I grew up in a family of semi-professional winemakers that have roots going back to Europe.
Because of the cultural differences, I was drinking a single glass of wine during holiday meals as early as 12-years-old.
As a result, I never struggled with alcohol addiction because it was never taboo and I grew tired of it by my college age. Instead of wanting to abuse alcohol to get intoxicated or drunk, I started to slowly develop a taste and fondness for quality liquors, beers, and wines. For the longest time I was living in a city with a lot of craft breweries and I was really privileged and fortunate to have access to some of the best beer in the world. I would visit the breweries with friends to grab a pint and a batch of fries and chicken tenders while watching a football game on the TV screens in the tavern. Now that I’m living in Spokane, Washington, I like to visit the breweries like the Black Label Brewing Company that are within the city limits. These are wonderful places to visit when you’re trying to escape the frigid winter temperatures outdoors. For instance, the Barrister Winery on West Railroad Avenue has some of the warmest heat out of any indoor space in the entire city. It’s one of my favorite spots to visit during the winters in Spokane. Even though I have a strong heating system in my house in Gonzaga University, it’s nice to give the furnace a rest for the day to spend a few hours in a place like the Barrister Winery. No-Li Brewhouse on Trent Ave is next on my list of alcohol-themed destinations to visit.