wine – Page 3 – Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION.

Join the Club and know not what to expect

Woody Allen quoting Groucho Marx – “I’d never join a club that would allow a person like me to become a member.”

I’ve been curious about belonging to some club other than the gym I go to. While I do enjoy reading, book clubs can be boring and members not always on the same page. I need something a bit more exciting. It would be nice to belong to a golf or tennis club – or better still, a yacht club but I’d end up using the privileges for the bar or restaurant because I’m not so good at either golf or tennis. I do really enjoy ~~sitting on a sailboat drinking wine~~ sailing.

Anyway I found something I excel at – wine tasting, wine drinking and wine sourcing (for drinking purposes). So I joined a wine club. Every month starting mid-May I’ll be getting 3 (starting out small) exceptional bottles from Marquis wine club delivered to my front door. All of which are not easily found elsewhere in the BC marketplace and many of the selections are brought in just for the club, and thus are not available anywhere else. Talk about customer service and aiming to please: they claim to deliver great value wines that are delicious and technically superior to many wines available in the marketplace. They guarantee all of their wines, meaning if you really don’t like one, or if it’s flawed in some way, you can let them know and they’ll send you another bottle. What’s not to like?

Then I plan to do wine/food pairings based on the particular bottles received – looking forward to that. Most people plan their meal and then choose the wine to go along but this time it will be WINE FIRST. I love the element of surprise….(of course providing it’s a good surprise). I’ll update you later with results. Until then….cheers!

Have you ever been part of a wine club? If so tell me how you enjoyed the choices? Did they deliver?

See “World of Wine” on my Pinterest page at: http://pinterest.com/intrigueimports/world-of-wine/

FUN

AWay with Wine – Words of Wisdom

“Accept what life offers you and try to drink from every cup. All wines should be tasted; some should only be sipped, but with others, drink the whole bottle.” ― Paulo Coelho, Brida

“Give me books, French wine, fruit, fine weather and a little music played out of doors by somebody I do not know.”
― John Keats

Being Ernest:

“As I ate the oysters with their strong taste of the sea and their faint metallic taste that the cold white wine washed away, leaving only the sea taste and the succulent texture, and as I drank their cold liquid from each shell and washed it down with the crisp taste of the wine, I lost the empty feeling and began to be happy and to make plans.”
― Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast

“Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing.”
― Ernest Hemingway

“Beer is made by men, wine by God.”
― Martin Luther

“Wine is the most healthful and most hygienic of beverages.”
― Louis Pasteur

“I like my coffee black, my beer from Germany, wine from Burgundy, the darker, the better. I like my heroes complicated and brooding, James Dean in oiled leather, leaning on a motorcycle. You know the color. (“Ode to Chocolate”)”
― Barbara Crooker, More: Poems

“Wine makes every meal an occasion, every table more elegant, every day more civilized.”
― Andre Simon

FUN

B well – Booze clues to help take the edge off.

Little healthful tidbits that go a long way.

Vista d'Oro Winery, Langley — Pretty girls sample wine at the Vista d’oro Winery in Langley, B.C. Fun!

We’re all guilty of social indulging especially during the holidays or while vacationing.

THE GOOD NEWS: A month or so is unlikely to cause any lasting damage, according to internist David Katz, director of Yale University’s Research Prevention Center. As long as you’re not drinking to the point of absolute obliteration (anyone?) or you’re unable to stop topping up when the festivities end.

THE BAD NEWS: some minor issues to overcome from the night before – puffy eyes, sallow skin, a pounding headache, a more snug waistband. Ugh!

Little TIPSy that won’t make you feel the worse for wear:

PACE yourself before hitting a party. If you know you’ll be going out more than usual then it makes sense to try to be as healthy as possible the rest of the time. Get enough sleep, eat well and take care of your skin. Do not drink on an empty stomach because you will get very drunk, very fast. Eating protein like eggs, nuts & cheese are good choices beforehand because they’re digested slowly so the alcohol won’t be absorbed quite as quickly into the bloodstream. Oh, and if you go for a peel or microdermabrasion make sure to do it well before your event. Alcohol can increase bruising.

EAT (again) while Drinking. If you didn’t eat enough or at all – match every drink with something containing fat and protein. Since half the pain of a hangover is dehydration then water it down with a glass of water or seltzer to tame the alcohol. Studies show that clear beverages like gin, vodka or rum are less likely than darker booze to leave a drinker in discomfort. And the tannins in red wine increase blood vessel dilation which leads to ruddy, inflamed skin. Also calories to consider – you cannot drink a lot and eat a lot and stay thin. Something has to give and hopefully it won’t be your waist. That means that mixed drinks like margaritas can count as both a drink and a dessert.

POST PARTY – consider heading off a headache by taking an aspirin (non acetaminophen) and drinking a cup of coffee. In a 2010 study, rats were given both a dose of caffeine and an anti-inflammatory and were spared the production of acetate – the compound associated with hangover headaches. Another study found that a vitamin B6 supplement can reduce symptoms by 50 percent. The endorphins from a brisk walk can also go a long way toward making you feel good immediately. And ultimately, the bottom line with savvy drinking is similar to that of savvy dieting, it’s not about willpower, it’s about strategy.

Info. taken from an article by Liz Krieger about simple holiday drinking strategies that will help you enjoy the party season. And let’s face it shouldn’t life be party most of the time?

Also: Don’t miss listening to “Transforming Health” with host Brad King for the most evocative and informative up-to-the-minute interviews with leading health professionals – Live every Wednesday @ 12PM-PST/3PM-EST on VoiceAmerica.com – #1 internet radio station in North America.

Here’s the link: http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1686/transforming-health