Locks of Love Hair donation

Remember a few years ago when Elli donated her hair to Locks of Love?

She did it again.

This time she donated 14" of hair!

Our friend Lisa is going through Chemo right now. She's shared with us on Facebook how awful it is to lose her hair, and her nails, and to feel like you're sucking on a tailpipe when getting the chemo treatment.

We can't imagine.

The worst we have it here in the Mulkey household is being exposed to nasty dog farts.

We are so lucky.

My achy back and creeky knees are nuthin'.

Nothing.

I'm not being poisoned to eradicate an invader in my body.

{thank God}

Elli gets this.

She wanted to make sure her hair was donated in Lisa's honor.

So that's what we did.

The hair is used to make wigs for cancer patients.

I know I've said this before, but when I grow up I want to be just like Elli.

She's 10.

I'm not.

She's amazing.

I'm not saying that I'm not amazing, and gracious, and generous. But she's different.

I would have done the same thing because I felt guilty.

She doesn't do it because she feels guilty. She does it because she can and it doesn't really affect her world at all. It's just hair. Who cares. It grows back. She'll do it again, and again, again. Because she can, and others need it.

She doesn't have any weird security issues with her hair like us dorky grown-ups. She's also really young and innocent and doesn't really really understand all the bad things that happen in the world.

Or maybe she's just way more awesome than the rest of us.

I don't know. 

All I know is that I wish I could capture it and spread it everywhere.

Because it's awesome. 

Is anyone there?

Hello.

Hello?

Anyone here?

Hi.

I know, I know. I've been M.I.A.

I used to be obsessed with writing this blog. Then I got my new social media job with BevMo! I'm so busy tweeting and Facebooking and creating websites, I barely have time to breathe, let alone write something on the blog.

I've gone days without even thinking about it.

Sometimes a week will pass. {gasp!}

It's crazy.

I used to obsess over my stats, comments, etc. Not anymore.

I thought I was busy before. I had no idea what busy was.

Seriously. No idea.

My family is taking it well. I'm on the computer ALL THE TIME.

The house is not clean.

The meals are not good.

The family is hanging in there.

Elli ate noodles for lunch everyday last week. Of course she loves noodles. But sheesh. Good thing she's the happiest, most awesome kid on the planet.

The good news?

I love my new job. I'm doing all kinds of fun stuff with pr, social media, grand openings and events - it's the perfect job. It's a culmination of all the things I've done in my career. And all stuff I love to do. But it's a lot for one person to manage. So I'm a tad crazy sometimes! (aka cranky)

One of the downsides is driving to Concord every day. It's about a 50 minute drive. The best part is I have a new carpool buddy two days a week. Marian and I started the same day. We both live in Mill Valley. We're working together on grand opening stuff and we get along great. We've shared lots, and lots of laughs in the car. She even let me drag her to bars in Paso Robles way past her bedtime (with a couple of spirits vendors that were super fun), and she forgave me afterwards. I'm pretty sure we'll be friends for life.

The biggest thing I've done so far is create this wedding website for BevMo! We launched it in conjunction with the summer 5 cent wine sale. How perfect is that? You can get a whole case of wine for your wedding for just 60 cents. Wish they had that when I got married!! (So does my dad!)

I wrote the whole site and had an amazing freelance designer create it. I even wrote a little brochure to go along with it.

The site launched last Monday. We had over 20 brides sign up in the first three days. YA-HOO!

I'm hoping I'll have a teeny tiny bit of free time now so I can write a blog post, or two, from time to time.

Of course I still have 18 more grand openings to deal with this year. So that may, or may not happen.

You may want to visit me on https://facebook.com/bevmo or on Twitter @bevmo That's where I am most of the time!

It was good seeing all of you!

I'll be back. I promise.

My new Dyson Animal vacuum

Happy Mother's Day!

Don't laugh. But Don and Elli gave me this for Mother's day. The Dyson Animal.

Yep. I got a vacuum.

Not exactly what I had in mind. I did imagine a gift in a box. A pretty blue box. Or a silver box. Or a box that fits in the palm of your hand.

Not a box big enough for Elli to make a fort - which is what she did the minute the new vacuum was lifted out.

They did get me a cute pair of jammies too. So that's good.

And Don did do the vacuuming today. Another plus. But then he proceeded to tell me how hot and sweaty he got vacuuming - so I doubt he'll be manning the animal again anytime soon. The machine is so strong and powerful it's harder to maneuver.

So here's the good part.

Our floors and carpets are clean. We were shocked and disgusted with how dirty they were. We thought we had a nice vacuum. (SEBO) But it was not doing the trick.

We filled up the Dyson container after vacuuming the house. FILLED IT UP! As in it was so full of dirt and dog hair we had to empty it.

I'm obsessed with vacuuming our house because the dogs and humans here seem to drag in dirt and leaves all the time. I vacuum like crazy 'cuz it bugs me. Which is why they probably thought I needed a new vacuum, I guess?

The suction is so strong with the Dyson the carpets look fluffier and cleaner - because they are!

So, it may not have been the box I was hoping for. But it is an amazing little machine. I look forward to sweating with it next weekend. Maybe it will be my new exercise plan.

Six delicious French wines to try

Oui Oui! French wine is delicious!! J'adore vin français (I love French wine!!)

I always thought I didn't like French wine. I had a few bad experiences with wine that tasted really horsey. Literally, it tasted like a stinky horse in the barn. So I shied away from French wine.

I'm happy to report that I was wrong!!!

The funny thing is, I don't think I'm the only person that is a bit shy about French wine.

I attended a French wine tasting at BevMo! last Thursday. Our guests at these tastings usually head straight for the bar and immediately start tasting. The atmosphere is always lively with guests sipping wine and friends chatting.

This night was different. Everyone walked into the tasting room and went straight for the cheese without filling their glass with wine. And no one was talking. It was weird.

I think they were intimidated by the labels. It couldn't have been our host. Emmanuel was delightful. He was friendly and charming with a twinkle in his eye. And come on, the French accent was divine!  Oooh la la!!

I didn't even need to say anything to him about our guests behavior. He grabbed the first bottle, walked out from behind the bar and started pouring the first wine, a Louis Michel & Fils Chablis. The guests loved him, and the wine. He charmed them all.

$29.99 Regular/$24.99 ClubBev!

That's all it took to loosen up the crowd.  Before you knew it people were busy tasting wine and buying it like crazy to fill their cellars. Talk about a 180!

My favorite was the Chablis - it was crisp and light with hints of peach like a Sauvignon Blanc, which as you know is my favorite wine. I would drink it every day if it was 12 bucks and not $24.99!

In fact, most of the wines were kind of expensive. So maybe it wasn't French wine I didn't like. It was CHEAP French wine I didn't like. I'm not too fond of cheap California wine either! Or cheap anything for that matter.

Give a bottle or two a try sometime and let me know what you think. Some of these wines are served at top restaurants like the French Laundry!

88 PTS WILFRED WONG. This wine makes a statement, the '10 Domaine J.M. Boillot Puligny-Montrachet offers ripe apple density, with a push of sweet oak; long and layered on the palate; bright finish.  $64.99 Reg/$59.99 ClubBev!

90 WINE SPECTATOR. The '10 Coudoulet de Beaucastel Blanc is ripe and creamy up front; butter-framed melon, creamed peach and pear notes; stony edge on the fresh finish; blossoms in the glass.  $45.99 Regular/$41.99 ClubBev!

The price point on this one had everyone giddy. Of course it wasn't my favorite. 88 PTS WILFRED WONG. Richer and more forceful than other from the same appellation, the '09 Perrin & Fils Cotes du Rhone shows substantial power and richness; red fruit and leather in the finish.  $10.99 Regular/$9.99 ClubBev!

89 PTS WILFRED WONG. Pure and honest, the red-fruited '08 Perrin Gigondas exhibits red fruit and mineral in the aromas; lively and energetic on the palate; bright finish. $32.99 Regular/$28.99 ClubBev!

My favorite Red - - 96 PTS WINE SPECTATOR. The '09 Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape is packed with dark cocoa, mesquite, tobacco and roasted fig; pure cassis and plum fruit flavors; long finish with vanilla bean notes. $99.99 Regular/$89.99 ClubBev!

I asked Emmanuel what his favorite wine is. He's currently drinking the '89 Ch. de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape. We tasted the '09. His favorite is 20 years older. ha. Maybe I should buy one of these and save it for a special occasion.

Now go forth with a glass of French wine, and talk like a Frenchman!

Note: all prices listed are BevMo! prices.