Awesome Dads.net
13515 W. Avenue Suite 217
San Antonio, Texas 78216
210.837.4601
gregoryberlanga@awesomedads.net
www.awesomedads.net

Google
HAPPY NEW YEAR
from
AWESOMEDADS.NET
WINE STUDIES

Gregory approached me with the request for an ongoing monthly wine section with the premise of highlighting a variety of wines from “cost effective” through to “expensive” and “worth cellaring”.
My experience in New York City working in various Michelin Star restaurants with Jean George Vongerichten and Daniel Boulud, to name a few, has given me enough first hand knowledge to realize that the majority of individuals have never either attended a “wine appreciation study” or given the chance to learn and demystify wine.

For most people, wandering the aisles of a wine store can feel like browsing the shelves of a bookstore where all the titles are in a foreign language and as such we will be presenting a 7 part series that will give you the information to make an informed decision

When it comes to learning about and purchasing wine, grape variety is the easiest and most powerful concept, by far. Why? Because in the same way that appetizers / entrees / deserts form a standard restaurant menu template that all of us can understand – even if we don’t know the particular dishes thereon – the major quality wine grape varieties can be your template for sorting out, comparing, and remembering the body styles and flavors of different wines.

The BIG SIX Wine Grapes: Benchmarks for Body and Flavor.

The three Whites and three Reds that dominate quality wine production worldwide.  You’re probably already familiar with one or more of them, because they’re on wine lists and wine labels everywhere. They are a great reference point for how the body style of different grapes range from light to full, in the same way that different types of poultry (chicken vs. duck ), fish (sole vs. salmon), and meat (veal vs. beef steak) can range from light to full. And, just as salmon, chicken and steak are menu standards in the food world, the different fruit flavor profiles of these grapes are the benchmark for all quality wines produced worldwide. The payoff to your “wine savvy” is well worth the five minutes it will take for you to memorize this:


WHITE GRAPESBODY STYLESRED GRAPES
   RieslingLIGHT      Pinot Noir
  (REES-ling)      (PEE-no-NWAHR)

Sauvignon Blanc     MEDIUM      Merlot
(Sow-veen-yoan BLAHNK)(murr-LOW)
         and its partner wine

  Cabernet  Sauvignon
      (Cab-uhr-NAY sow-veen-Yoan)
Chardonnay      FULL                         Syrah (aka Shiraz)
(shahr-duh-NAY)        (See-ra) (shih-RAHZ)


NEXT MONTH:  WHICH WINES TASTE LIKE WHAT?

James Saftich is CEO of Our Private Chef LLC, a San Antonio based Private Chef Service Company.

My Daughter and I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year and hope everyone had a safe and Joyous Holiday Season.  I'm excited about what 2010 brings both Professionally and Personally to us and how we can help bridge relationships with our Families. 

This year brings a lot of opportunity for Fathers to make a New Year Commitment to spend more Quality time with our Children by organizing regularly scheduled events for fathers and our Children.  We are in the process in organizing a Dad's night out to watch the game or getting the kids out to have fun as a group. Please view the site for coming events.

I have had numerous emails asking us to address new Fathers. Awesome Dads will begin a section in our Newsletter and our site for New Fathers and how to build that bond with our Child.  We will cover Daddy Boot Camp for Expecting Fathers, Provide information on Local Organizations that provide classes for Dads.

Happy New Year to our Readers
by Gregory Ian Berlanga - Father/Founder
Prepare your House for your New Baby
by Gregory Ian Berlanga - Father/Founder

Check Smoke Detectors
First of all, make sure that you have functioning smoke and carbon monoxide detectors installed in your house.

Adjust Water Heater
You should also turn down the water heater to a maximum temperature of 120 degrees. You will still be able to take a hot shower, but you will make sure that the water never gets so hot as to give your baby a scalding burn.

Secure Carpets
You do not want to slip and fall while you are walking around holding your baby, so make sure that any carpets in your house have a sticky backing in hold them in place.

Write Down Emergency Phone Numbers
If you need help with your baby, you will want to be able to call the doctor or a support person right away. Write down all of the important phone numbers and leave them next to the phone so you can find them quickly in an emergency.



Wine 1301 Introduction to Wine for the Wine Enthusiast
by James Saftich - Private Chef
I have had numerous emails that ask me to begin addressing new Fatherhood, so begining this month Awesome Dads will start doing just that for our new Fathers.  As a Parent who has been through bringing a little one home, it's a good idea to prepare your house before bringing your new baby home from the hospital. See our tips for creating a safe home environment that will ease some of the worry of becoming a new parent.

If you are bringing home a new baby soon, there are many things you should do to get your home ready.

You won't need to childproof your cabinets for a few months, but there are still many things in the home that can be dangerous to an infant.
These tips should make your home safe for your newborn---until she starts moving around on her own, that is. Then you will have to go through a whole series of other safety precautions which we will provide in upcoming editions for new Parents.
1 smoothie, about 2 cups

Active Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients
•1 1/4 cups fresh berries
•3/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt
•1/2 cup orange juice
•2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk
•1 tablespoon toasted wheat germ
•1 tablespoon honey
•1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation
1.Place berries, yogurt, orange juice, dry milk, wheat germ, honey and vanilla in a blender and blend until smooth.
Nutrition
Per serving: 432 calories; 3 g fat (2 g sat, 0 g mono); 15 mg cholesterol; 77 g carbohydrates; 20 g protein; 7 g fiber; 250 mg sodium; 617 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (175% daily value), Calcium (63% dv), Potassium (18% dv), Magnesium (16% dv).
4 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 3 fruit, 2 low-fat milk

** We usually use Frozen Fruit for our Smoothies.  The reason is that the fruit lasts longer and is fresh when Frozen in most cases.

This is bursting with berries and orange juice, healthful sources of carbohydrate and powerful antioxidants. Getting plenty of antioxidant-rich foods makes sense for active people, since free radicals are produced any time the body's cells process oxygen.

Recipe for January

FRUIT SMOOTHIE
I would like to take this opportunity to inform my readers that my daughter and I will be on;
                 




With so much Media Coverage focusing on the Negative side of Fatherhood, The Living Show is showing its Community Responsibility on informing their viewers that there are Good, Responsible, Active and Wonderful Fathers in San Antonio.  We would like to thank them again for this opportunity to inform fathers about our site and our mission.

Here are some things in the works;
  • Gathering of Fathers
  • Daddy and Daughter Hair Day
  • Events for Dads and our Kiddos
  • Father of the Month
  • Our Blog
  • Business and Networking Page

Sincerely,

Gregory Ian Berlanga
Father/Founder
www.awesomedads.net
gregoryberlanga@awesomedads.net
How to Help Your Family Cope with Job Loss
Source:  Yahoo Business Pages
So what do you do if you get laid off?  Over 15,000 people were laid off in December so the shock, grief, disappointment, mourning, anger and worry are emotions that come to the surface when a father loses his job. And these are all emotions that will be faced by your family members. What can a dad do to help himself and his family through this transition time?

1. Face reality. Come to grips with your new situation. Get through your own grieving process quickly and assess where you and your family are at this new starting point.
2. Discuss with your partner what has happened. Keeping your job loss a secret may seem tempting, but it is the worst thing you can do. Make sure that you and your partner are together and on the same page as you move into this transition period in between jobs.
3. Call a family council. Tell the family that you have lost your job. Remind them that this is a time of transition and that the whole family will need to help in reducing costs and contributing to family financial security. Ask the children for advice in meeting family needs. Reassure them that everything will be OK, but that there may be hard times to go through. You must communicate concern, but also hope and optimism.

4. Involve the whole family. Some families experiencing job loss have children search the newspaper for help wanted ads, for grocery store coupons, or for other money saving ideas. In some cases, children have found lawn-mowing or babysitting jobs that have helped contribute to family income.
5. Make finding a job your full time job. Apply everywhere and work your network. Check ads in the newspaper, online and at companies where you think you have a chance. Be persistent, but not annoying, with your potential employers. If you are eligible for unemployment insurance, apply as soon as possible.
6. Take advantage of family time. As you search, there will inevitably be times when you'll have downtime. Use that time to connect with your spouse and children to help them ease through the process. Time with family can also be a good diversion from the stress of the job search.



Tips for Job Seeking Fathers
•Network, network, network. Most new jobs are found through the process of knowing someone who knows someone who knows about a job. Use online networking tools like LinkedIn as well as personal contacts.
•Keep communication lines open with family members. Share both successes and failures in your job search.
•Families can become stronger through crisis, or they can become more divided. It largely depends on the attitude of the parents.
•Be prepared for a little backlash. Children or spouses may say hurtful things under stress. Just let them go and keep moving forward.

Before Choosing a Insurance Company for your Home, Car, Business and Family Talk with Lisa Ybarbo.  She will listen and provide the products that fit your family's needs.  Give her a call at 210.434.2711