The Music Wasn't Live, But It Was Mine

News flash: I did not go hear live music tonight for the first time since I got home from vacation. Instead I listened to a mix of music which I had created while I ate, drank and talked the night away (imagine!). I'm guessing that Richmond's live music scene went on without me tonight and if not, I'm hoping someone will notify me otherwise.

I decided to spend the evening at Secco but after my last frenzied visit, had the sense to arrive early enough to score a bar stool. It wasn't my favorite stool, but it beat standing all evening and dodging servers. Naturally the first thing I noticed when I sat down was that the music was too low, but before I could even say anything, I saw Julia go to the stereo, put on the Karen mix and up the volume. I took that to mean, " let the evening begin."

I glanced down the bar and noted four glasses of pink to my right, a sight I rarely see at a local bar. Accordingly, I asked Farouk for the 2009 Cuilleron Syrah Rose "Sybel" VDP de Collines Rhodaniennes, if only to add a fifth pink to the bar landscape. With it I ordered the panzanella, a personal favorite during tomato season; it's such an ideal use of ripe tomatoes and old bread.

All at once I noticed that the music had disappeared, or at least the volume had dropped noticeably and asked Farouk where the music was. Dramatically clutching my hand on the bar, he said earnestly, "You are my music." I rolled my eyes and he went over and re-upped the volume, abandoning the high drama.

I was ready for a cheese course by this point and took Julia's recommendation to try the quadrello di bufala, a rustic, semi-soft Italian water buffalo cheese and with it a 2009 Chateaux Prodeaux Ban de Rose. 100% mouvedre, it was promised to be intense and ageable, two things I personally aspire to. It was indeed a lovely combination and I can't remember the last time I had water buffalo anything.

There was a girls' night out group next to me and a buxom late arrival, when handed the wine list, immediately handed it back without so much as a glance at it and said, "Got any Sauvignon Blanc?" prompting a look of disbelief on Farouk's face, but he nodded. "Gimme one of those," she requested. Somehow I think the wine bar experience was being wasted on her.

As usual, the place was hopping before long, hosting everyone from the musical Prabir and friend to a couple of nuns. Julia and I talked about the beauty of reading vacations, her new found love for liver and why dresses are cooler than pants on sweltering days, even for tomboys, and those are just the topics I can mention.

For my last course, I had a glass of the Crivelli Ruche di Castagnole Montferrato to accompany the fried squash blossoms stuffed with burrato over pecan wood-smoked tomato sauce that an earlier bar sitter had recommended. The light-bodied red put a nice period to my string of pink without taking my palate too far afield. It was a happy ending to an extended and satisfying meal.

I'm not sure that anyone else appreciated the Karen mix quite as much as I did tonight, but perhaps music isn't as central to their enjoyment as it is to mine. It's a fine thing when you have your chosen music waiting for you on arrival at your local wine bar.

Even better when the food and wine are as well done as the soundtrack. Go team.