if you have been reading along, you know about my struggles to get my hands on the witches of weho potion no. 1 (basic witch pinot grigio) from nocking point.  because of how insane the snowstorms were in washington state, there was a huge delay.

well, let me tell you – it was well worth the wait.

it is ridiculously smooth.  so smooth that i drank the first bottle in place of dinner (unintentionally) the week it arrived.  it has an alcohol percentage of 13.5% which is higher than most of the whites i typically drink and there was absolutely no hangover whatsoever.

i would describe the taste as incredibly fresh and subtly sweet.

i am a sucker for an aesthetically pleasing bottle, especially if it has something catchy written on it.

now, if you are an avid bravo reality tv junkie like myself, then you know that this wine is produced by three wild women from vanderpump rules – stassi schroeder, kristen doute and katie maloney schwartz.  stassi is one of the most sarcastic people i have ever seen on television and i thoroughly enjoy her humor.  the line, “i’m not really sure what i’ve done to you, but i’ll take a pinot grigio.” is a line she said to a waitress and frenemy she used to work with at the vanderpump restaurants, scheana.  the part of the bottle i enjoy most is the line dedicated to ingredients – their pinot grigio is made from “the tears of your exes” – if that isn’t clever, i don’t know what is.

they, like myself, enjoy a wine that is easy to drink.  part of why they chose a bottle with a twist top is to make it that much more easy to enjoy.

tonight, i split the bottle with my friend rebecca over dinner.  we paired it with my savory southwest salmon salad and of course, we watched bravo while enjoying our second glasses.  it would be sinful not to.

if you are looking for a pinot grigio that is absolutely delightful to enjoy or looking for a gift for your friend who loved bravo, especially vanderpump rules, as much as i do, this would make the perfect gift.  the witches of weho potion no. 1 can be bought here.  i am hoping to see them produce more potions, especially a rosé.  fingers crossed!

what is your favorite white wine at the moment?  let me know in the comments below.

xoxo,

k. tap

p.s. for those of you who either don’t watch the show or are not from la, weho is an abbreviation for west hollywood, which is where the bulk of the restaurants owned and operated by lisa vanderpump are.

happy friday and first of the month!  did february zoom by for anyone else?  january seemed like a full year, meanwhile, i blinked and february was over.  in honor of it being the start of a weekend, i figured we should have a toast.

now, i don’t know if i mentioned this before but i am slightly obsessed with reality television and watch an embarrassing amount of bravo shows.  the ones that have really captured my attention outside of the real housewives franchise are summer house, below deck and vanderpump rules.  i think i gravitate most towards vanderpump rules because they are essentially filming in my backyard since i grew up in la.  it is an added bonus that the cast is entertaining and lisa vanderpump is one of my favorite housewives from real housewives of beverly hills.

three of the girls from vanderpump rules (stassi, kristen and katie) who are besties came out with their own wine recently called: witches of weho – basic witch potion no. 1.  it is a pinot grigio and i was dying to try it.  i then realized it was only sold by one place – nocking point.

when i went online to nocking point to order it after watching their instagram live, i ended up being persuaded by katie to try their quarterly wine club.  due to the insane snowstorm that hit washington state, there was a huge shipping delay.  and then, i ended up getting my winter 2018 wine box even before the witches of weho wine.  this ended up being a blessing in disguise as i am hosting some guests this weekend and now not only have a better of variety of wines from walla walla, washington to offer them (say that five times fast), i now have amazing coffee to serve my guests and these cozy socks to snuggle up in during the rainy season (we are shockingly still in).

this quarter’s box features:

1. nv pacific coast pink – a brut sparkling rosé from new mexico with hints of strawberry, guava and pink grapefruit
2. 2016 hometown red blend – a cabernet sauvignon/syrah blend from walla walla, washington with hints of oak and juicy red fruits
3. 2016 year vi red – a cabernet sauvignon from washington state with hints of dark red and black fruits

*both reds are fuller bodied and while i typically gravitate towards lighter wines, when the weather is cooler, i definitely do not mind something fuller bodied.

the box, which included the three bottles of wine, a bag of coffee and badass socks was $99.  there is no cost for shipping once you are a member and for me, that made it an easier decision to make.

if you try out any wines from nocking point, let me know what you think!  also, if you already have your hands on a bottle of the witches of weho wine, i would love to hear your review.

cheers to the weekend!

xoxo,

k. tap

since i had some time off in december from work, i wanted to make a conscious effort to explore la a bit more.  even though i grew up here, after living in the bay from 17 to 27, i feel like there is still so much to explore.

a few friends and i were looking for a good happy hour experience and my go to is usually yard house – there is something for everyone there and the ambiance allows me to let my hair down.  once one of my friends realized that i had selected a place that had a ton of beer on tap, she suggested golden road brewing.  i had never heard of it but was down.

we went to the atwater village location (near glendale).  this place is both pet and kid friendly.  there was ample seating both outside on a spacious covered patio and inside, as well. our waiter was both kind and knowledgeable.  the food was delicious and the pricing was more than reasonable.  there are so many great beer options.  to get to try more of them, i got a flight to start.  my favorite was the mango cart!

my favorite item on the menu was the kimchee fries. the flavor profile was unparalleled and if you are someone that enjoys your food with a kick and prefer salty+savory dishes, this is for you.  it is the perfect starter to share.

for our meals, three of us ordered burgers/sandwiches and one ordered the beet salad (that was not me).  everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meals and we cannot wait to go back.

golden road brewing is the perfect place to spend a friday afternoon.

enjoy your weekend!

xoxo,

k. tap