May 13th, 2010
High-growth, high-potential, “disruptive” businesses are all the rage. The whole venture capital industry is premised upon a short company life span: Start it, scale it, cash out. Anything else — any ongoing, stable, sustainable company that makes money year in and year out — is dismissed as a “lifestyle business.”
Well, from here on out, this blog is all about reclaiming the term “lifestyle business.” How did it get to be a pejorative? A business that let’s you live your life in the style that suits you — what could possibly be bad about that?
Prost! Productions is a lifestyle business, I’m proud to say. It lets me be creative and productive and fulfilled without disappearing into some soulless corporate bureaucracy. No venture capitalist will ever invest in us; we’re not “disruptive” enough. But I’m perfectly happy with that, because I wouldn’t give up control, anyway.
I’m not birthing this baby just so I can sell it. I plan to nurture it and care for it and watch it grow.
I know there are millions of other business owners just like me, and from here on out, this blog’s for you: Thoughts and questions and ramblings on life and style and business. I hope you’ll join the conversation.
But the conversation will have to wait. Right now life is calling. Her name is Sydney, and she needs to go to the park.
Posted in Business, Life | No Comments »
February 5th, 2010
Here’s something my volleyball and gym buddies must never know about me: I’ve become addicted to mommyblogs.
 The Daily Blonde Sure, I read the major wine bloggers, but that’s more a matter of duty than desire. Wine writing, as a rule, is too self-important for my taste. Wine bloggers are so earnest and reverent, as if every sip and swirl is a matter of holy communion.
The best mommybloggers, on the other hand, are anything but reverent. They’re irreverent, funny, sarcastic, self-deprecating and sharp. If you expect endless stories about breast pumps and “binkies,” then prepare to be pleasantly surprised. These women tackle subjects from sex to politics to psychology, with an attitude that would never make it into print in your local paper.
So if you’re looking for some really good writing with an unexpected point of view, pour yourself a glass of wine and check out these hot mamas:
- The Daily Blonde is a 40-something single mom in Rhode Island who writes about coffee, Kotex and her Tiger Woods fantasy. If that’s not variety enough, she also bestows a dreaded Ass Hat of the Week award on the person who most offends her. (Two-timing John Edwards is a two-time winner.)
- Okay, Fine, Dammit is the creative outlet of a freelance writer/full-time mom in rural Wisconsin. Instead of laugh-out-loud funny, this one is oh-my-god thoughtful and beautifully written, like a long-form poem with no rhyme or meter. Her topics are often heavy — abuse, alcoholism, disillusionment — but the language soars.
- La Jolla Mom is probably the most conventional of my favorite mommybloggers, with regular posts on topics like “Food,” “Household” and “Kids.” But LJM is also a serious wine lover, and her “Wine Wednesday” posts are not to be missed. (Full disclosure: I first discovered LJM when she blogged about our prost!cards a few weeks ago, so I’m not exactly impartial on this one!)
Any other closet mommyblogger fans out there? And any other momblogs I should add to my list?
Tags: blogs, wine
Posted in Cheers to that! | 2 Comments »
February 5th, 2010
Time for a belated update on our anniversary “crowdsourcing” experiment. It took a while to verify the winner of “North America’s most romantic wine region” because not all the votes were cast the same way. Some named a specific town, for instance, while others cited a county — or even a collection of counties.
But when all is said and done, the winner is (drum roll, please): Paso Robles, California!
I can’t wait to check out the low-key charm that voters cited again and again. Unfortunately, it looks like I have to wait a little longer than expected. You may remember that this was supposed to be a Valentine’s/anniversary trip, but now my better half can’t get away from work that weekend.
Really? In a firm with 15 lawyers, they can’t spare just one for a long weekend? This is precisely why I warned against law school in the first place. Romance isn’t dead, but lawyers are standing by with their “Do Not Resuscitate” orders.
Still, I promise not to say “I told you so” … it is Valentine’s after all.
Paso Robles, we’ll see you in the spring!
Tags: romance, wine travel
Posted in wine travel | No Comments »
January 25th, 2010
With Valentine’s Day coming up, every lover over the age of 21 will be thinking about choosing the perfect bottle to say “I love you.” But what makes a wine romantic, exactly? Is it the flavor? The nose? The label? Maybe a special pairing?
I asked a simple question of a half-dozen winemaking experts: What is your most romantic wine? The answers were just as varied and personal as love itself. Here are the 6 responses, to help you get focused on your own quest for liquid romance.
John Garlich, BookCliff Vineyards:
I think of our 2007 Cabernet Franc Reserve as being our most romantic wine. It is smooth like satin and goes quite nicely with a dark chocolate truffle. Just add a candle and you are good to go.
Kitri McGuire, Sokol Blosser Winery:
Our “most romantic” wine is our Meditrina. Named after the Roman goddess of Wine & Health, Meditrina is a blend of Pinot Noir, Syrah and Zinfandel that is round, soft, and juicy. This blend is extraordinarily food-friendly, and will pair well with many romantic meals. Plus, it’s a perfect gift for the “goddess” in anyone’s life!
Susan Sueiro, Gundlach Bundschu Winery:
The most romantic wine we produce at Gundlach Bundschu has to be the Estate Pinot Noir. With aromas of dried roses and sandalwood, the texture of silk and flavors of berries and spice, this is a sultry, beguiling wine. It pairs beautifully with salmon, pork and other lighter fare, and really, no one wants to eat anything too heavy on Valentine’s Day.
Valerie Andrews, Oak Mountain Winery:
Our Frisson Sparkling Wine is a great Valentine’s beverage. It has a romantic Victorian label and frisson means “an Intense Moment Of Excitement”. It is 100% Sauvignon Blanc.
Hennie Bosman, Sandihurst Winery:
Which wine is the most romantic? The dark, spicy, complex and intoxicating Pinot Noir? Or is it the refreshing, aromatic and intriguing Riesling? Maybe as far as Valentine’s Day goes, it is both. To me, these two wines represent the Yin Yang of the wine world — “complementary opposites within a greater whole” (Wikipedia).
Stuart T Smith, Torea Wines:
Fairhall Downs Sauvignon Blanc is our most romantic wine as it has many layers. Just as you think you have got to the bottom of the wines mysteries another layer comes into view — as it is with true love.
So there you have it: Romance tips from 6 wine experts. If you have a favorite romantic wine, please weigh in with your own expert opinion below. After all, you’re an expert on love, aren’t you?
Prost!
Tags: romance, wine, wineries
Posted in Cause for Celebration | No Comments »
January 23rd, 2010
 Temecula, Calif. Just four days until I book my Valentine’s trip to “North America’s most romantic wine region,” and the votes are still trickling in. (Mostly via email, which begs the question: In the age of social media, why do people still prefer email? But that’s another post.)
California has seen a surge in votes, but with more than a dozen distinct wine regions, the voting is pretty diffuse. Sonoma County is in the lead, followed by Paso Robles and Temecula.
Those last two are new to me, at least from a wine-tasting standpoint. I’ve been studying up on them, and I’m excited about the possibility of visiting either one. Still, I have a couple of questions:
- Paso Robles is described as “rural and unpretentious,” the kind of area where “wearing a cowboy hat doesn’t seem out of place.” Sounds relaxing and fun, but is it romantic? If you know the area, feel free to weigh in.
- As for Temecula, it seems to be a desert dotted with small, family-owned wineries. Again, a delightful and interesting place to visit, but is it right for Valentine’s Day?
Please feel free to keep casting your votes. I’m seeing a late surge for Texas, so I’d better start researching that too, just in case.
Prost!
Tags: romance, wine travel, wineries
Posted in wine travel | 2 Comments »
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