Wines to enjoy while watching the movie Cruella

I just spent $30 to watch Cruella through Disney+. It was well worth the cost in my opinion because I will be enjoying this movie over and over and over again. My husband watched part of it and then fell asleep. But I stayed up way past my (self-imposed) bedtime just to finish it. Of course, I had a glass of wine to keep me company. 

The wine was a 2017 Estate Zinfandel, Spencer’s Hill Vineyard, from Dry Creek Vineyard (in Sonoma County).

The well-balanced Zin had some dark cherry and cocoa notes that made it one of the best wines to watch such a fabulous movie about revenge, madness, and of course 70’s fashion. 

The color of the wine in the glass matched Cruella‘s signature red lipstick, which gave me the idea for this blog post. Because who doesn’t love a glass of wine and a fun movie about one of the most loved Disney villains of all time. The live-action Disney movie starring Emma Stone & Emma Thompson is a fun take on the movie 101 Dalmatians (which changes up the narrative much like the movie Maleficent. Set in the ’70s in London, the music, the makeup, and the fashion is fun to watch for anyone. This movie is best enjoyed with crumpets and a glass of wine.

here are some other wines to enjoy while watching the movie Cruella:

Iron Horse Vineyards, Brut X

This winery from Sonoma County some damn good sparkling wines (I should know because I worked with them with social media marketing for seven years), but their Brut X is the driest out of all of their sparkling wine offerings. And it’s also my personal favorite, and - I think - one of the most elegant bottles. In the movie, Emma Thompson can be seen drinking sparkling wine multiple times, so I recommend you watch this movie with friends and cheers with Iron Horse sparkling wine every time The Baroness puts down a half-empty glass of sparkling wine!

Pair with truffle popcorn and enjoy a sip every time The Baroness in the movie takes a sip of sparkling wine herself. 

McCay Cellars Rosé Grenache 

This Lodi winery is known for their Zinfandels, but this rosé, that I just discovered, is now a new favorite in a category that I already love. Dry rose wines. 

Pair with fresh sourdough bread that you tear apart with your hands, organic strawberries, and goat cheese. 

Raymond Napa Valley Reserve Red  

This full-bodied red is a Bordeaux of mostly Cab, but the 22% Petite Verdot is what made me fall in love. Rich and jammy flavors are effortless when you drink it - which can be a good or bad thing, depending on how you look at it. Ha.

Raft Wines 2019 Primitivo

Not as full-bodied as the Bordeaux blend, but it still has a deep molasses taste with some more down-to-earth flavors. If you’re looking for a red, but don’t want a heavy one - this wine should be your new go-to!

Cole Ranch “R2” Riesling

A new favorite white wine. This is not the same Riesling that some think of when they think of this varietal. It is dry, not overly sweet, and has a hint of orange peel. This means that you can enjoy this with pretty much any spring vegetable. Or arugula salad overtop a Woodfire oven Margherita pizza with a light lemon vinaigrette. 

Last, another Zinfandel I can’t stop thinking about is Three Wine Company’s 2016 Zinfandel Live Oak Contra Costa County. 

The vineyard is actually about 30 minutes away from where I currently live — Between Mount Diablo and the Sacramento Delta. I had a chance to learn more about Contra Costa zinfandels from a ZAP winemaker event, and this is a wine I have purchased afterward. A perfectly balanced Zinfandel that pairs well with food, but honestly doesn’t even need it to be enjoyed. 

... and just thinking about 70s London, for some reason the image of a fondue pot at a party comes up in my mind. The movie does not have one, in fact, the only thing I can think of that was eaten in the movie were crumpets, and thinly sliced cucumbers (which to be honest I’m not sure we've ever eaten). But now that events are happening again, why not have fun with a fondue set with this fabulous movie in it the background?!? 

The movie is PG-13, and definitely not for younger kids, but if you are a fan of revenge movies, fashion, makeup, 70s music, Emma Stone, or Emma Thompson — this movie is definitely for you.

Grab a glass of wine, and don’t worry if it stains your lips red. It is Cruella’s signature look after all. 

Please Don't Say "I Don't See Color"

Over the past few days I’ve seen a few well-meaning white people say things like “I don’t see color”, or “I only see the good in people, not their gender or race.”, etc.

In the past, I would’ve ignored stuff like this, but I know that words matter and it’s easy for white people like me to go back to business as usual because the words of someone else (and comments under the words saying they are such a great person) don’t affect me personally.
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But, there is a very real problem saying “I don’t see color, gender, etc.” ⁣
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It’s very problematic to POC/gay friends/trans/etc for white cis-gendered people to say this. I know because I have heard marginalized groups talk about this many times before the past week. ⁣And right now, they are literally asking us to see them and hear them. ⁣
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I get the idea and it’s nice in theory, but how can you possibly fix something that you don’t actually see? ⁣
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I think part of the problem here is that you may love people for who they are, but our system doesn’t, and at the end of the day WE need to stand up and demand the people in charge to treat others the same way back. ⁣And we need to demand real change, otherwise, the thousands of protests happening in the middle of a pandemic will be for nothing.
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On Facebook, I asked my friends from marginalized groups to respond with some ideas for making change moving forward, and this is what I heard: ⁣

✔️ 3 more officers in Minnesota need to be arrested. That's step 1.⁣ (which HAS happened! Thank you, protesters, for making this first step a reality).

✔️They need to include an immediate halt to qualified immunity (a law originally with the rationale of protecting law enforcement officials from frivolous lawsuits and financial liability in cases where they acted in good faith in an unclear legal situation). ⁣

✔️ Making sure city budgets are equal vs 50% to law-enforcement, while things like community and education get small slivers of the pie. ⁣

⁣✔️ Following up with police departments to make REAL changes. These are the top eight use-of-force policies that can reduce police violence by 72%. This website allows you to look up your city and contact your mayor/sheriff/police department now. https://8cantwait.org/ ⁣

✔️ Encouraging & supporting diversity in our government, and management positions. ⁣
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✔️ VOTING for those who demand reform (and for the government to look more like the people they govern). ⁣
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I’m also going to add listening. Simply listening to those who don’t look like you and hear how much they are hurting, because actions > than words. ⁣This way we can start acknowledging how white people have benefited from oppression. For more info, please watch this funny and educational video on redlining from Adam Ruins Everything. I saw it a few years ago and it really brought the idea that I am where I am BECAUSE of both hard work AND a history of racist tactics to keep others “out” of my grandparents neighborhoods.

If you are in the Wine/food industry — please start with @thecollectress @juliaconey & watch their IGTVs, directed at white people in the wine industry. And listen to hear what the wine industry has done to suppress black people. ❤️⁣
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📷 at the top is from @wc_solidarity from a peaceful protest in #WalnutCreek

Going From Selling Wine In-Person to Selling Wine Online Is No Easy Task

If you're friends with me on Instagram or Facebook, you may have seen one of my (attempted useful) marketing rants over the past few months during this pandemic. I provide advice to small business owners and marketers on how they can make small changes to pivot their brands to think like a startup, or an Eccomerce company (note, I have been saying this about the wine industry for a while). 

The term pivot may sound cliche right now because everybody's talking about it. But is it a great description of what so many brands have to do right now. They cannot rely on the traditional model of events, or getting people into their retail store, restaurant or tasting room.

In the latest in my video interview series, Pivotal - a Focus on Digital Marketing, I talked to Hannah, the Assistant Manager, Marketing & eCommerce at Bottle Barn. The Santa Rosa brick & mortar wine, beer and spirits retailer started their eCommerce website just a few years earlier, but the COVID-19 Pandemic made it a greater focus for the 30-Year-Old business. 

It was really great talking to Hannah about how they've used digital tools like email, their website, and social media to share information about what they were up to and how customers could purchase from them. Listen to the whole interview below!

Shop Sonoma, Napa and California Wines (and more) online for both delivery and curbside pick up at https://bottlebarn.com/ - and join their email newsletter for weekly wine and spirits deals! 

Their Instagram channel is also a great resource of what's happening behind the scenes as they pivot their sales efforts during this crisis - https://www.instagram.com/btlbarn.

That One Time When My Toddler's School Closed Down Indefinitely...

Saying I have been through a lot over the past few months is an understatement… My toddler was sick for what seemed like the entire Winter. Colds, double ear infections (2x), pink eye and a lingering stuffy nose and cough has plagued our family of three since December.

Then on Tuesday evening in early March we received an email and text from his preschool saying the school had poor air quality due to the heavy rains and they needed to close down to test…

Long story short… That “bad air quality” was mold, and I assume it was there longer than they are telling us - which is deadly for my toddler who has Cystic Fibrosis. And yeah, that school is now officially closed and we have be piecing together his child care for the last month. Thankfully, he starts at a new school on Monday, but that doesn’t mean I am not still upset at the school, and kinda at myself as well. I did NOT listen to my gut when it came to his school and we paid a price for that. So, now I will definitely be listening to my instincts when it comes to his health, his school and everything else.

Also, since I am a writer, I did what any writer who was upset would do… I wrote an article!

Learning how to trust your gut as a mom

My latest article for Wine Country Mom Blog (which can now be found on my own blog) is about my past struggle with Merryhill Preschool (ohhh.. it wasn’t just the recent closing that has me fired up. Read the article for more details, and know that I definitely plan on listening to my own gut in the future.

BTW. Since we have had 10+ doctors appts over the last 3 months, Rye has decided he wants to be a doctor when he grows up. My heart melts looking at these pictures of him at Kaiser.

Recipe for Instagram Class - Santa Rosa Workshop

Yes, having gorgeous photos is important to Instagram - but trust me, it isn’t the ONLY thing that connects you with potential customers through social media. I will provide you with simple tricks that will grow your community on Instagram, get people engaged with YOUR BRAND and get them to purchase.

This workshop is for you if you have been using Instagram to market your business for a few years, but are looking to truly make an impact within the app.

Details:

• Friday, April 19th, 10-12pm

• There will be coffee, and snacks

• Bring: your smartphone (I will include a workbook and pens to take notes)

• Pricing: $140 for EARLY BIRD (through Friday, April 5th & $160 until April 19th. With 3+ tickets at $115.

Sign up for this in-person class ASAP (my last 2 classes sold out!).

In this two hour in-person workshop, I will walk you though my tips and tricks for Instagram. My goal for you is to walk away having learned some tips you may not have known about, how to create time to take photos and write captions, create content, and help you connect with your fans - all with the goal of creating a community that can help you sell your products or services.

In addition to a two hour workshop with takeaways you can get started with ASAP, you will get:

• Some pre-workshop “homework” to get you inspired even before you step in the door.

• 10 page playbook to help remember everything (including my fave apps for Instagram).

• Access to me anytime for additional questions!

Roundup of My Favorite Sonoma County Articles of 2018

This past year, I have spent over 300 hours writing (yes, I track ALL of my time working - even on projects for marketing myself, like this blog. Thank you HARVEST). 300+ hours spent in front of my computer, or on my phone - dictating or typing words. And, this estimate is JUST the writing I have done for actual articles and copywriting projects I have done. This doesn’t include the almost endless amount of emails, texts, and social media messages I write on an hourly basis for both work, and pleasure.

My Dream Of Becoming a Writer Has Come True

When I was a kid, I wanted to be a lawyer when I grew up. Honestly - I am not even sure where that idea came from. I think I may have seen it on a TV Show and it looked glamorous. In addition to talking in front of a jury all the time, I wanted to write a book. I wrote a lot of my own children’s books when I was younger. Taking inspiration from my own life, I authored and illustrated, everything from “My Dog Zack” to “Riding My Bike.”  Little did I know, books with one sentence pages are GREAT toddler books!

30+ years later, I may only have half a book written - sitting in my Google Docs, safely hidden away from the world for over 4 years (someday I will get back to finishing it). BUT. I write for several Sonoma County publications on an ongoing basis - and a few national wine publications, but that is more sporadically.

Since it is the end of the year, and I am feeling sentimental, I want to share a round up of some of my favorite articles from the past year.

1. Rosé All Day: How to Add a Splash of Pink to Your Sonoma Life via Sonoma Magazine.

2. 10 Ways to Spice Up Your Relationship in Sonoma County via Sonoma Magazine (my personal favorite is getting matching tattoos… But that's just because my husband and I have 2 - one a matching ampersand, and also I have a small spoon and he has a fork that we got for our 5 year wedding anniversary).
   How to Survive: 4 Tips for Traveling with a Toddler via Wine Country Moms (inspired by our “vacation” to Long Beach with a 2 year old).

3. How to Reset when You Feel Overwhelmed (Advice from Moms) via Wine Country Moms

4. Top 11 Wineries in California on Instagram via my own blog (this round up of some of my fave wineries to follow on social media did really well. I definitely want to write more like this in 2019).

5. I Wasn’t Bullied As A Child, But I Got Made Fun Of A Lot via my own blog (The MOST personal article I have written this year).

6. Instagram Engagement Hack via my own blog.

7. How I Spent my Vacation: Goal Planning for 2018 via my own blog (this vacation helped me plan out almost my entire year, and I am well on my way to blowing out all my goals!)

8. 5-step social media action plan for business during a crisis via North bay Business Journal (I have 3 articles in the print version, but only one online as of now).

Looking Forward To More Writing In The Next Year

Looking into 2019, I have a lot planned for my online marketing classes and articles I want to write. I mean, I have lots to say! Here’s to creating even more content next year than I did this year (goal 350+ hours)!