In the months leading up to my move to Salt Lake, I wasn’t feeling so nervous. I had made a large transition like this before, with my move from Texas to Northern Colorado for college, and this time around, I was moving with my partner, Avery. We were only 6 hours away from his parents & his childhood home (which beat the now 19 hours away from my family), so if we were ever homesick for CO, we could hop in a car and be on our way. We also knew a few people from college that had moved out here, too. So we both anticipated having an ‘in’ when it came to entering new communities.
In hindsight this move was looking like it would be comfortable. I had an inkling that the city would feel familiar, and I wasn’t terribly worried about the adjustment ahead.
Ave’s integration into the valley looked different than my own: he got a fun gig at a local ski shop and was enjoying the taste of an Alta bomb by our first winter. As much as I loved the access to the mountains and as much as I could appreciate a cold PBR, I was still finding my way through this transition at my own pace. It felt important to build a community of my own, and I admit, with vulnerability, that it was tougher than I thought it would be.
A lot of my own adjustment was tangled up in finding a sense of belonging. I was yearning for a space that I could be in on my own, as me. I wanted to find a space that I could fit comfortably in, a space that welcomed my identities, a space that nurtured connections. A space like Tea Zaanti.
When I started my job at TZ, I was lucky to find that a lot of this struggle was met with relief.
That being said, it’s no secret that the staff at the shop is made up of a bunch of amazing and super spectacular women (and of course, we claim Adam and Scott, too). And I feel as though a HUGE part about finding this sense of belonging that I needed was becoming a part of this community that valued me.. that valued us, that valued women! The shop, at its core, is a space that takes people in who are vastly different, and in many ways, so similar– and here, we are encouraged to be who we are. We celebrate our femininity amongst one another, constantly, in and outside of work. These connections have allowed me to step into some of my most cherished friendships. Here, I have met a few of my bestest friends, and I have found a space I am confident that I belong to.
The way we connect is no secret either– we love to gab, of course! And we love to drink wine. And we love to eat yummy foods. Everytime we hangout there is some variety of a wine night. This is how we celebrate ourselves.
So what better way to continue on this celebration than to host a wine night on International Women’s Day?
Our wine nights usually, always consist of two-three natural wines featured at the shop and a LOT of sweet treats (obviously), and a lot of love and laughs (obviously).
This wine night, we opened Daniel Ramos’s Berrakin Blanco (the speciality wine of this week), Bois Mozé’s Pop et Nat, and a bunch of delicious snacks from various places around the city.
Berrakin Blanco is an orange wine from Southern Spain made from a central Spanish, white grape, Jean Blanco. This bottle has aromas of peaches, grapefruit, orchids, and fresh mountain herbs. Sasch, the wine manager at TZ & one of my favorite girls, helped me find some yummy treats to pair with this wine. We grabbed some Olive Fougasse, Fig & Olive Crisps, and Popcorn with Herbs & Spices from Trader Joes, and a few Uncured Classic Salami from Coro Meats. We sell this wine and the Coro meats in the shop, if you are looking to pair the two for your next wine night!
Bois Mozé’s Pop et Nat is a pet nat blend of Pinot Noir, Grolleau Noir, and Grolleau Gris. It is filled with fresh berries and has floral and earthy notes. It’s lively and bright, fizzy, and crisp! We paired this wine with a Dark Chocolate Ganache Mini Sheet Cake, Chevre with Honey (Goat Cheese), and Chevre with Fine Herbs (Goat Cheese) from Trader Joes, and Beehive Cheese’s Seahive Cheddar. We sell this wine and the Seahive Cheddar in the shop!
We also grabbed some fresh raspberries, a blueberry loaf, chocolate covered blueberries, and additional meats/cheeses to pair with both wines. OH! And Charlie made her fresh bruschetta (this is at every girls night we have, regardless if there is wine or not. It is a must).
This is all to say, hosting a perfect wine night is easy. All you need is a bottle or two of yummy wine, some delicious pairings, your favorite girls, and the most important thing of all– celebration. Celebrate you with a glass or many glasses. Eat yummy treats, laugh with your friends! Love the women around you.
I just wanted to share with you why I love these women so much and what a perfect wine night means to us.
Thanks for reading!
