Now that we've officially launched our blog, I thought you might like to know how it all began. Probably like most fun ideas - out of the blue.
It was, appropriately, on a "quest." We didn't really know it was a quest at the time. Katie & I met for lunch in Jefferson City, Missouri at Arris' Bistro. We had a great lunch with a crisp Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc (Kim Crawford Winery, I believe.) And then we had a yummy dessert. . . oooooo, so yummy. Katie had a delish chocolate cheesecake and I went with a lighter lemon-berry cake concoction. I felt it was necessary to mention the desserts, because . . . well, because of the outstanding yumminess. They really aren't integral to the story, but - yummy.
So, all full from delicious lunch, wine and dessert, we decided to try another spot for an after-lunch cocktail. I'm pretty sure this was a Monday (Katie can correct me if I'm wrong!) We went downtown to Capitol City Cork & Provision (couldn't find a website for them.) Its a cool looking place on the main business drag - I really wish I could tell you more about it, but we were greeted by a young man who said he couldn' t sell us wine - he was underage and the owner was gone "for a while." Ummmm. . . O K. I was a little confused why a wine bar couldn't serve wine, but there you have it. So, we ended up at Madison's Cafe, a Jeff City standard for years. A wonderful server made us vodka tonics, and this is where the real story begins.
So, cocktails. I'm guessing a lot of ideas start over cocktails. Probably most of them are crap. But we felt like we were really on to something. Truth be told, Katie had the actual "idea," the orignal eureka moment. She's blogged for a long time on her own site and has been more dedicated to it than I have. (And I'm an English major - go figure.) But anyway, we ran with the blog idea, bemoaning the fact that most wine blogs seemed to be stuffy, snobby, jargon-heavy treatises that seem to TRY to make you feel stupid about wine and all things wine related**. We wanted to share OUR wine world - the fun one, the one that has yummy desserts at local bistros, shares glasses of wine or cocktails with good friends, and loves wine because it tastes good, not because the terroir has superiorly balanced Ph and carbonic maceration was used in fermentation and the decanting process was precisely followed. . . all good things, but really. I don't even care that much. It's interesting, but peripherally so. That's not really what the wine world I know is all about.
So, we went home after a couple more cocktails, and sobered - ahem, I mean, "rested" up, and realized that - yay! - we really were on to something. The next step: I visited Peaceful Bend Winery for an afternoon and we hammered out our plan over Wenwood wine with computers and my cool funky Nancy Drew upcycled notebook.
It's a good one, and I thank Katie for starting the ball rolling. We had an exciting, fulfilling day that day, writing our very first TWCQ blog, and we've had lots of fun since. Thanks so much for sharing in the fun as we move ahead with our quest. The idea is a growing and vibrant one, so who knows, ultimately, where the path will lead. I only know, for sure, that we'll have a fantastic journey (with many yummy desserts!)
Happy Trills,
Laura
**I'm sure it's not completely true that all wine blogs are technical or snobby, so all you FUN wine bloggers out there, please contact us and prove us wrong!! We'd love to share. Thanks!
Awwww...thanks for recording that day. Your wine AND your Nancy Drew notebook were delicious. That etsy dealer is out of the ND notebooks tho....poo. What am i going to get my sister for Christmas now???
Posted by: Katie - Wine Chic | 07/09/2012 at 11:42 PM
Nice job girls!! Love it!
Karen Elam
Posted by: Karen Elam | 07/10/2012 at 06:23 AM
Thanks so much Karen! And Katie, the weather makes me realize that Christmas is a while off yet - you have time!!!! ;)
Posted by: Laura - Wine Chic | 07/10/2012 at 09:25 AM