New Release: Firestone Santa Ynez Valley 2006 Syrah

This newly released 2006 vintage is 100% deep, expressive, rich Syrah from our Firestone estate vineyards in Santa Ynez Valley. We are uniquely situated on a series of rocky mesas in the heart of the valley. Here, well-drained soils and an extended growing season contribute to the ripening of exquisitely balanced and flavorful grapes. According to winemaker Kevin Willenborg, the 2006 Santa Ynez Valley Syrah has aromas of black cherries and ripe plums, with undertones of caramel, white pepper and a hint of nutmeg. On the palate, flavors of ripe plum and dark chocolate are complemented by smooth, silky tannins, making this full-bodied Syrah easy to sip on its own or with flavorful, savory cuisine. The rich black fruit flavors and exotic spice pair seamlessly with grilled lamb burgers stuffed with mint and feta, peppered filet mignon with wild mushrooms, and any dish prepared with bacon (our personal fave). Cheers!

The Longest Way Home

The Longest Way Home is, in short, a site documenting "a guy traveling the world in search of a place called home." The long version is considerably more so. This is an exhaustive view into a world that few are lucky enough to experience firsthand. We are treated to scores of photographs, some functioning as day-in-the-life documentation, and others as breathtaking works of art. For anyone hoping to follow in his footsteps, you'll find lists of useful gadgets, tips on getting a visa, advice on changing money, help with securing cheap flights, and even learn how to spot fake batteries. For the epicurean amongst you (and I assume there are a few), we find reviews of the most memorable meals, ranging from the mouthwatering ("The best chocolate cake in the world can be found in the Philippines!"), to the stomach-turning ("Embryonic Duck is not quite formed to stage of having feathers, and the bones are still soft. A lesser staged Balut is also found which is basically a jelly slush.") There is also, of course, the standard blog. Standard, in this case, apparently includes navigating the longest underground river in the world and visiting an open-air, lock-free prison in the Philippines that effectively operates on the honor system. You'll even find longer, more fully-formed stories that expand on the writing in the blog. As he admits, it's not exactly Shakespeare, but the stories are nonetheless compelling and insightful firsthand accounts, typically concerning the quotidian occurrences and interactions that truly constitute the heart of such an experience. For each country visited, (seventeen so far, after four years, six months, and twenty-five days of travel), we're given thoughts on language and the people, Do's & Do Nots, FAQs, and of course, an appraisal of its attractiveness as a potential home for our protagonist. Ultimately, it is this, the raison d'etre of the journey, that lends to all of his adventures a somewhat noble quality and puts this travel log in its own league. More quest than vacation, the travels documented in The Longest Way Home help to remind us that, while traveling can open our eyes and expand our world, there's nothing quite like coming home.

Special Delivery: Fresh Bounty

Being farmers ourselves here at Firestone, we have great respect for the dedication, long hours, and passion that it takes to run a farm. Beyond that, fresh produce coming directly from a nearby farm just tastes better. We think you can actually taste the love, but that's our opinion. With more and more farmers markets cropping up in small towns to metro areas, family farms are getting the boost and attention they need to keep harvesting. Another route to providing support and reaping the benefits of fresh, local produce is through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). By becoming a member of a local farm near you, and essentially paying dues in advance, you receive ongoing deliveries of fresh, seasonal produce directly from the farm. In some instances, farmers invite members to head out to the farm, kick the dirt, hang out for a spell, and pick up the crate of goodies. Most of the bounty comes in the form of veggies (yum), but increasingly CSAs offer additional products like honey, eggs, meat, firewood, bread, and homemade beer. Have you hugged a farmer today?

The Impossible Project

In June 2008, we felt a collective shudder. It was in that month that the production of Polaroid's analog Instant Film came to a grinding halt. The vintage icon marked the beginning of instant photographic gratification. We all remember sitting, staring at the white-bordered fuzzy image that slowly came to life. The sometimes blurred, slightly vintage-hued shade captured its own unique stamp on life's most random moments. Lucky for Polaroid lovers everywhere, an eager group of engineers, aptly named The Impossible Project, has set out to prove the impossible - to reinvent and restart the production of analog Integral Film for vintage Polaroid cameras. Quite a feat indeed, since they have a ticking clock counting each passing second on their website. With temporary access to Polaroid's exclusive film production equipment, they now have only 13,000,000 seconds to go. Time to shake it! We believe.

The Moth: Stories Told

When someone tells a story, they invite us to share in their lives and allow us some small insight into our own. There's a certain beautiful alchemy in taking a straightforward series of events and crafting it into a complex and compelling narrative that grants us a rare glimpse of the world though the eyes of another. Telling the stories that make up our lives has always been a powerful means of bringing people together, and in past years there's been something of a resurgence of the form. The Moth is a non-profit organization whose aim is "to present the finest storytellers among established and emerging writers, performers and artists" and "to encourage storytelling among populations whose stories often go unheard." At times funny, heartbreaking, and downright unbelievable, these stories are told at ongoing events in New York and LA, as well as various touring shows. Fortunately, the best ones are gathered up into a weekly podcast [iTunes Link] [Podcast Feed], so you'll never be far from a great story.

Personal Publishing with Blurb.com

Ever wish you could say this at a cocktail party: “Yeah, last year I published a book on the culinary underground in San Francisco,” or better yet, garnish the coffee table with your own colorful creation? We stumbled onto a great site that encourages all of us to take matters into our own hands. Enter Blurb.com, an online publishing house that considers a book one of the finer things in life, and thinks everyone should experience having their name on a book cover...at least once. Blurb’s user-friendly site and variety of aesthetically pleasing layouts will satisfy the most design-savvy among us. Best yet, the process of creating your own book is incredibly easy from start to finish. As a Flickr partner, you can even grab photos directly from your own Flickr account, so those 154 underwater snorkeling snapshots can finally stand in the limelight. Blurb also takes the extra step of inviting customers to participate in its online bookstore, where Blurb-published books are sold. Actually getting paid for your new treasure would just be icing on the cake.

Mike Rivamonte's Robot Friends

There's a whole universe of robotic sculptures fashioned from salvaged materials: motorcycle parts, kitchen appliances, saws, screws, springs, and chains. You name it, there's a robot made from it. But between the cold, mechanical, industrial elements often employed, and the impersonal, robotic nature of, well, robots, such sculptures rarely register as anything beyond merely 'cool.' That being said, the work of Mike Rivamonte positively glows with uncommon warmth and personality. His robots seem to exist in such a vibrant world of fully-realized characters, it's hard not to envision what it might be like to have one as your own personal robot sidekick.

Pep Laguarda & Tapineria- Brossa D'ahir

Brossa d'Ahir is a true piece of unearthed treasure. The sole release of Spanish singer/songwriter Pep Laguarda and his band Tapineria, it originally appeared in 1976, and went largely forgotten until its various rereleases over the past few years. It's an album of truly gorgeous Catalan folk songs, a rich and organic sound made up of gently strummed acoustic guitars, soft, breathy flutes, and sparse hand percussion. The feel is remarkably warm and breezy, an ideal pairing for a back-porch summer sunset with good friends and a glass of red wine.

Balada De L'àngel Bru - Pep La...

Alceu-Vos, Xe, Que Ja És De Di...

Omnivore Books

If you love food and the culinary arts, and who doesn't, you have to check out Omnivore Books. From 19th Century agricultural guides to how to start a kitchen garden in a 21st Century apartment, this unique purveyor offers antiquarian, vintage and collectible cookbooks and books about food from around the world on their website and at their store in San Francisco. Anyone that carries a 1910 edition of 101 Ways of Cooking Bananas is OK in our book...

Beautiful Images From Artist Steve Cook

The paintings we selected for our Firestone Discoveries Chardonnay, Cabernet and Merlot are just a sampling of the great work coming from artist and hard core surfer Steve Cook. His Red Chair (see above) is fast becoming an icon for Firestone; we're seriously considering putting some big red Adirondacks out in front of the winery. Look for a showing of Steve's work at the winery later on this year.

“As a painter, I create an image which did not exist before, which cannot be out-sourced to enhance profits and which reflects my love of whatever the subject matter is, or reflects the strength of my commitment to what is good and right”.

Discovering Adventure Travel

Next to great food and wine, there's nothing we like better than travelling-especially with people we really like. So when we met up with Allan Wright of Zephyr Adventures, we knew we were on to something good. Zephyr does adventure travel right, from inline skating tours through Italy to treks up the Inca Trail in Peru to the famed Machu Picchu, something we'll be telling you more about very soon!

Check out Zephyr Adventures the next time the travel bug hits you!

Music In The Vineyard!

Our summer concert series is underway with two great shows in July and August. Local music, fine wine, no cover charge; what could be better?

July 24th, settle in for a great evening of vintage rock and blues with the House Red Band

August 28th, the music continues with the folk inspired songs of Chase McBride

Music plays from 6:00 to 8:00. Bring your own blankets, low backed lawn chairs and picnics, but no outside alcohol please, and no one under 21. For more information call the winery at 805-688-3940 ext. 4 or email specialevents@foleyfamilywines.com

Away We Go

Today marks the first posting on our new blog, Firestone Pathfinder. We intend this site to be a spot where we talk about things we love: not just wine and food, but travel, adventure, popular culture; whatever new discoveries we come across that we just think are very cool.

Away we go...