Life can get so busy; filled with work and to do lists, sometimes we forget to make time to turn off the phone, drink and eat without restraint, and enjoy some old-fashioned girl time.
My girlfriends and I dine at Ciopinot at least once a month. We arrive separately around 6pm, each with a bottle of wine in hand (there is no corkage fee at Ciopinot). Leonard, the owner and maitre’d, seats us at our usual table surrounded by signed magnums of the Central Coast’s star wine makers.
We order a bottle of bubbles to start, giving our waiter time to open our wines for the evening. We discuss the bottles we bring, while our waiter comments on opening three bottles at the same time. He is new and does not realize that we are the four-hour table that brings their own wine and drinks every last sip. Nor does he know that we will leave him a very generous tip on our bill for the inconvenience. Even if he tried to rush us, we outnumber him, and would never allow a thing to mess with our night.
We spend hours catching up, discussing current events, and enjoying our wine and food pairings.. Sometimes Leonard joins us for a few minutes, usually to chime in on a particular wine or dish. On one of our most memorable visits, he opened a magnum of Rosemary’s Vineyard 2006 Pinot Noir that was sitting in the bookshelf behind us (yes, we finished that off too).
We always make a point of trying new things on the menu, always finish every meal with two desserts, and always wake up the next day feeling infused with a dose of woman power… and a little headache 
Ciopinot: 1051 Nipomo St., San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
