wine – Miseducated

The Cutest Wine You Can Drink

05/04/2010

I know you probably don’t choose your wine by the bottle… but if you’re anything like me that definitely sweetens the deal! Wine bottles (after you share the contents with your best friend over chocolate-covered strawberries) can be turned into vases and lamps (DIY ala Wit and Whistle) to name only a couple of uses!

It also doesn’t help that one of the Hello Kitty Wines comes with a necklace. Are they marketing this FOR us? I’ve heard the rants about inspiring children to drink with the cartoon character but what they don’t understand is in Japan and Asia cute characters are the norm. Your average business man on a train more than likely has a cute character attached to his cellphone in Tokyo — It makes me wish we Americans understood that design can be cute. Cute can be good. It makes you happy and it delights your senses if you let it. (I promise!)

Sofia Mini Blanc de Blancs are one of my all-time favorites (pre-pregnancy of course!) and it’s a sparkling white grape wine so no staining your teeth! Perfect size can to fill a wine class and if you’re hanging around outside you wont even want one. The straws were attached, as rumored, so that women could drink the wine without ruining their lipstick, says a server at St. Elmo Steakhouse Indianapolis — a grand place to be served Sofia wine.

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Mew for Today Visual Splendor

Mew for Today Vol 4.19.10

04/19/2010

So there are a quite of a few things I cannot get enough of, things I enjoy that make the days a little more magical and aesthetically tasty. In honor of these wondrous things decorating the world I’ve started a new ‘Favorite Things’ post — so expect to see follow up posts with more more more.

Favorite things are things I’ve loved for awhile and that are very special to me in some silly or not-so-silly way. What are a few of your favorite things?

Boopsiedaisy Bunka Dolls

{ Photos and dolls by Boopsiedaisy }

Sidewalk Chalk

Irregular Choice

.. and yes I had to wear the Blythe heels in my wedding along with a Hello Kitty tiara because both characters mean so much to me. Ha! I definitely recommend putting your own spin on any event that you’re involved in. .. and yes, even if your spin is of the cute and colorful sort (especially then)!

Small Cacti

Tea Parties

with wine…

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Escapeland

Indiana Wineries and Wine Reviews

05/31/2009

I’m a huge fan of wine, and nothing tastes better than a cool, crisp glass made right in my home state: Indiana. Indiana boasts a number of wineries which puts all our fabulous breweries up against some stiff competition.

Whether you like white wine, red wine, sweet wine or dry wine to spice up those nights with friends or peers, Indiana is the place to come. The prices are inexpensive and affordable and you’re sure to find the perfect wine for you and your occasion. Here are four of my personal fav’s:

Easely Winery

Downtown Indianapolis
Easely’s has 14 wines in addition to an American Champagne, all of which are sold at their winery located in downtown Indianapolis. They provide free tastings every day, wine tours on the weekends and a great, homey-feel. In the summers they host live music and offer cheeses and wines – making it a great place to take even your kids!
*I recommend the Reggae Red (mix it with a little coconut rum!). It’s a sweet, red wine with hearty flavor. Great for dessert!

Chateau Thomas Winery

Plainfield, Indiana
Chateau Thomas is an award winning, nationally recognized winery. The winemaking process of each wine (from fermentation to bottling) takes place in Plainfield. The grapes are grown in California, Oregon and Washington vineyards, crushed on the west coast and then shipped to Plainfield via refrigerated truck (to ensure the best taste).
*They’ve recently introduced a new “Slender Wine” branch which is wonderful. They offer white, blush and red wines that have zero sugar, carbs and fats! How’s that for a sweet treat?

Oliver Winery

Bloomington, Indiana
Oliver may very well be my favorite winery (and not just in Indiana). It’s nestled in the heart of Bloomington (where Indiana University is located) and it’s a great place to bring a date, your family or just a friend. Buy a bottle of wine, some cheese, and find a place to call your own on the 15 acre rolling green premises!
*Try the new SkyDog line – the packaging is great and the taste is even better.

New Day Meadery

Elwood, Indiana (near Anderson)
Because I grew up in Northern Indiana and my family still lives there, my fiance and I would often drive from Indianapolis to Goshen about every other month before moving to Korea for a year. Every time we take the road trip we pass, ‘New Day Meadery,’ a tiny wine shoppe that offers meade wines (wine that is made with honey). They have their own bee farms and get the honey from there. The wines are all great – you can try them all with an inexpensive wine tasting. The wine is slightly more expensive than the other wineries on this list, but totally worth it (and it’s great to support small business).
*Try the “Dry Blueberry Honey Wine,” – it’s a great treat!

For more Indiana wineries, check out indianawines.org.

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DIY Self Decoration

The Beauty Benefits of Bathing in Tea [in Australia]

03/25/2009

Have you ever loved a food or drink so much that you wish you could bathe in it?

I’m a huge fan of tea: the immune boost, the antioxidants, the warm fuzzy feeling of a hot mug on a cold night. I think my ultimate evening consists of curling up on the couch with a cup of tea and a box of cookies for dunking. In short, I truly do love tea so much that I could bathe in it… and last year, I did.

The time: early spring. The location: Lennox Head, Australia. I had the amazing opportunity to visit my sister at her work abroad location there and her camp was located just steps away from Lake Ainsworth, a freshwater lake made entirely out of tea.

Surrounded by tea trees, Lake Ainsworth’s waters absorb tannins from surrounding tree roots and fallen tea leaves, transforming the waters into a deep, dark brew. The locals believe that the water has healing properties and that a quick swim can do wonders for the skin. Personally, though my skin did feel a bit softer that day, it’s my mind that has never felt more at peace than while floating in a bath of tea.

Want to try it yourself?

If you can’t make the trip Down Under, don’t worry, just run yourself a hot bath, drop in several tea bags, lay back, and relax.

Feeling crafty?

You can also create your own concoction with loose tea leaves and dried flowers. Once it’s ready, wrap your personalized mixture in muslin or cheesecloth (or pantyhose — thanks, Wendy!) and you‘re ready for a long, relaxing steep.

Other Drinks to Soak In

Sake: A Geisha secret, pouring a cup full of sake into your tub is said to soften your skin and speed up your metabolism.
Milk and Honey: Milk dissolved dead skin cells to make your skin baby soft, while honey has antibacterial properties to help heal wounds. It worked wonders for Cleopatra, so why not you?
Red Wine: Teri Hatcher of Desperate Housewives breaks out the vino for her bath to make her skin lush and glowing…just don‘t use too much or you might stain your tub!

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