sunday in temecula

I've lived in the state of California for more than two years. Two. Years. + How did this happen? Why?! The simple answer, of course, is that I took a serendipitous job opportunity and refused to let it be a mistake. The reality is infinitely more complicated than that.

Nevertheless I've come to fully appreciate this place founded by pioneers and dreamers and those who couldn't quite fit into the communities they were born to. L.A. itself is a haphazard assortment of creative ideals. SF is SF. And I might finally be thriving.

I ventured to La Jolla for work in early August—an appropriate memory to recall on a Labor Day weekend, no? I was instantly and unexpectedly charmed by San Diego's wild beauty and laid back reclusion. The event itself ran smoothly. And the day following, driving back with a colleague, I noticed signs for Temecula; a city I recognized from my recreational study of California wine regions. I suggested a tasting. We lounged for hours at Mount Palomar Winery. I was so pleased with my spontaneity and the Golden State.

If life in Los Angeles, CA seems painfully far from the people and things that matter most to me... it is, somewhat. And yet there are phone calls, and plane travel, and weekend visits, and afternoons (like this one) that bring every place I've ever loved within reach.

on an ojai high

{Krotona Institute of Theosophy}

{Rose Valley Falls hike}

{Casa Baranca Tasting Room}

{Meditation Mount}

{Unpictured: Penne Valverde & Cuscinetti al Zuccone at Osteria Monte Grappa}

biodynamic in bourgogne

Putting together the first draft of my master's thesis has kept my brain rather consistently scattered (i.e. the sequence of recent posts: blog curation, neobistro lunches, actual 'good' people, simple, seasonal menus?). I hope it's forgivable as I've compared the process to "knitting a quilt for a giant." Are quilts even knit? Should I ask someone? There I go again... luckily, a milestone has been reached. I just submitted it for review! And I doubt I could have done so without last Saturday's much-needed break in Burgundy.

Lorelei and I joined fellow AUP students on a day trip. Though I fell asleep soon after boarding the bus, I awoke to fields of vibrant yellow flowers as we approached the town of Auxerre. We wandered past quaint, timbered houses for two hours, stopping at all the major sites: the cathedral, tour d'horloge, and abbey. Then, we had boulangerie sandwiches by the river to bask in the gorgeous sun.

Afterwards, we went to Chablis to visit Jean-Marc Brocard's vineyard and learn about biodynamic agriculture--a system that views the vineyard as an ecosystem, accouting for astrological influences and lunar cycles. It produces a natural (not quite organic) wine.

And, as I happily discovered, it also produces a wine that is just lovely to taste on a warm, sunshine-y afternoon in the countryside. Good to know: Chablis is a white wine (almost entirely Chardonnay) from the northernmost area of the French Burgundy region. It's crisp and dry, with a refreshing acidity brought about by the fossil-rich limestone soil. I highly recommend you sip some soon :).

the montmartre harvest

On this chilly November 1st morn, I'm curled up in bed, thankful All Saint's Day is a French national holiday. But because of the 3-day weekend, I also have no excuse for not celebrating Halloween. It's not like I was en route to the countryside. I was just tired... because that cute guy and I had stayed out on another "let's meet for drinks" date the night before. He's great. I'm lame. To redeem myself, let's rewind to one very fun day. And to set the scene, I must reference a Thought Catalog article I stumbled across a few weeks ago: 21 Embarrassing Examples Of Why French People Are Way Trashier Than Americans. I left the page unimpressed and disappointed (following, yes, an initial chuckle). Must we so consistently compete and compare our two cultures? Apparently so. The following day, a French site fired back with, 21 examples qui font que les américains sont plus trash que les français...

Beside the fact that "trash" or "trashy" is a not a very nice word to describe any one person, let alone an entire country, the examples are also ridiculous. Can't we focus on the good stuff we share? Like day-drinking, for example. But I guess it's not really fair to compare some of my favorite collegiate memories with the Parisian festival that honors the harvest of Clos Montmartre, the last remaining vineyard in the former village, is it? Probably not. Even still, I hope you know that Americans do appreciate wine more than we're credited with and the French are hardly ever as snobby about their vin as stereotype might have you believe.

We tasted, sampled, and enjoyed the ambiance that only a historical neighborhood flanked with tipsy Parisians and visitors can provide. And after bites and sips of regional red wines, charcuterie, and cheeses, we ended on a sweet note with churros and champagne. That, my friends, is my kind of celebration. Maybe I'll trick and treat next year ;) happy weekend!

a day in douro

Guys, gals, I'm writing a thesis. Well, not yet, but I will be in the fall (or spring?!). I've simply decided I can't not do so. What a nerd, huh? Indeed. And still a wino, too. I'm highly considering studying wine production in the "New World" (e.g. Chile, South Africa) and how it provides cultural capital in perception of place. Not sure whether that sounds painfully academic or super interesting to you, but I'm excited. 

As you may remember, I kind of love this kind of research :). I had a very recent taste of it, too, when I spent a day in "wine country" with a guide from my hostel in Porto. 'Twas a magical day in the Douro Valley...

[Tasting #1 at Quinta de Pégo]

[Lunch: vegetable soup, fried octopus, rice]

[Tasting #2 at Quinta do Portal]

In the sun, surrounded by wonderful people, I felt so, so happy. Kind of how I felt earlier today in the company of the boy's family (minus the sun--it's cold and cloudy in Paris!) Although I'm missing my fam extra this Easter weekend, I'm glad to have spent some of it with his and with my extended family (more to come on the incredible meal we shared). I can hardly wait to spend the holiday with ma famille française tomorrow.