Stanford 23, SJSU 10

Our annual SJSU vs. Stanford tailgate party and game was last night. As usual, the tailgate was awesome. Tons of tasty BBQ, great beers, and delicious wine...but then the game begins. Once again, SJSU lost. The McCormick's aren't too emotionally attached to either team, so for us, it's about the tailgate. However, our tailgating comrades are big SJSU fans. Sorry gang. Maybe next year?! Oh wait, didn't we say that last year?

Melissa's Bachelorette Party

To honor Melissa's upcoming wedding, the girls gathered in Santa Ynez for a day of wine tasting followed by an evening of good ol' BBQ at A.J. Spurs. At the conclusion of dinner, we headed back to the hotel and took over the bar/pool hall until the bartender kicked the remaining celebrators OUT. I fortunately for my liver, didn't quite make it 'til closing, but got close.
These pictures will never capture the fun everyone had nor will it capture the surprise we felt when Candice, who lives in London, walked onto the wine tour bus that early Friday morning. Happy Bachelorette, Mel! We love you!

If You Can't Stand the Heat...

Camp outside in your backyard!
With temperatures in the 90's this week, we finally gave in to the heat and decided it was time to cool off. Now, for those of you who know me, camping means "hotel" or "luxurious motor home" so, the idea of camping in the backyard seemed awfully adventurous. Brian climbed up the rafters and found his tent (I didn't even know he owned one!) and we inflated the portable mattress - yes, I am an urban camper who needed a mattress. It was a perfect night! The temperature cooled off and we snuggled under blankets until the sun (and noisy squirrels) woke us up. Now that I know I can survive a night out in the great outdoors, I might even consider doing it again.
Then again...

Labor-less Day

We headed over to Half Moon Bay with the Kopeck's on Labor Day to enjoy anything but labor. The weather was perfectly warm and sunny with a slight breeze to keep the climate nice and cool. We walked around the downtown area before heading over to Sam's Chowderhouse for an early dinner and drinks. Then, we drove to a secluded beach watching the waves crash as we felt the crunchy sand on our toes. It was a little slice of heaven for this beach bunny! Here is a photo of Colette and I at Sam's.

Panthos '06 Release Party

On Saturday, we hosted a first release party on behalf of Pantheon Cellars. This was their first public tasting of the Panthos Lot '06 and it was thrilling to be the "first" to taste the fruits of their labor. With over 30 educated pallets in attendance to sample this Rhone-style red blend, the general consensus was...IT'S A HIT!
Jon and Nick, the winemakers, maintain a blog of their voyage into making Panthos so feel free to check it out if you want to learn more. It's really fascinating to see first hand how much is involved in the winemaking process. You can also sign up for their mailing list to receive information about joining their wine club and various details about their delicious nectar.
In summary, the day was fantastic! Great company, tasty food, and incredible wine was shared with friends and family over this Labor Day weekend. Here are some pictures of the day.