Sunday 24 November 2013

Origin: Spain
Rated with 91 points
Price: We received it as a gift, but it appears that it varies in price with an average of $40/bottle
Grape Blend: Garnatxa negre, Carinyena, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah
It is definitely a powerful wine that would be best paired with a powerful meat as well, such as lamb or beef.
This is a wine is of enormous physical dimension, with tannins that plant themselves like marble columns decorated in ripe black fruits and sweet spice.
Its flavour (as described by Steven Tanzer) are Inky ruby. Raspberry, minerals, Asian spices and smoky oak on the nose. Fine-grained and sweet, with impressive lift to the flavors of raspberry, wild strawberry and minerals. Finishes long and juicy, with sweet, silky tannins and a strong snap of zesty minerals. 

CHRIS AND I REALLY ENJOYED THIS WINE AND WE WOULD RECOMMEND IT TO FRIENDS AND STRANGERS ALIKE :)



Friday 22 November 2013

Well, we are back from our Vegas adventure!
The weather was perfect (Sunny and 20 C) and we had a wonderful time away.
Chris and I successfully ran the Rock n Roll half marathon. Although Chris did not train at all, he was able to get caught up in the excitement of the race package pickup and decided to run anyways. I cannot say that I am proud of him (because he really did not train AT ALL!) But I am happy that he did and that he has the medal to prove it :)
I however am slightly disappointed with my time. I felt really good and decided that I would try and go for a personal best. I did not have my gps with me, so I thought it would be reasonable to pair up with one (or two) of the 1:45 pacers.
I felt super strong the first half, and my split times show that. I ran less than a 5:00min/km for the first half, and that is about the time I saw my first 1:45 pacer. Not only did I find one, I found 2. I thought this was perfect so I just followed with them for the remaining 5 miles.
I now know that if you have a goal in mind, you should probably try and bring your own Garmin, or at least go with what feels good.
I stayed with my pacers up until the last mile, but decided to blow past them as I felt so strong. Turns out the reason I felt so strong was because they were not running the 5:00min/km that they were advertising.  I finished the 13.1 miles in 153:03. A far cry from my goal of less than 1:45. But Hey! I guess I have learned something (and enjoyed myself doing it).
The run itself was amazing! They close down the entire Las Vegas Strip for 7 hours! Our photos are fabulous that were taken by MarathonFoto, and they all include a beautiful backdrop of some point along Las Vegas Boulevard. I can honestly say that I have never been tempted to buy the expensive photo packages until now. The shots are amazing and super fun and they will definitely provide a reminder of just how much fun it was. And the cost also comes with a $20 credit to use at Shutterfly.
The opening band was The All-American Rejects and that just paved the way for a fantastic run. There were bands and/or DJ's every couple of miles along the way that were playing upbeat music for running.
Overall, Chris and I both had a lot of fun and I would recommend another Rock n Roll Marathon. In fact, I am already looking to sign up for another!
Cheers! And Rock On!

Tuesday 5 November 2013

Vegan Gluten Friendly Banana/zucchini bread (or muffins)

1 Large very ripe banana
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
3/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup grated zucchini
3/4 cups rice flour
3/4 cups buckwheat flour
1tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease an 8x4 metal bread pan
In a large mixing bowl, mash the banana until there are no large chunks left. Add the applesauce, coconut oil, sugar and vanilla and use a strong fork to mix well. Mix in the grated zucchini.
Sift in the buckwheat flour, cinnamon, allspice, baking soda, and salt. Mix to combine. Add the rice flour, and mix until there is no visible flour left.
Transfer to baking pan and bake for 50-55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. If it needs more time, turn heat to 325 F and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.
Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to metal cooling rack.
Slice and Enjoy!



Monday 4 November 2013

Tinhorn Creek is a winery in Oliver, BC
It is always one of our favourites :) Although we prefer the 2Bench series and the Cab Franc. The Merlot is a pleasure as well...
Following are the tasting notes.
Medium-full-bodied, this weaves a nice balance of fruit and savoury components into a complex profile. It’s smooth yet spicy, with flavours of berry, milk chocolate, herbs and cedar. Merlot with more personality than most.

It scored 89points with Beppi Crosariol and it retails at about $20/bottle.

Cheers!
This was the result of my Inversion workshop at The Breathing Room.
I did full headstands and handstands, but the teddy bear headstand was what I felt most comfortable doing at home by myself :)
It was definitely a fun workshop and highly recommend it!