Anna Daily

Meet Anna! Anna is a managing partner at Rootstock & Vine here in Woodstock! Born and raised in Teeside, North of England, Anna moved to the states in 1995 to work as a nanny and experience American culture on a 1-year visa. It was then that Anna met Sean, and they have been married for 23 years. Anna and Sean have 3 children together aged 22, 19 and 16yrs, and have become a close-knit part of the Woodstock community. Anna has demonstrated remarkable support and encouragement for other local business owners and community-members and could not help but to show her passion for personal growth and relationships. Anna is gentle in demeanor, kind, and funny, and all of this made for a peaceful, refreshing conversation together!

Rootstock & Vine by One Love Photography

Thank you so much, Anna, for sitting down with me to share your thoughts and your love of people, good food, and community involvement! It was such a pleasure to talk with you, and I look forward to trying your wine recommendations soon!

 

Question: What inspired you or led you to your current career?
Answer: My husband, the instigator of ideas, said “Woodstock needs a wine bar” and I gullibly answered, “Yes it does!” because we love wine and it’s what brings us and our friends together. So, what he really meant was “We’re gonna open a wine bar” and he made it happen! He went through so many obstacles, and it’s by the grace of God that it opened because we didn’t have funds, we didn’t have the know-how; it was unbelievable! All we had was this drive of yes we love wine, yes we love people, yes we love community-building. So, we’ve been opened 2 years now this month! It is not even like a career for me, it is just so fun! I walk into this place that Sean and I have created together, and I see our team making magic, bringing our dreams to life- they are just so incredible!

Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Woodstock, and what do you love there?
A: It’s so simple, but one of my favorite places to go is Zoës Kitchen for casual dining. As far as restaurants in downtown, we often go to Vingenzo’s. His pasta is the best, and he hand makes everything. His food is genuine Italian.

Q: How long have you lived or worked in Woodstock?
A: We have been in Woodstock since 1998.

Rootstock & Vine by One Love Photography

Q: Who would you like to see nominated as a Face of Woodstock?
A: One of the most inspirational people in my life is my taekwondo instructor. Her name is Lili Bowen. She’s a natural leader and the most beautiful human being. She’s inspirational and always 100% positive- in the 10 years I have known her, I’ve never heard her say anything negative about anybody.

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be? And why?
A: So many on the list! Sean and I both want to go to Iceland to see the northern lights, to Greece because Sean is really into history and I’m really fascinated by architecture, to Australia and New Zealand…. We want to do so much!

Q: What is your favorite movie OR what is the first movie you remember seeing in a theatre?
A: If I had to choose, I would say either ‘Dirty Dancing’ or ‘Pretty Woman’.

Rootstock & Vine by One Love Photography

Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?
A: I would talk about how it’s never too late to become who you want to be. There’s an Ernest Hemingway quote, “True nobility is being superior to your former self”- I would love to talk with people about how their past choices don’t define who they are, and they can be whoever they want to be if they choose to! Never be unsatisfied with who you are- but constantly seek growth!

Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A: I’m currently a 4th-degree black belt in taekwondo and I do have goals to continue training. It will take me another 10 years of training, but I’d love to reach a 6th-degree black belt, which is considered a master.

Q: What is your favorite music/3 bands you would like to see (dead or alive)?
A: I grew up with my mom playing Motown, so I always go back to that- I love Gladys Knight and Diana Ross.

Q: What current/former local business makes you the most nostalgic about Woodstock?
A: I was remembering how back in ’98 when we first moved to Woodstock, the downtown area had the caboose and the building next to it was a train depot and museum. My oldest son loved to watch the little model trains there.

Q: Choosing anyone alive and a non-relative: with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? Where would you have lunch?
A: I would want to have lunch with my best friend because we definitely don’t get together enough. Spending time with a best friend can be the greatest form of therapy! We’d probably fly over to England and have tea and cakes.

Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about Woodstock?
A: Definitely the sense of community. It’s something that I’m now “in” and owning a business here has helped me see it everywhere. There are so many pieces of our community that help one another grow or help when they’re in need.

Rootstock & Vine by One Love Photography

Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?
A: I would like to be relaxing on a beach somewhere in 10 years. I think the hustle of the business will have calmed down and I will try to use that energy to balance that relaxing time while still trying to give back and invest in the community. But honestly, I’ll just follow my heart and see where it takes me.

Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
A: I’m incredibly sensitive and an empath by nature. People may think of me as tough, confident and aggressive, it sometimes stops me in my tracks when I’m referred to in that light. Maybe most people don’t know that I’m tender-hearted and feel emotion very deeply!

Q: What 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
A: Pride, love, and joy

Q: If you were cast into a major motion picture and had your choice of anyone to be your co-star, who would you choose?
A: Let’s go with Richard Gere, who was really quite the thing back in the day!

Q: If you had a full-time staff member that was fully paid for, who would you choose?
Chef, Housekeeper, Driver, Coach, Physical Fitness Trainer, or Nanny?
A: Give me a housekeeper because I am crazy about cleanliness and tidiness.

Photos in this article are from the beautiful Rootstock & Vine! Visit them at 8558 Main Street!

 

Jennifer Seliski, Phox Realty Group, LLCwould love your Faces nominations.

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