I guess you could call us wine-os...

I know you all have missed our postings, but with the end of the semester upon me, and the end of year and the holiday season on everyone else (I haven't gotten that far yet) we just haven't had that much time to go out to eat. However, Jennifer and I have had plenty of time to drink (shocking)and I just thought you'd like to know what we've been up to lately.

Unless it's been a really bad day, our drink of choice is wine, and we've made two rather surprising discoveries lately. As much as I love 58 Degrees and other bars around town, I'm just tired of the scene lately. Sometimes I just want a good glass of wine and some nice company. My favorite for the quiet nights is the The Grand on L and 16th. If you haven't been to this little hole-in-the-wall wine bar yet, you have to give it a try. It's a literal hole-in-the-wall, in what was intended to be a parking lot kiosk. But the owners of Aioli took over and reinvented it into a great little space. Check out the amazing decor and the feeling of spaciousness. They have a relatively small list of wines that cover all parts of the world, but you can tell the wines are intentionally chosen for those who love wine. The Grand has also started serving tapas, soup, and panini from Aioli. I haven't had a chance to try them yet, but they look fantastic. I'll be sure to report back when I have.

Our other favorite place lately is Sweetwater on J in East Sac. This is mostly for location reasons, it's on both my and Jennifer's way home (sort of). The wine list is good, but not fantastic, but they do pour you a pretty good sized glass. What they lack for in selection they make up in quality; the Holly's Hill Grenache is a great choice. The service is rather hit or miss, one of our first times there our bartender was fantastic, and last night the service was rather disappointing. But the bartenders are friendly, the clientele is mostly regulars, and the ambiance is great. Check out the rotating artwork. All I've eaten here was calamari, which was delicious and had bits of friend red pepper, jalapenos, and onions.

I recommend both The Grand and Sweetwater if you're looking for a smaller, quieter place to grab a glass of wine. Definitely check out The Grand if you're downtown, and even if not, it's worth the drive.