We’re working with the technology available and we know there are a couple of sound blips but we think you’ll enjoy this episode anyway! If you’re cocktail is good enough - you won’t even notice! This week Gretchen starts us off with The Harlem Charade by Natasha Tarpley and is drinking a bourbon and ginger beer; Penny tells us about The Other Woman by Sandie Jones and is drinking a Horses Neck; and Michaela talks about The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna by Juliet Grames and is drinking a Mohr’s Brou pilsner.   Join us ..read more

This episode finds us in our own homes exploring the Zoom virtual option of recording. We talk about some of the comfort reads that are getting us through and the way we are utilizing our library options. We also using up the liquor we have on hand, even if it’s not our favorite. We’re feeling pretty virtuous about that! Rosamunde Pilcher, JR Ward, Kristen Ashley, Barbara Tuchman, Barbara O’Neal, Catherine Gaskin, and (of course) JK Rowling are some of the authors who we are turning to to offer us comfort. These are challenging times and, although we know we’ll get through it, we find comfort ..read more

This week finds us in the midst of a pandemic. We all washed our hands. We mixed our favorite drinks and we sat down to discuss what we're reading and drinking. Michaela starts us off with Queen of Sorcery - Book 2 of the Belgariad by David Eddings and is drinking a cocktail she develop called Don't Panic; it's Women's History Month and Gretchen talks about Fight of the century by Barbara Rosenstock and is drinking a ABBAC favorite, The Juice of a Few Flowers; Penny is reading Being Mortal by Atul Gawande and is drinking The Killer Cure. The books are fascinating and the cocktails delicious. J ..read more

Gretchen starts us off with the collective biography What She Ate: 6 remarkable women and the food that tells their stories by Robin Shapiro and is drinking the Gin and Sin; Penny tells us about the novel Beginners Guide to Freefall by Andy Abramowitz but she's really passionate about Manhattan's and relates the sad tale of the terrible, horrible, very bad, Manhattan that she recently had in a restaurant. She goes on to sharing the basics of making a Manhattan worth drinking; Michaela tells us about the Urban Fantasy novel Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison and, since she's also drinking a Man ..read more

Penny’s go-to, sleepless night, read is The Campion Series by Marjory Allingham. She loves them so much, she’ll read any of these mysteries, and there are 18 full length novels, and additional short stories! Like Campion, Penny mixes up a White Lady cocktail; Michaela’s go to middle of the night reads are the Lord Peter Wimsey novels by Dorothy L Sayer. Like the Campion series, the Wimsey novels feature an aristocratic detective and take place between the two World Wars; and when Gretchen can’t sleep she also turns to one of her favorite British authors, Rosamunde Pilcher, and discusses Pilche ..read more

We have some unique flavors with our spirits this week. Michaela is drinking an Opal Marttini with blood orange, gin and cointreau and is talking about Just Mercy: A story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson; Gretchen brings aromatics to her G&T (and a pretty pink color) and shares The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown; Penny is making it spicy with Queen Anne Turmeric and Ginger in ginger syrup with Russel’s Reserve Rye and thrills us with Harlon Coben’s Gone for Good. We all loved our books and enjoyed the hell out of cocktails. Join us ..read more

It’s 2020 and we start the year off with a bang. We talk about literal aliens, magic, science, heartbreak, and vampires. aka the whole damn spectrum! Gretchen starts us off with Strange Planet by Nathan W. Pyle and is drinking a Wild Blossom; Laura talks about Erin Morgenstern’s new book The Startless Sea and is drinking a dirty Martini; Penny gets nerdy reading the fascinating story of The Disappearing Spoon, described as “infectious tales of the periodic table” and is drinking a modified Toronto (she calls it The Montreal); and Michaela brings another installment of the Black Dagger Brotherh ..read more

Trigger warning: our discussion about an author may be disturbing to some listeners. We end 2019 with a little bit of everything. Penny starts us off by sharing the story of her yearly Christmas gifts of books, which included Katherine by Anya Season and is drinking the festive medieval concoction Wassail; Michaela discusses The Mists of Avalon, the Arthurian legend told from the eyes of the women behind the throne and is drinking Gypsy Cold Care tea (don't ask); and Gretchen tells us about the fabulous coming of age story Front Desk by Kelly Yang and is drinking a seasonal cranberry Negroni ..read more

It's the time of year when we're encouraged to slow down and take time to embrace gratitude. In this episode, we take that advice to heart and think about books that have influenced us, changed our lives, and that we are just glad exist!! Michaela is grateful for autobiographies. Particularly autobiographies that are written by someone we know and love as a public figure. She narrows it down to two books: Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle and Over the Top by Jonathan Van Ness and is drinking a coffee with Creme de Cacao. Gretchen is grateful for JK Rowling and the series that had a huge impact on ..read more

It's getting cold and darkness descends quickly. Cozy up with a warm blanket, a delicious cocktail (or beverage of your choice), and one of our delightful books! Just in time for the next season of The Crown, Gretchen starts us off with 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret by Craig Brown and is drinking a Cinnamon, maple, whiskey sour; Michaela brings us a book of comforting and thought provoking essays with This I Believe edited by Jay Allison and Dan Gediman and is drinking an October De-volution; and Penny takes us to Holland with The Miniaturist by Jesse Burton and is drinking a Dutch Martini ..read more