Karla Jones

Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, is the most important Chinese holiday. Celebrated by more than 20% of the world, it is defined as the first day of the first month in the traditional Chinese calendar.In the legend of the Spring Festival’s origin, this was when the monster Nian would come and terrorize the villages. The people would hide in their homes, prepare a feast with offerings to the ancestors and gods, and hope for the best.Food is one of the things tha... Read More

The pinnacle of American sports is upon us! It’s a super good time and if you’ve decided to host a Big Game party, you’ll need to prepare!While the average NFL football game lasts around three hours, the Big Game averages just over four, so you’ll want to take that into account when planning your beverage offerings. While beer might be the go-to for gathering around the TV, a cocktail can be a great drink to sip on while you spend time glued to the tube.Whether you’re looking for shots... Read More

Unless you’ve cut ties with all forms of technology and live in a secluded mountain cabin, surviving solely on your wits and woodland creatures, you’ll probably be tuning in to the Big Game on February 3rd. (Of course, if the former is true, you won’t be reading this anyway!)Whether you’re doing it solo, attending a watch party, or hosting one of your own, chances are quite high that beer will be on hand for the duration of the game. There will also be a plethora of salty, fatty, delicio... Read More

Adding blueberries to pancakes? “These flapjacks will sell like hotcakes!” said the first person to add blueberries to pancake batter…one would assume anyway. Regardless of how you like your pancakes, with or without fruit, one can’t deny the pancake as the ultimate breakfast staple.If you’re looking for an excuse to try out some new cocktail recipes, why not try pairing them with your pancakes? Put the mimosa on hold and up your brunch with one of the deliciously breakfast-y cocktail... Read More

January is still in full swing and many of us are sticking to our New Year’s resolutions to eat healthier. Other people are sticking to the much more fun resolution to drink more good wine. Spec’s likes your style! No matter your reason, you’re curious about wine and salad pairings, aren’t you? That’s why you’re here after all. Pairing wine with salad can be a tricky task, as salads can be infinitely varied when you take into account all the potential ingredient combinations. However... Read More

Trying to shred those holiday pounds can be stressful; It almost makes you want to have a glass of wine or scotch just thinking about all that work. The challenge here are the extra calories that alcohol tacks on. What to do? Fear not—we’ve got your New Year’s resolution solution. Follow this simple guide of low-calorie liquors, cocktails, and other drinks. You will be able to enjoy a drink or two, in moderation, without going overboard with your daily calorie intake.Tequila with Lime Juic... Read More

There’s no magical way to bring a quick and pleasant end to winter unless you’re able to migrate to the opposite hemisphere, but you can certainly make the time until spring more bearable with hot drinks!We’re referring to the classic hot toddy made with honey, lemon juice, hot water, and a brown liquor like brandy, whiskey, or rum.While it’s a lovely drink for consuming sake, the hot toddy has some health benefits that you might want to keep in mind.For decades, people have used the hot... Read More

Fun Fact: The word spaghetti is plural for the Italian word spaghetto, which is a diminutive of spago, meaning “thin string” or “twine.”The best part about spaghetti is the variety of pasta dishes you can make. With each dish there’s a different wine that pairs perfectly. Check out our recommendations below and get ready for some serious noodling on date night!Red or Tomato-based SaucesTomato-based sauces include fresh tomato with basil: pairs well with crisp dry whites such as Pinot G... Read More

With 2018 in the rearview, we’ll happily raise a glass to its many ups and downs while looking forward to what 2019 has planned for the wine world!The “drink less, but better” wine trend of 2018 looks to carry over into 2019 in surprising ways.Sherry & Wine Cocktails Like record players and bellbottoms, sherry is the latest thing your grandparents were into that’s making a comeback. Sherry has woken up from its siesta in the shadows and is anchored to become one of the big vino star... Read More

Nothing rings in a shiny new year like bubbles! By bubbles, we mean Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, Cremant, or domestic sparkling wines.

If you’re hosting a party and don’t want to drop some serious cash to toast in the new year, there are plenty of sparkling wines other than Champagne you should consider. In fact, outside of Champagne, France has 23 other sparkling wine regions that produce fantastic bubbly.

Here is a short list of regional names for non-French wines that are made in the ... Read More