diy

[photo: sarah rainwater]

10 surprising, green & thrifty old school hacks from apartment therapy. i love this list of simple home remedies.

food

[photo: emily ho]

citrus salad with lemongrass syrup — a deliciously seasonal fresh treat from the kitchn

citrus tilapia from epicurous.com — we’re enjoying this tasty dish this week!

scanwiches! it’s just what it sounds like: sandwiches face down on the scanner.

wine

recycle wine bottles into swanky cups — so cool! who has a wine bottle glass cutter? from seriousaboutwine.co.za

get to know a grape: arneis from drinksareonme.net. i am really enjoying this series from dale cruse’s blog spotlighting different grape varieties. this is 7th in a series, so here are links to the first 6 as well: aligote, alicante bouschet, aleatico, albarino, agiorgitiko, and aglianico. might be fun to drink along with them as an alphabetical wine study!

this week i pulled a bottle from the reserve cellar to enjoy: kenneth volk‘s heirloom negrette [2004] i picked up on a trip last year through the central coast. it’s a unique and delicious varietal, dark in color. it has a very soft, smooth mouth feel with notes of leather and blackberry, maybe even memories of springtime sunsets on the finish. i might suggest pairing it with a steak or broiled pork chops, but i’m enjoying sipping it so much, i think it’s a good opportunity to try a rare varietal on its own. kenneth volk wines are an exceptional treat, make it a stop on any tasting tour on the central coast. this wine is only available at the winery.