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Robyn With A “Y”

@robz_lyfe

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Living my beautiful life. Yummy food, great wine, family & friends are my passion. We get one life and I’m livin’!💜💋🍷

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Ah, Siena. What a magical place. We only had two nights here, but we made the most of them. The hills are no joke, and we worked our glutes off! The Piazza del Campo is everything people say it is. A medieval town square frozen in time. Great of an aperativo and people watching. We toured the Duomo di Siena, which is filled with amazing art and sculpture. After that, a quick affogato break before our Tuscan cooking class. Many thanks to @fonteguista Cooking Academy for an amazing time making ravioli, tortellini, tagliatelle, and tiramisu. We ate our creations in their rustic restaurant with wine pairings and a surprise dish of Tuscan Pepper Beef Stew (sadly not pictured but we got the recipe!) We were so stuffed by the end, we were grateful that our B&B was a relatively flat, 15 minute waddle across the cobblestone streets. We look forward to our next visit and diving deeper into all that Siena has to offer.

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Our two days in Amsterdam started out a little drizzly. Who am I kidding? It was cold, windy, and wet! But we persevered and set out to explore. The rain let up in the evening, just in time for our canal boat tour, with wine and cheese, of course! The next day was mostly sunny so we took advantage of this very walkable city and got our steps going to the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum. Both are filled with amazing works, both famous and less known but still beautiful. All that walking worked up our appetites, and even though we’re headed to Italy, the aromas coming from @antonios.amsterdam enticed us in. Delicious minestrone and lasagne, and a nice Montepulciano d’Abbruzo. An evening stroll back to our apartment and we loved how beautiful the canal bridges are lit up at night. Farewell, Amsterdam. We’re off to Milan next!

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…draining your last bottle of Lörrach Spätburgunder. A delightful German wine, Spätburgunder is better known in most of the world as…Pinot Noir. Simply delicious! #spätburgunder #lörrach #germanwine #pinotnoir #beyondthefig

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Stunning! Dry, crisp, and refreshing. A blend of Georgian (Republic of) that I dare not even attempt to pronounce, (Kisi, Mtsvane, Khikhvi, and Rkatsiteli) this wine will be in our glasses all summer! (Assuming our supplier at @beyondthefigwine can keep it in stock!) Pale golden color. Peach, pear, apple blossom, jasmine, melon, and saline. Bone dry with bright acidity and a clean finish.

Paired with a meal of Lemon Herb Barramundi and Lemony Spinach Couscous (recipe from @themediterraneandish) this 2021 Georgian Sun 9 Bunches dry white wine was the star of the show! And that’s saying a lot considering the fish and side are two of our summer favorites! And, no, that is not a typo. 2021 and drinking crisp and fresh!

#wine #winelovers #winegeek #wineanddine #georgianwine

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Another new, amazing restaurant opening in Roseville! Mati Modern Greek Cuisine is like a trip to Greece 🇬🇷 without getting on a plane. We’ve been eagerly awaiting their opening and had the chance to visit last night. The decor is beautiful and reminds us of our #bigfatgreekhoneymoon in 2019.

For a restaurant that’s only been open about two weeks, they already have it dialed! Service was top notch, and the cocktails, food, and wine were perfect! Owner, Billy, stopped by shortly after we were seated and humbly asked that we give him honest feedback after our meal. Cihan, our server, was attentive and friendly, providing excellent recommendations and answering our questions.

We started with cocktails. Robyn had the Fields of Greece, with vodka, ouzo, lemon, honey, and lavender. Kent opted for the Turquoise Waters, with gin, mastika, cucumber, mint, lime, and sparkling water. Both were delicious!

Next, starters. So many choices! We went with the Raviolia, tender dumplings filled with beef, over garlic yogurt and topped with paprika oil. We were instantly transported back to Greece on the first bite!

For our mains, Robyn had the Lavraki (Mediterranean sea bass) and Kent went with the Moussaka (which he’d been craving lately.) We agreed, best of each since we were in Greece! “Tony” the sea bass was even smiling at us! (Yes, we name our Greek fish 😁)

Mati has an extensive wine list, including a vast selection of Greek wines. Leaning toward a pairing with the Lavraki, we went with Cihan’s recommendation and ordered the Kit-Yianni Assyrtiko. A marvelous choice and excellent with both dishes.

After our meal, Billy came by for our feedback. We were pleased to tell him that everything was spectacular. 10/10, no notes! Billy and Cihan were kind enough to sit with us for pictures, too.

We will definitely be back. Kent will not rest until we’ve eaten through the menu!

#wine #winelovers #matimoderngreekcuisine #greekfoodandwine

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We are in awe of this Anjou Blanc. We love a good Chenin Blanc but this is unlike any Chenin Blanc we’ve ever had.

Light golden color. Subtle notes of tree fruit on the nose. On the palate, this wine is bone dry with flavors of Granny Smith apple, honeydew melon, citrus, and stone fruit. Crisp, dry, and delicious. Vibrant acidity leads to a fresh finish.

Though recommended as an apéritif for Thanksgiving day, we opted to pop it open for a Monday night dinner pairing. Gotta say, this Chateau Soucherie Anjou Blanc 2024 was perfect with our Lemon-Dill Chicken with mashed potatoes (and garden salad not shown.)

#cheninblanc #anjou #anjoublanc #chateausoucherie #loirevalley #france #frenchwine #wine #winelovers #winegeek #appetiteforwine #wineblogger #winecountry #winetasting #winelife #wineblog #visitwinecountry #wineanddine #whatsinyourglass #wiyg #winepairing #winevana #beyondthefig

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A slice of Barcelona just landed in Roseville! Less than a month since we visited the Spanish city, one of their hidden gem exports had their soft opening this week, and we got an invite!

Just 20 minutes from home, Telefèric Barcelona Roseville is the latest of their US locations. Owned and operated by people from Barcelona and other parts of Spain, they offer an authentic lineup of upscale tapas, paellas, sangrias, and craft cocktails, plus an impressive list of Spanish wines and beers.

We started with cocktails. Our server, Damien, helped us decide by inquiring about our drink preferences. He nailed it! @robz_lyfe went with the smoky, scotch based Bryan’s Legacy. (Can’t go wrong with a drink named Bryan with a “Y”!) I opted for the Ibiza G&T, a delightful purple cocktail that is as tasty as it is pretty.

On to the food! We started with Crab Croquetas, topped with a surprise: a slice of tuna sashimi. Chicken croquettes are ubiquitous in Spain, so we were enchanted with the crab option, and they exceeded our expectations! Next up was Pollo Empanadas with a spicy aioli. Damien explained that the pollo is seasoned with Middle Eastern spices, homage to the Moorish influence and history in Spain. These, too, were delicious!

For our main, the Lobster Paella immediately caught our eye. Served Socarrat, the traditional Barcelona method whereby they cook the rice a bit longer to give it that crispy crunch on the bottom, the dish was superb and filled with melt-in-your-mouth lobster, shrimp, and octopus. Definitely the best paella we’ve had outside of Spain!

To top it off, Damien twisted our arm and persuaded us to go to the Trio Selection dessert sampler. An Orange Mochi (no, that isn’t a mandarin, it’s ice cream!), a Torrija (Damien aptly described it as like a Spanish French Toast, filled with custard) and a dish of ice cream, and Nutella-filled Churros. As a guy who isn’t a Nutella fan, I have to say these were my favorite and I will be ordering them again!!

Continued in comments—>>

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Seville, our last city in Spain, and arguably our favorite. A visit to the Real Alcazar started our one full day here. Then we toured the cathedral and climbed the 34 floors to the top of the Giralda bell tower. In 95 degree heat with humidity! Phew! The views are amazing, and the bells tolled the quarter hour just as we reach the top! Loud!! The tomb of Christopher Columbus is located here. Very impressive.

Then off to London for a day. When you only have one day in London, 100% of people surveyed recommended Westminster Abbey. And so we did. Then a hop-on hop-off bus in the afternoon to whet Robyn’s appetite for our next visit. We also got Robyn her first genuine British pub experience, and me some fish & chips! Such an exciting, vibrant city with amazing history and landmarks. Today, we head to Heathrow for our flight home. Until next time!

#sevilla #spain #realalcázar #sevillacathedral #london #toweriflondon #westminsterabbey #hoponhopoff #britishpub #fishandchip #wewillbeback #appetiteforwine #robynandkents_excellentadventures

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Trivia questions: 1) What is the name of the oldest, continuously operating restaurant in the world? 2) Where is it located?

If you answered Restaurante Sobrino de Botín in Madrid, you’d be right! And today, we dined there. Featured on the Netflix show, Somebody Feed Phil, Botín is celebrating its 300th anniversary this year. Their specialty is roasted suckling pig, so naturally, I had to order it. Crispy, crunchy skin, and melt in your mouth pork, it was all I’d hoped for. Robyn had the grilled chicken and it was tender, juicy, and perhaps the best she’s ever had! For dessert, the most decadent, creamy, custardy cheesecake I’ve ever had! Truly a meal to remember! Thank you, @phil.rosenthal!

#madrid #spain #appetiteforwine #robynandkents_excellentadventures #somebodyfeedphil #philrosenthal #botín #restaurantbotin #sobrinodebotin #netflix #netflixespaña #roastsucklingpig #roastchicken

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More Spanish adventures! Wednesday, off to Montserrat, a monastery built into the cliffs an hour’s train ride outside Barcelona. Gorgeous views and architecture. Thursday, we went to a tapas making class at the home of Chef Alfonso, overlooking the marina. It was pouring rain, but we managed to find an awning at a cafe to hide under while we waited for Chef to admit his guests. Fortunately, the cafe had beer, so we didn’t die of thirst! We learned a number of tapas recipes, and yes, helped prepare them. Then, of course, the feast! Nobody was able to finish their portions, we were so full!! If you hurry, you can see more on the instagram story that @robz_lyfe posted. After tapas, we wandered to the Picasso museum (@robz_lyfe got all the pics there), and then to a bar for a glass of Spanish vermut. Nothing at all like the French or Italian styles you’re used to. Spanish vermut is smooth and sippable! On our way back to the hotel, we strolled by Casa Batlló, one of Gaudi’s masterpieces. Next stop, Madrid!

#barcelona #spain #appetiteforwine #robynandkents_excellentadventures #montserrat #tapasclass #sangria #vermut #casabatlló #tapas #gazpacho

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Hola from Barcelona! Some sights from the past couple of days!

#barcelona #spain #larambla #vilaviniteca #parkguell #sagradafamilia #appetiteforwine #robynandkents_excellentadventures

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Photo dump from yesterday’s 24 hour adventure! (1-2) What to do in Boston when you only have 3 hours until you have to get to the airport? Visit historic Faneuil Hall, of course, and (3) have a beea at an Irish pub! Then onto our flight! It’s our first time in Premium Economy and what a ride! Basically business class without the lay-flat seats. (4) Complimentary bubbles (and other bevvies) in actual glass! (5) The meal was outstanding! Not just by airplane food standards. It was actually better than some highly-rated restaurants at which we’ve recently dined! Arriving in Copenhagen, we cleared customs and hopped on a metro train for the 15 minute ride to the city center. (6-7) Alighting from the station, the first sight we saw was Rådhushaven, the stunning Copenhagen Town Hall. The city was surprisingly deserted at 8 am on a Saturday. (8) After checking into our hotel and freshening up, he headed out to explore and quickly fell in love with this charming city. (9-10) Roaming aimlessly, we stumbled upon Nyhavn, the old area you’ve no doubt seen in pictures, and hopped on a canal tour. (11-12) Now quite hungry, we stopped into a corner cafe for some Smørnrebrød, Danish open-faced sandwiches. While I dove in for the traditional herring, Robyn opted for the roast beef. Honestly, I was a little apprehensive about the herring, having never tried it before, but when traveling I like to eat what the locals eat! It was delicious! As the afternoon wore on, we continued our still. (13-14) we made our was to the King’s Garden and Rosenborg Castle before heading back to the hotel. (15) Since we are Appetite for Wine, we couldn’t end the day without visiting wine bar just 2 minutes from the hotel, where we bought a delightful Rosso di Montalcino to enjoy in our room. Since I can’t sleep on planes, even on red-eye flights, by 6:30 pm I’d been up more than 24 hours, so it was lights out for me! What an amazing day!

#boston #copenhagen #sas #beea #faneuilhall #nyhavn #Smørnrebrød #kingsgarden #rosenborgcastle #gpwinebar #appetiteforwine

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