Firstly, I had fun on the radio with Tom Douglas(*) and Thierry Rautureau this weekend, even if they were a tough crowd for the ciders I brought. They poked fun at me when I mentioned a little trick for chilling hard cider drinks down without watering them down (freeze some cider as ice cubes). They said that it “was so Martha.” Ack! Actually it’s not. But…Last week I had lunch with Christian Holthausen, whose job it is to travel around the world talking about Champagne, specifically Piper and Charles Heidsieck Champagnes. That makes him kind of like my version of Saint Nicholas. I learned two things at lunch. One: It was all the rage in St. Tropez this summer to drink Piscines, which are giant glasses of Champagne chilled down with Champagne ice cubes. (All I know is, that beats an XO and coke by a country mi-… kilometer.) So take that Tom and Thierry! It’s not so Martha, it’s so… Euro-trash. Ha! Uh…Anyways, I also got a sneak tactile peak at the new couture Piper Heidsieck Rose Sauvage bottle from designers Viktor & Rolf. They turned the packaging upside down. If you’re a Champagne freak, like I, and still have two vinyl corseted bottles of the 99 Piper Special Cuvee from Gaultier holding up the Erikson to Herbert section of your bookcase, like I, then this is cool news. In keeping with their upside down themed Milan boutique, the Danish duo also designed an upside down ice bucket and upside down Champagne glass to match. C’est tres chic. And excuse me “girling out” for this post, but my love of hot pink and Champagne are about as girlie as I ever get, so humor me.The L.E. Viktor & Rolf bottle of Piper Heidsieck should hit the Seattle market in an extremely limited quantity just around New Year’s or after. Fashionistas, prepare for the cat fight. (* disclaimer: my boss)