Skip to main content

About Me



Follow this blog as I travel around looking for the best in my hometown of Houston and beyond. I am always out and about seeking the good and I'm excited to share some of my favorite things here.

I've been the wine writer for Galveston Monthly magazine since 2012 and I freelance in other publications both locally and on-line, I will be sharing links to these other articles here as well.

After more than a decade of blogging only on wine at Wine-Thoughts.com, I am consolidating my writing here for now. I originally created this blog for other non-wine stories that I wanted to share including some of my travels with things to see, do, and eat, my recommended hotels, recommended restaurants, favorite cocktails that I make at home, along with other highlights about Houston, too, but somehow wine was always somehow slipping in as well.

Thanks for reading!

To contact me: crittendensan@gmail.com 
Connect with me on social media: 
Twitter    Facebook     Instagram     Linked In


French Wine Society

    Comments

    1. Stefano IlluminatiMay 23, 2018 at 4:00 AM

      Dear Sandra,

      hope that you had a safe trip back to Houston.
      We wish to thank you very much for your visit at my winery on last Thursday.
      Me, my father Dino, my winemaker Claudio, my son Nicola and my agronomist Alfredo, we appreciated very much the time you spent with us visiting vineyards, winery and tasting our full range of wines.
      We mainly were very happy to be able to show you some old vintages…
      Please feel free to contact me anytime you wish.

      All the very best from Abruzzo and the Illuminati family,
      Stefano

      ReplyDelete

    Post a Comment

    Popular posts from this blog

    Sculpted in Steel - A Luxury Automobile Showcase from the Art Deco Era

    Whether you are visiting the city of Houston or live here full time, if you are a car lover, there is one thing to do this spring that is a must-do.  Visit the Museum of Fine Arts Houston to check out the temporary luxury art deco automobile exhibit, Sculpted in Steel .  I toured the display recently and was impressed by the array.  This collection is   a showcase of seventeen cars and motorcycles designed between 1929 -1940. These vehicles are more than art cars or show cars, they are true art deco masterpieces. The museum has great information about the period and designers throughout the exhibit.  Go sooner rather than later, they will only be on display until May 30, 2016.

    Fairmont Miramar Hotel and Bungalows - Santa Monica

    Refreshment on the patio of the Lobby Lounge My husband and I stayed at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel and Bungalows with our adult daughter this summer after her graduation from a Masters program at Claremont Graduate University. We wanted to be near the beach but still be able to easily get into Los Angeles to visit some of the tourist attractions. This was our first time to stay at a Fairmont Hotel . I chose the Miramar for its ocean views and its proximity to the Santa Monica Pier and the beach. It has a long history with a Hollywood connection, it has been a destination of the stars for almost a century. After looking over the various room options, I decided that the Palisade King Suite would easily accommodate us. My husband and I shared a private bedroom and our daughter got the fold out couch in the living room. The six story Palisades wing which housed our room is a historic part of the property that was built in 1924. For a more luxe experience, you can also book a pool

    Mixology Class with Susi Zivanovic

    Susi Zivanovic I had a fantastic experience this week learning about the cocktail program at Perry's Steakhouse & Grille with beverage director, Susi Zivanovic.  In addition to selecting the wines for the restaurants, Zivanovic creates all the cocktail recipes that guests enjoy at the many Perry’s locations.  Zivanovic shared with the group that her philosophy for mixology involves high quality ingredients masterfully blended into well-balanced deliciously drinkable cocktails.  She said that when she creates the different recipes, she chooses only premium ingredients - most importantly, she makes sure that there are no artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners. Invitees to this event started the evening with the Perry's Hog-Hatten. This drink was prepared by the true professionals behind the bar.  This  Manhattan-based cocktail is elevated with spicier Redemption Rye Whiskey instead of the more traditional Bourbon. This is combined with Vya Vermouth and is compleme