Wine Regions

I didn't take my first solo trip until I was in my 30's, which I was initially embarrassed about but frankly I wasn't financially stable enough to do so until then, which is completely normal. I took a month long sabbatical from work, and visited various cities in Italy and Spain, including a wine harvest festival in the capital city of Rioja (which was incredible). The experience of being immersed in new cultures, languages, art, food, wine, and friendships was so altering that as soon as I got home I immediately made a plan to move abroad.

The Dinner Party by Judy Chicago is a long term installation at the Brooklyn Museum. The Dinner Party portrays exactly that and is set around a massive triangular table with a total of 39 place settings commemorating important women from history. Every place setting on the table consists of embroidered runners, gold chalices, utensils, and china-painted porcelain plates. They each have a bespoke motif based on vulvar and butterfly forms that are inspired by the individual woman being honored by that place setting. I love 1970’s feminist art, I love celebrating the feminine form, and I remember the first time I saw this piece was with my mother and aunt, who both lived through that movement and have always taught me to be proud of my beautifully unique body, even the parts society told us not to take pride in. 

There can be something quite appealing about being a successful woman in a male dominated field. By asserting yourself and stating ‘I belong’ you’re paving the way for other marginalized individuals to do the same. When you are under-represented it is essential that you author your own story. We must show people who we are and how we want to be seen before they tell us.

On the San Francisco jam band, the Grateful Dead. My parents were dead heads and I have fond memories of growing up with their music and taking our family minivan to spend weekends on the notorious Shakedown Streets in show parking lots. My first tattoo is of one of the iconic ‘Bears’, and my love of music festivals and jambands lives on to this day where I often travel to meet family and friends for a long weekend of camping, community, and music.