Coming from Brenda, who usually has more biting (and more interesting) things to say about people, I was mightily enticed to get over to meet the famous sommelier.

After a beautiful walk over the Roosevelt Road bridge in the warm sun, going past my favorite views of the Roosevelt Collection, the Riverside Park/formerly Tony Rezko (a guy Brenda usually wouldn't have very nice things to say about) land and all the railroad tracks of the Metra and Amtrak--not to mention the south branch of the Chicago River--I arrived at Dominick's, which I have to admit I don't visit very often. But after sampling the freebees this morning--chocolate covered apples, tart cherries, etc.--and buying a darned good iced Starbucks right in the store, I plan to go more often.

I was disappointed when the manager told me Alpana was arriving with Mayor Daley in the afternoon to kick off Taste of Chicago at the store, but he told me to wait while he made sure, and then he came back and apologized, "no, I'm wrong; she's here right now in the liquor department." Just like Brenda said.

I rushed over after picking up a Taste of Chicago brochure filled with the coming attractions starting next week, and there she was, sitting all by her lonesome at one of those small, but high cocktail tables in the wine department. I told her my friend Brenda said she was one of the nicest people she'd ever met and I came to see what all the fuss was about. Two wine salesmen from the department encouraged me to buy some wine, and handed me a six-pack holder for six wines and a 10 percent discount.

I had the great sommelier right there in front of me, not to mention a big TV personality, as well as a member of the Lettuce Entertain You family, so I asked for a recommendation. Without missing a beat, she grabbed a couple of bottles of Alamos Malbec, which she said was a great value and a great wine. She pointed out the beautiful vista imprinted on the label and said that is how the view really looks from the winery. And she signed both labels. I took them.

Then Singh went on to explain that she'd been to the Argentinean winery twice, which was 5,000 feet in the air at the foot of the Andes. I asked her if she had any trouble breathing while she was there.

No trouble breathing, she said. But her left foot swelled up both times she was there. "I think it's the minerals in the water that does it," she speculated. "It's something I am drinking there that gives me 'elephantiasis.' It doesn't happen when I go to Chile. Just in Argentina."

Interesting information. Forthcoming. She was really nice.

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By Fluffy de Crossharbour from Winnetka
Posted: 06/20/2010 7:48 AM

B: you are the absolute BEST. Alpana, a most enchanting sommelier, would no doubt have chuckled at the 6-pack/wine proposal by the Dominic's wino salesmen. To life! L'chaim! Cin D'an!

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By Frances from Glenveiw
Posted: 06/19/2010 10:03 PM

I heard her speak when her book came out a couple years ago and she was delightful. Lucky you had a one-on-one conversation.