Sunday, July 27, 2008

A Most Unusual Find for an Airport



I was waiting in Terminal D of the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport on Friday evening and stumbled on a most unusual resting spot. Normally when waiting in an airport I do a little walking around but eventually settle on a stop at Starbucks before going to the waiting area near the departure gate. On Friday while walking around in Terminal D, I rounded a corner and first walked into L'Occitane. While talking to the sales assistant I mentioned the winery that I had seen on my way into the shop. I asked if one could have a glass of wine there (it looked like a place that sold wines by the bottle). The sales associate quickly said of course you can relax there and have a glass of wine. What a discovery. I completed my purchase and walked over to the La Bodega Winery. It was lovely. The winery was beautifully appointed with plenty of cafe tables just outside the shop and inviting bar seating inside. There were also gifts and wine gadgets galore. Rod Stewart's Great American Songbook was playing and the nicest assistant, Elise, gave a big Texas welcome as I walked in. For the next hour I thoroughly enjoyed waiting in the airport. I ordered a glass of wine along with delicious Texas goat cheese wrapped in a hoja santa leaf. This shop was lovely for other reasons besides wine, cheese and ambiance. One of the nicest things about the winery was that it was a comfortable place for women traveling alone. I typically don't go to bars in airports but this shop was inviting and welcoming. Elise is currently taking classes through Wine Spectator and she is excited about sharing what she has learned. There were 3 other women in the shop and Elisedshared with us an illustration on how the tasting of wine works and why the sense of smell is so important in the process. To illustrate try this. First, hold your nose, put a jellybean in your mouth and chew. Notice that you will only taste something sweet. You will not be able to "taste" the flavor of the jellybean. Then let go of your nose and notice a burst of flavor. Elise explained that the taste or real aroma of the wine is found where the sense of smell meets sense of taste. I have included a photo of Elise with her jelly beans. I spent the rest of the visit in La Bodega sharing travel stories with the other women. It was a wonderful Friday night in the Dallas airport. If you happen to be traveling in the Dallas area and have a layover, you might want to stop in and enjoy your wait.

4 comments:

  1. I would love to spend time waiting for a plane in a lovely winery like that! How wonderful
    Penny

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bonjour Jojo,
    Thank you for leaving a comment on my blog. I do agree that we should look back to these earlier times as a guide to the re-greening of America, and Europe for that matter.
    Today I am making jam as every summer and it brings back happy summertime memories of my childhood. I only regret that all my grandchildren live too far away for me to pass on the tradition.
    I must comment on your angelic daughters (I assume), what a winsome pair!
    I started reading your blog and already plan to try your pink summer drink: anything with beer was bound to catch my Belgian eye ;-)
    And if in Dallas Airport, I'll be looking for La Bodega. One good turn deserves another so if you are ever stuck at JFK, look for the massage(neck and back only) and manicure salon. Very relaxing and Yolanda gives great hand massages.
    I am putting you on my fav list as of now.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I adore L'Occitane bubble bath. Now if we could just combine their bubble bath, with jelly beans and wine! Ahhh!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh I love wine tasting and it's one of the best things about living in California...there are wineries all over. I love those big gem wine stoppers that are in front of her!

    Maybe I'll have to plan a trip to Napa and take my camera on that adventure!

    ReplyDelete