Remembering

Coyote Hills Regional Park

So on Saturday, Nevada and I walked at a new place.  Coyoto Hills Regional Park.

It was a nice park and dog friendly.  The park is along the San Francisco Bay.  It was an easy walk -- could have been harder but we took the easiest path.  On the water-side of the walk it smelled pretty bad .. the other side no smell but no breeze. 

Things I learned in August ...

1. blending wine is fun .. but tastes better as you blend (not so much a month later)

2. it's harder to run outside than on the treadmill

3. you don't lose weight if you eat tons of fried foods

4. big dogs and little dogs don't always get along

5. it takes a long time to listen to a long book

6. you need to be careful when putting your bag up in the overhead bin on an airplane

I learned other things too ... but this is it for now.

Cocktail Wednesday - Cosmopolitan

So, this past week we had cosmopolitans.  Recipe from here.  This was one of the first cocktails I ever had and enjoyed (though when I was very young I had a rum and coke and slo gin fizz (the same day with disastrous results)).

Ingredients:

• Vodka (1.5 oz)
• Triple Sec (0.75 oz)
• Lime juice (0.75 oz)
• Cranberry juice (0.5 oz)
• Ice

 

To make the drink, put the vodka, triple sec, lime and cranberry juice in a cocktail shaker with ice.  Then pour into glass.

Nevada's mother joined us .. from Nevada ...

and this is ours ...

 

by the time I took pictures ...

 

Very yummy!

Corn Chowder - Soup #8

I'm finally getting back to finishing up some of my "goals" for this year.  I made my first soup of the year, corn chowder.  Recipe from here.  I had had it on vacation and thought it would be a good one to make.  It was.

 

and in the pot ...

 

It was easy to make, fairly quick, and very tasty.  Will definitely do again ..

Along with the soup, I had some sauvignon blanc .. very nice.

 

and I definitely got wibbly wobbly .. it's a timey wimey thing you know.  

so wibbly wobbly I got the type of wine wrong ... fixed now!

Favorite Things Friday - Saturday Edition

So my favorite this week is one I also called a favorite years ago .. it is the tree outside the Lake Breeze in Eagle Harbor Michigan.  (I should probably someday show pictures of the Lake Breeze so you can see just what a cool hotel it is.)

So, here are some pictures of the tree.

 There used to be two of these trees on the rocks .. here is what remains of the other one ...

Coctail Wednesday - Orangini

 This week's drink, the Orangini, was a repeat.  It's a cross between a bellini and a mimosa, sort of.

Ingredients:

• sparkling wine
• peach schnaps
• blood orange soda

You fill the glass with the sparking wine about 3/4, add a splash of schnaps and a splash of the soda.  (if you like it sweeter, add more schnaps).  That's it.

Beautiful

Yesterday, I went with Nevada to see Carole King's Beautiful.  I knew I would enjoy the music, but it was really good and we had a great time.

Afterwards, we went to a wine bar, the Press Club, and then a beer place. Jamber.  The beer place was more my style .. actually it's called a wine pub.

We had beer flights and some mac &  cheese.  It was fun.

oh, and we also got fried pickles which I didn't eat, but they looked really good.

Happy Birthday, Kelly!

Here's to you!

I remember the day you were born.  I spent the day with Grandma, shopping and doing normal things and all the while checking the clock to time what I thought were contractions (and they obviously were).  And that night as we were awaiting your arrival, we were watching the Olympics ... and then you arrived! You have grown into an amazing, beautiful woman.

 

 

I am so proud of you.  I love you.

Favorite Things Friday

My favorite this week is Snap Chat.  I love all the crazy selfies I can take. 

and the ones I receive...

What's not to love??

Cocktail Wednesday - Plum Vodka Tonic

This week we had Cocktail Wednesday at my OS's house.  Since we were at their house, I let them pick the drink.  They were wavering between the mint julep and the plum vodka tonic.  Since we had recently had the mint julep, I pushed them toward the plum drink.

Ingredients:

• One plum
• Lime juice - 1.5 oz
• Simple Syrup  - 1 oz
• Vodka - 2 oz
• Ice
• Tonic water

 (I need to get a bottle with a simple syrup label ....)

First, you muddle the plum in the cocktail shaker...

add the simple syrup, vodka, lime juice, ice and shake.

Then strain into a highball glass filled with ice ...

 

and top it off with tonic water.
 

We garnished with a plum slice, which I dropped into the drink and ate at the end.  it was yummy at that point.

I enjoyed the drink and would definitely have again. Though you couldn't really taste the plum (until I ate it from the bottom). I wonder if it would work with gin? We ran out of lime and made a few of the drinks with orange instead.  That worked too.  Overall, a good drink and a great night with my OS and his wife!

and here are the drinks with a lime wedge instead of the plum ...

From our fellow CWPs* in Missouri.

I haven't said this recently, but if you'd like to participate, either in person or from afar, let me know and I'll include you on the email which lets you know the drink of the week.

Cheers!!





*Cocktail Wednesday Participants.