whoop whoop!

Yesterday we had the most hits ever. (As in visitors here.) That deserves a big CHEEEEEERS! So? Some bubbly:



Those delightful glasses were the ones I sipped at Mumm Napa during a day off in the Valley this fall. I love some good bubbles. Especially bubbles at Mumm.

Baby steps have turned into big steps. We are hitting the tipping point with Blue Lollipop Road. Every new reader, shout out, comment and collaboration we get to work on makes me screech with delight. Thanks everyone!

Keep reading and spread the word. More to come and it's going to get even better!

Cheers to trusting your gut and following what you love.

What are you all following out there?

on these frigid east coast winter mornings...

...how I miss waking up to this sun and warm from my little cottage on the vineyard in Napa:



Time for some hot cocoa!

this is what's in my dash

Smiles. Big, big smiles.

sunny saturdays

In the Marina in San Fransisco:



Ahhh....so nice.

to erin, who led me to jessica, who led me to...

...Heather, who led me to the best place to sip a girl could ever work in:



I came to Napa and found a lot including my fabulous Swanson Soul Sisters. This Alaska or Bust adventure has been a most growing and incredible 5 months of my life. What a way to end it working with you all. I heart you for life chicas. Thank you.

hot air balloons and bubbles

Don't tell anyone, but I took this photo while I was driving yesterday morning. (Hey, I didn't want to miss a close-up shot!)



The day before, I snapped these leaf-changing vines at Mumm on my day off:



If you work IN the wine biz like I have been here, you rarely get to run around and go tasting yourself, because you are so busy serving others the good grape juice. I managed to weasel some time in for bubbles, after all- they are my favorite. I love fall, I grew up in Vermont and changing leaves of an kind have always been beautiful to me. In Vermont I'd be drinking cider and eating apple doughnuts looking at the beautiful changing colors through the windows with good company. Here in Napa I have done the same- just with a bit of sparkling instead.

I will never again have a first harvest season in Napa, with a first time working for a winery. I will probably not live in a lot of places where I can see hot air balloons filling the sky each morning or where I'm able pop in on my way home from running errands for a sip of some wine or food that's known around the world. For these, and many other delicious reasons I am giving my thanks this year.

Cheers to never taking any moments good, bad or bubbly (hee hee...) for granted.

how you know when you're really in love with something

*You think about it everyday. Even if you are insanely busy, stressed or otherwise pre-occupied
*You sometimes put it before yourself
*You feel like if it's not a part of your day, your day is incomplete
*You feel lost without it
*If you never got to see it again, your heart would be broken in two
*If a someone proposed the question; "If you could do anything in the world, what would if be?"- it would be that thing

That's how I feel about Blue Lollipop Road and sharing my life, in all the glory and madness here; I'm in love with it. It makes me feel free. Not writing here even for just a whopping few days was a much needed space and break, but has made me feel like I lost my love, my puppy, my best friend. I have too much to say to keep my mouth shut for long. There's all that cool and funny stuff that happens during the daily bs that I can't wait to share too, so here I am again. What can I say, I just can't stay away.

If you know me or if you've visited here more than once, you know I am more comfortable sharing and being wide open than hiding things. This sometimes gets me in trouble. I have no problem telling people when or why I love them or when I think they suck. This sometimes gets me in trouble. I can stomach and be smiles and rainbows even to the biggest of jerks, but cross me or someone I love and I will go postal on your ass. This sometimes gets me in trouble. Living life open on the world wide web sometimes gets me in trouble, but it's worth it and then some. I wouldn't have it any other way. I have said it before and I will say it again; I won't change who I am, being truthful, or how I write because I am afraid that someone won't like me. (Yes, this includes any current/future employers, boys, in-laws dogs, chickens or other.) Sorry.

I took this cute (bad) photo (with my phone) at a wine event in The Marina today in San Fransisco:



I only have ICE for you Blue Lollipop Road!

In more news; I just saw the New Kids on the Block perform with the Backstreet Boys on the American Music Awards. I'm not even sure what to say about that, but I do have another announcement that will come soon. Don't you just love surprises?

november vineyard sun starting to set

sunday strangers

I have been relishing in my last few Napa weeks, going for runs, walks, wanders in the morning in what's been an insanely warm and just absolutely gorgeous balmy few days in November. I've also been working a ton to get some loot in the bank account. Buying 3,000 miles worth of gas for my upcoming cross-country trek is not cheap. I went to bed on Friday night at 8:40pm (I know- I'm living on the EDGE!) I've been just loving floating about, relaxing, waking up to grapevines and being thankful for my learning experience and time in wine country. This will certainly go in the books as yep, I've even worked a harvest season in Napa- how cool!

While I was working today, I met a spunky older woman who's a college professor. She made me look quiet, boring and shy. This woman has the energy to light a fire to something when she walks by it. I was playing hostess and we got to chatting with another girl I work with. It didn't take long for the worlds of "Do it, do it while you can, if I could ever go back and have gone, moved, done more traveling, etc. before there were mortgages, kids and all- I would have." I have heard these words a million times over. Always from extremely accomplished, much older and well respected people. These words from this spunky stranger today made me and my coworker, who I have a lot in common with, very happy. (Not that I need permission to go and do you know that I'll do what I want regardless of what anyone says.) It's nice to hear words like those from someone who's lived long enough to know better after going some places and doing plenty of things.

I'm excited. Like really excited. I know you all read about a lot of things that "excite" me, but the excitement I feel now is an true excitement for life, work and possibility that I have not felt for about 4 years. I didn't realize until my time here how much of a tough, but needed growing phase I've been in these past few years. I feel like me again, but even better. Just ready to take the world by storm, knowing what I want and being able to actually vocalize it.

On a bonus note, I had a comment from a new blog follower today, a return email from a business owner who's website I found and complimented her company (I told her I'd love to work with her!) and an after work cocktail at this gorgeous green hotel and spa with a new friend who I'm quite convinced in the short time we've known each other- will be one of those lifer pals.

Now that's what I call a Sunday Funday!

roads, vines and skies- oh my

I love it when the intended jump quick out of the car and snap a few pix turn into gorgeous ones like this that remind you of how incredible an everyday adventure is.

sunrise hot air ballon ride anyone?

fall foliage

Vino style:

leave cash on the bumper, or?

I stopped to buy a barrel from this person a couple weeks ago, even though- what the hell do I need a barrel for, I practically live out of my car- but there was no one around so a photo had to suffice.



I really just wanted to donate $15 to this person, get their story on why they were pulling out all the stops to go to London. I would have liked to post a photo of their face here. You know I fully support wanderlust and adventurers. I love someone who has no shame and just goes for it. Why not? I hope you made it across the sea, stranger!

farm to table

I LOVE this place. I can't remember if I have written about it before, but here it is again:

Farmstead. Farm to table dining in St. Helena California. YUM. Farmstead is a big part of the reason I was only a vegetarian for like 22 seconds.

If you are visiting the Napa Valley, you must stop here to have a glass of something red with the meatball appetizer and salt rolls while sitting outside by the fire.

Just thinking about it makes me smile, lean back in my chair and sigh...

is that a ski gondola on a car...

...or are you just happy to see me?

I walked past this ride last night after fun times in the Mission in San Fransisco:



Yep, the car and gondola are all spray-painted silver. (Smiles and daydreaming of rat race...) I just can't get enough of funky culture and the ridiculous blast of surprises around every corner in city neighborhoods.

Here's to never leaving your camera at home and unplanned nights out wandering with my old high school pals.

i have a crush

As promised, here is my video of the crush some friends and I happened to walk into:



The guys that were managing the crush walked over and gave us some of the grapes to eat. Once you're fortunate enough to nosh on some of these incredible little fruits fresh off the vine, you'll never be satisfied with another grape again! This action was all happening last night at Merryvale in St. Helena, California. I snapped a photo of one of the many bins of grapes too. The photo didn't come out great, but I wanted to give everyone an idea of what goes into those delish bottles of wine we all love:



I felt like jumping in!

While I type this I am sipping on some 2006 Petite Sirah from Swanson Vineyards. Yum. After my stay in the Napa Valley during harvest season, I will forever have a higher appreciation for wines I drink. I take a bow to the brilliant winemakers of the world. The devotion and patience it takes for them to make their magic is beyond impressive. What a fantastic experience it has been for me to be here during harvest season 2010!

everybody's girl friday

I did some office work for a lawyer in Saulsalito last week. It was interesting and different thing to throw in the mix of my recent professions during my stay in California. I've been a baby sitter, a house sitter, a dog sitter, a bartender, a lawyers assistant, financial organizer, home organizer and a will be spending the rest of my days until I head east working at a couple different wineries. All very sporadic, but welcomed and help me to scrape by until I land something full time elsewhere.

When I was working in the gorgeous little city of Saulsalito, I had lunch one day at a joint of a spot with yummy Asian food. I had to take a photo of my plate because this was the most odd looking friend egg that topped my meal I had ever seen:



I also went to a place for coffee called Taste of Rome. Oh my fantastic. Tried and true cappuccinos here. I didn't nosh on anything, but this little sidewalk, open air cafe' would be the first place I'd hit up if I was in the mood for Italian eats and treats. One of the most fabulous things about California is the fresh food that you can get, around every corner. Restaurants, grocery stores, roadside farm stands, ahhh....you know I love that. Even with the odd looking eggs!

c casa su casa?

I'm coming up on 4 weeks in Napa and things are ROLLING. By that I mean I have met a ton of incredible people, had some of the best food and wine I have ever in my life and now have had an absolute awesome furry of work stuff rushing in too. Obviously all that takes me away from here but fear not- that is part of the plan.

BLR is getting a facelift (in more ways than one), I now have a few clients for my financial and life organization project, and I've got other work in addition to that too. I like paying my bills and I totally suck at sitting around doing nothing so this delicious bit of total productive and learning chaos is just what I've been looking for.

I might just take over the world. If only more hours were in a day.

Here's a photo of my REEEEEdiculously delicious taco from lunch today in between running around like a madwoman at C Casa in the Oxbow Market in Downtown Napa:



Finger potatoes, fresh tomatoes, queso fresca, cilantro and ahh....

Can I tell you how amazing it is to have so many noshing spots that use compostable products and serve grass fed meats, and locally grown stuff? Can I tell you how much I need to sign up to start racing again and up my miles? There's no getting away from feasting around these parts- ack! (Not that I am trying that hard to get away...) My dreams of being a size zero are so not happening in this lifetime. (Insert fake sigh here. I'm actually not that disappointed about that.)

Back to work I go. I had to quick post this deliciousness...

meet lowell

Lowell was bellowing "Popcorn for beautiful ladies!" through his popcorn bucket megaphone as my friend and I walked by his stand on Friday night:



He had us at popcorn. We got some of course. He cracked me up, so I asked if I could take a picture of him. "Only if you will be in it with me!" he said.

We couldn't argue with that:



Strangers that make me laugh, Cheers St. Helena to kick off the weekend and good company in the packed streets of an adorable little town in wine country- I love it!

dinner at a castle

I try to be a vegetarian, but it just doesn't work to well when someone offers you a filet like this:



(Grass-fed local beef tastes too good to pass up, what can I say?)...and with fabulous red wine and hilarious company like this? I'm all about it:



I know, the waiter in the corner looks red-eyed and creepy like he's going to kill us. (Darn red-eye photos!) He was actually funny and nice and brought me 3 chocolate desserts. Girls like boys that bring them multiple chocolate desserts.



We had so much fun at the 50 year reunion of Phi Sigma Kappa last night, we are still laughing this morning. These are just a few photos. I have a video to come too. Also an after dessert port wine group photo with my friend/partner in Napa crime Erin and our new boyfriends who are all in their 70's. All we had to do for this fun? Hand out a few name tags. What a great score.

It feels like I'm living in a carpe diem party everyday. I like this party a lot. I think I'll stay.