Domaine d’Orfeuilles Sparkling Touraine Rosé
I don’t much care for liquor, I’m not sure I’ve ever finished a beer, wine makes me sleepy…but oh how I love bubbles. Forget the pretentious stigma (it’s not about looks) it’s about effervescent bubbly bliss in a bottle, and for the perfect one I introduce you to Domaine d’Orfeuilles Sparkling Touraine Rosé.
My guy and I have had a blast tasting and profiling this, and here’s what we’ve got:
With divine hints of wild strawberry and freshly baked shortbread, this 100% Malbec wine sparkles with a dry, crisp taste and a perfect texture that tickles your mouth and nose. I mean, check out those sexy streams of bubbles. It’s a hand-crafted artisan wine that uses the traditional method of fermentation called méthode champenoise where the wine is aged (this one in a limestone cave called a tuffeau) for 2-3 years allowing the traditional second fermentation in the bottle to happen, ultimately creating a more complex wine.
Making the bubbles even more enjoyable are the vineyards sustainable farming methods while also working to transition to organic farming. I’d gladly pay 3x as much for this lovely bottle, but the bubble gods are shining down and luckily the price point is between $15 and $17.
No special occasion needed. Just pop a bottle and à la vôtre (cheers)!
Like this:
I’m often disillusioned with the easily accessible. I mean, if you think about it, how can a typical store carry enough of anything to represent you and you alone? Impossible, right! There’s so much more than what’s a mall’s drive away; so, so, so much more. And this precisely why I love visiting Antiquaria, a lovely e-shop filled with beautifully curated vintage pieces.
I’ve been busy searching for vintage glassware, but Antiquaria has also inspired me to think so much deeper and to appreciate the lovely gift of fine china and the lost tradition of heirlooms. I haven’t moved on to fine china just yet, but I fantasize about it often. Dinner parties, afternoon snacks, breakfast in bed…all would be so special on pieces like this. Sigh.
I awoke on Tuesday morning to find this in my Inbox. These mails from Barney’s are quite dangerous. Beautiful silhouette, gorgeous color; my freshly pedi’d toes, with an Autumn orange polish, would look so at home in these. Sigh.
Phillip Lim Regine, $750. Available at Barney’s New York.
My, my it has been a while! Lots going on, but before I get into excuses and stories I figured I’d start with this…a selfless AND fashionable note about one of my favorite designers and his work to help famine victims in Somalia.
I felt compelled and inspired to post when I heard that Thakoon was releasing a limited edition scarf with 100% of the proceeds going to aid Somalia. The lightweight scarf, a Masai-print straight from his autumn collection, is available now on his site. With the beautiful bright colors and plaid print it’s the perfect accessory for fall, but more importantly every penny will be donated to help the people (and especially the children) of Somalia. This has been on my mind with each meal I eat, so I was moved by the generosity in this offering.
Thakoon’s Somalia scarf available at Thakoon.com for $250.
[image via Thakoon.com]
One year ago I had just returned from Seattle with a cold and was dreading the thought of going back to a job I absolutely hated. I remember suddenly feeling overcome with the need to start a project, if only to avoid a Jerry McGuire moment in the office. I figured if I created a place where I could collect all of my favorites (with a few rants), it could only result in good things. So here I am, 250 posts and a year later in a whole new place. Long gone is the job from hell, and I’m left with only the best pieces of a year gone by; looking back through my archives, I am happy.
I love sharing the fun and interesting content I find and the occasional recipe I attempt, but I often struggle with the best way to share my often intense thoughts on living a healthy life while being mindful of our impacts on things big and small. I know that sometimes it’s not the most entertaining or easy thing to read, but I hope you’ll continue to visit me not just for the fun and carefree, but for the anti-cancer and sustainable.
Last I heard there were around 144 million blogs in existence. That’s more than a lot of competition, so the thought of you here visiting means the world to me; and really, I don’t know how to express how truly humbled and thankful I am. If only you knew how my heart raced with each new view or thoughtful message. I love my little corner of the world here and I am so excited to share with you another year of favorites!
In case you were curious, here are your favorite posts from the past year!
- Jok Thai-Style Rice Porridge (the winner by a long shot!)
- Cardboard Cuteness (Anton Tang’s little box people)
- Holiday 2010 Gift Guide (fun stuff!)
- Animal Camouflage (one of my faves too)
- Roasted pork loin with cabbage slaw (try the cabbage slaw!)
- Larb Gai (secret family recipe)
And while not all of these are as sexy as your favorites, here are some of my personal faves:
- Guilty on All Counts (or why I am not not a sushi pro)
- Dirty Water (let’s know our water)
- J-Pop! (or my trip to the toy store)
- Thai Garlic Chili Oil (you’ll want this)
- Come Back GT Dave (Kombucha withdrawals)
- Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium (zen!)
- Happy Earth Day! (good stuff here)
- Diamonds are a dragonfly’s best friend (gorgeous macro photo)
- Late Summer Succotash (Sweet corn. That is all.)
- Home (or Dad’s crazy bird-catching contraption)
[balloon image by flickr user brooksbos, via bringyourdreamstolife]
Hugs and happy thoughts.
Sincerely,
me
While these little guys have already made the blog rounds I couldn’t resist sharing as an accessory to yesterday’s first aid kit. Hooray for Cynthia Rowley! Limited edition, and a portion of the proceeds go to a good cause. Assortment of 20 for $10 here.
Farmhouse Estate – Sonoma Wine Country
On Tuesday it suddenly dawned on me that I had a holiday ahead; it felt like I had found $100 bill in my back pocket! I usually flip when I find a $5, so the realization that I had three days off sent me over the moon. It’s been a long time since my Lova and I were able to escape, so we decided to scramble to plan a last minute holiday.
To be honest since my December birthday I have had a lot swirling through my head and somehow things seem more urgent and unclear than they used to. I guess that’s what happens when you approach the tail-end of your 20′s, but it seems I must resolve to let it go and get back to enjoying what comes my way. My first attempt at this will be at the lovely Farmhouse Inn in the Russian River Valley in Sonoma wine country.
Believe it or not this will be our first trek into wine country (not including a quick trip to Napa for a disappointing meal at Bouchon, but that doesn’t really count). So, I’m looking forward to our country cottage on the estate and the wine tastings and, let’s be honest here, the artisan cheese snacks that will undoubtedly accompany it.
I hope you have a lovely weekend ahead of you, complete with an extra day and some time to enjoy living. Deep breath. Relax. Smile.
Can’t wait to get a hold of these in August when they’re released. Lots of other lines too, but these are my fave.
From YSL’s fall beauty line Rock and Baroque. Now if only I could get my nails to look that good with just one color.
[via 80s Purple]
Here’s the first-ever Holiday Gift Guide - ooh, my favorite style! I’ve collected some of my favorite things from around the Web to share with you as inspirations and thought-starters to help you get ready for the holidays. Have fun, and get to shopping!
- Cool Jewels ice tray So fun, right? ($9)
- Chobs Grips for your cutting board & icons to help you keep track of which side is for veggies and which side is for meat. ($12.95)
- Baggu Bags x 5- You guys know how much I adore my Baggu’s. ($35 per set)
- OPI nail lacquer The best polish out there, and also conscious about chemicals too. I love their SoftShades of pink. ($8.50 each)
- Tarte Cosmetics eye shadow palette Chemical-free, GMO-free, green packaging, and a killer set of colors at a great price too. ($44)
- Picture keyboard stickers This is just too cool. ‘B is for Bowie, G is for Geisha!’ ($12)
- Alexander McQueen Britannia patent clutch Really no need to dive into details here. Would be an amazing gift for so many reasons! ($1,067.50, was $1,525)
- Tom Binns Swarovski crystal bracelet The colors. The style. Swoon. I would rock the hell out of this; would be a great investment. ($440)
- Helmut Lang twisted draped jersey dress Because I love the amazingly soft Helmut Lang jersey and because this is the perfect LBD for work and play. ($360)
- Toms Glitters My lovely teammate Miss Ngo rocks her gold ones and just got these lovely pinks sent to the office. I lusted big time and had to add them here. A perfect gift for your giftee and for a child in need. ($54)
- Swarovski Maggy fuschia ring Have you seen how sparkly Swarovski crystals are? ($115)
- Marc by Marc Jacobs diamond Lurex gloves Functional, a touch of sparkle, and really cute! ($70, was $88)
- Alaia lace-up calf hair pumps Literally just went on sale and just almost sold out. I was drooling over an all-black leather version I saw at Barney’s last weekend though, so my dreams are not completely shattered. These really are gorgeous on, not as intense as they look. ($1,098, was $1,830)
- Chanel trompe-l’oeil temporary tattoos Did you see these on the runway last year? So fun! ($75)
- Litter SF thumb holster I love my Litter shoulder chain so I must figure out when I can start adding to my collection. Love this look. ($225)
- USB Battleship Come on, how fun would this be to give? ($23)
- Dotz cord wrap My Lova is the best at keeping cords organized, but I can’t say the same for me. Look at those before and afters. I need these at work. ($9.99)
- Samsung Galaxy Tab Worth considering if you’re in the market for a tab/pad/whatever. I’ve heard good things. Just saying it wouldn’t hurt to shop around; I know I will. ($599)
- Temple leather iPad case Now if you’re going to go through all the trouble of getting a new toy you should probably invest in a nice form of transportation for it, no? This is for an iPad, but perhaps a Galaxy would fit? ($189)
- Dotz identifiers Another great way to organize your cords. Anyone else have that scene in A Christmas Story floating through their mind?
- Cogo floral rug, Anthropologie Loved the pattern and the thickness. Available in other colors too ($78 – $1,098)
- OXO Good Grips 10-piece pop container set BPA free, air-tight, and just all around fucntional and pretty. I can’t find the perfect glass ones so I think these may be the ones. ($99.99)
- Organic cotton frayed-edge sheets, West Elm Because crisp sheets are always a good thing. ($29 – $119)
- Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented I’ll be making a few of these recipes this holiday season. Peanut butter + chocolate. Buy the book to see the rest ($29.95)
- glassybaby The rainbow of colors is just so pretty. Handmade in Seattle, but you’ve probably seen them in restaurants and lovely spaces throughout the country. ($40 each)
