[Scottw]

Hey guys,

Have you ever had the "perfect" time out with friends enjoying some good times. A dear friend of mine and his wife just had a baby girl about six weeks ago and like my wife and I who have a newborn, they don't get out too much. I called Richie my friend and told him that I wanted to come by with some gifts for the little one. Last night we stopped by their apartment which overlooks midtown Manhattan. Upon seeing the baby, my wife gave me the "i want another one" eyes and I knew I needed a drink. We started with a French Rose' which was very good considering I don't drink pink wines. We had this with a triple cream brie cheese and some wheat crackers. After that, I opened a Sangiovese blend that I bought at the wine shop and it was pheonominal, a 93 rating by Robert Parker. A short while later, Richie gets the idea to go to the city (NYC) for some dinner. We show up to Centro Vasco and the place is packed so, in order to keep the buzz going, we order a pitcher of Red Sangria.We get our table and Richie and I ask the waiter what the biggest lobster they have is. Turns out its a 13 pounder so we order it for the 4 or us along with another pitcher. A bit later, this thing comes out and everyone in the place is staring. I just want to dispell the myth that the bigger the lobster, the less sweet it is. Not true, this thing was huge but succulent and delicious.We nailed the whole thing and then went back to Richie and Michelle's house. The girls go in to play with the baby and me, Richie and a coworker and friend Eddie go outside for some cigars. We grabbed the Rocky Patel Decade Torpedos and the Glenlivet 21yr Archive. Drinking Scotch, smoking cigars and hanging out with a perfect view of the Empire State Building, it was amazing. We finish up and then go inside and I open a Zenato Ripassa Valpolicella that I had gotten earlier at the wine shop. Guys, this was one of the most enjoyable evenings I have ever had. Good food, wine, scotch, friends and cigars. Let' s all take a minute to give thanks for this gift of life and try to enjoy it to it's fullest. I just wanted to share this with all of my friends here.

See the pics, my wife and the lobster claw, Richie and I on the balcony and me smoking the RP (Asshat!).

All The Best!