A few of our favorite things

Everyone has holiday traditions; here are some of ours

Jennifer Leonard, Director of Marketing & Sales
Activities: Toss up between the corn maze/pumpkin patch and walking down Candy Cane Lane with hot chocolate and all the kids in my family.
Drink: Cinnamon tea.
Song: Diana Krall Christmas Songs.
Shopping: REI.

Tracy Moresi, Account Executive
Activities: I love baking cookies; it gives me the opportunity to spend more time with my children.
Song: White Christmas—it reminds me of the many white Christmases I had as a child in Oregon.
New Years Resolution: To stop being too busy to enjoy what really matters in life, which is my children, family and friends.


Dan Carroll, Account Executive
Activities: Being with all my family and friends.
Drink: 18 to 25-year-old scotch.
Song: Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.
New Years Resolution: To let the new year surprise me!


Michelle Halpin, Production Manager at large
Activity: Spending time with my husband and opening the presents we got for Elle, our Siberian Husky, and Larry, our black-and-white demon cat.
Drink: A good port with an overly rich piece of cake.
Song: The Chipmunk’s Christmas Song. It always puts a smile on my face.
Shopping: Fry’s Electronics.
New Year’s Resolution: To volunteer more regularly with a charitable organization and continue to tell my husband how much I love him
every day.

Mike Allred, Account Executive
Activities: I get excitement out of giving the unexpected gift, corny but true!
Drink: A glass of scotch and a bold cigar is a slice of heaven.
Song: How can Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin not get you in the holiday mood?
Shopping: I’m a big fan of the Internet, it’s hard to fight over parking spaces from the comfort of my room.
New Years Resolution: Stop waiting for my dreams to come to me.

Shelly Keller, Food Editor
Activities: I love to cook and give food gift baskets. My holidays are all about the food that I love to make and eat. Food is love.
Drink: Nothing says celebration like Champagne.
Song: My favorite has always been The Christmas Song. It stirs up all my favorite holiday memories.
Shopping: I adore museum gift shops. It’s a chance to support our local cultural institutions, and I’ve found the most unique gifts there.
New Years Resolution: Do more things that make me happy while being kinder to people, creatures and the earth.

Michelle Branton, Publisher/Editorial & Creative Chief
Activities: Christmas tree shopping at Napa Valley Christmas Tree Farm.
Drink: Sweet hot toddy or an eggnog latte.
Song: Santa Baby by Eartha Kitt.
Shopping: First Street, Benicia.
New Years Resolution: Explore more Solano County hiking trails, specifically on Grizzly Island and at Rush Ranch.

Ana Cotham, Associate Editor
Activities: Sitting around with my family and talking along to the 24-hour TBS showing of A Christmas Story.
Drink: Gingerbread “crack” lattes.
Song: Christmas Wrapping by the Waitresses.
Shopping: Main Street (in anytown, USA) is usually a good place to find neat things.

Matt Larson, Editorial Intern
Activities: Sitting by a warm fire and smelling our fresh healthy Christmas tree while lighting the Menorah.
Drink: Eggnog, virgin or not.
Song: The Chanukah Song by Adam Sandler.
New Years Resolution: To spend more time with my dogs, increasing my lifespan by a couple of years.


Vijay Sandhu, Distribution Manager
Activities: Going to Merriment on Main in Vacaville.
Drink: Hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps with a candy cane.
Song: Feliz Navidad.
Shopping: Union Square in San Francisco because of the ambiance. The stores are all decked out and the crowds are full of holiday spirit.

Charles Neave, Editor
Activities: Having friends over to the house for drinks or dinner.
Drink: Eggnog, the traditional kind you make yourself.
Song: Almost anything that doesn’t involve barking dogs or singing chipmunks.
Shopping: Steve’s Hardware in St. Helena always has lots of unusual things.


Magdalena St. Clair, Marketing & Sales Assistant
Activities: Getting together with my family and going to pick the perfect Christmas tree.
Drink: Hot buttered rum.
Song: Andrea Bocelli’s Ave Maria.
Shopping: I love 4th Street in Berkeley, downtown Walnut Creek is always nice, and for a crazy day, Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco.
New Years Resolution: I have always vowed to practice being a better, kinder person.

Debbie Teal, Administrative Assistant
Activities: The live nativity in Vacaville.
Drink: Fresh milled apple cider from Apple Hill.
Shopping: Gift Center in San Francisco or one of the craft fairs that are done at the holidays.
New Year’s Resolution: To eat better and get more exercise.

Jessica Castro, Accountant
Activities: Decorating the Christmas tree.
Drink: Hot chocolate topped with whipped cream.
Shopping: Anywhere that my mom will go with me, she’s fun to shop with.
New Years Resolution: To keep a positive attitude no matter what and to start eating healthier.



Dan Fein, Production Manager
Activities: Performance art caroling
Drink: Earl Grey, cognac.
Song: Saint-Preux, Concerto pour une voix.
Shopping: Apple store, BevMo, Calumet.
New Years Resolution: Fill my passport.

Vanessa Moore, Graphic Designer
Activities: Dinner and a movie with family on Christmas Day.
Drink: Kahlua and creme.
Shop: Target stores and online.
New Years Resolution: Find the cure for workaholicism and spend more time outdoors.

Jeannie Howard, Editorial & Production Assistant
Activities: Planning what I will cook for Christmas dinner.
Drink: Right now it is a cranberry margarita.
Song: Mele Kalikimaka—it is how Hawaii says Merry Christmas, and it is a fun song.
New Years Resolution: To get more involved in my community.

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