10th Anniversary Komen NC Triangle Race for the Cure in Raleigh

On June 10, 2006, the Triangle Penn State Chapter will be participating in the 10th Anniversary Komen NC Triangle Race for the Cure in Raleigh with a great team of dedicated people.

Join the fight by registering as part of our team or by supporting our efforts with a pledge contribution. The money raised through the Race will fund vital education, screening and treatment programs for underserved women in our own community and will also support the national search for a cure.

Please click on the link below to visit the Race Registration Page. To register with the Penn State Alumni of the Triangle team, just search for our team on the first page and follow the steps outlined on the website.

We will be participating in the "Open Recreational 5K for Teams", a non-timed co-ed 5K run and walk. Families are welome and only adults over the age of 16 need to register.

Following the Race, we will all convene at Pullen Park in Raleigh for our annual Chapter Picnic. More details about the Chapter picnic will follow in a separate post and email.

Jeff Blum

Blue and White Game at Oh' Mulligans

About noon today I received a rather ecstatic email (or so it seemed) from the Chapter's president, Jeff Blum, to inform me that Oh' Mulligans is showing the Penn State Blue and White game on Saturday.

So at 2 p.m. this coming Saturday (4/22) at Oh' Mulligans, please come out and join us for the Blue and White game.

While 2 p.m. is the official time, we always suggest showing up a bit earlier to get a good seat.

The official PSU news release is here.

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In my other cybertravels today, I came across this photo of the very talented Neko Case. Ms. Case has recently released Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, which is receiving a bit of favorable critical attention.

photo credit: Ryan Dombal

CANCELED -- Return of Triangle Big Ten Golf -- CANCELLED

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED.

We are proud to present the return of the Triangle Big 10 Clubs' golf tournament. After a two year hiatus, the tournament will be held back at an old favorite, Riverwood Golf Club in Clayton. Of course, we will be including the skill events, prizes, and big barbeque dinner that have become so famous at our previous outings.

The tournament will be held on Sunday, May 21st at 1 p.m. with the meal following golf. Cost is $55 per player, but entries postmarked before May 5th are only $50 per player. So please get your entries in soon.

To enter, fill out the entry form and mail it with your check (payable to "Big 10 Alumni") to Dan Stahlman at 411 Gablefield Lane, Apex NC, 27502.

Teams should have at least 3 Big 10 alumni, but if you don't have a full team, please don't let that discourage you from entering.

We are also looking for pairs and singles, and we will match you with other Penn Staters if possible.

Also note that ALL SKILL LEVELS ARE WELCOME. This tournament is about fun and camaraderie more than competition.

Contact Dan -- phone 919-363-2065 or email stahlman@psualum.com -- or Lori --mailto:--lmachara@earthlink.net -- for more details.

ENTRY FORM

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Had to throw this in from GoPSU about Tamba Hali, a pretty amazing and inspiring story.

Defensive end Tamba Hali, a consensus 2005 All-American for the Nittany Lions, is featured on the cover of the April 21 edition of The Sporting News. The national sportsweekly is available on newsstands today.

Hali's life story of growing up in war-torn Liberia, joining his father, Henry in the United States and his efforts to bring his mother, Rachel Keita, and other family members to the U.S. are featured in the magazine.

From Teaneck, N.J., Hali was instrumental in helping Joe Paterno's squad (11-1) win the Big Ten and FedEx Orange Bowl titles last season and rank first or second in the conference in five primary defensive categories.

PSU Wine Tasting Recap

The idea behind Saturday’s Triangle Chapter wine tasting came from a somewhat famous wine-tasting that took place 30 years ago (give or take a decade). Without getting into the specifics, simply because I do not know them, this was the first wine tasting where the California wines were ranked higher than the French wines. A guy that I work with told me this story and it ignited the idea behind Saturday’s tasting.

Being a wine novice myself, a few years removed from picking up anything with a pretty label, I wanted to taste the difference first hand and invite more than a dozen Penn Staters to go along for the journey.

The Wine Merchant hosted the event, which compared California and French versions of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Merlot.

These are the wines and what follows are my own notes (I try to think what I would be doing with a particular wine or where it would taste the best—it’s not very academic).

1. Pedroncelli-Chardonnay

This tastes like a party on a rooftop in Olde City Philadelphia during fall. The world series is about to start, the Phillies are, of course, well out of the race so the only thing to do is hope McNabb stays healthy and gets the Eagles back into shape.

2. Olivier Leflaive-Bourgogne (Chardonnay)

This is the wine I drink when I’m in between chapters of my novel. It’s raining. I sit at an open window with my feet on the sill, watching the rain through the glare of the street light outside. The telephone rings. I don’t answer. I know who’s on the other end.

3. Leaping Lizard-Pinot Noir

This is a complete picnic wine. No food needed, maybe some cheese. The grass is lush and freshly cut. There’s a cool breeze that keeps the insects away. Reminds me of Katherine Hepburn in Philadelphia Story.

4. Joseph Faiveley-Bourgogne (Pinot Noir)

Jazz club-a very loud, smoky, jazz club is a seedy neighborhood in a place where a lot of expatriates hang out and read Proust.

5. Clos De Bois-Merlot

I could be doing all of the above with this wine and then some.

6. Chateau Rocher Cap de Merle-Bordeaux

This was by far my favorite of the evening. Brian and I finished off the bottle while everyone else was shopping. This is a great wine for hanging out with friends. I smile thinking about it.

I'd like to do another wine tasting in the upcoming months, perhaps explore Chile? If you have any thoughts, please note them in the comment section.

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After the wine tasting I went to the Irregardless Cafe for dinner. If you haven't been there, I highly recommend the experience (and making reservations). There was live music and great food--Red Snapper and Grouper especially. The hit song of the evening--As Time Goes By--the dance floor was packed. Classic.

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Check out the calendar section for the information on the golf outing. I'll have more about that on Thursday.

Wine Tasting - Saturday April 7, 2006

WHO: Triangle Chapter and Penn State Alumni

WHAT: Taste testing of 3 French wines compared to 3 California wines. Pinot, Merlot, and Chardonnay.

WHERE: The Wine Merchant in Raleigh Directions

WHEN: 6 p.m. Saturday 4/8/06
The event will last roughly 1.5 hours.

HOW: $10 per person. You can pay at the door. Cash or check please.

I hope I'm not forgetting anything. If you can please let me know you're coming at rcc3nc@yahoo.com. If you don't RSVP, don't let it stop you from coming, we'll be happy to see you.

One last thing I'd like to mention. This weekend (Sat. and Sun.) is the Durham Art Walk. My wife and I have gone for the past couple years and have always enjoyed it. Durham's a great town and invite you to check it out: http://www.durhamartwalk.com/.

That's all for me now, I'm not going to bug you again until it's time for me to announce the Big Ten Golf Outing that's being held on May 21.