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4 Women, 3 Hot Days, and a Mini-Bar in the Trunk
We've escaped.
We've left the men and children behind for our first winter escape to a desert hot springs spa together.
Just the four of us.
That is, except for the wee one still in the oven.
But he didn't stop us from making Better Than Cosmos poolside. Our pregnant girlfriend just got hers specialized.
What's that you ask?
What happened next?
Last week, we had some very special guests staying with us: our just-turned-five nephew, Drew, and his family. Our patio was buzzing with Hoola Hoop rattle, sidewalk chalk scraping, some fancy dance-Karate moves, and a big question mark as to what to serve for Thursday Happy Hour.
Drew requested raspberries. Not being raspberry season, we did the next best thing: a bag of frozen organic berries from Trader's. They sweetly transformed into two kinds of drinks -- one for the grown-ups and one for the kids.
Celebrations and Libations
When you live in a place with six-month-long winters and 30-below temperatures, every beautiful summer day becomes a celebration.
This past weekend in Minnesota was no exception: With summer festivals at the park, fireworks on a calm clear night, and neighborhood pool parties, a Sunday evening barbecue on the deck with friends was the perfect end to the perfect weekend. The occasion called for a pitcher of something fruity and refreshing—my white wine sangria. (I like my sangria recipes citrusy and sweet, but with a little kick.)
Continue reading "White Wine Sangria & Honey Moon 2005 Viognier " »
In Search of Inspiration
Tonight, we're thinking of ways to enjoy a good happy hour on the beach. So we're at the beach. Thinking. And thinking hard. Because in San Diego, it's now against the law to drink alcohol on public beaches. No matter how civilized the drinker. We know. Lame.
So what do we end up doing? Oh, come on, guess. If you need extra clues, follow us on Twitter. Or check out our Facebook fan club. Here are some hints:
Backyard Pond Sample or Tasty New Cocktail?
G is dreaming of slicing down snowy slopes, and I'm already dreaming of barefoot time ... fresh-cut grass, warm rocks, trickling water fountains ... and my favorite sorbet, Cucumber Jalapeno. Instead of sorbet, we recreated it this Thursday as a cool green, velvety cocktail. We brought the mixture to our friends' new place (in a jelly jar, yes, and it did raise eyebrows) and asked them to help us name it. As we sipped in their dining room with the bamboo floors and eggplant walls, the name was a natural.
Happy Birthday, Diane!In honor of our very special friend's birthday today, we asked Rufus the Tabby Cat to give a toast. He paced as he rehearsed, tossing out words like "esteemed," "gorgeous," and "memories." Unfortunately, every time I turned on the camera to capture the moment, all he could do was complain to the bartender.
I think he kept rejecting his cocktails because he was a little confused. It's not Thursday, after all.
Oh, well. To Diane! Happy birthday, girlfriend! Salud! We made you a mixed tape for your birthday.
~Shelly and Gary
P. S. No alcohol was used in this filming, and the cat was not harmed. Just confused. Music in the video by Kevin MacLeod.
Copyright © 2008, Pybop, LLC (for thursdayhappyhour.com). All rights reserved.
Naughty or Nice?
We have a couple friends who get off work late on Thursday nights. Another couple likes to come over after the little one goes to sleep and the sitter is safely planted on the couch. In both cases, they have dinner beforehand, and often arrive at our place with a craving for a sweet.
We created this holiday cocktail just for them, for our after-dinner happy hours. Neither couple actually visited this Thursday, but we were thinking of them, so we shook up a batch till ice crystals formed on top. Before sipping the indulgent dessert drinks, we made a toast to our friends while holiday lounge re-mixes (and classics) spilled into the living room. "Wish you were here!"
This Thanksgiving Cook's Tradition
Cooking starts on Thanksgiving right after breakfast, with jazz on the stereo and a second cup of French roast nearby. By mid-day, the smell of sautéed onions and pumpkin pie gets our salivary glands running. We crack almonds and hazelnuts and mix a batch of Bloody Marys with celery stalk stir sticks to help curb appetites. Shelly’s a sport and sips her salty spicy drink without grimacing much, but I notice it doesn’t go anywhere. The veggie juice tides us over till our early turkey dinner with family. Here's my recipe:
Beverage Country
Fading vineyards, tart farm air, the rumble of trains, and warm coffee talk with family – that’s Lodi in November. Add an afternoon of jumping straight up to pluck ripe pecans from the trees and the precarious splatter of pomegranate seeds across the white kitchen tile and it’s downright nostalgic.
Seeded, squished, and sieved, two pomegranates make about eight ounces of juice. The color was absolutely iridescent, and Ol’ Dad quickly named the drink a Seedless Split. On the iPod: Henri Mancini. Definitely a new holiday tradition. Here's the recipe ...
