Happy Thanksgiving!

Greyson is thankful for Bunny! We're thankful for our friends and family! Happy Thanksgiving to all!

We'll be spending our time with Luke's parents who will be traveling down from DC. It will be the first time in a long time, that Luke does not have to work the Friday after Turkey day. Hooray!

We're very excited that it's Greyson's first Thanksgiving, she may just get a bite of turkey and mashed potatoes!

Robert move over, Patty has come to town

For year's now, we've been singing the praises of Robert Sinskey Pinot Noir. It seems like just yesterday we were discovering this full-bodied California wine.

We've watched its price point increase from $15 per bottle to a well deserved $30, not mind paying more; watched it disappear from wine merchants shelves, tracking it down and running across town to buy that last bottle as it became harder to find as it gained popularity, and we visited the vineyard "homeland" in Napa Valley twice. Forget about the movie that put Pinot Noir en vogue, we were the true Burgundy lovers before Hollywood made the grape trendy in city bistros.

As such, it must be said that you all have graciously I endured us bringing countless bottles of Robert Sinskey Pinot to holiday dinners and weekend getaways. Ordering it off the wine menus time-and-time again when we discovered it on the list. To that, we say thank you.

But recently, we've discovered a new Pinot, that dare I say it, may take Robert's place in our home cellar. Is this true you ask? Which wine could it be?

Let me tell you how it all happened...

The husband of a colleague of mine, owns a wine shop here in Richmond. She also happens to live in our neighborhood, so occasionally we car pool together. On this particular night as we were riding together, she needed to stop at her husband's shop before heading home. Perfect! We needed a few bottles (ok, ok, not a few, it was more like six) of wine for guests who were coming into town for the weekend.

We we walked in, there was a tasting. Fate, coincidence...It didn't matter. The wine was being poured and we were there, so of course I had a taste.

One of the wines being tasted, was Patricia Green Pinot Noir, or more affectionately called by the staff: Patty G.

Now, I could go on with lots of great wine descriptions about how wonderful this wine is, but I've decided to let Patricia Green's Web site do that. That's why I've posted a link on our "wine of the week" link. Let's face it, you need to taste it. Serioulsy, before word gets out about how fantastic it is, and before it's hard to find...quick, grab your coat, your wallet, your keys and drive to your nearest wine shop. Buy a bottle and try it!

Move over Robert, Patty is our new house pour!

Provencal Workout

Towards the end of my freshman year of high school my French teacher, Georganne Brennan, announced she would not be returning next year. She wanted to pay more attention to her seed company based just outside of Napa Valley. Little did I know at that time, she was not only friends with famed California chef Alice Waters of Chez Panisse, but that years later while on the stair master in Richmond, Virginia I would be reading about her in Conde Nast Travel Magazine.

One afternoon with sweat running down my forehead, I was climbing the stairs to nowhere while flipping through the magazine. Wanting to be anyplace but the gym, I tried to loose myself in the articles, when there infront of me was a postcard perfect picture of a rustic Provencal farm, goats and hens nibbling at the ground, a long farm table with country white linens covered with pottery, red wine bottles and trays of fresh cheeses, breads and all things French. A perfect setting to get lost in. As my eyes studied this al fresco setting, I noticed a woman sitting at the table in a long cotton skirt, short blunt cut salt and peper hair with a fuzzy yellow cat perched in her lap. To my surprise, it was my, yes MY high school French teacher, Madame Brennan.

It became the workout I don't remember. I could have stepped my way up the Empire State building. I read the entire article, getting lost in stories about her multi-million dollar seed company and how she's now hosting cooking enthusiasts to her farm in the south of France. Teaching her students the art of potager. Yes! I have that cookbook! Potager!

Well, Luke and I pulled out that cookbook recently. We picked out a recipe that is now going to be an autumn staple in our home - casseoluet! We'll be eating it for weeks I'm afraid, but it's WELL worth it! Too bad Greyson can eat the duck and beans yet!

Our little pumpkin

Who ever said life was suposed to slow down when you have a baby was and is - wrong! I can't believe Greyson is more than six-months-old now. Here she is with her first pumpkin! Her big milestones: rolling around the room, giving hugs and kisses (as best she knows how), and eating eating eating!!!! Her adventures never stop. And neither do mommy's and daddy's.

It's been two weeks since my week long client trip in New York. Next week, I'm off to Philadelphia for a day trip. So much to do, but I wouldn't change it. Lots of fun stuff is on the cusp of being unveiled and I wish I could tell you all...mostly work related...sorry to leave you hanging...