This was our third trip to Lake Chelan this past year. Can you tell we like the place? Mostly we are attracted to the wine from the region, but the views are quite the draw too. Charlie and I booked the weekend as a Christmas gift for his mom and brother and we were ecstatic [...]

For Valentine’s Day, Chef (that would be my husband) and Cook (that would be me) decided to spend the lover’s holiday at home. We both adore the kitchen and decided on a four-course dinner. Flipping coins for the courses, he pulled the starter and meat course, I, pasta and dessert.

When our friends Chris and Renee got engaged this past summer there was no question that Charlie and I would host an engagement celebration for them. After all, they did the same for us when Charlie got down on one knee. Three weeks ago we opened up our doors and a few bottles of champagne.

“Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime.” – Chinese Proverb
At FareStart, food is the tool that empowers lives, nourishes families, and builds communities. It is an organization that empowers homeless and disadvantaged men, women, and families to achieve self-sufficiency through life skills, [...]

Loving Local Food is a food lover’s (that’s me!) adventure with cooking, eating, wining, and dining. It is my continued quest to discover new culinary techniques, sample dishes from local chefs, and share my foodie experiences through photos and text. The food snaps pique people’s interest and often spark a conversation, so I want the [...]

It was an OMG, the patio is complete and summer isn’t even over yet kind of day. On a whim we invited Charlie’s dad and Kasandra over for dinner to help us celebrate. We picked up a filet of salmon, yellow corn the cob, and fresh peaches. Charlie soaked a cedar plank and lit the [...]

I gave the following as a speech for a local community group. I was in awe at the passion it stirred and I am inspired to share it with you.
I recently read a book that has changed the entire way I think about wine. Passion on the Vine author, Sergio Esposito, grew up in Naples [...]

On a hunt for neutral barrels and glass carboys for our winemaking venture, Charlie and I found ourselves in Woodinville. We purchased the needed supplies from a fellow home winemaker and in a passion on the vine mood; we decided to visit a few warehouses wineries while there.
We specifically sought out Darby Winery in search [...]