Jan 7 – “The Wrong Dog”
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Welcome to 2017 – DOGS really are an important part of The Good Life! Not specifically about Food or wine but traveling across country with a dog will surely generate some great food stories along the way. As some of you know November 2015 I lost my best girl Cleo. She was the smartest dog, the softest dog, and the most fun of any pooch I have been honored to parent. She was only 11 but had cancer of the spleen. Then nearly a year later, my little brown shadow Caesar left us, he was almost 16 and was tied with Cleo as the BEST DOG! This was the first dog-less Christmas in many years. The kids grown and gone and no dogs to open presents left Beth and I with a whole in our hearts Christmas morning. While I have had David’s book for several weeks, I couldn’t bring myself to read it until this past week. I laughed, cried and missed my fur babies, but it is a great read. Read it with a glass of the wine of the week and you’ll feel better.
My guest this week is David Elliot Cohen with his new book “The Wrong Dog”
David Elliot Cohen, the multi-New York Times bestselling author of One Year Off, The Wrong Dog is the heartwarming, often hilarious, story of Simba II, a mischievous white Labrador puppy brought home by accident.
As he grows into an enormous ninety-pound dog with a huge personality, Simba cements the bond between two families and enriches their lives in countless ways. When the family moves from San Francisco to New York, the author is charged with bringing Simba to the family’s new home, so he and his best friend, Erick, load the old hound into the back of a station wagon and set out on a 3,300-mile once-in-a-lifetime road trip across America.
With stops at Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace; the Las Vegas Strip; Meteor Crater; the Painted Desert; Cadillac Ranch; Winslow, Arizona; Gallup, New Mexico; Graceland, and other all-American landmarks, this engaging and poignant volume chronicles an epic journey, the unconditional love between one dog and his family, and the vast and benevolent role dogs play in American family life. But most of all, The Wrong Dog shows us how the end of life can sometimes be the richest part of all. Get a copy NOW!
About the Author
For three decades, best-selling author and editor David Elliot Cohen has created books that have sold six million copies worldwide. Most were in the immensely popular Day in the Life and America 24/7 photography book series. He has four New York Times bestsellers and two international bestsellers to his credit. Cohen is a graduate of Yale University. He lives in Manhattan with his wife, Laureen Seeger, and the youngest of their five children. Follow on Face Book and find David on Twitter
Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2015 Willamette Valley Vineyards Riesling
This semi-sweet wine opens with luscious aromas of citrus and tropical fruits.The mouthfeel is juicy with bright acidity that activates the palate and displays flavors of peach, pineapple and honeysuckle. The finish is wonderfully persistent with balance of sweetness and refreshing crispness. Peak drinkability 2016-2018.
This wine is SOLD OUT on wine.com for good reason, it’s delicious! Grab some at Jacob Liquor Exchange on North Rock Road here in Wichita
Food Pairings: Serve well-chilled and allow to warm in your glass for optimal enjoyment of aroma and flavor. Perfect as an
aperitif or as an ideal pairing to spicy Asian dishes, seafood and rich cheeses. This wine is versatile enough for dessert pairings like fruit tarts or savory options like blue cheese creme brulee.
This week I’ll be talking to my friend David Bahre, founder/owner and distilling hero of Wheat State Distillery. In case you haven’t been keeping track, the distillery has moved from 37th St. North to a new, bigger and better venue in Old Town combined with Distillery 244. 
“Distillery 244 is proud to offer our event space for rental for your special event. Our newly renovated, 7,000 sq. ft. event space provides a unique atmosphere. Located in the heart of Old Town, Distillery 244 is within walking distance to many restaurants, night life, hotels and shopping. Our event space has unique concrete floors, exposed brick walls and garage doors. We can accommodate up to 480 people for a sit down dinner in our venue, with an additional 125 people in our Distillery. We also have the capability to close off part of our venue, for a smaller, more intimate gathering.
Treveri Cellars is a family-owned sparkling wine house that produces some of the finest handcrafted sparkling wines in the United States. 
100% Chardonnay from the Yakima Valley AVA made in the traditional method. Smooth, complex and crisp, showing green apple and a hint of brioche balanced by bright acidity and touch of yeast on the palate for a cool, crisp finish. This Brut forges old world methods together with new world fruit, making this wine one that shouldn’t be missed. Treveri Brut demands indulgence and brings clear perspective to your moment. The fresh and dry finish enhances this bubbly, and brings luxury to any occasion.
L.A.’s Legendary Restaurants is an illustrated history of dozens of landmark eateries from throughout the City of Angels. From such classics as Musso & Frank and The Brown Derby in the 1920s to the see-and-be-seen crowds at Chasen’s, Romanoffs, and Ciro’s in the mid-20th century to the dawn of California cuisine at Ma Maison and Spago Sunset in the 1970s and ‘80s, L.A.’s Legendary Restaurants celebrates the famous locations where Hollywood ate, drank, and played.
Then it’s all about Party Planning with Crystal McDonald from Xclusive Events. Xclusive Events is a widely recognized and leading organization that provides professional event services to all segments of an event. We specialize in delivering compelling event solutions for our clients. We are passionate about providing our customers with engaging and memorable experiences for their events. Xclusive Events gives a touch of class to every event and gathering.
2014 Tom Gore Vineyards Chardonnay
Our Cabernet Sauvignon is dark red in color with aromas of cherry and currant and notes of leather and tobacco leaf along with hints of dark chocolate and mocha from oak aging. This wine is fruit forward on the entry with a rich, round mouthfeel and fine, supple tannins leading to a long finish.