Design.Wine.Dine.

Hope at Home Site Launch

Wahoo!  It’s finally here!  Today we officially launched the new Hope at Home site which has been a tremendous effort on the direct-to-consumer side of our business.  Originally, Hope at Home was just a tiny section of the ONEHOPE Wine site and being that the program has been such a huge success, we finally invested in creating its own stand-alone site and did an entire rebrand.  I worked hand in hand with the program’s Director, Haley Harris to appropriately rebrand this program and integrate some softer and slightly more feminine design elements into the customer’s visual experience.

We started with completely eliminating black from the equation.  Black is a very prominent color in the ONEHOPE Wine branding, which is perfectly fine, but we wanted to tone down the masculinity a bit for this at-home wine tasting side of our business (being that our customers and Wine Specialists are primarily female).  However, since all of our wine labels are black, we didn’t want to go so far in the opposite direction to where the two couldn’t compliment one another.  From there, we integrated a lot of texture including kraft paper and chalkboard with a little hint of chevron thrown into the mix to give it some energy and fun.  I love it!  What do you think?

PS:  If you’re interested in hosting a wine party and donating back to a cause of your choice check it out here.  If you’d like to become a Wine Specialist, click here.

My Life in Pictures

  • Came across a picture I took last week of this amazing winter wonderland tablescape at Wildflower Linen.  Definitely got me excited for holiday decor!
  • Serious packaging envy!  A case of Sea Smoke was delivered to the office today and I could not believe how gorgeous their shipper and wine inserts were.  Talk about customer experience!  I think we have a little catching up to do 😉
  • Picked up a few (ok, like 30) paint chips on my way home from the office tonight.  I’m feelin’ Benjamin Moore’s Black Ink now… what do you think?
  • An impulse trip my favorite meat market on earth greeted me with this view.  One of those “pinch me, I really live here” moments.
  • Finally home from the office, shooting out a few more emails (or trying to) with my little one by my side.  She likes to take over the keyboard  =^. .^=

Hope you’re having a great week!

Wine Wednesday – Cookies & Corks

Alright… two loves of my life?  Cookies and wine.  Put them together and magic happens. Enter Cookies & Corks – an amazing company based out of Virginia that recognized there is nothing better in life than the above two paired together.  YES.  Gimme, gimme, gimme!  As part of this project that I’m working on, Cookies & Corks sent us some of their amazingness to try and I’ve got to say, they’ve hit the nail on the head.  Anyone who loves wine needs to give this a try immediately.  Seriously.  Now.  Lucky for me, I recently had the chance to try both the red and white wine pairing boxes, but today, I’ll chat about the white because the pairings were so delightful that I couldn’t wait another moment to share.

First and foremost, there are three types of cookies in a box.  The White Wine box consists of Apricot Sage, Peanut Butter Chocolate and Ginger Molasses which pair well with Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc.  Since I didn’t have the middle two, I gave these a try with ONEHOPE Chard and Sauv Blanc and was blown away.

  1. Sauvignon Blanc + Apricot Sage = I was a little skeptical about this one.  The ONEHOPE Sauvignon Blanc is one of my favorite wines ever with its crisp, citrus finish and I was worried that the combination with the Apricot would make the pairing overwhelmingly citrusy.  Thankfully, I was wrong.  The lightness of the Sauvignon Blanc was just enough to create a more full-bodied citrus flavor with the Apricot (without being overpowering) while enhancing the savory sage to a level I never thought possible.  I like sage?!  I guess so.  Delicious.
  2. Chardonnay + Apricot Sage =  What a great combination.  While there was no over-the-top, spectacular or surprising finish, the two together were still extremely well balanced and enjoyable.  I tasted much more Apricot in this pairing than the Sauvignon Blanc + Apricot and a little less sage.  Scrumptious.
  3. Chardonnay + Peanut Butter Chocolate = AAAMAZING.  Wow.  Tasting this together was like putting a piece of chocolate covered fruit in my mouth, enjoying every last second of it and then, BAM!  Peanut butter with a tiny hint of salt.  There is so much perfection going on in this 5-10 seconds of flavor that I ate another.
  4. Chardonnay + Ginger Molasses =  This pairing actually wasn’t recommended on the box, but I’m so glad I decided to give it a shot.  The Ginger Molasses wine pairing suggestions were Gewürztraminer and Pinot Grigio, neither of which I had, but I did have some leftover Chardonnay in my glass.  Since Ginger Snaps are one of my favorite cookies, I gave it a whirl and fell in love.  The ONEHOPE Chardonnay is really well balanced (not too sweet, not too buttery, not too oaky) so it allowed the flavor of the ginger to magnify tenfold without any other obtrusive favors.  Being that I LOVE ginger, I loved this combination.
Bravo, Cookies & Corks!  Can’t wait to try some more for next Wine Wednesday 🙂

Wine Wednesday

In October of my junior year in college, a friend’s mom visited one weekend, gave me a bottle of Witches Brew from Leelanau Cellars and it’s been a fall tradition ever since.  A spiced red wine that is best heated up, Witches Brew’s fills your home with the aromas of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg and is best served on a chilly fall night.  Since it just cooled off here (substantially), I’m looking forward to heating up a batch of Witches Brew tonight, which only seems appropriate for the last Wine Wednesday before Halloween… and just maybe we’ll carve a few pumpkins too 🙂 What are your favorite fall traditions?

* Leelanau Peninsula is Michigan’s wine growing region just northwest of Traverse City.  Not only is the wine produced there fantastic, but Leelanau County is also home to the Sleeping Bear Dunes which was just voted the most beautiful place in the United States.  Northern Michigan is truly one of the most gorgeous places I’ve ever traveled to and if you ever have the chance to visit, take it!  Happy Wine Wednesday and cheers to great wine from my home state 🙂

Wine Wednesday

Wine and cheese are two items we always have on hand in our household.  Whether it’s just the two of us for a relaxing night in or a casual last minute get together with a few guests, a great bottle of wine and a platter of 3-4 delicious cheeses sets the perfect tone for effortless entertaining.  I’m not sure if it’s the fall colors over the weekend in Michigan or my cousin’s 2012 vineyard wedding brainstorming session that got me excited about wine parties, but I’ve really come back to California with an itch to host a slightly more formal wine tasting this fall that would include more than just four people.  I’m thinking cheeses, meats, olives, gourmet mac & cheese and even cracker crust pizzas… YUM!  Check out some of the images below that have me completely inspired (and hungry) this morning 🙂

{Cracker crust pizza, red wine and a fabulous raised cheese platter.  Love!  Image via}

{Delicious assortment!  Image via}

{One of my personal favorites: bite sized gourmet mac and cheese.  Mmm!  Image via}
{Gorgeous!  Image via}
{I love the idea of using a slate as a labeled cheese platter.  Image via}

{Cleaver!  Cork spreading knives to fit with the theme.  Image via}

{What a great idea!  Chalkboard runner with labeled pairings.  Love!  Image via}

 

Wine Wednesday

Last Wine Wednesday I talked about ONEHOPE Wine’s lovely Chardonnay and their October Breast Cancer Awareness initiatives.  I hate to double up on posts about the same wine, but this update is just too exciting for me not to share 🙂  As of the 1st, ONEHOPE has launched a new Facebook tab that allows you to see how many mammograms for underprivileged women have been provided as a result of their Chardonnay sales this month.  Additionally, ONEHOPE is donating $1 for every Facebook “like” during the month of October.  How great is that?!  Check out their tab in real-time here.  If you’re not a big wino like me, at least “like” their page, share it with some friends and see the impact you’re having on women who can’t afford regular breast cancer screenings.

Are there any other cool companies out there that you know of that are promoting breast cancer awareness this October?  Send them my way… I’d love to hear about them!  Cheers!

Wine Wednesday

It’s been a while since I’ve done a Wine Wednesday post and I was really planning on saving this one until it was officially October, but I just couldn’t help myself this week.  I know I’ve talked about ONEHOPE Wine in the past here, but since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and 50% of the profits from this Robert Mondavi Jr. crafted Chardonnay benefit that great cause, I figured it was the right time to talk about one of my favorites.  Being that I’m not the biggest fan of an overly-buttery Chardonnay, I love that this one (with fresh aromas of apple blossom and honeysuckle – mmm!) has a fairly light finish with the flavors of crisp pear and apple.  Pair this wine with broiled or grilled seafood, poultry dishes and a wide assortment of cheeses.

However, what I think I might really love the most about this wine is that for every $100 raised in October from the sale of ONEHOPE Chardonnay a mammogram is funded to an underprivileged woman for early stage Breast Cancer detection and prevention through the National Breast Cancer Foundation.  If you purchase the wine online you can see exactly how much money has been raised and the direct impact you’re having on women’s lives.  Additionally, if you book an at home wine tasting party through their Hope at Home program during the month of October, one free mammogram is donated to a woman in need.  I LOVE everything about this program.  How amazing is it that you can have a huge impact on someone’s life by hosting a wine party with some friends?  Grab a few ladies, host your own Hope at Home party, raise a little money for charity and make a difference.  I’m super excited to see how much money is raised next month.  Check in here for updates throughout the month of October.

Check out a few great ideas for hosting a Breast Cancer Awareness Wine Party below as featured on Amy Atlas’ blog.  Doesn’t she just always have the best ideas?  Cheers!

 

{City Guide} I Left My Heart in Austin

Last Thursday I left for Austin City Limits for a long, Texas weekend with the ONEHOPE Wine team (wine sponsor of this year’s festivities).  I was hoping for a relaxing few days of music, wine and sleep following a treacherous week of finals, but I was in for a little surprise.  I FELL IN LOVE with Austin.  Every moment that wasn’t spent enduring the 104 degree heat in Zilker Park (watching the likes of Coldplay, Arcade Fire and Foster The People – can we say best music festival ever?) was spent scouring every inch of the Texas city I’m just dying to get back to.  Future home?  Yes please!  Check out a few of my favorites below:

Disclaimer: Our trip was overly food-filled so scroll down and get hungry… and then book a trip to Austin – STAT!

FOOD

{Located on South Congress, Home Slice Pizza offers some of the best pies I’ve ever tasted.  As a Chicago style deep-dish girl, I thought there was no way I’d fall for their famed New York style, but I was so, so wrong.  Something else to love?  Check out their menu for the perfect beer and wine pairings for each of their ‘zzas.  Home Slice knew the path straight to my heart}

{Home Slice: White Pie with Spinach: Olive oil, garlic, mozzarella, ricotta, provolone and romano.  This particular pizza came highly recommended by several Austin friends so I just had to give it a try.  SO. GREAT.  I was worried that the ricotta would weigh down the thin crust (and the flavor), but every bite was just as fresh and bursting with Italian zest as the bite before.  The garlic absolutely makes this pizza.  My ‘chef’ father always says, “when in doubt, throw in another clove of garlic” so I’m a huge fan of the stuff and this picture is making me seriously hungry all over again}

{Home Slice: Italian Meatball and Bell Pepper: Italian meatballs, bell peppers, mozzarella. This was one of their Pizza by the Slice options (that change daily).  With a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, this pizza has everything you could ever want… Savory meat, crisp peppers, a perfectly balanced sauce and a tiny bit of spice.  The flavor was so amazing that we ordered another slice to split.  Hey!  It’s thin crust.  Less carbs.  Right?}

{I’m the world’s biggest shameless female burger fan…  and I’m not kidding.  I make an honest attempt to try burgers at the locally famous joints in every city we travel to, but hopdoddy Burger Bar might have just won my lifetime award for BEST burger EVER this past weekend – twice over.  Created to “honor the perfect union of beer and burgers” hopdoddy offers several craft beers (including my new favorite: Bucket Head IPA) to pair perfectly with their all natural, daily ground, hormone and antibiotic free Black Angus.  Does life really get any better than this?  Umm… try one of their milkshakes and you’ll see}

{hopdoddy: The Prime Time: Perfectly prepared Kobe beef, slightly sweet caramelized onions, a touch of horseradish to give it just enough kick and a mouthwatering homemade steak sauce.  The scent reminded me of Christmas Eve at my parents’ house with a prime rib roast in the oven.  Simply amazing.  No “Prime Time” knockoff will ever compare}

{hopdoddy: Buffalo Bill: Bison, Blue Cheese, Frank’s Hot Sauce, Apple-Smoked Bacon, Sassy Saucy.  I think I bit into this burger and said, “is this a joke?”  The flavor was so incredible that we finished the entire thing before I could even snap a shot.  I’m usually a little leery of bacon on burgers simply because if it isn’t prepared perfectly, it has the potential to ruin the entire meal.  Obviously, hopdoddy pulled through with perfect prep in every way.  Perfect zing with the perfect level of rich blue cheese (not overpowering) to create a perfectly balanced burger. Perfection}

{hopdoddy: Oreo Shake: Homemade spun custard with real whipped cream and Oreos.  HEAVEN.  This was the single best milkshake I’ve ever had in my life.  I’m pretty sure the homemade spun custard is the secret, but I’ve never tasted anything like it}

{Snack Bar was a fun, little retro restaurant we dropped into for breakfast one morning.  They describe their cuisine as “globally inspired, locally sourced, chef-driven and made with organic, raised-right & natural ingredients.”  Love it already.  The menu offers everything from Avocado Quinoa to Egg and Gravy Biscuits so there is a bit of something for everyone.  The casual environment is super inviting with a kind, hospitable staff.  Awesome spot!  Why the Michigan map you might ask?  Every table had a map of a different state under the glass and we happened to sit with Lady Mitten that morning.  I’m definitely taking it as a sign of Austin welcoming yours truly with open arms}

{Snack Bar: Egg & Gravy Biscuit:  Housemade buttermilk biscuit, two farm eggs any style, meat-free dirty cream gravy.  Don’t judge.  This was a Texas weekend and I was going to eat like a Texan.  I’d never had meat-free gravy before and was a little worried it would be lacking flavor, but I was pleasantly surprised.  GREAT dish (if you’re a fan of biscuits and gravy, of course)}

{Snack Bar: OhM Sandwich: 2 over-medium farm eggs, cheddar, bacon or avocado (get both!), lettuce, tomato & onion, sourdough.  My perfect breakfast, right there.  Unreal sandwich.  Mouth. Watering.  Get it}

{W Hotel/TRACE: Grilled Cheese Sandwich: Deep fried in pig fat and sliced into perfect bite size pieces.  Can’t say that I’ve ever had someone offer me something “fried in pig fat”, but one piece wasn’t going to kill me.  Absolutely incredible. Creamy inside with a perfectly crisp outside…  It isn’t offered on the restaurant menu, but was part of the VIP section food at ACL on day one.  We were all really hoping it was going to be there on day two and three but it’s probably better that it wasn’t ;-)}

Other eateries to visit: Franklin Barbeque (World Famous BBQ), The Salt Lick Driftwood (BYOB)

SHOPS

{I’ve been looking for blue mason jars EVERYWHERE at a reasonable price and have had the hardest time.  I finally found some at this amazing antique/thrift store, Uncommon Objects.  I could have taken home a million other vintage finds, but sadly my suitcase (and bank account) just weren’t big enough}

{Uncommon Objects: I can just picture a wildflower centerpiece in these vintage glass medicine bottles}

{Uncommon Objects: Wire baskets = LOVE. Vintage Edison bulbs, chemical jars and candlesticks.  As much as animal head/skull decor freaks me out, I could have definitely brought home a pair of antlers (or two).  Getting them on the plane would have been a nightmare, however.  TSA had a Ball with my mason jars… no pun intended}

{Uncommon Objects: Vintage costume jewelry.  Gorgeous green!}

{I can’t help it… I just really love West Elm.  And after hearing about their Austin store a TON over the course of the last few weeks in the blog world, I had to drop by.  Out of all of their stores, this one is my favorite – complete with a super friendly staff}

{I think my shelves might need a revamp ;-)}

Other shops: Anything on South Congress… tons of little boutiques with great clothing and decor.  I could have spent an entire day on that street but sadly we only had an afternoon.

SITES

{We took a stroll around the state capital.  It was beautiful to say the least and there is just so much state pride in Austin and throughout Texas – It’s contagious}

{Gorgeous}

{I came across this old, deserted florist during one of our walks to the festival.  It still had the original glass and paint and the inside was covered with dead plants hanging along the rafters that had long been left to wilt away.  It was as though someone packed their bags and left town one day and this is all that remains.  I would just love to fix that place up and call it my own}

Other sites: University of Texas (what a FUN school), Lake Travis (I’ve heard it’s beautiful, but we were unable to make it), the downtown Austin bar scene (hundreds of bars – old and new – line the streets near UT).

Unfortunately, we couldn’t see EVERYTHING in Austin, but we will definitely be back for more.  I was blown away by the friendliness of the people, the sense of welcome that I received and the overall lifestyle which is a world of difference from LA.  I’m very lucky to live where I do, but I’ve got to say, I left my heart in Austin.

xoxo
Meg

Pink and Bling

I’ve got to say, until Friday I never knew that a bright pink + diamond themed wedding could possibly be so elegant and enchanting.  Pink and bling are just really not my thing, but the start to our wedding filled weekend (as mentioned here) was completely stunning and filled me with so many great ideas for floral clients that aren’t into traditional containers and an ivory color palate.  Additionally, I tend to get some push-back when I suggest varying centerpieces from table to table (half with flowers and half with candles or half with tall arrangements and half with short, etc.) because I think the concern is that the room will suddenly look too sparse or uneven when that isn’t the case at all.  Some variation adds visual interest without becoming “too much” (as this gorgeous reception proved) so I’m excited that I now have the perfect example to present to clients.

{Floating candles at varying heights set the romantic mood for dinner and drinks}

{Gorgeous array of both low and stemmed glass containers atop a lucite platform with rows of candles}

{One of the tables without a floral centerpiece… several candles atop rose petals kept the theme consistent and romantic}

{Incredible menu… and the napkin rings were bracelets that guests rocked all night and later wore home}

{I love the idea of integrating “giving back” into a wedding and I also love the idea of sending guests home with a bottle of wine… They found the perfect balance and selected this wine (one of my favorites!) and the faux diamond toppers with pink tags were just perfect}

Wine Wednesday

While I’ve got a bit of a summer Sauv Blanc obsession, there’s almost nothing I enjoy more than a great red.  Enter Radoux-Ferriere, an utterly perfect blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.  Cab, Merlot and Cab Franc are typical components of Bordeaux style wines, however Syrah is not and that is exactly what sets this elegant and complex blend ahead of the norm while putting a California spin on tradition.  Barrel aged and meticulously blended for 24 months, the resulting rich chocolate and raspberry flavors make Radoux-Ferriere the perfect pair to red meat and other rich foods.  We enjoyed this on a recent weekend night-in with a plate of assorted cheeses and I can still remember every bit of the unforgettable savory flavor.  Enjoy Radoux-Ferriere, available exclusively at ONEHOPE Wine beginning next month.  Cheers!

Follow Along!