Archive for the ‘Cheers to that!’ Category
Friday, 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 »
Thursday, January 14th, 2010
Now that I’ve started this online vote for “North America’s most romantic wine region,” I’m having trouble thinking about anything else. It’s got me thinking back on two of my most romantic wine getaways ever.
 Gaige House Inn No. 1 would have to be the Gaige House Inn in Glen Ellen, Calif. When I was there about 10 years ago, it was a labor of love for its owners — a couple of guys from NYC, as I recall. The place had a style like nothing else I’ve ever experienced. I’m still not sure what to call it: “Country Zen” or maybe “Romantic Minimalism”? Whatever the label, it was the kind of place that reminded you how lucky you were to be in love.
No. 2 is on the other side of the world: Old St. Mary’s Convent in the Marlborough region of New Zealand. I’ll never forget waking up in the morning in our big antique bed and looking out across miles of vines — shrouded in a purplish haze — all the way to the mountains rising in the distance. I can’t understand how anyone could maintain a vow of celibacy while living in such a romantic environment — yet the place was a working convent for almost 100 years.
 Old St. Mary's And No. 3? Hard to say. Maybe I’ll come back from my Valentine’s Day trip with a clear No. 3 in mind. If you haven’t voted yet, please do. I can’t wait to get packing.
Prost!
Tags: romance, wine travel
Posted in Cheers to that! | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, January 13th, 2010
This Valentine’s Day happens to be my 12th anniversary, and I want to do something special and romantic. As usual, I’ve been dithering about where to go, and now — just one month from V-Day — I still haven’t decided.
So, I’m asking for your help — not just a suggestion but a command. In two weeks, on Jan. 27, I’m going to book two tickets wherever you tell me to go. It has to be a wine region (for tax reasons) and it has to be in North America (for economic reasons), but those are the only two stipulations. Whatever North American wine region gets the most votes, that’s where I’m headed.
Call it crowd-sourced romance. I’m trusting you to steer me in the right direction. If the trip isn’t romantic, I’ll probably end up on the sofa when we get home!
How to vote? Three options:
- Leave your suggestion in the “Comments” area below.
- Tweet your suggestion to @prostcards. (And please follow us, while you’re at it!)
- Email your suggestion to mail@prostproductions.com.
I’ll write periodic updates on how the voting is going — and once the wine region has been decided, I’ll be back to ask about specific wineries, restaurants, inns, etc.
Thanks for your input. I’m sure this will be a Valentine’s Day to remember!
Prost!
 Sister72 on flickr.com
Tags: romance, wine, wine travel
Posted in Cheers to that! | 14 Comments »
Thursday, January 7th, 2010
In a rush to catch a movie the other day, I ran into McDonald’s for a quick bite to eat. (So much for that New Year’s resolution!)
There was only one register open, but only one person in front of me, so I figured I’d make my show. I was looking up at the menu board, not paying much attention, when I heard a big clatter. Glancing back down at the register, my heart sank: The guy in front of me was homeless, and he’d just dumped his entire plastic cupful of change onto the counter.
 He asked again about his total. “$5.68,” came the reply, and the man started counting out a seemingly endless line of pennies and nickels.
I shifted my weight, checked my watch, rolled my eyes — everything I could think of to speed up the process, or at least show my displeasure. When he finally pushed a mountain of coins across the counter, I made a move forward to place my own order.
But no. The woman at the register painstakingly re-counted every coin, oblivious to my very important schedule. I turned to glare at the man who was ruining my day, and what I got was a figurative slap in the face. Instead of sweeping the remaining coins back into his plastic cup, he picked them up one by one and deposited them into a container in front of the register. He must have donated at least 20 of his hard-earned coins to the Ronald McDonald House before he picked up his sack of food and shuffled away.
I didn’t know what to say, so of course I said nothing. But two hours later, as I emerged from my movie, I saw him sitting on the sidewalk outside the theater, a crumpled McDonald’s bag at his side. He barely acknowledged me when I stuffed a few bills into his cup, but that’s okay — he’ll be able to pay for his next meal a little faster, and I know the change will be put to good use.
Tags: charity, homelessness, thankfulness
Posted in Cheers to that! | No Comments »
Tuesday, December 1st, 2009
Cher. Madonna. Prince. Some artists are so distinctive they only need one name. And here’s one more to add to the list: Nemo.
Both of the principals at Prost! Productions are art lovers, though one can’t even draw a smiley face while the other regrets a long-ago choice to forsake art and study law. Given our own personal frustrations, we both get excited when we find an artist with an instantly recognizable style.
Nemo is one of those artists. Since he was a kid, he’s had a bizarre gift for drawing perfect freehand circles. A lot of guys with that talent would just disappear quietly into an accounting career, doodling circles in the margins of their spreadsheets while quietly going insane.
But Nemo chose another route. He’s turned his circles into a full-time art career, transforming them into dogs, cats, bugs and other images that leap off the vellum. When you see a work from Nemo, you recognize it instantly — and we recognized the perfect artist to create our first holiday wine cards.
Keep an eye on this guy. With a pop art style as distinctive as Warhol, Britto or Rodrigue, we think Nemo is going to be huge.
Tags: artists, wine
Posted in Cheers to that! | 1 Comment »
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