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Good Karma

FORGET THE CHAMPAGNE FLUTE. This New Year’s Eve, San Diegans can lift their own bottle of bubbly. Solana Beach native Patrick Wilson recently uncorked Karma, a new ready-to-drink, single-serving bottle of Brut-style California sparkling wine.

Inspiration struck Wilson during a flight home from a business trip for his sales job. After he requested a glass of champagne, the stewardess returned with a filled flute. “I wanted to enjoy my favorite beverage directly from the bottle like any other beer or cocktail,” says Wilson. “Why bother with the whole flute thing?”

Five years of research and development later, and Wilson, 33, is spreading his Karma around high-end nightspots and restaurants, from the downtown W Hotel (and its newly christened Karma Lounge) and the Gaslamp (look out, Belo) to Rancho Santa Fe and Del Mar. Select grocers also carry the cocktail, individually or in four-packs.

The glass bottle was designed to resemble a champagne flute but with a wide screw-off cap. “For me, Karma had to be stylish, sexy and have a comfortable opening to drink from,” says Wilson. The grapes, selected from vineyards on California’s Central Coast, carry hints of melon and pear.

Already a favorite among Hollywood hipsters and celebs, Wilson’s libation offers more than a taste of liquid luxury. “Karma is a lifestyle; it’s about enjoying life, living in the moment and just having fun.” We’ll toast to that. 760-846-2091; karmachampagne.com.

Tiny Aspirations

SOMEWHERE IN THE NO-MAN’S-LAND that separates San Diego County from Mexico, 43-year-old Crystal Baines practices a sort of feline alchemy in the musty living room of her ranch-style home. Instead of turning cheap metals into gold, however, Baines is after the grand achievement in felinity: perpetual kittenhood. Indeed, she may have succeeded in breeding the world’s smallest cat, and has applied for inclusion in the Guinness Book of World Records.

His name is Benny, a rare breed of Munchkin-like cat identified by its short legs, similar to the corgi and dachshund canine breeds. At just over 3 inches in height, Benny is shorter than a Pepsi can. His coloring causes him to appear even smaller, while the darkened tip of his nose makes him look like he’s wearing a bad disguise.

Benny’s official recognition as the world’s smallest cat is pending approval by Guinness. Still, Baines says she’s sure he’ll get the nod, adding that Benny is also available for appearances in TV commercials and movies for a $50,000 fee. The price for Benny’s relatives has also skyrocketed from a $300-$500 range to $3,000-$5,000 as demand has risen. After all, $5,000 amortized over the life of a cat is just pennies a day . . . assuming it lives for a minimum of 13.69 years.
——WAYNE NIEMI

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