Thirsty Thursday-Tempranillo Day

 *** Disclosure-I received sample product for review.  All opinions stated are my own based on my personal experience.

Where did the year go?  The holidays are here.  This is one of my favorite times of the year.  We get to spend time to celebrate family, history, our cultural heritage and traditions.  Today is Tempranillo Day. One of the greatest expressions of the Tempranillo grape is found in Rioja, Spain, a region near and dear to our hearts.

Campo Viejo Rioja ~ Reserva 2007

Varieties: 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo

It is aged for 18 months.  It is Ruby-red colour.  I like it, very smooth.  A great aroma.  

One of our family traditions is to get together at my in laws to make tamales prior to the upcoming holiday.  It is a girl's day which includes wine, laughs, and tamale making.  We each have a wine glass and apron.  We come ready to hit the assembly line.  Tamales are hardwork but they are so yummy.  

Rioja wines are a great pairing for Latin cuisine and traditional holiday favorites like tamales and chicken mole.  We all enjoyed this bottle!

Gift Idea for a Holiday Host or Hostess

***Disclosure-Sample product was provided for review.  All opinions stated are my own based on my personal experience.

The holidays are here.  Time for all the holiday parties we attend.  Do you have your schedule booked with parties to attend?  There is always something going on everyday on the weekends and sometimes on the weekdays.  As a guest of a party do you take a gift for the host/hostess?  We haven't really been invited to any adult parties lately, so I wasn't sure what to take to an adult party for the host/hostess.  A suggestion was made to take some wine.  Wine, ok?

Fat Louis - Greetings from France

2011 French White Wine

Description-Beautiful gold shade with nostalgic aromas of fresh fruit. Subtle pear, apple, and orange blossom are complemented by friendly acidity and a balanced finish.

Grape Varietals-50% White Grenache, 30% White Carignan, 20% Sauvignon

Gastronomic Companion-As an aperitif, with shellfish or grilled fish

Vinification-Fermentation at low temperature for 15 days to allow the full expression of flavors

Maturation-In steel vats

I like fruity drinks, so my choice will always be for some fruity.  Curious Cork Wines offers unique, premium, and authentic wines from Europe.  They have a variety of wines to chose from. 

-Think of the host/hostess.
-Do you know what will be served? Menu?

How would you like to win a gift card to purchase a bottle of your own?  Enter now.

How to enter:

1)  Must be a blog follower.  Leave a comment with your follower name. (1 entry)
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This giveaway ends 12/22 at midnight.  1 winner will be randomly selected.  US only.  The sponsor will handle fulfillment of the prize.  The winner will have 24 hours to claim their prize.  Independentmami reserves the right to disqualify any entries.  

Painting with a Twist

Disclosure-I was invited to attend an complimentary painting event and received a swag bag.  All opinions are my own based on my personal experience.

I have been traveling so much this month from California to Florida.  My miles have been adding up.  Such is life.  As a mom my life is always on the go.  There never is a minute for me just to breath.  I had not had any time for me.  I needed to unwind and that is exactly what I was looking forward to when I was invited to attend Painting with a Twist in the Woodlands.

Painting with a Twist, based in Mandeville, Louisiana is the leading paint-and-sip franchise with more than 150 franchises in 25 states.  Founded in 2007 by Cathy Deano and Renee Maloney,

 Painting with a Twist began franchising in 2009 and provides customers with paint, a canvas and brushes that lead to a fun evening with friends and a finished piece of art.

A night to un-wine-d?  Yes, Please! 

Though I have never painted before I had heard of this.  My girlfriends and I were curious to see what this was all about.  And so I decided to come see what all the talk was really about.  

So you have an art teacher who will step by step guide you through your painting.  All while you sip on some wine.  Relax and not have to worry about anything.  The process goes y pretty fast but the is the idea, no real thinking-just painting.  

The above picture shows how my canvas was being painted step by step by me.  Though at first I could not just let go, eventually I started to loosen up.  I had had a really long day at work.  The kids were at home with dad.  I was over 45 minutes away from home, etc, etc.......so much on my head.  Then I started talking to my neighbors about their canvas and one thing led to another.  I had something.  We took a small break.  I walked around to look at all the other paintings in progress.  They were all beautiful.  No one here was an artist but yet we were all having a good time painting.

As we continued on, I started to see more and more what my painting was looking as-ART!  The artist and his assistants were great at coming around giving you help, topping you off, adding more color or checking your tools.  The painting did not have to be perfect but it was exactly what I needed.  This horizon with a stormy background was the break a was looking for.

I am proud of my art piece that I will be hanging at my house.  I cannot wait to plan a Girl's Night Out with my friends.  They are 10 locations in the Houston and surrounding areas.  We need to check the calendar.  From just peeking at that calendar there are so many options, I might have to book more than one Girls Night Out.  This may became a monthly meeting place for us.

To check out the calendar or a location near you, go to Painting with a Twist.

Painting with a Twist started out right after Hurricane Katrina.  We all remember who devastating this was.    Cathy and Renee, 2 friends, started this company after such tragedy.  When all was lost, they found something that people could do.  In their efforts to help their community, they helped each other, and now they are helping others.

The company maintains a strong focus on giving back to the local community, and by the end of 2014, Painting with a Twist will have donated more than $1 million through their charity arm, Painting with a Purpose. As the fastest-growing franchise in the industry, Painting with a Twist was ranked the top Paint and Sip franchise as part of the 2014 Entrepreneur magazine annual Franchise 500 edition.

For more information about Painting with a Twist’s franchise opportunity, visit www.paintingwithatwistfranchise.com.

 

How to Host an Awards Night Party (spon)

***Disclosure-Sample product was received for review.  All opinions stated are my own based  on my own opinions.

Do you like to watch the awards?  I do.  Do you have watch parties?  We love guessing who the award winners are going to be, and enjoying the company of our friends.  We always wonder what really goes on.

Do you want to know what the stars are sipping on?

What does their award dinner consist of?

Well you too can host your very own ultimate at-home viewing party.  Thanks to Sterling Vineyards, the Exclusive Wine of the Oscars®, for sharing some insider tips:

This year, as the stars walk off the red carpet and into the Dolby Theater lobby, they will be greeted by their choice of Sterling Vineyards Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Chardonnay,Carneros Pinot Noir, and Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. When the Awards are complete, 1,600 Academy guests will proceed to the Governors Ball, where more outstanding Sterling wines will be paired with the culinary creations of Chef Wolfgang Puck.

Food & Wine Pairings

·         You don’t have to be Wolfgang Puck to create a selection of items from the actual menu that will be served during the Academy Awards including homemade potato chips and assorted Wolfgang Puck signature pizzas.   

·         First, set out our Sterling Vineyard Wines next to the food display along with suggested pairings to take the guesswork out of it for your guests. 

·         Pair homemade potato chips with Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc. The lively acids in the wine will be a perfect complement to the chips.

·         Create your own pizza bar by purchasing pre-cooked pizza dough and setting out a bowl of sauce, shredded cheese, and a variety of both meat and vegetable toppings.  Each guest can then pick and choose to create their own personal pizzas.  To save time cooking, partially bake the crusts before everyone adds their toppings.

·         The meat toppings will pair well with the Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, the vegetable toppings with the Carneros Pinot Noir.

·         Set up a dessert bar perfect for pairing Baileys and coffee or a delicious “glamour shot.”  It’s an easy way for people to enjoy dessert during the commercial breaks.

Viewing Party Fun

•     Cheryl Cecchetto and Gary Levitt of Sequoia Productions, Renowned Celebrity Event Producers suggest:
•      Inviting your guests to predict the Oscar winners before the show via the Oscar party ballot that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences posts on their website. The work is already done for you; all you have to do is click print! http://cdn.media.oscar.abc.com/media/2014/pdf/2014/nominees_ballot.pdf
•   The guest who selects the most winners correctly wins a prize which could include:
•   A copy of a nominated DVD or classic movies from the nominated actress/actor—i.e. Cate Blanchett in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
•   A bottle of Sterling Vineyards Napa Sauvignon Blanc
•   Set up a photo booth using Oscar posters as your backdrop to create a “step and repeat” and Instagram your photos using #theoscars.  Who doesn’t love some #selfie fun during commercial breaks?
•  Lastly, if you anticipate a lot of guests and you know some of the guests will prefer a quieter setting in order to hear the acceptance speeches in full, set up a secondary quiet viewing room for guests.

Décor

·         The Governors’ Ball will be dressed in hues of olive, rust, aubergine, turquoise, bronze with subtle splashes of glitter – use these colors as accents in your tablescape, napkins, and glassware.  

·         Organic, garden cut florals comprised of garden roses, hydrangeas, moss, birch, and wysteria will be used throughout the space. These florals are easy to find and make for great décor and scent throughout your home.  Guests will be impressed that you have inside access to what is being used inside the Governors’ Ball before it even begins!

Own the Oscars Bar

This year the Governors Ball is taking celebratory drinks to a new and very glamorous level. Sip the same cocktails as the stars with a:

·         Coco Light Martini: Combine 1.5 oz CÎROC® with 1.5 oz unsweetened coconut water, 1 oz pineapple juice, .25 oz fresh lime juice in martini shaker with ice. Shake and strain into coupe glass. Garnish with lemon twist.                 

·         Download more cocktail recipes that the stars will be sipping here:  https://transfer.taylorstrategy.com/message/jumyIRynO2d0776XFtDeKx

·         Don’t forget to be responsible host and set out water and other non-alcoholic beverages!

The Oscars are on Sunday, March 2 at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT on ABC.  Cheers to you and your guests.  Hope all your favorites are winners!