Moscow Mules

I love glassware, so a drink that literally specifies a copper mug is right up my alley. The only decision to make is whether to go classic or a bit more modern. . .

Which would you prefer for your Moscow Mule?

Cocktail Kingdom v. Crate & Barrel

Happy Friday!

It's been a long week, but it's finally Friday. I can't wait for a relaxing weekend making waffles with my new Belgium waffle maker and working on my latest knitting project.
Here are a few links from the week:

A playlist for your weekend

Fluffy Vegan Coconut Oil Banana Muffins

8 Great Color Combinations via House Beautiful

From Walter White to Heisenberg in 30 clips | Breaking Bad starts Sunday!

This Blueberry Cucumber Gimlet looks simple and refreshing for summer

36 Hours in Lecce, Italy via The New York Times


(Come Sail Away)

How to Build Your Bar

Building your bar is definitely an investment, it's good to start small and see what you favor in your cocktails. It's also important for the budget to keep a perspective and not buy everything that catches your eye.

I started with my favorite spirit, Maker's Mark bourbon. Building up the bar with vodka, rum, and tequila. Then adding the more expensive Hendrick's gin and a unique Kraken spiced rum. After preparing for Wimbledon and browsing Pinterest boards I picked up Pimm's No. 1 and Aperol, both great for fun, refreshing drinks.

Next, it's nice to round out the bar with bitters, the most common being Angostura bitters. This addition will allow you to create more complex flavor profiles.

Last, you will need to stock your bar with mixers: tonic, club soda, ginger ale, ginger beer, and some citrus for fresh juice. Ingredients essential for quick two to three ingredient drinks like gin & tonics, whiskey gingers, lemon drops, or whiskey sours.

Do you have any suggestions for building your bar? Some people are even starting to add liquors to their wedding and housewarming registries! Because your bar is so specifically geared to your tastes and aesthetics, it can be really fun to create your own unique collection.

Punches Make a Comeback

You may have heard of Boozeday Tuesday by now and I thought it might be fun to showcase a few tidbits about the imbibements of which some of us indulge.

According to the Los Angeles Times, punch is making a comeback with it's communal atmosphere and potent combinations. Perfect for parties, punch is a low-maintenance entertaining drink. It is thought that the original punch, imbibed by British sailors in India contained five ingredients (one weak theory of the etymology of punch, is that it derives from panch, or "five" in Hindustani). The five key elements still include citrus, sugar, spirits, water, and spice. However, anything served in a punch bowl is considered punch, so the non-alcoholic variety need not be offended.

One punch gaining popularity is Pisco Punch. Pisco is a Peruvian brandy that traditionally pairs well with the sweetness of pineapple and of course the sourness of citrus. Are you ready to break out the punch bowl?

Peruvian Pisco Punch
via The Kitchen
Serves 10 to 12

1 bottle of Peruvian Pisco, 750 ml
1/2 small pineapple, peeled, cored and chopped into bite size pieces (about 2- 3 cups)
10 ounces (about 1 1/4 cup) simple syrup
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, strained
1 small lime sliced into wheels, for garnish
1/2 lemon sliced into wheels, for garnish
Ice

In a punch bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Stir to combine, add a large chunk of ice, and serve.


(Image of Stawberry Pisco Punch via Honestly Yum)

Happy Friday!

I have a serious case of wanderlust and would love to be strolling along the streets of Paris, but it's only 6 weeks until my trip to NYC and the US Open.  I can't wait. . .

Here are a few links from the week:

A playlist for your weekend

Jelena Ristic, Djokovic's girlfriend, in Oscar de la Renta, love

I could go for a Summer Breeze or a Cucumber Gimlet this weekend

Finally got to watch HBO's McEnroe/Borg: Fire & Ice, it was perfection!

I'm a huge list person. Have you tried a 1-3-5 To-Do List?

The Le Sirenuse hotel in Positano, Italy looks divine

Some lovely summer drink and summer salad ideas

(via Branco Prata)

Have a Great Weekend!

It's another heat wave and I'm still on the fence about this summer heat, it beats the snow, but can't mellow temperatures last a little longer. . .  Do you have any plans for the last weekend of June?
Here are a few links from the week:

A playlist for your weekend

Made it to the She & Him concert on last Tuesday, loved the encore 'Sunday Girl'

Bought a bottle of Kraken dark spiced rum, it's just begging to be mixed with ginger beer

Still reeling from Federer's loss, Black Wednesday indeed

Interesting comparison of Farrow & Ball paint colors to the Benjamin Moore colors

DOMA's demise was just a matter of time, it just needed to get on the docket

In definite need of a bar cart, a tray just isn't cutting it. . .


(Matchbook Magazine)

Happy Weekend!

I'm headed to the farmer's market tomorrow morning (finally, I keep sleeping in. . .) and then it's off to Riverton for a fun day with my sister to celebrate her birthday last week.  We're planning to see Now You See Me and try some donuts at Beyond Glazed.  Have a great weekend!
Here are a few links from the week:

A playlist for your weekend

This Le Corbusier exhibit at the MoMA looks intriguing

Tom + Lorenzo's Mad Men posts have been spot on, the finale is Sunday, eeps

It's ESPN's first year as the exclusive U.S. television rights holder for Wimbledon 

Ethan Hawke's AMA on Reddit was quite insightful, loved this quote

Bummed that Season 1 of VICE is over, I definitely got sucked into the sensationalism

A Dark and Stormy is perfect for summer: dark rum, ginger beer, and a lime -- simple


Donut cake via A Cup of Jo

June Resolutions

June is almost half-way over, this year is just flying by. While I miss the good old days of getting a summer break from school, I'm still trying to make the most of this summer while working 9 to 5.

Summer reading (a Christmas gift from my lovely sister), drinking Pimm's while watching Wimbledon, and brainstorming endless ideas. . . Here's to June!

Do you do anything special to kick off the summer season?

It's the Weekend!

After a few stressful days of trial preparation it will be nice to have a little holiday weekend.  I'm headed home to visit with family and maybe a trip to Ulta.  I hope you have a lovely Easter weekend.

Here are a few links from the week:

A playlist for your weekend

Tommy Haas captivates tennis world with Sony Open run

Quick guide to refinishing flea market finds

Loving this white blazer and this baseball jacket for spring

Good tips on how to enjoy traveling alone

I ordered a Zoku Duo Quick Pop Maker; can't wait to try this, this, and this


(Cucumber, Apple, Mint & Lime Pop with Pimms via The Design Files)

Spoon Fork Bacon

Need some inspiration?  Spoon Fork Bacon offers interesting recipes combined with beautiful photography and design.  Lovely indeed.

1, 2, 3, 4

Coffee Connoisseur

Do you have a favorite way to prepare your coffee?  In my house we have a basic drip coffee maker, French press, Japanese drip pot, and a stove-top espresso.  I know, we just keep finding new ways to make coffee.  My favorite is the Japanese drip pot which gives the cleanest profile and the smoothest coffee, but I usually use my French press because it's less hassle.

Do you have a favorite method?

(1) Bodum Chambord French Press

(2) Chemex Cofee Maker

(3) Bodum Stove Top Espresso Maker

Gift Guide: Under $50

Gifts that are a bit of a splurge.  I tried to find a nice mix of luxury and practicality.

Row 1:

Terrain Candy Cane Pitcher, $38

Zara Basic Handbag, $35.90

Fresh Soy Face Cleanser, $38

Row 2:

Gorjana Tear Cluster Necklace, $50

Midori Brass Pen, $31.24

Bodum Bistro Juicer, $32.41

Row 3:

Vivo Square Bento Box, $36

Madewell Suede Skinny Belt, $39.50

Row 4:

CLEAN Eau de Parfum Spray, $38

CB2 Linus Throw, $49.95

Williams-Sonoma Cocktail Shaker, $32

Interior Inspiration: Bar Carts

Bar carts add such sophistication to a space.  I love the glamour of a well-stocked bar or maybe I watched too much tv from the 60's...  Bewitched, anyone?

1, 2, 3, 4

Sources for bar carts: 1stdibs, Society Social, Williams-Sonoma

Bubbled Beverage Dispenser

Ah, summer: iced tea, lemonade, iced coffee and sangria...  What else could I ask for?
Here is a lovely jar for serving a crowd:

P.S. I really want to try Pioneer Woman's Perfect Iced Coffee recipe this summer.

Cocktails!

Here are a few easy citrus drinks that I plan to whip up this summer...

The Salty Dog

4 oz. freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
2 oz. Hendrick’s gin
1/4 teaspoon salt mixed with 1/8 tsp sugar, for rimming

Pour all ingredients over ice cubes in a highball glass rimmed with salt/sugar mixture. Stir well & serve. Serves 1.

The Lemon Drop

2 cups frozen vodka
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1 lemon, thinly sliced
Ice

Combine the vodka, lemon juice, and sugar and pour into a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour into martini glasses and garnish with lemon slices.  Serves 6.

Craftsman Bar

I love the idea of a slightly unconventional bar.  This Craftsman Tray Service Cart is so sleek and classic, perfect for a fun bar.

Just stock it with all the essential tools, barware, and spirits and it's time for a cocktail party!

 (1) Cocktail Shaker  (2) Dylan Glasses  (3) Muddler

(4) Clasic Margarita Glasses  (5) Bar Tool Set  (6) Viv Martini Glasses

for Pomegranate Mojitos...

(7) Bacardi White Rum  (8) Limes and Mint  (9) POM Pomegranate Juice

Cocktails!

Over the break I experimented with making some cocktails with my mom.  We made cosmopolitans, frozen margaritas, daiquiris, and gimlets.  While making these drinks we thought of how handy some of these tools would have been.  It's definitely a science and an art to make a good drink, but I'll keep trying.

Essential Dale DeGroff book

Boston Shaker

Barwear Set w/ strainer and jigger

Lime Juicer