For Christmas this past year, I received a gift certificate to the Northstar Wine Blending Experience! It’s an experience where you create your own bottle of red blend from wine varietals made with their grapes! I’ve always wanted to do this! You’ve seen all sorts of red blends from different wineries before. They can be a blend of just two wine varieties such as a combination of Malbec and Syrah or a blend of multiple varieties like a blend of cabernet, merlot, petit verdot, and cabernet franc. You may even see a white variety in the mix of red blends. And of course, there are also white blen ..read more

I learned about the “My 3 Words” concept ( #my3words ) concept on Twitter in 2008. It’s a concept created by author, speaker and Chief of Staff at Appfire, Chris Brogan. I know that a lot of people choose just one word-of-the-year, But I find that a bit too limiting. You’ll find the three words I chose at the bottom of this post. How the Process Works The way Chris explains the process is that the 3 words you choose are there to guide your decisions in the coming year. According to Brogan, “The words should point to who you intend to be, what you want to focus on, and how you want to perceive ..read more

In September we spent some time at wineries in Paso Robles, California on the way back from my high school reunion. We had always wanted to go there and had planned an October trip for a milestone birthday of mine but of course, that was 2020. Paso Robles is in San Luis Obispo County about 14 miles from the ocean as the crow flies. Morro Bay is about 30 minutes away. Paso Robles was originally called El Paso de Roble’s, pass of the oaks. Known by the locals as Paso or Paso Robles – the official “mispronunciation” is Pass-o Robe-ells. Winemaking began there in 1790 when vineyards were planted b ..read more

This post is part of a series of posts about the wineries and vineyards in Paso Robles, California, which we visited in September of 2023. You can find more about Paso Robles, the wineries we visited, the places we stayed, and other places we visited in the original blog post. You can also find out more about the wines we tasted while there on our podcast, Wine Time Fridays… or wherever you get your podcasts! We didn’t have Halter Ranch Vineyard Estate on our list of wineries to visit but we happened to find it on our way back to our hotel after our tasting at Tablas Creek. We noticed that th ..read more

One of the first places I added to our must-visit list for our trip to Paso Robles in September was Tablas Creek Vineyard.  One of the wines they produce is a varietal called Tannat, which I love and which is hard to find. But as we were driving to Paso, we found a podcast to listen to about Paso Robles and learned how Tablas Creek played quite a significant role in the history of Paso Robles wine industry we were especially glad that we had scheduled an interview and a tasting with them. Foggy morning on the way to Tablas Creek In the early 1990s, François Perrin, co-founder of Château ..read more

Introduction LEVO wine is located in Tin City, Paso Robles, California.  Brett Urness is the winemaker and proprietor there having started the winery in 2011. Although he was not there when we tasted through the wines and recorded the podcast, Direct to Consumer Manager, and very pregnant Lizz Sevin assisted us! (She delivered a baby boy in October, about a week after we were there. Mom and baby are doing well!) The LEVO building is a very artsy, light and airy industrial building with corrugated steel siding. There is a patio off to the side with a garage-door type window opening. The Le ..read more

It seems that fall is the favorite season of many people, whether they like pumpkin spice or not!  Are you team “pumpkin spice” or team “anything but”? I love decorating for the fall season and making my home all comfy and cozy looking!  Here are a few of the fun items I found on Amazon. I haven’t purchased all of them… yet! If you hurry, some of these items are still on sale on Amazon Big Prime deals! Sweejar Ceramic Pie Pan for Baking Great for all the apple tarts! Dough Presser Pocket Pie Molds These were really easy to make. I made some apple and a couple of chicken pot pies. MYY ..read more

I was going through the fall issue of Magnolia Journal (FINALLY) that contained several articles or features about the theme of forward motion. And no, I’m not referencing the Big Game. Yay Rams! ? Jo’s thoughts were more about society as a whole and how we seem to be stuck, not moving forward where “drama and division are offered up as a source of cheap entertainment”. When did we become a society that cared more about being RIGHT in political stance than in connecting on a deeper human level? I don’t remember my parents ever talking politics. On a personal level though, forward motion is als ..read more

As many of you know, I dance with a group of ladies called The Blazen Divaz. We do parades and performances both in the community and internationally. This year, our holiday costume will include black tennis shoes so I was thrilled when Orthofeet offered me a pair of their shoes to try! Most of our members are over the age of 50 and some are in their 70s, even 80s. We spend a lot of time dancing down pavement roads so these Orthofeet shoes will be perfect. Not just for dancing! But Orthofeet shoes are not just for dancing! They’re also good for those who have problems with plantar fasciitis ..read more

At the beginning of the year, we often think about making some changes in our life. Change requires determination and knowing who you are. Going after something that will make your heart sing requires stamina, consistency, and drive. And if people in your life aren’t supportive, it can be even more difficult than it needs to be to make change. ​Here are some common roadblocks to overcome when you are making change: Not knowing what you want People not supporting your choices – could be family or friends Questions regarding finances Lack of connections Fears Opportunities – you may feel there ..read more