So Much To Do...You Can Buy a Home or Have a Glass of Wine...

As the weekend approaches I am sure that you are just wondering what in the world you can do to fill the time...I was just teasing one of my friends and telling her that for Realtors, Fridays are our Mondays. This is the time when everyone has off work and is gearing up to go out and fervently look for homes before the tax credit expires. Well, that is certainly a great way to spend time and if you have waited until the last minute, there are some of us out there that will certainly make time to find you the perfect home! Just give me a call, text or email and we can carve out some personal time for you.

On another note, there are some great events taking place this weekend, in and around town that might interest you. As always during the Spring, downtown Kernersville will host the Music and Mingle at The Factory. Tonight features guitarist Adam Turner, who teachs at Love That Music, where my daughter takes guitar. I have heard only excellent things about his skills. Those in attendance can take advantage of the lovely weather, enjoy the shops, which will be open, grab a glass of wine or beer from Shakespeare and Co. or just hang with friends while winding down the week. All excellent options for a Friday!

Tomorrow morning, for those of us looking to have a little Saturday morning pick-me-up, there will be a charity 5k Walk/Run for Debbie Varner. Debbie is a fellow Realtor who works at Prudential in Kville. She is a mother of three and has been battling cancer for quite some time. Registration begins at 8:30 at the Kernersville YMCA and is $20 for an individual and $25 for a family. What a great way to help one of our fellow neighbors in need, while getting some much needed exercise. Maddie and I are both participating...this will be her first 5k and my first event with her! Exciting!

Also, tomorrow night Korner's Folly is the annual Wine Tasting event. Always a fun time to get together with Folly supporters and out of towners, this event has grown a TON since it's inception several years ago. Lots of North Carolina wineries will be featuring their selections and there will also be food provided as well as live music. Information and ticket prices can be found on the Folly website.

So, there you have it...If you aren't viewing real estate, which I will happily doing for a large part of the weekend--then maybe I will see you at one of the many community events that are being offered this weekend! Cheers!

Salute!

Nope, not "Salute!" from Hee Haw! Our area has gotten much more sophisticated that that! With the burgeoning wine industry here in the Yadkin Valley, we are blessed with events that showcase the various flavors of the area. One of those such events is being held this weekend in downtown Winston-Salem!

Salute! will begin on Friday, May 8 with a showcase of sorts. Three participating restaurants, Camel City Cafe, Noma and WS Prime will be pairing with three featured vineyards to present dinner and dessert with complementary wine selections. All three restaurants are fabulous and the menus on the Salute! website are enough to make your mouth water...I personally am trying to figure out how I can go to all three restaurants...hmmmm! Each restaurant is under $100 per couple making it a great Mother's Day gift or a unique night on the town. For those of you who complain that there isn't anything to do in W-S, here is ONE MORE event that proves you wrong! You just have to leave your home to enjoy these things! :)

On Saturday the actual festival begins at noon and lasts until 6. The cost is $20 per person to sample various selections from local vineyards, to enjoy the camaraderie of friends and family and to listen to live music! Once this portion of the event concludes, there will be an "after-party" hosted by Foothill Brewery (perfect for folks who are not "winos"). This event is free of charge from what I can deduce from the website.

Full day in downtown W-S and if you are hungry for something other than what is provided there are a ton of downtown restaurants that will be open for lunch, dinner and late night! Remember drink responsibly and take a cab home! Have fun and Salute!

Brooke

Cheers!

Over the Valentine's Day weekend Jake and I visited Westbend Vineyard...we are not big wine fans however visiting the vineyards that are right here in our backyard has always intrigued me. We have visited Biltmore, Raylen and Childress over the past five years or so, but some of the smaller, less advertised wineries have not been on our radar.

Working within a budget and celebrating a holiday that Jake thinks is a "scheme" is difficult enough, but when I came home to 18 red roses, I knew that I had a chance...Love was in the air!

We arrived at Westbend around noon and they were having a Valentine's Day special. For $10 per person you would receive a collector's glass, a sampling of five wines of your choosing, gourmet chocolates and a glass of your favorite wine...all while enjoying a band play a variety of tunes...We had a blast! The day was beautiful and we sat outside to enjoy our glass of Les Soeurs which happened to be a red that was the product of one of the oldest vines on the property (planted in '72)...it was smooth and would have and will pair (we brought a bottle home) wonderfully with a filet. The atmosphere was peaceful and very charming with a nice gift shop and beautiful grounds that surround the main building. Once the weather warms up I want to come back out to Westbend with friends and enjoy the abundance of outdoor seating one late afternoon.

It was such a wonderful day meandering through the countryside to get to Westbend which is located on the Yadkin River minutes from Davie County and Lewisville and one turn off the Dinkins Bottom exit off 421. From Shallowford Road you turn onto Williams and the winery is one Williams Road.

We are going to make it a point whenever we need a mini-vacation to visit one of the many wonderful wineries that our area has to offer...as we understand it, there are summer concert series, tasting events and culinary events year round.

If you have experienced any of the wineries and would like to share hints, secrets or things NOT to miss...please post...and of course "Cheers!"

Brooke