fizzy drinks

I'll have a glass of sparkling water, please.
Since graduating from college I have cut back on drinking way, way, way much; to the extent where having a drink is a very rare occasion for me. There were a number of reasons that prompted me to cut back/eliminate drinking - no longer was I in a super social atmosphere, most of my weekend days and mornings were busy with work at the boutique, yoga, running groups and mass, and after awhile, when your tolerance goes way low, you just don't like it that much anymore (at least in my case).
If truth be told, indulging in cookies & cream ice cream is more up my alley than a glass of wine...but to each their own. 
One of my struggles (that I am still working on) with this 'no drinking,' is feeling a little lame when I go out for dinner or drinks because I just have a glass of water. I haven't had soda in years and am not a coffee nor tea drinker since caffeine makes me wired and tea is even worse than coffee in staining your teeth. While I was fine with drinking my H20, I wondered if it was just a tad boring.
This spring, my Grandpa cut back on drinking alcohol and has substituted with tonic water & lime or San Pellegrino. I have started doing the same -most of the times bars don't even charge you, especially when tonic or soda water on tap is all that's available in the sparkling beverage department. I have been ordering sparkling water with a citrus wedge -usually orange - and squeeze and stir in my fizzy drink and it's been divine! I am still figuring out the beverage thing, but for now my little sparking cocktail has been just grand.
While my Italian fizzy water combo is a good go-to for now, I think I'll always be okay with an excuse to click champagne glasses and sip the bubbly :)

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cocktail hour

The Seven Classic Cocktails Every Sophisticated Woman Should Know

The spring always puts me in a better mood and makes me think of sundresses and early evening cocktails on the patio. Everyone seems lighter, happier and more energized. Social engagements tend to be loads of fun with sunset cocktails continuing long after the moon rises, with twinkling lights and fire flies adding sparkle to the balmy air. While I can hardly tolerate the summer heat, I love those summer nights.

I don't drink even a fraction as much as I did in college - definitely a good thing in many regards - but I find, as such, that my cocktail list is far from sophisticated. My cocktails of choice include - and are limited to - white wine or a classic beer. When selecting wine, I often choose chardonnay (thanks to this wine personality quiz) and when I have a beer, I either choose Fat Tire or just a Bud Light. Fat Tire is my go-to when I am around craft brew drinkers.

When I saw this cocktail list on Veranda, it was just the perfect drink-spiration and I wanted to share with all of you. Maybe this will help you jazz up your summer cocktail order, whether or not you clink glasses weekly or just on those special nights out on the town!

Enjoy your weekend, toodles!

MOSCOW MULE

For those who always order: vodka sodas

What it's made with: vodka, ginger beer, lime juice

These drinks are what put vodka on the map here in the United States. Their bright taste - and the fact they're easy to drink - make the favorite for many, especially when they're served in their (correct) copper cup.

GIMLET

For those who always order: gin & tonics

What it's made with: gin, lime juice

Actually created for sailors as a way to prevent scurvy, the drink was later seen as an old person's cocktail - until its revitalization right about now. The drink is one part sweetened lime juice to four parts gin, so it's sweet but packs a punch. And if you're asking for limes in your G&T, consider this your new go-to. 

DAIQUIRI

For those who always order: rum & cokes

What it's made with: rum, simple syrup, lime juice

Contrary to popular belief, a true daiquiri isn't anything that comes out of a frozen slushy machine. A shaken cocktail made with rum, lime juice and simple syrup, the drink was often served in a frosted glass or over crushed ice. The more modern take is to serve it straight up in a cocktail glass. 

FRENCH 75

For those who always order: champagne

What it's made with: gin, sparkling wine/champagne, sugar/simple sugar, lemon (or other citrus)

This drink was made in 1915 in New York (happy 100th birthday!) and we really don't know what to say, other than look at the ingredients. Gin and champagne?! Be still our hearts. 

THE PALOMA

For those who always order: margaritas

What it's made with: tequila, grapefruit, club soda

Refreshing, tequila-based, and easy to make - this is the best alternative to ordering a margarita. Just don't ask if it comes in frozen. 

TOM COLLINS

For those who always order: gin and sodas

What it's made with: gin, lemon juice, sugar, soda

A Tom Collins is a reminiscent of spiking lemonade with gin - not that that is a bad thing. It's honestly the easiest way to add some interest to your gin & soda order...and all bartenders should learn how to make them; otherwise run far, far away. 

SIDECAR

For those who always order: whiskey gingers

What it's made with: cognac, orange liqueur (triple sec), lemon juice

The sidecar came to prominence in the 1950s, and while whiskeys and cognacs are completely different spirits, they both fermet in a barrel and both tend to be a bit smoky in flavor. That, mixed with the sweetness of the triple sec and lemon, makes for a good strong drink. 

(via Veranda Magazine)

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How to drink champagne like an expert

Tuesday toast!!

Here's how to drink your bubbly...dancing on tables is optional :)

(via)

From the editors of Town & Country Magazine, Winemaker and Champagne expert Elise Losfelt of Moët & Chandon shares 10 tips to drinking champagne like a bubbly enthusiast. 

1. The glass - The best way to enjoy champagne is in a white wine glass. A white wine glass's larger bowl enables the wine to open up in the glass, allowing you to better enjoy all the aromas and to savor the complexity of the champagne. Traditional champagne flutes are perfect for showcasing champagne's stream of bubbles, but their narrow share limits the drinker's experience of aromas and flavors. Coupe glasses, on the other hand, create the opposite experience; the glass's extra-wide mouth amply exposes the champagne in the air allowing the bubbles and aromas to escape quickly.

2. Best way to open - When opening your bottle, make sure you keep the cage on. The cage helps you control the cork so it doesn't fly out when it pops, and also gives you leverage to help separate the cork from the bottle. When removing the cork, hold the top of the cage with your thumb to keep the cork in place and untwist the wire six times. Then, hold the cage and cork together in one hand while using the other to twist the bottle's base in a circular direction away from the cork to slowly work out the cork out. Twisting the bottle instead of the cork allows you to more gently remove the cork and have more control.

3. Where to store - A common misconception when storing champagne is to leave it in the fridge. If you're planning to enjoy your bottle of champagne immediately (within three or four days after buying it) storing it in the refrigerator is fine. But if it sits there for a week or more the cork can dry out, as there is no humidity in refrigerators. As corks dry out, the seal between the bottle and the cork loosen up and the champagne will oxidize faster, changing its aromas. Instead, keep it in a cool place in your home, away from any light, and where the temperature is consistent.

4. The ideal temperature - Once you're ready to enjoy your champagne, the best way to chill your bottle is to fill an ice bucket with ice and one-third water and allow your bottle to cook from around 15-20 minutes.

5. Pouring - When pouring champagne, only fill your glass about one-third of the way full. If you over-pour, it will warm up too quickly.

6. Hold the stem - Remember to hold your glass by the stem and not by the bowl because your hands will warm the champagne up too quickly. And, holding the glass by the stem will make you look more sophisticated!

7. The stopper - In between pours, don't forget to use a good champagne stopper to preserve all the delicious bubbles! A stopper will keep your open bottle fresh for about one day - in case you don't finish in one sitting :)

8. Drink champagne with your dinner - Many people think they should only use champagne as an aperitif, but that is not the only way to drink it. Champagne pairs beautifully with foods like fish, meat, grilled vegetables, and risotto, and can bring out new flavors you've never tasted in these foods.

9. Best foods to pair with bubbly - Also, don't be afraid to experiment with food pairings. Oysters and caviar are fantastic with champagne, and more casual foods like truffle fries, fried chicken, and cheese are equally as delicious with champagne. Champagne loves oily, salty, and fatty foods, as they bring out the wine's frutiness and freshness, so foods like burgers, tacos, BBQ sauce, and lobster (who would have thought?!) are exciting new pairings to try that champagne connoisseurs have been enjoying for years.

10. Celebrate every day - If you have a bottle of champagne in your refrigerator, don't wait for a special occasion to enjoy it. You will see that by opening the bottle, the special occasion will come to you. Celebrate life everyday!

Write-up via Harper's Bazaar.

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lamp shades

Occasions by kate spade:

The hands on the clock are hitting Hour #6 at a cocktail party, the tarts have long since disappeared, and the candles are just stubs. Out of the corner of your eye, you realize that a lampshade has just become someone's party hat. Does this mean the party's over?

Sometimes even the plainest "cues" don't work on those guests who have crossed the line from partygoers to party stayers. If people are still enjoying themselves, then do your tired best to keep smiling. But once the décor becomes someone else's wardrobe, by all means call it quits.

Such a notorious sign of boisterous and boozy party guests, I think there is still a playful and whimsical element to lampshade décor. I have never twirled around in a lampshade...I think with my lack-of-balance, ensuring I can at least have open eyes is probably quite crucial.

Despite the negative connotation, I think these pictures depict a festive and fun atmosphere.

In fact, I think it's like the party King and Queen's crown.

If your goofy accessory is well-received...lamp shade hair might be a new thing.  

Happy weekend, toodles!

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