FOOD Twinings Apple, Cinnamon & Raisin Tea

I've not yet had the pleasure to visit England or India (or any other far off destination lauded for its tea) but if they are anywhere near as good as Twinings brand tea, I may not leave.

Favorite of the moment: Apple, Cinnamon & Raisin. I trust that the "raisin" is in there somewhere but don't think this drink tastes like some version of your grandma's cookie in hot liquid form, since I can't really taste any raisin, per se. It's more of a rich cider-type taste with a hearty zing. The Chai Tea and Passion Fruit, Mango, & Orange Tea are both also worthy of praise.

Not a tea drinker? Twinings can help you find the right tea for you with their nifty Tea Finder function. Just click on the "Tea Finder" link and you'll be picking your favorite before you know it!

Sergio del Limónar

PS: Did you know that before tea was introduced to the English, they used to drink ale for breakfast?!? That's one way to roll in to work, I guess...

TV: The West Wing

It's taken me almost a year but i have now finally finished all seven seasons of The West Wing. According to IMDB and the copyright on the first season, this Aaron Sorkin masterpiece began in 1999 and ended in 2006, although I could have cared less when it was actually on television. Horrible mistake! I'm almost embarrassed to admit this, but I feel like I learned more about U.S. politics through this series than in either of the two civics classes I had in high school or the requisite political science course in college. (No offense to Mr. Rivkin in 9th grade; I loved watching episodes of "Law & Order" to learn about the court system!)

While you might not always agree with the political views and actions taken at various points, the fast pacing of the show, intelligent writing, and diversely intriguing characters will capture your attention and keep you routing for the collective executive team. This show has given me a newfound respect for the Office of the President, regardless of party, and made me realize there are people much better than I to run the country. Although, at times, I wish I too could walk around my work with the same degree of urgency and purpose that is fairly constant in every episode of "The West Wing." Sometimes I do...

Sergio del Limónar

MUSIC: Sing Chapter 1

Wynonna Judd is a vocal genius. "No One Else On Earth," "I Saw The Light," and "Testify To Love" are arguably some of the best country songs ever recorded, and in no small part to the singer.

I remember the one and only time I saw Wynonna in person I was an instant fan. It was at Country Fest in Cadott, WI, in 2004 or 2005 and she wasn't even the headliner! (She was, fortunately, performing in the second to last slot, at the very least.) I didn't know many of the songs in her catalogue but a few bluesy tunes in, it didn't matter. Wynonna may not have moved around the stage a lot or had flashy stage lights and pyrotechnics, but she didn't need any of that. She made it seem like we weren't all standing out in a field a few country miles from the nearest town, but instead in a small intimate venue like some off-the-beaten-path undiscovered coffee shop. Not an easy feat.

Her newest record, "Sing Chapter 1" brings me back to that drizzly June night. Although, instead of a coffee shop, it feels more like a back-road honky-tonk saloon. Either way, I feel like I'm at the party when I listen to this collection of covers that, I must admit, I not 100% familiar with.

I love Wynonna's version of Bill Wither's "Ain't No Sunshine" and secretly wish she would have done "Grandma's Hands" as well or instead. The title track, "Sing" is great, although I don't know where it came from before Wynonna got ahold of it. I must be in a foot-stompin' kind of mood because I've also got "The House Is Rockin'" and "I Hear You Knocking" on repeat.

Sergio del Limónar