Do you find yourself reflecting on the positive at the end of the day? Or do you instead dwell on the struggles and stresses?
I’ve been feeling overwhelmed and unsettled for some time now. It’s a combination of factors, but more often than not it leads to me getting into bed focusing on the troubles over the triumphs. When I try to think of a plan to make things better, I end up overwhelming myself more and just feeling…stuck.
Anyone else relate?
Today, I’m trying to change that narrative. I got home earlier than usual from work, and used that time to be productive instead of doing my usual zone-out-and-dwell-on-my-exhaustion. I created a Link Tree and made an Amazon Storefront as part of my plan to create a more streamlined and organized teach.explore.repeat brand.
But one thing I realized when I created the Link Tree…if I was going to put this site up on it, I’d better get an updated post on here! Before today, the last post that I had was in November, as part of a failed attempt to write every day during the annual Gratitude Challenge that I participate in. When that didn’t work out, I got frustrated and turned away from the blog, using the excuse that I wouldn’t have the time to write in it daily. As more time passed, thoughts of it lingered in the back of my mind, but I just didn’t know how to begin again.
Today, I’m glad I finally showed back up. This website was the first thing that I set up after creating @teach.explore.repeat, but I have not been a faithful writer. That needs to change. While I think setting the goal of writing daily is unrealistic at the moment, there’s no reason why I can’t write at least weekly, if not bi-weekly.
So, in short, this entry was the best thing to happen to me today! Here’s hoping it kick-starts some writing consistency. Drop a comment below or DM me on Instagram to let me know what you want me to write about in the future!
History and sustainability are two words that don’t always go hand-in-hand, but a visit to Bedell Cellars in Cutchogue proves that they can function harmoniously. One of Long Island’s oldest wineries, Bedell is entrenched in local history, which is something that I love learning about and have a deep appreciation for. However, I’m also a firm believer in doing what we can to protect our environmental future- happily, Bedell’s methods of winemaking, though locally rooted, ensure an environmentally friendly, sustainable approach. Bedell Winemaker Rich Olsen-Harbich has been making wine for almost forty years, and was kind enough to share some information with me about this beautiful North Fork vineyard.
Bedell Cellars was founded in 1979 by Kip and Susan Bedell, who purchased the fifty-acre farm that currently houses the Tasting Room and surrounding grounds. The Tasting Room itself speaks to its Long Island roots- it was a former potato barn that dates back to 1919, when potato and duck farms reigned supreme on Long Island’s East End.
Bedell’s historical Tasting Room is framed by beautifully manicured gardens
In total, Bedell’s grounds encompass seventy-five acres, with grapes being planted and harvested over a span of three farms. In the year 2000, former New Line Cinema CEO Michael Lynne purchased the winery along with his wife, Ninah. That next year, the Tasting Room was renovated, but the Lynne family made sure to keep its historical architecture as an homage to its Long Island roots. Though the indoor Tasting Room was closed at the time of my visit in August, the expansive outdoor seating area provided a breezy, comfortable spot to sit and enjoy a tasting on an extremely hot summer day.
The tasting room provided a break from the sun, but did not sacrifice on vineyard views
Mr. Lynne’s passion for not only wine, but also contemporary art, is evident while walking around Bedell. Mr. Olsen-Harbich explained that some of Mr. Lynne’s impressive personal art collection is displayed throughout the Tasting Room and grounds. The Lynnes even had original artwork commissioned when creating some of the labels on Bedell’s wine bottles. Though Mr. Lynne passed away last year, Mrs. Lynne has continued the legacy that the couple began two decades ago.
According to Mr. Olsen-Harbich, all of Bedell’s wines are “grown, made, bottled and stored here.” They do not purchase fruit from any outside vendors to produce their wine, and all of their fruit is certified sustainable through the Long Island Sustainable Winegrowing Organization. Their grapes are all harvested by hand, as well. Mr. Olsen-Harbich makes true Long Island terroir wine: to taste it is to truly taste a North Fork, Long Island wine. Part of this experience involves the yeast used in the winemaking process: Mr. Olsen-Harbich only uses wild, indigenous yeasts in his winemaking. Bedell is the only winery in the area to do this, which provides for an extremely authentic Long Island wine tasting experience.
When I asked Mr. Olsen-Harbich if there was a particular wine that they were best known for, he replied, “probably our best-known wine is our Musée, which is a red blend that reflects the best of the vintage.” American lifestyle magazine Wine Spectator described the Musée as the “grand vin of New York.” Red wine lovers will certainly like it, and even those who tend to go for whites (like yours truly) will find the blend in the Musée enjoyable.
Bedell’s Long Island winemaking roots are also strong in part because of their CEO, Trent Preszler. Mr. Preszler is actively involved in both the development and the marketing of the Long Island Wine District, and he holds a PhD from Cornell University in viticulture- the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. Mr. Preszler is the first person in Long Island winemaking to hold such a distinction, and there is no doubt that this expertise has contributed to the continued success that Bedell has seen.
Bedell continues its long-standing traditions with its cellar crew. It was the first winery in the east to have an all-female cellar crew, and the vineyard continues that practice to this day. Keeping to important traditions, while also being adaptable enough to practice current, sustainable winemaking practices has been a recipe for success at Bedell Cellars. It’s a winery that Long Islanders should be proud to include as a part of their East End heritage.
It’s hard to pinpoint the exact moment that I fell in love with travel. I didn’t grow up in a family that traveled a lot, but when we made our annual Disney World/visiting-family-in-Florida pilgrimage that’s become so familiar to many Long Island kids, there was nothing I was more excited for. I remember the rush of adrenaline I got when I stepped onto a Disney-bound plane for the first time when I was five years old. Twenty-seven years later, that travel rush hasn’t just stayed with me- it’s grown stronger as I’ve gotten older and more travel opportunities have made themselves available.
I’m sure many of you have felt that travel rush and, like me, try to find the time and budget (this would be so much easier if money wasn’t involved, but alas…) to create opportunities to catch that rush again. I know it’s not always easy to do- as a teacher, I’m bound to a specific schedule that travel and airline companies are all too well aware of- but I also know that it’s worth the effort.
In this blog, I want to share that travel rush with you. There’s a hell of a lot of small towns, big cities, and everything in between that I need to check off my travel list, and I plan to share those experiences here. Planning a trip can be overwhelming, so I’m hopeful that the experiences shared in this blog can help you out in some small way. Be prepared for some history as I come across it- after all, what kind of social studies teacher would I be if I DIDN’T share my historical finds with you?
I want to hear about your experiences, too. Tell me what worked for you and what didn’t; what you recommend doing or where you recommend traveling next. I promise I’ll be honest with you- what was great, what (in my opinion) wasn’t worth a second visit. You may agree wholeheartedly, you may be conflicted, or you may disagree and scream obscenities at your screen- and that’s fine (I guess). No matter what, I hope we both come out of this with a continued desire to chase that travel rush.
