book review: women of the vine

last night, i finished reading women of the vine: inside the world of women who make, taste, and enjoy wine. i got through the book very quickly because it was a combination of two of my favorite hobbies: reading and wine.

my mom brought my attention to this book after she attended an event with its author, deborah brenner. brenner is an alumna of university of delaware, the same college that alanna and i graduated from. she is also a "marketing executive-turned-wine label owner", which is a turn i would love my own career to take as well. 

the "women of the vine" in brennan's book are winemakers, vineyard owners, founders of magazines and wine groups, and wine writers. one is even a master sommelier (one of only fourteen female master sommeliers in the entire world)! her interviews with these women cover all angles of making and enjoying wine and are absolutely inspiring. 

wine spectator magazine hailed it "critical reading: the best new books of the year for any wine lover's library" and i definitely recommend it!  you can order the book (personalized to you and autographed by the author) by emailing info@womenofthevine.com. 

the author, deborah brennan. image via women of the vine

in addition to the book, deborah also founded a group by the same name.  women of the vine is "the first collaboration of sustainable family grape growers and women winemakers" (source).  the group has a partnership with farm aid which supports the mission of keeping america’s family farmers on the land.

you can learn more about deborah brenner, her book, and the women of the vine at http://www.womenofthevine.com/. 

one kings lane - blogger edition

one kings lane is one of my favorite online window-shop sites.  like rue la la or gilt, they are a website that offers deals and discounts on high-end merchandise, only to set them apart, they only focus on home goods.  i love this store but unfortunately can't afford a $1,000 table, rug, or bookshelf.  (one day! one day!) tonight though at 9pm they are hosting a sale curated by the top home design bloggers.  one of my favorites - jenny komeda from little green notebook is participating and i can't wait to see what she suggests.  my fingers are crossed that at least a few items are in my price range!

check out the sale here at 9pm tonight!

superfoods for weightloss

today when i was perusing self.com, i came across a slideshow of 20 superfoods that help with weightloss.  looking through the the slideshow, i started to get pretty excited and then wonder why i am not a size zero...these are all foods that i like to eat! there are not any huge surprises in this list of superfoods but i thought it was worth sharing as a reminder.  when i go grocery shopping tomorrow, i am going to make sure to bring this list with me so i can stock up and hopefully be a size zero in no time (i just shouldn't hold my breath for that one..)

1. beef - if you keep it organic and lean it can help you take off the lbs instead of put them on!
2. eggs
3. oats - steel cut oats are even healthier than instant oats!
4. lentils - apparently these are an excellent belly flattener...these will be going to the top of my grocery list tomorrow!
5. goji berries

6. wild salmon
7. apples - apparently if you eat an apple before eating a bowl of pasta, you will consume less calories! awesome!
8. buckwheat pasta
9. blueberries
10. almond butter

11. pomegranates
12. chiles - i hate spicy food but adding some to your diet can cause your body to burn calories for 20 minutes longer.  no wonder my college roommate who loved spicy foods is so skinny!
13. yogurt
14. quinoa
15. sardines - these kind of gross me out but are so healthy they are worth a shot!

16. kale
17. tarragon
18. parmesan
19. avocado - my favorite food!! another reason why i should eat guacamole every day.
20. olive oil

check out the whole slideshow here