So I get home today and Fiona’s popping the cap on her second Miller Lite. I did a double take, but managed to compose myself before I walked back outside and checked the address on the house. “I’m having a beer, want one?” At the time, I was too confused to add alcohol to the mix, but shortly afterward we were having a couple of brews at the bar and grill down the road.

“I just wasn’t feeling like winies, but I needed a drink.” she explained to me as we perused the menu, “Is that strange?” Many would say no, but this was FionaGrigio, who is primarily responsible for bringing JohnnyWino into existence. “I’m just not used to you drinking beer. I like this side of you.” We took advantage of happy hour prices for a couple more rounds and decided grilling at home was our best option for dinner.

I like drinking beer with my wife. Usually, this suggests that it is still early in the day and we’re outdoors. Wine is a fine beverage, but it’s best in the evenings and doesn’t cooperate with ice chests. She really enjoyed having a few on the beach when we were in Florida. We split a 12 pack at Scroggins on the 4th of July. I’m hoping she’ll have a few drafts at the Texans game on Saturday. Fiona drinking beer means we’re doing something out of the ordinary.

I have not forsaken wine. There’s nothing I enjoy more than sharing a bottle over dinner or sitting on the back porch chillin’ with some pinot in the chiller. I even thought about opening a bottle last night when we got home. We are all about wine. But beer is a nice diversion once and a while.

I am proud to say that I have visited two Margaritaville Cafes since May. They are a must for anyone who has ever listened to a Jimmy Buffett song and thought to themselves, “I want to party with this guy.” Jimmy may not be there in person, but his spirit will definitely smack you in the face as you walk through the door. The dining area features tables fitted into fishing boats, hosts cavorting on stilts, and a huge volcano above the bar that erupts periodically.

Of course, there are ample varieties of margaritas to sample, made from Jimmy’s own Margaritaville Tequila. There are also numerous “boat drinks” served along with his newest trademark, Landshark beer. The menu is characteristically Jimmy Buffet; not extremely innovative, but it is amusingly entertaining. It features the obligatory Cheeseburger in Paradise in various incarnations, volcano nachos, and a very tasty crab-shrimp-oyster fondue.

The only drawback to Margaritaville is that everyone wants a part of it. Expect to wait for a seat. We happened to jump on some newly-opened bar seats in Panama City on Thursday, but many are not so lucky. The wait for dining room seating was estimated at over two hours. Fiona and I waited for almost an hour in Vegas. Fortunately, there is a gift shop to piddle away the time. There are just over a dozen restaurants open along beaches in the US, Mexico and The Caribbean, with more on the way. There are even plans for an Atlantic City Casino. Sure, this is little more than in your face name marketing, but it’s a name I approve of; otherwise I wouldn’t wear my t shirt or have the bumper sticker on my truck.

To break in the new vehicle, Fiona and I loaded up and drove to Austin for the 4th. It’s nice to get away once and awhile, even if it is only for a couple of days. We arrived on Thursday night to attend Wahoo’s semi-annual party. Wahoo’s has become a staple of our Austin trips since John and Gayna discovered it a couple years ago. It was wild to see a fish taco restaurant transform into a nightclub; complete with a DJ, dancing, and snow cones with flavored vodka. Annie stopped by to visit too.

We slept in and hit the pool on Friday before heading out to Dripping Springs to see the family. Mom and Elena drove a U-Haul up to Jennifer’s new place. It was great to see everyone. Even though I’m fully a Houstonian, I still miss the Valley from time to time. My nephew Waylon has gotten so big, and he’s into everything. He’ll be two in September, and I’m hoping there will be a party for him.

Saturday, we hit Isolation Station, home of the Scroggins. They were still celebrating the holiday, and we had a great time by the pool with the Reeds, Kelly’s sister Lisa. and Patty and her family. Kudos to Scroggins, who ironically was the “last man standing.” I really enjoy the hill country. It’s amazing how many stars you can see when you’re away from the city. I picked up a twelve pack of the new BudLight Lime, and it was really good. We saw a winery on the way home that we’ll have to add to our Texas wine tour.

My birthday was on Saturday, and we celebrated with several friends. One of the upsides of being JohnnyWino is that people bring you wine. I have four whites and two reds, all very different. One is a top French from Vintropolis, our local haunt. There’s an interesting Albarino and a fresh Pinot Grigio to try. My neighbor brought me a Coco-Polada from Florida. It is made from fermented pineapple, coconut and oranges; interesting. I have a Chalone Pinot Noir, and received two bottles of Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon, of which there’s only one left (I’ll have to look further into his wines, I really enjoyed the Cab, and I don’t like many Cabs.)

I was really pleased that my sangria was such a big hit. At most parties, the guests will have a glass, tell me how good it is, and drink something else. I made a double batch for Saturday’s festivities. I stopped drinking it by 10:00 because I noticed we were running low. By 11:00 I was making a third batch for the thirsty masses. Sangria has become my favorite party drink, and I enjoy sharing it with others, especially those who have never tried it.

I’d like to thank everyone who participated in my birthday celebration. I received so many encouraging words about this site. It really made all the time and effort seem worthwhile. I really enjoy working on developing JohnnyWino, but you are the ones that really make it work. The Boyds have helped kick off the new advertising campaign with t-shirts for us to wear at wine events. I’ll have some cards made up soon. Please, spread the word. And post comments every now and then. They make my day!

Wednesday night we took the Chieftain to an Astros game for Father’s Day. Although we were on the losing end, it was a blast. We sat in the Crawford Boxes and witnessed eight homers and 29 hits. Going into the game, I had planned on posting about the Wino’s glorious return to beer. A reunion between a man and his brew. After all, I drank beer almost exclusively for close to 20 years.

Let me set the record straight, I still drink beer. It’s just not right to watch a football game with a nice glass of Merlot. Some situations are sacred, and wine is not a viable option. Take fishing for example. You will not catch me drinking wine while chasing down reds in the bay. Now I will sit down at the table and have some Pinot Grigio with the fish I caught for dinner, but that’s different.

So I had a few beers Wednesday, and they were good. My only complaint about the beer would be that I had to pee and missed the catcher and coach for the Astros getting tossed from the game. We drank suds and munched on $1 hot dogs. They even had Blue Moon for Fiona. It was exactly as I imagined. The game could have gone either way until the 7th inning. The only thing I would have changed was the final score.

But there was one element to the experience that was impossible to ignore. Beer drinkers are loud and obnoxious. This is NOT a complaint, I’m just stating the facts. Remember, just a few short years ago, this was me. There was this one guy that was out of control. He was having the time of his life. I say good for him. He livened up section 103, especially when he bought 20 hot dogs and handed them out to everyone around him. He led us in chants and supported the ‘Stros until he could barely speak. Fiona dubbed him Hotdog Horatio, because she thought he looked like Horatio Sanz from SNL.

My point is, I enjoyed Horatio, but I don’t want to be him. At least not anymore. For Pete’s sake, I’m almost 40 years old. In the old days, I could see myself arm in arm, singing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” with this guy. Shotgunning beers while insulting the other team’s left fielder. I would like to think that I’ve aged gracefully; and believe me, I’m not very graceful after a dozen beers. That doesn’t mean I won’t tear it up from time to time, I just try not to do it in such a public place.

As many of you already know, Friday was Fiona’s birthday. Looking beyond our usual haunts, we traveled to The Woodlands for HEB’s Wine and Food Week. I have to admit, I was skeptical going into this. We had to drive across Houston, and since it was her birthday, I was designated driver. I’ve never been very much for moderation, so the stress of driving really put a damper on my enthusiasm. But I will concede that we both enjoyed ourselves thoroughly.

We arrived late. The tasting began at 5:30, right in the middle of rush hour. Fiona began the afternoon with her trademark mani/pedi paired with a bottle of wine, so she was feeling no pain. We were almost an hour late, but still had plenty of time to wander the convention floor before dinner. I was really anxious. It felt like going to a movie sequel; I know I like the premise, but can it live up to the hype? I would have to say this one delivered.

The event was dubbed “Value Wines Happy Hour.” It featured wines that sell at HEB for under $15 . Johnny like. I wouldn’t say I’m against paying for a good bottle of wine; but why would I when I can buy two nice bottles for the same amount? We were handed our commemorative glasses and began tasting. We ran across many of our house standards and managed to find some really interesting new wines. Fiona (who is usually quite predictable in her tastes) really impressed me in her quest to expand her repertoire. We even convinced her to try a few reds.

Sometime around 8:00, we moved to the restaurant for the “Pinot and Pasta Patio Party.” I knew it was time for me to stop drinking and prepare for the trek home, so I ate two large bowls of Chicken Alfredo. It wasn’t the best ever, but it definitely hit the spot. As I finished my meal, Fiona returned from the restroom with three new t-shirts. She couldn’t decide which one best suited her, so she bought one of each (I call actions like this wineglass philosophy).

Fiona continued to make new friends on the patio while my dinner settled. The Woodlands has some wonderful scenery. As we sat on the riverside watching tour boats come and go, it was decided that next year we would rent a room. Our newfound tablemates agreed as they continued to bestow the rewards of parenthood upon us. I can’t recall their names, but they seemed like nice people. They totally backed Fiona on her assertion that an event of this magnitude warranted three shirts.

I believe it was nearing 10:00 when I went for the car. I have to say that for $50 per person, this was an incredible deal. With my head cleared, we began the journey home. The ensuing ride will have to be saved for a later post, since it is a story in and of itself.