Frankly, I am not much of a gin drinker but I am enthralled with the gin & tonic. Maybe because it looks so crisp and refreshing in all its simplicity. Or maybe because a g&t is an icon…
Ingredients
2 oz gin
5 oz tonic water
1 lime wedge
Directions
Fill a highball glass a little over halfway full with ice.
Pour the gin and tonic.
Stir well.
Garnish with lime wedge.
Cheers!
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I’m taking my blog on the road (air?) this weekend as I fly home to New York for my high school reunion. I honestly cannot believe it’s been five years, I am so excited to see everyone! Side note: my senior superlative was “Most Likely To Be the Next Martha Stewart.” And I went to an all girls’ school. So there’s that.
The irony is not lost on me that I have been observing (read: whining) about the less-than-springlike weather in DC. The moment I am gone for the weekend? Temperatures in the 80s. Of course. Wednesday was beautiful and got me excited for summer as I booked it to catch my train to the airport. Excited for sleeveless dresses, summer vegetables, grilling and naturally, cocktails.
Watermelon is my favorite summer snack and I could probably entire an entire watermelon in one sitting with no shame. Obviously, a watermelon cocktail from my girl Martha is too good to possibly pass up!
Ingredients
5 cups, seedless watermelon cubes
1 large cucumber, peeled and cut into chunks
1/4 cup, fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons, honey
2/3 cup, vodka
ice
cucumber slices, for garnish
Directions
Set a large fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl or pitcher.
In a food processor or blender, puree watermelon.
Pour watermelon puree through sieve, pressing on solids with a rubber spatula.
Puree English cucumber and pour through sieve into watermelon juice.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together lime juice and honey.
Add to watermelon and cucumber juices, along with vodka.
Fill four glasses with ice and top each with cocktail.
Garnish with cucumber slices.
Accessorize cocktail with this {dress from Southern Frock}:
The Carolina Seersucker is my clothing crush of the moment, what’s not to love about it? I could not find a better dress for a summer weekend happy hour! You will look cool as a cucumber in this ensemble : )
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This weekend is the Kentucky Derby and Cinco de Mayo…it’ll be a jam packed weekend filled with pastels, big hats, tacos and cocktails! I recently posted {Thirsty Thursday: Mint Julep} in anticipation of the derby but this week I decided to pay homage to the other celebration this weekend…
I enjoy a good mojito, particularly at {Southern Hospitality in AdMo} so here’s how to make one at home! Create a taco bar, invite friends over and you have a Cinco de Mayo fiesta all set.
Ingredients
8 mint leaves
4 tbs fresh lime juice
4 tbs sugar
6 ounces clear rum
club soda
ice cubes
Directions
Place mint leaves and sugar in a cocktail shaker.
Muddle the mixture with a wooden spoon.
Add lime juice, rum and ice.
Shake vigorously.
Pour into glasses and add a splash of club soda.
Cheers!
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Aside from the news and a few sitcoms, I don’t really watch TV. In fact, I get about 6 channels and that’s it. You might gasp in horror but it honestly doesn’t faze me. However, I will say that I do miss Food Network. In particular, I miss Barefoot Contessa. And Diners, Drive Ins and Dives.
Did you know Ina started out working in the White House in energy policy? I like to think of her as a fellow “DC girl!”
My aunt, uncle & cousins gave me Foolproof by Ina for my birthday and I love it. I read it cover to cover so get ready for more posts on Ina’s recipe like {Israeli Couscous & Tuna Salad}!
Ingredients
4 ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 ounces Cointreau liqueur
7 ounces cranberry juice cocktail
7 ounces vodka
ice
Directions
In a pitcher, stir the lemon juice, Cointreau, cranberry juice and vodka.
Fill a cocktail shaker half full with ice and fill the shaker with the mixture to almost full.
Shake the cocktail for 30 seconds.
Strain into martini glasses.
Cheers!
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You all know how much I love a good brunch. Remember my {Easter brunch} that feels like such a long time ago but was really just the other week? I served a French Toast bar, hash browns (my favorite) and bacon. But what is brunch without a good mimosa?
I’ll be honest, when I go out for brunch, I am much more apt to reach for a Bellini or a Bloody than a mimosa. I feel like either there is way more OJ than there should be, not enough champagne or it’s so sickly sweet than after 2, I contemplate calling my dentist. However, mimosas are expected so I bought the champagne and the orange juice.
And then I decided to upgrade it.
I tossed Italian Blood Orange Soda into the mix! Inspired, no?
Actually, it was an easy decision because I thought the sharp and sweet (but not too sweet) taste of the soda would be a nice complement to the traditional mimosa. The blood orange soda on its own is delightful and as the DC heat wave starts up, expect to see this ingredient making a frequent appearance in several frosty beverages…
P.S. Do you like my chocolate Scotty Dog?? I have had one in my Easter basket every year since I was a little girl!
How do you make your mimosa? Or are you Team Bloody, Team Bellini?
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Last weekend was certainly a busy one! Between Carolina Cup and Easter Sunday, two favorites were in ample supply: mint juleps and seersucker. I can’t be the only one who thinks {Seersucker Thursday} needs to be brought back, right? Doing my part with this post : )
I am planning on going to {Gold Cup in Virginia} in a month and now I am toying with the idea of visiting a friend for Foxfield at the end of April. To derby or not to derby? That is the question.
Either way, a mint julep is always in order!
Ingredients
6 sprigs fresh mint
1 tablespoon simple syrup
crushed ice
1 tablespoon bourbon
Directions
In a tall glass, combine the mint and simply syrup.
Using the handle of a spoon, crush the mint leaves.
Fill with ice and pour in bourbon.
Gently stir and chill.
Strain into a julep cup (if you have one handy).
Cheers!
You all know I love a good bargain but my favorite steal to this day is a pair of new with tags J.Crew seersucker pants for five dollars. Yup, I could not make this up if I wanted to! I was on cloud nine all day about it.
My favorite piece of seersucker in my wardrobe is my strapless Lilly sundress a.k.a. the reason I’m doing pilates again:
How do you style seersucker?
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Phew, this week has been jam packed with fun events: gabbing over wings, pedicures and my first visit back to my alma mater to speak on a panel! Running from place to place, I rely heavily on my Lilly planner. Everything goes into the planner in order of events (of course) to keep me on track. I’m a visual learner and if I see it, I’m more likely to remember it.
That being said, I realized with all the hustle and bustle, I really need to take the time to stop and smell the roses.
What better way than with a martini in one hand and a clutch in the other?
{via}
Ingredients
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
3 1/2 cups vodka
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon rose water
ice cubes
Directions
In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar and bring to a boil.
Simmer over low heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
Let cool, then stir in the vodka, lemon juice and rose water.
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes.
Add one-fourth of the martini mixture and shake.
Strain into 2 martini glasses and serve.
Repeat to make the remaining martinis (makes 8 total).
You’ve got the cocktail, now the style
When Vineyard Vines released their Derby collection, I was immediately drawn to their {“Run for the Roses” clutch}:
I would pair this clutch with a {white eyelet summer shift} and {a pair of cork wedges} or {my trusty Jacks}.
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With everyone’s tweets about spring break and talk of vacations, I have a serious case of wanderlust. I just want to jet off to a tropical locale and lounge near a pool or on a beach, soaking up the sun and sipping fruity beverages. While I do not have any such tropical getaway planned a girl can dream, right?
I adore a good margarita and in DC, you cannot beat {El Centro} or {Lauriol Plaza} in my humble opinion. However, if you want to concoct a margarita at home, here is an easy recipe. Create the illusion of an island paradise wherever you are : )
Ingredients
1 1/2 oz tequila
1 oz blue curacao liqueur
1 oz lime juice
coarse salt
Directions
Rub rim of cocktail glass with lime juice.
Dip rim in the salt.
In a shaker, combine tequila, liqueur and lime juice.
Strain into the salt rimmed glass.
Cheers!
{via}
When I spied this blue beverage, perfect for the poolside, the word that instantly popped into my mind: baubles.
Call me a bad blogger but I never really got into the bib necklace trend. I think they are cute on others but on myself, I just don’t see it. I’ll stick with my pearl necklaces.
However, I do really like the {teal drop collar from Bauble Bar} and could possibly entertain the image of wearing it. I promised myself 2013 would be the year I would be braver and take more chances. Can I step out of my conservative comfort zone and take this bauble for a spin? Hmm, maybe after a margarita or two…
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Last Friday, I visited {Southern Hospitality} in Adams Morgan and after a tough choice from their numerous delicious cocktails, I chose the strawberry vodka mojito. And I fell in love. And {promptly spent the rest of the weekend} telling anyone who would listen to me to try this cocktail.
Usually, mojitos are served in a smaller glass but nope, not at SoHo. My cocktail arrived in a glass approximately twice the size of a mojito glass. In DC, this $9 cocktail was very much worth it. (For non-DC readers, $9 for a cocktail would be considered a bargain for a non-happy hour price!)
I love mojitos and could eat strawberries by the barrel, especially at their peak. Between the taste and the price, I cannot stop raving about this cocktail. But I need to stop raving before you cut me off.
Ingredients
2 large limes, quartered
1/2 bunch basil leaves
7 strawberries, quartered
1 cup white sugar
1 part clear rum
1 part strawberry vodka (recommend Stoli)
ice cubes
Directions
Squeeze all of the limes into a glass.
Toss the limes, basil leaves, strawberries and 1 cup of sugar into the glass.
Crush the fruits together with a muddler.
Stir in the rum and vodka until sugar is dissolved.
Pour into glass and top with ice.
Garnish with basil if desired.
Enjoy!!
The distinct pink hue of this cocktail immediately reminded me of {my very favorite button down}:
Overslept on a weekend? I toss this button down on with jeans, Minnie pants and (soon) chino shorts. Roll up the sleeves, throw on bangles and slip into ballet flats, Sperrys or sandals. You will look casually chic and not at all as if you fibbed when you said you were “on your way!” (read: still in bed).
P.S. This is a sneak peek for a future post, stay tuned : )
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I am so excited for St. Patrick’s Day! Although DC does not really celebrate DC on as big of a scale as I am used to, I still enjoy the holiday and you can rest assured I’ll be wearing green (outfit inspiration posts to come!).
Guinness will be the popular favorite on St. Patty’s Day but I’ll opt for another drink. Beer just does not taste good to me and stout is no exception. Bailey’s is a different story…
For those of you with a coffee fix, this is a perfect cocktail for you:
Ingredients
2 ounces Bailey’s Irish Cream
1/4 ounce vodka
1 shot, cold espresso
Directions
Combine ingredients in a shaker.
Shake and pour into a martini glass.
Garnish with a cherry if desired.
{via}
The rich, caramel color of this Bailey’s cocktail reminds me of my favorite spring outerwear…
My {trench coat is from Banana Republic} and I cannot say enough nice things about this coat. My trench is 2 years old and still going strong! It’s perfect for those April showers just around the corner : )
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