Both my kids had the +/- scale at their LACs. We had it in high school though so were very used to it. But when my son transferred to a large state U, he had the basic 3.0/4.0 scale.
Yeah, D17’s uni also grades on a + - scale, and I pointed that out to her last week. Miss “I got an 89.70 rounded up to an A” is probably going to have to hustle her butt a little harder in college to make that 4.0…
We were just asked over to an acquaintance’s home for a steak dinner. When I asked what to bring, a bottle of red wine was suggested. What would you buy?
Sophisticated acquaintances …
I go to a liquor store that posts the major ratings (xx/100,) reviews from the major resources, or where a major award is shown. You can do quite well with a bottle under $15. Any of the deep reds can do it. My two closest liquor stores are also staffed by aficionados, not just an owner. They can recommend.
So, @lookingforward, you’re suggesting that @jasmom come visit you to buy wine?
I joked with DH for years that I could pick better with my “numbers” than he could with his analysis of the sciency side. Lol.
Not sweet, not too dry. Honestly, my favs are from mid-coast CA (just north of Santa Barbara.) jasmoom can pick one and blame that some mom on some forum recommended…
I recommend a zinfandel. You can get a decent bottle for under $20 at places like Total Wine and Costco. My favorites are Beran, Predator (very clever naming), to name a few, and if you really want to go upscale, get a bottle of Rombauer. Rombauer zin always sells out at our Total Wine, and I have to load up whenever I see it there. In my experience, red drinkers usually don’t pass up a good zin. White drinkers are much more fussy about their grapes.
Do you know what part of the cow you’ll be eating and how it will be cooked? :-/ http://winefolly.com/tutorial/wine-with-lamb-steak-red-meat/ https://www.wine.net/what-wine-goes-with-steak/ https://www.matchingfoodandwine.com/news/pairings/wine-and-steak-pairing-tips-5-things-you-need-to-know-about-matching-steak-with-wine/
I actually am a white wine drinker so would have no idea!
A full bodied red like a zin, as bb suggested, or a Cabernet or cab/merlot blend (which is what Bordeaux are) or a Malbec are all good with steak. Enjoy dinner!
I would go most likely go with a Pinot Noir or a Syrah from a winery in the Santa Ynez valley.
Probably too late and you may not be able to find it, but I’d go with a Saintsbury Pinot Noir from the Carneros district on the Napa/Sonoma border. [Full disclosure: I’ve known one of the principals since we were 8 years old and used to buy him dinner on occasion when he and Dick were struggling young winemakers working in borrowed or rented space, so I’m plainly biased.] Oh, it’s also not cheap. I don’t always buy it myself. [Hey – old friendships only go so far. Sorry, Dave.]
I was going to say what @mom60 said. A Syrah may also be labeled a Shiraz.
Stay with a Pinot or caberet from Sonoma County.
As for a good white stay with a Pinot Gris from Oregon or Washington.
BB is so right that white wine drinkers are much more particular.
Most everyone thinks Chardonnay is perfect but true white wine drinkers find the texture
thick.
I love Pinot noir but think a good steak deserves something more full bodied. Then again, if folks are not red drinkers, the Pinot might work better for them. And I love your typo, @oregon101 . A cabaret 
@jym626 I am always happy with a Syrah or Pinot with a steak but I’m not a sophisticated wine drinker.I don’t tend to pick up a Zinfandel because if I’m going to someone’s home I’ll buy something local and not a lot of Zins come out of the Santa Ynez valley. I’m not a huge fan of white wine and I’m always at a loss as to what to bring. I had a Viogner at a restaurant a few weeks ago and I enjoyed it.
My H and I always disagree on what to buy. He isn’t picky and tends to be happy with the under 10 buck bottles of wine from Costco. I’m a tad pickier. Our local Costco has some good local wines as does the grocery store.
Back when my youngest was in elementary school she had a friend whose step dad had an amazing wine collection. The Mom would volunteer to bring wine and had no clue as to what she was bringing. Some of the wine connoisseur parents would swoon over what she would bring. One evening she grab a couple of bottles. One was a very expensive wine and the other the equivalent of 2 buck chuck. She had no idea what she was bringing.
Does anyone else get the feeling that florist deliveries from a distance are just a huge rip off?
I received a delivery today that, although I am thrilled to receive fresh flowers, is just very underwhelming. A totally lackluster arrangement of mainly cheaper flowers hastily thrown into a cheap vase. It looks like something a toddler would do with a grocery store bouquet. I know this person and have received gifts from them in the past, including flowers, and they are not cheap. I feel like some florists know they can get away with it - it’s not like the gift giver sees the arrangement nor do I know exactly what they spent. Again, I truly appreciate the thought behind it, just hate feeling like the giver and the recipient are ripped off.
It makes me hesitant to ever send flowers myself unless I completely trust the florist or can pick them up and deliver them myself personally.
I’d honestly thank the sender and take a photo showing what you received, in case they want to get a refund or re-consider for future gifts. I hate folks getting ripped off and yes, agree it happens more often than I’d like when folks have flowers delivered from a distance.
Good idea HilMom. I once had my mother’s flowers replaced twice by an online order service.
We’ve had Harry & David re-send a box of pears when they were really way below the normal standard when we received them. They were apologetic and the sender was mollified that they replace the unacceptable box.