Smileywine Party @ the Bel Air Vineyard

So the morning after Halloween (yes I am seriously behind in blogging) I rolled out of bed off the couch still wearing my taco costume and tried to get myself together for the Annual Brown Gala at the Bel Air Vineyard.

The wonderful family that owns the vineyard (which produces Smileywine) also happens to be family of Brown alums!

Their home (which is also the vineyard) was gargantuan.



Honestly these pictures will never do the property justice, but here goes.

You walk in through the main entrance...



And you're in the grand foyer...



Walk through the foyer, through the dining room...



Through the kitchen...



Out onto the back patio...



Once out on the back patio there's the pool and an incredible view of the vineyard.



Also there's a pond of very happy Koi.



Beyond the pool lies the tennis court...



And beyond that lies another elevated terrace, beyond which finally lies the vineyard.



We brunched to the music of a delightful string quartet.



The food spread was epic.



Finger sandwiches...



Tuna-cucumbers.



Smoked salmon thingys...



And of course, MEATBALLS.






YUM.

Lots of Brown alums from all years attended.






And though there was no Smileywine in sight (they opted to break out the nicer, pricier varietals) there was plenty to drink.



I love Browns!






In the late afternoon there was a raffle, with prizes ranging from fancy dinners to a trip to Hawaii to a photo session with a really amazing photographer (me)...



My friend (and super-successful voiceover artist) Amanda ended up winning the photo session.




Yay! It was such a great Sunday. I really wish there had been Smileywine because everyone was all smiles all day long.






We did, of course, have to take at least one obligatory fierceface picture because (a.) we are assholes and (b.) fierce-facing is FUN!



Best week ever!

A Day at the Vineyard

Katie picked me up early yesterday morning to drive up to Santa Barbara for a wine tasting at Pete's family vineyard.

Hit a little traffic on the way up, but for the most part the drive was fun and uneventful (see video below).


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We arrived and it was beautiful.




Pete had arrived the night before to set everything up. Even the port-o-potties.



About 30 or so people showed up. We had an amazing picnic lunch with wine galore. Sampled several different wines that their vineyard produces, including two unreleased wines (I have no recollection of what they're called, they all tasted red to me). And lunch.

Roast beef sandwich, pasta salad, and COOKIES!!!!

Someone remarked that the whole scene was like something out of an Abercrombie ad (with the exception of my Asian self, of course). Beautiful preppy-looking people. A totally surreal setting completely removed from civilization. And drunken horseplay.






If my life looks like an Abercrombie ad, I'm not complaining.

After lunch, Pete took us on a wild drunken jeep ride through the vineyard (click below to play video).


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It was so much fun.



Whee drunk driving.




We drove around and around...



Until we finally pulled up to the top of this awesome hill from which we could view the empire.




After a few more hours, we went into the local town, Solvang, where the vineyard has a tasting room.

The town was kind of Disney-ish and dutch-looking with weird little shops.



We danced around drunkenly.






Way too many salamis later, we went back to the vineyard for camping and drinking and bonfire. And pizza.

The End.

Oh and there was drama.