Kitty Deschanel | Food, Wine, and Travel Adventures in an Airstream Basecamp

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to visit Magnolia Market in Waco, TX, get ready to live vicariously through photos. (Through food too - how handy that their recipes are shared online.) Sexy Nerd and I made our way there for a cozy fall getaway. Though the insane wind had my hair impersonating our chihuahua, Puff, it was totally worth it. Does Sexy Nerd look nervous? He just brought me to a world of home improvement ideas. Time to get your Chip Gaines on, Sexy Nerd. Where's your power drill? From the charming, retro plant shop, where plants have names like Dorothy, to the cutest old church they salvaged and rebuilt, every corner of Magnolia Market is a perfect blend of charm, whimsy, and design inspiration.  Fall Feels  at the Silos Magnolia Market is the autumn getaway everyone dreams of.  With the Silos towering above, we wandered through displays that seemed to blend effortlessly with the season—think warm lighting, dried floral arrangements, and a bit of that f...

We're home from Oregon, where Sexy Nerd and I attended the International Pinot Noir Celebration ( IPNC ). Oh my goodness, it was so much fun!  This was a truly spectacular event filled with the finest Pinot Noirs and an atmosphere that exuded sophistication and charm. Photos from the IPNC's Passport To Pinot: Nestled amidst the captivating landscapes of Oregon wine country, the festival was a breathtaking celebration of Pinot Noir's finesse and allure. The vineyard-draped hills, bathed in golden sunlight, set the perfect stage for this vinous symphony. From the tranquil ambiance of outdoor tastings to the majestic beauty of sprawling vineyards, every moment was a visual delight, making each sip of Pinot Noir an experience intertwined with the surrounding natural splendor. The IPNC was a vinous wonderland, a gathering of passionate enthusiasts celebrating the complexiti...

Let me start this post by stating, for the record, that I stay at Marriott hotels all the time. I'm in it for the breakfast and when a hotel doesn't include this, I stay elsewhere. I am a hotel waffle-making pro . Then again, making your own waffle is easy peasy, right? Behold, the tower of waffle batter goodness. How many gallons does it contain? We would soon find out. I always look forward to creating a decadent hotel waffle. The fateful Monday morning after the Summit County Parade of Homes was no exception and I was pleased to discover that no one was using the waffle iron, despite the crowd in the hotel breakfast room. It's no secret that I'm a social-anxiety mess, even with something as basic as navigating a shared waffle iron, so this was a relief and a great start to my day. I picked up my little plastic batter cup. I pressed down on the dispenser nozzle, as I've done 100 times. And then... The nozzle broke off. It just snapped right off...

Sexy Nerd has an annoying habit of calling me to complain when he's on business trips. "It's too hot here in Napa Valley," and "That chocolate lava cake was too rich after such a big dinner."  After a morning surrounded by screaming pediatric dental patients and their overprotective, crazy parents (my generation is nuts, BTW), I'll check my voicemail during lunch and learn Sexy Nerd's flight bumped him to first class and the rental lot only had BMWs left. Also, his meeting has been postponed so he's "stuck here" another two days. Boo hoo, Sexy Nerd. Also, if you bring your children to our dental office, it's the other parents I'm referring to, not you. Wondering where I'm going with this? I was recently a bad employee and played hooky from work, which is something I never, ever do. (You know, after having received permission for said-hooky several weeks in advance. I'd hate for you to think I'm  that bad.) I...

Making Friends As An Adult  Popular, you're gonna be popular. I'll teach you the proper poise when you talk to boys. Little ways to flirt and flounce, ooh! I'll show you what shoes to wear, how to fix your hair. Everything that really counts... I was very popular today. Popular, I'll help you be popular. You'll hang with the right cohorts, you'll be good at sports. Know the slang you've got to know... I stopped at the grocery store and instantly regretted it once I saw the crowd, realizing too late it was too close to the holiday weekend for a quick stop. I grabbed one of those little carts with an upper and lower basket and squeezed my way in, planning to grab just a few things and get the heck out of there. I hate crowds. I suppose everyone hates crowds, at least at the grocery store. Popular, I know about popular. And with an assist from me to be who you'll be... While walking toward the watermelon, I noticed two shopping carts full of wine with...

Be sure to check out Part Two of this post,  Beer + Pizza = Heaven(ly Village) I'm always insisting to my readers that certain events are worth traveling across the country for, such as the Taos Summer Wine Festival . Well, I finally took my own advice. Three missed days of work, two delayed flights from Albuquerque, and a peppy VW rental car later, I was glad I did.  The Autumn Food and Wine Festival was on Saturday, September 21st. The Fall Ale Fest was also on Saturday, September 21st. Faced with a wine festival on one side of Lake Tahoe and a beer festival on the other, I did what any sensible person would do. I drank my wine, then raced an hour south to indulge in bottomless, tiny glasses of beer. When it's a beautiful Saturday at Lake Tahoe (and you have a designated driver), why not attend both? Now, for this post, you should really be in the beer-and-wine festival spirit. I highly recommend sipping a favorite wine or cold beer while you read. Ah, it's like ...