Cocktail Wednesday - Guam Honey - Guoney??

It's almost time for another Cocktail Wednesday (it is Wednesday after all), but I thought I would get this posted before tonight.  Last week, while we were waiting for our carpet to be installed, we had Cocktail Wednesday at my YD and SIL's new apartment.

The cocktail was one that my SIL had tasted in Guam on his most recent trip there (for work) and wanted to try at home.  Recipe from here and renamed by us to be Guam Honey .. a little weird otherwise.

Ingredients:

• Vodka (2 oz)
• Amaretto (1 oz)
• Honey (watered down) (0.5 oz)
• Star Anise (1)
• pepper (dash or two)
• pineapple juice (2 oz)

We mixed the vodka, amaretto, honey, juice, and pepper in a shaker with ice and then poured into the glasses, put the star anise on top - put some fire to the star to cook it a little (?) - and added a dash of pepper.

It was really good.  I will definitely have this one again.  (even if the star anise does look a little like a bug in my drink).  The more you cooked the star, the better the drink tasted.

Some more pictures ...

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??