Hill Country Wine Tour

Wine is an essential part of my family holidays. Especially since my parents started their own winery a few years ago. This Thanksgiving was blessed with a great Austin area wine country tour. Beautiful views, a fun drive and fabulous wine. If you're in the Austin area, you've got to check these out!

Driftwood Vineyards

A down home spot with a great Hillcountry view. The wines are quite tempting here (And blew our budget!) I suggest the SuperTexan, the Syrah and the Cuve Blanc. Just $5 for a tasting of six wines. (photo from chris_cogs2's flickr)

Mondola Winery

For Lunch and Wine Tasting, head on over to Mandola Winery. A gorgeous spot with a Bocce court, room for running and strolling, big shade trees and INCREDIBLE Italian food. Really. This place was made by a man long in the restaurant business in Texas and the USA - Damian Mandola. He is associated with D'Amico's in Houston, Damian's Cucina Italiana and then Carraba's. What a legacy! This is what you'd expect a Texas Vineyard to look like! (photo from their website)

After a grand lunch here, head on into Wimberly for some shopping and to avoid the pasta-coma. This town is a gem and offers art, art, art and antiques. I promise there is something for everyone!

On your way back to Austin make sure you have a good bottle of wine and some cash left and eat at the famous Salt Lick Bar-b-que. Y.U.M.

Now that s a good day!

Sri Lankan Talent

The last visit to Sri Lanka produced a love for the young and upcoming Sanjeewa Kumara. His work is full of hybrids, dreams and symbols. The colors, the gradient backgrounds and the fusion of cultures is mesmerizing. Check him out!

Tasty Emissions

Don't you just love You Tube? And now food and the tube have come together to make great stuff. Enjoy! (and thanks BananaHead Pancake for sharing this too!)

Made it to Modish Giveaway!

This week one of my prints is included in the killer giveaway on Modish. If you have not made it over to Modish yet - get your fingers moving!

Modish has amazing artisans and guest bloggers. Featuring mostly handmade items and indie artisans, it is a constant site of inspiration. 

Enjoy and good luck!

Thankful for those who make my food

I dropped in at the Austin Museum of Art Saturday to see the Sebastiao Salgado Workers exhibit. I was struck by how hard other people work to make the coffee I drink, the sugar I use, the ships to transport it in, the oil to fuel them.

Take a moment and thank these people for what is in your pantry today. They make our lives so simple. 

Thanks laborers of the world!

Allana Coffee Curing Works. Karnataka State, South India, 2004

by Sebastiao Salgado for illy.

Something Old, Something New

When I was living in Savannah, Georgia and attending SCAD for my MFA I had two fabulous Thanksgivings. One introduced me to the old Georgia family-style T-Day traditions - eating outdoors, fried Turkeys, 20 miscellaneous guests and lots of Beaujolais- Nouveau (yes, by the CASE. )

The second was a "new to Georgia" experience. It included an elephant gun, my department chair, an art gallery owner, two humorous hairdressers with their Superbowl party video, the beach and too much wine again. 

Now that I'm in Texas, things are a bit more .... mellow. 

How do you SPICE UP your holidays and get out of a rut?