Raise a Glass to the #Nonmom and #Petmom – A Mother’s Day Tribute to the facebook Fans of Women & Wine

Mother’s Day is always a strange one for me as a #Nonmom but I’m a #Petmom too.

I try not to be upset that our dog Abby doesn’t know how to tie a bow on her own tail or feel silly that I still coo and smile every time she wags. Oh, what a REAL mom I might have been!

On our http://facebook.com/womenwine page, we Raise a Glass many nights of the week – to what we’ve accomplished, to taking a minute to relax or something more significant.

This week it was to the hope that we can live in a world without fear upon the news of the capture of bin Laden.

Everyone shares what they’re drinking and it’s as diverse as the women who LIKE us. Shout outs from around the globe – inspiring each of us to be more curious about the wine we drink and where it’s from.

I know that of the 12,000 or so people on our facebook page that there must be a lot of #Nonmoms and #Petmoms too.

facebook analytics helps me know that 75% of the Women & Wine community on facebook are women and 64% are between ages 25 and 54. They don’t tell me if they have kids (they could since they ask that on your profile) or if they’re married or single but here’s the things we do know.

78% list English as their first language and 18 speak Bulgarian. The city with the largest representation? Seattle. The smallest? Paris. Obviously, I’m not spending enough time there.

The US has the greatest representation – no surprises there – but we need to do a better outreach to the fabulous women of South Africa where we only have 39 fans.

In the past month, April 2011, we’ve had 342,000 page views – up 2.5% from March.

I’ve been talking to women who love wine since 2005 so I’m assuming that a lot of these fans are just like me and that there are #Nonmoms and #Petmoms amongst them. Today on our page everyone is sharing their wine and food plans to celebrate their moms. You can feel the love online.

I know that they also like to travel – especially to wine country – watch good movies (independent and foreign too), read, and have bad hair days. Eating good food and sharing a glass of wine increases their happiness factor on a daily basis. They love cooking – and groan sometimes (yes, I can hear it!) at the weird food that I love to eat like goat and rabbit. And that burgers and grilled cheese are a favorite too.

They like a good laugh – and I try to eek a smile out of them even on a Monday through my daily posts. They never cease to amaze me with their generosity of spirit and support – and I hope they’re telling their friends to LIKE us too.

There are also men who love women who love wine on the Women & Wine facebook page – and yes, they join in the conversation. I love that they’re not self-conscious about the fact that the page says Women & Wine nor does their presence intimidate anyone either. So thank you too for liking what we do – even if sometimes you’re subjected to a bit of girly girl stuff (yes, there’s even some of that too).

I’ve never met most of them – and yet I KNOW them. We’ve shared a lot together and more to come. So Happy Mother’s Day to all. I’m raising my glass to you tonight.

Julie

Predictions for the Wine Industry True in 2010 – What’s Next?

This weekend I’m going to revisit a post that I did the same time last year about what my predictions were for 2010 in the wine biz. Let’s see if you can add some ideas but what you saw – what came true – what did not – and what we can learn for 2011.

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Thinking About Re-Gifting Unwanted Wine Gifts? Proceed with Caution…

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The end of the holiday season is a welcome break and a chance to research and sort out those bottles of unwanted wine gifts. Here’s some advise for what to do with them in the New Year. Continue reading →

All I Want for Christmas

There’s no stockings hung here but there’s still lots of good cheer as we prepare for Christmas.

We have a lot to be thankful for and know there are many who have struggled this past year to put on a smile – or put bread on their table.

Connecting over a glass of wine has brought much happiness into our lives – strangers become friends – and we are transported when we fill our glass to a place where there’s peace on Earth and where tables are filled with the bounty of the season.

So as you raise your glass this holiday season, I hope you will share in my wishes – be safe, be warm, be fulfilled, be gentle, be generous, be lighthearted, be comforted, be amazed, be creative, be protective, be happy, be satisfied, be aware, be confident, be adventurous, be a role model, be a good friend, son, daughter, mother, father.

My glass is raised to you.

Julie

Feel free to add your “be…..” to this list as I surely have not exhausted the possibilities.

The Season of Neglect

This blog post is so titled because, in spite of spending daily time on the internet, I’ve ignored this page. I really don’t know why. Not because I don’t have anything to say – meet me in person and you’ll be lucky to get a word in – hmmm.

Maybe I have social media fatigue. I can see it now on page 3 of the Science Times section of the Tuesday NY Times. “Social Media Fatigue Strikes Over 50 – No Cure Know”.

I like the spontaneity of facebook and twitter – but most of the postings lack intimacy. Yes, intimacy. Something that’s missing from most people’s vocabulary and is a phenomenon of our times. No hugs, air kisses, office pot lucks or water cooler gab for most of us to brighten our day.We work at home and our social life is on the internet.

It was bound to happen sooner or later  – striking first at those who thought they would like working in their sweatpants. Or, whether by choice or not, they’re now hanging out their own shingle. Last week I decided to take a run through my linkedin contacts to see who I hadn’t been in touch with for a while. More than 50% of them used to work for companies, have benefits, go on nice vacations. They have their own company now – Joe Blow Inc. – consultant on any topic that will pay the rent. Benefits none. Pride (slightly wounded).

What’s kind of crazy about all is this is that the area that I dabble in has at its very core that relationships are made by connecting over a meal, a glass of wine.  Strangers become friends for life when you break bread with them – you know saying.

Twit me up, virtual taste me – it’s not the same as sitting across from a friend (or total stranger) and hearing them laugh – or groan – or snort (now that’s a sound that you don’t hear a lot of on fb or twitter!).

When was the last time you met someone for lunch? dinner? Coffee? A cocktail? A walk? Seriously. Can’t remember?

Technology was supposed to be a 24-hour solution for doing more in less time – not wasting time doing less. “Checking In” is supposed to let friends know where you are so they can meet you if they’re in the neighborhood – not for getting points for telling people where you are (that they are not!)

All of this leads to loneliness – and that leads to anger and frustration – and that leads to …well, Tuesday’s race results weren’t hard to predict.

I was hoping the wave of the new political movement would have signs that said “Make Someone Smile Today”, “Lend a Hand to Those in Need”, “Give Something You’re Not Using to Someone Who Needs It” – instead of cries of “What Have You Done for Me Lately?”

Yes, I’m frustrated too. We need to remember that we’re only on this planet a short while. We should make a difference and leave it in better shape to those who follow in our footsteps.

Well, I guess that calls for a glass of wine.

Julie

You can reach me at julie@womenwine.com

What Wine Goes With This?

I love oysters – and yes, even when they’re out of season, I’m tempted by the cool platter filled with ice and the briny smell of the sea. I enjoyed these tomales bay babies at the Hog Island Oyster Company in the Ferry Building in San Francisco in July. It’s a month without a R in it – which is really the rule to follow to find out when oysters are at their best – cooler waters make firmer flesh – but these beauties are locally farmed and were delicious.

What Wine Would You Drink With This?

I drank CA made Domaine Carneros Brut Rose from Napa and would recommend domestic sparkling for value – others included Roederer, Schramsburg, J, Gloria Ferrer and Sterling. Go for the bargain prices with Prosecco from Italy (go for dry and crisp in your request to  your retailer vs sweet), Cava from Spain, Cremant for a ‘kid next door’ to Champagne in France (we buy cremant for our recession budget sparkling as gifts) or the real deal in Champagne. The values are better now then they have been in a while – and at COSTCO you can still find Dom Perignon for $119 a bottle. Others that we love (a bit harder to find) Henriot, Terlant, Louis Roederer, Bollinger. WHERE TO BUY check out http://winesearcher.com for a retailer near you and a price comparison engine too.

A,B C’s of facebook pages

I’m constantly asked by people what gimmicks/tools/tricks do I use to get the conversation going on our facebook.com/womenwine page. The answer is none. This question always surprises me as I think that if nothing else, facebook has taught us that … Continue reading →

Was 2009 the Tipping Point for #Wine & #Social Media?

When we look over our shoulder at 2009, will we find that it was the defining year a for the wine industry using social media to promote, engage, find new customers and sell wine? Continue reading →

Women & Wine – Grape Expectations for Social Media from the Wine Industry

Social media strategy for wineries is new – and you need a game plan. Don’t ask your followers what they want. If they answer A Contest! you won’t be able to have them participate if they live in the largest state filled with wine consumers – California – regardless of where you make your wine. Continue reading →

Women & Wine – Is Your Social Media Strategy Like Throwing A Party Where No One Comes?

You wouldn’t throw a party without planning down to the last detail to make it successful so why are so many companies launching Social Media strategies without goals or plans at all? Continue reading →