With February being Black History Month, allow me to reintroduce myself. You know I enjoy living the good life! I’m also constantly evolving and growing. At 28, I reached my career goal when I became the first female to cover the Los Angeles Lakers as a traveling beat writer – every game, home and away, for four seasons! – but kept climbing.
A sportswriter for 11 years, I covered the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, tennis, college sports and more as I worked my way up from the tiny Iowa City Press-Citizen to the Pittsburgh Press to the Dallas Morning News to the Orange County Register to USA Today to an on-air correspondent at CNN-SI.
I switched to entertainment writing at People, returned to USA Today to cover celebrities then became a freelance luxury travel writer, which immersed me in food and wine. Along the way, I co-authored New York Times bestselling book “Come to Win” with Venus Williams and wrote the award-winning “Dog Lovers Guide to Travel” for National Geographic Books.
I never imagined I’d live in Northern California! Born and raised in LA, I attended USC and traveled to the Bay Area when the Trojans played Cal. I wondered why anyone would live in frigid NorCal when balmy SoCal was so close. In 2003, my horizons were broadened when I moved to Italy, where I lived la dolce vita in Florence for one year then Positano for 15 months. I relocated to New York for four years, gained an appreciation for the change of seasons and embraced walking, which I did a lot of when I later moved to San Francisco.
I relocated to Napa Valley in 2015 when I was the editor Haute Living San Francisco. The following year, Alpha Omega winery lured me to become its first Director of Communications, a position I held for seven years, nine months.
I’ve traveled to nearly 50 countries and territories. I can reside ANYWHERE but choose Napa Valley. It’s the first place I’ve lived where I wasn’t looking to move again. I’m seduced by the scenery, fascinated by the science and art of winemaking, awed by farmers at the mercy of Mother Nature, wowed by the philanthropic commitment of this tiny region that takes care of its own and captivated by the events. And oh, the restaurants!
I always encourage my family and friends to visit so I don’t have to leave as often. I love playing tour guide and showing off Napa Valley. Look for more to come on why I love where I live.
