In Search of the Champagne Life
by Jennifer Barnick

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Hats Off Old Souls

 

            Well today marks a great milestone for The Better Drink and for me personally.   For today (some time this afternoon), our second issue will be launched.   The Fall Issue has been a great challenge and adventure.   Two new sections—fiction and our Marcia Reed Virtual Gallery—will be introduced.   Several American wineries have been tapped—our two main features are an interview with Westport River Winery's Rob and Bill Russell and a great American survey of sparkling wine makers—and almost all of the wineries have been incredibly kind and took the time to really talk to us…the little magazine that could.   For those of you who do not know:   in addition to writing this column I am also the editor for this magazine.   A job, I must admit, I took hesitantly from Dr. Smith in the spring of 2004.   Since, I have rapidly had to learn (from incredible mistakes and disasters) how to be a good magazine editor.   And while I am still a baby-beginner I know enough to say that this magazine would not be possible without the incredible help from many others' efforts.   In one of my final emails to one of the writers I wrote,   “The Better Drink is truly a labor of love for Tim and I, and a labor of our friend's love for us…I feel so grateful.”   So, with all that said, I would like to take some time to say thank you and to personally introduce some really great writers and saints.

            To Janet Fallo, writer of this issue's Passion Forum:   I salute you.   Janet was my writer who said she could not write, and then wrote beautifully.   Janet is a great old friend of mine back from the days I lived in the Finger Lake Region of New York.   I will tell you two personal things about Janet:   she is very funny and laughs more than any person I have ever known and she throws outrageously fun parties.   Thank you Janet and to all our readers—I know you will enjoy her piece.   It is very inspirational—particularly for those of us that are not so fulfilled by our day jobs—and yet are not ready to fully let our day job go.

            To Anna Luciano, writer of this issue's Hello (of HelloGoodbye).   Wow, Anna is very young, but her writing is not—nor is her sense of professionalism.   Anna wins for being the most upbeat, on time, and put-together writer I have ever met (including myself).   Her writing is wonderful and required very little of my assistance.   Anna approached me first just to say she loved my column and then informed me that she wrote a column for her college newspaper.   I instantly gave her an assignment and am profoundly glad I did.   I am also grateful and excited that she will also be contributing to our Holiday issue (due out Nov. 15).   So, welcome aboard The Better Drink Anna!

            To Mark Kernaghan…a true sparkling wine champion if there ever was one.   Mark is our wine reviewer.   I have known Mark for many years, and he is like me—a strange mix of very shy and very gregarious.   In more intimate settings he is a bright star that shines above all else, yet in bigger crowds he's touchingly overwhelmed (we really bonded at a wedding where either one of us knew many people—we both felt bashful and stuck to each other like glue).   Mark is probably one of the most well read, well traveled, and socially experienced person I know, and I feel both honored and excited to learn from him being our magazine's wine reviewer.

            To Dave Brown (or Big Dave Brown as I call him):   what can I say?   In our fall issue Dave writes the Goodbye (of HelloGoodbye).   Dave is also a gifted poet who wrote poetry for us in our Summer issue.   Dave has been a friend of mine for years.   We bonded through literature.    We used to have “literary lunches” in which, we would have a long, wine soaked lunch and read over each other's newest work.   We have both grown as writers, and it has been an amazing experience to be his editor and publisher today.   I love Dave dearly, and he is someone I definitely talk and drink with until dawn when he comes into town.   Dave is one of the most warm, friendly, and fun persons I know.   Him being a part of The Better Drink family truly makes us one of the cooler magazines around!   Dave will also be writing a debuting new column for our upcoming Holiday issue called “Under the Gold Light—true tales of drinking champagne”.

            To Elizabeth Olejyink (a.k.a. Tim's mom).   Elizabeth is one of our poets for this issue, and in our Summer issue she not only wrote the introduction to the feature article about Dr. Lempert, she spent hours answering questions and researching all she could regarding Dr. Lempert.   Elizabeth has been writing poetry all of her life and has taken many advanced courses in writing.   She is soft, and a little shy and it took some convincing to get her to submit some of her poetry.   As an editor I am extremely proud to publish work of such beauty and accomplishment, and I shall be dedicated to “pulling more good teeth out of her”.   She has been a great moral and financial support (she actually purchased the needed software to build the website), and in many ways we could not be here without her.   I profoundly thank you Elizabeth…for everything.

            To Robert Slattery—our beloved Poet in Residence.   I have known Bob for many years, and to be honest he almost defies description.   He is one of the coolest dudes I have ever known in my life.   He is at once warm, friendly, hilarious, authentic, generous, tender, tough, rebellious, brilliant, and playful.   I have toasted the sunrise countless times with Bob, and I always felt full—not spent, after one of our “sessions”.   He is a total jazz-head like myself and has shared some unbelievable recordings and anecdotes involving him or other jazz musicians (Bob is also a drummer).   Bob began writing poetry a little later in life than many writers, yet his wisdom and immense life experience shines clearly through his poetry.   Bob I thank you, and as long as this magazine continues, I shall publish any poems you give me.   I love you man.

            To Rose Tolstoy—Rose is our youngest contributor.   She is my very best friend in the world, and I love her dearly.   I have known her for nearly six years and since the day we met we have been nearly inseparable.   Besides her poem in the Fall IIssue, Rose has contributed countless hours of “ear time”.   She has calmly listened to all my trials and tribulations regarding the magazine and always manages to pull me out of my funk.   She is an exceptional beauty and has a curious fondness (bordering on obsession) with bats.   Her poem is actually about bats.   She is very funny, and so is her poetry.

            To Andreas Matern—I salute you.   Andreas is our “King Pin” writer.   He wrote the largest and toughest assignment for the Fall issue.   In it, he interviewed Bill and Rob Russell of the Westport Rivers Winery.   Andreas is both a gifted writer and interviewer.   He is also a profound world traveler and extremely busy professional, and it has been of great effort and sacrifice on his part contributing to our magazine.   I am truly grateful.   Andreas also did the interview in our debut, Summer issue.   Andreas is a personal friend of mine, and he his a mix of funny, sensitive, sarcastic, caring, and brash…what can I say?   He's from Long Island.   By day Andreas is a science and computer guy, and by night he is an artist.   Andreas has been involved in acting, comedic improv, and writing for many years.   He is truly gifted, and both Tim and I are grateful for both his friendship and his hard work for the magazine.   Thanks Dr. Dre.

            To Felisha Foster—our newest member to The Better Drink family.   Felisha is new and has come on board to be our sales and marketing goddess.   Both Tim and I are extremely excited to have her on board.   She is one cool and energized lady!   I had the good fortune of spending a great evening with her, and I had a ball.   Felisha is sharp, witty, and friendly.   She's also refreshingly authentic, and I could not think of a better person working on our business side.   And while as editor, I do not work that much directly with her (like my writers), we do talk and I do know her and Tim's work make my work possible.   So, welcome Felisha!

            To Fredrik Bergstrom—our debuting fiction writer.   Fredrik is a very, very tall Swede that grew up between Sweden and England.   He currently lives in England.   He is a very old and dear friend of Dr. Timothy Smith's, and over the years he has become a friend of mine.   This man is crazy funny.   Fred is one of those incredibly kinetic and brilliant people.   He is always filled with ideas and observations…and laughter.   I love it when he comes into town.   Fred is also a gifted poet, and I am hoping I can tease a few out of him in the future.   Fred is a courageous writer as his story is a daring and touching blend of non-fiction and fiction.   Fred also is a devoted family man, and I rarely meet gents who love their children and wife as much as he does.   So, even though he is tree-tall and can fly around ideas with lightening speed, our Freddie is one of the bigger hearts around.   Thanks Fred.

            To Marcia Reed—I am so honored and happy to show your work in The Better Drink.   Marcia Reed, our namesake for our new virtual art gallery, was both my mentor and high school teacher.   Over the years and during the time I was her student Marcia has been a highly accomplished artist.   For me she is the epitome of a true “Champagne Lifer”.   Marcia has chosen to follow the path of her soul—regardless of the setbacks and sacrifices.   Her work is now shown in museums and galleries all over the world.   Tim and I both were blown away as we sifted through the CDs of her work in order to put together her show entitled:   “Expressionistic Landscapes”.   At one point Tim said,   “My god, we're publishing a Gaugin…”   I had to agree.   I am so excited to bring to our readers art of such caliber, and I truly hope it inspires many other aspiring artists to submit work to the Marcia Reed Virtual Gallery.

            And lastly, to Dr. Timothy Smith—hats off dear old friend—looks like we made it through another issue.   Tim is my best friend, and now he is my business partner.   Tim has worked tirelessly getting The Better Drink on the map and making it healthy and strong.   In addition to sales and promotion, Tim has been an invaluable contributor to the magazine.   Not only does he write the Founder's Page and the Art and Science column for the magazine, in this issue (due to a writer backing out at the last minute), Timothy calmly dove in and wrote the Fall issue's feature:   “America is Bubbling Up in Many New Places”.   There has been some truly tough moments building this magazine and this issue, however, Tim has always ploughed on through and kept his belief in The Better Drink (and in me…no matter how down I was)—which is invaluable during the darker moments.          

            Thank you Tim Smith…cheers.

            And I thank you all my beloved Patrons and Sailors…may you all continue to join me on my on-going search for the Champagne Life.   Cheers to you all.

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