Merry Christmas - Belated!

I woke up this morning realizing that I did not want to enter into the New Year with my current blog. It made me unhappy. My lack of posting I think is indicative of my poor blog. There are also problems on the administrative side which have caused me duress since the blog's inception. So, today I sat down and fixed my blog. Granted, the skyline image is temporary, I have a designer building something a bit more "happy", and the blog still needs to have all the links updated, etc.. but overall the formatting and display of information is much improved. I have to thank the Blog Chameleon for her work as I just copied it from my site in Chicago (which she designed)

BUT IT'S DONE!!!

Ok, so Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I had a very nice Christmas with my family in Michigan. I return to Minneapolis on Monday, the 29th. The new year promises to be exciting, as I finally am preparing for a move. I've been in Minneapolis for two years now and it's time to head south!

Please note, I am only the developer of this site, Wollmering & Elliott (#1 real estate team in Minnesota in 2003) will continue to service this site. They are doing a great job!! I will post the final 2003 sales update very soon.

Why am I moving? Basically, I dislike the cold and I want to start a vineyard and winery. North Carolina and eastern Tennessee have some incredible pieces of property with 5-10 acres where I can plant some grapes, and build a small winery. I've been doing lots and lots of research, and I think I am ready to start! Just small at first, maybe 1 acre planted the first year, but enough to keep me busy! Cabernet Franc and Riesling to start.

I got my loan preapproved and it appears that my girlfriend is on board for the move. It will be exciting and scary all at the same time. But that's life. Life is all about putting yourself out there, challenging the status quo and heightening the state of your being and mind! What better place than the mountains?? Hopefully Jen will like it, find a job, and all that good stuff, we'll work through it. It won't be easy on her...but she's tough!! :-) and she's young enough to weather a few storms. Me, on the other hand, I am getting old! 32 is fast approaching...yikes!!!

I will document EVERYTHING about my new adventure on this site. From site selection, to move-in, to planting, to crushing, bottling and distribution. Hopefully I will like it, because I don't have a real strong plan B at this point. It feels right this decision,and in the past when it feels right, it's been right. Hope the trend continues.

Well, 2004 is nearly upon us. It's been a rough year for many, even though the economy would say otherwise. 2004 presents many formidable obstacles including a President with no clear foreign policy and a total disregard for the environment, for those of us long time Republicans,we face a choice between a President of questionable character and intellect and a Democratic in Dean with possibly the most radical views in recent history. It will be tough either way.

My heart and prayers go out to those families who have lost loved ones overseas, while I believe this is a just and necessary occupation for our armed forces, it doesn't make death any easier to bear. Hopefully some progress will be made on establishing an Iraqi Gov't / constitution so we can get the hell out of there!

Peace!

Brent

Identity Theft 101

You've probably heard about it, maybe even known someone who has experienced it, so prepare yourself in then event your identity is stolen!

My girlfriend is considering purchasing a house in the Twin Cities (she'd better choose me as her Realtor!), I encouraged her to order her credit report online and she did. Lo and behold, it turns out there was another Jennifer in New Jersey on her credit report! Was it intentional, or a screwup on behalf of the Soc. Sec. Administration? Thankfully, the damage is minimal and reverseable, and even though you'd think the credit bureaus are smarter than that, mistakes do happen.

Here is a short guide to Identity Theft 101. Take some time to read it, someday it could happen to you...make sure you order your credit report at least once a year!

Identity Theft 101
How to keep your credit healthy and safe


Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America. According to the Federal Trade Commission, the number of identity theft incidents reached 9.9 million in 2003. These crimes are estimated to have taken the average victim $500 and 30 hours to resolve. The more you know about this crime, the better prepared you will be to guard against it.

1. Types of identity theft - Identity theft crimes range from purse snatchings to kingpin-style fraud rings.The definition of identity theft is a crime in which an imposter obtains key pieces of personal information, such as a Social Security number, in order to impersonate someone else. Identity theft can occur when someone takes your mail, steals your wallet or swipes your records from an institution. Most cases can be resolved fairly easily if they are caught early. The most serious cases of identity theft can take several years and many resources to resolve.

2. Preventative measures - The best security policy is to be aware of identity theft and cautious about where you share personal information. Check your account statements carefully each month and regularly monitor your credit reports for suspicious activity. A paper shredder can also be a powerful tool for making sure personal information and pre-approved credit offers don't end up in the wrong hands.

3. If your identity is stolen - If you suspect that your identity has been stolen, the first step is to get all the facts about the damage. Become your own detective - search your credit reports and bank accounts for clues. Contact your creditors immediately and, if the theft is serious, file a police report. If fraudulent records start to show up on your credit reports, send letters of dispute to the reporting agencies with copies of documentation supporting your claim. Keep copies of all the records and documents associated with your identity theft case for future reference.

4. Emergency contacts - When you find signs of identity theft on your credit reports, it may make sense to place a fraud alert on your credit file. With this alert, lenders should contact you by phone when someone is trying to open a new credit account or loan in your name. You only need to call one credit reporting agency if you would like to place a fraud alert on your account. As soon as the credit agency confirms your request, the other two agencies will be notified to also place alerts on your report.

TransUnion
To report fraud, call: 800-680-7289
or write: Fraud Victim Assistance Division
P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92634

Equifax
To report fraud, call: 800-525-6285
or write: P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241

Experian
To report fraud, call: 888-397-3742
or write: P.O. Box 9530, Allen TX 75013

5. Long term recovery - After you have recovered the security of your accounts, it's crucial that you guard against reoccurrences of the crime. Carefully review your account statements each month and sign up for a Credit Monitoring service that will swiftly inform you of changes to your financial profile. Keep a close eye on your financial information for at least six months after your first theft.


Brent

Manny's

Mannny's is traditionally voted one of the top steak houses in Minneapolis. It is located in the Hyatt Regency at:

Manny's Steakhouse
1300 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55403-2667
Phone: 612/339-9900

I could not find a website. The location is pretty crappy next to a souvenir shop and across from an erotic painting gallery. Oceanaire, one of my favorite restaurants, is located just down the hall.

Jen and I visited Manny's a couple of weeks ago. I thought I might want to take my parent's out for a great steak. Unfortunately, Manny's did not make the cut.

Our service was exceptional, we got a table immediately and our waiter was prompt and courteous.

I chose a 2000 Stags Leap Merlot. On our first date, Jen and I visited the upscale Aquavit (now closed)...we had a wonderful Stag's Leap that night..so we thought we'd try it again. Stag's Leap Winery is almost always a sure bet for a medium priced ($50-$100) bottle of wine.

The wine was pvery good, however, it seemed to have a slight aftertaste which grew wearisome after a couple of glasses. Truth be told, it could be a bit of snobbery on my part as well. The more I learn about wine, the more disdain I develop for merlot. It's just such a contrived grape, so much an integral necessity for mainstream wine "wannabes". Give me a nice Italian barberra or a Spanish tempranillo or even better, a 2000 Bordeaux - please! Vive vino!

So, the waiter arrives with the what I will call the "cart of excess". I have never seen such huge steaks and I have certainly never seen an Australian Lobster Tail that is so huge, it was bigger than my plate and my wallet at $120 a tail!

Needless to say the portions are extremely large. The portions are so large, that as the night progresses I grew sickened at the excess. With all the disequilibrium existing in the world today, with the huge disparity between the rich and the poor (jeez, I sound like a liberal!), it just didn't sit well that this restaurant has to build a brand out serving such huge portions. It's unnecessary and the primary reason for which I will never return.

The steaks were good, Jen really liked hers. But that's all they were - steaks. No marinade, no eruption of flavor, nothing. It was just a huge steak. I mean if the steak were not so thick, I could throw it on my grill at home and have a similar experience.

Likewise, the deserts were gargantuan. It was sick.

I'd go back to Manny's if they cut their portions in half and made some effort to dress up their meals. The prices are high, but that's what you expect at Manny's, so I can't complain about that. I think I dropped about 2 bills on that meal.

Vincent is a much better choice. A close second is Solera...read my next review to learn more about Solera..even though I have written about it before...

JD Hoyts

It's been awhile since my last post. Sorry about that! With the most recent Florida Update on Google, I've been busy testing the efficacy of the new algorithm. Anyways, I have much to write..so here goes!!!

My parents recently came to Minneapolis to visit (my sister came up from Atlanta as well!). We had a great time and ate very very well. One night we ventured out to JD Hoyts. This steak joint is just around the corner from me on 3rd Ave N and Washington. It's almost kitty corner (sp??) from the Monte Carlo -- which is a great place. To read another review about JD Hoyts go HERE.

Our experience at JD Hoyts was actually pretty good. The interior was vibrant and the noise level ok. Prices are a little elevated, but with beef prices so high right now, prices for steak are high everywhere. The portions were large, I had the pork ribs which were very good. I'm not talking about finger licking awesome ribs, but ribs that were tasty enough that you finished the entire rack. Nothing close to Vincent, but still a nice atmosphere, good service and very good food.

One last note about JD Hoyts, they do sort of nickel and dime you on the salads and potatoes. The server doesn't even tell you that they cost extra, she / he just says "would you like a salad with that? or would you like a potato with that?" That's confusing to the more budget conscious who my not have extensive fine dining experience..not too mention JD Hoyts is hardly fine dining. More of the feel of a chain joint, but with slightly better food and atmosphere.

So don't be afraid to visit JD Hoyts, it's an ok place. That should be there slogan..."JD Hoyts, a great ok place"

Brent