by Christina Waters | Feb 11, 2014 | Holidays |
Valentine’s at Hallcrest Winery
Friday, February 14 through Sunday, February 16, 1 – 5pm
Celebrate Valentine’s Day at historic Hallcrest Winery with a candlelit tasting of exceptional Pinot Noirs along with cheese, homemade chocolate desserts and beautiful music.
Wine Proprietor, John Schumacher, has chosen his favorite Santa Lucia Highlands and Santa Cruz Mountain Pinot Noirs for you to explore, and the Hallcrest team has selected the perfect desserts to complement each of these wines.
This uniquely delicious pairing will take place in the romantic ambiance of our candlelit tasting room, accompanied by live music on Saturday by songwriter and musician Kara Hese. With its soulful and sultry style, Kara’s music is ideal for St. Valentine’s Day!
Please RSVP for parties of four or more people. It is open to all. Complementary for Hallcrest wine club members and $7 for non-members.
by Christina Waters | Dec 23, 2013 | Holidays |
Truly one stop shopping for those last-minute Santas — the eclectic and inviting Homeless Garden Project Holiday Store (in the arcade behind O’Neil’s and Annieglass) is full of tasty and charming items. I was greeted by helpful and very efficient staffers last week who helped me choose a gift for my mom, made by local artisans of course. Candles, wonderfully-scented soaps, little succulent kingdoms, prints, cards, colorful woven items, jewelry, just terrific gift stuff — well-priced and waiting for you.
Put your money to work in the best possible way while filling the very last of your gift needs.
Open 10-8pm right now!
by Christina Waters | Dec 22, 2013 | Holidays |
Interior of the Homeless Garden Project Holiday Store – in the breezeway just behind Pacific Avenue. Wonderful locally-made arts and crafts of high quality!
by Christina Waters | Nov 20, 2012 | Holidays |
Ah those crafty Surf City Vintners know how to get my attention. Holding their annual Art, Wine & Gift Bazaar this Friday, November 23 from noon to 5pm, the savvy winemakers will offer handcrafted, locally-made gifts by area artisans at each of the thirteen Surf City wineries.
Tasting fees on Friday will be waived with a donation of non-perishable food for the Walnut Avenue Women’s Center. This is truly a no-brainer event.
Winetasting. Handcrafted gifts. The opportunity to grab some appetizers at Le Cigare Volant, party specialties at El Salchichero, pastries from Kelly’s, everything else you need at New Leaf — this is truly a one-stop-shopping event.
Yes, the day after Thanksgiving. Step away from the computer—taste and shop away those holiday calories!
by Christina Waters | Dec 7, 2011 | Food, Holidays, Home |
Here’s a vintage portrait of the highly independent woman whose fruitcake recipe I used, with much variation, in my own recent effort.
According to her niece, Lisa Jensen, this portrait of Anna Augusta Kirstine Jensen was taken in 1920 or 1921, “when Chris would be 18 or 19 years old.”
Her fruitcake heyday happened much later, when she retired to Hermosa Beach, California.
Thanks Aunt Chris!
by Christina Waters | Nov 30, 2011 | Food, Holidays, Home |
This was how the Magdalene must have felt, anointing the body with precious spices and elixirs, carefully wrapping it in clean linens before placing it in the cool dark place where it would wait—preserved and guarded—until its ultimate appointment with destiny.
As I watched my fruitcakes slowly cooling on their racks, the mythic significance suddenly hit me. Since the dawn of time, women’s hands had carefully wrapped such precious bodies—in some cases a dead loved one, in others a symbolic cake—the bearer of costly ingredients, memories and hopes for the future.
All such creations were intended to undergo a transformation. To wait until the moment when they would grace the center of the ceremonial table. I considered how many hearths, through how many centuries, had witnessed this preparation.
Mixing the ingredients of two bowls (there was just too much to manage in a single bowl) laden with chopped figs, (more…)
