Women & Wine

Top 10 Reasons for Sarah Palin Resignation

The following was written prior to cocktail hour on the west coast....

1) She thought that MJ was the King of the GOP not the King of POP

2) Test results were about to be released to show that her grandchild TRIP is really the son of TRIP (Sr.)

3) She looked at the window of her house (towards Russia) and realized that she could see it because Global Warming had taken all the snow off the mountains

4) Looking at Russia she realized that she could move there and no one would know who she was

5) While reading all of the magazines and newspapers that she reads she realized there were some stories that made her look really stupid

6) She was told that she will get the job as Governor of South Carolina - it's warmer there

7) She just got a bill from Neiman Marcus saying she owes them $150K

8) She heard she could "double up" on history classes this summer at Wasilla High

9) Alaska is succeeding and Todd is going to be President of Independent Alaska, she will be First Lady of Alaska

10) She got a blank check from Rupert Murdoch to host her own show on Fox News - "Insight with Sarah Palin"

Media Exhaustion Keeps Me Wishing for a Glass of ....

junkie (def) noun an enthusiastic follower; fan; devotee

True or False

I am a media junkie.

addict noun a person who is addicted to an activity, habit

addict verb to habituate or abandon (oneself) to something compulsively or obsessively

True or False?

I am addicted to the internet.

True or False

Michael Jackson was (potentially) addicted to drugs.

True or False

Michael Jackson's death was a tragedy.

True or False

I am a face book junkie.

True or False

A media junkie who is addicted to watching, participating, commenting and contributing to the internet is a tragedy.

I spent the weekend recovering from Media exhaustion. There were several days in the past 10 that I had my face book, twitter, cnn, msnbc or you tube windows opened simultaneously for part of most of the time I was on my computer, my blackberry, etc.

Does the immediacy of information keep you up...or bring you down? Or both.

I'm trying to figure it all out.

I'm exhilarated when early indications showed that Obama was gaining over McCain, when the stock market is up by 500 points, when a friend I haven't heard from in a while suddenly finds me on face book, or there's a surprise announcement of the awarding of a Nobel Prize.

But are those "highs" enough to compensate for the lows we feel when tragedy comes into our own home, the horror we digest with our morning coffee as we watched the protesters get beaten on the streets of Iran, the scenes of the limbs and bloodied bodies after the bombs in the market in Iraq, the disappointment of yet another politician confessing that their brain resides between their legs?

They say that it's cocktail hour somewhere in the world ... beam me up Scotty!

Death of Two Troubled Stars Hits LA Hard Today - A Tribute to Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson

I don't usually comment on the life - or death - of celebrities. It's really not my thing. But our store, Wine Valet is in the heart/center of Beverly Hills and for the last hour you can see the stunned faces after the shocking news of the death of Michael Jackson.

We haven't even had time to grieve for Farrah - and bloggers are already chatting away about how "unfair" it is to have her story  upstaged by Jackson's untimely death. But I think there's something deeper here - and it's a long look in the mirror - these were two individuals who greatly influenced pop culture gone at a young age.

And while Jackson's death might be the more shocking because it came out of nowhere - afterall, we'd been reading for weeks about his payback/comeback that was just around the corner - both deaths remind us that the media plays a huge role in who "lives" and who "dies". And today, while they continue to rush to play out the final chapter for each of these stars the sadness that abounds is that they each had their own difficulties in life, compounded by the media's intensive attention to their fame and that neither will have the chance to redeem themselves, clean the slate or be held up in a glorious comeback ever again.

The parking lot is stilled now - I'm sure everyone is home glued to their tv for additional word to make sense of Jackson's death. His music will live on, his investors will file for bankruptcy and the final chapter is over.

For those of us who grew up with the two in our lives - not on video or late night reruns - it reminds us that each day is precious, life is short, let's make it sweet. I'll drink to that.

Women & Wine Hosts Press/Bloggers Event to Preview the Winners of the LA International Wine, Spirits & Olive Oil Competition

As the CEO of Women & WIne, http://womenwine.com, I wear a lot of different hats. So it was a great privilege on Thursday, to help host a press and bloggers tasting event - a sneak peak so to speak - to showcase some of the winners prior to the announcment yesterday to the public.

The competition attracts 3800 submissions in the wine category alone from around the world. The organizers at the Los Angeles Fairplex (yes! you probably know this as the home of the Pomona County Fair) estimate that about 20% or more were new wineries that had never entered prior competitions.

In it's 70th year - the 75 judges who participate used handheld electronic devices to tabulate their votes during the three and a half days of tasting to find not only the BEST OF SHOW but the BEST OF CLASS for several different price points in conjunction with the interest by consumers to find wines that cost less.

The price categories - under $14.99, up to $30 and $30 and above were displayed at Thursday's event and I had suggested that attendees get a chance to blind taste 5 Best of Class winners to see if we could determine which price ranges they represented as well as which of the five might have won Best of Show.

Groups of 8 at a time were led by Mary Ellen of the Fairplex staff through a very professionally conducted tasting - with a few giggles from some of us (me included) as we realized that we had never blind tasted based on price. I suggested that we each put a T under each glass to first try to see if we could each determine the price point of the wines (we were told the varietal that they had won a Best of Class award in under the circle on the tasting sheets).

Proud to say that I got 5/5 for price - it must be all of those wines that I taste for our store Wine Valet at Two Rodeo Drive - http://wine-valet.com - but astounded myself when I was also able to identify blind David Bruce 2006 Pinot as an over $30 Best of Show Winner (gold stars!!!)

Congrats to all the winners - especially when you realize how many rounds the Best of Show wines had to go through - winning both the Best of Class in their varietal and price range and then the Best of Show in the same.

I'm going to the Wine & Cars Under the Stars event at the Fairplex tonight which helps raise money for the Fairplex Foundation that supports programs for children - I can't wait to taste more of the winners.

To see the winners, go to http://tiny.cc/Q0f7Y

Will Michelle Obama Influence Women About Wine the Way She Did With Fashion?

It didn’t take us very long to notice Michelle Obama’s style on the campaign trail and I’m not talking about arms. I’m a bit under 6 ft. myself and first it was the poise, the grace of motion and that drop dead gorgeous smile that won me over. Later, it was the fact that she made everything she wore look like she just pulled it out of the closet – which gave me a more confidence to rummage around in the back of mine. Confidence. That’s a big word for most women to swallow – whether it’s fashion – or wine.

I started Women & Wine http://womenwine.com because wine for women is a universal language that we understand - it helps us make an immediate connection when we share a glass.  Yet, many women are caught up in their inability to find the right words to describe what they like. And unlike their daily pick of what to wear – they wouldn’t be caught dead in the same outfit two days in a row – they gravitate very quickly to purchasing a bottle of wine that they have had before. Over and over again.  It’s really because there’s a disconnect and lack of education at the point of sale but instead most women say they don’t feel confident enough to roll the dice on their choice so they go with the ’safe’ one instead.

And while women buy most of the wine in the U.S. and, where available,  in the supermarket - that’s  like saying that they bought a new outfit at Home Depot, or a new purse at Blockbuster. Many tell me that feel like they have two heads when they enter a wine retailer (thanks guys for making us feel so comfortable and welcome) – and so the anonimity of their purchase is what they settle for in a big box store.

Women wouldn’t settle for anything else the way they settle for wines with cute pictures on the label or marketing gimmicks that appeal to women. They certainly wouldn’t choose a hair dresser that had cute kangaroos in the window. And it’s hardly likely that they would go to a butcher and ask for the cheapest cut of meat. They wouldn’t bend down to pick up a penny in the aisle but they have no trouble swatting down to reach for that bottle on the lowest shelf that’s $3.99.

Women who are interested in wine need a role model. I try to be one myself.

Now Michelle, I need your help.

Will you talk to us about the wine you like  – will you come on Women & Wine Radio to talk about how you started getting interested in wine (we know you love good food!)? Will you be seen holding a glass of wine in a picture – or pouring it at the table for a family dinner at the White House? Are you and the President planning an outing to Virginia wine country (it is for lovers…)?

As CEO & Founder of Women & Wine, I want Michelle Obama to invite women to be more curious about the wine they drink. To know that they can relish an inexpensive “find” – like she does at J.Crew. But to also realize like when you wear something hand crafted – or drink a bottle of wine that’s made with enormous care in small production – you can feel like cinderella – or a First Lady.

And I invite women everywhere – not just here in the U.S. –  to post and share their stories at http://womenwine.com of how they started on their own personal journey of learning about wine, drinking different varietals or buying a special bottle to start collecting. The socialization of wine at the American dinner table depends on you ladies. You did it with arugula, you can certainly do it with wine. You family will become more engaged and eat more slowly when wine is served. And you will want to travel to see where it’s made.

And Oprah, I’m ready for you. Why don’t you have me and Michelle on to talk about what we love about wine – the stories that are in the glass – the special memories we have of the meals where it was served. The places we’ve been where that perfect moment was enhanced by a great bottle of wine…

Ladies, are you listening? And as a wine retailer too, my doors are open to you.

Women & Wine owns and operates Wine Valet at Two Rodeo Drive http://wine-valet.com 310.274.9224.