A Week West Coast with TSH
A few of our team members recently had the opportunity to head to California for client photo and video shoots. I, for one, have always had the desire to travel for work, so when Val asked if I was available to come along, I jumped at the opportunity.
This however, was not your average, mundane, work trip. No. It was a bonafide food tour, followed up with interactive photoshoots to capture content for some of our most interesting clients, Zephyr and Daylight Wine & Spirits. In between shoots, we found time to eat some of San Francisco’s best ramen, dim sum, crab boils and more!
Our first day we headed to Zephyr to capture their stunning showroom. Zephyr’s top of the line, technology and design forward range hoods, beverage and wine coolers would make anyone swoon. Getting to see all of the products firsthand and chat with team members Kathy, Sarah and Jen, about the product development and speciality features made me want to invest in one of everything for my own home! Their wine and beverage coolers feature different temperature levels, three light options, pull out drawers and more! The range hoods are also a work of art with the beautifully intricate designs, touch features, and remote-control activation. The Zephyr showroom displays over 100 different range hoods and is open to the public by appointment to see the beauty for yourself.
Tuesday morning we headed out before daybreak with Starbucks in hand to Sonoma where we were about to witness one of the coolest experiences: grape harvest. Unlike the harvest we are typically used to capturing in South Dakota with giant machinery and golden fields, grape harvest is done all by hand, so as to not damage the grapes. That brisk morning, the Chardonnay being harvested was in peak condition, because it had been perfectly stressed out (an oxymoron if you ask me). Bobby, who oversees the vineyard, taught us that grapes need to be intentionally stressed in order to develop a deeper, more complex flavor profile. Growing grapes is more intricate than one would think; the fruit needs sun for nutrients and a little sunburn, but also the green canopy of the leaves to help shade the fruit on the vine. The grapes also need cool temps and the right amount of water so they don't grow too fast. I quickly realized farmers are all the same, regardless of whether your crop is soybeans or grapes, it’s all weather dependent and diligent, tedious work.
Our team witnessed the fastest harvest of all time in the field, and then we were off to watch the grapes get crushed, hand punched and we even got to try the different stages of the wine in the fermentation process.
When the shoots wrapped each day, it was time to play tourist. We drove around to see the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Fisherman’s Wharf and best of all, sea lions. This trip was one for the books and I couldn’t stop saying I can’t believe this is for work. My manifesto is now, “do what you love, love what you do.”
I can’t wait to see where The Sampson House heads to next!
To see more of our trip, check out our Instagram Reels!
