New Puppy To Buy List

When I found Freya I knew she was the doggy for me.  She was timid and beautiful, and her docked tail was strange to both of us.  I went to visit her at the shelter and was back 2 hours later with the BF to get the final stamp of approval.  He now says he liked her from the get go because I did so much, although she was a bit "muddy looking".

First thing we needed, was a kennel to put her in the car for the drive home.  We didn't think that far ahead, but she was so freaked out she just hunkered down in the passenger's seat and we were ok.  Second thing, a kennel at home so I could go buy all the other stuff she needed:

• Puppy Food
• Dog bowls (one for water, one for food, get plastic to start)
• Leash
• Collar
• Soft & Hard Chew toys
• Hair brush
• Shampoo
• Carpet Cleaner

If one were really on top of it, ideally they would have all of these items before they brought the dog home.  The next step was to make a Vet appointment.  Puppies need several booster shots to guard them against a variety of diseases.  Freya went through the necessary rounds of:

• 7-way (guards agains parvo, lepto, and many other viruses)
• Kennel Cough
• Lyme's Disease (we knew we would be traveling in the Northern USA a lot and requested this especially)
• Rabies Shot (given at 13 weeks)

The great thing is, a lot of Animal Hospitals are filled with very kind employees who will answer your questions.  I asked a ton, and was so excited with my new puppy that I probably forgot the answers to half.

Don't forget that while your puppy will make mistakes and messes, they still love you!  So correct them and then love on them, especially when they do something right or respond immediately to a stern "NO".

Wine-o: Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc

Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc 2010

Alcohol: 13.5%

After a lovely stint in Southern California for the holidays, my father and stepmother have turned me onto white wine again.  I bought this wine as it is a favorite of my mother's, but during her visit over Thanksgiving Arkansas was just too chilly for white wine.

The wine is full of citrus flavors and bursts on the tongue.  Previous years of this wine have had more of a spicy herbal taste to them, almost like a sage or rosemary.  However, to me, the 2010 tastes of tart citrus.

"New Zealand Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc at its best, this wine displays excellent palate weight and length,with flavours of ripe passion fruit, lemon and peach supported by fresh, zesty acidity."  Snooth.com Winemaker Notes

Freya's Score: 7

I confess I preferred earlier years where there was not as much citrus, and more of an herbal quality.

Cost: ~ $12 in Southern Missouri, bought from the Macadoodle's location in Pineville, MO.  This is a great deal if you purchase it with the fantastic Macadoodle's case of wine deal.  They have a discount section that provides cases of wine perfect for any party, event, or just a personal favorite that one wants to always have on hand.

Wine-o: Plungerhead Old Vine Zinfandel

Plungerhead Old Vine Zinfandel, 2009 Lodi, CA
Alcohol: 14.9%


This was my favorite wine from the Thanksgiving week of wine tastings.  The wine is a beautiful ruby red and had moderate flavors of plum and pepper.  It was a drier wine which paired wonderfully with venison, vegetables, and pate.  A great simple wine.  


I am so glad that Dan from Macadoodle's recommended this wine to me.  My mother was horrified by the name and label and declared she could never serve it at a party or give it as a gift.  After we had sampled a couple wines over the Holiday we were both won over with the Plungerhead.  I have bought it again since and look forward to opening it at my next pizza night.


Described on Wine Spectator with a rating of 83:

Ripe and smoky, showing baked cherry, fresh sage and cedar notes and dry flavors. Drink now. 36,000 cases made. –TF

Freya's Score: 8 Zesty and flavorful, it went great with venison tacos and pate hors d'oeuvres.  


Cost: ~ $12 in Southern Missouri, bought from the Macadoodle's location in Pineville, MO.  This is a great deal if you purchase it with the fantastic Macadoodle's case of wine deal.  They have a discount section that provides cases of wine perfect for any party, event, or just a personal favorite that must always be handy.

Wine-o: Beaujolais Nouveau 2011

Georges DuBoeuf Beaujolais Nouveau, 2011 FRANCE

Alcohol: 12.5%

The Beaujolais Nouveau wine is a vintage that has been developed in the past 20 years.  Dan from the Pineville Macadoodle's wine tasting bar was happy enough to explain to me some of the unique qualities of this wine.  

This is the first grape to be picked in the spring.  It is made without using any oak and is released every year just before Thanksgiving.  The Georges DuBoeuf Beajolais Nouveau is the most popular and the one most people serve traditionally during the holiday season.

I had a very difficult time trying to taste this wine.  The aromas were moderate and very simple, grape smelling.  It was off dry and a light wine with a moderate flavor.  It definitely requires aeration, and even then I was less than impressed. 

We served this wine with Thanksgiving dinner and it went well, although I preferred the Lindemans Bin 99 Pinot Noir.  It also went well with hors d'oeuvres of pate and a dill feta bread from the local bakery Stone Mill Bread & Co.

In the past 20 years this wine has received scores ranging from 86 to 87 and has an average price of 11-14 dollars according to Wine Spectator.

Freya's Score: 5  This wine was very fun to try since so many people talk about it this time of year.  It is important to drink it when you buy it and let it aerate for an hour.

Cost: ~ $10.44 in Southern Missouri, bought from the Macadoodle's location in Pineville, MO.  This is a great deal if you purchase it with the fantastic Macadoodle's case of wine deal.  10% off all bottles of wine not already on sale!

Culture Bit: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

November 11, 2011 marked an important day for the art community, and more importantly (to me at least) the Bentonville, Arkansas community.  The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is finally open to the public (and admission is free!)

This museum will drastically change the local community.  One of the most profound effects in my opinion will be through its' Education program.  Alice Walton has shown her passion for education and for the region and this beautiful facility will greatly enhance both.  Through a grant from the Walton Family Foundation, school groups will now be able to organize field trips at no cost and have lunch provided by the Museum.

The effect that the art will have on how these children view art and their own local environments cannot be measured.  I know that growing up in New York City, viewing art at Museums was a "have to" as my family took several trips every year.  I like to think this has broadened and changed the way I view my world for the better.

The opening sequence of events included several invitation only soirees, a Members Preview, and the opening ceremonies in conjunction with Veteran's Day recognition in Downtown Bentonville on the Square.  It has been a very exciting week, and I imagine that Crystal Bridges will only bring more excitement and pizzazz to an already cheerful and growing community.

This video was shown on the Bentonville Square at the opening ceremonies and I thought it very fun.


We're Glad You're Here from Crystal Bridges on Vimeo.

Note: I have noticed a lot of media has been condemning the name "Crystal Bridges" as boring, etc.  It is important to note that this Museum and construction of the Museum greatly values the land and unique environment in which it is.  The landscaping uses only indigenous plants and only 6 ft was excavated around the perimeter of the Museum to keep the environment intact.  The water that flows under the bridges of the Museum comes from "Crystal Springs" located north of the Museum on the property.  Perhaps people will think differently of the name when they know this history behind the project.

If you are interested in more information about events in Downtown Bentonville you can follow the twitter @DBIncEvents or the downtown association's facebook for updates.

UPDATE:  Bentonville was ranked one of the "Hottest Travel Destinations of 2012" by Travel & Leisure Magazine, the only place located in the USA of the top 12!

Wine-o: Tontitown Winery Merlot

Decided to take a detour from my California wine tasting and experience something local.  A couple months ago (just after a glorious trip to Napa) a group of us stopped by the Tontitown Winery just south of Bentonville.

They offer free wine tasting and we tried their Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a couple other red wines.  The Bf decided that the Merlot was the best and bought a bottle for us to enjoy at home.  (This is a great activity to do with visitors to the area as you can drop in during their open hours with no appointment.)

This wine definitely needs to be aired.  It tasted vastly better a day after opening.  The wine is very flavorful and dry, described by the winery as "Dry, medium bodied, with earthy flavors."  The vineyard has a very quaint store front and tasting room.  They also produce evening events combining wine tasting with local music in their outdoor area.

Tontitown Winery Merlot
335 N Barrington Road
Springdale, AR 72762

Freya's Score: 5 - expensive for the taste, fun to go local though!

Cost: $14 at the winery - I would purchase again for a tasting party as it is a local wine, however I think that I prefer other merlots.  I encourage people to try local wines as it does have a very different flavor from California grapes that many may prefer

Freya's Journey: Nature's Select of NWA

Freya is my first dog that is really MY dog.  In High School I convinced my mother to get us a Shih Tzu, Phoebe, and in college I was best buds with my Granma's German Shepherds Gaia and Folgen.  But never was I entirely responsible for a dog.

As mentioned before, I found Freya through Petfinder.com and got her from the Centerton Animal Shelter (beautiful new facilities were built a couple months before I adopted her in September 2010).  There are many hoops that one needs to jump through when getting a new pet.  

1. Vet - for Freya we went to All Pets Animal Hospital which was recommended by a friend.  The staff is great, the facility clean and friendly.

2. Dog food 

3. Dog toys & supplies: brush, shampoo, dog bowl, toys, bones, bed, kennel, collar, leash etc. (Many items found at TJMaxx or else later and cheaper on amazon.com)

The dog food was a conundrum.  I wanted to have a healthy and happy puppy, but the options were endless.  I knew my friend loved Blue Buffalo and so I decided to start her out on that.  But it was expensive (a 30 lb. bag at Amazon.com costs 47.99).  

If I bought it from the grocery store I could rarely find Blue Buffalo or other high quality foods, and I was then faced with a very large and heavy bag to carry to and from cars and on and off of shelves, checkout belts, carts, etc.  (How does my grandmother who is almost 80 and has arthritis manage?)  And when I tried PurinaOne I found that Freya got picky about eating and was not thrilled by kibble.

It was then that I met Nature's Select of NWA at a First Friday event put on by the downtown association in Bentonville.  I looked at the ingredients in their products and was happy to see a similar list to the Blue Buffalo and other organic brands.  From their website:

"What we do use are hormone-free meats - the same you or I would eat. We use whole ground rice and flaxseed that are nutrient-rich. We use Vitamins C and E and rosemary extract to naturally preserve our products. We also use complete and easily-absorbed vitamins & minerals.  All of our recipes are formulated to exceed the nutritional levels established by AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles for all stages.  In addition, all our foods are MADE IN THE USA (Texas), which has the MOST STRINGENT pet food guidelines of all 50 states. "

What's more, they deliver all orders over $30 for free to your home!  I ordered online, made a note that they should leave it on the porch, and voila! I would come home to find all dog food waiting for Freya. (I also found out later they send a reminder email about reordering food, very handy as I was getting low!)  

Doug & Danielle Magdych own the NW Arkansas Nature's Select and happily give out samples.  I observed Freya with the PurinaOne food one night, then the Natures Select the other.  Her reaction was completely different, she was much more excited about the Nature's Select!

Let Doug & Danielle know that you heard about Nature's Select from Freya's Keeper and get $5.00 off your order!

Culture Bit: Bentonville Farmer's Market

The Bentonville Farmers Market is a wonderful Saturday morning treat.  I was excited to go to the final market day of the season.  The fall foliage was definitely at it's peak this past weekend, and the market was bathed in that beautiful golden light I love so much.

This year the Farmers Market had several programs happening to close out the season.  Several vendors were handing out candy for children (and dogs) who were shopping in costume.  The Market also had a campaign "Leave No Vegetable Behind" which had been featured in the local newspaper the day before.  

This movement challenged community members and local restaurants to buy out the Farmers Market produce and send the Farmers home with an empty truck.  I loved the idea of not just supporting a market but also showing your support for the farmers and reducing produce waste.  (How odd that just after this weekend there was the announcement of 7 billion people now residing on this Earth.)

Customers have been thrilled this past season by the new offerings at market including: fresh local cheese, hand milled soap, wood turned products, a variety of baked goods, dog treats, roasted nuts, and more.

Northwest Arkansas may not be known nationally for its food, but the growing season is long and there was a huge diversity of produce.  A large variety of apples were for sale including the native "Arkansas Black" variety.  There is also a large Asian demographic in the area and one can purchase fresh bok choy as well as spicy peppers throughout most of the season.  I took advantage of the butternut squash sale and am excited to make a soup from my favorite recipe blog.  

The Bentonville Farmers Market is organized and produced by Downtown Bentonville, Inc.  This nonprofit organization works in conjunction with the City of Bentonville, Bentonville Convention & Visitors Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, and many other entities to produce public and private community events throughout the year.

The  Market has gone through some huge changes over the past couple years and sales grew 270% over the past four seasons.  This is due largely because of the attention paid to detail by DBI and increased community awareness.    Additionally, the downtown association focuses energy on urban development and renewal work in the area.

For more information or questions about Downtown Bentonville, Inc. and their programs: info@downtownbentonville.org
www.downtownbentonville.org

UPDATE:  Bentonville was ranked one of the "Hottest Travel Destinations of 2012" by Travel & Leisure Magazine, the only place located in the USA of the top 12!

Culture Bit: NW Arkansas Loves Dogs

Northwest Arkansas loves dogs.  Which is fabulous.

There are dogs everywhere, at shops, offices, parks, almost every residential yard; everywhere.

Allow me to introduce Freya, my dog.  On a camping trip this weekend she made many a friend, canine and human alike.  And I had many people ask me what kind of dog she is because her hair is so soft and she is so well behaved.

Why her hair is so soft, I have no idea.  She is well behaved because I have a very generous boss who lets me bring her to work everyday.  I am a strict disciplinarian and she has been expected to adopt office manners.

I decided she had to have a part in my digital life because people in town now recognize me through her.  If Freya is seen, then people look for me, they know she can't be far.  She is definitely my best friend, and she thinks she is also my Knight and protector to the end!

I found Freya through Petfinder and got her at the local Animal Shelter.  For those of you who are considering a pet I greatly recommend adoption as it is beneficial to the dog, society, and you.  It is important to be selective to make sure the dog is the right fit for you and your family.

Most recently, a dog was brought to my office that was found on a bike/walking trail in downtown.  We have posted Lost & Found notices throughout the area, on Facebook, and Craigslist.  While we have not found her owner yet, we have had many people show an interest in adopting her.  I am hopeful that through our NW Arkansas network we can place her in a home and not the pound.

We all wonder if she was abandoned.  How someone could do that to a loving creature, I do not know.  I told my friend today that I don't get spiritual about a lot of things, but dogs are one of them.  I think they come into our lives for a reason and maybe their impact on our life goes further than we could ever imagine...  I hope that little Goldie will find a good home.

More to come later on the idea of doggy reincarnation...

Wine-o: Four Vines Chardonnay

Four Vines, 2009 Chardonnay, Santa Barbara, CA


A couple weeks ago I drove to the Macadoodle's in Pineville, MO.  I had a mission.  My stepsister had just told me that during her visit to our parents they had gone down to Temecula, CA and had a great day of wine tasting.  I was determined that I too could have wine tasting despite the fact that I currently reside in NW Arkansas.  My Mission: a case of 12 different wines from California for my own personal tasting.

From the vineyard: 

"Step away from the barrel! This Chardonnay was fermented in 100% stainless steel and has not seen any oak, nor does it want to. This is crisp, concentrated Chardonnay with all its natural acid. Naked exhibits apple, white peach, and pear, finishing long with hints of citrus and mineral. Eat oysters and drink "Naked" often!! Share with a friend..."

This wine is very tart and quite dry.  It has almost a greenish tinge in coloring.  The aroma is very strong and sharp.  The tart flavor got stronger after it had been open a couple days.  A day after opening the wine tasted more of fruit flavors.

Freya's Score: 7 -the price is right!  I would bring this to a friend's house as a hostess gift.

Cost: ~$10 Southern Missouri, bought from the Macadoodle's location in Pineville, MO.  This is a great deal if you purchase it with the fantastic Macadoodle's case of wine deal.  10% off all bottles of wine not already on sale!

Wine-0.2007 Masked Rider, Petit Syrah

I confess to many people that I am a wine-o, I love trying new and different wines.  However, I do not pretend to be a well educated wine taster.  This is a skill I look forward to honing as I pass through life.

Wine of the Evening: Masked Rider, Petit Sirah, 2007  Sonoma, California

From the vineyard's website:

This 2007 Petite Sirah has lots of dark plum, blackberry and fruit aromas. The taste of berries and black pepper on the mouth.  A smooth mouthfeel and rounded tannins make this an enjoyable red wine.

The words that came to mind when drinking this were soft, and round.  It has a longer finish, lingering pleasantly in the mouth.

It is recommended to eat this with chicken or pork, and I think it would go well with a pork roast.  That being said I am sure it will taste lovely next to tonight's venison quesadillas.

Price ~$10 (Missouri, Macadoodle's)

Freya's Rating: 6

I probably would not buy it again, but it was a great deal as a part of the Macadoodle's case deal (buy a case of wine and get 10% off all wines not on sale)

Culture Bit: Go Hogs! ... Say What?

Having moved from NYC area to Northwest Arkansas and the Bentonville area, I have experienced many different culture shocks and educated moments.  One that is very present now is the culture that surrounds the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Northwest Arkansas people go nuts for hogs.  And when I say hogs, I mean the University of Arkansas Football team, the Razorbacks.  Never have I lived somewhere where the entire community seems to orbit around a sporting season, much less a collegiate football one.

On game day, cars can be seen driving about town with Razorbacks flags flying out their windows.  People wear the bright blaze red to show off their loyalty, and businesses wonder what the impact will be on their services.  (E.g. sports bars and restaurants see massive profit while retailers may see fewer customers, and Walmart will sell masses of "Hogs" merchandise.)

I am not a football fan.  I do not understand the game, despite having it explained to me by my college roommate and several men who wish to educate me.  I find the stop and go tedious, the rules difficult, and the scoring arbitrary.

What I do enjoy, is how it brings people together.  While there is the contingent who tailgate the games (an experience I have yet to have) there is a large amount of parties that occur in homes.  People come together and cook while watching the game.  Catching up with each other (while the game awkwardly lurches along in the background).  Children play outside the house on their bikes, and people are generally in good cheer, even if the game is lost!  And of course, everyone is dressed in bright blaze red, loyal to the team.

Now why can't we do all this while we watch professional Hockey or Soccer?

Note:  Some people have the Razorback logo put on festive cakes, such as Anniversary or Wedding cakes.  For serious.