End of 2005, beginning of a New

It is this time of year that we always take a moment to reflect on just how fast life goes by. If you have children you can understand even more what I am saying. We have 2 sons, Jordan age 17 and Jake age 14. Both boys are in high school, one just beginning and one on his way out. It just doesn't seem like 17 years ago Danny and I were complaining about not getting any sleep or a baby that was fussy or who was going to change his diaper. Now, of course, we can't imagine that we ever complained. It just wasn't that big of a deal. Jordan took his first "road trip" last weekend and I worried about how he was going to manage without us. He was fine, a blow out on Hwy 40 and all.

It is nice to take time to reflect on what is really important in life. Your family, your spirituality and your community. The top priorities kept in prospective will keep you happy. Try not to get bogged down by extra stuff that doesn't fit into one of those categories. Appreciate everyday and at the end of the day ask yourself what did I do to make sure that neither of those three things suffered today.

Thanks to my family for keeping me focused, my faith for keeping me grounded and my community for accepting us. Here's to a great new year.

Wine Cottage Staff

Today I want to honor one of our hard working staff members, Kelsey Hennick. She is a 17-year-old senior at Righetti High School so she can only work a few nights a week and the weekends as a server assistant. She is such a hard worker with always a great attitude. No job is too hard, small or beneath her. She looks for things to do when it is slow and she is busy doing her job when things are busy. She thrives on serving the customers and working hard.

Thank you Kelsey, we are proud to have you on our staff.

Rebecca and Aimee

The Wine Cottage Special Guest

Guess who came to dinner? No, not Ashton Kucher or Sydney Poitier but Chef Rick himself. Now Chef Rick may not be as world renowned as Mario Batali, Emeril or Charlie Trotter but for those of us in Orcutt he is a celebrity. In fact, for a long time I thought his first name was Chef and his last name was Rick!

Rick and Kathy came into to the Wine Cottage Bistro on Friday night and were given the most romantic table we have, a table for 2 right by the window. Rick started off with the Roasted Chicken and Smoked Chili Caesar Salad, a personal favorite and Kathy started with the Portobello Mushroom and Baked Goat Cheese with Pickled Fennel, Red Onion, and Radicchio Salad. For the entree course Rick ordered the Brined and Roasted Pork Rib Chop with Dried Fruit and Sherry Wine and Kathy ordered the Pan Seared Top Sirloin with caramelized onions and mushrooms. They both commented on how great the food, service and atmosphere was. They went to the kitchen to congratulate Chef Matt LaRocco on the food and the presentation.

What an honor it was to have Chef Rick and his wife Kathy at our Wine Cottage Bistro. Like so many have told us, the only good restaurant in town was Chef Rick's now we all have another option. Even Chef Rick has an option too.

Rebecca

From the Vine to the Glass--Sat, Dec 24, 2005

A special guest approached Aimee and I and asked if we would be on his radio show, "From the Vine to the Glass" which airs every Saturday morning from 11-12. This special guest was enjoying a wonderful meal with four of his friends, his best friend Bonnie and four others. This special guest's name is Duane Holmdahl. Duane has the type of demeaner that instantly puts you at ease. He introduced himself and gave us a big hug, just my kind of guy I thought.

Now, even though we have opened up a fabulous bistro that everyone that has come to has enjoyed and thanked us for opening for the community, we are just two regular women who have surrounded themselves with extraordinary staff to accomplish a vision. So when Duane asked for us to be on his show we weren't sure that we could do it. What could we talk about for an hour? Is what we have done really interesting enough for an hour radio show?

We decided that we would bring Matt LaRocco with us in case Duane asked about the cuisine or the menu. Matt talked to Duane about just those things for the first segment with Aimee and I butting in periodically. Then it was our turn. Duane asked us what our vision was and how we came up with it. Well this isn't hard to answer. It has been the question most asked over the last two weeks since we have been opened. How could two women who have never been in the restaurant business before open up such a fabulous place? Well, some of you have heard this a million times and for some new readers this may be the question you have wondered about also. My sister and I wanted to open a business together. We looked at what our strengths were and decided that it had to be in the hosptility field since it was people and our desire to serve them that was our greatest asset. I come from a business background and she comes from a management backround. Now to decide what service/hospitality business to pursue was the easy part, we were drinking it! WINE!! Wine become the core of the idea next came all the details that would exploit our core product, wine. In our opinion there was a shortage of good restaurants with atmosphere. We have several great restaurants in the area that have great food but lack that X factor, ambiance. My husband told me once along the Wine Cottage journey that he was going to build us a restaurant that people would want to come and see and they would stay and then tell their friends.
So as you can see talking about the plans, vision and dream was not a problem on the show. The only thing we needed to do was stop talking when it was time for a commercial break. Tune in to the radio show, Saturday, December 24, 11 am-12 for the Duane Holmdahl's "From the Vine to the Glass" and hear about the Wine Cottage Bistro.

Rebecca

So Cal Visitor

After months of anticipation, I could not believe the Wine Cottage had finally opened. I had my meals planned, the wines I wanted to try, but when the moment arrived I tossed all that out the window and let the Cottage guide me. I arrived at 1:30, took some pictures, took a tour, than took my place at the Wine Bar. Priscilla, the Wine Attendant, asked what I wanted to taste first. The wine list was extensive(but not overwhelming) and since I'm not the connisour everyone thinks I am, I let Priscilla "attend" to me as I tasted for the rest of the afternoon. She suggested the Chicken Ceaser salad, not for any reason other than that she thought it was delicious. It was. I already had a taster of McManis Chardonnay(which later I would find out was my favorite) so she asked for some insite on how it paired with the salad. It went down smooth and buttery. Than she poured a Sauvignon Blanc as a lighter wine letting me know I "should" be able to taste the sweetness of the roasted peppers. She was right. I advised Priscilla I was no one to take seriously with the wine pairing because I like the wine that I like, and I can drink it with anything whether it pairs or not. I think she thought I was crazy, but than she said: "That's the beauty of wine and wine tasting, you dont have to like what everyone says goes because everyones taste buds are different and thats okay."(whew) I didn't feel so silly after all. To make a long blog longer, Priscilla poured tasters for me(I think I was a guinea pig) asking me this and that and made my afternoon at Orcutts Only Wine Cottage one of the best ever. I tried so many dishes during the day trying to figure our what I wanted to order for the next time but could not decide on one in particular since every dish absolutely mouth watering. I will order first, next time, the Cheese plate and Wine flight. Wow. I can still taste the Rouqefort. Did I forget to mention I also stayed for dinner? I had the Salmon which came with carrots(made with honey and brown sugar) and mashed potatoes that I had to eat miniature bites of because I wanted them to last forever. I dont need to elaborate on the carrots, the proof is in the parenthesis. I want to go back every single day, in fact I would if it wasnt for the fact I live 180 miles away. Small detail. Its worth the drive.

Thanks to our new friends

The Wine Cottage Bistro is finally open for lunch and dinner. We have been absolutely overwhelmed by the support that we have received in the first three days we've been opened.

Thursday, December 1, 2006 was our official opening day. We had two full groups from the Orcutt School District that came and supported us. Thank you all for your support. Then came dinner, we had some reservations coming in but anticipated a slow evening since we had done no advertising as to our opening. We had a full house for dinner with some people not being able to get in because of it being all filled up!

Chef Matt and his crew Sam and Ryan, have put out some outstanding meals. The praises we have heard have been, "This New York steak is the best I have ever tasted and the King Salmon is absolutely delicious." "Your prices are outstanding considering the quality and taste of the food". "Your wine list is very impressive. The focus on Central Coast wines but a variety of other high quality wines from Sonoma and Napa make for a well rounded list." "Congratulations on giving the locals another great place to eat."

So thank you all for your enthusiam, your support and your encouragement. Thank you to our staff for putting in 100% to giving our new friends a great dining experience.

Rebecca & Aimee