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Seven for Saturday

March 17, 2018 by Adrienne Shubin 10 Comments

Welcome to this week’s Seven for Saturday ☀️Let’s get right to it!

1 ~ Kiss Me, I’m Irish! 🍀🇮🇪🌈

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Bill and I won’t be joining the green-clad, beer drinking crowds at the pubs today but I will wear green and have homemade corned beef and cabbage because, unlike every St. Patty’s Day prior, I can say with full confidence, “Kiss me, I’m Irish”!

In the last year I have had both 23andMe and Ancestry.com DNA analyses (the latter a Christmas gift from my mother) and it turns out I am 42% Irish/Scottish/Welsh. Well, that was a surprise! All these years, I’ve been telling people I was not Irish or at least, with my murky knowledge about my ethnicity, I didn’t think I was. Other surprises include not being Italian like I thought I was and having Scandinavian ancestry.

How will you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Have you had a DNA ancestry test? If so, any surprises?

Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in Paris in 2013

2 ~ Floating Plans 

A couple months ago my friend Michelle and I decided to try cryotherapy together. I wrote about our experience here. We had such a great time on that adventure, we decided to continue to trying new things together and have even given our outings a name: Michelle & Adrienne’s Excellent Adventures (a nod to Bill & Ted 😁).

Next week, we are going to Sebastopol to float in our own individual float spas. Commonly referred to – somewhat erroneously – as sensory deprivation tanks, these float spas are meant to help you relax the mind and body while also prompting areas of the brain that aren’t frequently used to become more active. I am both excited and a little nervous about our upcoming appointments. I don’t like small, confined spaces  – who does? – but refuse to let my anxiety about that suck the benefits and enjoyment out of the experience.

Have you ever tried float therapy? I would love to hear your thoughts on it if you have.

Photo credit: Theta Wave Float Spa

3 ~  Meeting a Fellow Forever Fierce Sister 

In my next blog post, I will be sharing lots of highlights from last weekend’s Whole Foods Market Beauty Brunch. One of my favorite moments was getting to meet fellow Forever Fierce sister Karen Brooks of Wear With Passion.

Karen also lives in Sonoma County and also has a lifestyle, travel and fashion blog. She is so friendly and I love her style.

We hope to get together soon for lunch or coffee and get to know each other better. Be sure to check out Karen’s blog and Instagram for lots of inspiring content.

4 ~ Spring Booties

I ordered these off white woven booties and they arrived this week. I just love them! They are so comfortable and are the ideal warm weather shoe – a great alternative to sandals. Once our recent run of rainy days concludes and the puddles dry up, I will be wearing them tons with jeans, skirts and dresses.

5 ~ Thank you for the Mention!

It has been a long time since my blog was mentioned in “best of” list. I was thrilled to be included in Maria’s round up of Lifestyle and Fashion Blogs for Women Over 50 on her blog, Passionfruit, Paws and Peonies. I am in some very stylish and accomplished company!

Maria is an English lifestyle blogger and a dog lover like me. She offers lots of useful information for traveling in Europe and beyond, posts about being a woman in midlife, recipes and dog friendly guides. Spend some time on her blog, you won’t regret it!

6 ~ New Reasons to Eat Carbs 

My keto diet has been kicked to the curb since discovering these two delicious businesses that have opened in Glen Ellen recently.

First, let me tell you about Les Pascals. It’s an authentic French patisserie owned by Chef Pascal and his wife Pascale. They from Lyon, France and moved to California in 2013, making Carmel home where they were co-owners of a bakery

Just last weekend, Les Pascals opened their darling bakery in Glen Ellen. By the time Bill and I stopped by the afternoon of their first day, they were almost cleaned out of goodies and there was a line out the door.

We managed to buy a dozen French macarons to take to a party – truly the best I have ever eaten and our friends agreed – a croissant on par with the best of France and a wonderful baguette.

I returned with my friend Elizabeth a few days later and enjoyed a latte with her at one of the adorable bistro tables. I bought an almond and a chocolate croissant to take home for Bill and I to enjoy the next morning with coffee. They did not even make it to dusk that day. We devoured them both!

Also new to Glen Ellen is Umbria. Elizabeth and I went to lunch there this week and I loved it so much, I urged Bill to go with me yesterday.

It’s located right next to Jack London Lodge in a beautiful space that over looks a creek. Julio, who had a successful restaurant by the same name in San Francisco for 23 years, owns Umbria.

He was there both times I visited this week and is welcoming, warm and charming. I love it when owners spend time in their restaurants talking to and checking in with their customers, don’t you?

So far I have tried their meatballs, a bianco pizza with prosciutto, arugula and fontina, the lasagna, and both tiramisu and cheesecake. Everything has been delicious! I recommend both Umbria and Les Pascals wholeheartedly.

7 ~ Spring Photography 

I adore this time of year – early spring (almost) – for many reasons but mainly for all the nature and landscape photography opportunities. Puffy white clouds, dark skies, green hillsides, colorful sunrises and sunsets, and trees bursting with blossoms and leaves. I could take photos all day long if I had the time.

Earlier this week I was cooking dinner and noticed the sky was starting to turn pink and orange out my kitchen window. I quickly untied my apron, swiched off the oven and grabbed my camera. Bill and I headed a short distance up the road to a nearby mustard field/vineyard to get the best view of the evening light show. What a treat!

Then yesterday, I stepped outside my front door and this was the view: a partial rainbow dipping down into a neighbor’s vineyard. I am sure there was a pot o’ gold at the bottom!

Daisy and I wish you a happy St. Patrick’s Day! 🎩

 

 

Disclosure: Affiliate links have been used in this post. Clicking on them may result in my earning small commissions but has no impact on the prices of the products

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Filed Under: accessories, beauty, Bill, California, dogs, family, fashion, fellow bloggers, food, friends, fun, holidays, instagram, Photography, Seven for Saturday, shoes, shopping, Sonoma, wardrobe, wine country Tagged With: accessories, boots, Daisy, dining out, dogs, fashion, fellow bloggers, food, Forever Fierce, friends, fun, holidays, photography, Seven for Saturday, shoes, Sonoma, Sonoma County, spring, spring fashion

Seven for Saturday

March 3, 2018 by Adrienne Shubin 5 Comments

It’s the weekend and time for this week’s Seven for Saturday!

Here’s what’s been happening around here lately:

1 ~ Pruning Party at Beltane Ranch 

Last Saturday’s Pruning Party & Pig Roast at Beltane Ranch was such a blast! I think I finally got pruning vines down but I am far from an expert and am pretty sure no vineyard owner would want me out there cutting their vines.

We not only pruned part of the Zinfandel vineyard but we sipped wonderful Beltane Ranch wines, ate wonderful food including handmade sopas and tortillas, ranch beans, ceviche and roasted pig and had lots of laughs.

The mariachi band that performed at last year’s pruning party returned to delight the crowd. They are all so talented and the lead singer is not only entertaining but has a fantastic voice.

After the party was over, some friends came over the house. We finally got to really break in that new couch of ours. We ordered take out Italian food, talked for hours, played with our dogs and listened to music. It was such a fun Saturday!

Here are a few of my favorite photos from the party:

 

2 ~ More Hummingbirds in my Kitchen Window 

I love watching the hummingbirds in my window so much, I added another feeder this week. They were polishing off the original one in less than 24 hours so I thought it might be a good idea to have a back up for them in case I can’t get to it in time.

When the new feeders arrived, my husband referred to me as The Crazy Hummingbird Lady and I guess I have to agree with him. When I start giving them names, that’s when we might have to start worrying 😉

3 ~ Hiding Cameras

I follow my friend and social media expert Kerry Rego on Facebook. The other day, I watched a video Kerry shared about whether or not you should cover the camera on your computer and smart devices. The video and Kerry both recommend covering it up. I never use my laptop’s camera so why take the chance?

I can’t tell you how many times I have thought about covering it up with tape yet I never took two minutes to go to the garage for electrical tape. When Kerry suggested to her followers that they use this product instead, I decided to spend a few bucks and get a set.

They arrived quickly – thanks to Prime – and I applied them last night. The gadget has the ability to slide so if I do decide to use my laptop’s camera, I can just move the button over. Much better than electrical tape anyway!

I also put one on the selfie camera on my phone. Since I do use the selfie camera, I will be sliding the button over from time to time.

I feel a bit safer already, thanks to Kerry. Now I need to change all my passwords. I am long overdue!

4 ~ Snow in Kenwood 

Finally, winter has arrived here in wine country! It’s been cold, by our standards, for a couple of weeks and now with the added precipitation, we ended up with a little snow in the hills near our house.

It’s not much but still exciting for us snow-deprived Sonoma County residents!

5 ~ Social Media Usage

In last week’s Saturday post, I mentioned wanting to curb my social media usage. I decided I would try a 7:00 am to 7:00 pm structure for a week and see if that helped. Some days I adhered to the hours and some days I didn’t.

Regardless of whether I used social media from 7 to 7 or not, my interaction with it remained unchanged when I did engage, despite being more aware of my usage. That surprised me.

Time for some fresh ideas! I went looking, online of course, for a book on the subject. It arrived a couple days ago. I am engrossed in the novel I’m reading right now but as soon as I am done with it, How To Break Up With Your Phone is my next read.

I’ll let you know what I find out!

6 ~  Lash Upkeep

It’s been a long time since I got my set of lash extensions at Lashey Lady Studio. I thought I’d keep them going only through the holidays but I love them so much, I decided to keep them at least until after my stepkids’ weddings this spring – one in April (coming up fast!) and one in early June.

I take very good care of my lashes everyday and I get them filled every 2 1/2 weeks. I thought I would dread getting them filled but I actually look forward to my appointments. It’s relaxing! The bed is comfy and it has a heater. The music is soothing and my lash expert, Alex, is gentle and makes sure I am comfortable at all times.

What I like most about having lash extensions is they make getting ready so much easier. With lashes, I just need to throw on some light foundation, add a couple swooshes of blush, fill my brows, and apply a coat of lipgloss and I am good to go!

7 ~ Instant Pot Class

I love my Instant Pot but I am in an IP rut. I use it over and over again for the same things – yogurt and shredded chicken breasts. It’s time to up my Instant Pot game!

That is just what I am doing today at Ramekins Culinary School in Sonoma. I am heading there this afternoon to join 30+ others in learning some new IP tricks. This class is taught by my friend Chef Hollie Greene. Check my Instagram stories later if you’re curious to see what we’re up to!

Enjoy your weekend!

Disclosure: Affiliate links have been used in this post. Clicking on them may result in my earning small commissions but has no impact on the prices of the products. The Instant Pot class at Ramekins is complimentary in exchange for coverage. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

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Filed Under: beauty, Bill, books, California, home improvement, Instant Pot, Seven for Saturday, Sonoma, Stella Carakasi, wine, wine country, Winery Tagged With: friends, Instant Pot, Seven for Saturday, Sonoma, sonoma valley, wine country, Wine Country Event, winery

Celebrating a Birthday at Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant

January 24, 2018 by Adrienne Shubin 8 Comments

Today I want to tell you all about how I spent my 50th birthday, celebrating at Farmhouse Inn and Restaurant in Russian River Valley, about a 30-minute drive from our home.

My original birthday plans included a 17-day trip to France with my husband. But the fires began three days before our flight to Paris was to leave. Needless to say, we canceled our trip. By the time my actual birthday arrived, the fires were out and we were able to return to our home.

We decided we would still celebrate my birthday but rather than get on a plane somewhere, we wanted to stay local for a couple of reasons. First, we didn’t want to be far from our home, friends and family. And second, we wanted to keep our travel dollars here in Sonoma County, supporting local businesses.

Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant

I have always dreamed of staying at Farmhouse Inn so when Bill suggested it, I was elated!

Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant is family-owned by siblings Joe and Catherine Bartolomei. Their family goes back five generations in Sonoma County! That is remarkable in itself. What is also remarkable is the number of prestigious awards Farmhouse Inn has earned including 2017 #1 Best Hotel in Northern California by Condé Nast Traveler. Their restaurant, located onsite, has been given a Michelin Star annually for the last 10 years.

We checked in at registration, greeted warmly by the welcoming and friendly staff. They gave us a quick run down of the property then we were shown to our gorgeous King Deluxe room.

The Property at Farmhouse Inn

Farmhouse Inn is tucked away on a secluded property surrounded by woods. Once you’re on site, you feel as though you’re miles away from everything yet you’re just a short distance from world-class wineries, restaurants, shopping and entertainment. Since we live in the area, we spent most of our time on the property but we did venture out, as you will read later, to visit some premier Russian River wineries.

I adore the architecture at Farmhouse Inn – it’s modern farmhouse style. An enticing pool is located in the center of the property, surrounded by a stone wall. The pool area has a few chic seating areas, fire pits and a hot tub.

Bill and I sat by the pool one afternoon and ordered some sandwiches to enjoy on our lounge chairs, then took a dip in the pool. It was so lovely and relaxing!

Farmhouse Inn Restaurant

I could not get enough of the breathtaking roses, some as big as your head, dotted throughout the grounds. The roses were magnificent and the vibrant pinks shades were just gorgeous.

I rarely passed them without either leaning in for a sniff, taking another photo or both.

Farmhouse Inn Restaurant

Farmhouse Felines

I grew up with lots of cats and always had kitties throughout my life. With 4 dogs, adding a new kitty to our family is not in the cards right now. Because I am feline deprived at home, I squeal with delight when I see a cat. And if that cat happens to be at an inn where I am staying, well forget it. I will go to great lengths to find and befriend that cat, or in the case of Farmhouse Inn – cats, plural!

Farmhouse Inn is home to three adorable kitty cats and I want to tell you a little about each one.

Charlotte, the black kitty, is the head cat at Farmhouse Inn. She is the oldest and loves to sleep in the guest rooms, usually on the bed snuggled up next to you. The three nights we were at Farmhouse Inn, Charlotte slept with us. Charlotte is a friendly cat but can be rather aloof. You get the feeling when you’re in her presence, that it’s her room and she’s just letting you sleep there.

Then there’s Fitz. We first met Fitz when checking in at the reception. He looks just like our last kitty who was also a Tuxedo cat. Fitz is also friendly, has a confident air about him and loves to curl up on the fluffy towels at the pool and take naps.

Finally, there is Giles – Goofy Giles, I call him. He is an orange and white tabby and loves belly rubs, baby talk and brief stays because he is always on the go. He acts like he wants to be in your room to hang out with you, sniffing around and checking things out, then quickly changes his mind and darts outside. Speaking of hanging out, Giles’s tongue is always hanging out, as in permanently. He is definitely the most animated of the three Farmhouse felines.

Farmhouse Inn Restaurant

Our King Deluxe Guest Room

Our room was stunning and so spacious! I fell in love with the neutral tones, the light airiness, and the comfy bed and furniture. There is something so inviting and comfortable about the inn’s décor. It was luxurious and decadent but not stiff or stuffy. It was easy to relax and feel at home.

A few weeks ago, when Bill and I were talking about redecorating our home, he asked me to name a hotel we’ve stayed in that I would want to emulate. Without missing a beat, I said, “Farmhouse Inn, of course!”

Farmhouse Inn Restaurant

Farmhouse Inn Restaurant

Farmhouse Inn Restaurant

Farmhouse Inn Restaurant

Farmhouse Inn Restaurant

Farmhouse Inn Restaurant

Farmhouse Inn Restaurant

Farmhouse Inn Restaurant

Farmhouse Inn Restaurant

Farmhouse Inn Restaurant

My 50th Birthday!

My 50th birthday started out with a few of my favorite things: a bubble bath in the jetted tub accompanied by chilled French bubbly, then a mouthwatering breakfast in the dining room at Farmhouse Restaurant.

I opened gifts from my husband, wrapped with used fire maps, and was delighted to discover he bought me a Louis Vuitton Neverfull and a bottle of Dom Perignon, that I’ve stashed away for a future celebratory occasion.

Farmhouse Inn Restaurant

Farmhouse Inn Restaurant

Farmhouse Inn Restaurant

Farmhouse Inn Restaurant

Private Wine Tour

After breakfast, we returned to our room to get ready for a day of wine tasting with a personal guide. We booked a private wine tour through the inn with Randall of Randall’s Wine Tours.

Bill and I rarely go wine tasting unless it’s for a blog story so it was fun to wine taste without having to worry about documenting our experience. We also didn’t even need to pick out which wineries to visit or book the appointments. Randall handled it all! He did all the driving, of course, and kept us right on schedule. Plus, he knew the wineries we visited and the wines we tasted inside and out and the staff at all three wineries knew him by name.

Russian River Valley is known for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines. All three wineries we visited specialize in those varietals. They were all superb and we purchased a lot of wine to bring home with us. Much more than we anticipated – there were so many fantastic wines, it was hard not to bring them home.

Our first stop was the world-famous William Selyem. I can’t believe it’s taken us so long to experience this phenomenal winery!

Farmhouse Inn Restaurant

Next, we went to a seated tasting at Lynmar Estate.

Farmhouse Inn Restaurant

And lastly, we visited Freeman Winery.

Farmhouse Inn Restaurant

Fall is such a gorgeous time of year in the Russian River. The leaves in the vineyards were shades of bright yellows, oranges and reds. And the flowers at Lynmar put on such a colorful show for visitors while we were there.

Farmhouse Restaurant

Our last night at the inn, we had dinner at Farmhouse Restaurant, the onsite Michelin Star restaurant. It was such a special birthday dinner! Every course and every morsel was culinary perfection. The plates were not only a delight to eat but pleasing to the eye as well. The romantic lighting made photos difficult but I really wanted to focus on the experience anyway. My birthday dinner at Farmhouse Restaurant ranks as one of the best dining experiences I’ve ever had, possibly the best.

Farmhouse Inn Restaurant

I hope to return to Farmhouse Inn again and again. It is quintessential wine country luxury and so relaxing and peaceful. Plus, those kitties!

Farmhouse Inn Restaurant

Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant, 7871 River Road in Forestville, California. Visit their website for more information or call 707-887-3300.

For private wine tours, contact Randall at Randall’s Wine Tours or call 707-888-1551

This post is not sponsored in any way. We had such a wonderful experience at Farmhouse Inn and with Randall on the wine tour that I wanted to share it all with readers. I enjoy supporting Bay Area businesses, especially when they are family-owned and offer superior products and/or services.

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Filed Under: Bill, California, fashion, food, fun, Rich Life Travels, Sonoma, sonoma chic, travel, wine, wine country, Winery Tagged With: Bill, birthday, California, dress, Fall, fashion, flowers, food, fun, having a rich life, healdsburg, hotel, luxury hotel, Rich Life Travels, Russian River, Sonoma, travel, wine, wine country, wine tasting, winery

Seven for Saturday

January 20, 2018 by Adrienne Shubin 11 Comments

It’s the weekend and time for a new Seven for Saturday post! ☀️

Here are some things that happened in my little corner of wine country:

1 ~ Guest #1 Room Redo

My husband has been painting the interiors of our two guest rooms in his spare time for about the last week. He spends the entire weekend painting, as well as a few days during the week after work. He works so hard. Sometimes we don’t eat dinner until 9:00 pm!

Our walls were previously a warm beige tone that has been a bit hard to cover up with the white paint we chose. Bill starts with a coat of primer, then adds three coats of white.

Last weekend, on top of painting, he built a shelf and clothes rack in the first guest room. There had been a metal contraption in there since we moved in many years ago that just wasn’t working for us anymore.

After the paint dried in this guest room, we moved the furniture back, put the rug I bought for my office a couple months ago (ended up being too dark and too small) under the bed, and dressed the bed up with a new duvet set.

Now we can start working on the decor. For starters this room needs a lamp for one or both of the nightstands, wall art, a pretty throw blanket and a new ceiling light fixture.

Bill is working on guest room #2 this weekend and starting on our bedroom. The second guest room has a Mission Style furniture set which I believe is oak. I have been looking online for days in search of a new duvet set for this room. I’m going to order this one today and see if it works.

Once the basics are in both rooms, I will focus on what little things guests like to have in their rooms. I am thinking a carafe and two little glasses for water, a potted plant, charging station, a place to set luggage, a wardrobe mirror, hangers and hooks, and a vase for fresh flowers. What about a clock? Do people use clocks any more or just look at their phones?

What would you suggest we add to our list to make our guests feel at home?

2 ~ Homemade Kraut

Last week, I dropped in to Sonoma Roots on my way home from Napa. I know the owner, Dr. Danielle Schwaderer Kettler, and wanted to see what her wellness shop is all about.

It happened to be Happy & Healthy Hour Tuesday when customers can drop in for B-12 shots. What a score! I added my name to the wait list while I looked around. I came upon a Kraut Source, a fermenting tool you connect to a glass jar to make your own kraut at home. I also bought the recipe book that came with very clear instructions.

Last night I made Golden Kraut which is made with cabbage like traditional kraut but has lots of fresh ginger, turmeric powder, cayenne, scallions and a few other ingredients.

I massaged my kraut like it said in the instructions except I added all the ingredients before doing so – rather than just massaging the cabbage and salt – so I have some yellow fingers today!

The kraut is in my kitchen where it will sit for 7 to 14 days.

I am supposed to check it every couple of days and make sure the moat has water in it. I find stuff like this so fun and interesting!

3 ~ Dodging the Flu

It seems everyone has either the flu or a nasty cold these days. As I am sure you have heard on the news, this is a terrible flu season and flu shots aren’t working much against these dangerous strains.

Since I don’t have to go into an office to work and instead work at home, I can avoid many situations which would put me in contact with lots of people. I make sure to wash my hands frequently and wipe down my cart’s handle with the wipes they provide when I grocery shop.

I read about elderberry recently and its powers for not only over preventing the flu but shortening its duration so I decided to order some. These elderberry crystals are chock full of antioxidants and, according to this article, their dark pigment means they provide natural healing power.

I made a Fab Four Smoothie – mentioned in my last post – using the recommended 4 scoop serving.

I felt a little under the weather earlier this week. I even canceled some plans with a friend, but am happy to report I feel like my old self again. Was it the elderberry crystals? I’m not 100% sure but – knock on wood – I do feel healthy and strong today.

I hope you have also been able to successfully dodge the flu so far!

4 ~ Sun Salutation

I have continued with my daily Sun Salutation series. Some days I am limber and feel strong and other days, I am laughing at my lack of grace and ability on the mat. But who cares, right? I went into this 30-day challenge thinking I would steadily get better each day but that’s not the case. I am old enough to know that few things you set out to learn or improve upon head in a straight line going up. It’s more like a zig zag. But at least I’m getting my blood flowing, stretching a few muscles and some mornings, I get to start my day with a good chuckle!

5 ~ Oprah’s Glasses

Remember the glasses Oprah wore when she received the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 2018 Golden Globes earlier this month? A friend posted the brand and style of her glasses and I immediately bought them in three colors.

 

My readers collection was in desperate need of a purging – why do I keep scratched up glasses? – and an upgrade anyway.

My Oprah readers came in the mail several days later and I love them!

They are a huge, which is fine because so is my face, and a bit heavy but not so much that they bother me. I prefer big glasses on me and was shopping men’s readers before finding these.

Do you prefer big glasses or do you go for something lower profile?

6 ~ Making a Mess….I Mean, Making Almond Milk

I made almond milk the other day and, as my mother would say about my room when I was a teenager, my kitchen looked like a cyclone hit it. Okay, maybe not that bad but it did take me a good hour to clean all the milk splatter and almond chunks from counter tops and appliances. And I must have used 4 or 5 bowls.

I was inspired to make my own almond milk when I thumbed through the recipe book that came with my new Omega 8008  and came upon a recipe for it. I won’t go into the boring details but let’s just say, the Omega 8008 does not actually make almond milk to completion. It does, however, prep the almonds by macerating the living daylights out of them. It took me watching a couple YouTube videos to figure out that I also need a good blender and a nut milk bag. Thankfully I have both.

After soaking about 4 cups of organic raw almonds in water overnight, I drained and rinsed them and put them back in a bowl. You really need to drain and rinse them well because almonds, when soaked, leach out an enzyme inhibitor substance that you don’t want to ingest.

I ran my soaked almonds and some fresh water through my Omega a few times – re-macerating the mash – and the end result was a bowl full of wet mess of mushed up almonds. In batches, I pureed the almond mush with lots of water, in my blender then strained the milk through a nut bag, making sure to really squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

I bottled up my milk in various containers (I love these bottles) and put them in the fridge.

It was so messy, that day I vowed to buy almond milk at the market from now on…until I tried it the next morning. I had low expectations that my homemade milk would either taste the same as store bought or be bland and watery. I was so wrong! It is absolutely delicious and rich and froths up beautifully.

I am a big fan of homemade almond milk now and will continue to make my own. From now on, I will make less of the stuff since it only stays fresh for 3 to 5 days and will streamline the process as to not make such a disaster in the kitchen.

About that 3 to 5 day thing: I did a little research and apparently it is possible to freeze almond milk. I froze mine in an ice tray and, since I only have one of those, some silicone muffin molds placed in a dish. I can use these to make smoothies or melt for normal use.

Have you ever made almond milk?

7 ~ Dry Brushing Again

After a long hiatus, I started dry brushing again. Many years ago, I dry brushed my skin regularly. I even wrote a blog post about it back in 2011.

I do it to exfoliate my skin and get my blood circulating. I don’t dry brush everyday but rather about 2 to 3 times per week. I find it so rejuvenating and uplifting, sort of like the high you get from a good workout.

I dry brush for about 3 minutes, making sure I go in the right directions (my old blog post has that info), then take a nice relaxing bath or hot shower. After, I moisturize my skin with a good quality lotion or oil.

Have you tried dry brushing? What are your thoughts on it?

Have a wonderful Saturday!

Disclosure: Affiliate links have been used in this post. Clicking on them may result in my earning commissions. 

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Filed Under: Bill, cooking, exercise, food, fun, having a rich life, health, home improvement, homemaking, self-improvement, Seven for Saturday, Sonoma Tagged With: beauty, Bill, Dry Brushing, family, food, friends, fun, having a rich life, health, home, self-improvement, Seven for Saturday, Sonoma

Holiday Gift Ideas from Wine Country

November 27, 2017 by Adrienne Shubin Leave a Comment

Most holiday seasons I write a blog post – sometimes a few – all about holiday gift ideas. I like to feature small businesses and I only choose businesses that have products and/or services I myself buy, use and like.

With the recent fire disaster in wine country, I want to shine the spotlight on several small businesses based here in wine country. Businesses here need our support this season, now more than ever before.

My Favorite Holiday Gift Ideas from Wine Country

Elizabeth Wilmore Designs

Elizabeth and I met last summer while shopping at The Passdoor in The Barlow one of several places she sells her beautiful jewelry. I bought a necklace from her that day and we exchanged businesses cards. A friendship began and we have stayed in touch ever since, meeting up for lunch and shopping regularly.

Elizabeth’s core line of jewelry is handmade with freshwater pearls and leather. I really love the Healdsburg necklace/bracelet wrap. I wear mine often and buy them as gifts for friends.

Recently, Elizabeth designed druzy chokers with matching layering chains. It comes in black druzy, and white. Any of her pieces would make terrific gifts for your loved one or for you!

Wine Country Chocolates

You really can’t go wrong with a gift from Wine Country Chocolates. The owners, a mother and daughter team, have been making sweet chocolatey treats since 1999!

They are famous for their hand-pressed chocolate truffles and also carry a wide assortment of chocolate covered fruit and nuts, barks, and more.

Buy online or visit their tasting rooms in Glen Ellen and Sonoma.

Plastic Surgery Associates/Allegro MedSpa

I have been going to Plastic Surgery Associates and their adjoining Allegro MedSpa, since 2004. Most recently I tried Botox for the very first time. Now I make Botox part of my regular “upkeep” because I love it so much.

The lovely people at PSA and Allegro are offering my readers a special deal for the holidays. Get a complimentary SkinMedica Uplifting Eye Serum with any Allegro MedSpa treatment (including Botox) with the mention of The Rich Life in Wine Country. This offer is good until the end of the year!

Bella Vita Sonoma

Bella Vita Sonoma is located on the plaza in the charming town of Sonoma. I have known the owner, Janis, for many years and love shopping at her beautiful and unique shop.

Janis carries an eclectic mix of boho chic, mid-century style and gorgeous Victorian lace clothing. She also has jewelry, handbags and tote bags, shoes, candles, perfume, undergarments, sunglasses, hats and more. I can’t recall ever stepping foot in her shop and leaving empty-handed.

Most recently I bought a Johnny Was tunic that wore Thanksgiving Day with one of Elizabeth’s necklaces.

Janis is offering readers of my blog 20% off online purchases from now until 12/24/17.  Use the code TRL17XMAS at checkout.

Michelle Hoting Jewelry Artist

Michelle is a local artist and friend who makes stunning jewelry using nature as her starting point and inspiration. I wrote an article about Michelle and her art for Sonoma Magazine that you can read here.

Michelle currently has two of the maple seed necklaces seen in the first photo available now. And her flaming grape leaves, a design created after the recent fires, are made to order.

Visit Michelle’s website for more information or contact her at (707) 791-4680 or michelle@michellehoting.com

 

Happy shopping and thank you for supporting small businesses in wine country!

Filed Under: accessories, California, cooking, fashion, food, friends, gifts, holidays, shopping, skin, Sonoma, wine country, Women in Business Tagged With: accessories, Christmas, food, friends, holidays, jewelry, skin care, Sonoma, wine country

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© Adrienne Shubin, The Rich Life On the Go, The Rich Life in Wine Country, 2019. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Adrienne Shubin, The Rich Life on the Go and The Rich Life in Wine Country with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

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