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Staying Well this Winter

December 14, 2010 by Travel, Wine, Dine | Comments (1)

Winter in New England can seem never ending, and while the snow, cold, slush, and gray skies can be a bit much, I feel like we sometimes make it seem worse than it actually is. On an outdoor 10 mile run the other day, I remembered how much I love moving outside when there is a chill in the air. Sure those first few minutes are chilly, but once I am warmed up and breathing easier, there is nothing quite like that alive feeling that a cold day gives. And there is nothing better than the hot shower and cozy clothes that follow that workout. I find that the more time I spend outside in the winter, the healthier I stay. Based on my own pneumonia and the illnesses of many friends and family members so far this year, the “sick” season looks like it could be a bad one. Here are a few tips that I plan on using to stay my healthiest when the people around me are under the weather.

Eat like you do in the summer. . . most of the time

Obviously for most of us, access to fresh fruits and veggies declines and/or becomes pricey once winter hits. The temptation to eat heavy stews and mac and cheese can be hard to resist on those endless cold dark nights, and of course there is room for those things in a healthy diet. But I try to keep eating as many fruits and vegetables as possible. Most stores carry an abundance of frozen varieties that can be used in crunchy warm stir fries, or thawed and topped with hot oats for a body and soul warming meal. Continuing a vitamin rich food intake is number one for me, especially when work gets busy and the holidays hit.

Supplements

Everyone has their own opinions and experience with supplements, but I swear by drinkable ones such as Emergen-C and Amazing Grass powders. Trader Joe’s Super Red Drink Powder is my recent favorite. I really think it saved me last winter! They boost my energy, serve as great snacks, and offer nutrients that I may need a bit more of.

Water

Just because you aren’t sweating doesn’t mean you can drink less! Water is key to keeping your entire body working properly, including your immune system, and keeping the toxins in your body on the fast track out of you! I have been guilty many times of not hydrating well after an outdoor winter run because I am not thirsty, and I have paid for it! Make sure to be conscious of your fluid intake; that cranked way too high office heat takes its toll!

Hand washing

While really obvious, this one is so important! We all need to be reminded, especially in a year with flu levels expected to soar. My office has already seen its fair share of sick days, so I try to wash my hands multiple times a day in addition to the obvious ones. Keeping your phone, keyboard and desk clean and disinfected also make a huge difference.

Take a break!

I recently asked my readers what comforts them when they get sick, and so many of the things they do and eat could be done before you get sick. Make sure to take a break to curl up and watch a DVD or make yourself some amazing hot soup and go to bed early. Being run down makes it easy for germs to have their way with us, so be easy on yourself.
If you get sick there are lots of ways to cut the life of the illness short and to make sure you remain as comfortable as possible.

• Listen to your body, and listen well. It may tell you to take a sick day or to skip a couple of days at the gym. It knows best, and you will bounce back stronger!

• Try some natural relief: saline spray is miraculous for a stuffy nose, and my cure all broth (chicken or veggie broth with sautĂ©ed garlic, chilis, and ginger, heated to a drinkable temp) soothes the throat, clears the sinuses, and makes you sweat it all out. If all else fails, my in laws in Ireland give me a hot whiskey. It helps you get all of the sleep you need!

• A short, hot bath or shower with some dried lavender or lavender soap, followed by bedtime in the warmest pile of blankets you can find

Please note, I am not a medical professional, and these tips are based on my own personal experiences and opinions. Before making any changes in your diet or exercise program, you may want to consult a licensed physician.
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Back to Fall Back to You

September 8, 2010 by Travel, Wine, Dine | Comments (0)

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Summer 2010 is unofficially about to come to an end. It was a great one here in Boston with lots of heat and sunshine, and as sad it is is to see it go, fall brings such a freshness and new opportunities. People are back from vacations, weekends on the Cape, and summer houses in a variety of beautiful locales. Now is the time to check out your organizer, plan some great events, and figure out how you are going to make the rest of the year just as fun as the summer was.

Take a class. You don’t have to be a full time student to learn something new. Boston has so many opportunities for learning, from seminars that take just one evening to classes that last an entire semester. Most towns offer some sort of adult education program, and I can definitely vouch that Boston Center for Adult Education has some great classes. Learn a new language, attend a guided wine tasting, take a money management course, or pick up that old camera for a photography class.

Try a new workout. Maybe you have spent the summer running or walking outdoors, taking weekend bike rides, or just laying on the beach. Now is the time to get that heart rate up and to feel some healthy new energy. If you are in the mood for a splurge, why not book a couple sessions with a personal trainer? Feeling the urge to enjoy the beautiful fall New England scenery? Head to the Blue Hills or Great Brook Farms State Park for a day of hiking or running the trails. Or try a new machine at the gym, start strength training, or take a Zumba class to learn some saucy new dance moves.

To help with this, my friends at my own gym, Healthworks, have generously offered a free 3 day trial to CRAVE Boston readers! Just follow the link below to take advantage of this offer and to get moving!

http://www.healthworksfitness.com/special/crave-boston.php

Take advantage of seasonal produce. Sure we are sad that the tomatoes are gone, and blueberries are just a dream, but fall offers plenty of great farmers market finds like a variety of apples, squash, and root vegetables. Spend a Sunday at home whipping up a new recipe, maybe a soup or stew, and you will have lunch for the week!

Plan a spa day. Not in the position to spend a a month’s salary at a fancy spa? No worries! Head to your local pharmacy-type store and grab a couple of candles, a face mask, some nice bubble bath, and maybe a magazine on the latest celeb gossip, then set the scene at home for a day or evening of relaxation and pampering. You will feel like a new person by the end of it!

Whatever you do, starting the fall with your best foot forward, a calendar full of time with friends and family, and a rested mindset in the office will guarantee that you won’t even notice that the days are getting shorter and colder!

Cocktails for Everyone!

August 20, 2010 by Travel, Wine, Dine | Comments (0)

Anyone who is interested in wine, spirits, cocktails, the hottest new restaurants, and the people behind them needs to listen to the show Cocktails for Everyone! The creation of local wine and spirits expert, Catherine Stanton Schiff, Cocktails for Everyone! gives listeners the fun, behind the scenes scoop on what’s hot in wine, spirits, and food in Boston and around the country.

Catherine not only has an impressive background that spans two decades as a sales and marketing executive in the alcohol beverage industry, but she is a down-to-earth hostess with so much knowledge that listening to her show is like getting together with some of the world’s most famous wine and food personalities for cocktails, fun, informative, engaging, and leaves you looking forward to next week!

Catherine was kind enough to answer my questions about the show which airs every Thursday from 5-6 EST.

How did Cocktails for Everyone! start?

I had actually wanted to do a radio show for a while…I was a Communications major at BC, and had always intended to go into journalism, but (happily) ended up in the alcohol beverage business after graduation in sales & marketing. One of my favorite aspects of working in the beer, spirits, wine & restaurant industries over the past two decades was meeting the people behind the brands. I would work with visiting winemakers, distillers and brewers, listening to their stories about how they got into the business as well as how brands were conceived and marketed as we drove around to visit accounts. I’ve also been to some amazing places around the world where these products are made and I thought it would be interesting to share with others who share the same passion for cocktail culture.

I have a beverage consulting business, and had pitched my show idea to a few Boston radio people that I knew, with no success…I was discouraged, but didn’t give up. I discovered the VoiceAmerica Network (the largest internet radio network in the country) and the pieces all came together. VoiceAmerica loved the show concept and I have a great network of guests to tap into through my years in the industry. We launched May 20^th from the Nantucket Wine Festival and went from 2,000 listeners after 2 weeks in May, to 100,000 in June and 150,000 in July! Now brands and publicists are calling me to get on the show!

You have had an incredible variety of guests so far. Any favorites or surprises? Who would your dream guest be and why?

The alcohol beverage and restaurant industries have some fascinating people, and I have been fortunate to have some incredible guests who are legends in their field. They have all been wonderful to speak with, sharing their passion for what they do along with humor and great insight. I’ve loved speaking with Jeff Stewart (Buena Vista), Ondine Chattan (Geyser Peak), Tilar Mazzeo (“The Widow Cliquot” and “Back Lane Wineries of Napa & Sonoma”), Mark Hellendrung (Narragansett Beer) and Brice Cutrer Jones (Sonoma Cutrer & Emeritus Vineyards), Eileen Crane (Domaine Carneros) and Allison Evanow (Square One Organic Spirits). I also had some great Boston guys on – TJ Douglas (The Urban Grape) and Michael Scelfo & Aaron Butler (Russell House Tavern) who were fun & engaging to talk to. I have some amazing guests coming up, including legendary mixologists Dale DeGroff, who is widely credited with the classic cocktail resurgence, and Tony Abou-Ganim, as well as a few people from Food Network.  My dream guest right now is Ina Garten – I love her show, her personality and her entertaining philosophy – sharing great cocktails, wine and food with friends is what it’s all about. I’m actually in discussions with her publicist, so stay tuned!

What advice do you have for other women who are interested in starting a business or making a career change?

The advice I would give to someone who is starting a new business is it’s much harder than you think it’s going to be, but hang in there. Make sure you have a good support group – friends, family, business acquaintances– but realize that it all comes down to you to make it happen. Network, network, network – I cannot stress that enough! Whether it’s in person, like at a Downtown Women’s Club event, or online through CRAVE or LinkedIn, make sure you continue to build your connections, as you never know who you will meet that can help your business in some way. Embrace social media – it is the best and most efficient way to get your message out…just be cognizant of the fact that it can be very time consuming, so you have to manage it properly. Lastly, make sure you’re doing something that you love, that engages you and you are passionate about – it will motivate you each day and make the long hours that you’re working fly by!

Is there anything else you would like to tell us about the show?

It’s always 5 o’clock somewhere, so our show airs live every Thursday from 5-6 pm EST on VoiceAmerica.com, so you can listen at your desk and get ready to go out and have a cocktail! If you can’t listen live, it’s available a few hours after the show through the same link, or as a free podcast download on iTunes. I try to mix it up, between winemakers, chefs, authors, mixologists…there’s always something for everyone! People can also follow us on our Facebook Fan Page (Cocktails for Everyone!) and on Twitter (@Cocktails4Evry1). Cheers!

The Wine Bottega, Boston

August 5, 2010 by Travel, Wine, Dine | Comments (3)

Women are learning about wine, drinking wine, and working in the wine industry more than ever. There is no better example of this than the almost 2 year old wine shop, The Wine Bottega, in Boston’s historic North End. Surrounded by the hustle and bustle of Italian restaurants, boutiques, and this time of year, feasts of various saints, The Wine Bottega’s upstairs shop and downstairs tasting cellar offer a place to not just purchase wine, but to experience it.

It is everything a wine shop in the North End should be, cozy, charming, warm, and welcoming. And most importantly well stocked with wine and information on wine for those looking for a little more.

Owner Kerri Platt, who realized a dream when she purchased The Wine Bottega, has this to say about her shop: “From the first time I set foot in the shop, I felt that, like many of my favorite wines, there is a sense of history, tradition and specialness, that you can’t quite define, but just feels right.”’ (source)

In keeping with its North End roots, The Wine Bottega offers an extensive collection of wine from a variety of Italian wine regions, but its inventory also includes quite the selection from France, Spain, and Austria to name a few.

Handwritten cards posted behind the wines offer notes on wine regions, wine makers, and wine pairings.

Dark wood accents and exposed brick give the shop that North End feel; it is almost as though you have stepped out of Boston and into a shop on a side street in Florence.

Descending the stairs reveals even more character in The Wine Bottega’s tasting cellar. More wine, more dark wood, soft lighting, and a long table give way to a perfect place for tasting and learning about wine, something that happens frequently at The Wine Bottega. Special events and tastings, both inside and out of the shop, are regularly scheduled and include informative options such as Wine 101: Go back to school at The Bottega, tastings with winemakers, and even themed tastings like last week’s Pretty in Pink! Special Rosé Event, and 80’s themed tasting.

I had the pleasure of meeting Kerri and then of exchanging a few follow up emails where she shared answers to the following questions:

Do you have any advice for women interested in breaking into the wine industry from other industries?
First of all, Go For It! The wine industry is a fantastic world to live in full of passionate people and amazing opportunities. There is no set path for breaking into the industry, although many people have either started out in a small wine shop or as wait staff at a restaurant and then slowly worked their way up. I think that retail is the best place to start as most shops are constantly tasting new wines. Find a shop where the staff is helpful and focused on education and start hanging out and asking questions. If you can’t get a paying position right away, offer to be an intern, help out during events etc. It is amazing what you can learn this way and it’s a lot cheaper than signing up for a wine program! Not only do you learn about wine, but you also start meeting people and making connections in different aspects of the business. If you are focused and passionate, further opportunities have an interesting way of presenting themselves.

Many women, especially younger women are interested in wine but still have the perception that it is intimidating. Do you have any thoughts on this?
It drives me crazy that wine is surrounded by this layer of intimidation and pompousness! My shop is dedicated to breaking down this barrier and making wine fun and accessible to everyone. There is no need for anyone to ever feel intimidated by wine. I teach a Wine 101 class and it is all about teaching people to relax, get a few basics under your belt and then start exploring. To me it’s what I don’t know yet about wine that keeps it interesting, there is always something new to discover!

Your shop is in the North End, a place of tradition and culture. How has this location helped to shape your store? Have there been any specific positives or negatives to being in an area of the city that is known mostly for its Italian food and culture?
I love being in the North End and I can’t imagine my shop being anywhere else. I am extremely passionate about Italian wine, so being in the heart of an Italian neighborhood allows me to indulge this passion to its fullest. It’s more than just being able to offer a great selection of Italian wines though, it’s about embracing the Italian approach toward enjoying food and wine together with family and friends as a vital component of daily life.

The North End is truly a neighborhood in the best sense. Everyone knows each other, says “hi” on the streets as they stop by the Mercato del Mare to pick up their fish, the Salumeria Italiana to pick up cheese and cured meats and then The Wine Bottega for wine. I love being a part of these daily rhythms. Combine this with being on the Freedom Trail with its constant stream of visitors from around the globe sharing their experiences, and it is a remarkably unique place.

If you live in or are visiting Boston, I definitely recommend a visit to The Wine Bottega to browse the wine selection or to attend a tasting or other special event.

Check the CRAVE Boston Blog often for more upcoming posts from our new guest blogber Meghan Malloy of Travel, Wine, Dine