Newman’s “aha” moment as far as food and
wine is concerned happened when she was 21.
“I was working in a wine bar. My mentor at
the time, took our team to DaMarco’s Italian
Cucina. I fell in love - it was pure magic and
the most amazing meal I had ever had. I
experienced my first food & winegasm. It was in
this moment the world made sense….the stars
aligned. My destiny was clear to me. And then
in my foodie haze, I stepped off the curb and
broke my foot…seriously, I spent the rest of the
evening in the hospital.”
Newman grew up in Houston, Texas and as she
puts it, “I am a Texas girl in my soul and now a
Floridian in my heart.” She lives near the Fort
Lauderdale headquarters of Anthony’s Coal
Fired Pizza. “I have been extraordinarily lucky
to make a living from doing something that I
love and am extremely passionate about. My
favorite part is always the creativity of crafting
an amazing cocktail or finding that perfect wine
selection for someone. This industry is exciting,
Photography by Chelsea Gould
Finding Light Photography
8
ever-changing and fast paced. And I love to
travel. It suits me perfectly. Always on the go!”
And it’s all pretty serendipitous. “I love to eat.
I love to cook. I love to drink. I was born for
this industry. I learned the hard way that I do
not fit into what most would consider a ‘normal’
9-5 job. In a previous job - I was promoted
from the Beverage department to Training
Operations and I was re-organized into the
HR department. I was so excited. I thought
I had finally ‘made’ it out of the industry. A
normal 9-5! It took less than a year for me to
realize that I did not belong in that world. It’s a
beverage life for me; this is my passion. The fast
paced life isn’t for everyone, but it’s something
that I love, it’s something that I thrive on. It
is in this organized (usually not-so organized)
chaos where I find my true inspiration.”
THE MARK WINE NEWS