This is my gift to the California wine industry. Taste this, and you’ll see what great cheap wine should be.

This is not surprising, of course, to anyone who has been paying attention. Bogle has long been one of my favorite producers, and it has been in the $10 Hall of Fame for as long as there has been a $10 Hall. But given how California wants to make cheap red wine so that it tastes like slightly sweet grape juice with too much alcohol, I figured I’d better make the point again.

First, what doesn’t the Bogle ($10, purchased, widely available) have? It doesn’t have that cough syrupy sweet fruit that is all the rage. The alcohol isn’t so overwhelming that that you feel it coming out of your nose. What does it have? Enough blueberry fruit  to be noticeable, but not so much as to overpower the wine. A beginning and an end, including some very zippy tannins and a little earthiness — again, something not only rare in $10 wine, but especially these days, as winemakers try to make red wine taste as fruity as possible at the expense of everying else.

Highly recommended, and one of the best California red wines I’ve had in years. Embarrassingly better. This will earn Bogle a special citation when the 2012 Hall comes out in six weeks, and you could do much worse than to serve it at Thanksgiving. Much, much worse — as, sadly, too many will do, seduced by scores and descriptors that make them think the wine tastes better than it does.

I have a variety of Thanksgiving wine suggestions on my wine blog (plus a great picture of a turkey). Enjoy the holiday.

If the demands of the holiday season already are causing heart palpitations, take a few minutes this week to read the Rev. Blair Monie’s worship column in the December Advocate (which should be delivered to your doorstep starting this weekend). It focuses on the Advent Conspiracy movement, in which Monie’s congregation, Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church, is participating.

Coincidentally, the Rev. George Mason, who pastors Wilshire Baptist Church and writes a worship column for the Advocate in other neighborhoods, also chose Advent Conspiracy as his December column topic. For this week’s podcast, we brought the two pastors together to discuss why they decided to join the conspiracy, and what that looks like for their churches.

“If we could simply accomplish one thing, that is that loving each other at Christmas is not synonymous with spending,” Monie says during the podcast.

The Christian season of Advent begins this coming Sunday, Nov. 27. Preston Hollow Presbyterian will host an Advent Conspiracy adult study on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Listen to the 10-minute interview below.

If you’re skipping the home-cooked turkey this year for a stress-free Thanksgiving dinner out, here are a few Far North Dallas restaurants that are not only open on the holiday, but are offering special menus.

Reservations are filling up fast at III Forks, which has a four-course meal 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Call 972.267.1776.

Truluck’s Seafood Steak and Crab House offers its regular menu plus a Thanksgiving special – turkey and dressing plus all the fixings.

The Second Floor Bistro at the Galleria hosts a three-course Thanksgiving dinner with wine pairings.

For a more casual setting (and a tighter budget), String Bean will offer a Thanksgiving Day Buffet 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. with turkey, baked ham, sweet potato casserole, pecan and pumpkin pie and more.

Need a dessert to take to Thanksgiving dinner at home? We featured our favorite sweet shops in Far North Dallas in the November issue.

It’s no secret that Richardson High School has a great culinary arts magnet that is grooming our future chefs under the direction of instructor Karen Hill. Last month, RHS students won Iron Chef: North Texas Competition sponsored by the Art Institute of Dallas. The contest was modeled after the popular Food Network show.

The students created a three-course meal with their secret ingredient, celery root. Even the dessert, bread pudding, included celery root puree. Yeah, these kids really know their stuff.

Kamryne Brooker-Littles, Lauren Domingos, Lindsey Mauldin and Catherine Miller brought home the honors. Miller also won the Outstanding Student Chef award.

If you’re brave enough to go near the mall right after Thanksgiving, you can catch the Holiday Magic on Ice show at the Galleria, which features a back-flipping Santa Claus, the Missile Toes and a few Olympic skaters.

At noon Friday and 5 p.m. Saturday, Dorothy Hamil, Ryan Bradley and Amanda Dobbs make appearances on the rink, which is located in the center of the mall. You can see the show from all levels. Various performances continue throughout the season.

They say the Galleria has the country’s tallest indoor Christmas tree. Watch it light up to choreographed music every day starting Friday – it’s at noon, 2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m. Come back for the first Menorah lighting on Dec. 20.

Santa will be in his village ready for requests from eager youngsters. It’s on level two near Saks Fifth Avenue. He’s open 9 a.m.- 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday. During week, he’s there 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Slappy’s Holiday Circus performs at 1 and 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday and then again every Saturday before Christmas.

See all the mall’s holiday events here.

The city held its fifth neighborhood open house for the Complete Streets Initiative last night, focusing on the two North Dallas areas identified for pilot projects where roads could be friendlier to pedestrians and cyclists. But this was the first meeting that yielded some negative feedback on the idea, says Janet Tharp with Kimley Horn and Associates, the consulting group that’s leading the project.

“This is the only one [so far] that hasn’t embraced it,” she says.

The areas in question are Alpha from Preston to the Tollway and Meadowcreek from Arapaho to Campbell. The city aims to redesign these areas to promote economic development and safety, using only the existing right of way without widening the streets.

The decision to include Alpha was a given, says District 11 council member Linda Koop, because of the Valley View/Galleria redevelopment vision under way now. Ideally, there would be room for pedestrians and cyclists to access retail and housing plus large sidewalks for outdoor cafes. Meadowcreek served as a good example of a neighborhood street; it connects the community to destinations like Brentfield Elementary, Campbell Green Recreation Center and All Saints Catholic Church, to name a few.

Barry Rosen is president of the Prestonwood Meadows Homeowner’s Association, and he lives on Meadowcreek. He says he believes the city may be putting the cart before the horse with this grand plan.

“The sidewalks are in horrible condition,” he says. “There’s about 18 inches between the sidewalk and the street below. It’s dangerous. You can’t push a stroller down to Campbell Green Rec Center. People walk in the street.”

Rosen’s ideas are things that the city should already be doing for its residents, he says – simply fix the sidewalks, repair the street lights and calm the traffic.

A few neighbors took a strong opposition to Complete Streets. Bill Ames has lived on Town Bluff for 20 years and says doesn’t want the plan encroaching on his way of life.

“The City of Dallas is trying to change my behavior,” Ames says. “We are not ready – and I don’t think anyone in this room is ready – to give up our suburban lifestyle.” He added, “I don’t think we’re ready to take on an expense like this when the city is broke.”

Mike Jay, a neighbor on Vista Ridge, was quick to reply that Ames does not speak for the entire room. Jay is positive and optimistic about Complete Streets.

“This is all of our neighborhood,” he says. “It belongs to everyone. This is a planning process. The planning is not necessarily the execution.”

Ironically, most of Meadowcreek’s biggest stakeholders were busy next door at the Brentfield PTA meeting.

Stay tuned for more on the Complete Streets Initiative in North Dallas.

Kittrell/Riffkind's Ornament Extravaganza is Saturday. (Courtesy photo)

The JJ Pearce senior class presents a talent show, Mustangs Got Talent, featuring a variety of acts from choreographed skits to uni cycling. The Top 20 show is at 7:30 tonight, and the Top 10 show is at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the auditorium. The audience can vote by text at the end of each show. Admission is $8 per night, $12 for both nights.

Kittrell/Riffkind Art Glass Studio hosts an opening reception for its Ornament Extravaganza 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturday with cookies and eggnog. The exhibit features holiday designs and runs through Dec. 31.

Sigel’s in Addison is throwing a chocolate, cheese and wine party 1-3 p.m. Saturday, featuring Katherine Clapner of Dude, Sweet Chocolate and the Brazos Valley Cheese Company. There will be four Italian wines to taste, too. RSVP here.

Cake Carousel hosts an open house beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday with baking and decorating demos for cake balls, pumpkin pretzels and more. Admission is $10, and you should register early. Call 972.690.4628.

The Richardson ISD is seeking public input on next year’s proposed school calendar, with two different options and a handy survey where you can voice your opinion. Because the primary differences are the length of winter break and the date of the last day of school, you’ll want to ask yourself: Am I willing to get out later in the summer to secure a longer Christmas holiday?

Since Texas mandates that no school begin before August 27th, all public campuses will start on the same day. Option 1 brings the kids back for the spring semester on January 3rd and calls the teachers back for staff development on the 2nd. Crunching in every possible instructional date allows what most kids want – and what the travel and leisure industry lobbies hard for – a longer summer. The last day of school would be May 31.

Option 3 (Option 2 was similar to 1 and is no longer in the running) gives teachers a “records day” December 21st, when kids are out and staff can complete the semester in peace. Students would have a longer holiday break, until January 8th, permitting church ski trips, holidays with family, college visits and simple downtime and rejuvenation. Class would let out June 6th.

The Dallas ISD, also working to finalize their 2012-13 calendar, is considering an interesting plan which allows some kids to get out of school up to ten days early. Middle and high school students with good grades and no blemishes on their record for attendance or behavior earn “flex” days and can finish early. Sounds like a powerful motivator in schools looking to inspire kids to do their very best.

You can view RISD’s calendar option 1 here, option 3 here and vote here. The current calendar can be viewed here.

Dear Tormaresca:

Thank you so much for the 2009 Neprica ($12, sample, available at Jimmy’s). It’s a different wine than past vintages — a little darker, a little earthier and a little more tannic. This is not to say that it still isn’t one of the best values in cheap red wine that I’ve ever found. It is, and it shouts, “I’m an Italian wine, damn it, and don’t you ever forget it.” Which we don’t hear enough of these days, unfortunately, in the quest to dumb down wines for the so-called American palate.

The 2009 is just different, and needs food more than some of the other vintages did. In fact, I kept thinking about sausages and tomato sauce as I drank it. With garlic bread and a green salad with a tart, garlicky dressing. And those differences are a treat in a wine at that this price. After all, how much $10 wine tastes numbingly the same, year after year after year?

Sadly, though, I have to tell you that the Neprica will soon lose its place as the favorite wine on my wine blog. I’m not happy about this, because our relationship goes back to the blog’s earliest days. But the numbers are the numbers, and as the blog has gained in popularity, the Neprica has lost support. Even, shudder, to wines with cute labels. No doubt this is because of the distribution problems that we have struggled with in the past.

But whatever happens, I want you to know that I still care. I’ll always review the wine, and it will always have a place on ny table. Don’t tell anyone, but I can be a sentimental kind of guy.

Sincerely,

Jeff Siegel

The city is exploring ways to make our streets friendlier to pedestrians and cyclists through the Complete Streets Initiative, which has identified areas throughout the city as potential candidates for the plan. According to a survey last month, 85 percent of Dallas residents said they would be happy to give up part of their roads.

So, how does this apply to Far North Dallas where it seems impossible to get around without a car? Well, the two streets identified in our area are Meadowcreek between Arapaho and Campbell and Alpha between Preston ending just before the Tollway.

There’s an open house and workshop to discuss the details 5:30-8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17 at the Brentfield Elementary cafeteria.

Don’t expect to see a difference on our streets right away. After a series of open houses and presentations, the city council will review the final plan in the summer of 2012.

In September, I reported on Aquadora, the new upscale seafood and steakhouse coming to the Village on the Green shopping center near the Galleria. The restaurant had a soft opening late last month, and there’s a grand opening and ribbon cutting event 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17.

It moved into the space formerly occupied by Go Fish Ocean Club at Alpha and Noel and claims to be North Dallas’ newest spot for fine dining and nightlife.

Chef Michael Dimas is behind the menu, having headed up restaurants from Santa Barbara to Santa Fe. The menu includes seafood, steaks and a sushi bar with entrees exceeding $20 a piece.

The upstairs lounge is where the “nightlife” part comes in. There’s a state-of-the-art sound system, a DJ and high-def televisions.

To make reservations (either for the grand opening party or just a meal), call 972.201.9682.

The prolonged drought hasn’t caused a Dallas water crisis yet, but the City has decided to be cautious by instituting Stage 1 water restrictions beginning Dec. 12. The regulations affect both residential and commercial water users in Dallas.

The DMN reported the story this weekend, but if you aren’t a subscriber, the basics are in this document available on the City’s savedallaswater.com website. Here are the basics: We can’t water lawns more than twice a week, and the allowable days are listed in the rules. There’s a time limit to watering, too: 6 p.m. to 10 a.m. Make a mistake, and you’re entitled to receive a written warning the first time and at least a $250 fine (and up to a $2,000 fine) the next violation. Continued violations could result in more fines or even a “flow restrictor” placed on the water line to help keep you in line.

Most of us likely won’t be seriously impacted by the new regulations, particularly in the winter off-season. However, there are some big waterers in Dallas who have been highlighted in the DMN and on the TV stations (guys like Tom Hicks, for example) and who use a lot of water on probably a lot of days. Whether the water police will be watching those guys is yet to be determined, but I imagine in this age of ubiquitous video cameras in phones and online squealing, there’s a pretty good chance we’ll be hearing lots more about this in the weeks ahead.