The power of wine

Long before we ever had the glimmer of an idea of opening the dinner party Mary and I entertained. A lot. The inspiration for the shop was commentary from our guests that “you guys throw the best dinner parties.” It was a great compliment, and we very much enjoyed doing it. Mary normally focused on setting the table and creating a wonderful mood with everything from art to music to flowers. My focus was on the food and wine and together they worked, we had a blast as did our guests, and they enjoyed the total experience.

You can't learn if you're not in school

Coeur d'Alene Public Schools has joined a nationwide effort to celebrate "Attendance Awareness Month" in September and has pledged to raise awareness about the value of regular school attendance and focus on reducing chronic absenteeism throughout the school year.

Why we (still) need our girlfriends

MaryJane's Everyday Organic

Not a week goes by that we don't hear the results of another study on human behavior. These reports often try to explain present-day relationships in the context of evolutionary adaptations and the great race to survive. And it's truly interesting stuff. Up until very recently, well before the age of advanced social technology, people NEEDED each other, and not just for a pat on the back or company over a cocktail. They needed one another for basic survival. If men didn't have friends and neighbors to help them build their houses or tell them where to hunt, the family unit didn't make it. And if women didn't cozy up to other females for information and acceptance, well, they were just as doomed.

Let's all invest in Idaho

Idaho’s Secretary of State made it official last Friday. The “Invest in Idaho” citizen’s initiative is certified and ready for signatures. The people of Idaho now have the power to start investing in education again.

For now, that's who we are, Idaho

Get involved politically and hold your elected officials accountable.

ADVERTISING: Advertorial — New arrivals

With our well documented supply chain challenges and a string of great vintages from Europe we have been changing up our collection fairly frequently.

ADVERTISING: Advertorial — Those who taught you

While preparing for a dinner party of our own last week Mary was arranging flowers for the table at our home.

Celebrating our health care heroes

Spring is in the air in Coeur d’Alene and that means that the tourist season is just around the corner.

CDA Regional Chamber 2024 Scholarship Program

Coeur d’Alene Tribe continues support for third year

“Education has always been a top priority for the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, and in these uncertain times, it is even more critical to support our students. That is why the Tribe continues to step up and challenge the business community to join us in supporting our students,” said Allan.

OPINION: Is this the Republican Party we want in Kootenai County?

Bottom of May primary ballot should be top of mind

Jupiter, Saturn coming together (sort of)

All you need to know about North Idaho weather.

ADVERTISING: Advertorial — GEORGE BALLING: Updates

It is that time of year when much is happening and changes are rapidly occurring in the wine industry. The growing year is in full swing, restaurants in many parts of the country and some here at home are still closed or are reclosing, and wine supplies are still facing challenges. With so much up in the air it seemed a good time to bring wine consumers up to date on all that is going on.

An open letter to mayoral candidates

Dear

Solutions for divergent tastes

Wine choices in general and more specifically here in North Idaho continue to expand, notwithstanding some of the current supply disruptions from the implementation of initiative 1183 in neighboring Washington. As our choices expand it is only natural that our palates and desires to have new and different wines does too, resulting in shops like ours stocking more and more varietals, appellations and producers.

Willard D. James, 90

Willard D. James, 90, passed away peacefully on July 25, 2010, at Life Care Center, Coeur d'Alene. He was a very devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

Kootenai County sales lead Spokane

Those of you who also read the other newspaper in the region, read on Monday that the Spokane area experienced a 20 percent increase in January housing sales when compared to last year. That is terrific news!

When you see 'em, buy 'em

There are certain vintages that stand out in our minds as wine consumers. Those growing years that are so remarkably good that you recall them with fondness for a very long time, those that every time you have a bottle from that year you relish it. After all there will be no more! There are some that stick in your mind too as they were not so good but the good ones seem to linger longer thankfully.

Our winter and spring lineup

The holidays are behind us, the nearby mountains are covered in snow and skiing is great, winemakers are eager to kick off another year as are we here at the dinner party.

Narrowing the field

We have often mentioned that many weeks, we taste 40 or 50 wines. Our great group of local distributors does a wonderful job of putting new wines and new vintages of wines in front of us that we already know. Couple this regular flow with winemakers and importers who periodically come through town to keep us updated on all the wines they have to offer, and no wonder the numbers reach that high.

Ours is a nation in peril

You cannot control the economics of a country until you first make the populous sick and poor. This has always been the avenue of Despotic Regimes and is the same today. It is no accident that this nation continues its slide into poverty and eventual chaos in an attempt to unravel our constitution and our God-given rights.