Health & Fitness
Time to Reflect on Where We Have Been and Where We Are Going
This is the time of the year that it is in between the summer and fall when I like to reflect on where we have been over the last few months and what is going to be happening in the fall and winter,
“Lately it occurs to me what a long strange trip it has been.” — Truckin’ by Grateful Dead
Sometimes I think that no truer words have been spoken. It is hard to believe that I have been in the wine and food business for 20 years, and that three months have already passed since I opened . As I am writing this, I am reflecting on all that has occurred over the past three months and even further back over the past 20 years. I never thought this is what I would be doing when I started, much less complete the circle back to owning my own wine shop. But here we are.
This is the perfect time of the year for such reflections: Summer is over, although we keep getting teased with days of high humidity and thunderstorms, and then reminders of fall show up with the brisk chill in the air. There is still that last hoorah of summer, wearing shorts and T-shirts and having that summer ale or a nice crisp Sauvignon Blanc out on the patio.
Find out what's happening in Oaktonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
But as we transition into fall, I find myself getting excited about all the fun opportunities the cooler season brings. All of the exciting flavors we can cook with — pumpkin, sweet potatoes and hearty meat dishes — bring back thoughts of home. But they also present an intricate array of flavors that are fun to pair with wines and beers from around the world.
Fall also brings the return of football — high school, college and the NFL — and my beloved Redskins (anyone else finding it hard to temper their excitement of 2-0?). Something about the crisp weather makes it easy to hang out with good friends to watch a game with a big table filled with cheeses and drips, chips and wings, and some great fall beers like Oktoberfest brews and pumpkin ales.
Find out what's happening in Oaktonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
And of course fall reminds me of using the fireplace again and sharing those quiet romantic moments with someone special. It sounds like a cheesy movie, but who wouldn’t love to share a bottle of wine while sitting in front of a crackling fire?
There are so many exciting things about fall, and we would love to help enhance any of them with the right wine or beer. Stop by and let us help you explore some of the things that make fall special. And share with us what you are looking forward to this fall.
—Bryan Gauthier
Oakton Wine Shop