Wine Selling Champeeene!

Just a few bits a pieces to report today...it's been about a month now that I have been running the Lafayette Resevoir each and every morning before work and I must say, it is finally starting to pay off...I'm losing a teeny bit of the carefully crafted beer gut I attained during my Euro Beer Fest of 2006, and feeling a bit more energetic lately. It helps when I girl works 12 hours a day...speaking of work, I am well on my way to winning the second wine contest of the summer. Last month, I sold the most bottles of Peju Cabernet (I'm pictured at the winery with my trophy) and this month I am well ahead of everyone else in Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay. Next month is Rombauer, which is going to be a real challenge because it is easy to sell and the prize is a weekend in Yountville, including dinner at Bouchon. Rombauer is affectionately known as "Danville Crack" so my peers are going to be in the hunt, and no one wants me to win again. This will be my biggest challenge yet. (Pictured are some of my co-workers and I up in Napa for a "field trip" wine tasting to Peju, Cakebread, Keenan and Rombauer, June 11-2007)

A final thought, my mentor and friend Jack Moore has just opened a super cool restaurant in Lafayette called "Metro." For those of you in the Bay Area, please stop by! For the rest of you, please check out his website at http://www.metrolafayette.com/ It's nice to know that my friends are flourishing and also, great to know that I can always come back and have a place to work. Ciao!

Girl Gone Wild

In an effort to save my pennies and get back to Europe, I have been extremely frugal with my spending. Alas, this has been a good thing: I finally reached my goal of $10,000 and with only 3 months left, I think I can get it up to $15,000. However, I looked around my closet and quickly decided that I do, indeed, deserve to have underwear that aren't ripped, full of holes, etc. So, I just went to Vic's Secret and blew $300 on various and sundry knickers! I am happy to report that I do not have one ounce of buyer's remorse and can't wait to get out and buy some new jeans. I also threw down for 2 pair of Ecco's and bought a new camera to replace the one I lost on Saint Patrick's Day. Still, with said 90 days left of work, I think I can still achieve my financial goals. I am also set to plunk down a cool $1000 for new contacts and glasses, but totally worth it...the ones I have look like Jan Brady's.

That's it, really. Nothing major, just waiting for The Burn and my return to Italia. I am starting Italian lessons this week, just a refresher course, hopefully once I get back there, it will come back to me like it did last year. Ciao!

Still Plugging Along

As usual, I feel as though I have absolutely nothing interesting to report, however, I have been up to Napa wine tasting and I did get to see the Police reunion tour stop at the Oakland Coliseum last night, so life isn't so full of work and more work. The Police deserve their own spot in the Blog, the show was incredible, clean, uplifting and fun. Thanks to Melissa and John for providing the tickets and thanks to Stacy for driving and to Kim for loaning me $20 because the ATM line was a mile long. Stu, Sting and Andy kicked serious arse, just the three of them, starting with Message in a Bottle, of course, and chucking out randoms like "Walking in Their Footsteps," and "Driven to Tears..." among others. Would follow them all summer, but of course, there is money to save and plans to make. Today at work was well, challenging at best, day shift was easy...tried my cucumber/lemon water and saw a potential Italy client...otherwise, made $173 hard dollars and had to stay late because of some girls who decided to throw cigarette butts all over the ground outside. Can't think about these details, trying to keep my eyes on the prize and planning to run my two miles at the Reservoir tomorrow, meet Lori for breakkie and then organize my crap...in other words, purge my old ghetto clothing and start planning for my escape to Italia. Must buy a map. Til then, laters!