Yeah, you've read it right and its AMAZING!
The southwest corner of Michigan, an area called Harbor Country, is home to about 12 wineries. Its roughly a two hour drive from Chicago, so there's really no excuse to not get up there at least once a year! I first visited the area three years ago and it was love at first taste.
I have a few favorites to pass along for your next (or first :)) visit!
1) Round Barn Winery. This place is a MUST visit! The best part...its a winery, brewery, and distillery! You can't go wrong. Something for everyone. $8 for 5 tastings plus souvenir wine glass. The wine and spirit tasting is done in the well, round barn and beer tasting in the Brew barn. Favs: Pinot Noir and Imperial IPA.
http://www.roundbarnwinery.com/
2) Free Run Winery. The sister winery to Round Barn. Take your souvenir wine glass from Round Barn for discounted tastings here. Also, serves spirits. Apple Brandy was actually quite tasty! And, I thought I only liked brandy if it was served in eggnog :) Fav Wine: Union.
http://www.freeruncellars.com/
3) Chocolate Garden. No wine here, but after all that wine you need a little chocolate. Its necessary. Really. Amazing truffles at this stop, love the traditional white and milk chocolate. Deeeelish!
http://www.chocolategarden.com/
4) Karma Vista Winery. I'm a sucker for cool wine names and labels. This place gets me hook, line, and drinker! Wine names like Cha Cha Chardonnay, Moondance Merlot, and Stone Temple Pinot. Sold.
http://www.karmavista.com/
5) Last reco and its not wine. Sorry, but you also can't go to Michigan and not go to a brewery! New Holland Brewery is in Holland, Founders in Grand Rapids, and Bells in Kalamazoo. This trip we hit up Bells. Taaasty! For $12 you can try 6 of the beers...generous samples I might add. Fav brew: Two Hearted IPA.
http://bellsbeer.com/
So find your DD, drink up, and enjoy!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Shame on me.
Sorry friends, guess the blog has gotten away from me and I've neglected to write! Summer is almost here and life is busy, busy!! I've been checked out for the past three days enjoying the nice, long Memorial Day weekend. And, what a great weekend it was! Here's a quick recap: Hangover 2, wine, more wine, ok alot of wine (read next post for all details wine), wedding (cheers to the happy couple!), BBQ and beers, friends, and finally couch, ice cream, and the Bachelorette! Hmm, I see a trend. Seems as if my weekend should have ended with the Hangover :)
Friday, May 20, 2011
I've made it!
Ok, not really, but keep reading for a small accomplishment nonetheless :)
I've been working on my photography for the past couple of years now. It all started as a hobby and now I am lucky to be thought of when friends and family want pictures taken. Last December I visited my sister Kelli in DC while she was training there for work. DC is a photographer's dream. With the history of the city and amazing architecture, I was not at a loss for great photos.
When I got back from the trip, I came across a photography contest on the Washington Flyer website and thought I might as well submit a couple photos from the trip and see if anything comes of it! Unfortunately, I didn't win the grand prize, but was pleasantly suprised yesterday when I found out one of my photos was listed on the Flyer website! They were promoting a new spring photo contest on Twitter and posted a link of some of the great photos that were submitted during the winter contest. What do you know....there was one of my photos!
http://www.washingtonflyer.com/slideshows/reader-photo-contest-winter-2011
Mine is the last in the bunch...the red cardinal on the white fence at Mt. Vernon, isn't it beautiful?! :)
Like I said, small accomplishment, but so exciting to see my work featured somewhere other than my own website! (Shameless plug...visit www.alikreider.com to see more! :))
I hope to get out this spring and summer and take several more photos to continue working on my skillset! Bring on the requests, friends!
I've been working on my photography for the past couple of years now. It all started as a hobby and now I am lucky to be thought of when friends and family want pictures taken. Last December I visited my sister Kelli in DC while she was training there for work. DC is a photographer's dream. With the history of the city and amazing architecture, I was not at a loss for great photos.
When I got back from the trip, I came across a photography contest on the Washington Flyer website and thought I might as well submit a couple photos from the trip and see if anything comes of it! Unfortunately, I didn't win the grand prize, but was pleasantly suprised yesterday when I found out one of my photos was listed on the Flyer website! They were promoting a new spring photo contest on Twitter and posted a link of some of the great photos that were submitted during the winter contest. What do you know....there was one of my photos!
http://www.washingtonflyer.com/slideshows/reader-photo-contest-winter-2011
Mine is the last in the bunch...the red cardinal on the white fence at Mt. Vernon, isn't it beautiful?! :)
Like I said, small accomplishment, but so exciting to see my work featured somewhere other than my own website! (Shameless plug...visit www.alikreider.com to see more! :))
I hope to get out this spring and summer and take several more photos to continue working on my skillset! Bring on the requests, friends!
Monday, May 16, 2011
Monday, Fun Day???
It's often dreadful. Nobody likes it. Monday always gets a bad rap. In an effort to have a better outlook on the week, here are a few things that I actually love about Monday (this particular Monday for the sake of this post):
1) I get to see all my work friends. Lucky for me, I work with awesome peeps and Monday lets us catch up and chat about the weekend!
2) Amazing leftovers from my weekend with Mom and Kelli. That's right, I'm excited about leftovers. I'm 30 and getting old, its the small things. But, this past weekend Mom and Kelli visited and we made an awesome dinner together and tonight I'll savor the last bit of those ribs and cheesy potatoes. YUM!
3) Gossip Girl, duh. Tonight's the season finale...its gonna be goooood! Oh, and How I Met Your Mother....NPH, love you!
I think you might see Monday, Fun Day again. We can all use some positive thinking on Mondays!
1) I get to see all my work friends. Lucky for me, I work with awesome peeps and Monday lets us catch up and chat about the weekend!
2) Amazing leftovers from my weekend with Mom and Kelli. That's right, I'm excited about leftovers. I'm 30 and getting old, its the small things. But, this past weekend Mom and Kelli visited and we made an awesome dinner together and tonight I'll savor the last bit of those ribs and cheesy potatoes. YUM!
3) Gossip Girl, duh. Tonight's the season finale...its gonna be goooood! Oh, and How I Met Your Mother....NPH, love you!
I think you might see Monday, Fun Day again. We can all use some positive thinking on Mondays!
Thursday, May 12, 2011
It's that time of year...
Swimsuit season!!!!
As a fair skin, freckled red-head, I am not one to spend hours and hours at the pool trying to get a tan. It just doesn't work. My freckles merge together giving the allure of color, but then it burns, I peel, and well, I'm getting off topic. Sore subject. Anywho, I still want to fit it with all the other bronzed beauties so its time to shape up for that suit!
That said, I decided to start up a new fitness program this week. As of today, I am on my fourth day of RevAbs. Its a Beachbody fitness program designed by trainer Brett Hoebel. You may have heard of Brett, as he is one of the new trainers on The Biggest Loser. It's a 90 day program designed around working your core. Brett uses capoeira and works to target your abs from 6 different angles. I'm only three days in so far, but I'm sore! The workouts are shorter in length so it fits right into the day and there is really no excuse not to get the workout done!
Stay tuned for my progress!
As a fair skin, freckled red-head, I am not one to spend hours and hours at the pool trying to get a tan. It just doesn't work. My freckles merge together giving the allure of color, but then it burns, I peel, and well, I'm getting off topic. Sore subject. Anywho, I still want to fit it with all the other bronzed beauties so its time to shape up for that suit!
That said, I decided to start up a new fitness program this week. As of today, I am on my fourth day of RevAbs. Its a Beachbody fitness program designed by trainer Brett Hoebel. You may have heard of Brett, as he is one of the new trainers on The Biggest Loser. It's a 90 day program designed around working your core. Brett uses capoeira and works to target your abs from 6 different angles. I'm only three days in so far, but I'm sore! The workouts are shorter in length so it fits right into the day and there is really no excuse not to get the workout done!
Stay tuned for my progress!
Monday, May 9, 2011
Random Thoughts
On the subject of the weekend away, some random thoughts on Indianapolis or Indiana in general.
1) Servers at the restaurants are so nice! There were 4 of us and we were always asked if we wanted separate checks at every place we dined out. No dirty looks, no smug face. Every server was so courteous! Very refreshing!
2) The speed limit is 70.
3) Some folks just didn't understand my race shirt. The back of it said "Second Half". I got asked "Did you change shirts on the course? Oh, I thought you had a different shirt for the second half of the race" and "Look, that means she's in the second half of the race." No, crazies! This was my second half marathon! Next time, when it says "Third Half", what will they say?
4) Chicken Limo.
Oh, Indiana...
1) Servers at the restaurants are so nice! There were 4 of us and we were always asked if we wanted separate checks at every place we dined out. No dirty looks, no smug face. Every server was so courteous! Very refreshing!
2) The speed limit is 70.
3) Some folks just didn't understand my race shirt. The back of it said "Second Half". I got asked "Did you change shirts on the course? Oh, I thought you had a different shirt for the second half of the race" and "Look, that means she's in the second half of the race." No, crazies! This was my second half marathon! Next time, when it says "Third Half", what will they say?
4) Chicken Limo.
Oh, Indiana...
Step 1, Start running. Step 2, There is no Step 2.
Back to the grind today my friends. Had an amazing weekend in Indianapolis, IN for the Indy 500 Festival Mini Marathon! Couldn't have asked for a better race. The course was awesome. We started in downtown Indy and ran past the Zoo on our way to the Indianpolis Motor Speedway. After entering the IMS around mile 6, we completed the 2 1/2 mile (yep that's right!) track and headed back downtown. Running on the track inside the IMS was AWESOME! Entering Victory Mile (the last mile heading to the finish) was so encouraging! There were black and white checked flags lining the roadway and friends and family of all the runners lined up cheering everyone on. Its crazy how a stranger yelling at you can give you the extra motivation you need to run a little faster to cross the finish line. The water and gatorade stops were perfectly placed giving you hydration just when you needed it. While it rained on bit on the course,the clouds broke and the sun came out just as I crossed the finish line. I'm so glad my little sis joined my friend Kris and I this year. It was her first half and I'm so proud of her!! I think (or, hope) we've got her hooked now :) We all have our hopes sent on the Disney Princess and Wine and Dine half marathons! Watch out Orlando...we're heading your way next!!
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