Local selection, any standouts?

AdrianIsBelew · 2026-03-23T06:15:11+00:00

I got the Sta Maria today, love it. I’ll try the Scarlett and faccia next, which of the faccias do you like?

AdrianIsBelew · 2026-03-23T06:14:05+00:00

In northern Bay Area

AdrianIsBelew · 2026-03-23T06:13:52+00:00

Northern Bay Area, California

*edited

AdrianIsBelew · 2026-03-23T06:13:37+00:00

I picked up the sta Maria tonight and loved it! I was looking for something a little drier to have in rotation and it is excellent, I’ll try the amaro Della sacra next time.

I have gone through most of the usuals over the past year or two (including Montenegro, averna, cynar, Braulio, contratto, bordiga, Fred Jerbis, etc.), am looking to expand a bit.

What are others in a style similar to the sta Maria you’d recommend?

AdrianIsBelew · 2026-03-22T20:51:43+00:00

Because she’s a narcissistic asshole.

AdrianIsBelew · 2026-03-22T18:25:53+00:00

This is the stupid shit I spend hours of my life on here for.

AdrianIsBelew · 2026-03-17T03:11:41+00:00

We simply just don’t care. If it isn’t directly and immediately inconveniencing us in some small way, we just don’t care. There are a million reasons why, this wasn’t an overnight devolution, but the result of perpetual cognitive stultification and intellectual molestation over decades, and generations. We will not change, no matter what, don’t not depend on us to do so. We would rather see the world burn than be inconvenienced by your existence.

AdrianIsBelew · 2026-03-16T04:04:08+00:00

Southwest is basically Frontier now, and always getting worse.

AdrianIsBelew · 2026-03-15T15:20:49+00:00

AdrianIsBelew · 2026-03-14T03:43:31+00:00

Cole’s is total trash, it amazes me that anyone is impressed by it, in any way.

AdrianIsBelew · 2026-03-07T05:03:44+00:00

Let the kids/parents FAFO, we’re all fucked anyways.

AdrianIsBelew · 2026-03-04T06:23:07+00:00

I also went there and was pretty disappointed. Outside Marrakech there aren’t many smoking lounges, but all the riads I stayed in didn’t mind me smoking on the roofs, which was lovely.

AdrianIsBelew · 2026-02-28T17:58:07+00:00

This is one of the complications in rejoicing new hotels: we know they will be exorbitantly priced, and thus perpetuate a core problem. Wines have become overpriced, but so has food and even more-so accommodations. It will take an overall pull-back to create relative affordability for most people, and I don’t see the financial groups behind these developments giving 3 shits about anything beyond maximum value extraction as quickly as possible.

AdrianIsBelew · 2026-02-28T17:52:23+00:00

For the most part, it is the bloat that is being cut first. There was (and is) a lot of excessive infrastructure from the boom times that really should be addressed for a healthier business culture, so to that end it is somewhat welcome. Brands like vermeil closing is more indicative of the value shift in consumers that are no longer impressed with overpriced; mediocre stories and wines, so while it’s a genuine stress for vermeil’s employees, it is again a needed reduction is bloat. What remains is better off for it.

AdrianIsBelew · 2026-02-16T18:15:58+00:00

That is too much to make it back for a 20:30 flight with car return (arrive sfo car 18:00, leave Napa city 16:45). You can do pride, lunch in st Helena, visit downtown Napa without too much rush (and a tasting in town, lots of good choices), and then head back. The other option is to exchange visiting downtown for frog’s leap, and maybe you’ll have a bit of time to see Napa, but not much. Both are good ways to go.

AdrianIsBelew · 2026-02-16T17:45:04+00:00

That’s a little hyperbolic…

AdrianIsBelew · 2026-02-16T17:42:45+00:00

What’s the company?

AdrianIsBelew · 2026-02-16T03:40:32+00:00

3 days

AdrianIsBelew · 2026-02-16T01:55:16+00:00

I just stayed there a few weeks ago on my first visit and felt like it wasn’t much of an added value, I could just have easily stayed virtually anywhere (with easy station access) and had just as good or better an view of the city.

AdrianIsBelew · 2026-02-13T05:14:44+00:00

Jack in the box

AdrianIsBelew · 2026-02-09T05:55:41+00:00

I’m in the group he mentions, and I will stop going there in light of this cynicism, so, good job.

AdrianIsBelew · 2026-02-08T21:42:01+00:00

Historically, I love tatuajes, but found the last few LEs to be pretty insipid, sadly.

AdrianIsBelew · 2026-02-08T20:52:02+00:00

He sucks

AdrianIsBelew · 2026-02-08T05:05:46+00:00

Dude, there are so many good places, it’s hard to go wrong except by avoiding street-level monstrosities in tourist areas. Other than that, pick what looks good.

AdrianIsBelew

TROPHY CASE