Oh, the power of friends!

Did you feel it? How could you miss it? It was the sound of friends being made, of laughter and connection, of people doing the right thing and having a wonderful time giving, all while tasting new wines, and eating a ton of fantastic food. In fact, even the after-party was hoppin'! Colby Sherwood Bell rocked FABO, the silent auction winners were announced and oh, those delicious desserts and treats!

What am I talking about? Sip and Savour of course held on September 24th! The event was a HUGE success, our goals were exceeded, and everyone is talking about next year's event!

Want to be a part of it and other events? Include your name and email in our database by scrolling down the right side of our blog and completing the fields. As members of Networking, Women and Wine you are also eligible for other Sip and Savour discounts. Watch for future emails!

We look forward to having you join us for all of our events!

Half Empty OR All Empty?

A friend of mine inquired about my state of mind towards a potential catastrophic issue I'm dealing with.You know the type of issue I'm referring to:  No light at the end of the tunnel and probably no tracks either. And there's a good bet there's no bottom to the tunnel.

So, I pondered about her question, asking me if I can see the silver lining and look past it to the lesson therein. "You mean do I see it as half full or half empty?" I asked?  That was, she confirmed, her question.

Of course, since rising that day I had been holding back screams, and part of me was aggressively looking for an abandoned Buick that I could throw through a plate glass window to adequately display my frantic state. Alas, no sedans were lying by the side of the road so I gathered my courage, put on cute shoes and headed out with my happy face to greet the world. When I finally answered her I was actually surprised at my lucid response, happy at least that there was a modicum of composure left in which to couch my opinion.

"Trying to find the silver lining in this is simply a waste of time. To be honest I don't see it as half empty or half full. I see it as all empty." She looked at me like she hoped her car was parked far enough away that I couldn't get to it.

"You see, there is nothing redeeming about this problem. We're dealing with people who are not willing to be honest, an outcome that won't give anyone relief, and a process that will do nothing but drain our energy. We are a pawn dealing with due process. So....Here's what I think. The key here, is to look to another glass completely. The lesson; to realize that I cannot control this, so I shouldn't let it control me. If I do, then all the many wonderful things all around me won't be visible or available. Given that, I choose to stay open and not give any of this my energy."

Hmmm. I felt better already, and saying it made me feel a little more in control. But what you don't know is that for the 40 minutes leading up to that question we had mentioned over and over again how wonderful it always felt to get together to share inspiration and uplift each other, and that trying to muster courage and strength without reaching out to others is simply not possible. The 'girlfriend' lunch had shored me up and restored me.

I share this with you because although you look composed, (yes, I pay attention to what's in your eyes when I meet you...) and you talk like everything is fine, I suspect we are all looking for something large and heavy to throw or whack or punch at from time to time. What we should be looking for is connection with others to help us nurture the inspiration needed to reinvent. Or at least a good look at what's in the glass.

I invite you to join us for our August event, and SEEK TO BE INSPIRED!

"If I can stop one heart from breaking..."; reflections on tragedy (Japan and the Tsunami)

In every corner of our world, and at every moment, there are tragedies occuring. We dont' always know about their scope or size because they are scattered around the globe like so many shards of a bomb exploded to remind us of our mortality.

Sometimes, through an awful door left ajar, a catalyst of sorrow steps in and lumps all the tragedy together and creates an enormous, tearful and devastating tragedy that we all witness at once. It captures us and stops us in our tracks, causing us to reflect upon the last word we uttered, the last smile we shared and the last complaint we invoked lest the next stroke of bad luck cross our paths.

In the midst of the devastation of Japan's earthquake ravaged landscape lies the present site of this cluster of concurrent tragedies.

'What can I do?' I ask myself. I will pray but I must do more. What I can control is to make sure that at each moment I am available to help another, so that when the time comes that someone does allow me to cross a threshold and reach out to lift another out of hurt of suffering, I am there with my heart and mind open to being immersed in service.

Each of us, if we simply cared for one person, could change the world. We might not be able to anticipate, or fix, or even fathom collective tragedies like the one in Japan, but we can still be ready when all that may be needed is just exactly what we can do -- serve.

One of my favorite poems by Emily Dickenson says it best:

If I can stop one heart from breaking,

I shall not live in vain ;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.

Women, Wine...and Inspiration!

Left: Gallery Owner Debbie Campbell is joined by Intertwined Creator Camine Pappas and Intertwined Artist Cynthia Howard. Middle: Event goers enjoy a display of each of the Intertwined verses.

Descending down the stairs into Providence Fine Art Gallery in Charlotte, NC, this week was like entering a different world. The popular gallery, owned by Debbie Campbell was humming with conversation, laughter, the sound of wine being uncorked and poured, and the soft whisper of paint brushes gliding across gleaming, white canvases.
It all centered around the very special event on the 22nd and 23rd of February held by Networking, Women and Wine, a Charlotte based networking group formed in 2008 by Camine Pappas. The event heralded the beginning of a new way to "say it with the vine in mind!" as Camine (creator and author of Intertwined) and artist Cynthia Howard celebrated the unveiling of the "Intertwined" gift card series.

What is so different about wine, a greeting card line and women? Plenty. The card line, which offers powerful sentiments set against a background of beautiful paintings of grape clusters and vines, was launched with eight, inspiring messages. Aptly and poignantly themed with titles such as, "Bursting With Promise," "Peace Will Return," and "I Choose To Forgive," the greetings articulate the words of encouragement and wisdom that women love to share. The twist is that each message is said as though the vine itself is speaking from deep within her viniferous soul.

Why? By blending the timeless beauty and wisdom of the vine with the strength, diversity and journey of women, fans of the vineyard can share their sentiments through powerful poetry and art and literally, "say it with the vine in mind™." The hope is that women will attach themselves to this universal metaphor and see that our collective experiences are mirrored by the vine through graceful, powerful and triumphant words, to find the possibility and potential built into each one of us.

Joining in the event were wine sponsors Tryon Distributing and Mutual Distributing  who poured, respectively, the popular Women of the Vine wines on Tuesday, and the whimsical Middle Sister Wines on Wednesday. The wine was provided by D'Vine Wine Cafe in Ballantyne, multiple winner of the City Search Best of Charlotte "Best Wine List" award, and managed by Justin Boudrie.
However, it was the musings of the attendees that most aptly described the theme of the evening. "I see myself in these words!" shared one woman who brought three of her friends to enjoy the festivities.

"You have said what we are all thinking and never had the words to say.." was another powerful quote.

All in all, over 130 attendees found themselves sipping wine, making new friends, and becoming Intertwined in a very special way. If you want to become a part of Networking, Women and Wine, FRIEND us on Facebook and learn more about how to "BeIntertwined." You will receive updates, invitations and more connection through the best vine of all, the friendship of like-minded women.

Balancing Your Resolutions With Reality

It's funny, isn't it. In the blink of an eye we have arrived to see a new year, a new decade, a new month simply appear before us. All around the clear, cold air seems to glisten with hope and possibility. The bobbles that adorn our trees, or the candles that lite our nights, or even the families that have shared our bathrooms; all have gone away leaving us alone with our conscience and our intentions.

Now that it's just you and that little voice inside your head, you're probably following the crowd by listing out your resolutions. One more carrot stick and one less caramel macchiato. One more sit-up and one less slice of pecan pie. It's a see-saw of giving up and replacing old habits with new ones. A willingness to ignore temptation, followed by a cardboard reward.

Hmmm. I don't know about you, but I doubt that I'll make it to September without a chocolate chip cookie. Good chance that breakfast will be one of those cookies before the week is out considering it's my husband's favorite and he can eat ANYTHING he likes. And of course, when it does happen -- when I fall off the wagon, I'll fall into a pit of cookie dough and vanish into the mixture like slightly beaten eggs and creamed butter.

Carmen and I have a different approach for you. Let's talk with a new language about change. Shall we? In fact,let's simply just 'do change' in a whole new way. We will, together, approach each shift in our lives with gentleness and mindful nurturing. We will create abundance through the desire to change, with the idea that we need balance to maintain new habits. And last but not least, we will seek to surround ourselves with what we're yearning for, without hearing that harsh wooshing sound as all our comfort foods, habits and vices vanish into an abyss of non-achievable goals. In short, you will grow and not even know it!

2010's theme this year is The Year of Balance. What that means, is that if you're going to create shifts, you must be conscious of how to replace them in a gentle, kind and conscious fashion with other meaningful things.

This month seek out other strong women who can nurture your noble traits as women. We'll enjoy and learn about wine, create a safe place to find meaningful connections, and offer you a place to begin your NEW YEAR OF INTENTION!