The Musings of Ron Kapon

Marilyn Merlot and the Naked Grape

I recently received a press release from an old friend Patricia Schneider. We go way back to her days working for Wine Institute, the trade association representing California wineries. Now heading her own marketing and public relations firm, Patricia Schneider Associates, her newest client is Nova Wines, the Napa Valley producer of the Marilyn Merlot. I have always believed what is in the bottle is important but a beautiful and informative label helps sell the wine. For years I have enjoyed the wine that is bottled under the Marilyn Merlot label and now I know the whole story thanks to Patricia’s press release.

The 2004 sample I received is the twentieth vintage of Marilyn Merlot. The Sam Shaw 1953 photo portrait that graces the label shows Marilyn in a gown she wore in the movie How to Marry a Millionaire. The wine will be released on June 1^st, Marilyn Monroe’s birthday. Entirely grown and bottled in the Napa Valley, the wine is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged for 12 months in oak, with a suggested retail price of $26.

The idea for a line of wines glorifying Marilyn Monroe, America's sweetheart, was conceived in 1983 (1985 was the first vintage) at the Napa Valley home of Bob & Donna Holder.   Royalties from sales are distributed to the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in New York and Los Angeles and to the Anna Freud Centre in London.   Marilyn Wines has an exclusive agreement with the Monroe estate for the use of her name and image.   There is also a Marilyn Cabernet Sauvignon ($38), Norma Jeane- a Young Merlot ($10.50) and a Marilyn Velvet Collection ($250 for a 1.5 liter bottle in a black presentation box).

For more information you can go to www.marilynwines.com - (866) MMWINES or contact your local wine shop.

The bottom of the press release mentioned “Marilyn Monroe and the Naked Grape” which is the title of a new book by Peter F. May (creator of www.winelabels.org ) from Quirk Books of Philadelphia ($16.95) that features over 100 unusual wine labels and odd wines from around the world.  “This book celebrates those who have rejected pomposity and created wines with amusing names and clever labels.”  There is a winery profile, tasting notes, and a full-color reproduction of each label.  What one should appreciate are the addresses, phone numbers and websites (where available) for all the wineries mentioned in the book.

Look for the following: The Ball Buster, Big Ass Red, Cleavage Creek, Fat Bastard, Old Fart, Screw Kappa Napa, White Trash White and more.  “It does not mean an amusing name or colorful wine label disguises an inferior wine.”  I give the book a 95.

Fifty Years and Counting

In my July 2005 posting I spoke about turning 70. The other day I was privileged to attend both the Columbia College Class Day for the Class of 2006 & the following day the 252^nd Commencement of Columbia University and the Class of 2006. Why would that be of any interest to my readers?  I graduated Columbia College in 1956 (and the Graduate School of Business in 1957) so 2006 was my 50^th reunion. Besides a weekend of festivities, including a wine tasting I am conducting for my classmates, the 50^th anniversary of our graduation is cause for celebration at Columbia and most other institutions of higher learning. At Class Day we were invited to march at the head of the line carrying our 1956 banner. At the end of the ceremony we were honored to hand out class pins to the approximately 1,000 members of the Class of 2006. Senator John McCain was the Keynote Speaker, followed by Austin E. Quigley, the Dean of the College & Lee C. Bollinger, the President of the University. Why was this day so memorable to me and my fellow classmates? The day would have been perfect for Noah and his ark. It did not just rain; it poured and we were stage left in the open and getting drenched . As the student’s names were called they came forward to shake the hand of President Bollinger and, exiting left, there we were six members of the Class of 1956 soaked to the skin. Some held umbrellas over their heads but I found it near impossible to hold an umbrella, pass a pin to a graduate and shake his or her hand. So I closed the umbrella and stood fast & wet handing and shaking. When I went home that afternoon on the subway I was dripping wet with a swollen right hand but loving the whole experience.

The next day the sun was out and once again the Class of 1956 was honored to head the processional in full academic regalia as Pomp & Circumstance played. It has been 50 years since I last wore Cape & Gown, with tassel. We were in the second row just behind the deans of the various divisions of the university. Seated to our left were those receiving Honorary Degrees, the University Medal for Excellence, the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Teaching, and Alumni Medalists. President Bollinger gave The Commencement Address followed by the Conferring of Degrees for all the schools of the university. Besides the graduates, there were family and friends that I now understand numbered over 30,000.  The first commencement of King’s College, as Columbia University was first called, was held on June 21, 1738, in St. George’s Chapel on Beekman Street. Seven men were graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, and four honorary degrees were conferred. Since 1898 Commencement has been held on the campus at Morningside- at first in the University gymnasium, and since 1926 out of doors on LowPlaza. The Academic Costume worn now was originated in the middle Ages when a warm gown and hood were useful for scholar and cleric in unheated buildings.

I am looking forward to my 75^th reunion in 2031 when I will be 95 and ready to once again march.

Stick It To Me / Stop Needling Me

On  January 21^st 2006 I had angioplasty and a stent inserted in a blood vessel leading to my heart. The side effects of the medication I was taking seemed to bother me more than the actual operation (for all the facts read my blogs of February 7^th & March 21^st). We are now at the end of May and my body seems to have adjusted but that does not mean I like what is and is not happening. I bruise and bleed easily due to the medication (blood thinner) that I need to keep my stent working. Loss of blood creates a condition known in eastern medicine as blood deficiency. One of the functions of blood is to feed the tendons. When the tendons don’t get enough nourishment they become stiff. When energy (known as Qi in eastern medicine) can not move smoothly through tight muscles it results in more muscle tension and pain. What I needed was treatment to relax the muscles, produce more blood to feed the tendons, move the Qi and stop the pain.

A bit of arthritis and years of bad posture have caused a slight case of Scoliosis. I learned that poor posture can result from the habit of holding muscles tight for an extended period of time while others weaken. Circulation of blood in the tight muscles is often impaired (try to hold a fist for five minutes and you will understand what I mean). Oxygen and nutrients are not being delivered and things that are toxic to the tissues are not being eliminated at the proper rate; hence we have pain. For help I have a person coming to my apartment once a week to work with me on stretching and yoga exercises. I am using my stationary bicycle every day and now that the weather is warmer I have begun riding my bicycle through the park. I realized I needed more and found out my next door neighbor was a very well-known acupuncturist who had been featured in New York Magazine. Understand I can not stand the sight of blood (mine or anyone else’s) nor needles and can not even watch ER or CSI on TV.

 

Galina Semyonova is a Moscow native who moved to New York City (and met her soul-mate) 17 years ago. She employs Eastern medicinal techniques along with her superfine sterile needles (I never felt the insertions) to stimulate and heal painful areas. She also uses a S.C.E.N.A.R (Self-Controlled Energo Neuro Adaptive Regulation) that looks like a TV remote control and was developed for the Russian space program to overcome health problems in space travel. It uses electrical signals to stimulate the nervous system and teaches the body to heal itself at a very fast rate. Is it science or fiction? I will let you know as I continue treatments. Go to www.vitalgate.net for more information.