Bodega Wine Bar

Bodega Wine Bar in Santa Monica, CA, offers a relaxed atmosphere with an extensive wine, beer, and bite selection, attracting casual gatherings with a stylish and fun vibe.

There are only a few people that I keep in regular contact with from my undergraduate time at  Gamma Phi Beta sorority at the University of Denver. Angie has been one of those constant, beautiful friends that has always been there. So, when her family visited Los Angeles for a diabetes charity gala event, I was very happy that she had time in her busy schedule to meet up with me in Santa Monica. After going over a few options for a Sunday night, we settled on Bodega Wine Bar.

I still remember when Sonni introduced me to Bodega Wine Bar, years ago. We would meet for almost weekly conversations at the bar. I loved trying new varietals of wine and the light bites they served. On this particular Sunday night, it felt coming home to an old friend.

Similar to a recent visit to Bar Covell in Los Feliz, the vibes of Bodega Wine Bar felt timeless, exactly how a solid neighborhood wine bar should be.

I ordered a RED BLEND (Animus from Douro Valley, Portugal) and added slices of sopressa to the  SCAPEGOAT (Goat cheese, Brussels sprouts, Parmesan, mozzarella, olive oil & lemon).

What I love most about Angie is her uncanny ability to say just the right thing at exactly the right moment. Friends like her – genuine and supportive to the core – are truly rare gems. As we sipped our glasses of wine in the warm embrace of Bodega, it struck me that this is the true, beautiful power of connecting over food.

In a world often fixated on inauthentic conversations and the chase for online validation, there’s something incredibly profound about sharing a meal together. Wiping away tears after a particular honest moment, savoring my glass of wine, smiling and laughing over a slice of pizza – these are the moments and memories that matter the most to me. These are the experiences that remind me of what’s genuinely important. Especially, when anxiety and self doubt attempt to take over.

As we said goodbye, I cherished every moment I had with Angie that evening. It’s lovely when a place like Bodega Wine Bar stays consistently good, even years later.

I’ll raise a glass to that.

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