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December 3, 2022 3

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food
I Like Big Reds and I Cannot Lie

Big reds. I love them. Châteauneuf-du-Pape has been a favorite since I was young, even the time when my father mortifyingly embarrassed me at a fine restaurant while I was in college. He had ordered a Châteauneuf-du-Pape to go with our meal; I was sitting on the inside seat of a cozy booth. The sommelier was a stunningly beautiful... [...]

March 14, 2021 0

Save the Date: Sharing Wine and Food at the Table to Benefit The Alex Manfull Memorial Fund

Sharing Wine & Food at the Table Thursday, April 1st 7:00 p.m. (ET)

Zhuzh up your cheese and charcuterie board to pair with Château Barbebelle Cuvée Madeleine Rouge and benefit The Alex Manfull Memorial Fund Supporting Research, Education, and Treatment of PANDAS.

Please join Susan and William “Towny” Manfull, founders of The Alex Manfull Memorial Fund, and David Scott Allen, editor of Cocoa & Lavender, at the Urban Wine Club for a fun and informative webinar about an excellent ... [...]

March 1, 2021 8

A Look at Rosé Diversity in a CIVP Masterclass with Elizabeth Gabay MW

I am not usually out of bed and in front of my computer, Zoom-ing with strangers (mostly) who are drinking rosé before the sun rises, but these days are different. On Thursday, February 25th, the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins de Provence (CIVP) held a masterclass on Vins de Provence at 11:00 a.m. in France. Unfortunately,... [...]

February 6, 2021 3

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food
The Understudy

Somehow, almost every time I’ve attended a Broadway show, I ended up seeing an understudy in a major role. My disappointment prior to the show was generally palpable. Yet, once into the first act of these shows, I completely forgot I was watching the second string and always enjoyed the production thoroughly. Now that I... [...]

July 23, 2020 25

À TABLE! CHÂTEAU BARBEBELLE AND GÉRARD ISIRDI COME TO THE TABLE TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT PANDAS, THE POST-INFECTIOUS AUTOIMMUNE BASAL GANGLIA ENCEPHALITIS THAT TOOK THE LIFE OF ALEX MANFULL

The above title would be (more) unwieldy if I included all the names of the friends, family, and strangers who have contributed... [...]

May 2, 2020 3

Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food
Praemonitus, Praemunitus

Praemonitus, praemunitus. How is your Latin? Not so good? Don’t worry — neither is mine. But this 15th century Latin proverb, when translated, will be very familiar. “To be forewarned is to be forearmed.” A little insider knowledge can make a big difference, as it helps us to be... [...]

March 8, 2020 15

KITÁ WINES: FOR NATIVE AMERICAN WINEMAKER TARA GOMEZ, DREAMS DO COME TRUE

By the time Tara Gomez graduated from high school in 1991, she knew she wanted to be a winemaker. In many ways, she had been preparing for that role her whole life. But, she probably never imagined she would be making wine for her tribe, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians in the American Viticultural Area (AVA) of Santa Barbara, California, or that she would also co-own a nearby winery, Camins 2 Dreams, with her wife Mireia Taribó, a winemaker, that specializes in natural wines. Dreams do... [...]

April 4, 2016 7

ESCAPE THE GLITZ OF CANNES WITH A VISIT TO ÎLE SAINT HONORAT

Cannes is the quintessential French Riviera resort, renowned for its glamour and bling year-round. Come May and the internationally acclaimed Cannes Film Festival, the Promenade de la Croisette that wraps around the waterfront, passing the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès where the festival is held, will swell with even more rich and famous folks who have flocked to Cannes to rub shoulders with celebrities and, oh yes, see a few film... [...]

January 3, 2016 14

HOW THE AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION PAYS FOR MY PROVENCE VACATION

January is when many vacationers begin to hone their plans for their trips abroad. If you are reading this blog, chances are you are going to be visiting Provence. Have you thought about including a stop at the dentist’s office? No, I didn’t think so. But read on.

In the fall of 2013, an abscessed tooth took me [...]