I Have A Crush- And it's a Big One!

Yes, I know I  have been MIA in the blogging scene, not sharing the latest events in the Huntsville area, neglecting to  introduce the newest gadgets or failing to showcase amazing small businesses that

you need to check out.  I want to apologize! I seriously got a bit burnt out and put my first writing love on the back burner.  I found myself so  busy ghost writing for other brands, studying to become a Certified Life Coach and getting my youngest graduated from high school that I left you without a strong beat to step to.  Well I'm back and I promise not to take you for granted anymore.

I decided to come back needed a  bang so I/m going to  share a MUST attend event that has gone from great to the greatest. Was that a bit much? I am just so excited to be covering events again LOL

Today, Homegrown, hosted a wonderful press conference in Big Spring Park to announce the

expansion of the annual event Big Spring Crush Food & Wine Festival.  This event is celebrating its 5th anniversary this year and instead of asking for gits they are giving us one!  The Festival will now be the entire weekend and will incorporate the Jazz in the Park to end the weekend with an equally sophisticated but sultry musical sendoff.  The saxophonist Alex Banks II gave us a taste of what was to come at the press conference playing while the media was mingling and asking additional questions. Mr. Banks a local favorite, will be the featured artist at the event capping Sunday Brunch and Champagne Testing.




Before leaving the press conference I spotted a

table with chocolate truffles to sample, so of course I made my way over to give them a try.  The chocolate was provided by Michelle's Chocolate Laboratory and when I say to you that it was good I mean it was gooood! The company is based in Birmingham but trust me its worth adding to your list when planning your next mini road trip. Homegrown provided a lovely press kit that along with the official information contained a wonderful bottle of champagne and two of Michelle's Chocolate Lab truffles that i plan to have for breakfast tomorrow! Don't judge me, who wouldn't want Truffles & Mimosas in the morning!

Flashback to guest blogger, Mary Ann Matson's, experience in 2015 http://www.asthewindblows.org/2015/10/i-got-crush-big-spring-crush_32.html

Off to Publix for Orange Juice!

This year you can connect with others attending the event and the latest updates by following and using the hashtags #IHaveACrush #CrushWineFestival


Here's the Official Press Release! Don't miss out on the promotional rates and get your tickets ASAP!

HUNTSVILLE, Ala., June 11, 2018:  - Homegrown Huntsville

hosts the fifth annual Big Spring Crush, a downtown wine & food festival held September 28 – 30th in Big Spring Park East. Successfully selling out tickets the past four years, the festival makes the jump this year to a weekend long event for Huntsville, Alabama.  The festival offers 150 wine labels for patrons to taste. A stage will highlight local entertainment and provide ambiance for festival goers while food trucks prepare wine inspired menu items. This year, the festival offers new weekend packages, a Friday night winemaker dinner and a collaboration with Jazz in the Park for a Sunday brunch and champagne tasting.

The new ticket packages will give patrons access to a weekend full of exclusive food and wine events.  The Ultimate VIP Package for two covers every event: a Friday night high-end wine tasting, a Friday night seated dinner catered by Church Street Purveyor, Saturday VIP access, private cheese and chocolate wine pairing events on Saturday and a Sunday Jazz Brunch and champagne tasting.  There is also a foodie package that includes all the food specific events, a wino weekender package for connoisseurs that want access to a weekend of high end wine tastings and of course a Big Spring Crusher package that covers your admission to the festival on Saturday and the additional tastings on Friday and Sunday.

Tickets for Big Spring Crush are on sale starting today. Packages range from $450 for the Ultimate VIP Package which covers two guests to $80 for the Big Spring Crusher.  The only way to attend the exclusive tasting on Friday night and the cheese & chocolate pairing events on Saturday is through the purchase of a package.  The VIP passes are $65 and grant early access to the festival on Saturday at 5pm and access to a private VIP area with additional seating and high-end wine tastings from Church Street Wine Shoppe at 6pm. The Friday VIP dinner passes are $65.  The Sunday Jazz Brunch and Champagne tasting is $40. 

General admission grants access to the festival and unlimited wine tastings. Incentives are available based on how early you purchase your ticket. The first 400 general admission tickets sold are only $40, tickets are then $45 until July 31st, the remaining tickets are $50.  All tickets can be purchased at www.HomegrownHuntsville.com. They are all limited in quantity to ensure growth is well executed.  Homegrown continues to strive for quality over quantity.  No tickets sold at the gate.

Maybe the Luck of The Irish will come my Way!

Theoretically I love to travel. I look forward  to the exposure to new cuisines, immersing myself in the culture/customs and the stamps on my passport. Exploring the landscapes from my favorite television shows like Vera, Shetland and The Fall, retracing the steps of the characters and showing off my newly acquired accent. Meeting up with friends that share little know facts, visiting off the beaten path restaurants like an amateur Anthony Bourdain (RIP),relive the adventure over and over again through my one of a kind SnapChat stories, Instagram post and jaw dropping Facebook Live sessions.  The only problem is that I have never traveled abroad in my life.  Well when I resided in Michigan I went to Canada (Windsor, Toronto and Niagara Falls) but I simply needed to furnish my drivers license and I was in and out in a flash.  I don't have a passport, I am a wee bit afraid of flying, I am allergic to just about everything, my weight has me examining every distant and seat that i may need to wrangle and my bank account is saying Whoa Nelly!

But..... My cousin just invited me (Well semi invited me... I asked to go) to Ireland in June 2019!The

original offer was a cousins trip to Atlanta but no offense to the ATL, I been there - done that. She then offered (wink) to cover the living arrangements with flight and spending money my only concern for the next 365 days. I got so excited. I started looking for flights, sharing my upcoming plans with my family, reading Visit Ireland blogs and then it hit me. What the hell was I thinking? Had I lost my mind? Reality check! I am currently a freelance, entrepreneur, small business owner... basically fancy words for "broke" individual. My digestive system only works part time, my body negatively reacts to 80% of the food in this world, I'm a bit afraid of flying and a seat belt extender is how i greet the flight attended before boarding.

So here we are, odds against me but I am cheesing like a kid in a free candy store.  I have decided I

will beat the odds and with  the Luck of the Irish be drinking whiskey in Dublin this time next year.What is my plan you say? I have decided to kick start my business and truly focus on taking paid clients. I am going to save every dollar towards this trip of a lifetime.  I want to be as healthy as I can be so I am jump starting my diet too.  Protein has always been good to me so Low Carb is the perfect choice for me. I am going to strive to loose 100 pounds in a year with dieting and exercising. Finally I have created an Go Fund Me page in hopes that lovers of travel and people who pity me decide to donate and help my cause. I am going to share every step of this journey with you guys. Make sure you are following me on Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram so you won't miss a step.  I will also update monthly here on the blog.

Have you traveled to Ireland? Any suggestions? Have you tried a Low Carb diet? Any fun receipes?

Leave your comments below, I love reading them!