Fort Worth Date Night: Simply D'Vine

by Michael Bloomberg
May 7, 2010

It's no secret that I am a planner. This is true in my professional life, as well as, in my personal life. I'm not sure why. I just feel more comfortable when I know what I am going to be doing. That's not to say that I can't be sporadic, too.

In reality, some of the best outings are the times that aren't planned and you just see where the night takes you. This actually happened to me recently. A good friend called and asked, "Want to run an errand with me?" Me: "Sure." Little did I know this errand would take me toGrapevine. But, not to worry. This just gave me another excuse to hit my favorite pizzeria inLas Colinas, Cavalli Pizza.

After a quick stroll through the ski store and an exchange, we decided that since we are nearMain Street in Grapevine, it was worth a visit to see what was going on. It was bustling onthis Saturday afternoon. One of the first places we walk upon was D'Vine Wine on Main Street.

An hour and half later, we found ourselves still parked at a table inside. What a great place! Here's out it played out. We walked through the store and quickly checked out the wines. Great choices and reasonable prices. As we were heading back out the door, we stopped at an empty table to read the menu on the table. This was the tasting menu and the "by the glass" menu." It was also the reason for our extended stay.

D'vine Wine offers tastings of some of their popular wines. You can pick 3 wines in a particular category for $5 dollars. I believe we went went with 3 from Reds, 3 from Whites, 3 from Sparkling and 3 from dessert wines. These are generous pours. Should you find one you like, you are more than welcome to order another glass or a bottle. We weren't that brave. There was one that stood out. It was an almond sparkling wine. So good that we both bought a bottle. At under 15 dollars a bottle, it was a bargain.

D'Vine Wine also hosts monthly events. I'd suggest signing up for their e-mail newsletter for updates. Recently, they hosted a Paella Night. Some upcoming events are Barrel Tasting Night, Wine & Cheese 101 and Flight Night. They are also available for private parties. Even more impressive is that if you choose, you can actually make a batch of your own wine. This is not done in a day. But, you can create your own private label. How cool would that make you? Their website has all the details.

I'm quickly realizing that errands aren't always bad. If all future ones end like this one, I'll be the first to volunteer for being a Plus One on your trips to wherever. That is the beauty of wine. It brings people together. After all, it was James Joyce who asked, "What is better than to sit at the table at the end of the day and drink wine with friends, or substitutes for friends?"

There are several D'vine Wines throughout the DFW area. For complete details, please visit: http://www.dvinewineusa.com/

Fort Worth Date Night: Appreciating the grape

BY MIKE BLOOMBERG

April 08, 2010

One reason couples don’t often succeed is that it becomes too easy to take each other for granted. Life either becomes too simple or the difficulties become bigger than a relationship. Sometimes this wisdom comes with age, experience, a death, a birth or a life-changing event.

As I’ve matured, I’ve started to realize the importance of simply being grateful. To not focus on what I don’t have, but, rather, how rich my life truly is. This may be one of the keys to a successful relationship. Willie Nelson, who is known to have had an interesting life, really summed up this point best when he said, “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.”

You can start with the easy ones. Family, loved ones, kids, a job, a house and so on. But, be creative. I’ll get you started. I am thankful for chocolate, especially, Peanut M&M’s. I’m grateful for Thai food. There’s something about eating that perfect dish of Pad Thai. I’m even thankful for wine. Wine? Yes, wine. And, apparently, I’m not the only one. Grapevine has devoted a whole weekend to the showing the city’s appreciation for the stuff.

Over the weekend of April 16 and 17, Grapevine will be celebrating its 18th annual Blessing of the Vines and New Vintage Wine & Gallery Trail. What does this all mean? A lot of sampling of wines! There are many activities going on during this annual celebration. Some of these include actual blessings at wineries, an actual Wine Trail, which involves a trip through historic Grapevine, wineries and several others events.

However, the most “date-rific” activity might be the New Vintage Jazz Wine Trains. Such a brilliant idea to combine food, wine and live jazz all while cruising along in a train. According to the Website, “The popular Jazz Wine Train will run on two evenings - April 16 and 17 - at the Grapevine Vintage Railroad, located at Grapevine’s historic Cotton Belt Depot at 705 S. Main Street. The captivating excursion features several Grapevine wines, delicious dinner and live jazz entertainment in each passenger car. The Jazz Wine Train boards both evenings at 6:40 p.m., departs at 7 p.m. and returns at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $55 per person.”

Often times in relationships, experts say that if you don’t want to lose your partner, you better “get on board.” Perhaps, this Jazz Wine Train is a metaphor for the ideal couple. For those in need of a night out and for those who still date regularly. Just remember that while you are blessing the wine, take a moment to also be thankful for who you are sharing this experience with. Salud!

For complete information on the Blessing of the Vines,

visit: www.grapevinetexasusa.com/newvintage

Valentine's Day: Romantic enough for a woman, but, made for a man

Do you dread this time of year? Do you find yourself downplaying Valentine's Day? Always making excuses for the lack of planning or creativity on your significant other's behalf? OK, not all men are incompetent and completely clueless when it comes to being romantic. But, some of us definitely belong in this category and deservedly so.

My grandmother used to say, "if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself." This year, Valentine's Day may fall in that category. Or, perhaps, last year, your man overdid himself and this year you want to return the favor. If you are of the female gender and are in charge of being Cupid this year, here are few tips that the both of you will really enjoy. It's time to say "goodbye" to the typical reservations, chocolates and candles. These should have your guy bragging about your "Cupidness" Monday morning at the water cooler, as well as, to his buddies on the golf course or at the gym.

1. Rock Climbing: Talk about killing two birds with one stone. Whether you choose outdoor or indoor, this date will get you two going with a great workout. If you opt for indoor, you can be assured that this is the perfect "sporty" date for the beginner to the experienced. Want to make it more competitive? Race to the top and whoever loses...gives the first massage.

2. Winery/Brewery: Many towns now have wineries, breweries or microbreweries. This is a date that both men and women will enjoy. If you do have a brewery or winery near, make sure you go on the tour to learn the process. Learning something new is always fun to include in a date. Afterwards, a wine or beer tasting is equally fun to end on.

3. Bed & Breakfast (Man style): Often, when you use the word "bed and breakfast," the picture of French Country or doilies might pop into your head. A night away is not only fun for Valentine's Day, but, all throughout the year. To not exclude the more masculine tastes, some "B&B's" are built like log cabins. Another option is a stay at a ranch. Some ranches have rustic housing and activities that will be a blast for you two. One in my area offers up a "Cowboy for a Day" excursion that includes learning to ride, rope and wrangle cattle.

4. Cook Dinner: Two of my least favorite days to eat out are Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve. Many times, the restaurants are far too busy and understaffed. The food is not always the best and prices can be inflated since it's a special day. Take Valentine's Day this year to try out that new recipe. Or, perhaps, try out your kitchen for the first time. Even better, cook as a couple. The internet is saturated with very easy meals to the most complex. My suggestion: Do a search for "easy romantic meals." See where that leads you.

5. Manicure/Pedicure: I know what you my be thinking. "A mani/pedi for a guy's Valentine's Day???" Trust me on this one. And, this may be one you don't tell him where you are going first. But, this is so fun to do as a couple. It's also very relaxing and the perfect "mood setter" for the rest of the evening. Speaking of "mood setter," have you ever wondered why a foot massage is often referred to as "better than sex" or "orgasmic?" Apparently, the part of the brain that is connected to the feet lies right next to the part of the brain that is connected to the reproductive organs. I'm just sayin'...

Of course, it's not always the girl's job to plan everything. Especially, a romantic day like Valentine's Day. Perhaps, the Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have done unto yourself" applies here. By creating this amazing Valentine's Day, you might be setting the tone for future ones to come. And, by including yourself in the festivities, you are guaranteeing a great Valentine's. No matter who plans it. Enjoy!

Michael Bloomberg, a marriage proposal, dating and romance consultant, is better known as "The Romance CEO" (www.TheRomanceCEO.com) and author of the Romance Rocks! monthly newsletter. Bloomberg has been seen on The Learning Channel, might have been photographed with a Supermodel and definitely writes a weekly column, Date Night, for the Fort Worth Business Press. @TheRomanceCEO is where you can follow him on Twitter.