Oh my gosh, CAN I MOVE HERE ALREADY?!! Its now 2:30 east coast time and I’ve *almost* been up for 24 hours but I just had to share some pictures of the evening with y’all before bed. Healdsburg is just the most perfect town I can ever think of….so cute and quaint and with amazing shops and restaurants!
And Murphy-Goode aint so bad either! 😉 Before heading to the tasting tonight I downed a quick cup of Amazing Grass because I knew I was headed for the long haul….
And then when 6:00 rolled around all of us headed into the tasting room for an hour of meet and greet and great wines! I must have tried at least five of these little “sips”. I have to say though, I think the Liars Dice Zin and the Petite Verdot might be my favorites!
Dinner was AWESOME and was cooked by the talented Kendall-Jackson culinary team. They put out a huge buffet with the most delicious foods...tons of healthy fare—I was super impressed!
I LOADED my plate up (it was 10:00 east coast time!!) with smoked salmon, bread, chickpea & fava bean (??) salad, bulgar salad with kalamata olives and regular salad. It was absolutely divine and just what I was craving. Especially when it was accompanied by a nice glass of Liars Dice! 😉
Of course once we sat down the long awaited speeches started……….we were called up randomly and I was last! I felt like I was in school again because I was always last in line because of my last name. We had to show our video to the group and then make a 2 minute speech about ourselves….I tried to find humor in my flipcam/chef uniform awkwardness LOL
It went well ? 😉
Seriously everyone is just as nice as can be and the awesome thing is that I really feel very at home with the other 9 candidates. We all bring something unique and fun to the table and just to even BE here is such an honor beyond belief!
The three girls!
Representing Pure Bars!!!
After dinner we all followed Dave to the local “tavern” next door to play some intense Bocce Ball and drink beer. I opted out of the beer but played a rousing round of Bocce Ball…..I lost……hahaha but it was still fun!
Again…Healdsburg is a dream!!!! I never want to leave!
Tomorrow we head out bright and early to the vineyard to learn all about how the wine is actually made. Then, we learn the art of blending and invite friends for a tasting! It should be a blast, especially since I am honored enough to get to meet a few local blog readers!! SO excited about that girls—I’m going to send an email out in the morning but be there or be square at 3:30 tomorrow afternoon! 😉 Oh, and bring your friends!
Must……sleep……..must……sleep………………..
Sarah
July 19, 2009 at 3:43 amI’m glad dinner went well, as did your intro!
I LOVE bocce ball–what a great way to relax with the group.
…and….
GOODE LUCK!!!!!
Jocelyn@ProjectBWord
July 19, 2009 at 6:11 ameeeek! Looks like all is going awesome! You look great in your speech photos 🙂 Dinner looks fab as well! But you muuuust be soooo tired. Get some rest! And hopefully today is fun too 🙂
kailey
July 19, 2009 at 6:27 amaww sounds like a fun night!!
love the dress you wore by the way! yay for pure bars!
Christie @ Quit Your Diet
July 19, 2009 at 6:39 amSounds like it went well. I love that dress you are wearing, it is a really flattering color on you!
Good luck with the rest of your events!
Gab*
July 19, 2009 at 7:15 amWhat a fantastic opportunity! Looks like you’re having a fantastic time.
Susan
July 19, 2009 at 7:16 amOhmygoodness, I’m nervous for you about having to get up and talk! I bet you did great though and charmed the pants off them 😉 Your dinner looks delish! And yay for being surrounded by fun people 😀
Sarah (Running to Slow Things Down)
July 19, 2009 at 7:23 amWow…you look so calm up there in front, giving your presentation. It brought back memories of giving presentations in college…eeks!
Looks like a blast…so glad you’re having a fun time!! 😀
(p.s. The food looks amazin’!!!)
Madelin @ What is for breakfast?
July 19, 2009 at 7:34 amI love your blue dress!
Megan (Runner's Kitchen)
July 19, 2009 at 8:39 amYour dinner looks delicious. Glad to know that Murphy-Goode is offering healthy food 🙂 Have fun in the vineyards today!
leslie
July 19, 2009 at 8:42 amyour blue dress is perfect! so classy, sophisticated, and summery. perfect choice. 🙂
it looks like you’re doing amazingly out there – my fingers are so tightly crossed for you!
Ingrid
July 19, 2009 at 8:43 amyou look like you hit it out of the park! i just want to tell you how much i LOVE your style!! i loved the pink JS heels you wore to the wedding last week that i got some of my own (they are fabulous!) i am going to wear them to a wedding soon too! you are a food and style guru jenna! good luck at MG!
jodie
July 19, 2009 at 8:43 amAwesome. Love your dress.
Stacey
July 19, 2009 at 8:50 amHaha. I’m sure your intro went fine! Glad you are having fun!! Can’t wait to hear more 🙂
Gina G
July 19, 2009 at 9:04 amim so glad your have an amazing time! im sure your speech was wonderful! keep your head up =)
Lizzy
July 19, 2009 at 9:18 amisn’t that the best feeling when you feel at home at places! i’m so glad to hear your having a good time!!! can’t wait to read whats next
Becky@I Heart Running & Food
July 19, 2009 at 9:23 amIt looks like it was a fun night! Love your blue dress. Glad you’re having fun 🙂
Maria
July 19, 2009 at 9:43 amSo glad you had such an awesome time!! Mmm the dinner looks delicious–I love smoked salmon 🙂
ashley @ mom of 3 gets healthy
July 19, 2009 at 9:43 amlooks like you are having an amazing time so far. good luck and enjoy the rest of your stay!
Red Head, Yellow Dog
July 19, 2009 at 9:47 amso awesome! glad to see you’re having a fantastic time! enjoy every moment!
Nicole
July 19, 2009 at 9:50 amI’m totally rooting for you! You looked lovely last night. Good luck!
Lenore
July 19, 2009 at 9:52 amIt’s fun to see you with one cousin, representing another cousin’s product! Rachel Reenstra is my cousin — and how I found your blog (which I love!), and another cousin (Veronica) created Pure Bars. So I found you through Rachel and the Murphy Goode contest, and one of the first posts I saw you were praising Pure Bars. Small world, right?
Jen
July 19, 2009 at 9:58 amJenna you look so gorgeous in that dress! You’re glowing. They can’t fail to see that 🙂 Are you being ‘watched’ all the time by the interviewers?? I guess you would be.
How nerve-wracking but fun at the same time. I worked for Disney a few years ago, and we all had to be ‘on’ the whole time during the interviews. And no vino to calm us down, boo. 😉
Good luck!!
kirsten
July 19, 2009 at 10:26 amgood luck!! can’t wait to hear how the rest of the weekend goes!! 🙂
Jess
July 19, 2009 at 10:52 amGoode Luck 😉
It seems like everything is going great for you! Keep up the goode work! 😉
Shannon (The Daily Balance)
July 19, 2009 at 11:00 amlooks like you are having an amazing time! Best of luck, Jenna 😉
Jennifer
July 19, 2009 at 11:06 amJenna,
Looks so fun! I was just in H’burg for a wedding a few months ago. If you have time, go to Barndiva, Oakville Grocery, and there is a bookstore at the square with gelato (can’t remember the name though). Have fun! That place is beyond gorgeous 🙂
Deva
July 19, 2009 at 11:10 amYou look so comfortable at the front of the room giving your presentation. I’m sure you’ll rock!
Tammy (Defining Wellness)
July 19, 2009 at 11:25 amIt sounds (and looks) like you’re having an amazing time! Go Jenna!
Angharad
July 19, 2009 at 11:26 amRock it woman. Standing up for the 2 minute speech looks hella nerve wracking – I would die!! I think it’s ballin that you did that with a smile on your face! Have a brilliant time in the vineyards (jealous? yes)
Cait (Cait's Plate)
July 19, 2009 at 11:33 amOH you look BEAUTIFUL!! And it looks like you had so much fun! I’m so glad 🙂
That food looks amazing! They treat you well huh???
Justy2003
July 19, 2009 at 11:43 amGlad to hear you made it safe and sound and are enjoying yourself! Can’t wait to hear about the rest of the trip. Good luck with everything!
Jenny
July 19, 2009 at 12:00 pmthat blue dress is absolutely stunning! you have such a genuine smile girl <3 it’s contagious! xo
Jessie
July 19, 2009 at 12:38 pmLOVE your dress!
P.s. to win some OIKOS visit my site and enter the giveaway!
Whitney
July 19, 2009 at 1:26 pmSooooo fun! I love your dress. Good luck, you are my #1 pick. Not that it counts or anything, haha!
Jenna
July 19, 2009 at 1:56 pmwhat a memorable day!! 🙂 it looks like you are having so much fun!! have a great weekend!
Andee (Runtolive)
July 19, 2009 at 4:26 pmYour trip sounds like a blast! Glad you are having fun, the food looks great too!
Jen Papaya
July 19, 2009 at 4:43 pmAre the question marks after fava beans asking what they are?? If so, they’re sooo good cooked (in the pods!!) with lots of dill and garlic and a little olive oil and not too much water, then cooled and served room temperature with plain greek yogurt. Just make sure to cut off the really hard parts of the outside of the pods before you cook them..you can also peel off the tough “string” that runs along one side of the pod too. A lot of work – but totally worth it!
AND you do look so pretty in your blue dress! Good luck out there!!
Erin
July 19, 2009 at 4:58 pmJenna, supa supa cute blue dress! GL with the next step!
Kathleen
July 19, 2009 at 5:34 pmAren’t you so glad you’re a blogger at times like this? What an amazing once-in-a-lifetime experience that you will document and remember as it happens. Have a great time.
MMiller
July 19, 2009 at 5:43 pmJenna, you look great! Just a natural! Great choice with the dress! Very classy! And you look great in it! I’m sure you are doing a fabulous job!
Katie
July 20, 2009 at 12:46 pmLooks like you’re having an amazing time! My fingers are still crossed for you.