happy hour: champagne cider cocktail

in honor of october (i honestly can't believe tomorrow is october, by the way), i've crafted an autumnal cocktail that captures one of my favorite flavors/ingredients of the season.  apples.

growing up, my sister and i loved sparkling cider.  not only was it delicious, but we felt oh-so-grown-up sipping our fizzy cider out of elegant champagne flutes.  with that memory in mind, i thought a champagne & cider cocktail would be a lovely, celebratory drink this time of year.  bonus, this drink is super simple to make and guests will adore it!

credit {here}

champagne cider cocktail

1 part apple cider
3 parts champagne
garnish options: cranberries, cinnamon stick or an orange wedge

in a champagne flute add in cider, then top with champagne and your garnish of choice.  if you want to make it super festive you could rim the glass with sugar in the raw.

sugar rim: run an orange slice around the lip of the glass to coat it, invert the glass into a shallow dish of sugar in the raw to coat it.  now craft your fall cocktail.

credit {here}

hope you enjoy the first weekend of october!  i know craig and i will - our wedding shower is tomorrow!!!

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happy hour: three's a crowd?

i have been all about multi-grape wines lately.  though i love my go-to sauvignon blanc, i'm totally digging the supple, hearty reds and surprising whites that emerge when winemakers mix & mash different varietals.

drink me.

my favorite combo-wine maker is ménage à trois.  i know, i know, good name, right?  they have red, white and rosé 3-grape wines, and they are all good.  all their wines are a mixture of (you guessed it) three different grapes and consequently all have a uniquely pleasing quality that delights many different palates.  and at approximately $10/bottle, you really can't go wrong...

also, these mixtures are a great place to start if you're unsure of a certain type of grape.  look for a combo wine that includes that varietal and ease your way in.

sooo goood.

so, in my humble opinion, three is definitely not a crowd.  three is just getting the party started ; )

so, mavens, drink any good wines lately?  cheers!

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happy hour: college party-ing

this weekend craig, my sis and i are visiting our alma mater (yes, we all went to the same college) for alumni/homecoming weekend.  heading back to school feels like going home - it's a place of so many wonderful memories and happy times.  and where i met craig, my soon-to-be husband : )

it's always eye-opening to see how much has changed on campus between our visits, and how much i feel like i belong, while recognizing that i really don't fit at all anymore.  the students always get younger and younger (haha) and familiar places are no longer really mine.

well, now that i have bummed you all out, i'm going to end on a fun, college-y note.  as i've mentioned before, i'm not much of a beer drinker.  for obvious reasons, this trait did not serve me well during college...

the only beer drink i've ever liked.  the pink bulldog from blockheads in nyc.

anyway, i'm always on the hunt for beer-like beverages that please my palate.  so, i thought i'd share my discoveries in honor of the college weekend that awaits me.

lindeman's framboise lambic

i have fallen in love with this beer.  (though, i guess you can barely call it a beer...)  it's delicious, not-too-sweet and has lovely raspberry overtones.  bonus: it comes in an extra large bottle : )

woodchuck hard cider

with a variety of awesome flavors from granny smith to pear to caramelly dark & dry, this bev is sure to have a flavor to delight any preference.

magner's irish cider

our friends introduced us to this one, so i can't take the credit.  this cider is even drier/less sweet than woodchuck, which i appreciate.  an awesome option for any non-beer drinker.  and (bonus), the bottle isn't cutesy - it looks totally legit!

the above options all offer the crisp, refreshing qualities of beer without any of the "hoppiness", which is what i tend to dislike.

so, mavens, enlighten me...do you have any other not-too-girly beer-type beverages i should try?

happy weekend!

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happy hour: best looking drinks

happy friday!  today, i thought we'd have some cocktail fun and enjoy these gorgeous drinks.  i firmly believe that the prettier the drink is, the better it tastes...

 

1 blue margarita / 2 pink lemonade / 3 passion fruit mojito / 4 raspberry beer cocktail / 5 kiwi colada / 6 blackberry julep recipes {here}

so, mavens, which drink gets your vote?

and, just because it's friday...here are a few more drinks for you : )

cool poster, right?!  credit {here}

enjoy your weekend!  and, wish me luck, i start yogadharma teacher training tonight!

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