Monday – November 29, 2004 – Vices of Age

Monday – November 29, 2004 – Vices of Age

I celebrated my 59th birthday today but the actual date is still a couple of days away—yep a Sagittarian. On the bright side, we're optimistic and freedom loving, jovial and good-humored, honest and straightforward, and intellectual and philosophical. On the dark side we’re blindly optimistic and careless, irresponsible and superficial, and tactless and restless. That’s what the astrological definition says at least.

It was a wonderful birthday party at my older daughter M’s house. Nothing compares to being among your children and grandchildren to make you feel alive and worthwhile. We had a small fudge-frosted chocolate cake, which for the first time ever—I think—both my grandchildren ate with abandon. My daughters and I are both chocolate addicts. My wife “I” can take it or leave it. G, M’s husband is of the same mind as “I”. And up to now our grandchildren seem to be in the take-or-leave it camp. But if tonight is any indication, we may have two more chocoholics among us.

However, we did provide a temptation that would be hard for even those among us who are not addicted to chocolate to resist. The cake was from the Prolific Oven, which for my money makes the best fudge-frosted chocolate cake in the Bay Area. The Prolific Oven has been around for at least 20 years and we’ve celebrated many a birthday with one of their cakes.

During high school our younger daughter R had a job at a place called Cocolat. During the time R worked there, we had many wonderful chocolate truffles from the store. It was a pity that the place had to close down. At this time of year, we enjoyed Cocolat’s Bouche de Noel immensely and have not found one of its equal since.

Chocolate is one of the three vices I still permit myself. I gave up smoking right before our oldest daughter M was born. I had started when I was 16 believing that it was an integral part of being a man. I gave it up just after turning 21 when it became obvious, to me at least, that the habit was crippling my lung capacity. Curiously, my dad, who started smoking when he was 18 after joining the Army, gave it up when he was in his fifties—cold turkey after thirty years. The man has incredible will power.

My other two vices are wine, particularly sparkling wine—champagne on special occasions—and coffee. I like to grind my own beans and I’m always on the lookout for new coffee suppliers. In the Bay Area, Peet’s is a great source of interesting choices. In Southern California, Diedrich’s provides a great selection, but it’s the roasting where their coffee shines. In Seattle, the coffee I’m currently hooked on is Vivace.

The reason I bring up my vices is that they were the presents that I received this birthday: four selections of Vivace coffee, from M, and an assortment of Dana Point, California-based Bodega chocolates from R. My wife “I” treated us to the Prolific Oven cake. As for the sparkling wine, I bought myself a case of Piper Sonoma Brut at Pier 1—what a deal at $9.85 a bottle.

I figured that since this is my last year before turning 60, I might as well indulge the vices I can still enjoy to the hilt.