My San Francisco State University Story

Image via Grace Gatto Photography

I graduated from San Francisco State University in 2008. It’s unbelievable to look back in time and reflect over the past eleven years! I’m proud to share my SF State story selected by the SF State Magazine editor. Here's to inspiring + empowering the next generation of students. Go Gators!

Read my SF State Story. I hope you enjoy!

Join Ceja Vineyards at these Upcoming Bay Area Wine Events

Join Napa Valley's Premier Wine Familes

Come spend Sunday, September 22nd, with Dalia Ceja and NG: Next Generation in Wine! This event showcases Napa Valley’s most renowned multi-generational family owned wineries in one immersive day. The lineup will include a walk-around wine tasting and seasonal cuisine from the Club Lounge of the Presidio Golf Course in San Francisco. Find a wine you love and take a bottle home with you that day! The following wineries will be in attendance and will have wines available for purchase on site:

BALDACCI FAMILY VINEYARDS + BARLOW VINEYARDS + CEJA VINEYARDS + KENEFICK RANCH WINERY + MONTICELLO VINEYARDS + ROBERT BIALE VINEYARDS + S.R. TONELLA CELLARS + SCIANDRI FAMILY VINEYARDS + YATES FAMILY VINEYARD

Date: Sunday, September 22, 2019
Time: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Price: $55.00 - $75.00
Ceja Vineyards Fan (Promo Code - THANKYOU): $55.00
Early Bird (purchased before September 1, 2019): $65.00
General Admission: $75.00
 
Location: Presidio Golf Course in San Francisco
300 Finley Road, San Francisco, CA 94129

Purchase Tickets

---

Inviting All Foodies From The Bay Area And Beyond

Join Ceja Vineyards at Corks, Forks, Rhythm & Brews at Alameda Point’s City Hall West Parade Lawn in Alameda on Saturday, October 5th. This is an epicurean event and outdoor regional festival showcasing the finest in food and drink culture throughout Northern California in its benefit for the Alameda Boys & Girls Club. We are excited to be a part of the event as an exhibitor and we hope you will join us there. 

Corks, Forks, Rhythm & Brews will offer attendees the chance to sample the cuisines and products from some of the state’s most distinguished epicurean influencers, while enjoying the sights and sounds of the local entertainment industry. Held in the heart of the Bay Area on the island city of Alameda, Corks, Forks, Rhythm & Brews is set to be one of the most exciting luxury events of the year.

Tickets for Corks, Forks, Rhythm & Brews are priced at $100 for General Admission, $200 for VIP and $75 for Designated Driver. The VIP experience includes an extra hour at the event, expedited entry, a private lounge area and music performance as well as access to elevated food and beverage purveyors.

For the general public, tickets will be 15% of until September 1, 2019. But, as a loyal Ceja fans, if you use the discount code CEJAVINE20, you can get 20% off General Admission or VIP online ticket sales.

Date: Saturday, October 5, 2019
Time: 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM​
Price: $80.00 - $200.00
General Admission: $100.00
VIP: $200.00
Ceja Vineyards Fan (Promo Code - CEJAVINE20): Get 20% off General Admission or VIP online ticket sales
 
Location: City Hall West Parade Lawn | Alameda Point
950 W Mall Square Alameda, CA 94501

Purchase Tickets

Colors of Provence Wine River Cruise

From romantic cities to foodie havens and artistic epicenters, this itinerary hosted by Amelia Ceja will enliven all your senses. Embark in Lyon, France’s culinary capital, and enjoy an evening illumination cruise. Savor the beauty of legendary vineyards and imbibe in local vintages like Beaujolais and Côtes du Rhône. You can even become an expert in all things culinary: go in search of the highly prized “Black Diamond” truffles; learn how to pair chocolate with wine; and discover how olives turn into the Mediterranean’s nectar, olive oil. Trace the steps of famous artists in Arles and Carriéres de Lumiéres before your return flight home.

7- night cruise | October 29 - November 5, 2020 | aboard AmaCello

Extra included features only on wine cruises

• Special tours and tastings at local wineries and private cellars
• Learn about winemaking in renowned vineyards
• Onboard wine pairings with award-winning cuisine
• Amelia Ceja will lead tastings and discussions

Included with your fare

• 7 nights deluxe accommodation in river view stateroom
• Unlimited wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner onboard
• Fine dining at The Chef's Table and Main Restaurant
• Sip & Sail Cocktail Hour
• Captain's Gala Dinner and Cocktail Reception
• Exclusive Wine Cruise features including tastings, tours and discussions
• Complimentary Wi-Fi access on board
• A variety of guided shore excursions in every port
• Complimentary bicycles and helmets

Cities & Sights
Lyon → Vienne →Tournon → Avignon → Grignan → Arles → Les Baux

To book this exclusive wine cruise, or for more information contact:

Patty Hoey at AAA Travel

707-252-5619 • patty.hoey@norcal.aaa.com

View Full Itinerary

7-Night Italy, France, Monaco & Spain Ceja Wine Cruise

Join your host Amelia Ceja for an unforgettable wine cruise experience on the extraordinary Celebrity Edge. Step aboard the stunning Celebrity Edge for a 7-night journey from Rome, Italy to Barcelona, Spain.

June 15 - 22, 2019 | Aboard Celebrity Edge

Sailing From Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy

Enjoy these private Ceja Vineyards events with Amelia Ceja
- Welcome aboard wine reception
- Exclusive wine pairing luncheon with Amelia Ceja
- Behind-the-scenes tour of Celebrity’s culinary operations
- 1 hour cooking demonstration paired with Ceja Vineyards wines
- 1 hour wine tasting featuring Ceja Vineyards wines
- 1 hour farewell Salsa Dance Party

Exclusive to the Celebrity Edge
- The Magic Carpet – Movable cantilevered platform
- Infinite Verandas – Transformed staterooms
- King sized beds with Cashmere Bedding Collection
- Eden – Three stories of windows in a garden oasis
- Rooftop garden – a living urban playscape
- Martini-shaped hot tubs
- Outward facing pool deck
- Solarium – Adults-only sanctuary
- 18 unique restaurants

Celebrity Edge
Luxurious, High Tech Staterooms – Designed with all the right tasteful details. Retreat to your private haven that offers Cashmere Bedding Collection, embroidered robes, lemongrass scented bath products, flat screen smart TVs and state-of-the-art design and technology. 

Extraordinary Service – That is smartly attentive not tediously formal, A staff person for nearly every two guests ensures you can fully escape your everyday. Sommeliers providing insights on new emerging wines. And rooms that are attended to twice a day so that even the smallest details are covered.

Exceptional Dining – Favorites and soon to be favorites served in 18 distinctive restaurants. Enjoy menus crafted by a James Beard-nominated chef that change each evening in one of a kind dining rooms.

Ports Include: Naples, Italy | Monte Carlo, Monaco | Cannes, France | Palma De Mallorca, Spain | Barcelona, Spain

To book this exclusive wine cruise, or for more information contact:

Patty Hoey at AAA Travel

707-252-5619 • patty.hoey@norcal.aaa.com

View Full Itinerary

Salsa Con Vino (Vol. 3): July 21st, 2018

Dance Papi and the Napa Valley Opera House present “Salsa Con Vino (Vol. 3),” a lively celebration of dance, music and wine on Saturday, July 21st. This community dance event includes live salsa and timba music by Rumbaché, salsa lessons by Nick and Serena and DJ Walt Digz to keep things hot on the dance floor.

7:30 pm | Doors Open
8:00 pm - 8:45 pm | Salsa Lesson by Nick & Serena
8:45 pm - 10:45 pm | Live Salsa & Timba Music by Rumbaché
11:00 pm - 12:30 am | DJ Walt Digz

Tickets:
$20 in advance online
$25 at the door

Purchase Tickets!

Napa Valley Opera House
1030 Main St
Napa, CA 94559

21+ with ID

Wine, Beer & Cocktails Available for Purchase

Dress: Casual & Mature
No Baseball Hats or Sports Jerseys

Live Salsa & Timba Music by Rumbaché:
Rumbaché has established themselves as one of the hottest Bay Area Salsa Bands! Fusing salsa, timba, bomba, funk and whatever else they can find to spice up the mood, they provide a hard hitting style of playing. And while you can hear them interpreting the classic and contemporary Cuban and Salsa repertoire, they are not shy with their own expression, as evidenced by their hit debut CD “Llego La Fiesta”, released in April of 2011. Rumbaché is the voice of youth for San Francisco's Salsa & Timba scene, and ignites enthusiasm in dancers and musical connoisseurs alike.

Salsa Lessons by Nick & Serena:
Nicholas Van Eyck and Serena Wong are the founders and directors of Salsa Vale Todo: the premier Bay Area Cuban salsa dance group. Dancing professionally since 2000, this dynamic duo have taught and performed at salsa congresses, festivals and cruises throughout the US and internationally. Nick and Serena are also the organizers of the famed San Francisco Salsa Rueda Festival that takes place every February and the historic Hotel Whitcomb. 

DJ Walt Digz:
For over a decade DJ Walt Digz has been one of the most requested salsa, timba and reggaeton DJs in Northern California. Walt Digz’s great song selections, mixing skills and ability to elevate the mood of any dance venue keeps him in heavy rotation at numerous Bay Area clubs and dance festivals.

About the Winery Partners:
- Ceja Vineyards is an ultra-premium Latino family owned winery founded by Amelia, Pedro, Armando and Martha Ceja – first generation Mexican-American winegrowers in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys.

- Campesino Cellars produces Rhone style wines from select single vineyards in California. Their wines are not only a reflection of those who tend the vineyards, but they also express the qualities inherited from their site specific locations.

- Mi Sueño, which translates to "my dream," is a micro-production winery that produces high-end wines from both the Napa and Sonoma valleys. Founded in 1997 by Mexican immigrant Rolando Herrera, it has grown from 200 cases of Chardonnay annually to its current production of approximately 8,000 cases.

- Robledo Family Winery produces a diversified portfolio of ultra-premium wines from Sonoma, Napa and Lake Counties. A member of the Robledo family is on hand to greet you as you enter their tasting room and will proudly share their family's’ journey to achieving the “True American Dream”.

- Maldonado Family Vineyards is a small-production winery located in Calistoga, a beautifully quaint town in the Napa Valley. In 1961 Lupe Maldonado moved to California from the small farming community of Atacheo, Michoacan, Mexico. In 1998, Lupe bought and developed a 10-acre vineyard in Napa. His son Hugo, a graduate in Viticulture and Enology from the UC Davis, now oversees the making of their limited production wines. 

About the Promoter:
Dance Papi is the best place on the web to learn salsa and hand percussion online for free. Like Dance Papi's facebook page for updates on future events: facebook.com/dancepapi

Join Dalia Ceja and NG: The Next Generation in Wine for a Tasting Event in San Francisco!

Celebrate the fall season and join Dalia Ceja and NG: Next Generation in Wine for a Sunday funday wine tasting event in San Francisco!

Sunday, Nov. 12th, 2017
Presidio Golf Course at the Club Lounge
300 Finley Rd, San Francisco, CA 94129
2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. 

Meet and greet eleven next generation Napa Valley wineries and enjoy 33 wines while sampling tantalizing bites from the Club Lounge. What's more, you will have the opportunity to purchase the wines onsite -- perfect for stocking your cellars or for holiday gifts.

-$50 for WC members & Fans | Promo Code: CEJAWC
-$55 regular pre-sale until October 27th
-$65 at the door

Purchase Tickets

Gather your friends and family for this fabulous event. We can't wait to see you all there!

Learn more about NG: Next Generation in Wine

Melodies of the Danube Ceja Wine Cruise

Join Ceja Vineyards and travel on the melodious Danube through four European countries experiencing some of the region’s most celebrated wines and sights in Europe’s heartland. Savor the flavors of the Wachau Valley with delightfully nuanced Rieslings and Grüner Veltliners. Enliven your palatte with apricots and sweets in Dürnstein, goulash in Budapest, Bratwurst in Regensburg and pretzels in Bavaria. And all along the way, be tempted by the sights and sounds which have inspired musicians, poets and artists throughout the centuries. Begin your cruise in Budapest, continuing on to Vienna. Visit the spectacular Benedictine Abbey in Melk and explore charming medieval towns.

NOVEMBER 4 - 11, 2018 | ABOARD THE AMALEA

COUNTRIES: AUSTRIA, GERMANY, HUNGARY
RIVERS: DANUBE

To book this exclusive wine cruise, or for more information contact:

Patty Hoey at AAA Travel

707-252-5619 • patty.hoey@norcal.aaa.com

View Full Itinerary

Ceja Vineyards is Heading to Alaska

Ceja Vineyards is Heading to Alaska

7-Night Inside Passage Cruise to Alaska Aboard Celebrity Solstice

Sailing from Seattle, Washington on June 16, 2017

Ports include: Ketchikan, Tracy Arm Fjord, Juneau, Skagway, Victoria, British Columbia

Veranda cabins from: $1,994*

Price Includes complimentary Classic Beverage Package, including wine by the glass, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages valued at $454 per person.

Enjoy these private Ceja Vineyards events with Amelia Ceja:

• Welcome aboard wine reception

• Exclusive wine pairing luncheon with Amelia Ceja in Tuscan Grille

• Private Sommelier tour of the two-story glass wine tower

• Behind-the-scenes tour of Celebrity’s culinary operations

• 1 hour wine tasting featuring wines from Ceja Vineyards

• 1 hour cooking demonstration paired with Ceja wine

• Farewell cocktail and Salsa Fiesta with DJ

To book this exclusive wine cruise, or for more information contact:

Patty Hoey at AAA Travel

707-252-5619 • Patty.Hoey@goAAA.com

DREAMLAND Premiere

Experience the true California lifestyle!

Two weeks ago my mom and I attended the “Dreamland” movie screening in Sacramento {we attended the world premiere in London last November}. The film features essential elements of California’s lifestyle – cuisine, wine, music, entertainment and film. I’m particularly excited to share this post because my family and I had the unique opportunity to be selected as part of the cast and to represent a wine focused family living in the Napa Valley!

The plot - “DREAMLAND” tells the story of one day in California. Filmed simultaneously from dawn until dusk on November 19, 2010, it follows a remarkable ensemble of Californians who are pushing the bounds of the possible. On this one-day event, a dozen documentary film crews scattered across the Golden State – all working together to tell the story of one day in time by individually capturing unique stories of people and places.

The cast includes entrepreneurs, daredevils, entertainers, scientists, politicians, chefs and technologists who are all in California for the same reason: to make their dreams a reality. Each embodies an adventurous and innovative spirit that symbolizes California.

The film provides detailed snapshots of what makes California so desirable to travelers from around the world – I feel so lucky that I can call this place my home! The film was sponsored by Visit California and will air on PBS this fall and will also be shown on international T.V. channels. Stay tuned for more info! Ole!

Ceja in Yosemite!

A few weeks ago my mom and I took a quick trip to Yosemite for the Ahwahnee Vintners’ Holiday Tasting. It was quite an honor to be invited back considering that most of these legendary vintners have been coming for the past 20 years {can you blame them?!}. This place is a nature junkie’s heaven, with its vast array of hiking, waterfalls, biking, lakes, wildlife, breathtaking views and insanely gorgeous scenery.

The wine sessions took up the majority of our time {no complaint here!} but we did have a chance to escape into the forest and explore the park by foot. Despite the freezing chilly weather, it was instantly therapeautic, breathing in the clean and pure smells of pine and fresh rain. We were even lucky enough to see a bear in the middle of our trail, but in the midst of yanking out my camera my mom fled the scene in a yelling panic attack, poor thing {insert laughing here}. Love you mom!

P.s. I could go on for hours about this place but I will leave it up to you to see the beauty of Yosemite… Ole!