Fidgeting About the Feminine Mystique (and Musings on My Favorite Things)



I love buying dishes. Micky spoke to me at Target.

 I couldn't sleep last night. I imagine it was due to several reasons not the least of which are my changing hormonal signals. Add to that all of the things I'm having to juggle today plus the anticipated opening and unveiling of my new card line tomorrow and Wednesday. It's enough to give a girl adult acne. --  Ahhhh, it's so fun to be a girl. (?)

But then again, maybe it is? For all the complaining we seem to so easily channel aren't there some pretty exciting reasons to be happy about being a woman no matter what the REM patterns?

First of all, there are the esoteric reasons. I love lipstick, shoes and handbags. And, it is so fun to buy dishes. Really, I absolutely love shopping for dishes. I could feed the YMCA in one, mis-matched sitting, but still. They're all so cute! And then there is this uncontrollable urge to shriek when I see a group of more than 3 girlfriends. I'm not fond of sitting next to those cackling groups of overly excited, estrogen charged parties, but when I'm in the circle? I make noises like a music box on speed.

The real reasons I love being a women are much more varied. I like the fact that both sides of my brain can work together when I'm dealing with an issue. I love how it feels to nurture and care for others in a maternal way. I enjoy the fact that people rely on you to share whatever is in your pocketbook whether it be lip gloss, or change for a 5 dollar bill. But most of all I love that we are so complex and varied. Each of us has a story, a struggle, and that ever present question that bobbles around in our head's 24-7. We play with those same problems forever and yet when a friend comes to us for advice, our concise wisdom spews out in even, measured words that must be heeded.

One of the reasons I created the verses in the Intertwined line is a celebration of those traits, but with a twist. For all our femininity and its similarities with the vine, we must look more closely at how much we resist the change we despise, the aging we dread, and the trials we are surrounded by.

The grape? When faced with these issues it simply adapts and does so happily. And the result is often a wine with more complexity, awe and enjoyment. I like how that sounds.

Yeah, I couldn't sleep last night. But I did see a beautiful moon and watched a deer cross through my yard in the morning light while I was rearranging my sock drawer. Girl-issues? Bring 'em on.

Bring on the Rain

Summer, the season of heat, warmth and the buzzing sound of life. We bask in the sun, turning our faces upward with grateful smiles and outstretched arms. It always seems everything is possible with sunshine!

From time to time, we are blessed with a welcome rainstorm in here Charlotte. It starts with a small rumble in the distance as the silver gray clouds gather in silent formation creating a heavenly border around us soon to offer a cooling shower.

It has been a long time since I've stood outside during a rainstorm, smelling the earth as it soaks up moisture and feeling the drops tickle my face. I watch from inside and admire the deluge as it washes away dust, haze and fallen petals often detached. But maybe I shouldn't be.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if every time we were "interrupted" with our goals and tasks, by the "rain of unexpected events," that we could be grateful for the moments of repose and use them to see that good and bad exist together for our edification and joy? BELIEVE IT!!!

JoDee Messina has a wonderful song that I love called, "Bring On The Rain." The words, "Tomorrow's another day, and I'm thirsty anyway, so bring on the rain!" are so inspiring! It's a way to make sure that beliefs are not derailed by interruptions which are simply another lesson is being offered.

July is a month where beliefs are celebrated. Do you believe in your own success? Do you believe that your heart can guide you to what you're meant to do? Do you believe that good is all around us, even when it rains sorrow or hardship?

Believe it...you can.

RSVP now for Networking, Women and Wine on Wednesday the 28th!!!

Five Secrets to Serving Wine with Style!

Networking, Women and Wine is a group created to help all women see the power they have in themselves. Wine tasting brings us together because the metaphor of wine describes us so well. As we women we display a unique a blend of traits, and we are all individual.

Perhaps you're ready to have a holiday party this season. Networking, Women and wine can help. We don't want the process of serving wine to be intimidating. These tips will give you the edge you desire!

1) The right glass: Now I’m not advocating you go out to the mall and buy 10 Riedel glasses, but the right glass does make a difference, and it’s not just presentation. Here’s why. When a wine is opened, oxygen begins its work of breaking down the structure of the wine and enhancing the aromas and flavors. This living breathing thing called wine begins to interact and the dance begins!

One of the most satisfying ways to understand wine is through your nose. Since we all taste via the sense of smell, making the most of this important step will put you on your way to being a wine aficionado. The wine needs space to release these aromas, and a glass which is large enough to allow those aromas to intensify is best. First, smell the wine without swirling. You will get one aroma. Now swirl, releasing the molecules and mixing the wine with air. Another sniff and you’ll get something completely different. Now no sissy sniffs. It’s time to get your face in there and breathe deeply. One trick is to put your hand over the glass as you swirl, and then move your palm aside just enough to allow your nose in. It’s fun!

2) The right temperature: Most of us Americans like our beverages cold. Milk, for example, is wonderful when it’s spiked with ice cubes and placed in a frosted glass. When served with cookies, only you can describe the ecstasy. But don’t confuse cold with serving wine.

If you’ve ever bought a bottle of wine, especially white, and then opened it at home and found it to taste flat and lifeless, it’s not the wine’s fault or the vendor. If you’ve had it in the fridge right before opening, it’s your fault. Just as you would never eat a frozen cake, wine is something that must be at the right temperature to release all of its flavors. Now you won’t get tarred and feathered if you’re one of those folks who adds ice to your wine, (shudder!) but give it a try at the right temp and see the difference it can make.

Here’s the EASIEST way to serve wine correctly. Take the white wine out of the fridge 20 minutes before serving. And put the red wine in 20 minutes before serving. You’ll chill the red down just enough and warm the white up just perfectly. Ideal serving temperatures will be posted on our blog.

(Tip, you can store opened red and white wines in the fridge to make them last up to three days. Keep them sealed airtight!)

3) Tasting the wine thoroughly: Another fun element of wine tasting is how much noise you can make and still be invited back to the party. As we’ve mentioned, the tongue doesn’t do all the tasting, it’s the nose that gives us most of our enjoyment.

Here’s how to do it. Take in a good amount of wine in your mouth. Let it sit on the tongue, all over your mouth. Let it sit there for 5 to 10 seconds. Swallow and breathe in. See how much more complex wine can be? Now try taking in a sip of wine, and then try and breathe air into your mouth while the wine is there, using your mouth and nose to inhale. Swallow and then enjoy the explosion again!

From http://www.winepros.org/wine101/sensory_guide.htm we quote: “Smell and taste are the chemical senses because their receptors are stimulated by chemical molecules, rather than by energy from light, pressure, or sound. As little as one molecule in a million may be detected by the nose, but it takes a minimum of one part per thousand to stimulate the tongue. As sensitive and accurate as this organ is, relatively few people ever realize its potential for sensory enjoyment by learning how it works and the language of smells. Professional food and wine tasters and perfumers use analogies to common experience to describe aromas. Experts are those that practice and use their sense of smell most frequently.”

4) Pairing and sharing: There are really no rules that you can break in the world of wine. Many tell us to simply buy and drink the wine we like, and pair with abandon. They’re trying to sell you wine, I’m trying to elevate your experience. With that in mind, some rules, when followed, will allow you a much more significant experience with your wine. Before you go back to drinking only your cold Rieslings and Chardonnays, consider the logic we’re going to share.

Many people talk about the fact that they only like sweet wines. Reds are too intrusive and odd. But when you discover the tasting, smelling and texture of wine, your mouth begins to convince you otherwise. Wine can bring out the tastes of food, cleanse your palate and make you glad you have a nose! Wine is meant to be consumed with food. In many countries the thought of sitting with just a glass of wine would seem as silly as eating a meal without a plate. They’re meant to go together.

Wine is comprised of chemicals that are described in many ways. Two of the most significant are the acidic level and the tannic level in wines. Tannins are the sharp, dry feeling on your tongue, like when you eat a ripe banana and your tongue feels like sandpaper. Acidic levels are the tartness. Learning to blend, mostly the acidic level, with the flavors and the textures of your food is key to enjoying both in the right way.

Okay, this is getting complicated. Let’s simplify. You can begin to determine the right pairings by thinking ‘like goes with like.’ Lush foods with lush wines. Fruity and spicy food with fruity and spicy wines. Peppery foods with peppery wines. Earthy wines with earthy foods. These basics can get you started. There are literally hundreds of Internet resources for helping you pair food and wine. But please, by all means pair!!!

5) Ask everyone about their experience!: True, if you’re swallowing and someone starts talking to you, it could cause a mess if you try and reply. But I am a firm believer in making the wine a center of the conversation. First, it’s a good ice-breaker with new people. Wine is so personal, and it’s a good way to get people to move towards a more emotional experience.

Describing the flavors is fun and entertaining and everyone learns something.
If you have a group of novice and/or experienced wine drinkers, or even a combination, you can still follow these suggestions. In fact, have a mini wine tasting session, exploring the flavors and aromas as described above. You’ll find that your guests leave with a new appreciation for wine and for their own ability to enjoy it!