Where to Begin?

So there has been outcry from my hoards of readers for more posts about wine. This is something I had intended to do from my blogs inception. Then I started school and now I am inundated with information, and am unsure how to begin to share it.

On Sunday I start teaching a few segments of Wine Affairs Sunday wine school. I'll be kicking it off with Wine Basics in an hour. An overview of grape varieties, styles and proper serving.

My father suggested I post a wine a week from my class tastings. However those wines are expensive, and not necessarily readily available.

So I want to know what you, my audience, wants from me. Recommendations? Reviews? or an education? Do you want to learn more about how to better understand a label, or are you interested in history?

Give me some guidance, and I'll run it with.

Bad Blogger! Bad Blogger!

I owe you all an apology. I have become something I hate. A person with a blog who doesn't update it. I love blogs. I truly enjoy reading about people who live totally different lives then me. A city girl who married a rancher; An ex-mormon mommy blogger; A widower left to raise his daughter on his own. I celebrate their successes, I mourn their tragedies, and nothing irks me more then when they leave me hanging. I started this blog and was fairly certain the only person who read it was my Mom, and frankly I thought, 'What is so interesting about my life?'. Then slowly it came out I had followers, and rather then inflate my ego, I feel humbled that these people care enough about me to follow my successes, mourn my tragedies. A close friend's college friend who I've only met in passing but is now the facebook friend I probably communicate with most. I was sad I couldn't be there to see him star in the universities musical, and have loved watching him form his senior portfolio. My best friend's-husbands-college-room-mate's girlfriend who I met only at their wedding. She saw my love and desperation for mail and sent me a care package. A senior member of my high school rowing team, whom I idolized in high school, and whose facebook page I check regularly. She messaged me to tell me she checks my page and followed my move and my new life in California. She wanted to tell me she thought I was courageous for picking up and heading someplace new. Moving/blogging has only highlighted the kindness and generosity of others.

My study group meets at the house of one of our married, settled students. She is kind enough to open her home to us, and she and he husband have really taken us re-locaters in. She told me today she envied my focus, to be so young and so sure of my career path. My professor said the same thing to me in a meeting we had on Friday, That these two extremely successful people can find something to envy in me is really touching.

I see that same envy in me when it comes to the boy I used to nanny, William. He's 9 and he is going to be a pro tennis player. I know 9 year olds have career dreams, baseball player, firefighter, astronaut etc. Will, however, without pressure from his parents is pursuing his. He plays tennis 7 days a week. He's also on a rec soccer team, but he told me he only does that because it helps him stay in shape for tennis. The grown men at his tennis club are in awe of him. I used to play tennis with him in his driveway when he was 2. I watched him hit on a recent visit, and had to pick my jaw up off the floor. His birthday was earlier this month, and he got everything tennis. Rackets, autobiographies, DVDs of pro tournaments. The past 2 years he's had tennis birthday parties, but his parents wouldn't let him this year because it's not fair to the other kids. A gentlemen who coaches nationally ranked juniors has invited him to his private camp. His parents fully recognize that is a ton for someone so young to deal with. His father works with a gentlemen whose father played professionally and has won 4 French opens and 2 Wimbledons, and now coaches pros. So he asked him to come watch Will hit to evaluate if they're allowing him to get his hopes up. Now he's coaching him, and managing his training. I told his Mother not to forget who first played with him. I can't wait to sit front row and watch him win the US Open. I know he will someday.

The point of this post was to say I am blessed to know these people, and have them share my life. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate everyone's support and love. So I will try to a better blogger.

*Stay tuned for a wine related post Tuesday AFTER my french exam!

I've got style, as unilateral as it may be

So if I (or anyone who has ever met me) had to define my style in one word, it would be, NAUTICAL.

This is a necklace my father gave me for Christmas 2 years ago, I forgot when I moved. My mother sent it to me a week and 1/2 ago and I've worn it everyday since.

These (as well as 3 similar prints) decorate the walls of my bathroom.

Well worn graphic tees from J Crew. For Christmas, my Mother gave me some non-nautical graphic tees from J Crew. I wear them, but these 2 still are still high in the rotation.

The other night I went to Anthropologie (My favorite store) to window shop (torture myself), and I had to hold myself back from buying all of this:

In addition to surrounding myself with sea style. I've also been waffling back and forth with having it permanently inked on my body. My parents are firmly anti, and although I want it now, I have no way of knowing what I would think of it in the future. The argument that having a visible tattoo would hurt my career, is fairly debunk in the restaurant industry this way. Plus one of my closest friend's gave in and did it recently, and it looks AWESOME. Which has popped me back into the pro column. I would like an anchor on my wrist, which is apparently exactly what Kate Moss has?I want it tiny like that, but on the inside of my wrist.

Designed more like this:I'm sure in a week I'll find a reason to be back in the con column.

So do you think my obsession is problematic?

Anyway, I love it!

On My Way to Sommelier

So school has finally begun.

It is so much more then I expected. First of all I went into with kind of a competitive attitude. Sommeliers are an elite bunch, and I imagined it being kill or be killed. It is exactly the opposite. I am the youngest in the class by about 6 years, the oldest among us being in the sixties. Retired tech people expanding a hobby, professional wait staff looking to beef up their resume. Then there is me. The baby of the group who wants to become a Master Sommelier. A statement with astonishment. You're how old, and your goal is to shoot straight to the top? I feel like I had a good knowledge base going in, but there is so much to learn. And what an environment to learn from day 1 they encourage us to work as team. To taste and discuss together, to lean on one another for support. The very first thing out of our instructors mouth was that we would not survive without each other for help. So immediately we began forming connections and bonds. Out instructors are Masters themselves, and some of the most passionate, fun, down to earth people I've met to date. They have so much knowledge, and they want nothing more to impart it on us. We've been tasting, talking, learning, laughing, and having a blast. If I had needed more assurance that I was on the right path, I've found it in new this little family of which I'm now a member. Now here's hoping I survive our Vineyard trip tomorrow, and aren't consumed by illogical fear of horses in the extensive stables.