Neeley Brimer on Clubhouse

Bio

I’m a social-influencer who drinks and occasionally writes about wine, food and socializing.
A Blonde On A Bench was born in October 2020 out of a vacancy of passion in my life. I sat in bed one morning reading my favourite author, Glennon Doyle, and realized I was approaching my life in the wrong way. I wasn’t living the life I always said I would. I wasn’t being the example I wanted to be for my children… For the last decade I had preached to anyone that would listen to “Follow you passion!” “Do what you love!” “Find happiness within yourself” and suddenly I realized I wasn’t taking my own advice.
My #1 passion is food and wine. My favourite moments in life are the times when you take that bite of food or sip that glass of wine and you instantly create a memory. You will never forget where you were or who you were with in that moment.
I would have these moments and then rush out to tell everyone I could about my experience. I had an innate desire to share my story.
My second passion is the Okanagan Valley. I fell in love with this place when I moved here almost 10 years ago. I love the landscape, the people, the evolution of culture and the beautiful stories those native to this area have to tell. I got to know the Okanagan wine industry through my 8 years of work in Penticton’s busiest restaurant. Proprietors would come and tell me their stories and the history behind the wineries and vineyards and I was inspired.
This blog is a marriage of my 2 passions. I feel unbelievably grateful to be living in a place that allows me to explore my love of food and wine ad infinitum. My goal behind the message of this passion project is to get to the root of the humanity behind the wine. I want to meet the grape growers, the owners, the wine makers, etc… I want to know what drives them, how they got here and where they’re going.
I want to introduce the world to this region.
I hope to be the influencer that takes the Okanagan Wine Region to it’s next level of global recognition. We’ve been the best kept wine secret for years, It’s time people know just how special we are.
-ABOAB