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High blood pressure has a new option. Music Producer Ira Antelis created 120/Life to Help Us All Be Healthier

High blood pressure has a new option. Music Producer Ira Antelis created 120/Life to Help Us All Be Healthier

Have high blood pressure? Over 100 million people do.  Music Producer Ira Antelis wanted to do something about it, so he created 120/Life to help himself and others become healthier.

“Your blood pressure’s sky high,” founder Ira Antelis ’s doctor told him. “Get it down in 3 weeks, or it’s surgery.” So Ira went started changing his lifestyle.  But also, investigating health.

It turns out, there’s answers out there.  And he wanted to know more.

Today I sat down with 120/Life’s Ira Antelis for a conversation about music, creativity, getting healthy and Ira’s inspiring message about following your passion and inspirations.

The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.  The full conversation can be found on our YouTube channel.

 

 

So as we just jump right in, Ira, can you give us a little background on you? What did do for a living before 120 life?

 

Sure. Most of my life has been writing and producing music. A lot of television commercials. The famous one is a Michael Jordan like Mike if I could be like Mike, which was just in the close the closing credits of the “Air” movie, and 30 years later.

Songs from McDonald’s for Disney, artists like Christina Aguilera, Regina Bell, Patti LaBelle, have recorded or sung my music. 

The concept of how I got from there to a blood pressure drink is always like mind boggling to many, and including me, because it’s a path I never would have thought would have arisen to be honest, and it came out of a health issue, and it’s funny because you relate to blood pressure and music. There is a relationship because in music, you put things together. So let’s say I create a piece of music on the piano and say, okay, great. So now I’m going to get a, I wrote the music, I’m going to get… The bass player, I’m going to get the drums, I’m going to get the violins, and then I’m going to put it all together. And I’ve been doing that for many years, it’s like putting ingredients together. And a health issue my blood pressure had risen really high, dangerously high. And then we’re like you have to get this fixed.

If not, we’re going to have to do surgery. Because over time, the first thing anybody I think would do is say what if you have high blood pressure. What do you do? What do you eat? What do you drink? And when it came to the drinks, I kept reading about these things that they all have studies.

I was like, wait a minute. Pomegranate juice, I’m reading the studies. You drink it for six weeks. And one day it just struck me. If I take all of these ingredients, I think it’s like mixing a piece of music and putting them all together. I just knew in my mind they would work because I think the music related to the blood pressure and that’s how it all began.

You literally almost produced a beverage in the same way you produce music. 

You brought in several elements together, let’s say drums, a guitar, a vocalist, all the elements of a band. You thought of it like that, but you found these superfood ingredients and said, gosh, these ingredients could all work together.

 

Yes, that’s 100% correct.  Now what I was doing is that I think like I’m going to produce this drink like I’m producing music. No, but I’ve had a recording studio for 30 years of my life and I’m making music every day of my life.

It’s just secondhand nature to do things in combinations for me. So when I thought about it later on, I’m like, Oh yeah, that’s why it works. I saw the ingredients, they look the same. I knew I can mix them together. Just from my process of music. I think that’s what happened. 

 

If you’re doing the music every day, do you think you use creativity to solve a health concern?

 

Yeah, I think on some level that’s what happened. I was looking at things and I saw it, but in a way maybe nobody else saw it. And I think when you’re a creative person, then that tends to be the, where you go first on some level. I’m always thinking of things from a creative standpoint.

 

Is there a life lesson at all in here for people, using creativity and trial and error and the confidence to try new things.

 

Yeah, it’s funny because I did this music project with music from the Holocaust. And we, I wrote the Carnegie Hall and we sold it out,  beyond the most successful thing in my life. And I was sent to somebody, if I had to write a book about my life, I would title the book, “Everybody Says No”. And I think that’s the way, the mission of my life don’t ever let anybody stop your ideas.  Ever. 

If you are passionate about anything, go figure out a way to do it. And I think it’s a life lesson about creativity. What it is, go do it.

 

So from a step by step process, you have a doctor’s meeting, you’re told you have a health concern, can you just walk us through what those next steps were?

 

So the first thing somebody tells you, you have extremely high blood pressure. It has to come down. And most of the people I’ve ever met would say we know what high blood pressure can do.

But my question was not that. My question is what is causing the high blood pressure? What is it? My dad was a pharmacist; he knew about strokes and heart attacks. I was trying to figure out what it is and how do you stop it? 

And the truth is even though the doctor is a friend of mine that they will basically go figure it out. 

First thing I learned is to cut your salt. That was stop number one. Most studies show if you cut your salt, it will lower your blood. I’m just doing everything I can do, even taking medication. I’m going on a salt free diet for three weeks. So you have fruit, vegetables, but not just salt.  Every cookie that has sodium, I’m not eating.

That was like step number one. 

Then I’m Googling what are the best foods to eat? What are the best things to drink? And that began the process.  Reading about these did lower my blood pressure to the point where they didn’t have to operate. 

But you get stuck or passionate about some things.  So every day I’m on the computer, looking up drinks for high blood pressure.  Many of the same things come up, beet juice or beet powder, lowers your blood pressure. Hibiscus tea lowers your blood pressure. Pomegranate juice 

I’m reading the studies.  Then one day It just dawned on me. Wait a minute if all of these lower your blood pressure a little bit.  Together, maybe it will lower it a lot.

I figured, somebody had done it. Not only was that not there. Even to this day, there was nothing there. Zero. 

There’s 110 million people that have high blood pressure. And there’s nothing, there is not a drink out there with these ingredients. 

Yeah. But that began the journey.

 

So on this journey you had  different levels of support. You have a nutritionist in your life, Susan Schachter, talk about her involvement

 

So as I’m making this drink, [I’m thinking] what’s the best way for people to try it? So I kept thinking, okay, I’m going to make these jugs that contain 112 ounces. And I would give it to people that I knew had high blood pressure and say try it for two weeks.  I’m doing that because one of the people I gave it to is my cousin who at the time was the sole distributor for Keurig the coffee machines and the K cups.  I’m thinking okay I need to get him to distribute this drink.

So I gave it to him and said look if your blood pressure lowers from this drink, you got to promise me you’ll distribute it. He said, ‘Okay’, because he’s very skeptical and he thought there’s no way.

And sure enough, his blood pressure lowered 30 or 40 points. He said, ‘Okay, I’ll distribute it. But, what do you know about this stuff?’ 

My childhood friend Susan Schachter has a Master’s in nutrition. I sent her the drink.  She made some tweaks and that’s how I got her involved. 

 

Can we go through all six natural ingredients?

 

Let me start with beets; the superfood for athletes so I knew I was going to have beets in my drink. 

Hibiscus tea has been around for years and have said a multitude of studies. even in the Middle East about lowering your blood pressure. I think some of the qualities are in medical terms that can act like an ACE inhibitor. 

The third ingredient is pomegranate juice. It can act as a beta blocker. It has a lot of antioxidants. So I think those three were the really big things in the drink. 

Susan added magnesium and potassium.  It relaxes your blood vessels. 

Through the studies, I was reading about cranberry juice and tart cherry juice, which has been used for recovery for athletes for soreness of muscles. 

 

 

I enjoyed the taste.  I’m always worried health products will “taste like science”  Your drink doesn’t.  What does it taste like to you and how do you recommend drinking it?

 

The most important thing is it can probably really help you. Some people really like how it tastes.

I say mix it with cranberry juice or put it in your smoothie, especially now we have a powder. So there are different options. I think the point is that high blood pressure is not something to mess around with. Too many bad things could happen.

Is there anything that you want to talk about? 

We’re in a society where people age out, we become disposable after a certain age in so many industries, so I’m inspired by my own story, 60 years old rather than retiring or doing something I had the wherewithal to say, I’m going to do this, it’s never too late in life if you want to do things.

And I think that’s a message for a lot of people. Most people do not start a business at 60. But my thought is like, you have this passion, you have this dream, go for it. I’m very thrilled to just be a part of it.  I let my CEO run it. 

The second thing is that I, we always say to people, Susan always says, know your numbers. Be responsible with your health.  Drink 120 life. Pomegranate juice.  Beet juice, Hibiscus tea, Cut your salt. That’s my message.

Please tell us how can we help you. Please tell us how to find your website and where to browse your products

Ira: If you want to try 120 life, www.120life.com

If you want to try it for two weeks, purchase it. But if you’re unhappy for any reason, money back guaranteed. 

So thank you so much for your time. Thank you for discovering this health idea.

Thank you. You have a great day. 

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Los Angeles Falling in Love with the Flavor from Mother / Daughter team behind Sonoma’s Dancing Wines

LA Wine Lovers Falling in Love with the Flavor from Mother / Daughter team behind Sonoma’s Dancing Wines in Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County.

The team at Dancing Wines is developing a collection of sensory brands that celebrate life through taste, touch and aroma – inspiring you to find your inner dance and show the world what truly moves you.

Dancing Wines’ red wine trio includes Old Vine, Duo and Estate — three limited-release wines made from hand-picked grapes that showcase the full breadth of the Dancing estate.

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Lauren Russell (L) and Cynthia Russell (R) from Dancing Wines Credit: https://instagram.com/DancingSonoma

Today’s conversation with the dynamic Mother / Daughter team Cynthia and Lauren Russell from Dancing Wines ha been edited for length and clarity.

For the full, un-edited conversation, visit our YouTube channel here.

Joe Winger: What is the most important message you’d like to share today?

Lauren Russell: I think one of them is dancing is art and art is life.

Another is love needs no explanation. I think really the thread between those is we’re trying to create a product and an experience that brings people together and invites them to find their inner dance, which is something we say a lot. 

So we want to encourage people to find their unique rhythms. And wine is also really lovely because it is a vehicle that brings people together to enjoy a moment and diverse people together.

I think my Mom [Cynthia] can speak to this as well, but one of the things we thought about when first exploring wine was just how daunting the whole atmosphere is around the consumption of it and the buying and using all the right adjectives.

Especially for my generation I feel like there’s a bit of a learning curve. So I think one thing we really want people to take away from the brand is just like, just enjoy it. Love needs no explanation and you can’t drink wine when your mouth is full of adjectives. We’ve created a great wine just for you to be able to enjoy and to describe however you want and enjoy whenever you want.

DancingWines

Source: WeAreDancing.com

Cynthia: Yeah, I think the measures we created we have a beautiful heritage property that the soil and the climate create this great wine. And me being of an older generation where wine was very intimidating, even though I know a lot about it.

And drinking it for a very long time. I’ve lived in France. I’ve lived in California. It’s still when you order in a restaurant, you’re scared. Do I know enough? I’m going to be embarrassed. Is this the right pairing? And what the good news is that wine making in the world has become so sophisticated that if you are buying wine from a place that is special, including all.

Sonoma or France or Italy, the wines are good, they’re really good and all you have to do is be comfortable with yourself and enjoying it. And so that’s what we’re trying to do is take a product that has thousands of years of history as being a part of our culture and make you comfortable with just having fun, enjoying it and celebrating what wine can do to bring people together.

DancingWinesSonoma

Source: WeAreDancing.com

Joe Winger: You have a really unique story that you restored a vineyard up in Dry Creek.  Can you talk about experience and what you learned from the restoration?

Cynthia: We lucked out.  It was a Covid purchase. We spent a lot of time as a family together in very small confined spaces drinking a lot of wine. 

We [thought we] might end up needing a place where we have more outdoor space and can be together. So we bought this property more as a farm and then discovered that it was a unique part of the world. 

Zinfandel grapes have been growing in this small region for over 150 years.

It was called America’s grape back in the time I think [the] 1850s. Okay, we have these vineyards. They’re really old. 

There was one owner at this property for 60 years, an older Italian gentleman. And a lot of the area is multi generation, fourth generation Italian families who came over and cultivated this grape.

We never intended to make wine and yet we were scared to let this history and heritage die. 

So we took classes and tried to figure out, can we make wine?

It’d be such a shame to let this history go in this special place. 

We made a great discovery, which was that you don’t have to be an expert on wine. You just have to have great soil and a great climate. 

Then we launched from there. 

DancingWinesSonoma

Source: WeAreDancing.com

Lauren:  We’re always towing the line between the respective tradition and traditional winemaking and the land and all of the old vines and creating something new. 

She [Mom, Cynthia] always brings a lens of respect for the older generation and ways of life and what wine has meant to her throughout her life.

I’m always pushing the other direction. We always land somewhere in the middle. 

You’ll see that in the brands, it has really playful branding and packaging.  But, our winemaking is a bit more traditional. We’re a sustainable vineyard but we have old vines and we respect what the land has to offer and what it’s been offering in that region for a long time.

It creates a better product and brand for us because we get to cater to both audiences.

DancingWinesSonoma

Credit: https://instagram.com/DancingSonoma

Joe Winger: You have a collection of sensory brands.  Can you talk about what that collection is, what inspired the idea, and what we should be looking for?

Lauren:  All of the products have been and will be inspired by the backdrop of the vineyard. 

When we talk about wine, we talk about this kind of multi sensory experience, whether that’s aroma or where you’re having it, who you’re enjoying it with.

We came into wine knowing that it was going to be not just about taste or smell, but about the holistic experience of what wine could do for someone. 

Sort of the thread between all of our products are taste, touch and smell. Again, like finding your inner dance and allowing you to express your personality.

We’re launching a trio of fragrances, which are loosely inspired by the terroir and the vineyard.

Cynthia: We have a fresh perspective on Sonoma. Every time we arrive, we have this nose full of these incredible senses:, the smell of moss, crushed grapes, barrel, fire and oak. 

Yeah. So we’re like, wow. Every time we arrive, we’re like, wow, this is really cool.

This is so distinct and unique and just elevates your experience of being there. 

We are going to bring more experiences to the brand when we can, like having an artist in residence, creating visually beautiful contributions.

We have an art collection there that inspired us to bring art to the brand. It’s largely from a diverse group of artists from the West Coast who are very colorful and young and also push boundaries. So our idea with the senses is like we’re trying to This is a brand that you enter into our world and you get to experience people and life in a way that’s very unique and bold and

DancingWinesSonoma

Credit: https://instagram.com/DancingSonoma

Joe Winger: What are both of your backgrounds outside of wine?

Lauren: I was raised in Connecticut and went to Dartmouth for undergrad, was a creative non-fiction writer, so always had that storytelling bent. 

After school, I worked at a lot of businesses in marketing.  Uber Eats, Refinery29, right before the pandemic, I worked for AB and Bev that was my first kind of foray into alcohol. 

Then during COVID, I got my MBA at Columbia.  We all got this massive reset of our priorities.  I come from an entrepreneurial family.  This opportunity arose 

Cynthia: We’re a family who really believes in experiences. I have dabbled in many different areas.  I went to Scripps college. I actually was a dance major until I was not. I became an international relations major. I lived in France for a while. Then moved to New York City and worked for JP Morgan trading stock, money market securities. 

I didn’t find that was my passion, so I went to Harvard Business School and I got a master’s in business. Then I worked for American Express where I started a weekend travel program. It was a little startup within the travel segment of American Express. I got my “sea legs” of starting a business.

I quit that business because I had kids, then I started my own mail order company then I decided again, that maybe I needed a little more education.

I went back and got a doctorate at Columbia in organizational leadership.

I have a consulting firm on the side where I consult leaders and organizations about how to handle complex challenges in a complex world. 

So my daughter [Lauren] gets through business school and we decide to marry all these wonderful experiences together and create something really new and unique.

DancingWinesSonoma

Credit: https://instagram.com/DancingSonoma

Joe Winger: Let’s talk about your wines.

Lauren: We launched with our rosé which is really beautiful. It’s an intentional rosé. From our Primitivo grapes and we harvested them early and intentionally for rosé.

It has this really beautiful distinct, watermelon, almost Jolly Rancher aroma, and it’s really playful and full, but also dry. And it’s been a really big hit so that was a fun debut for us. 

We just launched our trio of reds, and what makes them unique goes into the story about the restoration of the vineyard.

We’re still learning our land and learning from it. 

We chose to harvest from different blocks and treat the wines in a similar fashion and bottle them separately to see what personalities they expressed. 

One is the Old Vine Zinfandel, which is from our oldest head trained vines which is the deepest, moodiest, richest wine. It’s really lovely.

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Credit: https://instagram.com/DancingSonoma

Then we have an estate wine, which is actually from Primitivo, a different word for Zinfandel. That one is a bit lighter. 

Then we have a third, a duo which is a blend of both. And so it’s really helped us to understand. And they are quite different.

They’re obviously all Zinfandels in their expressions, but they’re all quite different. 

People say Zinfandel is like a map of the land and I think that’s really true here. Which is super cool. 

But we have two forthcoming sparkling wines because I think it really speaks to our ethos about being playful and to my generation.

Cynthia: It’s really fun for us because being on the East coast, Zinfandel is a really unknown varietal and we think it’s underrated. Californians know it’s been around for a long time. It has a lot of possibilities with food. And so what we’re trying to do is bring to light this really good wine and do it in a slightly different way.

We pick ours earlier, trying to have it be less jammy, juicy, heavy; lighter, less alcoholic than some of the more traditional Zinfandels that are on our street. 

That’s really trying to address the changes consumer changes.

Our wines are chillable, super easy to eat with most any food, especially ethnic food, spicy food.

2022 was our first vintage. 2023 is already in barrels and we’ll be bottling that in probably in March. But it’s going to be a little different because the climate was different that year.

The rosé was just a fluke. Our winemaker wanted to try a Zinfandel rosé. Most people love it. It’s so distinct and unique.

Our 24 Rosé will come out in March.  The reds will come out in the early summer. We’re going to bottle the sparkling in January, but that will be at least a year until you’ll see that. The  pétillant naturel will probably be launching at about the same time as the rosé

DancingWinesSonoma

Credit: https://instagram.com/DancingSonoma

Lauren: What’s fun about having both an early release sparkling and a [second, additional] later release [sparkling wine] one is going to be lighter, more effervescent, maybe geared towards the younger generation and the other will have that toastier champagne flavor.

Joe Winger: Do you have a favorite wine and food pairing?

Lauren: This one’s so hard. Rosé and oysters or any seafood is just awesome. Sparkling wine and a burger is one of my favorites.

In terms of red, when I think of Zinfandel, it’s Thanksgiving foods.  It speaks to the hominess in our story. Bringing everyone around the table. Kind of experiential pairing.

Cynthia: Yeah, that resonates with me. 

We have a lot of ethnic food, so it holds up really well to spice, to sweet and sour, salty and sweet. So it’s great with Indian food, Mexican food. Apples in your pork chops. 

A burgundy is usually killed instantly by those kinds of flavors. It’s too fragile.

[Ours] is not fragile, but it still has so many nice aromas and flavors to enhance whatever you’re eating.

Lauren:  It’s great with pizza. Pizza and a nice glass of Zinfandel

DancingWinesSonoma

Source: WeAreDancing.com

Joe Winger: What’s something magical about Sonoma that you learned through this journey?

Lauren: True of both Zinfandel and Sonoma it always has this underdog energy to Napa. One of the hidden gems, we wake up really early and drive to the Redwood forest to watch the sun rise through the trees.

We eat a burrito because we have terrible burritos in New York.

There’s an amazing food community, 3 Michelin star restaurant, chefs, farm to table.

Cynthia: The distinct part of Sonoma is how important nature is to everyone there. It’s not just about wine. It’s incredible nature.

We both traveled a lot, lived in a lot of places. I’ve never seen such natural beauty in such a small area.

Lauren:  That’s what the idea of our products is too.  We have to bring people here in some way, differently than just having them taste the wine.

So as many dimensions as we can bring people into that realm to experience [00:29:00] that it’s like definitely the dream.

Joe Winger: Whether it’s social media, website, or other ways, what are the best ways for our audience to find and follow Dancing Wine?

Lauren: We have our website, which is wearedancing.comWe also are on Instagram, which is at DancingSonoma

in Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County.

The team at Dancing Wines is developing a collection of sensory brands that celebrate life through taste, touch and aroma – inspiring you to find your inner dance and show the world what truly moves you.

Dancing Wines’ red wine trio includes Old Vine, Duo and Estate — three limited-release wines made from hand-picked grapes that showcase the full breadth of the Dancing estate.

Lauren Russell (L) and Cynthia Russell (R) from Dancing Wines

Lauren Russell (L) and Cynthia Russell (R) from Dancing Wines Credit: https://instagram.com/DancingSonoma

Today’s conversation with the dynamic Mother / Daughter team Cynthia and Lauren Russell from Dancing Wines ha been edited for length and clarity.

For the full, un-edited conversation, visit our YouTube channel here.

Joe Winger: What is the most important message you’d like to share today?

Lauren Russell: I think one of them is dancing is art and art is life.

Another is love needs no explanation. I think really the thread between those is we’re trying to create a product and an experience that brings people together and invites them to find their inner dance, which is something we say a lot. 

So we want to encourage people to find their unique rhythms. And wine is also really lovely because it is a vehicle that brings people together to enjoy a moment and diverse people together.

I think my Mom [Cynthia] can speak to this as well, but one of the things we thought about when first exploring wine was just how daunting the whole atmosphere is around the consumption of it and the buying and using all the right adjectives.

Especially for my generation I feel like there’s a bit of a learning curve. So I think one thing we really want people to take away from the brand is just like, just enjoy it. Love needs no explanation and you can’t drink wine when your mouth is full of adjectives. We’ve created a great wine just for you to be able to enjoy and to describe however you want and enjoy whenever you want.

DancingWines

Source: WeAreDancing.com

Cynthia: Yeah, I think the measures we created we have a beautiful heritage property that the soil and the climate create this great wine. And me being of an older generation where wine was very intimidating, even though I know a lot about it.

And drinking it for a very long time. I’ve lived in France. I’ve lived in California. It’s still when you order in a restaurant, you’re scared. Do I know enough? I’m going to be embarrassed. Is this the right pairing? And what the good news is that wine making in the world has become so sophisticated that if you are buying wine from a place that is special, including all.

Sonoma or France or Italy, the wines are good, they’re really good and all you have to do is be comfortable with yourself and enjoying it. And so that’s what we’re trying to do is take a product that has thousands of years of history as being a part of our culture and make you comfortable with just having fun, enjoying it and celebrating what wine can do to bring people together.

DancingWinesSonoma

Source: WeAreDancing.com

Joe Winger: You have a really unique story that you restored a vineyard up in Dry Creek.  Can you talk about experience and what you learned from the restoration?

Cynthia: We lucked out.  It was a Covid purchase. We spent a lot of time as a family together in very small confined spaces drinking a lot of wine. 

We [thought we] might end up needing a place where we have more outdoor space and can be together. So we bought this property more as a farm and then discovered that it was a unique part of the world. 

Zinfandel grapes have been growing in this small region for over 150 years.

It was called America’s grape back in the time I think [the] 1850s. Okay, we have these vineyards. They’re really old. 

There was one owner at this property for 60 years, an older Italian gentleman. And a lot of the area is multi generation, fourth generation Italian families who came over and cultivated this grape.

We never intended to make wine and yet we were scared to let this history and heritage die. 

So we took classes and tried to figure out, can we make wine?

It’d be such a shame to let this history go in this special place. 

We made a great discovery, which was that you don’t have to be an expert on wine. You just have to have great soil and a great climate. 

Then we launched from there. 

DancingWinesSonoma

Source: WeAreDancing.com

Lauren:  We’re always towing the line between the respective tradition and traditional winemaking and the land and all of the old vines and creating something new. 

She [Mom, Cynthia] always brings a lens of respect for the older generation and ways of life and what wine has meant to her throughout her life.

I’m always pushing the other direction. We always land somewhere in the middle. 

You’ll see that in the brands, it has really playful branding and packaging.  But, our winemaking is a bit more traditional. We’re a sustainable vineyard but we have old vines and we respect what the land has to offer and what it’s been offering in that region for a long time.

It creates a better product and brand for us because we get to cater to both audiences.

DancingWinesSonoma

Credit: https://instagram.com/DancingSonoma

Joe Winger: You have a collection of sensory brands.  Can you talk about what that collection is, what inspired the idea, and what we should be looking for?

Lauren:  All of the products have been and will be inspired by the backdrop of the vineyard. 

When we talk about wine, we talk about this kind of multi sensory experience, whether that’s aroma or where you’re having it, who you’re enjoying it with.

We came into wine knowing that it was going to be not just about taste or smell, but about the holistic experience of what wine could do for someone. 

Sort of the thread between all of our products are taste, touch and smell. Again, like finding your inner dance and allowing you to express your personality.

We’re launching a trio of fragrances, which are loosely inspired by the terroir and the vineyard.

Cynthia: We have a fresh perspective on Sonoma. Every time we arrive, we have this nose full of these incredible senses:, the smell of moss, crushed grapes, barrel, fire and oak. 

Yeah. So we’re like, wow. Every time we arrive, we’re like, wow, this is really cool.

This is so distinct and unique and just elevates your experience of being there. 

We are going to bring more experiences to the brand when we can, like having an artist in residence, creating visually beautiful contributions.

We have an art collection there that inspired us to bring art to the brand. It’s largely from a diverse group of artists from the West Coast who are very colorful and young and also push boundaries. So our idea with the senses is like we’re trying to This is a brand that you enter into our world and you get to experience people and life in a way that’s very unique and bold and

DancingWinesSonoma

Credit: https://instagram.com/DancingSonoma

Joe Winger: What are both of your backgrounds outside of wine?

Lauren: I was raised in Connecticut and went to Dartmouth for undergrad, was a creative non-fiction writer, so always had that storytelling bent. 

After school, I worked at a lot of businesses in marketing.  Uber Eats, Refinery29, right before the pandemic, I worked for AB and Bev that was my first kind of foray into alcohol. 

Then during COVID, I got my MBA at Columbia.  We all got this massive reset of our priorities.  I come from an entrepreneurial family.  This opportunity arose 

Cynthia: We’re a family who really believes in experiences. I have dabbled in many different areas.  I went to Scripps college. I actually was a dance major until I was not. I became an international relations major. I lived in France for a while. Then moved to New York City and worked for JP Morgan trading stock, money market securities. 

I didn’t find that was my passion, so I went to Harvard Business School and I got a master’s in business. Then I worked for American Express where I started a weekend travel program. It was a little startup within the travel segment of American Express. I got my “sea legs” of starting a business.

I quit that business because I had kids, then I started my own mail order company then I decided again, that maybe I needed a little more education.

I went back and got a doctorate at Columbia in organizational leadership.

I have a consulting firm on the side where I consult leaders and organizations about how to handle complex challenges in a complex world. 

So my daughter [Lauren] gets through business school and we decide to marry all these wonderful experiences together and create something really new and unique.

DancingWinesSonoma

Credit: https://instagram.com/DancingSonoma

Joe Winger: Let’s talk about your wines.

Lauren: We launched with our rosé which is really beautiful. It’s an intentional rosé. From our Primitivo grapes and we harvested them early and intentionally for rosé.

It has this really beautiful distinct, watermelon, almost Jolly Rancher aroma, and it’s really playful and full, but also dry. And it’s been a really big hit so that was a fun debut for us. 

We just launched our trio of reds, and what makes them unique goes into the story about the restoration of the vineyard.

We’re still learning our land and learning from it. 

We chose to harvest from different blocks and treat the wines in a similar fashion and bottle them separately to see what personalities they expressed. 

One is the Old Vine Zinfandel, which is from our oldest head trained vines which is the deepest, moodiest, richest wine. It’s really lovely.

DancingWinesSonoma

Credit: https://instagram.com/DancingSonoma

Then we have an estate wine, which is actually from Primitivo, a different word for Zinfandel. That one is a bit lighter. 

Then we have a third, a duo which is a blend of both. And so it’s really helped us to understand. And they are quite different.

They’re obviously all Zinfandels in their expressions, but they’re all quite different. 

People say Zinfandel is like a map of the land and I think that’s really true here. Which is super cool. 

But we have two forthcoming sparkling wines because I think it really speaks to our ethos about being playful and to my generation.

Cynthia: It’s really fun for us because being on the East coast, Zinfandel is a really unknown varietal and we think it’s underrated. Californians know it’s been around for a long time. It has a lot of possibilities with food. And so what we’re trying to do is bring to light this really good wine and do it in a slightly different way.

We pick ours earlier, trying to have it be less jammy, juicy, heavy; lighter, less alcoholic than some of the more traditional Zinfandels that are on our street. 

That’s really trying to address the changes consumer changes.

Our wines are chillable, super easy to eat with most any food, especially ethnic food, spicy food.

2022 was our first vintage. 2023 is already in barrels and we’ll be bottling that in probably in March. But it’s going to be a little different because the climate was different that year.

The rosé was just a fluke. Our winemaker wanted to try a Zinfandel rosé. Most people love it. It’s so distinct and unique.

Our 24 Rosé will come out in March.  The reds will come out in the early summer. We’re going to bottle the sparkling in January, but that will be at least a year until you’ll see that. The  pétillant naturel will probably be launching at about the same time as the rosé

DancingWinesSonoma

Credit: https://instagram.com/DancingSonoma

Lauren: What’s fun about having both an early release sparkling and a [second, additional] later release [sparkling wine] one is going to be lighter, more effervescent, maybe geared towards the younger generation and the other will have that toastier champagne flavor.

Joe Winger: Do you have a favorite wine and food pairing?

Lauren: This one’s so hard. Rosé and oysters or any seafood is just awesome. Sparkling wine and a burger is one of my favorites.

In terms of red, when I think of Zinfandel, it’s Thanksgiving foods.  It speaks to the hominess in our story. Bringing everyone around the table. Kind of experiential pairing.

Cynthia: Yeah, that resonates with me. 

We have a lot of ethnic food, so it holds up really well to spice, to sweet and sour, salty and sweet. So it’s great with Indian food, Mexican food. Apples in your pork chops. 

A burgundy is usually killed instantly by those kinds of flavors. It’s too fragile.

[Ours] is not fragile, but it still has so many nice aromas and flavors to enhance whatever you’re eating.

Lauren:  It’s great with pizza. Pizza and a nice glass of Zinfandel

DancingWinesSonoma

Source: WeAreDancing.com

Joe Winger: What’s something magical about Sonoma that you learned through this journey?

Lauren: True of both Zinfandel and Sonoma it always has this underdog energy to Napa. One of the hidden gems, we wake up really early and drive to the Redwood forest to watch the sun rise through the trees.

We eat a burrito because we have terrible burritos in New York.

There’s an amazing food community, 3 Michelin star restaurant, chefs, farm to table.

Cynthia: The distinct part of Sonoma is how important nature is to everyone there. It’s not just about wine. It’s incredible nature.

We both traveled a lot, lived in a lot of places. I’ve never seen such natural beauty in such a small area.

Lauren:  That’s what the idea of our products is too.  We have to bring people here in some way, differently than just having them taste the wine.

So as many dimensions as we can bring people into that realm to experience [00:29:00] that it’s like definitely the dream.

Joe Winger: Whether it’s social media, website, or other ways, what are the best ways for our audience to find and follow Dancing Wine?

Lauren: We have our website, which is wearedancing.comWe also are on Instagram, which is at DancingSonoma

Beyond Organic: Ensuring Purity and Transparency in Wellness Ingestibles

Beyond Organic: Ensuring Purity and Transparency in Wellness Ingestibles.  In the health and wellness landscape, organic certifications are often seen as the hallmark of quality. However, these labels don’t fully encompass the factors essential for evaluating wellness products like potency, purity, or transparency.

certified organic

Photo courtesy of Unsplash

In the health and wellness landscape, organic certifications are often seen as the hallmark of quality. However, these labels don’t fully encompass the factors essential for evaluating wellness products like potency, purity, or transparency.

It’s essential for consumers to look beyond these certifications to understand the true quality of supplements and superfoods.

Evaluating Beyond Organic Labels

While organic certification assures consumers about certain agricultural practices, it doesn’t necessarily reflect the potency or purity of the ingredients. This gap highlights the importance of selecting products that prioritize more than just standard labels.

When choosing wellness supplements, it’s vital to opt for those that ensure the highest quality of ingredients. This means products designed not only to meet but exceed standards, providing genuine health benefits.

 

longevity wellbeing

“In our efforts to push beyond conventional boundaries, we focus on the purity and potency of our formulas,” says Pascale Rothman, founder of More.Longevity & Wellbeing. “Our commitment to transparency and quality sets new benchmarks for wellness products.” At More.Longevity & Wellbeing, Rothman and her team exemplify the highest standards in product formulation, differentiating themselves from competitors by not only meeting but exceeding the rigorous expectations for purity. Their approach encompasses detailed sourcing records, comprehensive third-party testing, and an unmatched openness about their product compositions, ensuring that each ingredient is both effective and remains true to its natural origins.

The Power of Pure Ingredients

Selecting supplements that harness the power of natural ingredients, backed by both tradition and modern science, is crucial. Ingredients like ashwagandha and reishi have centuries of documented efficacy and safety. Companies committed to using high-quality natural extracts can provide products that are both effective and consistent, ensuring that consumers receive the full potential benefits of each ingredient.

Demanding Transparency

Transparency in the wellness industry varies significantly, and understanding what goes into each product is key to making informed choices. Consumers should look for products that list every ingredient clearly and avoid those that use vague terms or proprietary blends. This transparency builds trust and ensures that the products are free from unnecessary fillers or additives, aligning with the needs of informed consumers.

Photo Courtesy of FREEPIK

Guidelines for Choosing Wellness Products

When navigating the vast market of supplements and wellness foods, here are some tips to keep in mind:

  • Read Ingredient Lists Carefully: Look for products with clear and comprehensive ingredient information.
  • Seek Transparent Brands: Brands that openly share their sourcing and production processes are generally more trustworthy.
  • Consistency in Quality: Choose products that demonstrate consistent quality in their extracts, which is crucial for maintaining effectiveness.

Through a rigorous commitment to quality and transparency, some companies are leading the way in setting new standards in wellness. They prioritize natural, high-potency ingredients that truly benefit consumer health, redefining what it means to be a leader in the wellness industry.

Beyond Organic: Ensuring Purity and Transparency in Wellness Ingestibles

A Culinary Milestone for Vietnam: Claiming a Spot at the Prestigious Bocuse d’Or Grand Final

A Culinary Milestone for Vietnam: Claiming a Spot at the Prestigious Bocuse d’Or Grand Final

For the first time in history, Vietnam’s culinary prowess has earned its place among the world’s gastronomic elite, with Team Vietnam advancing to the Bocuse d’Or 2025 Grand Final in Lyon, France.

This landmark achievement not only marks a significant milestone for the nation but also heralds its arrival on the global culinary stage.

For the first time in history, Vietnam’s culinary prowess has earned its place among the world’s gastronomic elite, with Team Vietnam advancing to the Bocuse d’Or 2025 Grand Final in Lyon, France. This landmark achievement not only marks a significant milestone for the nation but also heralds its arrival on the global culinary stage.

In honor of this triumph, a formal press conference was convened at the Residence of France in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday, October 25, 2024. The gathering, hosted by Mrs. Emmanuelle Pavillon-Grosser, the Consul General of France, united culinary luminaries, media representatives, and supporters to celebrate Team Vietnam’s triumph and discuss their plans for the upcoming Grand Final. “This exceptional success highlights the culinary talents of Vietnamese chefs and promises exciting prospects for our national cuisine on a global platform,” she noted, emphasizing the weight of this achievement.

The Bocuse d’Or, a revered culinary competition named after the legendary French chef Paul Bocuse, has been challenging the world’s top chefs for over three decades. This January, Vietnam will debut on this prestigious global stage, led by Chef Vu Xuan Truong and his commis, Nguyen Quang Tam. The duo is set to present a dish that encapsulates Vietnam’s rich culinary heritage and their innovative gastronomic vision.

Chef Vu Xuan Truong shared his feelings on this historic opportunity, “It’s a victory for Vietnamese cuisine and the heritage we proudly represent. Competing in Lyon is both an honor and a formidable challenge. We carry the pride of our nation and invite everyone to support us as we showcase our culinary excellence on the world stage.”

Reflecting on the team’s journey, Chef Sakal Phoeung, President of Bocuse d’Or Vietnam, said, “What Team Vietnam has accomplished is unprecedented. For the first time, Vietnam will stand among the world’s top chefs at the Bocuse d’Or Grand Final. Chef Truong and his team have shown immense creativity and dedication, proving that Vietnam is a rising force in global gastronomy. This win is a victory for the entire Vietnamese culinary community.”

The inspiration behind their winning dish, a creative interpretation of the legendary Vietnamese tale of the Dragon and the Fairy, symbolizes the harmonious blend of land and water, a core aspect of Vietnamese culture. Featuring elements reminiscent of the Mekong River, mountains, flowers, and rice fields, the dish also highlights sustainable culinary practices with its thoughtful use of veal.

As Team Vietnam gears up for the Grand Final in Lyon, they extend a heartfelt invitation to their compatriots: “We need your voices, your coverage, and your encouragement as we move forward in this journey,” Chef Sakal Phoeung noted. “Together, we can celebrate this milestone and rally behind our chefs as they compete on the world’s biggest culinary stage.”

This participation not only puts Vietnam on the culinary map but also sets the stage for the nation to further its reputation in the world of fine dining. With the support of their countrymen, Team Vietnam is poised to inspire a new generation of chefs and affirm that Vietnamese cuisine is indeed, a cuisine of the world.

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