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Thirsty Thursday: CA Wine Club

drinks, wine, non-alcoholic, liquor

This week I had the pleasure of trying two wines from the California Wine Club. I got both a red and white wine. I think my tastes are changing, because I really enjoyed the red wine more. I liked the different flavors I could taste in the red. It tasted more “woody” than other wines I’ve tried. I’m really no wine expert and I can never pick out flavors that are supposed to be in the wines. Don’t get me wrong, the white was very good, too. Both wines had a great taste, but I’m just leaning more towards the red this time. My husband and brother in law were with me trying the wines this past weekend. We all noticed it really affected them more than normal and so we looked at the alcohol content. The two wines I received were actually a slight bit higher than any of the other wines I had around my house. Quality wines! :)

California Wine ClubWhen it comes to having your wine delivered, it’s a little worrisome to have something fragile like wine shipped through the mail, but they package the wines nicely. They were in a Styrofoam container shaped like bottles of wine on the inside so that they sit nice and snug in the box. If you have underage children at home (teenagers), you do have to have someone 21 or over to sign for your wine and they will ask for ID if you don’t look it! (So you don’t have to worry about your teen getting your wine delivery while you’re not home and having a great party! :) ) “ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES MAY BE SOLD AND DELIVERED ONLY TO PERSONS WHO ARE AT LEAST 21 YEARS OLD. IN PLACING YOUR ORDER, YOU REPRESENT TO US THAT YOU ARE AT LEAST 21 YEARS OLD AND THE PERSON TO WHOM DELIVERY WILL BE MADE IS AT LEAST 21 YEARS OLD. When your alcoholic beverages are delivered, the person receiving delivery will be required to show identification proving that he or she is at least 21 years old.”

Along with the shipment of wine came a beautiful newsletter called Uncorked. It tells you the story of the winery that your wines came from, some fun facts about wine, “Ask the Winemaker” and even a recipe. Here’s a little about California Wine Club:

For years Pam and I were frustrated trying to find truly great wine. Selecting a decent bottle of wine from thousands of pretty labels with prices ranging from $5-$35 was difficult at the best of times. We were always happiest with wine recommendations from friends.

So, that’s what we wanted to do with The California Wine Club, start a wine of the month club that was just like “one friend recommending a great bottle of wine to another friend”.

We are now celebrating 20 years of business and the wine adventures keep getting better! Pam and I knew that there were hundreds of small, family-owned wineries dedicated to producing exceptional wine … and it was this wine that we wanted to share with our monthly wine club members. Each month we travel California’s wine country searching out the wineries, meeting the families and tasting the wines that never make it to local stores or wine shops.

California Wine Club 2005 “Los Braceros” Sonoma Valley Red Blend

  • Gold Medal, “Best of Class,” 2009 Los Angeles International Wine Competition; Gold Medal, 2009 Florida State Fair.
  • Red garnet in color, this blend offers aromas of black currant, ripe plum and a hint of tobacco. Luscious, ripe flavors of rich black fruit and cedar lead to a yummy, spicy pepper finish.
  • This wine aged for 18 months in American oak. It is a blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.
  • “A wonderful choice with carne asada tacos, our mother’s delicious chile rellenos or hearty dishes like smoked prime rib!”
  • Delicious now but will age well for another three to four years.

Suggested Retail $30

Restaurant Wine List Price (If you can find it) $45-$51

California Wine Club2007 “The Seven Brothers” Lake County Sauvignon Blanc

  • Double Gold Medal, 2009 West coast Wine Competition; Gold Medal, 2009 California State Fair; Gold Oyster, 2009 Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition
  • This pale yellow wine is clear and bright, ready to wow you with zesty aromas of tropical fruits and green apple. Its fruit flavors are intense, highlighted by green tea and citrus notes. This mouth-coating wine ends with a crisp but ripe finish. A terrific Sauvignon Blanc, even just by itself.
  • This wine fermented and then remained on the lees in stainless steel tanks for nine months.
  • Enjoy this Robledo Sauvignon Blanc with Dungeness crab cakes, tuna tartare, fresh oysters or ceviche.
  • This wine is best enjoyed now.

Suggested Retail $20

Restaurant Wine List Price (If you can find it) $32-$38

I would definitely recommend California Wine Club! Normally your Premier Club membership would cost $36.45 a month.

Exciting Wine Of The Month Club Deliveries Include:
Each wine club shipment includes two bottles of award-winning wine and our detailed and beautiful 12-page, full color publication,UncorkedUncorked offers an up-close and personal look at the family behind the wines plus tasting notes, recipes, wine luminary interviews, games and so much more.

Recently Featured Premier Club Wines:
Every month we feature two different wines from a winery located in not just Napa and Sonoma, but also places like Monterey, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara and even the Sierra Foothills. Your CWC wine of the month club adventure will take you to wine regions not normally represented outside of California’s wine community. Click here to get an up-close and personal look at a few of our recently featured wineries.

Our Wine Club Guarantee:
There is never any bulk, closeout or private label wine. Each wine club feature is hand-selected by Bruce & Pam and one that they proudly serve in their own home to family and friends. There are nowine of the month club membership fees, you can cancel anytime and every wine is 100% guaranteed.

Save on Your Favorite Wine Club Wines:
Bruce & Pam work with the wineries directly. No middleman and no distributor mean members get the best choice of wine, at the best possible price. Members can even reorder their favorites and save up to 50% off normal retail.

Buy It:

Currently California Wine Club is offering my readers a chance to try it out for ONE month, with no obligation to stay, for $13! You will get two bottles of wine; you can choose one of each: red and white or both red, both white! Click on California Wine Club and enter the promo code: momblog-11.

Connect with California Wine Club:

Website: California Wine Club

Facebook

Twitter

 

 

Disclosure: I received the wine in exchange for my review. All opinions are mine. Thank you to California Wine Club for giving me this opportunity.

Other Reviews:

Mommy 2 3 Monkeys

I am that Lady

All Things Fadra

My Sentiment Exactlee

Mommy Enterprises

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Simple Cinnamon Roll Waffles

My mom’s group was talking about all these different things you can make with your waffle iron. I decided to try the cinnamon roll waffles. It is VERY simple. All you need is a package of cinnamon rolls and a waffle iron!

Directions:

  1. Spray waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Place a cinnamon roll on each quarter of the iron. 
  3. Close iron and cook until done.
  4. Drizzle frosting over the top.

 

How About a Recipe?

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New things making at Panera!

Panera, Bread, New Items

Panera has some new items on their menu and they look delicious!! Wish I had saved my gift card until this week to go!

PaneraWith our new Steak and Blue Cheese Salad we kept it simple, letting the classic savory-meets-tangy flavor combination shine through. We started with tender top sirloin steak, layered in gorgonzola, crispy onions, vine-ripened tomatoes and our tangy blue cheese vinaigrette and finished it with just a drizzle of sweet cabernet reduction. 

Not so great for Weight Watchers Points: 21 points plus! I still want to try it the next time I go, though.

 

PaneraAt Panera, we believe the best sandwiches are built from the bread up. Like with our new Steak and White Cheddar Panini. It’s crafted on our French baguette, which has a thin crust that grills perfectly and holds up to the savory top sirloin steak, caramelized red onions and horseradish spread. Come in and try our newest panini creation today.

The sandwich is 25 Weight Watchers Points Plus.

As shown with the half sandwich and cup of tomato soup, it is 20 Weight Watchers Points Plus. Looks like a nice cold day meal.

Panera Nutritional Information

It looks like the next time I visit Panera I’ll actually break away from my usual: Broccoli Cheddar Cheese Soup with baguette.

Connect with Panera:

Website: Panera Bread

Twitter

Facebook

 

Disclosure: I am being compensated for participating in this assignment. All opinions are mine. I want to thank Panera and GetButtonedUp for allowing me to be a part of this campaign.

How About a Recipe?

#AmazingAvoCinco Party with a LOT of Avocado Recipes for Cinco de Mayo
Slow Cooker Chicken con Queso Recipe
Cheesy Taco Cheeseburger and Taco Tots Recipe
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
Triple Slow Cooker Entertaining Cookbook Review

Baby James Foundation


child abuse, Chicago

Join Frosted Fingers, Occasional Happenings and Rob Krueger Photography for a rally against Child Abuse with the Baby James Foundation.

I’ll have a table there for kids to make their own cake pops or cookies to eat. There will be a DJ, family photography, a band later in the evening and much more.

Time
Saturday, April 2 · 2:00pm - 7:30pm

Location
3793 South Archer Av
Chicago, IL

More Info

Baby James Foundation will be joined with Miles Payne Foundation on this years 3rd Annual Child Abuse Rally

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
2:00 – 2:30 Renee Hutchinson
2:30 – 3:00 Miranda Yonts
3:00 – 3:30 Carrie Johnson
3:30 – 4:00 Charles J Stecker Jr.
4:00 – 4:30 Jamie Hallam
4:30 – 5:00 Rudy Delgado
5:00 Kayla Bowen & Darlene Chen
Balloon Release in honor of Survivors
5:30 – 6:00 R & W DJ, Visit, Break
6:00 – 7:30 American Madness
7:30 Vigil in honor of Angels, release Sky Lanterns

Renee Hutchinson – Has lived through a life of abuse as a child, domestic violence of a second husband, to now raising Baby James adopting him legally July 30th 2009. Baby James is a victim of Child Abuse by his biological mom as young as 2 weeks old. Renee and her husband continues to fight the system on enforcing the protection for Baby James.

11 year old Survivor Kayla Bowen and Grandmother Darlene Chen

Miranda Yonts – from Miles Payne Foundation and speaking on Shavon Miles’ death as well as Shavon’s Law

Jamie Hallam – from Miles Payne Foundation, the mother of Tyler and Ariana Payne, will be speaking about the abuse, torture and murder of her children. Jamie Hallam’s 3yr old daughter was found in a Tucson dumpster while her 4yr old sons body remains missing.

Please join Miles Payne Foundation http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001266417426

Carrie Johnson – Grandmother of Molly Koch who now lies at Children’s Memorial Hospital from child abuse. She is fighting to get custody of Molly. More of her story you can read here http://dailyherald.com/article/20110117/news/701179898/
Please join Prayers for Molly
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Prayers-for-Molly/145690652149280

Charles J Stecker Jr – Will be speaking on the death of his little brother “Eddie” whose life was taken by his foster mother. Both Charles and Eddie was in foster care due to abuse and neglect. “Eddie” left this earth in 1967
Please join lil Eddie’s cause http://www.causes.com/causes/330585

Balloon Release in honor of the survivors

Sky Lanterns in honor of the angels

Band American Madness
Please join here http://www.facebook.com/AmericanMadness

Children Activities

Food and Beverages sponsered by Candidate Alberto Bocanegra Jr. at low price.

Candidate Alberto Bocanegra Jr. donated venue location
Join Alberto here http://www.facebook.com/albertobocanegra

Menu as follows:
tinga de tostallas $2 a piece which is a chicken in a chipotel adobe sauce
nachos with cheese which is $2 a bowl
soda and water for a $1
wine for $2
$2 beers
$3 mixed drinks

Occasional Happenings will be providing videography and DJ, along with Rob krueger PHOTOGRAPHY
Please join Occasional Happenings here http://occasionalhappenings.com/
and
Rob Krueger Photography here http://robkruegerphotography.com/

How About a Recipe?

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
Slow Cooker Chicken con Queso Recipe
Cheesy Taco Cheeseburger and Taco Tots Recipe
#AmazingAvoCinco Party with a LOT of Avocado Recipes for Cinco de Mayo
Triple Slow Cooker Entertaining Cookbook Review

Save Money Monday 4

This was an ok week for couponing. I went to to a total of 6 stores since Saturday and spent a total of $66.67. Three of those stores were not with coupons. One was Aldi where I stocked up on good priced produce,  one was Walmart to get the few things I couldn’t get while couponing and the other was Dunkin’ Donuts because Charlie needed more coffee. (Of course I remembered afterwards that I had a coupon for DD at home.) Less than $70 for a family of 5 for over a week’s worth of groceries isn’t too bad, though! I’ll share my couponing deals here:

Target

Coupons, Chicago, TargetI was not very happy with the way Target does their addition on their receipts, plus the cashier left a $1 coupon off.

Shelf Cost $9.01
Store Discount $0
Coupons $7.02
Total $1.99
Total Savings $7.02 or 77.91%!

CVS

Chicago, Coupons, CVSI was able to use my extra care bucks from 2 weeks ago to get my water cases for .88 each. We plan on selling the bottles of water at our garage sale in a month or so. NICE profit margin :)

Shelf Cost $39.58
Store Discount $0
Coupons $28.84
Total $10.74
Total Savings $28.84 or 72.87%! (I also got $6.50 back in ECB)

Dominick’s

Chicago, Coupons, Dominick'sI had a few more free coupons to blow through like: more soup, free Pullups and free Philly cream cheese. Also, don’t forget that today is the last day to enter for my Dominick’s Simple Nutrition Giveaway where you can win a $25 gift card.

Shelf Cost $54.88
Store Discount $8.44
Coupons $24.16
Total $22.28
Total Savings $32.60 or 59.4%! (I actually paid with a gift card, so it was FREE except for .65 out of pocket!!)

Jewel

Coupons, Jewel, ChicagoI would have made it out slightly cheaper if someone hadn’t bought all the Brownie mixes (which I actually really needed.) I had to improvise and add in the powerades to make up my 10 items to get $5 off. The lady left off a .50 coupon, too. GRRR!

Shelf Cost $38.88
Store Discount $18.74
Coupons $3.50
Total $16.64
Total Savings $22.24 or 57.2%!

How About a Recipe?

Cheesy Taco Cheeseburger and Taco Tots Recipe
#AmazingAvoCinco Party with a LOT of Avocado Recipes for Cinco de Mayo
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Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
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Glasses USA

With spring on the way, GlassesUSA.com decided to celebrate the change of season with its launch of the March Madness Sale! A sale which drops the company’s already low prices down to truly mad levels!

The online retailer prides itself on its exceptional high quality prescription glasses, which are produced by the experts in the industry and could well rival those sold offline. What’s more, they keep the prices as low as possible so that customers never have to feel that they have to put off perfect eye sight until a better financial time; or, that they have to break the bank in order optimal vision.

The GlassesUSA.com website is user friendly but should you still have queries or require help, the customer services department is available through various means of communication, including fax, email, online chat and phone.

Whether customers are looking for high quality designer prescription glasses, fashion frames with plain glasses lenses, fashion frames fitted with prescription lenses, or plain and prescription sunglasses, GlassesUSA.com offers a wide variety of trendy styles, colors and materials to choose from – at truly discount prices.

Right now, you can cash in and SAVE:

  • save 10% on their order with the code: Mommy10
  • Take 30% off ANY pair of discount eyeglasses with the code: WinterSale
  • 25% off any order of 3 or more pairs of eyeglasses with the code: 25FS

These specials include FREE shipping in and to the United States.

Try them out and see that GlassesUSA.com proves that shopping for eyeglasses should be nothing less than convenient, affordable and enjoyable!

This post was paid for and sponsored by GlassesUSA.com.

How About a Recipe?

Cheesy Taco Cheeseburger and Taco Tots Recipe
Slow Cooker Chicken con Queso Recipe
Triple Slow Cooker Entertaining Cookbook Review
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
#AmazingAvoCinco Party with a LOT of Avocado Recipes for Cinco de Mayo