A Multitude of Corks

Whenever I visit my son in Escondido, I try to make time to visit one of my favorite stores in  nearby Encinitas- Gardenology .  It is not just a garden boutique but rather a home shop with a theme of neutral colors for the most part and clean, contemporary design.  You can choose garden pots, furniture, note cards or body lotion but everything is unique.

A birthday gift for a friend

 Last winter when I was  down from Mammoth Lakes for a visit I found a unique cheese knife at Gardenology for my friend's birthday.in the Spring.  Attached to the blade was a short screw onto which one could attach a cork. This would become the handle.  Since my friend and I have shared many afternoons sharing a plate of cheese and a glass of wine I pictured giving her the knife along with a bottle of special wine.. The only thing was I needed a cork from a bottle of good wine so I waited until she came to visit planning to take her to lunch, order the wine, and afterward attach the cork to the  knife and wrap it for her gift.   

Hundreds of corks in the Grocery Bag

Last month, she came to visit while I was also visiting Southern California.  We shared a lunch at the 3-Corner Cafe in Encinitas.   It is one of my favorite places to lunch but it is also a wine shop. I planned to buy a bottle of wine and save the cork. Then I saw a sign above the cash register- Corks- $5.  When I inquired about the sign, the cashier said she would check in the back to see if any corks were available.  When she returned, she carried a large grocery sack filled with corks which were not $5 but free.  Now I have one cheese knife and several hundred corks to choose from before I wrap the cheese knife.