Thursday, March 27, 2008

Britain's alcohol problem: Our green and drunken land

But if the health prognosis was worrying Ms Withers, 67, she wasn't letting it show. "We were talking about cutting down this morning, but I said 'Why? We're nearly dead anyway'."

Her show of defiance was greeted with a roar of approval from fellow customers whiling away the early afternoon in this timber-beamed 14th-century coaching inn. "I'm cutting down," says the pub manager, Danny O'Leary, to more laughter. "I've given up drinking between drinks."

It is estimated the 26.4 per cent of people in Runnymede – one in four of the local population – are consuming alcohol in a hazardous fashion. The area ranked alongside other gin and Jag hot spots such as Harrogate inYorkshire, Surrey Heath and Guildford at the top of the table. The team of researchers found that while regular "everyday" drinkers predominated in wealthy areas, it was people in the industrial cities and towns of the North-west – Manchester, Liverpool and Rochdale – who were doing themselves most harm.


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Gemmel Restaurant and California Taste Fine Wine Host . Organic/Biodynamic Wine and Vegan Dinner Pairing

Organic/Biodynamic Wine and Vegan Dinner Pairing 07/03/2008 20:07:00 Business Wire To celebrate a new season, a dinner event featuring organic and biodynamic wines paired with a five course vegetarian meal will be hosted by Gemmel Restaurant, and California Taste Fine Wine.
The "Spring Bounty" dinner will be held Thursday, March 27th at 6:30 pm at Gemmel Restaurant, 34471 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, CA 92629.
The vegan menu, prepared by Michelin chef Bryon Gemmel, consists of fresh and natural appetizers, salads, entrees and the chef s signature dessert.
The dinner will be paired with biodynamic and organic wines selected by Ken Spears, owner of California Taste Fine Wine.
"Certified biodynamic and organic grapes are grown in self-sustaining vineyards making the terroir or soil alive, active and robust, which becomes evident in the flavor of the wines," according to Spears.

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