prairie girl musings

Tag: Greystone Winery

Why I’m Hosting My First-Ever Event

In just a couple weeks, I’ll be hosting my very first event: a long lunch with two of my favourite local businesses. Food, Wine & Life Online is a chance to meet likeminded folk who cherish good food, organic wine and conversation.

The idea to host a gathering came about while scrolling through Instagram (typical). Feeling increasingly detached from the current social media landscape, I noticed how many accounts I was following purely for inspiration. My feed’s become saturated with similar photos using similar engagement strategies. I’m following so many accounts and falling deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole.

I think many of my friends and fellow digital nomads feel the same way. We’re all becoming disillusioned with the online landscape and what it’s become. Spending hours working alone, creating content, writing blog posts or editing videos means we forget to slow down, to take care of ourselves and check in on each other.

Having attended countless blogger events in Toronto, I now feel like I’m in a position to plan and host an event of my own. Specifically, I want to host something that’s less about surface-level networking and more about vulnerability and forming deeper connections. I was inspired by a Kinfolk gathering I attended a few years ago, where I sat between two people I’d never met before. These gatherings are intimate meals in gorgeous restaurants and homes. They are seasonal celebrations designed by local chefs and creatives. Christchurch needs more of these sorts of gatherings.

I want to live a more considered life, at a measured pace, where I step back and appreciate each moment. I want to get to know my neighbours and fellow entrepreneurs, to contribute to my creative community and the well-being of my city. This event is my first step in that direction, so I hope you’ll come along to see what it’s all about.

Held at Grater Goods in Sydenham, Food, Wine & Life Online will bring together people from different corners of the city for a three-course vegan lunch and wine by North Canterbury’s own, Greystone Wines. In attendance will be a handful of creatives, foodies and small business owners, but most importantly locals who are looking for new opportunities within the community. Christchurch has been through so much, more than any city of its size should ever endure. So, let’s take time to get to know each other better, to be more empathetic and kind.

See you on August 31st.

August 14, 2019
A North Canterbury Winery That Gives Back

The only problem with living so close to an incredible wine region is deciding who to buy from. With so many world class wineries at our doorstep, supporting local winemakers is a no brainer. With only a month to go until my parents visit Canterbury for the first time (ever!), I want to make sure our house is well-stocked with local produce and wine…

When 27seconds launched in North Canterbury (one of the coolest wine regions in the world) earlier this month, 100% proceeds going towards ending modern day slavery. Pete and Alanna Chapman combined their talents as a winemaker and an NGO marketer to create a vehicle for change.

The concept came about after a life-changing trip to India. Alanna and Pete were visiting friends who worked in the country’s largest red light district, Songachi, Kolkata; meeting and hearing the stories of young girls and women who had been trafficked or sold into prostitution. In fact, every 27 seconds someone is sold or trafficked into slavery.

“We left India acutely aware of our privilege and eager to help those who don’t have the same choices we have,” says Alanna.

Partnering with award-winning wineries, grapes are sourced from Terrace Edge before being processed into organic wines by Greystone Wines.

All profits go towards 27seconds’ giving partner, Hagar, which provides trauma care, education, and economic empowerment to survivors of slavery. What started out as a one-off fundraiser, escalated into a social enterprise. “We love the idea of applying what we do to help improve other lives,” says Alanna.

And they’re doing just that.

November 24, 2017
What’s On In Waipara: Pure Pod

For those hoping to escape the chaos and construction of Christchurch, Waipara offers ample opportunities for solace. A relatively new wine region, Waipara’s microclimate produces some of New Zealand’s best wine and food.

After a particularly busy week, Nick and I were ready to spend quality time doing nothing, and where better than at a Pure Pod? If you haven’t yet heard of the Pure Pod concept, they are eco-cabins made almost entirely from glass! The roof, walls, and floors are completely transparent, allowing guests to engage more closely with their environment. It was incredible sleeping under the moon and the stars; surreal standing in the shower, looking down at the earth below.

Accessing the newest Greystone Winery Pure Pod is an adventure in itself with directions emailed to us only days before our booking. After turning onto the Greystone property and Cellar Door, we drove along a windy, unpaved road before parking the car and began a mini hike to the secluded cabin. Hidden deep within the Waipara Valley, the panoramic views from the Pod are resplendent. We watched the sunset while making dinner, fully immersed in our surroundings. Without wifi beckoning, I was able to read a book that had been on my reading list for months and Nick snuck in a leisurely nap before dinner.

Celebrating our eight-year anniversary (crazy, right?) I wanted to surprise Nick with a mini-getaway that would allow us time together without the usual distractions. Fortunately, without wifi or the typical diversions of home, we wiled away the afternoon, reading, talking and dreaming.

March 19, 2017