For updated Bio information, click here.
Who ARE you?
Well, chronologically I am: girl, daughter, sister, writer, feminist, wife, mother, expat, blogger, author, and most recently, resister.
Where are you?
In 2008, after 20 years in NYC, I packed my family and furniture onto planes and ships, said goodbye to the city that molded my young woman soul, and headed to Europe. Nine years later, (three in Cyprus and nearly six in Denmark), I am now both an insider with an outside view, and an outsider with an inside view.
What makes you tick?
At the moment I’m idling at a four-way intersection. Meet me at the corners of parenting, expatriation, feminism, and politics and I’ll tell you a tale.
I didn’t plan it out this way, but there you go. Sometimes life drops an anvil on your head and by the time you regain consciousness, you live in another country, have a couple of kids, and your home country’s gone to seed.
Why the blog?
I started Wine and Cheese (Doodles) in 2012 as a way to document my own journey of rediscovery. Nothing too ornate or complex, just a rediscovery of my newly bought and paid for free time. After a degree in creative writing and a few years on the spoken word circuit in NYC, I took a long hiatus from writing. (Like a decade kind of long). The blog was a way to retrain my fingers and my writing brain. Think Rocky Balboa running up the steps and fist pumping. Now go on, try to get Eye of the Tiger out of your head.
What’s with the funny name? I mean, Wine and Cheese (Doodles)? For real?
Look, I didn’t know I was going to be doing this 5 years and 400+ original articles later! The idea behind the blog name was meant to be a nifty little juxtaposition between high and low, with a slight nod to e.e. cummings by incorporating the parenthetical (Doodles). A little sophisticated palate cleansing, a little trashy yumminess. I’ve since found out there are WHOLE NATIONS of people who don’t know what a Cheese Doodle is. My friends, you are missing out.
What sort of stuff do you write?
Oh, you know. This and that. All and sundry. Mix and match. Stories, Rhymes, Truth.
My novel, All the Spaces in Between, which pairs myth with adolescence (Minotaurs in the basement! Anxiety as a labyrinth!) is currently represented by the Robert Lecker Agency.) Like what you read here? Want to publish my novel? Great! Call my agent! (I’m not even kidding.) I even have a whole different website for my serious author persona: Dina Honour
Nonfiction is all over the map–sometimes literally– from sappy to satire, wit to whimsy, political to poetic. When it comes to what gets included in the blog, I consider it a bit like Target (or M&S for you Brit folk): a little bit of everything, a little something for everyone, a few can’t pass up treats at the checkout.
Anything else?
Nope, I think we’re good. Welcome!
(And if you haven’t tried them, go out and buy some Cheese Doodles.)
Wine and Cheese (Doodles) 
KEEP WRITING so we can follow along… on whatever road you take.
LikeLike
Good luck on your new pursuit Dina!
LikeLike
Love the Bittersweet one.. so true !
Have shared with my friends here as we can all relate to that one 😦
Hope alls good in Denmark , and the winter is not tooooo long ! xx
LikeLike
Thank you, Donna! And thanks for the support and shares! All is good here, if not a little gray. X
LikeLike
Thanks for the follow and putting Clip Snark on your blogroll. 🙂 Looking forward to checking out your blog, too!
LikeLike
Thanks. You had me at ‘snark’ by the way…
LikeLike
Good Lord! We may have been separated at birth…I wonder if we’re twins that were taken from the hospital by the wrong parents in a sinister plot (think Looper), foreseeing our brilliant power united. When I read your posts I feel like I wrote them. The flavor, the cadence, the expressions. Wow! So cool! We must get to know each other better. Love your writing. Love the way you think.
-Allison
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Allison! I will make a note to ask my mom next time I talk to her if she forgot about a long-lost twin somewhere along the way. You know, they were all drugged for the birth back then, so anything’s possible 😉
LikeLike
Hey Dina,
Didn’t mean to lurk (is that what the kids are calling it these days?) – but wasn’t (still aren’t!) sure when to tell people about our blog. Anyway, we have SO enjoyed yours! Your posts are consistently thoughtful, insightful, relevant and funny. Particularly your New York Love song post. We’re kinda going through the same thing. I don’t think we need “quite this much city” anymore. I think we could break up and still be friends (NY and me that is). Ah to be able to discuss this with you over an Ikea meatball plate! Love your formatting of the blog too. Apologies again about my lack of understanding of blogging etiquette. Blog on!
LikeLike
Those damn kids and their ever-changing lingo. The blog looks fantastic. When you say ‘our’ blog, am I assuming correctly the other person in the ‘we’ bit or are you collaborating with someone on the ‘outside’? I don’t know any more about this blogging etiquette than you do–it’s a bit like high school really. I am loving the photographs–and the history behind them, most of which I had no idea you had experienced. There’s an Ikea not to far from us here if you want to swing by for meatballs. Would love to have you. No frappes though. (I do miss a good Syrian Friendship meze every now and again).
LikeLike
I like your hair 🙂
LikeLike
No woman can resist a hair compliment. Thanks!
LikeLike
Thanks for liking my site – http://www.malaphors.com. I am enjoying yours as well!
Dave
LikeLike
Malapropisms and mixed metaphors–what’s not to like?!
LikeLike
Thanks for the recent like. Looking forward to reading more of your stuff!
LikeLike
You’re welcome. And vice-versa!
LikeLike
Hmmm…You sound like you might be my kind of quirky. Mind if I tag along e-following you around like a puppy for awhile? 😉
LikeLike
Only if I can hit you with a stick if you get too friendly. I’m honored to have you along for the ride! Thanks for thinking I’m worth e-following.
LikeLike
Hello, fellow New Yorker 😉
LikeLike
Sweet indeed! I haven’t had time to fully process this, but wanted to at least write a very large Thank You for thinking of Wine and Cheese (Doodles)!. Cheers!
LikeLike
Hi there,
I nominated your blog for the Liebster Award! Congratulations! If you hate me for that just ignore this. It means I enjoy reading your blog and you have under 200 followers and someone nominated me so I’m paying it forward! So now the request is that you do the same – answer the following 11 questions, nominate 11 (I only had 8) blogs under 200 followers you like, and relish in the glow of the liebster.
AND Your Questions Are (answer long or short, one word or fifty, I don’t care)…
1)What was the last thing you said?
2) What are you doing after 5pm today?
3) What would you do for a profession (anything) if you knew you would succeed?
4) Favorite quote?
5) Do you search forever to find a close parking spot or just park and walk?
6) What’s you’re remedy for cleaning your stove top?
6) How do you deal with anger?
7) Have you ever had shark?
8) Organic or who cares?
9) What is your primary responsibility?
10) What’s one thing you want to know about me (not that I’ll answer)?
11) If you believe in a “higher power”, how do you define it and/or what do you call it?
LikeLike
Thank you so much! I will get back to this!
LikeLike
Hi Dina.
My name is Kevin Gillespie, I do, MUCH prefer being called Kev however. :).
I am now following your Blog. 🙂
Best Wishes
LikeLike
Hi Kev,
Thanks for deciding to follow along! I hope you enjoy!
LikeLike
Wine, cheese and salty snacks – staples of life. Looking forward to dining out on this blog.
LikeLike
Welcome. May the cheese doodles be ever in your favor.
LikeLike
your new pic is cool, but ‘girl lost in the wildernis’ will remain an alltime classic. Please read freshly pressed ‘my penis girl’ if you haven’t yet – it will move you to tears; I know you like to cry. You’re welcome.
LikeLike
I did read it! I didn’t cry (and btw, liking to make OTHER people cry and liking to cry are two different things–unless we are talking a viewing of ET. But it was great. Are you back??
LikeLike
13th August, after one more post from Mitch Lang. Won’t be as much as before but I have a few good ones in the vault. I see you’ve been busy – making people cry. I’ve saved a few tears for you as well.
LikeLike
http://runningawayfrom49.wordpress.com/2013/08/21/winning-isnt-everything-its-the-only-thing/
LikeLike
Hello,
I’m sure you must have had tonnes of nominations so far, but I absolutely adore your blog and nominated you for the “Very Inspiring Blogger Award”.
If you would like to accept, please visit my post to see how –
http://lifeonmyplate.wordpress.com/2013/08/26/theres-inspiration-all-around-us/
Best,
Upasna
LikeLike
Upsana, I’m so sorry it’s taken me this long to say thank you for this! First of all, it pleases me to no end that you are enjoying the blog! And secondly, what a nice gesture on your part. Generally I try to steer clear of the blogging accolades (for my own reasons), but wanted to say thank you for thinking of me and Wine and Cheese (Doodles). Sincerely, D
LikeLike
where have you been and how have I missed reading you? Love, love, love your blog. We do not have cheesedoodles here in the Antipodes, but we have a comparable extruded corn,rice, whey & cheese powdered snack called Twisties (famous for being emptied into buttered bread rolls by school kids all over) 😉
LikeLike
Thank you! Your extruded corn, rich, whey and cheese powdered snack sounds very similar–though I must say Cheese Doodles has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? But thank you for finding me and I hope you stay a while!
LikeLike
Have you noticed that overindulgence in Cheese Doodles (also in Cheez-its) has a laxative effect? (It’s the orange coloring, I think.) But perhaps that’s irrelevant for you now; are such gastronomic inventions available in Copenhagen?
Seriously, your blog is a delight, and refreshingly well written, and I look forward to devouring every post to come! 😉
LikeLike
I can’t say I am overly familiar with the laxative effect, but I do know that nothing in nature is that color orange. We call it nuclear orange in my house, it’s also the color of Kraft Mac n Cheese. Mmmm. ;-). Copenhagen has copious amounts of curried herring. Not so mmmm. Thank you so much for the compliment (I truly love the idea of being refreshingly well written–like a breath of brisk, Danish air). I hope I can live up to your appetite!
LikeLike
Hi Dina,
I’ve read a bunch of your posts, seen your sinful gravitar in many of my friends’ blogs and am finally getting around to signing on to yours. I’m expecting some cheez doodles (NOT cheez puffs in the mail!
I lived overseas from 1997-2002 It was a mixed bag. Loved it. Hated it. Sometimes simultaneously!
LikeLike
Do you have any idea of the postal costs in Copenhagen? They are astronomical. My own family members do not even get paper birthday cards. I shudder to think what the cost of mailing a packet of Øst Pops (the Danish doesn’t have the right ring to it, does it) would cost ;-). Being an ex-pat is definitely a mixed bag. Loving it right now, but have been on the hating end too. I’m going to ride out the good for as long as I can. Thanks, Elyse!
LikeLike
Hi Dina,
The folks over at Doublewhirler sent me your way and Wow! So glad they did. Of course I was totally hooked by your blog title, being smitten myself. And then when I started reading – double Wow! Having lived overseas for years in numerous locations I’m loving your tales. And I’m sure you’re already familiar with the Coolest Cheese Doodle video of Aleksander Gamme, the South Pole explorer, who discovers his last cache of Cheese Doodles. If not, it’s a blissful testament to the love of the yummy treat. Many congrats on the FP – richly deserved. All the best, Terri
http://gizmodo.com/5898138/witness-the-happiness-that-cheese-doodles-cause-after-wandering-the-south-pole-for-86-days
LikeLike
Oh my God. I had not seen that and I am wetting myself right now. Thank you so much for sending that to me, I’m going to share it on my blog’s FB page as soon as I finish typing this! I am so glad you found your way over and so pleased you’ve liked what you’ve read. Would love to hear more of your tales of living abroad, do you write about them? Alas I am off the Cheese Doodles for now, but watching the joy they bring others, even in the South Pole, is enough to satisfy any cravings I may have. Thanks again, Terri. Best, Dina
LikeLike
Hi Dina,
Yes we write about our life abroad and travels over at Gallivance,net. http://gallivance.net/
So glad I could introduce you to the video. My husband found it a while back and we have laughed and smiled over it ever since. It has become the definition of “bliss” for us! ~Terri
LikeLike
Nice to meet you!
I have just one question – perhaps the most important question of all:
Crunchy or Poofy?
LikeLike
Well, I actually prefer the puffy ones, but I think that a true connoisseur would say that the crunchy ones are actually cheese doodles and the the puffs are..well…puffs. I would trade my kingdom for a bowl without the deleterious effect they have on my waistline–crunchy or puffed.
LikeLike
A reasonable and well stated answer.
(CRUNCHY!!!)
LikeLike
Yes. I like cheese doodles. I don’t like when my children eat cheese doodles near my artwork because I don’t always use orange. Wow, you’ve moved quite a distance. I hope all is working out well for you. And I love your creatively hip blog name…
AnnMarie
LikeLike
Between you and me, I don’t 100% trust people who don’t like cheese doodles. That said, that unnatural orange color is hard to get off. Thanks for finding your way over here and for the kind words!
LikeLike
I want you to trust me. I’m a trustworthy type and for the record I do like cheese doodles among other things. And that is my problem – I like too many things. Now that I’m blogging quite a bit, I have to watch that I don’t develop a serious case of blogger’s butt – so sadly cheese doodles and other delicious treats have to stay in their bags. 🙂
AnnMarie
LikeLike
I immediately googled cheese doodles after liking your introduction. I wonder if I’m the only person who didn’t know what they were
LikeLike
Not the only one surely. But in a small percentage, I’m sure. ;-). Thanks for stopping by! I would love to know if and when you try some processed cheese food snack and what you think.
LikeLike
Thank you. I’ve yet to see them but the moment I do, I will buy some and let you know
LikeLike
Dina, I just read that you avoid blog awards. However, I only read a few WP blogs, one of them nominated me and now I have to pass it on. Like an STD! But as a person who hates chain letters, I completely get it. Just know that I do admire your writing so much, and I’m sure you’ll get at least one new blog hit from my five readers! Keep on, and I hope your more serious writing is going well.
LikeLike
Well firstly, congrats! Secondly, you can choose NOT to pass on an STD, Missy. ;-). Thanks for the kudos and the compliment, they mean more to me than an extra blog for sure. Writing is going well, if not slowly with the approach of the dreaded summer vacation. Shudder. Thanks again!
LikeLike
Thank you so much, Dina, for deciding to follow my blog. I’ve been enjoying yours for some time!\. Glad the feelings are mutual! 😀
LikeLike
so not a fan of cheese doodles (I call ’em cheese poofs) but fan of your page, where have you been for my last 6 months of blogging. Crunch n munch is my fave, big nut fan and sometimes just a big nut in general. You have made my morning so entertaining. Your words are witty and fresh and I am just tickled. Also a New Yorker (the Buffalo end of the state) never been abroad so I guess I will explore it through you:) peace friend:)
LikeLike
Thank you! (I will forgive your dislike of the best snack food ever ;-). ) I am glad that you’ve found some relatable posts here and I am tickled that you are enjoying them. I have never been to Buffalo myself, but can tell you that your winters there are far worse than our Danish winters, though you wouldn’t think so. I hope you find more to like and to see you around. Grab a bag of Crunch n munch and keep reading.
LikeLike
haha, or some white cheddar popcorn, love that too:) last winter was bitter cold, looking towards a move to FLA when the hubs retires and we get tired from shoveling:) which is usually the first snow:) have a lovely day my friend:) Kim
LikeLike
Loved the 9 expats. Guess I’m the one with a bucket list now in China, but will propabably turn into something different on our next stop in US. Keep up the good work!
LikeLike
Thank you! Bucket lists are good–they keep you from missing things too much! Lots to love about the US (though I’m a bit biased), I can guarantee that lack of cereal selection will not be something you complain about ;-). Thanks for coming by!
LikeLike
Just found you via a fellow expat friend- love your writing! I’m a fellow lover of books, wine and salty snacks 😉 We must be kindred spirits!
LikeLike
Thank you Heather! I just took a quick look over at your blog and I have to say–food and drink in Milan look infinitely better than here in CPH. I look forward to reading more. Thanks! D
LikeLiked by 1 person
G’day Dina, found you via Nadia’s link on her re-emergence from sabbatical today and thought I best come over because she is awesome so ergo, I figure you probably are too. See you round. Cheers REDdog
LikeLike
A ringing endorsement I can only hope to live up to. Welcome aboard 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I literally have no idea what a cheese doodle is, but I love to read blogs from fellow expats so will be following along….
LikeLike
Cheese puff? Cheez Doodle? Crunch, nuclear orange snack? On second thought, you’re much better off without them. I hope you find something you like here!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The detail about your parenthetical being an e.e. cummings reference? BRILLIANCE.
Well played, Maverick. Well played.
I’m feeling at home already.
LikeLike
Glad to hear it! I hope you stick around and find a few more nooks and crannies to play in and feel right at home.
LikeLike
Hi Dina – I’m not sure if this is your “thing,” but I nominated you for a 3 Day Quote Challenge. It’s easy & fun to do. See my post for details – https://gomamao.com/2016/06/02/3-day-quote-challenge-day-3-do-better/
Thanks for following my blog. I enjoy doing the same with your blog! Cheers!
LikeLike
Just found you, via a Facebook post by Catriona Turner. So, I’m ready to be entertained.
LikeLike
No pressure then! I hope you find something here to entertain you 🙂
LikeLike