Avenue Q & 8th (8th Generation, that is)

Boo and I had picked up tickets and were heading off to the Arts Club on Granville Island to see a play there for the first time in years. My hope was that the weather would hold so that we could have a little "picnic time" before the show.

It did. But barely.

We decided to grab some take-out from Go Fish by Vancouver's "Fisherman's Wharf" and we camped out in the little park near by and watched False Creek traffic go by - last of the boats coming in, the little ferries, a kayak or two and a gaggle of joggers - most of whom were more than willing to say how willing they'd be to stop for a break of chips and a sip of wine.

1412.  2010 8th Generation Sauvignon Blanc (Okanagan Valley)

I'm a fan of 8th Generation's Rieslings but, on this occasion, I grabbed the Sauv Blanc since I figured it would like be versatile enough to go with whatever we decided to get from Go Fish.  I'm glad to say it did - despite being a rather eclectic mix of halibut and chips and scallop tacones.

As with most of 8th Generation's wines, there isn't an awful lot of this available. The 2010 vintage only saw 435 cases produced, but that might have a bit to do with the fact that owners/winemaker/winegrower, Bernd and Stefanie Schales, actually purchased these grapes. John Schreiner recounts how Bernd took a shine to the variety while touring New Zealand and he thought they should take a stab at making some before planting some vines of his own.

One note I saw stated that a third of the wine was fermented in older oak (but not aged in the barrel) and the back label points out that the wine was aged sur lie (on its spent yeast cells) - both production methods leading to a deeper complexity to the wine. For me, the end result straddled the boldness of Kiwi Sauv Blanc and the subtleties of Sancerre.

I can go with that.

The play we saw was Avenue Q - the Broadway musical that takes Sesame Street and turns it on its head. A Broadway show that I'd heard plenty about but knew of no details, it's a show that I've long wanted to see.

I think I'll just recount the theatre's advertising blurb because it definitely hits the mark - "This is a puppet show. However, this is not your kids' puppet show as it sneaks a peek at raucous sexual congress, failed childhood stardom, excessive drinking, moving in and out of a slummy neighbourhood, investing, mix-tapes, cute creatures doing bad things, singing boxes, getting laid off, finding your purpose, getting fired, getting re-hired, ruvving someone but wanting to kirr them, exotic dancing, erotic dancing, exotic erotic dancing, homosexuality, racism, pornography, masturbation, interracial marriage, interspecies relationships (monsters and humans), roommates, coming out of the closet, coming out of your apartment, getting ahead in life, going to college, pan-handling wishing you were back in college, coming out of your shell and recycling."

Phew!

The poster outside the theatre warned of vulgarities that will induce laughter. They got that one right. I think I can sum up the show with one of the catchiest lines from one of the most memorable songs, "The Internet is For Porn" - "just grab your dick and double click."

I don't know if it was the wine beforehand but I loved it! I can't wait for a sequel.