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I recently gave my best friend a Champagne lesson on a road trip to Orlando. She had no idea about true Champagne. Well, for starters, I explained sparkling wines have extra carbon dioxide, which makes them fizzier. These bubbles are the very reason we bring it out to mark special occasions; it is simply more fun to drink. There is just something decadent about the bubbles. Champagne’s arrival is credited to a French monk who promptly declared he was drinking the stars. That monk was Dom Perignon, a holy man who made strides in white wines when France was still predominantly a red wine producer. A monk? Yes, back then the monks could make wines and drink all day.

Champagne identifies as true Champagne when produced in its namesake region in France. Otherwise, it is considered low quality. The cheap bottles in the drugstore cannot be considered anything other than blasphemy to oenophiles. Secondly, since it is a wine it comes from grapes. These grapes must be from the Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, or Chardonnay grapes, which are native.  The name Champagne carries a lot of weight because it is high quality, almost like carrying a Hermes Birkin bag.

The last element to true Champagne production is it has to have gotten the famous bubbles by enduring the fermentation process twice: once in barrels and again in bottles. Other sparkling wines can call themselves Champagne as long as they credit the process. The most visible types of Champagne are Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs and Rosé.

Blanc de Blanc can also be called  white Champagne. By law, white Champagne has to be made with Chardonnay grapes and is a single grape production. Mostly this type of Champagne pairs with light fare such as seafood. It also makes an excellent aperitif.

Blanc de noirs are white Champagnes made only from the black grape varieties of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. These sparkling wines are known to be full-bodied and deeper yellow-gold in color. Ideally, they should be paired with full-flavored foods, including meats and cheeses.

Rosé Champagnes are produced by one of two methods. The classic method centers on the addition of a measured amount of Pinot Noir still wine to the base wine just before the second fermentation. The skin contact method involves the pressing of skins soaking with the juice of the grapes prior to fermentation. Rose, or pink Champagne, has moments of high and waning popularity. The color hue lends itself to romance, but can be overused by desperate men. It is paired well with someone by whom you want to be romanced.

If you think there are too many strict rules with Champagne, here is another one: as each year lapses into another one, producers of Champagne must hold on to least twenty percent of their wine for use in future non-Vintage Champagne. Vintage Champagne has a prestige that a bottle of Andre cannot touch.

There is quite a bit that goes into a bottle of Champagne. Inside the dark glass lurks three times the air pressure of a car tire. If anyone has been accidently hit with a Champagne cork like I have (long story), you know that the uncorking is a reason to cover your face. The longest recorded flight of a Champagne cork is over 177 feet. There are contests to see who can get the cork farthest. Once you go through the opening whether it be dramatic by letting the cork fly or more European where it is simply a polite pop, Champagne is tricky to drink. It is a sipping wine as the alcohol content is so high, drinking it too quickly can cause a headache. This is ironic given Marilyn Monroe only drank Champagne to avoid hangover headaches.

Ever notice how Champagne bottles seems denser than other wine bottles? Well, this sparkling wine is more sensitive to temperature and light. Too much light and temperature fluctuation can affect the taste. Chilling Champagne consistently between 40 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal.

The movies might have gotten something right about Champagne. The traditional way to chill a bottle of Champagne is to place it in an ice bucket, half filled with ice, half with water, for 20 minutes. We ended the road trip with a celebratory glass of Champagne and made sure to savor every delicious bubble.

Stop What You Are Doing and Write Your Memoir

Humans write to communicate and connect. The memoir is the perfect way to do both. Most assume that if they are not a celebrity or they have not survived a national tragedy, then their words will not be valued. Siren Publications is here to tell you that is incorrect. We lead lives of loves, disappointments and triumphs in which others may relate. The stories we tell ourselves every day internally help shape the world and ourselves.

Memoirs are the best form of therapy and the best part is that it is free! Writing down your life story makes it possible to see where the ego gets in the way of progress. We replay moments in our head and more importantly apply them to other events, singular and ongoing. If we give one thought, memory or assumption such a power subconsciously, then we must take back that energy back. There is a notion that the authority in telling our story is in the actual act of writing. After all, the power in our lives comes from living. However, the power in our lives does not come from living it, but in the reflection of it all. The power in writing comes from revision and the power of living fuels reflection.

What if everyone in the world had finally felt understood? The secretary trudging home from the office with a dark past may not feel so victimized or the accountant, who was beaten as a child, directs pity towards for his aggressors rather than full-blown anger at everyone else. We tend to think of the universe and humanity in the broadest terms. Think globally and act locally. Even standing in line at CVS offers the chance to improve the world’s state. A smile can give hope to someone desperate enough to consider not living. With our own victimizations/untold secrets put on the page, we accept others and therefore ourselves. When we mire in feeling misunderstood, we interpret people, place and things as either positive or negative. The truth is most of the time they are neither. We would not only increase self-awareness, but also see the world as it is without making it fit our storylines.

Consider the wisdom within you. The seemingly endless obstacles, the challenges that brought you nuggets of wisdom were all lessons you needed to learn so one day you could pass them on or live a better life for yourself. In addition, your closest family members may not even know your perspective on the same events they have lived through as well. Writing down your journey could save someone else, either family or stranger, from making the same mistakes or providing a clearer path for future generations. Think of the curiosity you feel towards your ancestors, now imagine how future generations could have wished they had intimately known you.

We only attain happiness or clarity after releasing all attachments. There are certain topics that have such a stigma that we as a collective are fearful to address them. No one wants to discuss the topic of miscarriage, depression and other health matters. As a result, there is not as much information out there as there should be. Once we sit down and make the decision to share, others will come forth. The isolation of keeping things in creates a natural state of distrust, but think if someone leaned over to you right now and said I understand your secret because it happened to me as well. You would feel a certain sense of comfort that only empathy can provide.

Memories are fluid. The actual practice of writing your stories helps you to become a more effective communicator. A story is comprised of finely tuned details and a clear ending. We have all sat in parties or even in the park and experienced someone rambling on. If they had taken the time to write what they wanted to convey down on a sheet of paper, their words would have more impact. Everyone loves a good storyteller and that person can be you if practiced enough.

Will you come off as a self-absorbed navel gazer? Of course not! Think about it in this manner, you brush your teeth every morning. The bristles clean your mouth of the unnecessaries of life and reveal the pristine state underneath. As an added benefit, others enjoy speaking with you more with a cleaner mouth. Telling your story is the same. You feel better about yourself and remove anything standing in the way of being the most pleasant person to speak with at any time. Writing your memoir is primarily for yourself, but it can benefit others as well.

Will your family hate you as a result? There is no real answer for this. Yes, they may not appreciate the public airing out of dirty laundry. Faulkner reiterated that the only person a writer was beholden to was himself or herself. To make matters easier, blend people together into a composite; no one is directly mentioned. Think long and hard about how much you are willing to expose your family. The key aspect in answering this question is whether you will be writing to hurt or heal. The journey is about you, so consider how much you want to feature other people.

Siren Publications believes in the power of memoir writing. Workshops are held upon request or you can make an appointment any time for a private consultation. Your story deserves to be told. Begin your legacy today.

Business writing is a collaborative art form. The entrepreneur has the vision while the writer has the ability to bring it to life. There has to be a level of trust on both sides to create a masterpiece. Businesses generally work together in teams. Indeed, a writer must work with business owners to establish tone, goals and writing styles. Do you want a formal tone? Conversational as if chatting with a confidant? Is your piece a call to action or informational? The more questions asked by the writer, the better the outcome.

Business owners also must have questions for the writer. The most important question to ask is to see a writer’s portfolio. Samples of my work are available on my website. I believe in showing my work as quickly as possible. I want to make sure my clients and I are a match.

Another question to ask is of the writer’s background. One selling point that I always mention is that I teach business writing as an adjunct professor at Miami Dade College, before that I was a writing instructor for over thirteen years. My writing originally started with fiction; I wrote a few novels for clients and myself. Overall, I have written over fifteen books including fiction, self-help, business books (most recently on SEO and internet marketing) and memoirs.

The only way to know if someone is competent at something is a capability to teach it. Many people can make certain claims about their abilities, but until someone pays you to teach others, it is all still a guessing game. Remember in school when you had to explain a concept to a peer who was confused? You became a better student when you could understand how to deliver the concept in multiple ways. That moment of clarity in the other person’s eyes when they understood was worth every effort.

Something else to consider is how open you are to new ideas. A writer can offer fresh perspectives on a project. From blogs, to memos to books, a writer can take your wisps of ideas and flesh them out into deliverables. As mentioned earlier, businesses have a vision and the writer must bring it to life. The key element is trust. Always have a writer, especially a ghostwriter, sign a confidentiality agreement. This provides security on both sides. You have the peace of mind your ideas will not be shared and the writer has the assurance to continue composing for your company.

Money is a topic we have all been told not to discuss. However, in business dealings, it is always wise to avoid sticker shock. At this moment, I charge $30 an hour. This price includes writing, research and editing.

The decision to outsource writing is a leap of faith, but choosing the best writer to make your vision a reality makes it always worthwhile.