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Wednesday, May 29, 2013

California Jazz & Wine Fest 2013

Sunday, May 19th, we went to the California Wine and Jazz Festival at Conejo Creek Park North in Thousand Oaks. It was presented by the Rotary Club of Westlake Village Sunrise and they support high school music programs in Conejo Valley with the proceeds.
Sunday turned out to be a sunny, breezy day in at Conejo Creek Park, perfect for outdoor wine, beer, and food tasting, and a little shopping.
This year the stemless wineglass fit into a festive plastic festival plate. I think I need the unit that attaches to a camera, and maybe a place to hold the tasting notes and a pen, or just a golf cart.  But that would be drinking and driving and we know that isn't going to happen ...
First stop was at Stonefire Grill for some pasta, salad and a slider. Great way to start the festival.

Herzog Wine Cellars poured a 2011 Special Reserve Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County and their first estate bottled wine, a 2010 Petite Sirah, from Prince Vineyard, Clarksburg, CA.  Both wines were excellent, and the Petite Sirah went well with the brownies they served.

Herzog is the master of displays and marketing bling.

Steve Felten, former winemaker at Norman Vineyards, was pouring a 2009 Sauvignon Blanc and a 2009 Pinot Noir from his newly established Felten Cellars in Paso Robles. We liked both of them very much.

Did I mention it was breezy? As soon as I picked up my wineglass from the red plate it and the fork took off and landed right on Steve.  Embarrassing. He didn't miss a beat pouring though, and luckily, I'm a member of the clean plate club, so he didn't get much on him.  It could of been a lot messier.  That was the end of my little red flying plate, and I was happy to eat whatever was served with it's own plate or napkin later on.

ViñAlegre poured their 2011 Rosé (made with a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot), 2009 Merlot, 2010 El Sueño (75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot), and 2010 Primitivo (Primitivo grape is part of the Zinfandel family).  I thought the El Sueño and Primitivo were very good.

Casa Baranca Organic Winery's Alysia Dewar was pouring a Sauvignon Blanc, a Merlot and the wine I tried, a very nice 2009 Pinot Noir, Laetitia Vineyard (Arroyo Grande).

John Shaw was pouring his Alma Sol Winery's 2010 Sauvignon Blanc and 2010 Cuatro Caminos, a nice red blend.  I especially enjoyed a preview of his 2011 Merlot, bottled 8 weeks ago and ready for distribution around September.  It seemed to be pretty good to me right now, but maybe I like Merlot Nouveau.

Former “Tonight Show” trombonist Matt Finders and the Matt Finders Ensemble were playing some great jazz.

Devon enjoyed the Qupe Chardonnay and rated it the best of the festival's white wines. We met the guys from the Wineyard who were enjoying it too!  I tasted the 2009 Verdad Tempranillo, Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard and the 2010 Syrah, Bien Nacido.  Both were very nice.

Brendan’s Irish Pub and Restaurant was serving some awesome sliders, with and without jalepeño.

Lee and Helen Williams, Owners/Winemakers of Golden Star Vineyards, were pouring their 2012 Chardonnay, Monterey, 2011 Purple Haze (Zin, Merlot, Malbec), 2011 Zinfandel, Paso Robles, 2011 Merlot, Paso Robles, and 2012 Syrah, Chavez Vineyards, Antelope Valley.  My favorite was the Purple Haze!

Red wines from Magnavino Cellars were poured by those laid back Rotary guys.
After a little bottle re-alignment it was clear that these fine red wines were available: 2010 Zinfandel, 201 Syrah, 2010 Sangiovese, 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon - all from Lodi Appellation. I always rate these reds highly and this tasting was excellent as usual.

Malibu Sundowner/Wades Wines was pouring Cabernet Sauvignon and other fine wines.

Great little tacos from Pierre's Catering.  9021PHO is in the background; didn't get a chance to try their noodle soup.

A change of pace from Pinkberry and Robek's booth. Pinkberry's Chocolate Hazelnut gelato was a favorite.

And what follows a Chocolate Hazelnut gelato best? Nothing like a Hopstorm IPA with 6 different varieties of hops.  Pretty good!  And I tried the Jeremiah Red too.

Moez gave Roger (Dr. Hops) the day off and was pouring some Honey I'm Home Blonde Ale and a very nice Schwarzbier. I tasted the Schwarzbier dark lager and it hit the spot; plenty of flavor, but not too heavy.

Firestone Walker poured their Union Jack IPA (my favorite, above), California Pale Ale, Double Barrel Ale, 805 (blonde ale), and a new Pivo Hoppy Pils.  They told me I had to try the Pivo since I like hops.  I did. And it was hoppy, but it was still a Pils style beer otherwise, and it's not my favorite style.

Surf Brewery served their County Line Rye Pale Ale and their Black IPA - both very good!  I especially enjoy a rye flavor for a change of pace.

DJ’s California Catering was serving pasta with a real flair!

Bean Crazy had coffee available and Chemayne Faulconer from  Roblar Winery and Vineyards shared some of their wonderful wine:
  • 2010 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
  • 2011 Meule Rouge (34% Grenache, 33% Syrah, 33% Mourvedre)
  • 2011 Vivre la Vie (50% Grenache, 50% Syrah)
I thought they were all excellent!

I Would Rather Be Baking had some fantastic chocolates that went very well with the Roblar red wines. Theresa and Mark Delgado really design some colorful and tasty creations!

Qdoba Mexican Grill served a very nice mango salad - good with white wine.

Who are Lucas and Lewellen anyway? It turns out that Louis Lucas and Royce Lewellen were a grape grower and Superior Court Judge that met in 1975 through the Santa Maria Wine & Food Society.

I liked their 2009 Pinot Noir and 2010 Toccata Classico, Santa Barbara County (Super-Tuscan style: 45% Sangiovese, 5% Petit Verdot, 5% Freisa, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot).

And the great music continued on with some blues from keyboardist and vocalist Mighty Mo Rodgers singing about his real life experiences with Tin Drum.  "Tell me why, there's no Jerry Lee Lewis High!?"

The Beer Ghetto - minus Wolf Creek.  Wolf Creek was at the festival, only they were in their Restaurant capacity at another location and not in their Brewing Company mode. Their food is always great, but we missed their beer!
Devon said that Chef Stroh's Pestos made a nice snack; the flavorful 4 were:
  • The Green Monster
  • Sundried Tomato
  • Blue Apricot
  • Smok'n
My favorite is Smok'n and we buy it at Four Brix Winery.  They were handing out recipe cards that are also available online.

Lots of crafty items for sale - my favorite was this cork wreath by Annee Hahn!

Fashion on the go...

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William Hirsh of Cielo Farms was pouring his fabulous Woodstock Collection wines:
  • NV Woodstock - BlackBird (50% 2009 Petite Sirah, 50% 2010 Verdot)
  • 2009 Woodstock - The Witch, Napa Valley (85% Zinfandel, 10% Syrah,  5% Petite Sirah)
  • 2009 Malbec (100% Malbec)
  • 2009 Woodstock - Black Widow (70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Malbec, 15% Petite Sirah)
  • 2008 Woodstock - RedHouse (100% Cabernet Sauvignon)
  • 2009 Woodstock - Purple Haze (Syrah, Petite Sirah)
They were all very good and my favorites were The Witch, Malbec, and RedHouse.
All of the wine was too good to spill, so this sippy cup with a wine glass inside of it did the trick! Although I'm not sure how she appreciated any "nose" locked inside.

There were a lot of wineries and food vendors that I didn't get to, but those that I did taste made it worth the trip!

The crowd seemed to be enjoying the day with great wine, beer, food and music. The California Jazz & Wine Fest IS becoming an exclusive JAZZ venue, gourmet WINE and FOOD tasting event!

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Thursday, May 23, 2013

Paso Robles Wine Festival Weekend (May 16-18)

Paso Robles Wine Festival Weekend
The annual Paso Robles Wine Festival in May is always a great tasting trip.  This year we toured wineries on Thursday afternoon and Friday, and then went to the wine fest on Saturday.  We started our tasting trip in Santa Margarita on the 176 mile drive up to Paso Robles.

The festival in the village square was a great way to catch all of the wineries we couldn't fit into our first two days of tasting.  This year the new layout worked very well, it didn't feel too crowded, and the weather was relatively cool, for Paso Robles, with a nice breeze all day.

Devon, my designated driver, hotel and gourmet restaurant locator, made the trip a success!

Our first winery was Ancient Peaks in Santa Margarita. A rustic location with great wines and a zip line!
The Ancient Peaks estate Margarita Vineyard is an interesting combination of five different soil zones — ancient sea bed, sedimentary, shale, volcanic and granitic.
Devon tasted the 2011 Sauvignon Blanc, 2011 Blanco (pinot gris & muscat) and 2012 Rosé (syrah & pinot noir). I really enjoyed their 2011 Zinfandel and 2010 Oyster Ridge (cab, merlot, petite sirah, petit verdot & cabernet franc).  The other wines I tasted included their 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2010 Renegade, and 2010 Petite Sirah.
Across the street from the winery you can try their zipline canopy tours over the Santa Margarita Ranch. There are 4 different ziplines that cover 3,000 feet. Probably can't drink your wine while zipping though.

Kenneth Volk Vineyards is known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines.  The tasting room is located opposite of the Fat Cat Farm and next to Lone MadroneDevon liked KV 2008 Chardonnay, Santa Maria Cuvee and 2007 Orange Muscat, Wind Willow Vineyard white wines. I thought the 2009 Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Cuvee; 2009 Pinot Noir, Garey Ranch Vineyard; and 2009 Mourvedre, Enz Vineyard were excellent!
Fat Cat Farm is an organic specialty nursery that has herbs and drought tolerant annuals and perennials.

Lone Madrone was pouring a 2012 La Mezcla, a 2012 Picpoul Blanc, and a 2009 Points West Red that we both agreed were all great! The 2010 Barfandel won the creative naming category: Barbera + Zinfandel = Barfandel.  It was a unique blend with 46% Barbera, 36% Zinfandel, and 18% Petite Sirah.  I liked it.
Devon at Lone Madrone (Joel pouring)

Rumor  has it that Lone Madrone is moving their tasting room next month from their Hwy 46 location to somewhere on Adelaida Road to the west.

Jack Creek Cellars was a nice tasting stop a little to the south in Templeton.  Located in a very scenic area they have 40 acres of vines planted, of which 24 acres are Pinot Noir.
Thanks to our friend, Tricia, for recommending their Pinot Noir - we agree, it's awesome!  We bought a bottle of the 2010 Estate Pinot Noir, which has 6 different clones (667, 777, 943, 828 ...).  It's excellent.
Brette Womack, Director of Consumer Sales,  explained that although the heritage grape of Paso Robles is Zinfandel, Jack Creek is too close to the coast to grow Zin. Well, that's OK with us, because it seems that everything else Jack Creek bottles is excellent! We had the 2010 Estate Chardonnay, 2010 Estate Grenache, 2010 Estate Syrah and they were all great.

Hearthstone Vineyard & Winery poured their 2010 Pearl (60% Roussanne, 40% Viognier), 2011 Grenache Rosé (100% Grenache), 2008 Slipstone (GSM: 62% Grenache, 31% Syrah, 7% Mourvedre), and 2008 Profundo (57% Sangiovese, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 7% Syrah).
We both liked the Pearl and the Grenache Rosé, and I liked the two red blends even more!

Chateau Margene / Mooney Family
The 2012 Grenache Blanc; 2011 Reserve Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands (Clones Dijon 115, 113 & Pom 4); and 2008 Petite Sirah, Sereno Vista Vineyard (100% Petite Sirah) were top notch!
I also tasted the 2010 Mourvedre (80% Mourvedre, 20% Syrah) and 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon (79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot).

Dinner at Artisan
Glad we found this location before they move close to the town square this week.  We started with some Jalapeño Cornbread with honey butter.
After finding out they were out of my favorite Firestone Walker IPA I asked for their hoppiest beer and got a dry hopped Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale from the Flying Dog Brewery (where else?). Odd to have an east coast ale in Paso, but it was a good change after wine tasting all day.
Devon had the Los Osos greens, market vegetables, and buttermilk with a Dungeness Crab slider, prosciutto, quail egg, and béarnaise.
I had the soup of the day (Mushroom) with an Abalone, Avocado, Pork Belly Carnitas Tostada. They weren't entrees, but they were delicious. Devon had a glass of the local Rendarrio Chardonnay 2011 with dinner.  It was reported to be a very nice Chardonnay.

Alta Colina Vineyard & Winery
A great discovery located on the side of Villicana Winery, this small winery makes some great Syrahs and everything else.
Top ratings to all of these Alta Colina wines:
2012 Grenache Blanc
2010 GSM (45% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, and 25% Syrah)
2010 Toasted Slope Syrah
2009 Mourvèdre Estate, Library Selection (75% Mourvèdre, 14% Syrah, 11% Grenache)
2010 Late Harvest Viognier

Villicana Winery
Although I was mainly focusing on red wines I tasted the 2011 Estate Viognier and it was great! Their 2010 Estate Syrah and the 2010 Estate Mourvèdre were my favorite red wines.

I also enjoyed the 2010 Estate Merlot, 2011 Estate Zinfandel, and the 2011 Estate Vin Rosé.

And right next to the Villicana Tasting Room is Paso Robles' First Craft DistilleryEven though it was a wine tasting trip we had to try out their spirits.
RE:FIND Distillery
The name "RE:FIND" is about FINDing a purpose for saignée, the prized free-run juice removed prior to fermentation to enhance wine quality, and REfining it into top-shelf spirits. They distill a Neutral Brandy and a Botanical Brandy, which are essentially a vodka and a gin.
The Botanical Brandy uses the Neutral Brandy as a base alcohol. A proprietary blend of botanicals including juniper berry, coriander, orris root, lemon and orange peel, grains of paradise, and lavender are added through a vapor pass process to impart a clean gin flavor.
One distinct benefit of vodka derived from grapes is the compound glycerol which is produced during the fermentation of wine grapes. It forms the "legs" in a wine glass and has a sweet, viscous quality that gives their spirits a uniquely smooth, soft characteristic.
They were both very smooth and the gin was very unique and flavorful.

DAOU Vineyards
We enjoyed the views and the wine at DAOU Vineyards.  It's obvious that no expense was spared on the facilities, vineyards and wine making.
All of the wines were truly first class.
2011 Viognier
2011 Roussanne (we bought a bottle of this wine)
2010 Celestus (59% Syrah, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot)
2010 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot)
2011 Reserve Zinfandel

HammerSky Vineyards & Inn was setting up for their winemaker dinner when we arrived. They have some creative wine names and I liked the 2010 Naughty Princess Viognier and 2009 Red Handed (66% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Petit Verdot) the best.
We also tasted their 2009 Open Invitation (42% Merlot, 53% Zinfandel, 5% Petite Syrah), 2009 Zinfandel and an unreleased 2010 Zinfandel that showed promise.  They are apparently well-known for their "Party of Four" (40% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 10% Cabernet Franc) and the current vintage is 2009, but they weren't pouring any when we visited.

Roxo Port Cellars (co-located with Chateau Margene) had a great chocolate pairing with their ports.  My favorites included:
2008 Paso Mélange
2008 Ruby Tradicional
2008 Négrette
2008 Magia Preta (50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Syrah) - the flagship port.

Other ports that were very good:
2009 Petite Sirah, Wolff Vineyard
2008 Barbera

Stacked Stone Cellars
We made it to Stacked Stone in time to catch some BBQ and taste some of their great zinfandel and red blends.  To start with we had some 2011 Rosetta Rosé made with 100% Estate Zinfandel.

Donald Thiessen - Owner/Winemaker
While enjoying some BBQ and talking with Donald about winemaking we tasted his red wines:
2011 Gem Rhone Blend (50% Syrah, 50% Zinfandel)
2011 Quarry Bordeaux Blend (30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Malbec, 20% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, 10% Cab Franc)
2011 Zin Stone Zinfandel (90% Zinfandel, 10% Petit Syrah)

These all scored highly in my ratings. The Quarry Boudeaux Blend was the most complex and we took a bottle home with us.

Calcareous Vineyard
I discovered Calcareous and their other label, Twisted Sisters, at the Ojai wine festival last year.  They were very good at the time, and after visiting their gorgeous winery on a hilltop I am glad to find that their wines are still tasting great!
We tasted the 2011 Paso Robles Chardonnay, 2012 Lily Blanc (46% Viognier, 30% Grenache Blanc, 24% Marsanne), and the Twisted Sisters 2012 Chardonnay whites wines.  The Paso Robles Chardonnay and Lily Blanc were fantastic and we bought a bottle of Lily Blanc.
I found the 2011 Zinfandel to be better than the rest of their excellent red wines! No wonder it earned a 94 point/Gold Medal from the Beverage Testing Institute. The 2009 Grenache-Mourvèdre (64% Grenache, 36% Mourvèdre), the 2009 Trés Violet  (36% Mourvèdre, 34% Syrah, 30% Grenache), and the 2008 Lloyd Cabernet Sauvignon were all just regular old excellent.

Craft Beer Break
In addition to fantastic wines all over Paso Robles and points south, the area has some great brewpubs/microbreweries.  Firestone Walker Brewing Company has long been a big attraction and now there's another great brewery in the same area south of Paso Robles in Templeton.

The BarrelHouse Brewing Company is a little more rustic than Firestone Walker.  They have a nice indoor/outdoor bar with outdoor entertainment, food trucks, and you bring your own chairs if you want to sit down outside.

After a fantastic IPA at the BarrelHouse we went to Firestone Walker and had some great burgers for dinner.  The kitchen is relatively new, but they do a great job.  Best burger and huge onion rings that I've ever had.  Of course a Union Jack west coast IPA (double dry hopped) went along with it.

31st Annual Paso Robles Wine Festival

We started the day in town at the Amsterdam Coffee House for some good, local coffee (Starbucks doesn't seem to be around the center of town).

The Premium ticket for the Saturday Grand Tasting was good for an hour early so it started at noon and lasted four hours. The regular ticket started at 1 pm. The weather was perfect for tasting wine and we managed to sample wines from most of the major festival sections.  We started with the Rhone-Style wineries, and then followed with Bourdeaux-Style, Zinfandel, and Other Wild Wines sections.

This glass wrangler was enjoying her job! She picked out two glasses especially for us...

The wineries below are listed in the order we visited them, more or less. The wines marked with an asterisk (*) below are the ones that we rated the highest.  All of the others were good too!  It was hard to find a bad bottle of wine at this event.

Halter Ranch
2012 Côtes de Paso Blanc (58% Grenache Blanc, 18% Roussanne, 16% Picpoul Blanc, 8% Viognier)
*2010 Ancestor (39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Petit Verdot, 26% Malbec)
*2010 Syrah (84% Syrah, 8% Mourvèdre, 5% Malbec, 3% Viognier)

Clavo Cellars
2011 Two Moons - Aporia 2011 (50% Marsanne, 50% Grenache Blanc)
2010 Grenache Blanc, Oracle
2010 Viognier
2010 Angst (GSM)
2010 Ardor
*2008 Collusion
*2007 Enigma, Proprietary Blend

Adelaida Cellars
*2012 Rosé, Anna's Vineyard (37% Cinsault, 29% Grenache, 29% Mourvèdre, 5% Carignan)
*2011 Version White, Anna's Vineyard (53% Roussanne, 47% Grenache Blanc)
*2010 Pinot Noir, HMR Vineyard
2010 Version Red, Anna's Vineyard (37% Mourvèdre, 28% Grenache, 22% Syrah, 13% Cinsault)
*2008 Inventor (37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Syrah, 20% Mourvèdre, 9% Grenache, 6% Cab Franc, 6% Counoise)
*2009 Cabernet/Syrah Estate Reserve (70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Syrah)

Tablas Creek Vineyard
2011 Côtes de Tablas Blanc (27% Viognier, 26% Grenache Blanc, 25% Marsanne, 22% Roussanne)
*2012 Dianthus (60% Mourvedre, 25% Grenache, 15% Counoise)
*2010 Grenache
2010 Patelin de Tablas (45% Grenache Blanc, 34% Viognier, 18% Roussanne, 3% Marsanne)

Vina Robles
2012 Vermentino - Huerhuero
2012 White4 (Viognier, Verdelho, Vermentino, and Sauvignon Blanc)

2012 Roseum (Syrah) - Huerhuero
2008 Syrée (Syrah, Petite Sirah)
*2009 Petite Sirah - Estate

*2010 Red4 (Syrah, Petite Sirah, Grenache, Mourvèdre)
Winemaker Kevin Willenborg added his personal wine notes to each pour and made the tasting very interesting.

Pomar Junction Vineyard & Winery
Owner Dana Merrill poured a great line-up of wines. Devon liked the Viognier and I thought the Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon were excellent.
2012 Syrah Rosé
2010 Zinfandel
*2011 Viognier
2011 Picnic Chardonnay
2010 Fiesta (Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot)
*2010 Syrah
*2009 Cabernet Sauvignon
2010 Train Wreck (Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Mourvèdre)

SummerWood Winery & Inn
2012 Grenache Blanc, Paso Robles
*2010 Viognier, Paso Robles
2010 Marsanne, Alta Colina Vineyard
2007 Syrah, Paso Robles
*2009 Grenache, Paso Robles

Calcareous / Twisted Sisters
Twisted Sisters wines are made by the same winemaking team that produces Calcareous Estate Wines.

*2012 Calcareous Lily Blanc (46% Viognier, 30% Grenache Blanc, 24% Marsanne) - just a great as it was at the winery the day before.
*2010 Twisted Sisters Matriarch, Paso Robles (15% Merlot, 31% Petit Verdot, 24% Malbec)

Anglim Winery
2010 Cameo, Central Coast (Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne)
*2012 Rosé, Central Coast (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Viognier)
2011 Cerise, Paso Robles (Grenache, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Mourvèdre, Roussanne)
*2010 A "best barrel blend" of Syrah and Mourvèdre (
Partner/Winemaker Steve Anglim poured some fantastic reds and described his winemaking history.  I'm not sure if the 2010 "best barrel blend" I sampled will be generally available, but it was excellent!

Hearst Ranch Winery
2011 Chardonnay, "Glacier Ridge"
2011 White Wine, "Three Sisters Cuvée" (80% Grenache Blanc, 20% Viognier)
*2011 Red Wine, "Three Sisters Cuvée" (50% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre)

Saw winemaker Jeremy Leffert and enjoyed his 2011 Three Sisters Cuvée Red Wine. It's just as good as the 2009 I had at Santa Barbara's 9th Annual California Wine Festival last July.

Bianchi Winery
2008 Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley
2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, Lakeside Ranch
2010 Zinfandel, Paso Robles

Pianetta Winery
All winners!
*2010 Sangiovese
*2010 Cabernet Sauvignon
*2010 Tuscan Nights (70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Sangiovese, 5% Petite Sirah)

Hoyt Family Vineyards
*2010 Chardonnay
*2010 Cabernet Sauvignon
2009 Cabernet Sauvignon
2010 Tempranillo

Other Wineries
There were many wineries to choose from and I got most of the way through my tasting list, with the exception of some Burgundy-Style wineries.

At least we were able to taste one or two wines from each of the following:
  • Caliza Winery
  • Chateau Margene
  • Écluse / Blind Dog
  • Le Vigne Winery
  • Niner Wine Estates
  • Riverstar Vineyards
  • RN Estate
  • Stacked Stone
  • Veris Cellars

There were several places serving food at the festival and plenty of gourmet food trucks parked along the festival on Pine Street. Some of food places in the festival were very good, like Bless Your Heart Baking with their healthy gluten free, low glycemic, vegan samples.
Others might have been good too, but as soon as they put their food out, swarms of 20-30 people scooped up everything like vultures.  So we headed to the food trucks and had delicious pulled pork sandwiches.
We ate our food truck lunch on wine barrels and talked with our friend, Lilian, who we met at Roxo Port Cellars the day before

Central Coast band One Time Spaceman provided entertainment for the festival with their Rock, Blues, and Americana style.

Everthing Else

Devon met Brigit Binns, author of The New Wine Country Cookbook: Recipes from California's Central Coast.  Devon had purchased her book at Lone Madrone winery the day before. She's looking forward to making the "Zucchini and Mint Frittata with Ricotta Salata" with our zucchini crop.
I met Brigit's husband, Casey Biggs, while Devon was discussing cookbooks.  Casey told me he is the "Paso Wine Man." I hadn't heard of him, but he's apparently the star of a series of commercials promoting Paso Robles wines.  The ad campaign is run by the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance and it features a wine-geek-meets-Old-Spice-guy. Come to think of it, I believe he was wearing a white shirt...

It looked like everyone was enjoying themselves.

Future Paso Robles vintner analyzing the root stock.

Dinner at Thomas Hill Organics
After digesting everything from the wine festival, we managed to go to dinner at a restaurant Devon found.  We shared a bottle of Lone Madrone's Points West White (44% Roussanne, 27% Viognier, 14% Picpoul Blanc, 15% Marsanne) that wasn't available for tasting at Lone Madrone; it's one of my favorite white blends.
We skipped the thin crust wood fired pizza, but it did look good cooking in the outdoor brick oven.  Devon had shrimp and I had duck. Even if the food was healthy, it was excellent, the service was very good and we recommend it.

Wine Summary
Is Paso Robles a great place for wine or what? We tasted 134 wines (plus a few that weren't counted) and of those, we rated 74 wines highly.  That means more than half of the wines we tried, or 55% of them, were excellent!

The Top White & Rosé Wines

The Top Red, Port & Dessert Wines

We're looking forward to visiting Paso Robles again soon and tasting another few hundred wines.  They just keep getting better every year.

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Monday, March 06, 2006

Tatted Bookmark with Card, Version 2

I got the box of cards from Lisa on Friday. They are gorgeous! I am in love with the beautiful colors she uses and the way she embellishes with little bits of ribbon, buttons or grommets. Even though I am a tatter and a dabbler in bobbin lace, I don’t like to fiddle around much. It has to work the first or second time, or I’m done.

I tried a second bookmark pattern, this one in #30 thread. I knew this green would almost match one of the greens she uses in her cards, but I only have this color in #30. The finer thread means I’ll have to use heavier stiffener, but I like the pattern and will be able to use more colors from my #30 stash. This bookmark is au natural, I haven’t stiffened it yet, just had to share right away.

I still haven’t decided if I should put a tassel on these bookmarks. I wonder if it would be too bulky for the card, but my son says bookmarks need a tassel to hang out and make the page easier to find. I’m inclined to agree.

(Now comes the technical tatting talk, please bear with me.)

This pattern started from ‘Tatting with Anne Orr’ (edging #36, p. 27) but soon morphed into something different. I decided I would make two passes, attaching the chains, and create a cluster of 4 small rings in order to be similar to my previous pattern. Then I lengthened the outer chains, just to add a little flair. I discovered I had to do a shoelace tie after the first ring in each pair in order to get the ball thread into the proper position for the next chain. I could have just crossed my threads, but I opted for the SLT for stability. I could use 2 shuttles, and solve the problem that way. That would create the opportunity for an interesting 2 color variation. Oh no, more distraction from my knitting!

All my rings are 6p6, the inner chains are also 6p6, and the outer chains are basically 8p8, open to additional picots. My friend, Alwen, uses picots much better than I do. She says, "Look at that bare chain, it’s just crying out for more picots." So, Alwen, if you can suggest a better chain, I’ll go for it in my next one.

I’m not neglecting my socks, I knit a little, then tat a little. The bookmarks are a welcome diversion, especially since I know Lisa is happy to have them.

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Teal and Davin | Conifer Colorado Meyer Ranch Mountain Wedding and Engagement Photographer

Colorado wedding photographer engagement shoot at Meyer Ranch in Conifer Colorado

Meeting couples who click like Teal and Davin do is one of the most exciting parts of being wedding photographers. When we first met these two for coffee this winter, we immediately clicked with their fun personalities, hilarious bantering, and family stories they shared with us in a humorous light. Needless to say, their engagement shoot was equally as epic with a fun hike at Meyer Ranch in Conifer, Colorado to a memorial bench for Teal’s grandfather, sunset photos with their dog Syd and of course, a couple brewski’s to top off the evening. Hearing Teal and Davin’s story (especially his awesome proposal around the dinner table with family…see below!), has made us so incredibly excited for their wedding day this fall in Denver! Congratulations you two! Thank you so much for having us be on this journey with you!

Taylor and Mike

Blog01 Blog02 Blog03 Blog04 Blog05 Conifer Colorado mountain wedding photographer at Meyer Ranch Blog07 Blog08 Blog09 Blog10 Blog11 Blog13 Blog14 Colorado mountain wedding photographer at Meyer Ranch Conifer Colorado engagement shoot at Meyer Ranch with Colorado wedding photographer Blog17 Blog18 Blog19 Blog20 Blog21 Blog22 Blog23 Mountain wedding and engagement photographer Conifer Colorado Blog26Blog25 Blog27 Blog28 Blog29 Blog30 Blog31

From the Bride :

  1. How did you two meet?
    “Davin and I met through our mutual friend crystal.  She is one of my best friends and was in grad school (MBA) with Davin.  I went to watch a Broncos game with crystal and her school friends and met Davin. We bonded over our love for sports. After that I would always want to know when crystal was seeing her school friends so I could meet Davin again.  After running into each other a few more times he finally asked for my phone number and we started dating.”
  2. When did you know you wanted to marry each other?
    “I think when Davin took a job in vail after finishing his MBA and I didn’t even question it – we went and got margaritas and tacos and made a plan to move together to vail.  We were just always on the same page and got along well from day one.”
  3. How did Davin propose?
    “Davin really wanted to surprise me with his proposal. So he waited until a family dinner when I would least suspect it and proposed while I was eating Brussel sprouts.”
  4. What are you most excited about for your wedding day?
    “We are most excited to have all of our friends and family we love together to celebrate and have an awesome dance party.”
  5. What is something fun you learned about each other during your wedding planning?
    “I think our wedding planning has reinforced that we both like a good party, disagree on our tastes in music but are both willing to compromise, and the key to a good wedding is an open bar and a DJ named Dwight with a mustache.”

13 Comments to “Teal and Davin | Conifer Colorado Meyer Ranch Mountain Wedding and Engagement Photographer”

  1. Jesssays :

    Ahhh, I just love these! So genuine and filled with joy and love. Beautiful job.

  2. Mia harlowsays :

    Oh my these are breathtaking!!

  3. Sheblisays :

    Gorgeous! I love how you captured them in such a natural way! Nicely done.

  4. Erin Knabenbauersays :

    Love the ring shots and the ones with the pup! Beautiful work!

  5. juliasays :

    gorgeous photos, as always 🙂 cute beer bottles!!

  6. Adenasays :

    This is just so incredible! I love that you can feel the connection these 2 have in your images! And that ring/beer bottle shot..perfect. Seriously you are SO amazing at what you do…killin it as always!

  7. Juliesays :

    That ring shot is awesome! The light in love in these are just perfect!

  8. Trish and Garthsays :

    All of these photos are wonderful! I love that you included your dog in the photo shoot! We look forward to driving to Colorado in October to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary and your wonderful Union. We love you, aunt Trish and uncle Garth

  9. Keziahsays :

    Ah but that dog!!! really enjoyed a lot of the images with the pup in them!

  10. Jennsays :

    Love these, that ring shot is beautiful and I love the beer bottles 🙂

  11. Melissasays :

    Amazing work. They are so cute! Love the ones with the dog.

  12. Monetsays :

    Such beautiful engagement photos. The light is stunning. And I love their puppy!


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My New Book! – Teaching Writing

Check it out at Rowman and Littlefield: Education

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Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Ryan's Race Report: Nationals

Ryan Eastman
15-16 year old

Junior National Championship Time Trial

I was expecting it to be hot and humid in Pennsylvania but when we got there it was actually pretty nice. I had one day to get ready before the first day of racing, the time trial, so we went out to ride the road race course. So the day finally came on Friday the 13th, the day of the time trial. It was a 20k race back and forth on the freeway; my start time was around 10:30. The weather was nice but a little cloudy. I was warming up on the trainer looking around and I guess I was a little bit nervous about my first nationals and how it was going to play out, but I was so excited to be there. I got up on the start ramp and the clock started to count down from ten, I was so anxious to just get out on the road, and then there was the beep and I was off. I sprinted off the start ramp and then got into my aero bars and I was off pedaling at a high cadence down the freeway. The course was a little weird because it went off the off ramp and swished back to go down the on ramp. I pedaled my way though that and got on to the straight out and back part of the course. Now this was my first time trial so I wasn't sure exactly what to do. I guess go as hard as you can until the finish line.

I was riding my way out to the first turn around and I was feeling pretty good. When I got to the turn around I was a little confused. It looked like the cones were going in ten different directions. I went around the corner and sprinted out of it. On the way back there was a head wind that didn't feel so good but I pushed my way through it to get to the next turn around. By this time I was a little tired but at least I had a tail wind. I started to feel better and I picked it up a bit. I looked on the other rider’s faces and it looked like it was wearing on them also. I went through the last turn around to face the last 5k. I was riding and I was having such a good time. This was awesome, with about 2k to go a guy passed me and I used him to pace me. With 1k to go it was a slow drag up to the finish and with 100 meters to go I sprinted as hard as I could, coming in with a time of 30min. 46sec. In the end I got 69th with 92 guys in my field.

Junior National Championship Road Race
26th place

This was the race that I was looking forward to the most out of the three, because it was the longest, there was climbing and it was 48 miles. The day started out with some pretty heavy fog but by the time my group went off it was clear and sunny. My race was delayed about and hour and a half due to the massive crash in the 17-18 race. So they decided to neutralize our start. The start was on top off a ski resort so we descended down a ways before they gave us the go ahead to start to race. Now we had three laps to do and then we would climb back up to the finish on top of the resort. It didn't start out as fast as I thought it would but then it slowly started to kick up. It was weird racing in this big of a pack. I'm used to racing with around 25 juniors but in my race there were 92 guys. It was definitely cool though.

We got to this steep little pitch in the road where I thought it would brake up a bit, but it didn't. We flew through the little rolling hills of Pennsylvania until we reached the climb on the course. It was probably about a kilometer or so but it was pretty steep. I knew for sure that it would brake up a lot here. I made the left hand turn and then drilled it up the climb. Quickly one by one people were dropped off the back. I stayed with the pack. Once we reached the flats there were a few attacks, none got away. I made another left hand turn and went across some big rollers and descended down to conclude the first lap. We went around and reached the climb once again, about half way up I let a gap go and they slowly started to ride away. For some reason I wasn't feeling good on the climbs and that's where I should feel the best. I crested the top of the climb and felt horrible.

A small group formed with me and we started a pace line and that lead pack seemed to be getting closer and closer until I was finally in it. Now I was really tired, luckily there was a short decent coming so I could recover. Thankfully I did and was feeling better. Now we were on our final lap, there were around 4 or 5 attacks but everyone else chased them down. Once I reached the climb my plan was to set a steady tempo up the climb and save a final burst for the top of the climb. I did exactly this and it worked to perfection but I was about 15 meters away from the back of the peloton. I got to the top and they just slipped away from me. I was a little disappointed because I just wasn't climbing the way I always do. I got in a group with about 10 other guys and we worked together in a pace line and I started to just have a really good time. I was feeling better and better.

The group and I reached the climb that would bring us to the top of the resort to the finish and I started to lift the pace. Me and another guy rode away from the small pack and then in the distance I saw Edan (who is a strong rider on Davis Bike Club) so I knew that he and I could work together and make this gap that I had bigger. So I lifted the pace and dropped the other guy bridging my way up to him. He was with a couple of other riders as well, and once I reached him we took off working together extending the gap. We rode hard and strong and man I was having a great time, I also was climbing a lot stronger. We got to the 200 meter sign and then we started to sprint the final kick up to the finish. He crossed the climb around a wheel ahead of me. I had nothing left. That was an awesome race it was so fun, and I got 26th out of 92 guys so I improved a lot from the time trial.

Junior National Championship Criterium
33rd Place

I finally got to sleep in because my race wasn't until 3:30pm, but unfortunately it stated to rain in the afternoon. When I was driving to the race it really started to come down hard. I road over to the tent in the pouring rain and thankfully it stopped and by the time that my race started the course was basically all dry. We were all at the start bunched up to fight for a good position. We started to feel little water drops, but the race started off with a sprint as usual. I didn't have the best position around a third of the way back. It was hard to move up because I would get the accordion affect and once I would get back up to pace, the field would spread across the road. I slowly moved up a bit but it was tough. We got deeper and deeper into the race and it got wetter and wetter, but I was having a good time.

The race whittled down to a smaller group due to the riders that got dropped and then pulled. The race was getting toward the end and I knew that I needed to get up the re but for some reason I couldn't. Now the race was around 3 laps to go and it just started to pour really hard. It was raining so hard the rain drops hurt a bit when they hit you. I actually thought it was really cool. Obviously some other's didn't and they started to slow down leaving these gaps that I was left to bridge. I was feeling awesome so I did just that, it was raining so hard that when I had my mouth open it would fill completely up with water every 20 sec. It finally got to be too much so now I was about 6th wheel back just behind the pack and we flew through the last corner to the finishing straight. I didn't feel like sprinting, then suddenly I did, and I just gave it everything I had and I passed around 5 or 6 guys coming in 33rd place. I was very happy. I road up to the tent to Laura dripping wet and said, "Man that was the Best Race ever." I just had a really good time.

Over all, Nationals was one of the best experiences I have ever had. The big accomplishment for me was just going to Nationals since it was my first season racing. I had to race so hard to get those upgrade points so I was able to go, and I am so glad I did. I am really looking forward to next year because I will be one year older, stronger, and more experienced. Great job Team Swift!

Ryan Eastman

1 comment:

knicksgrl0917 said...
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The Tech - Snowy Online EditionMIT's oldest and largest
newspaper & the first
newspaper published
on the web
Boston Weather: 32.0°F | Light Snow Fog/Mist

First Issue for Prometheus, New Monthly Newspaper

By Frank Dabek

Prometheus, a new monthly newspaper on campus, published its first issue yesterday.

Scott D. Schneider ’00, the editor in chief of Prometheus, said that he created the paper to highlight the culture of “responsibility and freedom” that exists at MIT.

The official position of the paper will be to promote that culture. Schneider, the former president of MIT’s Objectivist club, said “it is possible to objectively form an opinion.” Articles in Prometheus will “state an opinion and show all of the facts,” he said.

Schneider decided to create a new paper instead of publishing articles in an existing periodical because of the unified philosophy of Prometheus, and because creating a paper demonstrates that the group was willing to “put forth the effort to put out our own [paper],” he said.

Sheeva Azma ’05, a Prometheus, staffer, said that she joined Prometheus because its “scope is narrow. ... The Tech has to cater to a lot of people,” she said.

Prometheus will publish once a month including issues in May and August.

ASA recognition not forthcoming

Although Prometheus has published its first issue, it has yet to obtain recognition from the Association of Student Activities as an MIT student group. Schneider said that the ASA initially denied the group recognition because of concerns about the paper’s sustainability.

The ASA agreed to accept distribution of the paper’s first issue as proof of sustainability, Schneider said, and he hopes to obtain the recognition soon. Representatives of the ASA were not available for comment last night.

Prometheus spent $800 on its first issue, Schneider said. Funding came from grants from the Dormitory Council and the Undergraduate Association, as well as some advertising.

Emily E. Cofer ’04, the president of DormCon, said that the council gave about $250 to Schneider to publish the first issue. DormCon felt that the “focus of the paper is ... relevant to all dorm members,” Cofer said. Cofer said that DormCon is not likely to fund future issues of Prometheus once the group obtains ASA recognition.

UA President Josiah D. Seale ’03 said that he provided $400 from the Bush fund for Prometheus’ first issue. The Bush fund is a discretionary fund controlled by the UA Coordinating Committee. The periodical will “help students get more involved, both by reading and writing,” Seale said.

The lack of ASA recognition also made it difficult for Prometheus to obtain space for the publication’s Web page. The current space used by Prometheus at is being provided by the Student Information Processing Board.


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Update on Microsoft’s Zune

Microsoft is gearing up to take on rival iPod in the digital music industry, and have brokered for top quality placement in GameStop and EB Games stores. This move indicates Microsoft’s desire to capture a market so far untapped by Apple – gamers, and marks the first time that either store has carried an mp3 player.

The launch date and pricing information for the Zune was accidentally leaked by Amazon.com last week. Zune will launch on November 14th – just in time for the holidays. It features a 3 inch screen and a 30 GB hard drive, and will be available at for $249.00, pricing that is in direct competition with Apple’s iPod Video player. So further sweeten the deal, the Zune will come preloaded with content including songs from Sub Pop, V2, Astralwerks, and Quango, as well as music videos from BT, 30 Seconds to Mars, and Paul Oakenfold. Several video clips will also be included to allow users to sample the Zune’s video playback capabilities.

Pictures of the device have also surfaced, and can be seen here. Additionally, pricing for Zune accessories have also been revealed:

  • Zune Home A/V Pack and Travel Pack for $99.99
  • Zune FM Transmitter for $69.99
  • Premium Earphones for $39.99
  • Dock for $39.99
  • Remote (dock also required) for $29.99
  • Car Pack for $79.99
  • Various interface cables from $19.99 to $29.99

Other than the preloaded content, which frankly doesn’t interest me in the slightest, what’s the Zune got that Apple hasn’t? What do they have to convince me to switch from the iPod to the Zune? It’s not any cheaper, and they don’t offer a smaller version, like the Nano. If they want to win over the geeks like me who are already addicted to their iPods, they really have to come up with something that really sets themselves apart. I’m still waiting to be amazed.

  1. scottscott10-15-2006

    you haven’t mentioned the wireless capabilities. Supposedly you will be able to “lend” music to other Zune owners through a WLAN… that is something apple doesn’t have. It’s probably not enough, but we’ll see soon enough…

  2. DustinDustin10-17-2006

    You know, that’s a really good point. What does differentiate the Zune from the iPod? Maybe there’s more info yet to be released? At first I was pretty excited about the Zune but now I’m not so sure. I don’t like iTunes, so using that will be a nice change I suppose…

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Pros of Samsung Galaxy Pro

Samsung Galaxy Pro is a QWERTY-equipped Android smartphone. This smartphone with a QWERTY keyboard gives the feeling of BlackBerryesque style. It has a 2.8 inch touch-screen and a QWERTY keyboard. Full QWERTY keyboard makes it a great smartphone for those who like social networking, internet browsing.

Android 2.2 device with a 2.8″ 320 x 240 pixel touchscreen display. On the back is a 3 megapixel camera, and inside the Galaxy Pro supports 3.5G data and WiFi. The 800 MHz processor may not sound particularly fast in an age of 1 GHz dual-core devices. The fairly large 1350 mAh battery is quoted as giving up to 11 hours talktime and 25 days standby time.

Samsung Galaxy Pro Features

  • It has 800MHz processor
  • GPRS, EDGE, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and USB
  • 2.8 inches TFT Touch Screen with QWERTY Keypad
  • 3.2MP Camera with video recording, auto focus and LED flash it has Secondary camera
  • It has Android OS, v2.2 (Froyo)
  • It has Expandable memory up to 32GB
  • Accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate


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Monday, February 1, 2010

Sleding at the Cabin!!

This past weekend TJ and I decided to go up to the cabin and go sledding with TJ's old missionary companion & his family. We all had a blast. The kids loved sledding all the way down the big hills. It is so nice because we can go sledding right out side the cabin on the road which makes it a lot easier to have the cabin right there if we need it. Our family loves going up to the family cabin in the winter time because it is so relaxing. Here are some pic's from our adventure.

Taylor & Jayden having a slumber party. They were so excited to sleep in the same bed.

Addison & Jenn getting ready to go down the BIG hill. Addie loved sledding.

Cute girls playing in the snow & making snow angels.

TJ taking Harley down the hill. Harley loves to go sledding, but mostly he just loves to chase the sled's and ride in the back of the Rhino.

Addie going down the small hill all by her BIG self. I was too busy taking the picture that I didn't catch her in time and she fell off & just rolled. She thought that was pretty funny.

Taylor & Jayden going down together. I love the look on their faces.

Taylor taking her turn. She could have stayed out sledding all day. Even after about 5 hrs of sledding.

Addie, Jayden & Taylor getting ready to go down the hill together.

Addie & Harley waiting for the sled's to come back up the hill for their turn.

TJ, Taylor & Brad, Jayden getting ready to race down the big hill. Addie obviously wanted to go also.

Addie thinking she is just as big as the other girls. What would we do without that smile??


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About this unit

Chicago’s Furnished Apartments | Corporate Housing Chicago | Corporate Apartments Chicago | Temporary Housing Chicago

Temporary Housing Chicago provides fully furnished apartments throughout the Chicagoland area – whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, we can provide temporary housing for stays of 30 days or longer. We offer excellent rates and flexible lease terms. All utilities, bi-weekly housekeeping, fitness center and wireless internet is included with your stay.

One Bedroom

710 sq. ft.

About Catalyst

123 N. Des Plaines
Chicago, IL 60661

Chicago's West Loop Corporate Apartments

  • Upscale furnished apartments located one block from Restaurant Row, close to shops, and entertainment.
  • Walking distance to the Union and Ogilvie Metra Train Stations, Blue Line Rapid Transit Train, Bus Stations, and more!
  • Exceptional amenities including a roof top pool with sundeck, TV's and lounge areas.


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Layover in BA

We’re on the plane to Miami from Ezeiza, the international airport in Buenos Aires. Everything has been impossible smooth so far. We got to Aeroparque, the airport in B.A. for domestic flights, early. I believe I’ve never gotten my checked baggage back so quickly. Normally we would take the Manuel Tienda Leon shuttle bus for the crosstown trip between airports, but instead they offered us a minivan, which they let us pack to the absolute limit with our bags and my mom’s wheelchair.

Drivers in B.A. are even scarier than in Córdoba, even at slow speeds in heavy traffic; somehow my mom managed to sleep through most of the thrill ride. I rode in cars and taxis a lot more on this trip than in the past. Though automobile travel can be a little more than harrowing (they often ignore stop signs and the speed limits), I’ve concluded that the drivers here aren’t so much bad as they have a very different idea of how much space should be between their cars and other cars, pedestrians, walls, etc.

We have some pesos left over, which we’ll keep for our next trip. We managed to get through these ten days with enough small bills. Argentina doesn’t print many of its smaller denominations (under Ar$50) and change isn’t always easy to come by, so we made a little game out of small change farming.

Last night we stayed up to watch the Academy Awards. An Argentinian film, El Secreto de Sus Ojos, won the award for best foreign language film. It was all over the news this morning.

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Adam's artificial habitat is my official website and blog. I write as often as I can, so it is the best way to keep up to date on my goings-on.

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Thursday, December 23, 2010

Have you ever heard it explained in great pride that we aren't a Reformation Movement, but a Restoration Movement?  The point that immediately tails such statements are Luther's Reformation Movement merely ended up in many divided denominations.  Our (RM) is better....more biblical...we conclude.

Reformation means to "reform", "re-do", or "re-make" because something is inherently wrong with the current.  We may be in need of the very thing we have boasted we are not....reformation.

For one, the Restoration Movement has delivered the same divisionary communities identical to the Reformation denominations with one exception; our various splitages insist on calling ourselves the same name---Church of Christ.

Our efforts to regain firm relationship with our living Lord is a pursuit which must not be adjusted.  The inserting of doctrines in the name of Jesus which are truly and merely doctrines of habit continue to debilitate the body at large.  Restoration and Reformation are dually needed.

What we didn't realize, in our earlier years, was that whatever we decided to believe became and what we decided to not believe didn't come about.  For those who believe firmly the Holy Spirit of God works in and with us today...He surely does!  However, for those who staunchly believe the Holy Spirit does no such thing; in their lives He truly does no such thing!

We have much to learn, much to ponder, and much growing to do.  All sensations of pride of having arrived calls for immediate repentance.  We want God to be free to roam upon us, with us, and for us.  Rigidity of habit will not permit the freedom of His call.

May we be about the receiving of His grace and the relenting of our stubborn stances.  The world awaits...and so do the authentic people called the church.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Wow, this is great. The Spirit has you on a roll this week! The last year or so I've done a lot of reading and listening to (isn't the internet great?) a lot of men who are part of the Reformation churches. I've learned so much from Driscoll, Piper, Chandler, MacArthur and Begg. I'm sure they would get criticized for following a man, Luther, but don't the Restoration folks do the same in the following of Stone and Campbell?
You're right. We need them both.
p.s. And I've become very convinced that the Spirit does indeed move, a lot, if we don't squelch Him!


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Friday, December 14, 2012

Hailey turned 7

This year Hailey's birthday was alittle tricky.Her birthday is on a Friday so that means she'd be going to her other dad's house. Plus she didn't want to play hookie (plus she couldn't...not in the same week as Ducati) so all we would have is the morning to celebrate. So we did a 1/2 and 1/2 birthday for her.
Thursday night we started the celebration.
All she wanted for her birthday was a matching outfit for her and her doll. (Thanks to those American Girl catalogs that come in the mail) However those outfits cost around $60 for the girl and doll dresses. Way too much for me! So I called upon a friend to help me. She's the best seamstress I know so I figured if she could help me out it might save me some money if I made the outfits myself. Thankfully she helped me out ALOT!
( I finally semi-learned how to read a pattern)
Anyways Hailey loved her matching nightgowns. They were actually dresses but since the length was so long she thought they were nightgowns. I'm not one to argue with the birthday girl. :)
 And for her meal she wanted a feast. She's been telling me recipes for months now of what she wants for her birthday feast. So I whipped up a few quick meals that everyone enjoyed.
 After everyone was stuffed we had to make room for one treat. Cheesecake birthday bites. Yummo!

 I love these moments where they blow out their candles. It just makes the added year come to life since it's official. 7 candles! I know.... I'll get back on track :)
 Hailey was so happy for these cheesecake bites. This is one thing she really wanted for her birthday.
 Earlier in the day I took her to Redbox to pick out a movie for her activity per her request.

 After movie every and all went to bed. Mike went to work. And I put up decorations for her real day. In the morning the girls gave her the gifts they picked out for her. As you can see they wrapped her gifts up in newspaper. I love it! It adds a sense of character to it.

And for Hailey's birthday gift she took in pixie sticks for her class. But the real thing she wanted was for me to come eat lunch with her at school. So a friend of mine took my 2 littler ones for an hour.

But to add alittle more celebration for her big day Lily, Cati, and I put her lunch in a box and wrapped it up so it looked like a present. So fun to watch her unwrap her birthday lunch :)
 While eating lunch I was able to meet alot of her sweet friends. Most I already knew from church but it's always nice to see them out of their church clothes and more kid-like.
After lunch we went outside for recess where she showed me some of her awesome playground tricks.

After this I picked up our girls. Waited for school to let out and dropped her off at her other dad's where I'm sure she was spoiled even more.

Some fun facts about Hailey:

sunny side eggs with toast, date night, tumbling, reading, painting her nails, hiking, writing in her journal, the color pink, and she wants to be a dance teacher when she grows up.

tomatoes, ponytails, losing things, being sick, not holding the remote

Happy Birthday to my sweet Angel Hailey.
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text:
Where Do You Find Summer?

Summer So Far....

Where do I look for summer in the dictionary?
I think it's somewhere under sunshine, freckles and diving boards....

It can be found under picnics, poolside, sleeping in and sidewalk chalk ...

You can find our summer under flea markets, friends and sunsets.

I look for our summer under dirty faces and that sweet smell of kids' hair when it's been warmed by the sun

I look for it under decks, ice cold beer and  laughing with friends

I find it under under reunions and dear friends....

and saying "what the hell" when someone asks if you'd like to take a go cart around a ball field.

When I think about all the things that have made up our summer so far, I am just excited to know that it's only half over.

Where do you find your summer?

Book Review: This Is Where I Leave You

You've seen this right?

Because I don't really know how to better describe what has happened to me since finishing the book I am about to review for you. I've been through 3 Kindle samples and even tried to pick up another book I had left unfinished, but to no avail.

That's the great thing about reviews, I guess. I get to talk about the book that I'm still obsessing about after it's over!

My Review for
This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathon Trooper

From Goodreads: The death of Judd Foxman’s father marks the first time that the entire Foxman family—including Judd’s mother, brothers, and sister—have been together in years. Conspicuously absent: Judd’s wife, Jen, whose fourteen-month affair with Judd’s radio-shock-jock boss has recently become painfully public.

Simultaneously mourning the death of his father and the demise of his marriage, Judd joins the rest of the Foxmans as they reluctantly submit to their patriarch’s dying request: to spend the seven days following the funeral together. In the same house. Like a family.

As the week quickly spins out of control, longstanding grudges resurface, secrets are revealed, and old passions reawakened. For Judd, it’s a week-long attempt to make sense of the mess his life has become while trying in vain not to get sucked into the regressive battles of his madly dysfunctional family....

Where do I start? First, I have to tell you that this book, although the stories are based on serious life-changing situations (marriages, death, family, secrets), is endearingly funny. You know when someone is telling you a story and taking it very serious but you can't help but laugh at the insanity of the situation? You laugh and then they pause and awkward silence follows as they hate your insensitivity- that's what this is like. I couldn't help but laugh.

One thing I have noticed after reviewing books for 2 years is that when I am reviewing a book I really really love, I am always talking about the amazing character development.

The characters in This Is How I Leave You are the perfect combination of lovable and loathsome. The perfect literary characters are those you love you so much that even when they do terrible things or think unforgivable things, you still root for them until last page.

Judd Foxman is navigating uncertain waters. His father has died, his wife has cheated on his with his boss, and he suddenly finds himself forced to spend 7 days with his brothers and sister, who are on such different planets, it's hard to imagine them growing up together under the same roof.

The story line moves quickly and introduces you to the line of hilariously corrupt family members, Judd's mother, a fake breasted, overly sexual woman who strangely is a famous parenting expert and  author and his lovable brothers and sister. They are all so different, it was like reading 4 stories in one when you learn about their lives.

The main question in the book is this: How does a family that is so unrelated  find a strong common ground to stand on again in the midst of loss? It turns out that...they can. Even though a shitstorm of outlying circumstances tornadoes around them: affairs, infertility, the disappointment of promising futures gone wrong, boredom...  even with all of these sad stories swirling around them, the Foxman family still manages to be quirky, funny, honest and optimistic.

Judd tells the story in a painfully honest and frank tone. You find out what happened years ago that built a cement solid wedge between him and his older brother, you fall in love with his screw up of a little brother, Phillip, and you root obsessively for his sister, Wendy, who's witty remarks and oblivious business-obsessed husband make her the stand out favorite character. Judd's character does an amazing job of being observant of every one around him, telling stories of the past that make the present make more sense and being painfully honest about what's going on in his mind after finding out his wife is leaving him for his boss. (plus there's more to his story but I don't want to give away too much)

See what I mean? There's not a boring moment to be seen. The whole book is like an episode of Brothers & Sisters, except the cast members are all of the best SNL actors.

One of my favorite lines of the book:

I always read my reviews over before hitting publish and realize that I have just rambled on and don't really tell you what the story is reallllly about. But that's hard to do because there is so much to this book and I don't want to ruin it for you. What you CAN do is read it for yourself. And because it doesn't give away any spoilers, I'll show you the trailer for the movie version that is coming out in September, starring Jason Bateman, Tina Fey and Jane Fonda. (but if you're like me, you still won't watch it until after you've read the book because you don't want to ruin your own imagination's interpretation of the characters).

Here's my recommendation: Read it to feel the emotions of others. Read it to feel empathy. Read it because stories like this always make you feel a little more normal and nostalgic about your own family. Read it it to feel hopeful, to laugh and to be reminded why we love the unlovable people in our lives...

Happy reading friends. If you pick up this book, I promise you won't be disappointed. Let me what you think of it!

Happy Reading!

That's What She Wrote- Prologue: The Balloon

I bring to you an edition of "That's What She Wrote
Because I wrote this a while ago and it found me again today and I thought, hey, I like that. And now I am going to share it with you.

It's called "Prologue: The Balloon"
I'm not exactly sure what it is a prologue to. All I know is that it's a story that has more to tell so this isn't the end, yet.

When Ginny woke up on the morning of her thirtieth birthday, she didn’t feel exactly as old as she thought she would.

Not feeling her age was something that happened to Ginny a lot. Her age seemed to her like a bobbing balloon on a string that followed her, only catching up when she tugged hard on it, jarring in to keep up the pace.

On her thirteenth birthday, she had expected to wake up and feel different. Glossier, more put together, more confident. What she got instead was a Celine Dion CD, a Beanie Baby and the feeling that her milestone of becoming a teen, more half of a woman, was an after thought to those around her.

Eighteen was a good year, filled with friends, concerts, the excitement of college and an entirely new world and life.

Ginny can’t remember any more birthdays until she turned  twenty one. And, thanks to entirely too many shots of cheap whiskey and sugary, made up concoctions, she barely even remembered the details of that birthday either.

After that, her balloon started preceding her. “This is your age, this is that path you should be taking,” said the balloon, who had at some point gained more heft and influence over the years.

So Ginny followed.

Today was the day she would hit what she thought another huge milestone and she felt a sense of raising expectations. High expectations had always gotten Ginny into trouble in the past. She had a long history of expecting people to act more generous, more accepting. Hell, she even thought people should be funnier than they really were. High expectations usually just led to disappointment.

This year, she vowed it would be different. In just the last three years her life had done a complete 180. She felt like finally this might be the future that was validated. She had good reason to believe that this year would be better than the last.

As always, when she was excited or nervous about the day ahead, Ginny woke up three minutes before her alarm. Seconds later, her phone went off with a text message alert.

“Good morning, pretty girl,” it read.

Ginny smiled. It was going to be a good day.

Thanks for reading.

#9to5 Total Social Link Up: What Do I Do?

Helene in Between

I am so glad Helene and Sarah picked a topic for the Total Social that's all about our jobs! I think it's fascinating to find out what we all do for a living!

My 9 to 5 is ALWAYS different, which is the number 1 reason why I LOVE my job.

I work for a Copywriting and Public Relations/Marketing Firm.

Some days, I am meeting with clients and brainstorming about rebranding, website content or social media. Other days, I am writing blogs for clients on a HUGE variety of different topics. We creative content for clients ranging from truck driving companies, mental health and behavioral health clinics to financial investment advisers, greeting card companies and mop buckets.

What other job lets you say mental health and mop buckets in the same sentence? That's right, mine does!

Also some days, I am lucky enough to call places like Starbucks and Panera Bread my office.

(That's an iced vanilla soy latte, if you're wondering.)

My typical Wednesdays look like this:

9:00 - 11:30 a.m.- Team meeting with my co-workers and boss, where we give updates on all of the clients we are working with, brainstorm ideas and make sure all of our to-do lists are up to date.

11:30-1:00- Answer emails, check off all of the tasks that were added to my list during the meeting, email clients, research connections for potential clients, meet my mom for lunch.

1:00-3:00 - Write blogs for various clients, create content for websites, blogs, newsletters or other various projects.

4:00 p.m. - Make phone calls to potential clients, set up meetings.

My company creates marketing plans, content and social media strategies for companies and non-profits in our area but some clients are all over the United States as well. You can check out our website here: Susan J. Campbell Copywriting Solutions  . Follow us on social media too, because we are always sharing tips and strategies for optimizing customer engagement, SEO, and more marketing related information.

As with any marketing and p.r., my job also consists of a lot of networking, so I get the pleasure of attending many Chamber of Commerce events, Lunch And Learns, committee meetings and fundraising events. It's caused me to step out of my comfort level a lot and be confident enough to walk up to a complete stranger and shakes hands, but as soon as I do it and meet someone new, I am so glad I did!

To say I love my #9to5 would be an understatement!

What Love Is Like For Me

Feeling the sun shine on your face after a week of clouds...that's what love is like.

Finally getting to drop your heavy grocery bags after a long haul up steep stairs...that's what love is like.

Finding that cool spot in the bed...that's what love is like.

Hearing the perfect song that says all the words that have already been playing in your mind...that's what love is like.

Getting all the lyrics right while lip syncing your favorite song......that's what love is like.

Reading a book that perfectly says the feelings you've had inside but never knew how to form into words...that's what love is like.

Tasting a spoonful of satisfaction when you didn't even realize how starved you were...that's what love is like.

Laughing so hard your stomach hurts and your cheeks cramp...that's what love is like.

Doing something for another person and never considering what they could do to repay you...that's what love is like.

Finally finding the "You Are Here" on a map after searching and searching...that's what love is like.

Walking down a road you finally recognize after being lost for hours...that's what love is like.

Being wrapped in a warm blanket ...that's what love is like.

Waking up with a clean slate everyday...that's what love is like.

What Is Love Like For You?

2004 Hollers Back: What I Learned at my High School Class Reunion

One of the most incredible things about life is that it goes on. But this weekend I learned that there is a bittersweet side that goes along with that.I guess high school reunions have a way of really making you realize how fast times flies.

Ten years ago, I graduated from high school and after the most amazing summer of my life, left most of my friends, some of which I had seen practically every day for my entire childhood, and packed up for college. I never went back.

Why? Life I guess. I went to college, met a guy that took up entirely too much of my time and then life came in a tidal wave and took me away. (if tidal waves come in the form of a 7lb 4oz newborn with a head full of dark hair).

I am so glad I when back 10 years later.

The guy who was super creepy back then in still creepy. But now he slicks his hair back and looks like Steve Buscemi.

The people who were super nice are even more sweet as adults.

Shy guys ALWAYS win.

People grow up and will amaze the shit out of you. The hot surfer-looking dude? He'll turn out to be a business analyst for fast-forward medical innovations for a university medical school. (Whatever that means) Which is ironic because a) he wore his hair like a surfer and we lived in Nebraksa and b) I never remember seeing him with a book in his hand (probably because we were too busy making out to Jukebox Hero)

I will never forgive the 17 year-old me for thinking she was fat and wearing sweatshirts all the time. I was cute back then and all I ever saw was big shoulders and tiny little pouch I would KILL for these days.

Retelling stories of the time you planned a mock kidnapping will never get old.

You should always visit the places that made you the most happy. It's all part of the reunion experience

1. The "senior hallway" at KHS, where I felt so big and tall all those years ago. 2. Luke & Jake's BBQ in Kearney, NE. Stuffed baked potato with BBQ pork? You betcha I went back! 3. Beautiful Harmon Park.

The feeling you get when you are around people who've known you forever never goes away, even if it's been a decade.

Your best friend's parents' house will always feel like home.

Your charming best guy friend who could always make you laugh is still the same and you love him even more for it.

When you are meant to be friends with those certain people, years of staying out of touch can disappear in an instant.

I almost didn't go to the reunion because I kept thinking people would have forgotten who I was. In a class of over 300, I was just a number, and after being off the map for a decade, I thought the chances of people remembering me would be slim. But the moment I was around my old friends, I felt like no time had passed. The same smiles, humor, stories and creepiness that where there when I left were all still there and I loved every minute of it.

10 years just makes you cooler.

Hey guys!

That's me.
That's a plank. (At least I think it is.)
That's me, PLANKING.
People, that's a pretty big deal.
The first time my pal Tisha told me she was going to help me whip my butt into shape, I begrudgingly agreed and I complained the entire first week of our work outs.

And 4 weeks later I am so glad I let Tisha drag me along.
Like I've said before, I hate weighing and I don't measure. I just enjoy that I feel stronger, I can do cartwheels in the yard with R2. Plus, when I want to go for a bike ride, long walk or run, I am strong enough to go without feeling like I am about to keel over.

Last night we really pushed it after taking a week off for the holiday weekend. We've also added an extra work out before we do our 30 sticks. (You can see an example of our stick workouts here.)

We pick one of these two work outs and do them at the beginning and the end of the sticks.

So now that I've got to the point where I don't absolutely HATE working out, I noticed that most headbands that I was using weren't doing a good enough job. I kept having to readjust my headbands. And bobby pins just don't cut it when you are jumping around like a maniac.

One evening my girlfriends and I got together and one of them was wearing a super cute headband and said she just got done running. I was shocked because I thought it was a fashion statement but it was actually a workout band. I knew I HAD to have one, especially when she told me that the BE BOLDER band doesn't ever move.

I have super sleek and straight hair. Nothing ever stays in place, so I had to try them out.

This sucker doesn't budge. It keeps my layered hair at bay and never slips.
Another perk is that it's lightweight and not too tight. Most of the headbands I try that DO stay put are so tight they give me a headache.

So Guess what?

I am giving away a free Bolder Band to one lucky winner!

All you have to do is check out the awesome colors and patterns on their website, tell me your favorite pattern in the comments and follow Bolder Bands and I on social media. I'll announce the winner on Friday!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lessons I Learned This Weekend

1. Being responsible for more than 2 kids at a time is nearly impossible. I almost lost one of the kids while I was watching my niece. R2 escaped from the pool at one point. I always hated seeing babies on leashes at theme parks and flea markets. But now, I totally get them.

2. I learned that no matter what, kids in swimsuits are the cutest thing to ever happen. Ever.

3. Selfies (and any pictures) with kids are nearly impossible.

4. Cute hats make pool hair look cool.

5. When given the opportunity, always connect with bloggers in real life. This weekend, I had the best time going to Omaha and hearing Taylor Wolfe from The Daily Tay do stand up at the Funny Bone. She's just as charismatic and funny in person (and on stage!) as you image she would be from her blog. She was a huge hit!

6. NEVER forget to document said meeting with your favorite blogger! What were we thinking? #majorblogfail

7. Kona Grill is my new favorite place on earth.

8. Staying close to friends who have known you since middle school is always a great idea. Especially when both of your significant others get along great and you spend entire dinner dates laughing and telling stories.

9. When your little girl asks if she can change her name, say yes. You'll love what she comes up with. R2 now goes by the name "Sailor Moon." She even has her own theme song we've been singing alllll weekend long :)

"Sailor Moon, Sailor Moon"
She's so sweet you'd eat her with a spoon
Sailor Moon, Sailor Moon,
You love her in the morning and in the afternoon..."

10. When the pool opens up for the summer, suck up your insecurities about bathing suits and get in the damn water with your kids. Wear a cute hat and enjoy it. No one will remember that you aren't a size 4 in a bikini. They'll remember that you were having a blast, laughing and splashing with your kids in the beautiful sunshine.

What did you learn this weekend?


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Wednesday, January 19, 2011

How's is hanging, blog buddies?! It's not like I've necessarily been away from my blog, but lately the box where I type my thoughts has only held a blinking cursor in it for days. Here's some updates!

1. Cory and I had our FIVE year (no, not wedding) anniversary this past Saturday. I wish I could have made another gratuitous post about how wonderful our night was, what we did, and what I was wearing but...things don't always go as planned. Cory was called into work late that afternoon and conveniently got off right as I was going into work the next day. But in all honesty, we didn't freak out. Yes, it's five years, but in the grand scheme of things, I'll be spending much more anniversaries with him in the future.

2. My dear ole car has bit the dust, and I've spent the last few days bumming rides like a high schooler without a driver's license. I've been saving money to buy a new car (thank God I had a brain in preparation for that!), and now I get to stress myself out over what I will choose, afford, and will pay for for the next four years. Yay.

3. I've been glued to YouTube recently, and I've been thinking about making my first VLOG. Wish me luck!

Yep, so that's about it. What have y'all been up to?

BelleinBows said...

Well happy belated 5 years.
What kind of cars are you considering?

CMae said...

Make a vlog! They are so fun! You get to hear how different everyone talks and that is super fun! :)

Whitney said...

Belle - I'm think an Altima! I've always loved that car :)

CMae - That's what every else says! haha Y'all will get to hear my southern drawl if I do :) I just need to find something to blog about.

Lindsay said...

Congrats on 5 years! And if you're thinking about doing a vlog, you should totally do the dialect vlog! I just did it on my blog and it was actually kinda fun!

Mrs. Chip said...

Congrats on 5 years! I know it's been a journey for you guys :) I'm hoping year number 6 brings you some GREAT things!

And super sad about your car - that's such a stressful situation!


text:
Jerry Pournelle to release his digital backlist

He just mentioned on his blog Monday that he was trying to convert his backlist so he can sell them on the Kindle. What's more interesting is how he's getting the source files. He's relying on pirates.

Useful Pirates?

The major problem with getting one's older works into electronic print is that few have electronic copies of the books. Having them scanned and edited can be expensive - not terribly so, but the costs can be significant, and usually involves destroying a printed copy so that it can be fed to a scanner. Multiple scans with comparisons can get copies arbitrarily similar to the printed copies; of course the printed copies will contain some typographical errors, so the author probably ought to do a final scan before reformatting for Kindle and iTunes publication. The temptation of course will be to do revisions: I don't know, but I suspect that "Revised edition" with a new introduction by the author would increase sales.

Norman Spinrad has discovered Amazon and iTunes publication, and tells how he found clean copies of many of his works on pirate sites. Eric Flint has often said that pirates are more helpful than harmful; many authors have disagreed, but this is a clear example of how some pirates can be useful. Of course in Norman's case there were pirates who undertook the work as a labor of love because they wanted to see his books in print, and they took care to do quality scans; many pirate copies of books are horribly done.

Meanwhile, Eric Pobirs and Peter Glaskowsky have been busy finding me clean copies of my fiction and some non-fiction.

It makes sense to me. A file is a file is a file.

About Nate Hoffelder (11152 Articles)
Nate Hoffelder is the founder and editor of The Digital Reader:"I've been into reading ebooks since forever, but I only got my first ereader in July 2007. Everything quickly spiraled out of control from there. Before I started this blog in January 2010 I covered ebooks, ebook readers, and digital publishing for about 2 years as a part of MobileRead Forums. It's a great community, and being a member is a joy. But I thought I could make something out of how I covered the news for MobileRead, so I started this blog."

2 Comments on Jerry Pournelle to release his digital backlist

  1. Kindle/Amazon huh?

    I guess the rest of us will still have to rely on those same sources

  2. I don’t understand. I thought it supports these formats – LIT, MOBI, EPUB, HTML, PRC, RTF, PDB, PDF.

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