Queenstown, New Zealand is credited with being the birthplace of bungy jumping -- I'm mortified that I didn't get a chance to try it while I was there. However, some of the nearby vineyards make it REALLY worth the trip. Even though they are in the south pacific, their landscape looks as if it could have been plucked out of Napa Valley. And the wine was spectacular! It was a toss-up --the late harvest Riesling or the light, fruity Pinot Noir.  The Riesling held up to the cheesecake really well, but the overall effect was a bit too sweet. Try it with something lighter, such as a lemon poundcake with raspberry sauce or even a creme brule. The Pinot Noir and truffle pairing was a good balance of sweet and dry. It also went well with the cheeseboard that was served with a variety of goat and cows milk varieties in addition to the breads, crackers and fruit.

I know I usually focus on desserts, but the Pinot Noir paired nicely with the coq au vin. The spices were not what I was used to, which gave it an exotic flair.

Table wine surprise

Until recently, if you ordered the house wine at a bar or cafe in the US, you didn't know if it would be an amazing find, or something that so resembled vinegar you wouldn't cook with it. As a result, I didn't even consider it when I went to Italy. I thought I'd be taking recommendations from a smartly dressed Sommelier over a huge wine list filled with names I couldn't pronounce. After a quick train ride from Rome to Florence, we checked into the Brunelleschi. It was before "The Da Vinci Code" so the rates were much more reasonable than they are today.

Back home, most people were waking up to celebrate Thanksgiving. It was thrilling to me to be out of country for an American holiday. I grew up in a tiny town in Maine and always dreamed of travel to exotic locales, surrounded by the sights and sounds of an unfamiliar and ancient culture. This was my first trip!

Instead of asking for restaurant recommendations with the concierge, we decided to roam. It was starting to rain and the gas street lights gave off an odd, flickering glow in the fog. It was the old part of town, so the streets were cobbled and narrow, but almost empty because of the rain. After a few blocks, we started to follow our noses, stopping in front of a thick, uneven wooden door. I felt like a child following the pied piper. . . the scents were incredible. . . fresh baked bread, seared beef and . . . wine sauce.

The floor and walls were uneven stone, the room was smaller than some walk-in closets I've seen and five of the 10 tables filled. A basket of warm bread, garlic chicken with a rich sauce and sliced potatoes, steak with a blue cheese and veggies, pasta with a thick marinara. . . and a carafe each of red and white wine were promptly delivered to the table. Nope, we didn't order, it was what they decided we would have. Ok. . .I can do this.

It was perfect. The white was light and crisp. . . almost clear. The red seemed kind of like a Zinfandel, with no bite. They were refreshed throughout the meal as we savored the unique combination of flavors. When I asked what the wines were, the waitress shrugged. It was house wine, we were told. The owner's favorites. There was no wine list or even a menu.

Dessert was a deep, dark chocolate torte with raspberries. I wish I knew what we had to drink with it, because it was wonderful. Not quite a port, not congac and I don't think it was a regular red wine. It was bold enough to keep pace with the chocolate, and sweet enough to off-set. Another owner's favorite.

On my last visit to Napa, I came close to replicating this combination. Try Charles Krug's Zinfandel port with a square of dark chocolate. 72% if you can find it!

A few years ago, I was working for an "upscale home furnishings company," at their Las Vegas call center. I was a supervisor with a team of twenty Customer Service representatives and there were "issues" with one of the best selling sofas. As a result, I was talking with hundreds of people a day-- team members, irate customers, managers looking for status -- I lived at the office, managing people and freight carriers in locations nationwide. Conference calls with the corporate offices were my nemesis and I was burning out fast. When my fiancee suggested a getaway to Greece, I jumped on it.

Day four of our trip I was still jet-lagged. We had arrived at our current location at midnight and were due back on the bus at 7am. Today we would visit the famed Oracle at Delphi, where the "civilized world" paid respect to the Gods and asked for their good tidings. Just after dawn, tired and cranky (don't talk to me before the first cup of coffee), I crawled out of bed and went to the closet. Oops, wrong door. It went to the balcony (I didn't know we had a balcony).

And time stopped.

The view was amazing and the calm. . . . inspiring. It seeped through the pores and ran through my veins. When I need to decompress and get away, this is what I remember.

Since then I have finished my Bachelor's, been promoted twice (and laid off), and gotten married. Although I'm between official jobs, I am a contract content writer for a marketing firm and a travel company. I've also recently been asked to create a marketing budget for a technology start-up in northern New England. Between them, I'm writing and researching about 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. Did I mention, I'm also in a Boston University Master's program? I don't think I have ever worked so hard for so little. But I'm much happier!

Before my foray into customer service, I spent 7 years working for hi-tech startups. It was the mid-1990's and the Internet was truly in its infancy. I'm just coming back to technology after being away for almost a decade. I know the theory behind the blogging, article submission and social networking, but practice is a much different story. I'm looking forward to the experience this course will provide.

Oh, the chocolate and vine? I've been lucky enough to spend some time in Italy with the owner of a small wine shop and in Napa Valley. In both places, I was introduced to the sinfully decadent combination of Dark Chocolate and fine red wine. Instant evangelist!