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Things I Love – #9
Below are my favorite hair products. I do not use all of these products on my hair every day, but they’re all in my regular product rotation right now. Leave a comment below with your favorite hair product.
Click on the photos below for the product website and more details.
Oribe Shampoo for Magnificent Volume This shampoo plumps up the roots of my fine hair. I use this every time I wash my hair.
Oribe Bright Blonde Conditioner My hair color has a tendency to turn yellow in the sun. I use this purple conditioner to keep my blonde more ashy than golden. I’ve been told to only use it once a week, but I use it several times a week and my hair color hasn’t turned silver / blue yet.
Kerastase Hair Mask This deep conditioning hair mask is great for fine, colored hair. Unless you have super damaged / dry hair, I wouldn’t use this more than once a month or it might weigh down your hair.
Garnier Hair Mask This is a less expensive mask, but it still does a great job of deep conditioning damaged hair.
Aveda Thickening Tonic I spray this tonic on my roots and the middle section of my hair to help thicken up my hair before styling.
Ouai Leave In Conditioner Ouai is pronounce way. Since I have fine hair, most other leave in conditioners weigh it down. I spray this near the ends of my hair and it helps detangle and protect my hair during styling. It leaves my styled hair super soft.
Ouai Finishing Créme This Finishing Créme is great if I need a little more smoothing at the ends. It can also give you that piecey, second-day-hair look and it makes your hair shiny. I’ve liked every Ouai product I’ve tried including the Texturizing Spray and Wave Spray. Look around on their website for sample kits to find the products right for your hair before committing to a full size.
Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray My colorist refers to this as the “gateway” product for Oribe. If you’ve never used Oribe, this is a great first product. I’ll spray this on my roots especially in the crown to bump up the volume and texture in my hair.
Aveda control force Hair Spray I’ve been using this hair spray for years. Aveda’s website says it’s their “firmest hold hair spray” but I find my hair is still manageable and not stiff or sticky.
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Visiting Napa Valley
How to Get There:
Unless you have access to a private plane, fly into Sacramento or San Francisco and drive to Napa. Unless you really want to see San Francisco, I think the drive from Sacramento is faster (no traffic) than the drive from San Francisco.
What to Pack:
Everyone is dressed fairly casual in Napa. If it’s warm, shorts or casual dresses are appropriate. If it’s cool, blue jeans with a shirt or sweater. Wear comfortable shoes or sandals for the tours, the wineries have a lot of uneven surfaces and steps. (The winery staff get a laugh out of the women who show up to “the farm” in heels.) Bring a sweater or jacket for the cool wine cellars and dinner. I suggest bringing a pair of yoga pants and a jacket for early morning walks, biking or hot air balloon rides.
Hot air balloons at sunrise Transportation:
If you have a large group or know you will be drinking (not just tasting) there are several private transportation companies as well as Uber and Lyft in Napa. Even if you’re not driving, start with your farthest winery at the beginning of the day and work your way back throughout the day.
Places to Stay:
I would suggest staying in Yountville or St. Helena. Both are centrally located quaint towns with many restaurants and tasting rooms. You’ll still have to drive to the wineries for tours, but you could easily walk to tasting rooms and dinner every night in either town. Look at hotels, VRBO and Airbnb for places to stay. Pricing fluctuates a lot depending on the season and local events.
Winery Tastings and Tours (The reason you’re going to Napa!):
Make a reservation, even at places that don’t require it. You will have a more personalized and pleasant experience if you make an appointment. Most wineries and tasting rooms offer elevated tastings so do a little research for the best possible experience.
Make an appointment for one winery in the morning, most open around 10:00 AM, stop for lunch and then plan to do one or two more winery tastings in the afternoon. Most wineries close between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM (with the final tour scheduled for 3:00 PM) while tasting rooms will be open as late as 7:00 PM. Rank the vineyards you want to go to and book your tops ones first, then fill in the rest of your time with your second and third choices.
Many vineyards use an online website called CellarPass for their tours and tastings. Set up a log-in the first time you book a tasting to save you time with additional bookings. Also, you can easily access, change or cancel any reservations on CellarPass.
There are hundreds of wineries in Napa so talk to your friends and research online before scheduling. If there are Napa wines you like, check their tour / tasting information online. You’re more likely to join the wine club if you already know you like their wine. Wine club members usually get a Club Member discount on purchases and access to exclusive wines that are not distributed through retailers, as well as invitations to private events.
Here are a few of the wineries I have visited or that were recommended to me. (click on any light blue words below to go directly to the associated website)
The Wine Train We took the wine train from Napa up to St. Helena the first time we visited Napa. If you’ve never been to Napa, this is a great thing to do on your first day to get a feel for the layout of the valley. Both Castello di Amorosa (The Castle) and Grgich Hills below can be combined with your wine train experience for a full or half day adventure.
Castello di Amorosa The mason work and details at the castle are amazing! There are a lot of events and concerts at the castle so check the website to see if anything is scheduled while you’re in town.
Castello di Amorosa wine cellar Grgich Hills Estate Mike Grgich first gained international recognition at the celebrated “Paris Tasting” of 1976 when his 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay was selected as the finest white wine in the world.
Duckhorn Winery Estate Tasting We really enjoy the Estate Tasting. It’s a little more expensive but you are tasting the top Duckhorn wines in a private room with a different glass for each wine so they have time to breathe, plus they have a delicious cheese pairing for each wine.
Duckhorn Winery gardens Stags’ Leap Winery and Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars There are two wineries named Stags Leap located in the Stags Leap District. The difference is the placement of the apostrophe. If you like a Stags Leap wine, make sure you’re going to the correct winery. Both have great wines, but Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars had the Cabernet that beat the French Cabernet in Bottle Shock and their wines are quite a bit more expensive than Stags’ Leap Winery.
Stags’ Leap Winery vineyard Quintessa I strongly suggest the Quintessential Experience tasting. The wine is amazing, and the views from the pavilion are stunning.
Quintessa pavilion view Domaine Chandon This winery doesn’t offer tours but has a beautiful patio and gardens where you can taste your wine with light snacks. The nice thing about this winery is there are no set times (unless you have more than ten people in your group) which means this is a nice add-on tasting after you’ve booked your other tours and tastings. Side note: Domain Chandon makes one of my favorite sparkling wines: étoile Rosé.
Schramsberg Winery If you like sparkling wines, I’ve heard this is a great place to visit.
Odette This is just a tasting, not a tour; it will take about 30 minutes. There are three different tastings to choose from. We purchased a case of their Adaptation Cabernet.
Jessup Cellars Highly recommended. This is just a tasting room in Yountville, but they offer many levels of tastings – some with food pairings.
Shafer I heard this is a great vineyard to visit.
Lindstrom Wines This is a small vineyard recommended by a Napa resident during one of our stays.
Where to Eat: (make your dinner reservations in advance, many restaurants use OpenTable)
Thomas Keller has several restaurants in Napa. The most famous is the French Laundry, but if you can’t get in there or aren’t interested in a really fancy meal, try Ad Hoc and Bouchon Bakery. Bouchon has great pastries and amazing macarons. The line is down the block for the fresh pastries in the mornings, but it goes fast and it’s worth the wait.
The Chef’s Table at Farmstead Long Meadow Ranch in St. Helena. This is a delicious four course meal with wine pairings, they accommodate all dietary restrictions with advance notice. If you eat at the chef’s table, they have wine pairings for each course and continually top off your glass, so make sure you have a driver. I’m sure the food in the restaurant is great as well and the restaurant often has live music.
Archetype in St. Helena has wonderful food and cocktails. We had Sunday brunch here.
Bistro & Bar at Auberge du Soleil Have lunch or dinner on the patio of the Bistro & Bar. This is a popular sunset destination and they don’t take reservations, so make sure you get there well before sunset to see the beautiful colors over the valley.
Farm at Carneros Inn Located at an amazing resort. The dinner was delicious, and the desserts were very unique. It’s Southwest of Napa so if you stay in St. Helena, it might not be worth the drive.
Dessert at Farm Bottega A classic Napa restaurant owned by Chef Michael Chiarello. If you go here, try to go early and walk around Yountville. There are many shops and tasting rooms in Yountville so you could easily spend an afternoon here; then finish with dinner at Bottega.
RH A beautiful indoor / outdoor restaurant with 100-year-old olive trees inside the Restoration Hardware store. A great place for brunch or lunch. Insider Note: You can request Mimosas for the table by the bottle instead of the glass.
RH – one of the many chandeliers, and 100-year-old olive trees Bistro Don Giovanni A nice Italian restaurant. Request a table outside.
Gott’s Roadside in St Helena Stop here for a delicious burger and beer between wine tastings. The shakes are amazing if you want something sweet and cold. Don’t miss the daily specials listed by the register. This is a Napa Institution and it gets busy so try to arrive a few minutes before Noon.
The Grill at Meadowood Also check out The Restaurant Bar. This restaurant is at another amazing resort.
Morimoto Napa If you like Chef Morimoto, don’t miss the opportunity to eat at his restaurant. Finish with the signature dessert: Fiery Salty Caramel Chocolate Tart and have your camera set to video.
Oxbow Public Market in Napa is a cute indoor market with several restaurants, a little grocery and a few shops. A fun place to browse through and purchase some snacks or souvenirs and/or have a casual dinner.
Helpful Napa Valley websites:
Napa Valley Michelin Rated Restaurants This site lists all of the restaurants who earned Michelin Stars, Bib Gourmand or L’assiette ratings.
Visit Napa Valley This site has hotels, restaurants, wineries, things to do, maps, and more.
Napa Valley This site has a little more detail about each of the Napa Valley towns, experiences you can book, suggested itineraries, etc.
Napa Valley Vinters This site has history and information about Napa Valley as well as details about all of the local vineyards and wineries.
Wine Tasting Tips:
Wine tasting can seem overwhelming if you have never been before. Here are some tips on how to be best prepared to have your best day wine tasting.
Eat Breakfast: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and that is especially true when you are wine tasting.
Don’t wear perfume: A huge part of wine tasting is smell. It is important that nothing interferes with your sense of smell while you are wine tasting.
Bring lots of water: It is really important to drink water throughout the day. Wine tasting can be dehydrating, especially in the warmer months. You will feel much better if you drink water before and during your tasting.
Turn off your cell phone: Once you have taken a picture of the vines and the tasting room turn off your cell phone and really enjoy your experience.
Taste, don’t drink: When you are tasting wine do not be afraid to use the dump bucket. The dump bucket is there for you to use when you are ready to move on to the next wine. Only finish the wines you really love. Your host will not be offended if you dump your wine!
Wine is just fermented grape juice: Do not feel intimidated by any wine experts in your group. A true wine lover will enjoy teaching and listening to someone who is new to wine tasting. However, wine snobs are insufferable and should be avoided at all costs.
Everyone’s palate is different: Don’t feel pressured to like a wine because it’s highly rated or has won awards. However, give each wine three sips to really taste the wine before dumping.
Don’t be afraid to ask a question: There are no stupid questions. Tasting hosts are trained to answer all kinds of questions about wine and are there to teach you. You will have the best experience if you show your host that you are interested in the wine, process and history.
Tip for a good experience: If you receive excellent service or a special experience a small tip is always appreciated.
Buy wine to take home: A lot of the wines you will try will be “winery exclusive” which means that you will only be able to taste them and buy them there. There are lots of ways to get your wine home so don’t let that stop you from taking home what you like. If you like something buy it!
Watch the movie Bottle Shock before you go to Napa Valley. You’ll hear it mentioned at least once while you’re there.
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Grapefruit – Lychee Fizz*
I discovered this light refreshing cocktail in Alys Beach, Florida.
1 1/2 oz St. George Botanivore Gin
1 oz Giffard Lichi-Li
1/2 oz fresh Ruby Red Grapefruit juice
1/4 oz fresh Lime juice
Club soda
Combine first four ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a tall glass filled with crushed ice. Top with club soda. Garnish with grapefruit, if desired.
*cocktail recipe from Neat at Alys Beach
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Fire & Cider
For a chilly Fall evening, try this easy warmer upper.
10 oz hot apple cider
2 oz Fireball Cinnamon Whisky
Optional:
Caramel sauce
Cinnamon stick garnish
Pour hot cider in a mug, add Fireball. If it’s not sweet enough, warm up some caramel syrup and drizzle a little in your drink. Stir. If you want to be fancy, garnish with a cinnamon stick.
Stay warm!
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Things I Love – #8
It’s definitely Fall in the Midwest, here are a few of my favorite things for the cooler weather.
Click on the photos below for more details.
Nest Pumpkin Chai classic candle Nothing says Fall like the scent of pumpkin and spice. I really love the large 3-wick candle, but it is available in a smaller size.
Pottery Barn Faux Fur Ruched Throw Light your pumpkin candle and cuddle up with a good book under this cozy blanket.
Pook Dukes mittens I found these in Canada a few years ago. Soft and warm with flannel on the inside and wool on the outside.
Halogen Colorblock Cashmere poncho Just the right amount of warmth for running around in the Fall. The two-color poncho sold out at Nordstrom; but I found it online at Nordstrom Rack, for half price.
Solmate socks “Life’s too short for matching socks” and they’re comfy cozy! So many fun color options, buy one for you and one for a gift.
Rebecca Minkoff Chamille Stud Mule I love heels but sometimes you need a comfortable, stylish shoe that isn’t a heel.
Burberry Cashmere Scarf in Classic Check Fun Fact: Some Burberry scarves are made in Scotland. When we were in Scotland this summer, I couldn’t resist getting a souvenir.
Max Mara 101801 Icon Coat in ultramarine I’ve had my eye on this classic coat for years and I finally took the plunge this year. I’m actually looking forward to the cooler weather, so I can wear it.
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Expanding to Chicago
I haven’t posted anything on my blog in several months, so I want to share what’s been happening in our lives. My husband, John, and I have owned a commercial office furniture dealership in the Twin Cities for over 20 years. Earlier this year we were asked by our main manufacturer to open a second location in Chicago. After much discussion about how much time we would need to spend in Chicago getting things up and running, John and I decided to rent an apartment in Chicago for 12 months. We both love Chicago and are very excited to have the opportunity to spend more time there.
For two months, I was glued to my computer searching for, reviewing and prioritizing apartment rentals. Renting an apartment has gotten a lot more complicated since our last apartment 30 years ago. First, there are multiple listing sites and not every apartment lists on every site. Second, brokers create bogus addresses to get you to contact them instead of the management company at the apartment building. We did end up working with a broker, but I still checked all of the rental listing sites instead of relying on the one site the broker company utilized. The nice thing about working with a broker when you’re moving into a new city is they set up all of your showings on the days you will be in town and they will give you information about each apartment and the surrounding area (e.g. the nearest grocery store, bus line, access to the L, crime, etc.)
In July, we toured ten apartments, but we were disappointed with the layout or dated décor in all of them. We got lucky on our eleventh and final apartment. It was a new building with the exact floorplan we wanted, great appliances, wood floors, granite countertops, lots of windows and a wonderful location. Our apartment is in River North less than a mile from Michigan Avenue and the Riverwalk but next to a quiet, residential neighborhood and park. It’s also three short blocks from the L and only one stop from the Merchandise Mart where our new office is temporarily located.
After we signed a lease, I spent a week laying out furniture, finalizing fabrics and finishes, and placing orders. A few items like the couch and barstools took 6 – 8 weeks so everything needed to be ordered ASAP to meet our August 31stmove in date. Fortunately, we already had a relationship with an installation company in Chicago who has a large warehouse space and agreed to take delivery and store our furniture until we moved in.
Luckily for us, my parents agreed to come to Chicago and help us move in. We flew in early on August 31stto finalize paperwork, complete a walk-through and start moving in. In addition to the four of us, the installation company sent four guys to deliver and help assemble our furniture. By the end of the first day we were exhausted, but we had beds to sleep in and most of the apartment (including the kitchen – thanks to my Mom!) was set up. We spent the rest of the weekend shopping for accessories, hanging artwork and exploring Chicago with my parents.
We have been back to Chicago approximately every 10 days since we moved in and it’s so nice to have a place to call home instead of living in hotel rooms. This expansion is exciting, exhausting, exhilarating and terrifying all at the same time. And having two homes is sometimes just downright confusing. There’s nothing quite like waking up during the middle of the night and thinking “which city am I in?”
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Things I Love – #7
Click on the photos below for more information about each item.
Banza Pasta Pasta made from chickpeas. This comes in many shapes and sizes and you can buy it at Target. It’s great for vegetarians or anyone wanting more protein with their pasta. I like to rinse the pasta thoroughly after cooking to rinse any remaining chickpea starch.
Whole Foods 365 Vegetable Broth I know many non-vegetarians who also swear by this broth for making soups, rice, gravy, etc. It has a rich taste that’s difficult to find in vegetable broths.
Whole Foods fresh ground Almond Butter Fresh and yummy with a lower glycemic index than peanut butter.
Ezekial 4:9 Spouted 100% Whole Grain Bread It’s tasty and good for you – it’s organic and high in fiber and protein. It also doesn’t have any preservatives so you’ll most likely find it in your grocery store’s freezer. I store this in my freezer and throw a frozen slice in the toaster for avocado or almond butter toast. Delish!
Organifi Protein powder This is a really tasty plant-based protein powder.
LÄRABARS Made with 3 – 5 ingredients. One of the healthiest packaged snack bars you can buy
(clean but high in carbs, and not a huge amount of protein.) Peanut butter chocolate chip and peanut butter and jelly are two of my favorites.
Tazo Passion Tea For a homemade, low cal version of the Starbucks Passion Tea Lemonade brew a pitcher of tea, chill and mix over ice with Minute Maid low-calorie lemonade.
Toad Hollow Risqué sparkling wine Deliciously sweet and inexpensive for toasting the little things. It also makes a nice mimosa.
Domain Chandon étoile Rosé sparkling wine This sparkling wine is a little more grown-up, both in taste and in price.
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Kaitlyn’s Strawberry Piña Colada
Cocktail-of-the-week takeover by Kaitlyn. Here’s a drink for those of you who are in the mood for more of a smoothie than a hard alcohol drink. The perfect blend between a Strawberry Daiquiri and a Piña Colada (aka Lava Flow.)
4 oz. Caribbean Rum
4 oz. Coconut Cream
1 cup fresh pineapple
1 cup fresh strawberries
1 cup of ice
Add all ingredients to a blender or magic bullet. Blend until smooth, add more ice if it’s too runny. Garnish with a pineapple slice and a strawberry.
Cheers to turning 21 tomorrow!
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Rhubarb Gimlet
It’s rhubarb season! Instead of baking with it, I suggest making a cocktail. This is a French Gimlet with rhubarb and Aperol.
Rhubarb Simple Syrup
Combine 1 – 1 ½ cups of chopped red rhubarb, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stir until all sugar is dissolved, simmer for 15 more minutes until rhubarb has broken down and the sauce has started to thicken. Turn off the burner and let cool. After I turned off the burner, I added in several strips of lemon peel. Once cool, pour the simple syrup through a mesh strainer, discard the rhubarb pulp and lemon peel. Refrigerate the simple syrup for up to 1 week.Cocktail
2 oz gin (I used Dampfwerk Barreled Gin again)
2 oz St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
1 oz Aperol
2 oz fresh lime juice
2 oz rhubarb syrup
Combine in shaker. Shake well. Pour over ice in a rocks glass or serve up in a coupe.
Garnish with a lime twist.
Cheers!
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Our Travels to Copenhagen, Stockholm and Amsterdam
I’ve had so many people ask us about our travels that I thought I should post an update. Everyone asks “what was your favorite part of the trip?” Of course, it was in Copenhagen as we came out of baggage claim and saw our daughter’s smiling face; followed by a long hug.
After that, it was the little moments that were the best.
We woke up early our first morning in Copenhagen due to the time difference. John and I got dressed and headed out to explore. Nyhavn (pronounced:
newhoun) was so quiet and peaceful at 6 AM, much different than when we arrived the afternoon before. We just wandered and saw wonderful daily activities: people going for their morning swim in the Copenhagen Harbor, restaurant staff setting up sidewalk tables and chairs, and people biking to work in suits and dresses. We didn’t consult a map but instead 
turned down random streets and ended up walking by amazing architecture (at every turn!), past several well-known churches and Amalienborg – complete with Royal guards. It was perfect. We ended our morning by showing up to The Union Kitchen, which Kaitlyn recommended, shortly after they opened and we had such an amazing breakfast that we made it a point to go there for breakfast again the day we left Copenhagen. 
We had so many great moments in Copenhagen, such as dinner with Kaitlyn’s local host family on our first night. The relaxed conversation in their kitchen was so insightful. We learned things about the Denmark community and culture that we would never have known if we had not met them for dinner. Seeing Kaitlyn receive hugs from her host family’s daughters brought a tear to my eye. Most likely they will never see each other again, but they have a bond and experiences together they will remember forever.
Seeing Kaitlyn’s flat and meeting her roommate Carley was surreal. I had seen photos and videos of the place our daughter called home for four months, but to actually visit it was incredible. I quickly learned why Kaitlyn spoke so highly of Carley. She was very personable and fun. We had a wonderful dinner together and I really hope Kaitlyn travels to Boulder, Colorado to spend time with Carley in August before school starts.
I could feel that Kaitlyn was struggling in Copenhagen. She wanted to show us around to all of her favorite places, but she also wanted to spend her last moments with friends that she may never see again; and she had to pack up her room and help clean their flat. I think it helped that John and I were fairly independent and flexible and only took up the middle portion of her days so she could spend her mornings packing and her evenings saying goodbye to her friends.STOCKHOLM
Once we arrived in Stockholm at our amazing Airbnb in the heart of Norrmalm, I could feel Kaitlyn’s stress decline. She even said at one point she was glad we didn’t fly directly home so she could have a transition time from Copenhagen to Saint Paul.We did not plan anything in advance at any of our stops, but I had a list of places of interest and we consulted travel guides at each stop to determine what we wanted to do each day. Our time in Stockholm was a little bit of a recharge for all of us since we covered a lot of ground in Copenhagen. We walked to many sites including the Stockholm Concert Hall, Gamla Stan (old town), the Royal Palace and the King’s gardens but I think we all enjoyed going back to the Airbnb for some quiet time each day.
AMSTERDAM
Amsterdam was amazing. Another beautiful Airbnb.
This one was located on the canal with amazing views and sunsets!
We had no idea it was a city of canals – very similar to Venice. John even got involved in the planning here and on the day of our arrival he found us an early evening canal boat tour. It was perfect. On that first day, we figured out the public transportation (which was amazingly easy thanks to Kaitlyn), then we explored and learned about the city on the canal tour with limited walking (bonus.) Fun Facts: There are over 31 miles of canals
with 1,281 bridges in the city of Amsterdam. There are 850,000 people and 847,000 bikes. Also, 12,000 – 15,000 bikes are pulled out of the canals each year.We visited and toured many amazing places in Amsterdam including the Van Gogh Museum, the Rijks Garden and Museum, the Anne Frank Museum, the Royal Palace and the Amsterdam Tulip Museum. In Amsterdam, Kaitlyn announced she was tired and ready to head home. Good thing it was our last stop.
Our Kaitlyn turns 21 later this month. It’s funny how turning 18 might seem like a big deal, but as a parent, I feel 21 is much more significant. Not only are our children able to legally join us for a cocktail when we go out to dinner, but at this age they seem to have a little bit of a grasp on who they want to be as an adult. I know it will take many more years to really figure it out (who am I kidding, at 51 I’m not sure I’ve figured it out!), but at 21 they seem to be on their way.
Happy 21st Birthday, Kaitlyn, and Welcome Home!
