The Art of Love

A couple of weeks ago, my friends in Houston came out to help me celebrate my upcoming wedding. My wonderful Bridesmaids who live here, hosted me and several friends at Pinot's Palette.  I was super excited as this is a place I have literally been trying to go to for almost 3 years !

My lovely Bridesmaid

Me & my cousin

Painting with a purpose

The theme of the shower was, " The Art of Love" and I must say I truly felt loved on this day. I have wonderful friends who care for me.  The two Bridesmaids who hosted brought a nice spread of food, decorated the place and paid the fee for all of my guests to paint. My guests bought plenty of wine for us to share & I got some lovely gifts that I will enjoy on my honeymoon.  I ended up putting my painting up in my utility room. It really looks nice there.

A nice spread

My beautiful hostesses !

Having a blast

We had a really cool instructor who was funny & cool. As the wine flowed, we got a little rowdy and a little risqué and she hung right in there with us. We got to bring in our own music, so you know it was going down ! We had a nice little private party.

Me & another girlfriend

Yummy Cupcake- Wedding Cake Flavor

I was giving her tips on the technique

The finished product !

More good friends !

Showing off our artistic talent

Of course all of the Wineaux's in the house had to keep the party going !  We left there & because we were not ready to go home ended up at the Tasting Room & did some " Patio Parlaying "  into the early evening with more wine & more laughs. I had a very nice time.

Have you ever been to one of the paint & wine places popping up all over the country ?




Thoughts ? Comments ? Questions ?


Beautifully Complex

Weekend Wrap Up

The weekend was cool. In between lots of rain that came through, I got out a bit on Friday and spent the rest of the time lounging at home, getting some things done around the house and napping.

Friday I met Mr.Mixologist for lunch at Nundini Chef's Table an Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar. The food was good. He picked the spot and we will definitely be back so I can try their gelato. Since I had to go back to work, I didn't have any wine, but they seem to have a nice selection. The dining area is surrounded by wine bottles and you can see into the kitchen. They also have a seperate store/deli counter area. From the outside it looks like a warehouse but the inside is very cozy. I had the Talapia Parmesan which was deelish I had never had it prepared that way and it was moist and very fresh. My honey had a Panini with pasta salad that he really enjoyed.  If you are ever in Houston in the area called The Heights, its a nice spot for lunch or dinner.

Talapia Parmesan with Asparagus

Fresh Garden Salad

Italian Panini with Pasta Salad

Friday night we ended up going to one of our favorite neighborhood places, Cellar 17 Wine Bar. When we don't feel like leaving the Suburbs to head to Midtown or Downtown, this is our go to spot. I have been coming here for several years even before we met. The lady who owns this place is married to the owner of Mr. Mixologist's favorite cigar lounge which is next door, Serious Cigars. The customer service is great, they have lots of by the glass choices & can always help you find something you like. They have nice cheese plates and pizza but they actually let you bring in your own takeout if you wish & will provide you with plates & utensils.  One plus is they allow cigar smokers. They evidently have a great ventilation system because it is never smoky in the Wine Bar. We literally spend several hours here (it takes the Mr. about 3 hours to smoke 2 nice sticks).

Awesome Cheese plate for snacking with my vino !

I am trying to increase my knowledge and expand my palate for different cheeses and this place does not disappoint. They have lots of options and you can mix and match and customize your plate the way you like. I try to stick with what I know I like and try something new also. I know that people with vastly more wine knowledge than I, eat certain cheeses with certain wines, but I typically just find cheeses that I like and eat it with whatever I'm drinking. This week I had Brie, Gruyere, Beemster and  tried Carmody for the first time. I really enjoyed the new selection it was creamy and buttery but somewhat firm. 

Saturday morning I slept in after having quite a bit of vino ( I'm such a Wineaux !) LOL.  I made it to the hair salon, ran a couple of errands and then did some things around the house before taking a nice long nap.

Sunday, I went to Bedside Baptist and watched service online. LOL We had a visiting Pastor Dr. Joel Gregory and I like him pretty well. He is very sharp and knows his scripture. Pastor West seems pretty confident in him as well.  It was just the rain and laziness that kept me at home. Later on I did  some laundry and a bit of cleaning. Overall it was a nice lazy weekend.

How was your weekend ?  What did you do ?

Thoughts ? Comments ? Questions ? 

Beautifully Complex 

Day 15 - Death Row Meal

If I was dying and got to choose my last meal, calories be damned, I would have to go out with a bang.......

Appetizer:  Cajun Boiled Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce

Salad:  Spinach Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing

Entree:    Snow Crab Legs w/ Garlic Butter
               Prime Rib
               Baked Potato with Butter, Sour Cream, Cheese, Chives AND Bacon
               (who cares about cholesterol I'm about to die ! LOL )
               Steamed Broccoli
               Garlic Bread

Dessert: Peach Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream

Wine: A BOTTLE of an Ecco Domani blend (probably Chardonnay & Pinot Grigio)
Yes I said bottle, I would probably need to be buzzed if I am getting ready to die LOL 

What would you want your final meal on this earth to be ?


Thoughts ? Comments ? Questions ?

Beautifully Complex 

Thankful: Day 18 Warm Fire, Cool Vino

My favorite part of the fall weather change is the chance to use my fireplace.  I love it because it's gas with the fake wood logs and lights up very easily.  No messy cleanup and no heavy wood loading and carrying. Tonight is one of those nights to snuggle up with my love, enjoying the warm fire and a nice cool crisp glass of wine. And that is exactly what I am going to do to end this work week.

So tonight I am thankful for a nice warm fire and a cool glass of vino.

What are you thankful for ?

Beautifully Complex 

Just Me..........Randomly

Greetings Blog family ! Hope your 2010 is off to a wonderful start. Other than the record breaking cold temperatures in Houston over that last couple of weeks making me have to dust off my winter coat that I usually never use here, it has been great.

Got a chance to check out a new wine spot last week. Max's Wine Dive. The wine was great and the food looked really good, but I had already eaten so I didn't get a chance to sample. My group was standing at the end of the bar, near the entrance to the kitchen, so I could see the constant parade of food headed to the tables. I exercised some major discipline and didn't order anything and also limited my wine intake for the evening. The ambiance and the crowd were cool to so I most definitely will be back.

Happy Founder's Day to my beautiful, intelligent, and talented Sorors of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. I was looking through some pledge pictures of me and my line sisters last night and cannot believe how unbelievably skinny I was in college. I would not want to be that skinny again..... but dropping 15-20 lbs. would be good for this year ! LOL

I have a friend who is from Haiti who I actually met online several years ago. Please pray for his family during this challenging time. I spoke with him by phone yesterday and he seems OK but I could not imagine how to deal with so much uncertainty. It seems that financial donations are the best means of helping at the moment.

Tomorrow morning is the Houston Marathon, wish I had stayed committed, like I planned and I wouldn't be talking about dropping lbs :( ! I was looking over my finisher medals from the 4 Half-Marathons that I have completed & had really wanted to be able to run the full by the time I was 40, but my knees have just said no way. I am going to watch it on TV in the morning and then get on the bike for ride. The good thing is that one of my friends has signed me up for another 20 mile bike ride in March and a couple of road races ( 5K & 10K) so I am trying to get prepared & motivated to meet some fitness goals.

Speaking of, so far this year I have been focused on cooking and eating out less. I was doing pretty good the first 10 days or so, but then worked kicked in hard the second week and I have been putting in some very long hours & it's just so convenient to grab something when you are tired. Sometimes meal planning seems like work and I procrastinate & then end up just back to the same. I will try again this weekend to do my shopping and planning & just be better.

I have been getting some of the funniest emails from internet dating sites that I subscribe to.
I think I may save some of them for blog fodder as opposed to deleting them like I usually do.
I haven't really been actively searching but just read the messages that I get a couple times a week. It's funny, since that little age box clicked over to 40 on my profile, all the the 55+ think they have a shot ! LOL


My plans for the lovely weekend include girls night tonight, grocery shopping, meal planning and my date with Denzel Washington on Saturday ! LOL ,then Sunday, watch a bit of the Marathon on TV, put some miles on the bike, head to church, cook dinner & chill. Monday is MLK Day, so weather permitting I will be at the parade. Well, I am headed out to run some errands and get dressed to head to Sullivan's for some fun time with some great friends ?


What's going on random with you ?

Wine Enthusiast !

One of the coolest Bloggers on the Planet, Serenity is having a contest over at her spot this week. I am trying to get some bonus points & try to win a little something, plus you might win yourself so be sure to head over there and check her out !http://serenity23.blogspot.com/2009/09/its-party-yall.html


I have been lea.rning more about wine for the last couple of years and have actually learned to enjoy it quite a bit. My favorites are whites, like Pino Grigio, Gewurztraminer, and Riesling. Most of my friends are on the bandwagon now, but I always enjoy taking someone to a new spot. There are numerous Wine Bars popping up all over Houston lately like, Cel.lar 17 and one owned by a young brother called 55 De.greez.


Today I will let you in on a few of my favorites in the Houston area. The first one is called Vinotropolis. Now I really like this place because the staff is extremely helpful and not at all pretentious like some places. I would recommend this place because the owners have tasted EVERY bottle on the shelf and have these little cards attached to the shelves that gives you a very specific & detailed explanation of the flavors and what the wine tastes like. This is very helpful for beginners. You can check their site out here.http://www.vintropolisbar.com/

Another really nice one is called Crush. Now its located in The Woodlands which is a really nice suburb just north of Houston, but don't that that deter you. This Wine Bar has two levels. My favorite spot is the roof top Patio which overlooks the waterway. Its really cool, especially at night and has lots of draped Gazebo's and reminds me of a place I went to in Miami several years ago. This is a nice place to take a date or a group of friends. Check it out !http://www.thecrushbar.com/gallery.php

Finally, my most favorite place in Houston, and a pretty well kept secret for a little while at least, is Son.oma Wine Bar & Boutique. This place is really cozy and intimate, they have a wonderful fireplace and you feel like you are sitting in someones well appointed living room. The wine of course is great but surprsingly the food is amazing too. They have expanded their menu quite a bit in the year and half I have been hanging out here. I had a wonderful party this past summer to celebrate my 40th Birthday & everyone really enjoyed the Wine and the food. I got so many compliments because so many people never even knew this place existed.You can check there site out too. Be sure to click on the photo gallery to see how they set it out ! http://www.sonomahouston.com/

I like to think of myself as an up an coming Wine Enthusiast, but my sister just calls me a "Win-o" LOL ! If you are ever in Houston, try to hit up one of these spots and I am sure you will enjoy it tremendously.

What are some cool spots for wine in your city ?

What is your favorite type of wine ?

How many glasses does it take for you to feel mellow ?

40 and Fortunate

Today is my 40th Birthday and I am thankful for all that it represents. Milestones are for reflection and that is something that I have continued to do over the last few years. This past weekend my family and some close friends travelled to Houston to help me celebrate with gusto. I was reminded of how full my life is, despite the disappointments and challenges of the past. I am fortunate and blessed with more than I could ever deserve.

My party was held Saturday night at So.noma Wine Bar and the whole experience truly exceeded my expectations. I absolutely fell in love with this place the first time I went there about a year ago and booked the date about 6 months after that. It is extremely cozy and intimate, not pretentious, yet very classy. I am blessed to have a couple of good friends that went above and beyond to make my ideas of how I wanted it to be become a reality and I won't forget that. Caire & Kim were the perfect Coordinator and Hostess & Brooke took some awesome photos (that for some reason I can't upload to Blogger !) Oh well the ones I took with my camera will have to do for the blog for now. The food was absolutely wonderful and the wine was flowing good and plenty. I still had 6 bottles to take home with me & you know it won't be wasted LOL ! I was on my feet all night, "with the flyest & hottest shoes I own" trying to spend a little time with all of my guests. My calves are still killing me but it was worth it. I do believe that my family and friends enjoyed themselves which was my ultimate goal. Even my blog buddy Tiffany in Houston was in the house to celebrate with me. The staff was very accomodating and the service was excellent !

Prior to the party, I took my family to M.ag.giano's for dinner. I wanted to do something special for my nieces, as they were none too happy that they were not able to be in attendance at the "grown up" party ! I decided to surprise them by having a Limosuine pick us up for dinner. The look on their faces when they came outside the house to leave was truly priceless !

After dinner they actually got to see the place where the party was held when the adults got dropped off and then they got to ride back to the house with the babysitter in the Limo by themselves ! I even got them some "Spar.kling A.pple Ci.der" for the ride. Baby let me tell you they really thought they were doing something. I loved it !!!

I really appreciated my family coming in and being so excited for me. I received some lovely gifts that I truly did not expect. Friday night I hosted a Cookout for my family & though I did most of the cooking, my Mom eagerly pitched in to help as she is always willing to do. Man nobody cuts for you like your Mama !!

Sunday Afternoon, I hosted Brunch at my house for my family, and a few friends. My mama's Chicken & Waffles was off the chain ! Kim hooked up the Mimosas, but the funny thing is so many people were hung over from all the wine on Saturday night, only me and my cousin could stand to drink the champagne ! I had specifically had made it a point to not imbibe TOO much Saturday night so as to be able to truly enjoy the festivities. Funny story: Sunday morning my 66 yr old father was slow to get up and move around, when he finally came in the kitchen to get some coffee he told my brother-in-law that he had a "wine headache". We all stopped and looked at him & my brother-in-law said, " Well Dad, I think they call that a hangover ! LOL"

All in all, I feel peace today. I just want to be in His will. I want to be all that He intends for me to be and I want to work at it each and every year.

I am fortunate...to have love and frienship in my grasp.

I am fortunate....to have family that supports me without hesitation.

I am fortunate....to have good health, a home, and a job.

I am fortunate ...to still have a positive spirit.

I am fortunate ...to still have the mindset to seek the desires of my heart.

I am fortunate ....to know that God's love and salvation matter the most.

In what ways are you fortunate ?

Blogger Meet and Greet

Make a Smilebox slideshow

I had to come out of my self-imposed hiatus to recap the fabulous Houston Blogger Meetup we had last night. There were losts of laughs and the food and drinks were great. We planned to do it again very soon.

I waited for my blog friends at the bar at Pa.ppa.dea.ux enjoying a nice glass of Riesling and struck up a conversation with a very nice, handsome young man. He could not believe that I was actually meeting some women I had never met in person, so I had to break down the whole blogging thing. He was interested. We discussed travelling, online dating, and the Houston social scene. He was very gracious and I enjoyed chatting with him.

For dinner, I sat right across from Tyler who is amazingly even more handsome in person. I let him know that I am holding my nieces for him to mature a little bit more. He was very well mannered and extremely patient with all of the craziness going on around him. I was impressed but not surprised.

I wore my leopard sandals and matching headband in honor of our Hostess, the shoe queen, Serenity. She was wearing a beautful turquoise dress and her hair looked great. She was even more beautiful in person.

Serenity has some very cool friends who provided much comic relief and I have no more worries about our children in the public education system, they are in good hands ! LOL

I was posted up with the Fabulous Blog Wifey of Babs, Tiffany in Houston who is the "realest of the real" . We found out just how small the world is and I know there truly is less than "Si.x De.gree.s of S.eperation" LOL !

Thanks Tiffany for the pep talk and words of encouragement about my "situations and thangs". I just may re-think that 28 yr old we talked about :) I can at least get some blog fodder out of it if nothing else.

An Icey was a pleasant surprise, neither of us were expecting the other but I am so glad she came. She was extremely warm and funny.We are gonna have to try and find a 5k. I am motivated now !

Thanks Ladies for a wonderful time. We must do it again soon.