Spirits of the Season Mimosas, chocolates…some things are just better with a little pop of citrus. Whiskey is no different. And, what perfect time to make a lemony drink than when citrus is at its peak in the winter? Brown liquor is always welcome in our home. We’ve made several trips to Kentucky to taste the creations along the famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail. After trying Clyde May’s, which was sent to us by The Baddish Group to test, we’re adding Alabama to our list of stops to make next. If you’ll remember, we did a spiced and chilled apple cider spiked with Clyde May’s rye whiskey. It work ..read more

For a New Year’s Resolution-Friendly Happy Hour It was late November when I broke one of my dining rules. We were at one of our favorite places to visit sitting in the Lobby Bar for a little digestif before we all went to bed. Instead of ordering a port wine or something that’s a little less of a calorie bomb after a big dinner, I ordered a White Russian to close the evening. Now, I should say that, normally, if I’m doing cocktails, I try to order vodka on the rocks with sparkling water and loads of fresh-squeezed fruit (whether that’s pineapple juice or lemons). Or, I’ll just do a glass of w ..read more

Whitley Neill quince gin / Caspari monogrammed napkins and zebra napkins I love to kick off a gathering with something festive and bubbly. There’s just something about handing your guests a sparkling beverage right as they enter your home that sets a fun and lively tone to an evening – or brunch! Whether I’m crafting a signature cocktail or serving right out of the bottle, a welcome cocktail at our house almost always contains some kind of bubbles. After all, there’s a reason people “pop the bubbly” when they’re celebrating something special. So, why not bring a little sparkle to this classic ..read more

Thanks to Four Roses Bourbon and the Baddish Group for gifting us with these items (including one of our favorite bourbons) for this post! I’d always been more of a gin than a bourbon person, but that changed with our first trip on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. There’s something about sipping the best of the best with distillery workers and guides who have been around bourbon all their lives that really makes you appreciate it. On one of our first tours, a distillery worker told us the warming, spicy feeling at the back of your throat when you take your first sip of bourbon is called the “Kentu ..read more

What to Serve When the Weather Hasn’t Changed Yet We’ve been on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail a number of times at this point. Woodford’s Bellini is still one of the best recipes we gleaned from our last trip! A key thing I learned the first time we visited the Bluegrass State was the difference between bourbon, whiskey, and rye whiskey. Rye whiskey is more…well, it has a bit of a bite. That doesn’t mean you can’t drink it on its own. It’s delicious that way. My favorite way to serve it though is in something sweet – like an Old-Fashioned. It’s the perfect addition to that classic drink because ..read more

A Little Sweet and So Simple We served this punch at our Halloween party this year and it was a HUGE hit. It’s so simple and looks gorgeous, so I had to share it with you all. It’s perfect for upcoming Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving, and harvest entertaining. Here’s what you’ll need for the base: 12 oz cream soda (I used Jones soda) 1/2 gallon cold apple cider 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice Pinch of nutmeg 5 cinnamon sticks 5-6 apples for garnish Pulling it all together: Start by adding the cold apple cider to your punch bowl (I love the way this one looks). Next, add your cream soda, tilting it sligh ..read more

Tomorrow may mark the beginning of fall, but our weather up here has been anything but! It’s been so hot and humid that the only thing I want after work is something crisp and refreshing. You know that wonderful water in the lobby of resorts that’s full of cut fruit? That’s what I’ve been craving 24/7 in this heat, so I thought I’d share a simple recipe for a refreshing go-to of mine. I call it a “cucumber smash”, and I hope it will transport you to the most relaxing state of mind – and most tropical destination! It also makes a wonderful cocktail with vodka or gin added if you’re looking fo ..read more

(Wearing Vineyard Vines dress – similar here and here; St. Armands Ginger Jar Earrings) We’ve been talking about making our own bourbon-soaked cherries ever since our first trip to Kentucky (read up on our trip along the Bourbon Trail here). Woodford had the very best bourbon cherries and we thought, it can’t be that difficult, right? And, truthfully, it wasn’t bad at all. We worked off of this recipe and it was a breeze. We ended up with three jars of them and a little extra, so we decided to enjoy a handful of the leftovers now and set the three jars aside in our bar so that they can soak u ..read more

An Anti-inflammatory, Metabolism-boosting Tea Earlier this month, my friend Lindsay and I hosted a detox party with a few of our fellow Bible study girls. We all have pretty hectic schedules between work, relationships, and everything else we’re involved in. Spending a Saturday focusing on us, our goals, health, and wellness was a welcome break for us all. We kicked off our morning with this fabulous detoxifying lemon ginger turmeric tea from Tracy Hensel’s blog. Not only is this tea delicious, it’s packed with all the good stuff: vitamin C from lemon and cayenne, vitamins A/D/E from cayenne ..read more

The Perfect, Sugar-rimmed Pink Drink for the Globes, Valentine’s, and Beyond Let’s be honest. The best part about awards shows is the red carpet. I’m the worst when it comes to tuning into the actual show, but aren’t we all? I’m making an exception this year though as the Golden Globes celebrates its 75th anniversary. In celebration of 75 years, celebrities tonight are sipping on this year’s signature drink: the Moet 75. Pro tip: this sugar-rimmed pink drink also makes the perfect Valentine’s beverage, too. Here’s how to recreate it at home: What you’ll need: 3 oz Moet & Chandon Impe ..read more