Portfolio

If you’ve been reading Grok Nation for the past few months, you’ve probably seen my biweekly We Tried It reviews of meal delivery services. When I started this recurring feature, I didn’t realize just how many boxes are on the market. It’s a bit overwhelming to sift through which service is right for you and […]

“Don’t overthink it.” That’s WineGame Chief Marketing Officer Sarah Munson’s no. 1 piece of advice about drinking wine. And it’s solid advice. Too often people feel overwhelmed when making selections at wine stores or when browsing a restaurant’s wine list. That’s exactly why we started this column—and why WineGame was created. The phone app is […]

You may associate “rum” with beach drinks and college kids—and while that might be true, rum is much more than that. It’s actually an excellent spirit for making cocktails at high-end bars or at home. The truth is, if you’ve found yourself not enjoying rum in the past, you probably need to get a better […]

It might not have been his intention, but Stacy Clark’s high school biology teacher prepared her for a life in the wine industry. The winemaker for Charles Krug first dipped her toe in that world when Mr. Holm took his class on a field trip to Concannon Vineyards in California’s San Francisco Bay area. There […]

If you’ve ever dreamt of cooking like Martha Stewart, well, Marley Spoon is the food box service for you. The service is similar to those we’ve tried at Grok Nation in the past, with one catch: the recipes get the Martha Stewart seal of approval. In all my meal service testing, the ones that require […]

Like many young people, Vanessa Conlin was led to New York to pursue a passion. She was on a “hard-core path to be a classical musician,” so she went to the Manhattan School of Music. But once she was in the city—as is the case with many transplants—she developed a love of food and wine. […]

Karen Van Guilder Little is first and foremost a learner. She’s always had a passion for knowledge and taking classes “of any sort.” After earning her bachelor’s in Clarinet Performance and a master’s degree in Musicology, she moved to NYC where she worked for the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers and the Lincoln […]

One of the perks of trying so many different meal kits is getting to taste a variety of dishes. Sun Basket advertises itself as a “healthy” delivery service option. It offers an abundance of dietary options, such as gluten-free, vegan and paleo; and every recipe is sourced with organic produce and clean ingredients. I like […]

Winemaker Alicia Wilbur grew up around wine. Her family drank it at dinners and during the holidays—but it was the “boxed refrigerated variety or the syrupy sweet Kosher variety.” It wasn’t until she started bartending at upscale restaurants in her early 20s that she was introduced to fine wine. “It changed everything for me,” Alicia […]

They say you get jobs with your connections, your skills and your education in the field. Well, Blanche Orbe didn’t have that when she started in the wine industry—but that’s where she’s found herself. After going to school for advertising and design and applying for a position promoting food and wines from France, she has […]