Obsessed with good design, style, color, fashion and living by the water, this is me dipping my toes into the big world o' blogging and looking at the amazing images, products, projects and ideas floating out there.
Who knew my kickball team was so trendy? We've been drinking picklebacks after our games for over a year now. Way to catch up, New York Times...
(And in case you don't know what a pickleback is, it's a shot of vodka, chased with a shot of pickle juice. The NYT article cites it as a shot of whiskey [Old Crow bourbon or Jameson, specifically] followed by the brine from a jar of spicy dill pickles, but I'd rather have vodka any day. Ouch.)
I know it sounds disgusting, but it's actually really good. Just as the bite of the alcohol (vodka, bourbon, whatever) hits your throat, you shoot the pickle juice, which has a salty/sweetness to it that totally vanquishes the burn of the liquor. Check out the full article here for a more eloquent and entertaining description, plus an interesting "history" of the drink. Maybe you'll try this green treat for St. Patty's Day?
It rained all day yesterday and it's still raining this morning. It seemed kind of dreamy and relaxing as we went to sleep with the soft sound of it last night but I doubt it will seem as sweet when I have to head out of the house this morning and into it. Wish I could stay in bed today. Ah well, I guess this rain is better than another monster snow storm, right?
I'm late in posting today. I have no excuses. All I can say is that I'm still recuperating from a busy, busy, super-fun weekend of birthday activities. From photo booths to free pretzels, mani-pedis to a ladies lunch, and an awesome surprise party, I had the best time celebrating with my favorite people.
I'll be back tomorrow with regular posting, but in the meantime, I'll leave you with these two shots from Saturday night:
How can a girl be anything but happy with amazing friends like this?: Thank you, Kim, Sara, Val (and Sarah, who sadly is not in this photo) for an awesome girls day surprise. That's me, grinning like a lunatic, second from the right.
And of course, the biggest thanks go to my lovely B for an amazing four-day celebration of me becoming old: I love you, babe.
Both photos taken by Eric Reinhardt, our photographer extraordinaire Saturday night.
Thanks to all of you for coming Saturday night!
Be back tomorrow, hopefully with a clean house, a refreshed liver and ready to roll with new posts for the week!
These photos are technically supposed to be showcasing the Valhalla Brooklyn handmade leather bags (which are gorgeous, by the way) shown on the model's arm. When I look at the photos, though, I can't help but think, "so that is what comfy casual is supposed to look like!" It's definitely much better than my normal schlumpy weekend get-up. I'm still nervous about rocking the whole leggings-as-pants look in public, but maybe pairing them with beautiful boots and a proper top would help. I'm also loving these tights below: ...but I don't think my sausage legs are ready just yet.
See that lady there? Languishing in black and white? Lounging idly? That's kind of how I feel right now. So ma dears, I need to take a little break from blogging this afternoon to get my arse up and moving. I'll be back tomorrow with some fresh stuff and hopefully out of this slump a bit. Promise I'll see you then? (All four of you?) Wish me luck, loves.
Oooh, I totally forgot to share this new drink I had last weekend. It's "Bubble" from Three Olives - it's a bubble-gum flavored vodka. Sounds weird, I know, but I had it on its own and it was totally yummy. It tasted exactly like Bubble Yum bubble gum! So, does it sound too weird for you or would you try it?
Being neither officially married (cough), nor having children or my own home just yet, I feel like I - and any others in this boat (including many of my friends) - am at a distinct disadvantage in the blogsphere. I see so many gorgeous blogs every day that are totally inspiring, but many of them are focused on children, homes or weddings, leaving us non-married renting types ogling from a distance.
So, for today only, I wanted to feature a fun post for all the single ladies out there (what's up, Beyonce!) - or for anyone really, except any of you moms-to-be (sorry moms!). With that being said, here's a recipe for one of my all-time favorite summer drinks, the mojito. Easy to make and delicious for outdoor barbecues or for just sipping next to the cold A/C, the mojito is definitely a winner for the summer. Here's how to make it:
Ingredients: 1 oz. fresh lime juice 2 tsp. plain sugar Crushed ice Fresh mint leaves (leaves from approx. 1 spring of mint) 2 oz. white rum Splash of club soda
How to prepare: -Start with a tall glass and add in freshly squeezed lime juice. -Add the sugar in with the lime juice and stir to dissolve the crystals. -Then add a small bit of crushed ice to give the drink some body. -Remove the mint leaves from the stem (keeping the leaves intact, as well as reserving some of the top leaves for a garnish). -Use a few leaves to rim the glass (to add flavor for if you sip, as well as aroma), then add all of the leaves into the drink. -Stir to release the flavor and aroma of the mint. -Pour in the rum. -Fill the glass with the remainder of the crushed ice. -Add a splash of club soda for effervescence and stir gently once more. -Garnish with the mint you set aside and enjoy.
And if you'd rather watch Eben do this before trying it on your own, here's a fun video from Epicurious (which has a great video podcast series with all kinds of delicious drinks as well as food recipes).
Besides Lemongrass being one of our favorite restaurants in Annapolis (serving delish Thai food in a cozy setting - we can't go there without devouring their crispy string beans appetizer), it turns out that lemongrass has alternate uses other than being a place to stuff our faces.
Now that summer has fully arrived, so too have the bugs. I know my legs are sporting a few bites from eating outside the past few days, so that means it's time to break out the bug repellents.
The ever-helpful boyfriend, B, was just telling me about how bad DEET is, so he suggested instead using lemongrass. Turns out you can plant it in your garden (ah, if only we had one), wear the oil on your skin (in a diluted form) or even burn lemongrass candles (they smell much better than citronella). The candle above is from a company called Hillhouse Naturals, and they sell two kinds of mosquito-repellent candles: eucalyptus, lemongrass & mint leaf or wild mint, juniper & tea tree. I like the simple, non-wasteful packaging and that the candles are made from all-natural soy wax. They're citronella and DEET free too and when the candle's burned down, you can reuse the concrete holder as a planter.
Also check out this link to a recent post from Danny Seo, environmental expert and "co-conspirator" of Method (a fab green product line), who recommends crumpling dried rosemary in old newspaper and throwing it on your charcoals next time you grill. The newspaper will help the charcoal ignite and the rosemary will emit essential oils that will not only flavor the food, but keep mosquitoes away too. Great tip for summertime grilling in a green way and keeping the bugs away.
All of these ideas sound much more appealing than sporting nasty red bumps all over or even reeking of DEET (marker high, anyone?).
Since we live in such a great city, we try to spend as much time outdoors as possible. Annapolis has a lot of great bars and restaurants with outdoor seating, which we love. However, being a bit of a wuss, I don't like getting chilly at night (nor am I a fan of schlepping around a hoodie, poncho or Snuggie). Yes, I do carry a cardi or light jacket with me most of the time, but I think these venues should help me out a bit. Enter these brilliant outdoor patio heaters from Kindle. Much cooler than the standard silver heater you've seen sold in hardware megastores, this stylish propane "glowing" number is awesome.
It may look a bit odd on its own, but check it out on this cool rooftop lounge:
Would be great for any bar or restaurant, or even for a tent wedding - or better yet in my own backyard.