pepsi which are diuretics ya know) … but ‘tis a small price to pay for simple pleasures. LOL

Sandy M – ya know what they say about ‘great minds’ … right? Methinks you’ll be ‘hooked’ once you try your first Caramel Macchiato … so beware ;--)

Sonya – Yup … me too! Starbucks was on just about everyone’s list this morning. My sister has trouble drinking the water too … but carrying it with her helps.

Thanks to everyone for visiting and have a wonderful day!
Hugs and blessings,

Unknown said...

you got lots'o alcohol there, missy. *giggling* i would too though so just laugh along with me. love wine - merlot. vodka has always been a fav of mine too which is one big reason i'm going thru the detox. gotta keep the liver clean and clear! this list would be difficult in general though 'cause I don't drink coffe, don't like tea too much and all the other beverages out there have nothing but junk in them. if it's not your basic junk, it's hidden junk - like sweeteners and caffeine. you get the idea. k. 'nuf said. xoxo

Anonymous said...

I had been looking for sometime now for someone to recommend a good RED wine. Thank you for that. Now I'll be looking for it because my Grandmother loved White Zinfendel but I don't care for it so much as I used to when she'd let me sneak a sip in my youth. I've always wanted to try a red wine.

As for coffee I didn't get to mention cause you could only list 10 but I like Joe Muggs and a place I found in Prattville, Alabama called House of Java they both have the BEST mochas I've ever tasted. Joe Muggs does a regular mocha where House of Java does a white chocolate mocha.

Unknown said...

Thanks for visiting me today! Sorry to say that I was also raised a Coca Cola gal. Pepsi has never tasted right to me. And I *heart* Starbucks, even though it didn't make my list today.

Hootin Anni said...

I love a good icy cold glass of milk too...with a muffin or something. LOL

And the cadillac margarita? Now, I've not heard of that one.

Hope you can drop by and give me a big'o' "howdy"!!!

Florinda said...

Your list is great - and quite educational! I really do need to learn more about wine. :-) But as my first Weight Watchers Leader always reminded us, "Wine is NOT a fruit!"

I don't drink soda, and my husband doesn't drink coffee; Coke (not Pepsi) is his caffeinated Nectar of the Gods.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today - hope to see you again!

Unknown said...

I like German white wine - some years better than others, obviously, but Spatlese and Auslese better than the early grape Kabinett. Spatlese is balanced betwenn sweet and the tart after taste whereas Aulese is sweeter with a tartish under taste. The later the grpae is picked the sweeter it is.

And I love my Ron Zacapa Centenario, 23 year old Guatemalan Rum. As good a sipping rum as you'll find anywhere in the world.

Anonymous said...

I'm with you on the water - fabulous post with so much information - thank YOU (for the visit too) ;)

Irishcoda said...

Hi, I'm a big fan of nice cold water, too--nothing else can quench my thirst. Used to love Pepsi over Coke but now I'm diabetic :( and find I can't stand Diet Pepsi. Ah well, have a great evening!

Betty said...

I drink a lot of water, too, and am a lifetime member of WW. I prefer coke over pepsi, but the best diet cola that I have found is Diet Rite. To me it doesn't have an after taste like the other diet colas.

storyteller said...

Chuck – Yup … I did get carried away a bit with the ‘wine’ didn’t I? Gotta be some ‘subliminal’ message in there somewhere. LOL

Martha – I’m happy to assist! Merlot is good too ;--)
I don’t think we have Joe Muggs in So Cal, but if I’m ever in Prattville I’d give it a go since I love ‘mocha’ anything!

Heather – You’re welcome … and I won’t hold the Coke favoritism against you if you don’t hold the Pepsi liking against me. LOL

Hootin’ Anni – Milk DOES go with lotsa tasty things doesn’t it? Cadillac Maragarita contains Cuervo Gold and the drink is served with an extra shot to either drink first or add ;--)

Florinda – Ah shucks! I’d love to count wine as a fruit … but a 4 oz glass of just about any wine is 2 points … so it’s considerably less than most mixed drinks and easy to track. I prefer to eat my points rather than drink them!

LceeeL – Thanks for the info … I’ve taken ‘note’ of it and will perhaps test for myself when or if opportunity arises.

Redness – Thanks … and I enjoyed visiting everyone!

Irishcoda – Water is my drink of choice to quench thirst … and I know it’s healthy so I always carry it with me. Sorry about your diabetes … I understand this condition is on the rise.

Betty – Ah … a kindred spirit! I became a lifetime member of WW more than 20 years ago when we counted ‘exchanges’ instead of ‘points’ … and I find it strange that a glass of 2% milk and a can of Pepsi both count 3 points.

I appreciate all of you stopping by and sharing your thoughts while I was off having fun with a friend in the ‘real’ world this afternoon! I hope each of you had a delightful day!
Hugs and blessings,

Annie Z said...

Your write up on wines was most interesting!!
xxx

Momisodes said...

Wow! 3 glasses of milk a day!? You must have strong bones :) I'm terrible about drinking milk. I can only seem to drink it there's cereal mixed in....or coffee ;)

Starbucks is divine! But their coffee always seems like rocket fuel to me. I'm on a caffeine high for hours after ;)

Loved this list! Hope you had a great Tuesday computer shopping.

Anonymous said...

I heart all of those drinks as well, except for the non-fat or low fat milk.
But I drink Buttermilk, just not 3 glasses ;)
And I don't grind the coffee.
You can call yourself lucky when you get decent coffee here to begin with ;)

Mary P Jones (MPJ) said...

No! Say it ain't so! I'm a die-hard full-sugar Coke girl. I don't know if I'm allowed to be friends with Pepsi drinkers -- but I suppose if I can bend the rules for diet Coke drinkers... ;)

storyteller said...

Annie – I’m glad you enjoyed the info on wines that I acquired at Wikipedia and passed along in this post.

Sandy – Yup … I used to drink more but had to cut down to stay in my point range at WWs. I always get ‘half-café’ at Starbucks for that reason … decaf in the afternoon. I didn’t actually ‘shop’ computers … I looked at their new Dells and took notes on features for my own research.

Nicole – My dad and sister loved buttermilk but I never acquired a taste for it. Believe me if I could manage the points, I’d drink whole milk today instead of lowfat … but it’s a trade off for me. You’ll note I use half and half in my coffee (though my sis uses whipping cream in hers … seriously)!

MPJ – Oh my! Just when I thought we’d developed the perfect friendship … this ‘rift’ comes to light. Perhaps since I don’t drink the Pepsi any more it’ll be all right? LOL

Thanks to all of you for visiting and sharing your thoughts. I hope you had a terrific Tuesday and that Wednesday is wonderful too.
Hugs and blessings,

Teena in Toronto said...

I like your choice in wines ... I'm on my way :)

Thanks for stopping by mine!

storyteller said...

Teena – ‘Twas my pleasure … and I’ll see ya soon then. ;--)
Hugs and blessings,

Elizabeth O'Neal said...

Greetings from a fellow Starbucks/Cabernet lover! I also love Pinot Noir, which is grown abundantly here on the California Central Coast. We have some fine wineries here!

storyteller said...

Elizabeth – How fun to find a kindred spirit (re: Starbucks and wines)! Actually, I’m located just a ways south of you in Orange County near the ocean … but I’ve visited wineries in your area many times ;--)
Hugs and blessings,

Joyce said...

You are definitely the friend who knows what drinks to order! Oh, yumminess! :)

storyteller said...

Joyce – I do what I can … and I’m happy you enjoyed my list ;--)
Thanks for stopping by today.
Hugs and blessings,

Tina Coruth said...

Hi Storyteller,

I'm with you on the water and coffee. I like gingerale and tea, too! :-)

Tina

storyteller said...

Tina – Hmmm … I’ve not had gingerale for a long time, but I do enjoy hot tea in the afternoons.
Hugs and blessings,

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