Uncategorized

So … life had been going well. Really well.

There are many types of inspections that require our attention when we are selling our home.

The word “boutique” sends a message of stylish, individualized clothing. Entering a fashion boutique is akin to being transported into one of the fashion capitals of the world, where the quality, patterns and cloths used all depict the quintessence of haute couture.

Prior to the election on Nov. 8, we had seen a slow but steady rise in mortgage interest rates. Many attributed this to the fact that the markets were being conservative prior to the election, and that the Federal Reserve had indicated a rise in short term rates in December was a given.

The flu season is fast approaching—the other day while at a stoplight I was sandwiched in between two people who were coughing incessantly—but fortunately science has given us ways to get through the winter months with fewer sick days. In terms of preventing the flu, getting a flu shot—surprise—is a must-do.

I was anxious to see Janu and Jason Goelz’s brand new tasting room, inside The Stomping Ground, an ambitious and exciting venture between the Goelz’ and Tim Slater, owner of Sarah’s Vineyard. A three-year plan for the venue includes several other boutique wineries, a brewery and a distillery—along with upscale eateries. I passed through a courtyard with tables and a water feature as I made my way into the eclectic tasting room.Instead of the usual adjectives to describe each wine, the extensive menu only lists the percentages of the various grapes contained in each wine. Bill Corneth, pouring wines that day, explained, “We don’t try to tell you what you’re going to taste because we don’t want you to feel like you’ve done something wrong if you don’t taste what you think you should.” Bill poured the first wine, a Pixalated Rose, a blend of grenache, mourvedre and pinot noir grapes. It is a dry rose, with a creamy mouthfeel—a pretty aperitif for the holidays.  The 2013 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is a juicy bing cherry of a wine with a long, smooth finish. It’s 80 percent cabernet—blended along with four other varietals. Thoughts of pairing this wine with a rib eye steak drizzled with melted blue cheese crossed my mind.I tend to like wines with a little age on them so really enjoyed the 2011 Estate Merlot. This is a rich, full-bodied wine with complex flavors of dark fruits and well-structured tannins, making it an age-worthy wine. Purchasing two bottles before I left, I’ll have one bottle at this year’s holiday and save the other for next year.

You feel you are sitting on a rainbow and are fascinated with the edgy Tandy Beal’s take on The Nutcracker, in Nuts Re-Mixed! Here is entertainment that sits outside the box that gives a uniquely serendipitous experience.

Most objects can perform a function or purpose, but only a rare few can serve as a portal into the past. What if a piece of fabric could take you back in time?

Every year the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce receives nominations for the best Gilroy has to offer. After sorting through the nominations, eight individuals and organizations have been identified to receive the prestigious Spice of Life Awards.

The theatre department of Foothill College with director Bruce McLeod at the helm has taken on Thornton Wilder’s second Pulitzer prize play, Our Town, a sweet simple story of life as it really is in the fictional town of Grover’s Corners in the early 1900s. Using a plain set with just a table and some chairs and a ladder, the story covers childhood, courtship, marriage and death in three acts. The story brings the folly, foibles, happiness and tragedy of everyday life to the top of the rim of existence and touches the imagination.