barboursville wine, berkeley hotel, very happy guests

***(I am hoping Jason, Winemaker Luca from Barboursville, and all the wonderful staff at the Berkeley will forgive me for this severely delayed post.)

On March 24th during Virginia Wine Week, I was fortunate enough to be invited to the Barboursville Vineyards Spring Wine Dinner in Downtown Richmond, VA at the Berkeley Hotel. The reception started at 6:30pm sharp and we were greeted by the friendly staff at The Berkeley, along with some delicious Barboursville 2010 Sauvignon Blanc:



To accompany this first wine, going with the local and Virginia theme were Rappahannok River Oysters on The Half Shell:



There were plenty of wine glasses lining the bar ready for a full evening of tasting:



...and Winemaker Luca Paschina cheerily greeted us and the rest of the guests. Meet Luca:



He could not have been more humble, warm, or genuine. It's always refreshing when I meet someone so accomplished and talented who doesn't have an ouce of ego.

After chatting with Luca and the Berkeley staff for a while as we sipped our Sauvignon Blanc, we were welcomed to the dinner table where we met the menu illustrating the 4 courses we were about to indulge in:



Can I just note here how much I love a long dinner, with a group of people who appreciate the art of food and drink? I am a true believer in feasting with good company, no one checking cell phones or watches, but simply engaging in interesting conversation and all laughing together fully appreciating the moment. No matter what state, country, time, place- this is my idea of a perfect night.

The first course; 2010 Barboursville Pinot Grigio with tuna tartare over arugula salad with toast points:



The fresh-made puff pastry and arugula with dressing on this course was absolutely to die for.

The second course of grilled mushroom stuffed with mushroom risotto and white truffle oil came beautifully decorated and included 2008 Barboursville Barbera:



They had me at white truffle oil!

Course three was braised beef cheeks over herb scented polenta served with Barboursville Ninth and Tenth Edition Octagon:



I may have actually licked the plate after this one. I think my "I am a vegetarian" thing might be getting old at this point. I'm fairly regularly consuming dishes like this- the one's that are prepared to perfection and I'm simply not able to hold my veggie only willpower. (I think I'm Ok with that actually.)

Each wine was paired impeccably with the first three courses, but I have to say, my favorite was the last; Bubbly. Ahhh...

To finish up the evenings feast, we were served Babroursville Brut NV with two local Virginia cheeses, one California, One French and three local Virginia honeys:



Cheese, honey, bubbles and the privilege of sitting next to Winemaker Luca while I dined? I'm still smiling. Cheers to that!



After working in Napa last fall, it was a special treat to get an invite to this dinner and sit next to the chef of grapes, Luca, as I often miss that Napa lifestyle and conversation. I asked Luca loads of questions which he was happy to answer. All in all it was a fantastic night that could not have left us all more stuffed or satisfied.

If you live in, or visit Virginia, add Barboursville Vineyards and The Berkeley Hotel to your list of must experience places.

Many thanks to Jason and Luca from Barboursville and all The Berkeley Hotel staff for the invite an accommodation. I'll be back for more!

yep, that's snow on my car...

...this morning, in Virginia, and it's almost April.

Blech!

Someone send me to the tropics!

dear secco~

You rocked my late-afternoon Monday lunch world:



Thanks!

Fried chickpeas? I don't even like chickpeas and I could eat these things by the bucket full.

Good food is pretty much the best thing ever.

feast, shake it, repeat

How I love a sunny and warm day. Especially when it's clock spring forward day. I hate to admit it, but if I never saw anything but sundresses in my suitcases again- I'd be one happy camper. Sweaters be gone forever!

Sun and warmth- you make me want to do and be everything...

My sunny day today included morning coffee with bedroom window wide open, then off to zumba to sweat out all the garlic I had in my dinner last night. Ladies, gents- I am telling you if you have not zumba'd before and you want to sweat your money maker off while you're shakin' it, try this salsa, meets hip-hop, meets belly dancing, meets Bollywood moving. We ended my class today with a Latin soul train that would've made even a corpse rock out. I am in love with zumba.

After shakin' it off, naturally I had to put it back on at Millie's for brunch with a crew of fun people:



(Whoopsie! I am forming a bad habit of gobbling up all my delicious food before snapping a shot of it, so all you get this go around is the classic Millie's table juke box.)

A walk around town was a must after the brunch feast, so away we went meandering around the canal walk and flood wall:





I love the sound of traffic and trains. Underneath the train tracks:



Somebody needs to let this guy out! He clearly has spring fever just like all of us:



Happy springing forward!

What will you do with more daylight?

it's official

As you all know, I had promised a surprise Blue Lollipop Road announcement/next project about a month ago. It was bit delayed because of a few good unplanned opportunities, and now we are ready.

BLUE LOLLIPOP ROAD ADVENTURES IS BORN!

After 16 years of my own adventure travels (50 states, several countries, delectable foods, interesting people, and thousands of miles and stories), it's time to pass on the laundry list of resources and information I have, to all of you out there: I put together a plan that includes anything from a small local quick outing to a far off extensive journey, add a fantastic food and drink element, and there you have the perfect storm for fun, meeting like minded people, and getting out of your everyday grind.

Sounds pretty great right? I use my buckets of experience and do the "dirty" work. (Planning and figuring out all details.) You show up and have a blast. It's so easy!

The 1st ever BLR Adventure happened yesterday. A group of incredibly fun and diverse people dove in to be my "test" case. (Thanks again guys!) We had a most fantastic 9 hours of road tripping, exploring, food and drink. No one from the group knew each other. (You know I love to watch worlds collide!) I laughed so hard my stomach hurt, heard "I haven't had this much fun in forever!", "When is the next one?!" and ended the day with a big fat smile on my face. As I drove home last night, I had a euphoric feeling, just as I had hoped I would. Nothing makes me happier than exploring outside of the regularly scheduled program, and encouraging other people to hop on the train to share that time. Isn't that what it's all about?

I truly believe that an adventure a day keeps the doctor away. That simply means doing anything that makes you feel alive and excited.

Yesterday, we were all very much alive and excited. A road trip to Virginia's Wine Country with our first stop at Veritas Winery. We toasted to the launch of BLR Adventures:



...ordered a cheese plate snack:



... and had a glass of each of our favorite vino outside while enjoying the sunshine:



Here's some of the happy crew:



After Veritas, we drove to our next winery reservation, but we had lounged at Veritas in the sun for so long we were too late. That ended up being perfect because the next portion of the adventure I had planned was to go to Mas Tapas in the Belmont Neighborhood in Charlotesville. There is always a wait at Mas. This place is slam-packed jam-packed every second it's open and they don't take reservations. We managed to score a table in no time because of our early arrival. Before we sat we met and chatted with a sweet and interesting couple. (Transplants from New Jersey to Charlottesville.) They were on a "date" for their 21st wedding anniversary, so cute. Talking to strangers fit in with the theme of our day.

The food was so delicious, I didn't even have time to take any photos before our table was empty!



Clean plates = happy people.

Some of what we ordered:
*Pequeno Plato de Queso - sliced, aged raw-milk Manchego, local apples, on a slice of hearth-baked bread
*Queso cocido con alcachofa - warm artichoke and goat cheese spread w/ brick-oven bread
*CocaMAS - wood-fired flatbread w/ smoked tomatoes, Caromont Farm’s Chevre, Manchego, Basil on hand-crafted dough
*Carne asada - marinated hanging tenderloin -grilled rare w/ smoked tomato alioli
*Chuletillas de cordero - tender, young lamb chops w/ grilled flatbread and a mint-mojo sauce

Drooling yet? So, so delish.

Cafe' con leche to end an amazing meal:



We are big fans of Mas, especially these funny tees the chefs were wearing:



The first BLR Adventure was a wild success!

I will announce yet another surprise this coming week. The big kahuna is the complete overhaul of this site. We will launch in the next few weeks. Thrilled isn't a big enough word for how I'm feeling about a new full-on website to go with the next big phase of Blue Lollipop Road. The new site will have complete information on BLR Adventures and other projects we are working on so stay tuned.

To my test crew from yesterday~

Thank you for your support and participation! I can't wait for our next one.

Here's to exploring, eating, drinking and being merry!

ttaa

In going back into the Blue Lollipop Road archives recently, I had forgotten that I used to write about TTAA (Things That Are Awesome.) Here's one I wrote while in Chicago a couple years ago. I am bringing back the TTAA, so look for it regularly moving forward. Here's some from yesterday:

Driving by old antique stores that have rusty signs on the side:



Zoning out at a stoplight and looking up to see the sky and clouds look like this:



French fries. Zumba. Catching up with friends you haven't seen in almost 3 years. Coming home to a new fashion magazine in the mail. Knowing that it's GOT to get warmer eventually. Looking forward to weddings. Looking forward to road trips. Owning who you are and what you do. Reading books friends have written. Phone calls from friends across the country.

Post a comment here and share what you think is awesome!

i can have all the toppings i want?!

I don't know about you, but usually when I am road tripping and hit up DQ or whatever other roadside ice cream place to get my chocolate fix, I find myself wanting to say: "Come on dude- add another scoop of M&M's!" or "Feel free to put in 96 Oreos if you wish. I can handle it." Often when I order ice cream there are just not enough chunks of goodness in my cup. (A terrible problem to have.) Enter: Verry Berry.

Verry Berry is a grab a cup, pull your own ice cream or frozen yogurt...



...load up any amount of goodies your little heart desires, from fruits to nuts to all things chocolate...





...and enjoy.

Yum.

They leave piles of Post-it notes and Sharpies on the tables, for those feeling creative (which of course we did.) Write what you wish, plaster them on a big ol' Post-it wall:





A treat and entertainment for only 2 bucks. Whatta deal! I would have never walked into the place had it not been for my 2 young pals Lily and Thabea who I was looking after. The kids always know where the best treats are.

Thanks girls! Pencil me in for a Verry Berry date again soon. This makes the favorites list for sure.

v cheese

Cabot Extra Sharp Vermont White Cheddar is a food group for me. I sliced up a snack of cheese and crackers this week tore a piece in half and nearly gobbled up before I noticed it looked like the state of Virginia:



How random is that?

Maybe I'll see Jesus or Jay Leno in my toast tomorrow morning and be able to sell it on eBay.

graffiti and polenta

Last night I had dinner with friend and at my favorite restaurant in the whole wide world, Mamma Zu. I have only written about this place about 142 times. It's that yummy to me. I love that they still don't even have a website, or at least I've never been able to find one when I do a search. Great thing about a place that good and that busy? They don't need one!

I was one happy camper when I looked up at the chalkboard menu and saw an appetizer that had seemed to disappear for years: polenta gorgonzola. Of course we ordered it. Here's our serving:



The whole package at Mamma Zu makes me happy: Incredible food, good wine, reasonable prices, funky looking characters working in the tiny open kitchen, seedy neighborhood, dilapidated looking building with paint peeling off the front door next to the "pull hard" paper sign taped to it, and the graffiti on the bathroom walls. (That is just scratching the surface.) Of course I have participated in the allowed delinquency over the years, writing on those walls of the scrubby looking ladies room. This summer before I left for Alaska, I had to get my Mamma Zu fix. The bathroom wall 6 months ago was fairly bare, so I opted from some prime real estate to write my message. Guess what was still there last night? Indeed my message, with a "response" of sorts from a stranger:



In case you can't read the message above mine, it says: "Alaska was here. Do what you like and like what you do!"

Hoorah to that Alaska...thanks! I left you a message back, so you'll have to check it out next time you're in my favorite little hole in the wall house of deliciousness.

To my dinner company~

Here's to moving at the speed of light, no matter what your age, going to bed happy, and waking up even happier. Thank you.

two j's doin' good

I have friends that do the coolest things. If I was ever cool, like even one bit- it would only be because of the variety of interesting and remarkable people I have in my life.

Take Justin for instance. He is a musician and has been a part of Silly Bus for years while educates and entertains kids through music. He also volunteers for other community projects and oh yeah, he's a career guy too. Justin is way funnier than he realizes and it's always a blast to catch up with him. We had coffee recently and he brought this CD that he had just finished to me as a gift:





This CD is GREAT. I can't lie, I'm not a big holiday music super-fan. I don't usually bee-bop to Rockin' R'ound the Christmas Tree the day after Thanksgiving until Santy comes, but I am all about the Flashlight Tag tunes. (I have to say I am a sucker for some banjo.) Listen to Twinkle Lights here or get in touch with the guys to get a copy of the CD. This is a must have in your holiday collection.

In more news on interesting pals doing exceptional and unselfish work, meet my friend Jocelyn, owner of Green Duck. She has recently finished up a HUGE project at the World Equestrian Games. With over 500,000 visitors to the games, can you imagine all the waste? Well, Jocelyn and the crew she worked with managed to collect 175,000 pounds of materials to keep them out of the landfill. Yay! Watch the video with Jocelyn busy at work here. Next time you're noshing at your favorite local restaurant, or your socializing at that annual fundraiser you go to, remind the people in charge if they don't already- to forget the styrofoam devil and order their food packaging from Green Duck. If you are green, you are cool. Enough said.

My Christmas gifts? Learning from, looking up to, and spending time with people like these two. They are inspiring kids, making art, respecting community and living consciously. That is my satisfying pile of wrapping paper. What more could I ask to be surrounded by?

a little birdie told me...

...the story of Blue Lollipo Road is out in Skirt! Magazine- YAY!

Before I left Virginia I spent an afternoon with Constance and Agata (Editor and Photographer) telling them about my Alaska or bust trip and BLR. We had a great lunch and fun photo shoot in the sweltering heat. I don't have a web link to share about the story yet, but if you're in the Richmond, VA area- pick up a paper copy of Skirt! in one of those bright lime green boxes and check it out. I will share the link when I have it soon. I can't wait to see it myself!

Thank you so much to Skirt!, Constance and Agata. I am honored to be one of the ladies featured in such a fabulous publication!

today is national milk chocolate day!

How is it possible that I never knew there was one until today? How is it possible that there even is a National Milk Chocolate Day?

This reminds me to thank everyone again who has gifted me Nutella for my trip. I have a Costco-sized jar in my car now from my last stop. I think I need to start talking about how much I love apples and porches, then maybe that's what people would gift me and I'd eat more fruit and have fast fancy cars to drive...ha!

Nah- I'll take the Nutella.

I'm dedicating todays morning post to my cutie patootie small fry pal Libbie. She is the daughter of my friend. Before I left VA we had a couple ice cream dates. Apparently she has been asking "When is Diane coming back so we can go get ice cream?" Talk about my kind of buddy! Here is a photo of her at one of my favorite places for a sweet treat called Bev's. Don't you just want to squeeze this adorable this face?



If you are a chocolate lover out there, I'd love to post a great photo of yours like this if you'd like to send one to me. If you have a recipe for something chocolate-y you'd like to share, send that, or maybe share a chocolate spot somewhere I can check out in my travels? I'll take it all and keep posting about the de-lish spots I find too.

Happy chocolate feasting!

"do you have a french press?"

..."if not I am going to give you one of those, along with a bunch of coffee because no friend of mine is going across country on bad coffee!"

Spoken like a true coffee lover from one to another.

My friend Tom roasts coffee for Blanchard's Coffee Co. in Richmond, VA. The above is what Tom responded in an email to me after announcing my trip. In enters Blanchard's as my coffee sponsor.

I got the chance to stop by for a chat and pick up with Tom on Monday. I had been in the roasting house before and the smell is so delicious you want to lick the air. As always Tom was in good spirits, peppy about life and loving his job. He had just finished roasting with the crew for the day so I snapped this photo of the roaster:



...and of course some boxes full of all the hard roasting work:



...and finally my gifted stock to start off my trip (Tom is going to ship me more as I drive.) A French Press too. Ahh...



What a great treat. Bad coffee is a serious no-no for sure. I was happy to pay some of my stock forward to my hosts Gabriela and Phil who I stayed with last night. More fellow coffee lovers. It's so fun to be able to do that thanks to Blanchard's.

Thanks guys. No sleepy driving for me!

get your kicks

I am happy to share the news that Fruit 66 is sponsoring me for the Alaska or Bust road trip. They have stocked me up with more cans of their D-lish drink than I could imagine to keep my thirst quenched. I'm a fan of this sparkling juice because it's all-natural and there's the equivalent to one full serving of fruit in every can. You know I eat and drink my fair share of treats and chocolate, so this is a good alternative for me to grab instead of a soda on the road.

Fruit 66 gives a portion of their proceeds to the School Nutrition Foundation. Their product is in a slew of schools and replaces those bad for you sugary/high-fructose corn syrup drinks for kids. I love that. Any program or product that promotes health and activity (especially for kids)- I am all about endorsing.

Here's a funny addition to my Fruit 66 story:

I leave Richmond, VA (home base of the drink) for the first leg of my trip to meet up with my Uncle's extended family on their beach week. As I brought a few cans into the house, his 9 year old niece Gillian sees me and screeches "I love that stuff! We have it at my school!" (She lives in GA.) This sassy little cutie whom I had never met before was all about smiling for the camera as she guzzled down her can. What a perfect poster child for this stuff.

Thank you Fruit 66! I am already making friends and keeping the kids happy with your yummy drink.