January 2014

I love wine.

I’m sure that goes without saying considering the title of this blog. And I’m really excited that this year I get the chance to go to the Boston Wine Expo at the Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center in February! The opportunity to try over 300 wines in the span of 4 hours, plus tasty bites and live cooking demos? Sign me up!

There are also educational seminars that you can attend to learn more about whatever topic tickles your tastebuds. I’m already eyeing the “Cheese and Wine Matching Seminar” where you get to try wines expertly paired with different cheeses. There’s also location-based seminars for those who are interested in learning about wines specific to places like Napa Valley or Portugal. I think deciding on which seminars to go to would be one of the hardest decisions of the day!

And guess what? The Boston Wine Expo wants you there too! I have two tickets to give to a lucky reader for the Expo’s Grand Tasting on Sunday, February 16th! Your tickets will include access to the main event, a souvenir glass with which you can try any of the 300(+) wines that will be available for sampling, complimentary food samples from a variety of culinary producers, and live cooking demonstrations. I don’t know about you, but I’m super excited.

To enter, simply leave a comment below telling me what your favorite wine is and why you’d like to to the Boston Wine Expo! (Don’t forget to leave your name and email address so I can contact you if you win!)

~~For an extra entry, follow me on Twitter @ChocoAndWine and leave me a comment telling me you did!~~

~~The entry period will run from today, January 15th through Thursday, January 30th. I will pick a winner at random and announce it here!~~

Congratulations to Lauren Boucher for winning 2 tickets to the Sunday Grand Tasting at the Boston Wine Expo!

And for those of you who want to buy tickets now (before they sell out!), use discount code SOCIAL at checkout for 10% off tickets for either Saturday or Sunday’s Grand Tasting! (You can buy tickets here: http://j.mp/BWETix)

"Life's too short to drink bad wine." — “Life’s too short to drink bad wine.”

*As a blog ambassador, the Boston Wine Expo is providing me with complimentary tickets to the event, as well as a pair of tickets to give away. As always, all opinions are my own.

I know I’m not the only person who said this, but 2013 flew by. It was an incredible year for me and I’m a little sad to say goodbye to it. To honor it, I’m looking back on all of the amazing (and sometimes sad) things that happened during it, complete with lots of photos!

2013 started with this guy. At the time, we had been together a whopping 5 months, but I already knew he was a different kind of special.

I continued to work for Boston.com as a sports production intern, covering everything from football to hockey, including the Bruins playoff run. Watching games from the TD Garden 9th floor Press Loge is something I will never forget.

I also miss this view... — I also miss this view…

I went to my first Muse concert and loved every second of it.

May or may not have had many beers at this concert.

I covered the Boston Marathon and left the finish line minutes before the bombings. Thinking about that day still shakes me to the core.

I ran 1 single road race: the Beach-to-Beach 5K in Marblehead for my third year in a row. Not my best, not my worst, but my only. Running and I weren’t close this year apparently.

I danced in my 5th DanceWorks Boston show and choreographed my 5th piece, “World Spins Madly On“.

I ended the internship I loved on a high note and accepted my first full-time “big girl” job offer a few weeks later with premium chocolate company, Lindt & Sprungli, working in their USA headquarters in Stratham, New Hampshire. Yes, there is chocolate around me all day, every day.

Lindt USA.. where it always smells like chocolate.

BUT I managed to not gain weight in the 6+ months I’ve worked here. Happy dance.

We knew each other a whole year… and that same weekend, I shot a gun for the first time. Irony?

Pretty cool even though I didn't hit anything. — Pretty cool even though I didn’t hit a single disk thingy.

4th of July was complete with this awesome ‘Merica flag cake.

I can't wait to make this again! — I can’t wait to make this again!

I turned 25 in true 25-year-old fashion. On a party bus with my friends.

I moved to a different state (New Hampshire) and in with this guy.

Putting in contact paper like a pro on our first night!

So cute & crafty. Salt dough! — So cute & crafty. Salt dough with help from Sean’s mom!

And celebrated being together a whole year.

We road-tripped to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to visit Sean’s sister Chelsea and her boyfriend Scott. And had an unbelievable time.

Only 4 more hours to go ... — Only 4 more hours to go …

I went on my first real business trip to Savannah, Georgia.

I dressed as a shark to Sean’s Sharknado for Halloween.

"You are the shark to my Sharknado." — “You are the shark to my Sharknado.”

We went to the MSPCA at Nevin Farms’ “Cat Adopt-a-thon”, rescued a beautiful 3-year old tiger-striped tabby, named her Sophie, and fell in love with her.

How could you not love that little face?

My family went to my cousins’ new house in Maine to celebrate Thanksgiving for the first time. Many hours of football and eating commenced.

My cooking and baking marathon for Thanksgiving! 2 pumpkin pies & honey oat loaf later... — My cooking and baking marathon for Thanksgiving! 2 pumpkin pies & honey oat loaf later…

I got into the Christmas spirit early with twinkle lights and an American Girl doll Christmas tree. Next year, it’ll be much bigger.

I had a wonderful Christmas.

Traditional Christmas Eve photo! Also – I’m short.

And finally, we dressed up for New Years Eve (another big shout out to Sean’s mom for costuming us!) and attended a Gatsby-themed party. (And suffered no hangover the next day!)

Circa 1920s for NYE! Hair courtesy of my new hair wand curling toy.

2013 was fast and fun for me, with so many memories, I probably missed a few. I danced, I laughed, I cried, I loved. I could not be more thankful or happy in the place I am in right now.

Cheers to you, 2014. You have some big shoes to fill.

Month: January 2014

Boston Wine Expo 2014 (and a Giveaway!)

A look back at 2013