I only have it because it's got quite a cute design. It's quite unbearable with hard water — the deposits stick to it and, as you say, it is like a blackboard. I only use crystal on a daily basis — the rest is for company, because a strange portion of the population isn't accustomed to having coffee served in a snifter. //

It might have. My perspective is skewed because I only own one unglazed mug — everything else I have is crystal, including what I use for hot drinks. //

No, you're not — unless your mug was cut crystal! //

I can imagine. Shame it's so hard to maintain — it really is the most comfortable. //

I've never found appreciation of wine to be dangerous, but stained tatami doesn't look good in any context. //

Red wine in a bottle labelled grape juice? :D //

I'm sure could help you get started with the greatest of life's pleasures: good wine. Madiran wine used to be offered as gifts to the French royalty, IIRC, and the best examples really are that good :o

A dozen? :O

Have you tried a glass of wine during your no-gadgets hour?

I prefer serious to last night's dinner though: the owner was completely insistent on getting to know where we were from, whether or not we lived here, all the unnecessaries, and introduced the wine in the most knowledgeable way he could muster (only to screw up the facts about the appellation completely).

Ooh, that does look lovely. I've never noticed stuffiness, but have also never been to a restaurant with a strict dress code.