I love a good race almost as much as a great story and the TdF this year is unfolding in underdog form. Every day since July 3rd I have been tuned into the Versus channel amazed at the minds and bodies of these cyclists and taking in the scenery of France. To see Lance in attack mode is a reminder you have to take the bull by the horns and make it count out of all you've got. Lance Armstrong is a symbol of hope for spectators. It's not just about being the fastest cyclist and winning a stage, it is for the cyclist that perseveres against all odds and doesn't give up. Every step in life, every day and every stage is a challenge and a reminder not give up hope when the odds are stacked against it.

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When I was in France for 3 weeks I ate the best meals of my life. Their sheer passion in food is reason enough to plan a visit. Their meals are amazing because it is the best quality that it can be. It's like they all have these neon signs flashing over them that reads, "Je ne mange mieux, mettre vos ourdures pour les touristes"; obvious only if you can read French. I didn't see many overweight people in France!

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I missed the whole red wine affair at the legendary 1winedude.com but spent some time reading up on the posts from the participants. Very fun indeed. Therefore, I wanted to add my notes to the challenge of what red wine I would introduce to an exclusive stodgy white wine only drinker. jk White wine drinkers are not known for liking tannins so something smooth and silky is ideal. This is not an easy task. The temperature of the wine must be ideal around 60-65 degrees F.

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Over the weekend I wanted to celebrate the 1st day of Spring by making one of my specialties in anticipation of the more agreeable weather. We sort of have strawberries coming out of our ears from the festival in Plant city; therefore, I thought I would show them off wrapped in delicate crepes.

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Vu jà dé; the feeling I've never done this before.

My convection oven gives me numerous reasons to bake. Having never before tried a chocolate souffle let alone baked one on my own, I felt reckless abandon take over and aimed myself directly at the mixing bowls.

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With last night's storm howling along, I decided an in your face wine was appropriate for the occasion. I reached for the edgy flavor found in the Rhone region of France. It is a cheaper alternative to Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Muscular indeed, drinking this wine you need backbone. Spicy, leathery, soulful. Mostly grenache with 20% syrah. It might make you say things like, "batten down the hatches!"

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Built for the World Exhibition in 1889 to celebrate the French Revolution in 1789; the Eiffel Tower was only meant for the duration of the exposition. Today, it still stands despite all protests and concerns of this not fitting in with the architecture of Paris.

At night the Eiffel Tower becomes an illuminated visual display of twinkling lights. This too was meant only for the year 2000. Again, it was so admired they decided to leave them in place. The tower rises 300 meters tall (or 984 ft). It's almost comical how the large dominating structure is, and yet illusive to so many visitors. Catching glimpses and reflections in moving car windows teases me. How can something this big be so hard to spot? We turned many corners and grew embarrassed by frustration. Then, as more one turn was made the Iron Maiden was upon us looming larger that ever.

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Several years ago we traveled to France and stayed a couple of weekends in Paris. Like many of the great cities it has a few drawbacks but they are dwarfed by the positives. Paris would not be Paris without the river Seine. All big cities rely on rivers for transporting goods and the city is built around the Seine. Though a touristy thing to do, we found ourselves taking the boat ride in the evening with the city of lights all a glow.

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This is my late afternoon and I'm getting no arguments from neighbors. I called up my friend who was finishing the last of a long holiday weekend and suggested a Fume Blanc out on their deck before they head back up north. This is a great season transition wine because it's still to be enjoyed chilled outside late afternoon or surrounded by the stars at night. And if you're lucky, the sounds of cicadads or chirping crickets are long gone for you to enjoy the quiet escape.

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