20.08.01 - 4:28 p.m.

When I woke up this morning, I was singing "Gonna Dress You Up In My Love".

Gonna dress you up in my love
All over, all over
Gonna dress you up in my love
All over your body

What the hell is that? Did I hear it coming out of somebody's car and it got lodged in my brain? I'm always mystified by the random songs that get stuck in my head. Last week it was "going to the cha-pel and we're, gonna get marrrrrried..."

Shawn, Jenny, Angi and I went up to Napa this weekend to visit Patrick & Audrey, who work out there. They know way more about wine than anybody else I've ever met. It turns out there's a lot of parallels between the music industry and the wine industry. We got the inside scoop on what hot underground sensations are coming up-- watch for Pride Vineyards, blowin up in your area. Fuck the major labels, Pride's keepin it real...

After Pride, we visited Duckhorn and Silverado and Chandon. P. used to work at Chandon, so the champagne was flowing freely. He pointed us to an amazing deal-- there were these magnums (1.5 liters, double the size of a normal champagne bottle) that were selling for a pittance because they'd been mislabeled. We ended up buying 4 cases. 4 cases, 6 magnums to the case-- that's a lot of champagne. I am envisioning a fountain, or at least a hell of a party.

P & A's house is a work in progress. We helped sand down the front door on Sunday. They have this funny other door in the kitchen that opens out onto the yard-- except the yard is 10 feet below, and there's no stairs. Their inside walls are painted yellow and red.

When we got back on Sunday, met up with Sandeep, Triet, Jay & Laura and we went to this hip hop showcase at Velvet Lounge. Despite obscene cover ($25?! I started yelling when I heard this, but the presence of large bouncers has a strangely calming effect) it was good show. Tons of bay area mcs, highlights = amazing performance by these kids Foreign Legion, DJ Apollo from Triple Threat doing MAD tricks, beat juggling, etc. and Latyrx displaying an unearthly level of precision as they rhymed in unison. Also we saw Rasco, Motion Man, Mr. Lif, Zion I and Cocoa Brovas (nee Smif & Wesson). Had to leave before Blackalicious or the Coup played, because Laura was about to get towed.

A. is in Boston this week, visiting old friends. I wish she could have come to Napa. I've been thinking lately that maybe I don't tell her enough how much I like her. I have an aversion to sentimentality-- I think we both do-- but sometimes this keeps me from saying things I want to say.

I want to get her a present. But not jewelry, flowers, chocolate or anything corny. Any ideas? (no i will *not* get her a strip-o-gram. or a big diamond. or a 'novelty cake'... look, forget I asked)

"This grape is robust, yet finicky."