Reunion, Rockies and a 3-day weekend!

Hello All!

It's Monday, 9:30 AM and I'm typing to you! Happy Memorial Day! Aren't three-day weekends just the best? And this weekend has been packed full of beautiful weather and fun activities.

Saturday was a fun day and Bryce and I met in Denver to go to the shooting range. Of all the sports we play and things we do, there's only one that I can actually hold my own against the guys- shooting. The dudes at the range always attribute this to our female ability to multitask and take direction well. Combine that with no male ego and women are usually a great shot. It was a fun day and we went out for some Mexican food that night!

One of my great friends, Ally, turned 23 yesterday. She had her own fun weekend of tattoos and sky diving planned but managed to meet a few of us girls for Bellinis and brunch Sunday morning. The weather was perfect and bottomless Bellinis kept the conversation flowing! (Trivia: A bellini is a champagne cocktail that originated in Venice and is named after the artist Bellini, not to be confused with Bernini, the sculptor of Angels and Demons fame)

After brunch, I met Bryce for the Rockies game. We had awesome seats and after a little confusion of getting the tickets printed (note: don't use Stub Hub for Rockies tickets) it was an awesome day.

Finally, the super crazy reunion. A few weeks ago, I got a facebook message from an old high school friend. He said he saw me walking in Denver and wanted to grab a beer sometime. The crazy part is my high school in Kansas only had 100 students and I hadn't seen Cale in about 5 years because he graduated a year earlier than I did. Last night I met him for a beer where he works downtown and reminisced at who was married to each other from our high school. It really is a small world!

Hope the weather is treating you well and you've taken advantage of the long weekend. And to all the teachers out there: congratulations of a great year and summer break!

Wine recommendation: Wow where to start. We went to an amazing wine tasting last week with more than 150 bottles. After the wine tasting, you could order your favorites for a nice discount. Bryce found a Merlot he loved as well as a few great Pinots (of course). I bought a bottle or two of Shiraz but there was one wine in particular that deserves a special note. It was the most deja vu wine experience EVER. It tasted exactly like being back in France with Rachael! So Rach and Meghan, you absolutely have to try this: 2008 Descendients Petalos Del Bierzo a wonderful red Spanish wine. Unfortunately, runs about $26 per bottle, but for a special night on the patio, it's perfect! Enjoy.

Emily's Fun House

As you likely noticed from the picture, Graham is here! We have a fun, full house and I have a full-time Henry sitter. Coming home to a tired dog instead of dog ready to go for a long walk is pretty nice. And when I want to head to Denver for dinner with Bryce, Graham and Henry veg together and watch movies.

Last weekend I bought something I had wanted for a while...golf clubs! I've been to the driving range twice and Bryce and I plan to play nine holes Saturday morning. So far my golf knowledge is mostly Internet-derived so a lesson might be in order before I develop a bunch of bad beginner habits. After driving the beverage cart at a golf course for two years in college, I thought it was high time I actually learned to play the sport. And hanging around serving beer automatically gives you some good skills, right? Osmosis? Okay, maybe not.

Work is keeping me extremely busy and I have learned a host of new skills in the past few months. From e-mail campaigns to setting up AdSense accounts and monitoring Google AdWords systems, my marketing ability has increased tenfold. And I'm very lucky to have some great girlfriends at work! We've spent some great afternoons eating sushi and going shopping.

Tonight Bryce is coming up to Boulder and we are making dinner at Chez Moi with Graham. Should be a fun, relaxing evening and...best part...tomorrow is Friday!

Wine recommendation: Monte Lindo Argentina 2008 Bonarda. This was honestly one of my favorite wines I have tried for a long time! It was dry but fruity and extremely easy to drink. There is no alcohol taste whatsoever which is one of the reasons I am not a huge Cabernet fan. It's a gorgeous deep, dark purple and if you don't like oak or smokey wines, this would be an excellent choice. Best part: you can find it for about $11!

A year ago this week...

This time last year many of us were graduating from college. It's hard to believe only a year has passed because things are so different from Wednesday Chapter nights, Pita Pit, keg beer and finals week.

While I can't speak for my fellow '09 graduates, personally, I feel so far away from that world. Is it because I don't live in KS anymore? Is it because of the long hours and often high stress of my job? Is it because I was so desperate to be in a more mature place when I was in college? Hard to say. But looking back, I've learned a lot and as a note to the 2010 graduates, here's some lessons for your first "real world" year.

1. Apply for jobs like it is your job. Set a goal for yourself and sit at your computer until you have submitted that number of applications. Do it every single day. Things rarely fall into your lap so make searching for a job a full time job.

2. Go out on a limb. In this tough job market, you might not get to be the graphic designer at a large advertising firm or the project manager at a hospital. In other words, landing your first- choice career right out of college is pretty rare. So be willing apply for something that presents an opportunity for growth and see where it takes you.

3. Get a dog. Nothing teaches you selfless responsibility more quickly than a puppy! You learn to get out of bed when they need to go out or clean up the mess that is sure to result. Plus, a dog offers companionship if you...

4. Move away. Granted, I don't mean cross country but get as far away from home as you are comfortable. For some, this might mean 5 blocks and for others it might mean 2,500 miles. Go where feels right and don't look back.

5. Visit friends. I have been so lucky this year to visit my amazing friends! During your first year out of college, taking the time off of work to jet off to visit friends is very worth it.

6. Start drinking good beer. Bud light, Natty light and Keystone are now in your past. Upgrade. Really.

Congratulations to all the 2010 graduates!

And for all of you with pups, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! :-)

Finally, a wine recommendation: if you're ready for a sweet summer wine, check out the amazing Vouvray offerings this summer. Amazing Vouvrays come from the Loire valley (this type of wine is a France-specific and made from Chenin blanc grapes). I recommend a demi-sec or Moelleux (the two middle of the road options on the sweetness scale) Vouvray. A sparkling Vouvray can be an excellent alternative to champagne! Enjoy!