We have been having some amazing weather in San Francisco over the past week. Warm, hot even, not too windy. Perfect for spending some time out on the patio. And as I enjoy a glass of wine and some snacks, taking in the sounds and textures of urban summer, Big Merp has discovered that he, too, enjoys some outdoor time.

In true cat-like fashion, he wanders the perimeter, and when things seem “secure”, he just relaxes nearby.

Seeing him wander the patio with his tail up reminded me of Luna, who also enjoyed her time out here. I think she would be proud (Sam Sam is more of an indoor-only cat and has rarely ventured outside, but she enjoys looking out windows).

The first pairing features a dark zinfandel (Amador County) with dry Spanish chorizo; the second is a chardonnay with Port Salut cheese and a spicy calabrese salami. Indeed, it was the latter that inspired me to re-release the “commercial” as a standalone video.

Big Merp came over to sit underneath, probably in the hope that something would fall off the table.

I like the way the combination of Merp’s fur, the afternoon light, and the colors of the slate contrast with the bright blue of the table.

We hope you are enjoying your weekend. For us, it’s back to the studio to work on our next video…