Grandma’s Time

I forgot about a great tradition that my grandparents have always had- a cocktail before dinner.

Maybe I forgot because I was never old enough to take part, but I remember watching my Grandpa make spritzers each night when he’d get get home from work. He’d make me one, too, if I begged a bit- orange juice and tonic. Yum! Even now, I like adding bubbles to juices to make them a bit sparkly.

Tonight, I finally got to share in the long-standing tradition. After working hard all day, my Grandma (who seems tireless and graceful no matter what she does) suggested that we “sit down and act like ladies.” This included talking over cheese and crackers and a glass of wine.

The wine was refreshing and well deserved… I should also mention that it was from a bottle. This is significant because I also have many memories of boxed wine on their fridge shelf. (Apparently, I took a strong interest in drinking from an early age! I wonder why…). The spout apparatus was especially intriguing, and sometimes I was able to pour the glasses if Grandpa would let me.

Anyway, it was a really sweet thing to be able to share in something that I can remember from all the way back as a little one at 401 Laurel. Celebrating the end of a day of hard work always seems worth it! Celebrating with Grandma is even better!

Red Champagne

Chris and I have been taking long weekends in Sonoma for the last 3 years. I’ll share more about them in a future post, but I want to tell you about one of the most important things we do each time. We drink this champagne:

Korbel's Rouge Champagne- best food ever!

We like sparkling wines that may be fancier, but this one holds a special place in our hearts. The Korbel winery was the first place we ever went tasting together (in 2009, on our first long weekend away), and we spent a leisurely afternoon eating lunch and drinking red champagne on their patio with Honey at our feet. Plus, the champagne is beautifully sparkly. AND it’s actually so yummy that I forgot to take a photo to show you. Oops!

Up close, in case you want to buy some

Chris and I started dating after an evening drinking champagne, so it seems fitting that a fabulous start would grow into a wonderful tradition. Today, our first stop in Sonoma was lunch and tasting at “our” little spot. It was an amazingly gorgeous day, and we sat outside under the redwoods with Di—- (doesn’t want to be mentioned) and Montana as we sipped. After the drive from San Jose, we were able to unwind and get into relaxation mode.

Gorgeous day!

Knowing that we wouldn’t be back for a while, we bought some for home… Come over, and we’ll introduce you to a great treat. {In case you’d like to order and live in a state that’s not run like it’s 1925, click here.}