Jen A. Miller Consulting

Category: Out and About

Secrets of a Sommelier| Wine Pairing Tips from Napa

Pick the perfect wines for your Thanksgiving with these 5 tips from a Napa Valley Master Sommelier

This past weekend my boyfriend I had the pleasure of attending Flavor! Napa Valley an event which celebrates two of my favorite things in life, top notch wines and amazing food. We were accompanied by a few great friends and some amazing hosts, one of whom was master sommelier Andrea Robinson. As one of only 18 female master sommeliers in the world, Andrea is among the most knowledgable people when it comes to wine. Needless to say, we were thrilled to have the chance to share the weekend with her.

While we dined our way through some amazing meals we had the pleasure of picking Andrea’s brain about the wines which were chosen to go with each dish. With her signature down-to-earth nature, she brought her expertise to us in a way which we could actually understand.

With Thanksgiving just a few days away, our time with Andrea couldn’t have been more perfectly timed. This year we’ve decided to open the doors to our new house and host a big Friendsgiving feast. We’ll be prepping the turkey and have asked each of our guest to bring along their favorite sides dishes. With an invite list of nearly 50, our meal is certain to have a lot of variety.

If you’ve ever been in a similar situation, you know that figuring out what drinks to serve to match your exhaustive menu can be quite the challenge. Luckily, Andrea’s expertise has prepped me with some easy to follow tips for pulling together the perfect wine pairings. If you’re looking for a simple guide to get your wine right, these points should suit you perfectly.

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November 24, 2014
Tale of Two Cities | Best Libations

Jen and Catherine’s top 3 drinks from Los Angeles and San Francisco

PHOTO: InsideScoop.

Now that we’re exploring and reporting from two cities, every month we will bring you our top picks from San Francisco and Los Angeles. It’s been a while since I shared my favorite happy hour spots, so read on for our top libations just in time for your weekend.

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November 21, 2014
Orange October in San Francisco

Catherine reflects on cheering on the Giants from San Francisco

PHOTO: Ramses Bulatao.

The last time I was home for the World Series, I was in high school. I remember visiting California Adventure that October and seeing a Giants sign hung proudly across the faux Golden Gate Bridge (to be fair… and especially since we were in Angels country, there was a halo around the A in the life-sized California letters). In 2010, I watched the Series with my cousin in our Los Angeles apartment. In 2012, I watched the Series with a couple hundred Bay Area fans in Manhattan’s infamous Finnerty’s. That was the closest I came to experiencing a Giants World Series celebration with alcohol.

This year I moved home, and I was thrilled to be working walking distance to AT&T Park—home of the Giants. My first fall home, my first World Series of-age. What have I learned? The Giants aren’t just from San Francisco. They are San Francisco. And San Francisco is them. Here are 7 truths I’ve experienced over this Orange October.

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October 29, 2014
6 Stylish Halloween Costume Ideas + Asos GIVEAWAY!

Score the Award for Best Dressed with These 6 Creative Costumes & Your Chance to Win a $25 Asos Giftcard

“What should I be for Halloween??” It’s the question we’re all asking ourselves right about now. This year we’re teaming up with Asos to bring you a set of costumes that will meet your highest of demands. These looks are easy to put together, won’t cost you an arm and a leg, AND they’ll have you stylin’ without having to bare it all.

To make this year’s Halloween costume hunt even better, Asos is throwing in a $25 gift card to one lucky Single Diaries reader. All you have to do is like us on Facebook and comment below letting us know which costume you’ll be rockin’ this Halloween.

Let’s be honest, we all want to be the best dressed girl at the party. With a little inspiration from us and a gift-card to boot, there’s no doubt you’ll walk out the door with the best dressed award. Read on to see our looks then head on over to Asos to pick up the pieces you need to create those awesome costumes of yours.

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October 17, 2014
My Day on a Juice Cleanse

Catherine shares her experience with a 1-day juice cleanse from Project Juice

PHOTO: Project Juice.

I’m a craver… boba, pizza from Fresh Brothers, a caprese sandwich from Bay Cities, kale salad from Tender Greens. I like to indulge, so when I signed up for a juice cleanse I knew the challenge that was in store for me. I actually tried a 3-day juice cleanse when they first started popping up in L.A. some years ago but failed on Day 2 when I decided to have a hot dog at Abbot Kinney’s First Fridays. C’est la vie. This time around, only committing to 1 day seemed much less daunting.

Having learned from Project Juice that a successful cleanse begins with prep—slowly cutting out meat and only eating raw food the day before, I did my best to ease my intake a couple days before. I could’ve been better about it had I read their guide online, but 24 hours prior I ate a ThinkThin bar, grilled chicken and kale from Tender Greens, almonds, and a Trader Joe’s salad though I did impulsively splurge on sugar at lunch. Despite that little slip, I went to bed early to mentally prepare. Read on to see how I fared.

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October 10, 2014