pink rickshaw

meet: jim doutre, wine connoisseur

Stephanie (at Kalyra Winery to Miles, who she has just poured a glass of estate Chardonnay): So, what do you think?
Miles: Mmm. Quaffable. But, uh, far from transcendent.
-Sideways

 

Meet: Jim Doutre
Claim to fame: Wine connoisseur and instructor of wine appreciation classes

For many, the journey to wine appreciation can be a rocky path. Established wine lovers know that it takes time, experimentation, and a touch of adventurous spirit to really determine one's taste. Like most things in life, exposure is key. My personal wine exploration began early and the time line follows:
6th grade: Slumber party with bff Pam M. In a parental lapse of judgment (or perhaps to get us to go to sleep), Pam's mom gives us each a glass of fizzy berry wine.
High school: Wine on the DL every time crazy/fun/single aunt came to visit and was prepared to uphold said crazy/fun aunt reputation.
College: White Zinfandel from the box. Quantity trumps quality.
Young professional: Decide it is time to learn about wines that I can sip, enjoy with different cuisines or serve to friends. It was about time to appreciate wine. Seek expert help.

This expert help came in the form of Jim Doutre's wine appreciation class. The course covers the entire gamut of wines: from light champagnes to the heartiest of reds. Also, for all the anxious over-achievers already wondering what constitutes an "A" in a wine-drinking class; you can rest at ease. This enjoyable class is purely informative, with no stressful grade at the end of the session.

Doutre, a former wine buyer, deftly guides all stages of wine drinkers through proper wine drinking technique, with humor and grace. While, I had been taught how to cluck and chirp wines before, I was never able to pull off such a feat without coughing wine through my nose. Somehow, Doutre makes it easy and a lot less silly. He also teaches students how to swirl wine without sloshing it all over the table (a critical lesson for my significant other). As the students sample wine, Doutre humorously touches on historic wine making techniques, different grape varietals, and helps the students to explore how food pairing can affect the taste of the wine. Those who enjoy the introductory class can sign up for more advanced classes, or attend one night seminars that Doutre hosts throughout the year in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. If you are interested in a wine appreciation class in other parts of the U.S., many are available through university extension programs or find one through localwineevents.com.

With the help of Doutre, my wine appreciation path has veered away from pedestrian wine sampler to avid wine adventurer. Interested in branching out on a little wine adventure of your own? Pink Rickshaw will feature a wine of the week series highlighting some of our favorite wines. We have deemed all these upcoming wines as highly "quaffable" but it will be up to you to determine which ones are "transcendent". 

image source: justglass-online.com

-RW

burberry and poverty: not so vogue

"Change of fashion is the tax levied by the industry of the poor on the vanity of the rich."-Sebastien-Roch Nicolas De Chamfort

Time magazine's Pop Chart probably put it best: "Vogue India photo shoot puts pricey accessories on impoverished people. American Vogue still putting pricey accessories on malnourished people."

Snarky. And comments like that are just the tip of the iceberg surrounding the latest fashion debate.

The Vogue India editorial spread in the recent issue stirred up quite the controversy last week. The photo spread featured luxury items like a Burberry umbrella, a Fendi bib and a Hermes Birkin bag. Items that are not terribly shocking to see in a Vogue shoot. However, what has the media buzzing was the combination of such high end products with impoverished unnamed citizens. A woman carrying a young poverty stricken child wearing a $200 Fendi bib. A poor family piled onto a moped driven by the tired mother sporting a Birkin bag. A toothless, barefoot man (referred to as just "man" in the magazine) holding a Burberry umbrella. A bold statement combining some of the world's poorest people with some of the most expensive fashion items. But did it takes thing too far? Depends on who you ask.

Critics call it exploitation of the poor and simply poor marketing. Many Indians survive well below the poverty line at less than $1.25 a day, causing newspaper columnists like Kanika Gahlaut to refer to the layout as "not just tacky but downright distasteful." She adds that using a rural mud hut as a backdrop for Burberry and Alexander McQueen accessories was not "fun or funny" when hundreds of Indian farmers commit suicide every year as a result of failed crops and debts. Other critics like Pavan K. Varma, author of The Great Indian Middle Class says with the emerging wealthy in the subcontinent, those with money who are readers of the Vogue India, are becoming blind to poverty. He says, "To use people like this shows a complete callousness to genuine suffering. These people have been used as commodities to sell fashion."

Vogue India's response to the critics has been to "lighten up". Editor Priya Tanna replied with her controversial statement, "You have to remember with fashion, you can't take it that seriously. We weren't trying to make a political statement or save the world." She also referred to the issue as a way to "showcase beautiful objects of fashion in an interesting and engaging context" and that "fashion is no longer a rich man's privilege. Anyone can carry it off and make it look beautiful." The magazine also stated that "models' were paid a significant amount. We doubt it was enough to afford the Burberry umbrella.

And others like fashion designer David Abraham have come to the glossy mag's defense stating that "wealth next to poverty is just a reality in India." And editorials in defense of Vogue have pointed out that the photos simply point out the poverty issues that exist as India becomes a huge market for high fashion.

What do you think? Do you agree with Vogue India's editor that its just fashion and critics need to lighten up? Or did the magazine and editor take things too far with exploiting the poor?

image source: Vogue India

-SD

4 minutes: recycled jewelry

"The earth is like a beautiful bride who needs no man-made jewels to heighten her loveliness."-Kahlil Gibran

 

Shock. Potential. Current. All terms a fashionista may use to describe the next trend du jour, or an electrical engineer may use to describe properties of electronics. Rarely has high fashion and the world of electronics been tied together. Until now. Beauty met the geek and looks like there was a spark. The result: an earth friendly, fun accessory.

An Outblush find, these unique pendants are derived from old printed circuit boards and reworked into modern day jewelry. The original pieces are the perfect accessory for techno-funk flair and would pair well with any monochromatic outfit. And with these necklaces, you are making more than a fashion statement. Over three percent of the world's landfill wastes consists of printed circuit boards. These pendants transform that potential waste into something trendy for your fall look. Also, because the circuit boards have never been filled with components (most were manufactured with a mistake that rendered them unusable), there is no fear of lead contamination concerns. Saving the earth, one piece of jewelry at a time? We consider that pretty buzz-worthy.

image source: thinkgeek.com

-RW