Guest contributor Deborah Parker Wong shares a thoughtful question-and-answer interview with Brandon Staglin who talks candidly about his work and life experiences living in recovery from schizophrenia.
Connecting through Crisis: Finding Community in Hard Times
We cannot fathom the adrenaline, stress and feelings of terror, or what it’s like to flee at a moment’s notice, not knowing what you may return to, or how to pick up the pieces. We cannot fathom how being without power, or the smell of smoke, can trigger anxiety and leave an impact well after the fires have been brought under control. But living in San Francisco, and having spent time this week between Napa, Sonoma and Southern California, the power of community in action is something I wanted to share.
Curious About A Yoga Retreat But Not Sure Where to Start?
If you’ve ever been curious to know the basics of how to start to find yourself a good yoga retreat, Beck has a few tips for you…
A Milestone for ABG, and Three Pivotal Moments Along the Way
We reached a milestone this week, when Beck and A Balanced Glass received the Diaz Communications Innovator of the Year Award for 2019. . In honor of the occasion, I’d like to pause and reflect on what I think have been three pivotal moments so far in the evolution of ABG.
My Three Favorite Wellness Resources That You’ve Likely Never Heard Of
There’s no shortage of information, insights and advice on navigating the world of wellness. But how do you sort the real data from the witchcraft, snake oil and uninformed opinions?
Pros, Cons and the Space in Between: Find Your Balance on the Road
It’s a reality of our business, maybe more in the last quarter of the year than at any other time. Even if work-related travel isn’t on your agenda for the next twelve weeks, here are a few ways to find the in-between and balance to keep it together.
Teaching with a Beginner's Mind
On a recent trip to Italy, a colleague was concerned that he couldn’t meditate and didn’t know where to start. We discussed the concept of focusing on the breath as the first step, and he shared his daily routine of deep breathing when he went to bed as a way to get to sleep…
Why I’d Bet on the Young Women of Our Industry
Earlier this week I was honored to attend the first Dream Big Darling retreat in Paso Robles, which aims to foster professional development for promising young women, with four to seven years experience in the wine and spirits industry. Heer are my learnings.
Limber Up - It’s Wine Event Season!
Wine events can be great for the guests but for hosts, it’s more akin to running a marathon. So with “O-N-D” just around the corner, here are eight ways to survive the madness that is the pour-fest..
Announcing ABG on the Cushion: A Meditation Study for Busy Wine Professionals
This week we are launching ABG’s first meditation module, geared specifically toward colleagues and friends in the wine industry and hope that you can join us.
For the Love of Wine – A Master of Wine’s Perspective
What does a Master of Wine love most about wine? this week we hand the keyboard to Kate McIntyre MW who shares her perspective on a career that has kept her captivated for more than two decades. Balance folks… balance…
ABG Goes to Camp - aka TEXSOM
Few professional wine conferences cause a collective level of pre-arrival anxiety, excitement and post-camp blues like the annual TEXSOM gathering. Now in its fifteenth year, TEXSOM is undoubtedly the most professional educational and evaluative opportunity for US wine professionals. Here’s what we learned…
Wear Your Values - The ABG Pin
The wine industry is full of badges of success. Rare wine tastings. Culinary conquests. Dream-worthy experiences. Being part of a secret club creates its own brand of success, and its own set of demands….
5 Unexpected Commonalities Between Wine and Meditation
This week I’ve been thinking about all the ways learning about wine and meditation share common ground.
8 Health Lessons I Learned from a Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner
Over the course of his career, bay area TCM practitioner Dr Benjamin Yang has developed his own eight guiding principles which he believes will promote a long and happy quality of life, and it is a pleasure to share them here:
How to Wine, Dine and Stay Fit: Special Guest Post by Tim Liu
We hand over the keyboard to Tim Liu - fitness and nutrition coach to share his insights and experience on how to manage a life of wining, dining, and life on the road, Enjoy!
Here's What's Missing from the Sober-Curious Movement
You’ve seen, I’m sure, all of the consumer media attention being paid right now to abstinence, and sober-curious, and the valorization of non-alcoholic beverages to the point, arguably, of demonizing the enjoyment of wine. Do you know what’s missing?
A New Kind of Safety - The Pin Project
The Pin offers bartenders the opportunity to communicate a message of abstinence without speaking a word, and opens up dialogue for patrons or other professionals to start a positive conversation around alcohol. So rather than being a mark of achievement, the pin can act as a sign of desired behavior change, which for some, can be a herculean effort.
The “Hack” that May Actually Get Meditation to Work for You!
A hack I learned from Lisa Sherman, a genius teacher in Asheville, North Carolina. She called it a “hack,” to calm the flurry of your thoughts as you sit down to meditate. It gets you over that hump of frustration, thinking your mind is too busy to ever be any “good” at meditating.
The Negroni – My First Italian Lover
Do you remember your first negroni? I do. The heady aromas of orange, mandarin, rose and juniper filled my senses, and the unctuous liquid hit my lips, instantly warming my insides and flooding memories of my first sip of “real liquor”. But better.