This year, I attended Wine Over Water’s Namaste Bubbly, a yoga-meets-brunch event tailored to those in desperate need of some relaxation and a little hair of the dog following the previous night’s festivities.
The event started with a yoga class led by Lululemon ambassador Kyle House, which was accompanied by some soothing jams spun by DJ KSTYLZ. The class, to my relief, focused more on stretching and restoration than cardio and gains. By its end, my body was limber and my hangover one step closer to being a distant memory—just in time for some food and bubbly.
After a group “Namaste,” we rolled up our yoga mats, snapped a quick group picture, then sipped on some preliminary kombucha as we watched the tables, chairs, and the food get quickly hauled in and set up.
Chef Charlie Loomis and his team from FEED Table and Tavern prepared tostadas and fried chicken biscuit sandwiches with pimento cheese. Both were amazing, both comfort foods with original flavors. I almost feel like I can only say so much because ya’ll already know that I love brunch at FEED (and if you didn’t, you do now).
The Local Juicery + Kitchen prepared the millennial brunch favorite, avocado toast, which was topped with crushed red pepper for spice, pickled radishes, alfalfa sprouts, and a poached egg, then served with mixed greens. Not gonna’ lie. The poached egg was the GOAT ingredient that took this toast from “healthy tasty” to O.M.G. sinfully delicious.
While the food started with a little champagne, we really got into the depths of bubbly knowledge as the event took off. An ambassador from Veuve Clicquot and Moët & Chandon, both champagne houses within the Moët Hennessy brand, presented multiple champagnes and one sparkling wine to the group. Seconds (or opportunities to re-visit, which we discussed was a much kinder word for drinking more champagne) were encouraged.
While the food was amazing, the yoga was relaxing, and the champagne itself was scrumptious, the knowledge we obtained regarding champagne and all its complexities was my favorite part of the event. The Moët Hennessy ambassador/champagne philosopher waxed poetically about the process in which it was made, how to properly open a champagne bottle, the real difference between champagne and sparkling wine, how to drink different types of champagne, and, most importantly, why we really should be drinking champagne.
I don’t want to spoil too much in case this event is available next year (which I hope it is because I will be back), but my major takeaway from our champagne tutorial was one key point: “Champagne is pleasure.” There is a champagne out there for everyone! The key is to find—regardless of prestige, price, or snobby rules—what truly gives you pleasure. Trust your individual drinking palette because drinking something that makes you go “meh”—even if it’s the hottest new item on the shelf or higher rated in reviews—just isn’t worth it.
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