This Sunday read will be a much more personal read than the usual, I hope you don’t mind. I realized Friday evening that my comments count reached over 1,000. While I am well aware that a lot of those are my own (but less than half), it still brought a very important point home to me: What a wonderfully engaging crowd I have found since I started this. In my About page I wrote that I was trying to get a conversation going with you, my readers, and thanks to you all this has actually happened! Thank you for that.
Also, these discussions have enriched my wine experience. The TBA discussion under my Gunderloch Tasting Part 2 post (read the comments here) has definitely broadened my horizons in ways that I did not anticipate. That is just one example, but there are many more.
I just want to take the time to say thank you for reading, for commenting and for engaging with me. It means a lot. You have made this site better and more fun than I ever imagined possible.
Another thing that this whole blogging has brought is new friendships. Over the last weeks, I met with local bloggers: Josh over at Sipology, John over at The Food and Wine Hedonist and, just last week, with John over at The Wine Raconteur (btw, does ones first name have to start with a J to make it in the booze-blogosphere??). Each experience was unique and fun and good. I relished meeting these people that I had gotten to know, more or less, through their writing. It gave us a connection, it made conversation flow easily and was a lot of fun. I am very much looking forward to more of them.
Now, and that is were the personal read comes in, John (The Wine Raconteur) wrote up our meeting that we had with our wives last week. It seems like he had a great time, just as we did and it might be interesting for you to get another’s perspective on me (take it with a grain of salt, it is way too flattering). The meeting brought it all home once more: For me, life and blogging and anything I do is about personal connections. They are what matters. And it was somehow awesome to talk with a “stranger” and be able to say “Oh, I know that about you.” Because I did.
If you have not checked out John’s blog, give it a try. He writes about experiences with wine, restaurants and old Detroit in an inimitable way which makes him deserving of the blog title The Wine Raconteur.
Two Bloggers and Their Brides (and a Tokay)
With that, I leave you on this Sunday. I hope you survived the snow at the East Coast, and enjoy cold or sunny, wherever you are. Again, thanks for making this blog so much fun!
The Wine Raconteur: An Evening of Two Bloggers and Their Brides
the winegetter 
[…] of you may remember the dinner I had with my fellow blogger and wine friend John, The Wine Raconteur, earlier this year. John, being the wonderfully generous man that he is brought us a bottle of wine […]
[…] right in line with my recent praises of this wonderful community I have found through blogging (see here). Some of you know my constant complaining (and might actually be sick of it by now) about the […]
[…] right in line with my recent praises of this wonderful community I have found through blogging (see here). Some of you know my constant complaining (and might actually be sick of it by now) about the […]
I am big fans of both thewineraconteur and thefoodandwinehedonist, but Sipology is new to me—thanks for pointing it out!
Sure thing! Glad to point out new blogs. And I sure hope I can add you to the list of friends yet unseen. :) Summer, right?
Oh how fun! I’m totally jealous that you are meeting fellow bloggers! And, while I don’t write a booze blog, my name begins with an M and I’m a booze hound. Does that count?! Cheers!
That makes me feel so much better about my O. Thanks! :) And you are definitely an honorary booze side effects blogger! It is fun meeting bloggers. I hope our paths will cross someday.
I’m honored to be in the honorary booze club. And fingers are crossed in meeting you and Nina!
“…anything I do is about personal connections. They are what matters.” Amen, brother. Those are words to live by. Thank you for putting it into words!
Thank you, my dear. Coming from you, it means even more for me.
What a fun read! Isn’t it amazing what blogging and social media do for us? If it wasn’t for blogging, we would have never met (online, that is). I love straying from the norm so that we get to know each other on a more personal level. Great post!
Thank you so much! I very much appreciate it and you. It is an exciting ride for sure.
Hey, it really was great meeting you in person and I totally agree about the connections.
I haven’t even to Amadeus in years, but I recall its considerably better than the JMaican Jerk Pit we went to!!
Hahaha, yes, that is definitely true. The Jerk Pit was a bit weird…the food at Amadeus reminded me of my grandma’s homely cooking and she wasn’t even from Eastern Europe…so, definitely worth going to.
It’s so good to see that you made new friendships via blogging. I red about your evening with John a few days ago on the wine racounteur. Very nice that you met him and that you enjoyed a wonderful evening together :)
We’ll still have to do that as well, Julian. Next time I’m in Germany we better work on that!
I agree!
That would be fun for sure :)
How lovely to discover that it really is all about connecting, and that there are people who understand that the “profit” of connecting is more valuable when it isn’t about personal “gain,” but about sharing, understanding and friendship. (I just revisited the philosophy that while friendship is one of the basic requirements for happiness, luxury is not, and fame and power are not only not necessary, but unnatural).
I’m off to read John’s blog now.
I so agree, Tracy. And it sure helps to have a first connector (like wine) and then expand from there…I am sure you will enjoy John’s blog!
Oliver,
Enjoy the warm weather, and a good chance to enjoy some new wines. Thank you for your kind notes and the link. My Bride and I, both enjoyed yours and Nina’s good company. Until the next time.
– John
Thank you, John! Will do. We’ll see you when I am back.
Way to go, Oliver! Congrats on the 1,000 comments and thank you for pointing out the “3J’s” blogs, I will certainly check them out.
My favorite quote from your post is “it made conversation flow”: you could not have picked a better verb to describe a conversation among wine bloggers!!! ;-)
Take care
Haha, thanks Stefano. It just came to me. :)