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Category: Lush life

Pop! (Wednesday, 02 January 2008 11:08 PM ): Design Within Reach's Champagne Chair contest is back. The annual DWR Champagne Chair Contest™ is simple: Create an original miniature chair using only the foil, label, cage and cork from no more than two Champagne bottles. Chairs will be...

Innovations in cocktail consumption (Sunday, 09 December 2007 01:21 PM ): Hendriks and Cucumber Originally uploaded by Lizard Martini Researchers have developed a way to vacuum-infuse a Martini into a cucumber. And they've captured this technique on video. Even without having tried it, I'm pretty sure this is the ideal...

Repeal Day! I'll drink to that (Wednesday, 05 December 2007 09:13 AM ): Today is the 74th anniversary of the ratification of the Twenty-first Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which reversed the Eighteenth Amendment -- that is, today is the anniversary of the end of Prohibition. After thirteen years, Americans could once again...

Mixology Monday: Gin (Monday, 12 November 2007 11:05 PM ): It's Mixology Monday, hosted by the wise-beyond-his-years Jay Hepburn of Oh Gosh! Our topic this month is gin. A fantastic topic it is too. Too many people lack experience with gin, thinking it's good only for Martinis and G&Ts. It's...

Mixology Monday: Pairings -- Hot Toddy and Chewy Oatmeal Cookies (Monday, 15 October 2007 11:18 PM ): It's Mixology Monday, hosted by Natalie of The Liquid Muse. The theme this month is Pairings, meaning the pairing of cocktails with food. I find it easy to match foods with wine and with beer, but harder to do so...

Mixology Monday: Boilermaker (Monday, 17 September 2007 11:45 PM ): It's Mixology Monday, hosted by the intriguingly introverted Gabriel of Cocktail Nerd. The theme is Fizz, so I thought this would be a good time to try out a Sloe Gin Fizz. Or maybe a Tom Collins, a classic drink...

Are you drinking the correct cocktail for your element? (Thursday, 23 August 2007 03:32 PM ): The things one can learn on the Internet are amazing. For example, the delightful and charming Gwen of Intoxicated Zodiac provides a helpful list of cocktails matched to feng shui elements. Choose drinks suited to your element, and they will...

Mixology Monday: Orange (Monday, 13 August 2007 11:18 PM ): Recently I clued in to the fact that I'm not the only person on the web who writes about cocktails. There are many, many others with tons more experience, more recipes in their libraries and in their heads, and many...

The 'V' word (Sunday, 29 July 2007 06:20 PM ): For some time now, I've had the nagging feeling that I have made a mistake. Of course I make lots of mistakes, with both good and bad results -- hence the title of this blog -- but this particular mistake...

Spirited Cuisine: Creme de menthe (Thursday, 14 June 2007 12:15 AM ): Minty Fresh Originally uploaded by beatnikside This is the eighth installment in the Spirited Cuisine series from Sri Bala (Shaman) and me. Each round, I select a liquor or spirit, and Sri creates a dessert recipe incorporating it. Find...

Beer me ... just not so much (Wednesday, 06 June 2007 02:51 PM ): Pennsylvania inches its way out of the dark ages. Starting this fall, maybe, we might be allowed to buy fewer than 24 beers at a time at beer distributors: The state Senate's Law and Justice Committee approved a bill that...

Cheers to Mom (Friday, 11 May 2007 12:58 PM ): Seeds of Love Originally uploaded by m-p-g. In addition to being Mother's Day, Sunday is also World Cocktail Day. My mom has a passion for raspberries, so I'm planning to mix up a Chambord-based cocktail for her. A little...

Spirited Cuisine: Rum (Wednesday, 09 May 2007 06:26 PM ): This is the seventh installment in the Spirited Cuisine series from Sri Bala (Shaman) and me. Each round, I select a liquor or spirit, and Sri creates a dessert recipe incorporating it. Find Sri's posts at his blog and mine...

Off to the races (Friday, 04 May 2007 11:28 AM ): The Kentucky Derby is tomorrow, which means it's time to have a mint julep. I am shocked to discover I haven't posted a julep recipe before. I suppose I'm intimidated: It's a Southern drink and I've never had one made...

Spirited Cuisine: Scotch whisky (Friday, 27 April 2007 06:59 PM ): This is the sixth installment in the Spirited Cuisine series from Sri Bala (Shaman) and me. Each round, I select a liquor or spirit, and Sri creates a dessert recipe incorporating it. Find Sri's posts at his blog and mine...

Spirited Cuisine: Galliano (Sunday, 22 April 2007 03:07 PM ): This is the fifth installment in the Spirited Cuisine series from Sri Bala (Shaman) and me. Each round, I select a liquor or spirit, and Sri creates a dessert recipe incorporating it. Find Sri's posts at his blog and...

I resemble that remark (Thursday, 05 April 2007 09:28 AM ): Bill Toland has the enviable job of "spirits writer" for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and in today's column he takes a long look at my favorite underrated liqueur, Campari. I'm quoted in the article, being that I am a huge fan...

Guinness is good for me (Friday, 30 March 2007 09:48 AM ): You Are Guinness You know beer well, and you'll only drink the best beers in the world. Watered down beers disgust you, as do the people who drink them. When you drink, you tend to become a bit of...

Gin: the original flavored vodka (Wednesday, 21 February 2007 11:21 PM ): I'm not a big gin drinker, but I'm a fan of Bombay Sapphire. Yes, it's pricey, but it's also crisp and has pleasing herbal flavors. Ten botanicals, to be exact: almonds, lemon peel, liquorice, juniper, orris, angelica, coriander, cassia bark,...

Spirited Cuisine: Brandy (Tuesday, 06 February 2007 09:21 PM ): This is the fourth installment in the Spirited Cuisine series from Sri Bala (Shaman) and me. Each round, I select a liquor or spirit, and Sri creates a dessert recipe incorporating it. Find Sri's posts at his blog and mine...

Spirited Cuisine: Drambuie, "the drink that satisfies" (Friday, 26 January 2007 02:56 PM ): This is the third installment in the Spirited Cuisine series from Sri Bala (Shaman) and me. Each week or so I select a liquor or spirit, and Sri creates a dessert recipe incorporating it. Find Sri's posts at his blog...

Dessert in a glass (Thursday, 11 January 2007 09:52 PM ): This is the second installment in the Spirited Cuisine series from Sri Bala (Shaman) and me. Each week or so I select a liquor or spirit, and Sri creates a dessert recipe incorporating it. Find Sri's posts at his blog...

Spirited cuisine: Frangelico (Monday, 08 January 2007 01:22 AM ): Sri Bala has come up with a delightful adventure that combines cooking and drinking, photography and blogging. Each week, I'll suggest a liqueur or alcoholic beverage, and Sri will create a dish that uses it as an ingredient. He'll be...

Sazarac (Saturday, 18 November 2006 09:59 PM ): Saturday night in Boston, and I'm too tuckered to take advantage of it. Between late night discussions the last two nights and early morning start times each day (OK, 9am, but it felt early), I'm worn thin. So I've...

Tiny bubbles (Saturday, 04 November 2006 10:14 PM ): This is My Brilliant Mistakes post for NaDruWriNi. In direct violation of blog protocol, most recent updates are at the bottom -- because it's easier to read things top to bottom. But I'll summarize the most recent update here at...

NaSiUFToMuMo (Friday, 03 November 2006 09:38 AM ): It's the third day of NaNoWriMo: I wrote 1,037 words the first day (well under the 1,667 words/day target), and none yesterday. So that project is well behind. It's also the third day of DrawMo! I sketched a red onion...

The mixologist is in (Friday, 04 August 2006 07:34 PM ): Has this ever happened to you? You're out with friends, at a restaurant or a bar, or maybe a high-end party. The waiter or bartender asks what you'll have, and you discover you have no idea. You're tired of wine....

Drink of the Week: Stars and Stripes (Tuesday, 04 July 2006 03:49 PM ): Happy Independence Day! This Drink of the Week is an example of a pousse-cafe. The name is French for "coffee chaser" -- it's meant to be consumed after one's after-dinner coffee, presumably to counteract the effects of caffeine so one...

Drink of the Week: Pear and Cardamom Sidecar (Wednesday, 03 May 2006 12:36 PM ): Bottles of high-end liqueur often come with recipes, to encourage one to consume one's fancy booze quickly. Chambord, the rich and sweet raspberry cordial, is accompanied by a full-color, 64-page booklet of recipes for cocktails and food, including close-up sensuous...

Blast off! (Wednesday, 05 April 2006 10:24 AM ): I would like to live in The Encounter Restaurant and Bar at LAX. What an amazing restaurant and bar! It's like the Jetsons opened a lounge. In fact, apparently the Jetsons cartoon was influenced by the building's exterior. Ace Jackalope...

Drink of the Week: Chambord Truffle (Friday, 31 March 2006 08:25 PM ): Not to be confused with a Savoy Truffle.

Drink of the Week: Urban Bourbon (Friday, 17 February 2006 08:30 PM ): I've had a rough week, full of networking troubles and hardware failures. How would I like to spend Friday evening? Relaxing with a drink in the company of charming friends. How will I be spending the evening? Moving websites to...

Drink of the Day After the Super Bowl: The Eye-Opener (Sunday, 05 February 2006 09:58 AM ): Regardless of the outcome of tonight's game, it's likely that some of us will be running at less than top capacity tomorrow morning. We may spend the post-game time toasting with champagne or soothing our souls with bourbon straight, but...

Drink of the Super Bowl: No. 43 Trophy Cup (aka The Polamalu) (Friday, 03 February 2006 07:02 PM ): My official drink of Super Bowl XL.

Lush life in a few years (Thursday, 26 January 2006 12:42 AM ): Click the image for the strip. (Please visit Rhymes With Orange, every day.)...

Drink of the week: Cointreau-A-Go-Go (Sunday, 08 January 2006 10:11 PM ): One, two, cha-cha-cha!

Drink of the week: Champagne Celebration (Saturday, 31 December 2005 11:24 AM ): Champagne is lovely on its own, but sometimes you want a little something extra. This recipe ups the excitement. Peychaud bitters aren't the same as Angostura bitters (the kind you find at most bars outside Louisiana), and the unconventionality of...

L'absinthe, c'est la mort! (Monday, 12 December 2005 12:38 PM ): Vive l'Heure Verte!

Other Drink of the Week: Seattle Manhattan (Friday, 18 November 2005 08:49 PM ): After only a few sips I'm buzzing. Bzzz!

Drink of the Week: Black Magic (Friday, 18 November 2005 08:40 PM ): It would be ideal for a wizard cocktail to be purple. Or to have steam coming off it. Yet it's hard to imagine such a beverage would be yummy to drink.

NaDruWriNi #4: I am old. I am old. I shall wear my trousers rolled. (Sunday, 06 November 2005 12:53 AM ): OK, made myself food, switched to wine instead of whiskey, and still am feeling beaten beyond belief. Must go. Shall miss you all. But shall see you tomorrow, most likely. Please miss me in the meantime....

NaDruWriNi #3: You can't be leaving. It's still early. (Sunday, 06 November 2005 12:33 AM ): Good golly, am I so old? I am thinking of fixing a food-type comestible. (Also, I'm very proud of having gotten that last work right the first time.)...

NaDruWriNi #2: Yes, we're serious. We've begun taking quizzes. (Sunday, 06 November 2005 12:08 AM ): But after all, who doesn't think they'll be sucked dry one way or another? You will be sucked dry by a leech. I'd stay awayfrom swimming holes, and stick to good oldcement. Even if it does hurt like hell whenyour...

NaDruWriNi #1: Are we serious? (Saturday, 05 November 2005 11:47 PM ): Hello again! Oh dear, the party has started without me. This was to be expected, indeed I had anticipated it, and yet to find that the expected had in fact come to pass does soemwhat dampen the spirit. And yet,...

It's martini time (Saturday, 05 November 2005 04:05 PM ): I love a martini but two at the most. Three I'm under the table, four I'm under the host. --Dorothy Parker It's National Drunken Writing Night (NaDruWriNi), conveniently scheduled during NaNoWriMo. I have certain other plans for the early part...

An alcoholic is someone you don't like who drinks as much as you do. (Saturday, 29 October 2005 01:01 PM ): Whether you're participating in NaNoWriMo this year or not, please know that November 4, next Saturday, is NaDruWriNi, National Drunken Writing Night. In other words, it's your yearly chance to crack open your favorite beverage, type away madly and lushly,...

Not Quite the Drink of the Week: Copper Cocktail (Friday, 21 October 2005 05:45 PM ): This is a good time to point out that while there are no bad mistakes, there definitely are bad drinks.

Drink of the week: Negroni (Friday, 12 August 2005 04:26 PM ): In which I try to convince you to try bitter orange liquor. Honest, it's yummy!

Drink of the Week: My Brilliant Moscow Mule (Friday, 17 June 2005 07:51 PM ): I do love me some ginger beer, so when I discovered the Moscow Mule last year I thought I'd found my perfect summer drink. (Actually my perfect summer drink is anything with ice and alcohol, but perhaps there are many...

Cheers! (Saturday, 01 January 2005 12:12 PM ): Bunny Mcintosh must be studying my playbook. She distills the very best techniques for having a fabulous time into one convenient article, Sexoholism 101: Your Guide to Getting Action At An Athens New Year's Eve Dance Party After you've...

Drink of the day: Black Orchid (Monday, 27 December 2004 11:02 PM ): I have already had more than enough alcohol for 2004, but if you haven't you might consider this: Black Orchid 1.0 oz Vodka 1.0 oz Chambord splash cranberry juice Pour vodka and Chambord over ice. Splash cranberry juice over all....

Drink of the week: Caipiroska (Monday, 08 November 2004 11:03 PM ): Early this week, for no particular reason: Caipiroska Ingredients: 3.0 slices Lime 3.0 tsp Sugar 2.0 oz. Vodka Directions: Crush the slice of lime in a glass. Add sugar and Finlandia Vodka and fill the glass with crushed ice. (From...

Not-so-lost weekend (Saturday, 06 November 2004 11:12 PM ): Hang on a minute: It's National Drunken Writing Night (NaDruWriNi) tonight and no-one told me. Hrmph. I had planned to keep to an easy night tonight, due to having had one or perhaps three too many intemperance beverages last night....

Incredible (Saturday, 06 November 2004 10:44 PM ): The Incredibles has been in national release for two days now. Have you seen it yet? If not, why not? My Brilliant Mistakes recommends it highly. We'll be going again as soon as we can. You may join us if...

The wildest, most luxurious madness in the world (Friday, 05 November 2004 02:56 PM ): I think I shall have to plan a trip to visit my friends in Zurich next year. I would very much like to go shopping. In my living room, I have a print of the poster shown above. It's...

Skål (Thursday, 28 October 2004 11:19 AM ): Students: Do you believe in working hard but also playing hard? Norway is your kind of place. "One out of five students at the University of Oslo has developed health ailments related to their study conditions." Coincidentally, "[r]oughly half of...

Drinks of the week: Blue Denim and Dimond Fizz (Thursday, 21 October 2004 05:38 PM ): Tomorrow is Denim and Diamonds, a fund-raising event held yearly at the Butler Country Club. It features a big raffle, the prize for which is a Mercedes. My parents won one year and have come close to winning again since,...

Drink of the week: Vampire (Thursday, 14 October 2004 12:25 PM ): Tonight I'll attend the Butler Little Theatre's production of Dracula, and afterwards I'll bring friends back to my piano lounge for cocktails. I expect we'll need something strong (dare I say 'biting'?) to recover from the show. Here's what I'll...

And the horse you rode in on (Thursday, 23 September 2004 03:14 PM ): More legal fun, thanks to on-the-ball defense attorneys: Pa. drunk driving law doesn't apply to horsemen: Keith Travis, 41, of Grove City, and Richard Noel, 49, of Sandy Lake, were charged with drunken driving, along with a man driving a...

These boots are made for staggering (Tuesday, 21 September 2004 04:16 PM ): There's at least one lawyer in North Carolina who's thinking outside the box: Thomas contended it would be "fundamentally unfair" to use the results of field sobriety tests against one of his female clients because she was wearing stiletto heels...

Drink of the week: The Buck (Wednesday, 01 September 2004 11:11 AM ): From the Bombay Sapphire website, a refreshing long drink that I suggest as a novel alternative to the ubiquitous Mojito: The Buck 1 1/2 shots Bombay Sapphire gin 1 shot freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 shot green creme de menthe...

Time to bring back the two Martini lunch (Monday, 26 July 2004 11:28 AM ): I've never liked vermouth. When I ask for a Martini I always say, "Skip the vermouth." So actually I don't drink Martinis: I drink very cold gin or vodka, up, with a twist. Sometimes I even order just that: "I'd...

Drink of the week: Raspberry Spider (Friday, 02 July 2004 10:18 AM ): RASPBERRY SPIDER Ingredients: Rocks Amaretto Chambord Frangelico Coffee cream to fill Preparation: Put ice in a lowball glass. Pour all liquor or cordials, juice, mix over ice, directly into serving glass in the order as drink recipe lists. (Note that...

Drink of the week: Tachyon (Friday, 18 June 2004 04:22 PM ): I have recently discoverd the "In My Bar" feature of Webtender.com, which lists all the drinks one can make with the ingredients one has on hand.* This handy tool brings us this week's drink: Tachyon Ingredients: 1 oz Pernod 1...

Hello, I must be going (Thursday, 17 June 2004 11:04 PM ): I apologize for posting so little this week. Workload and other life demands have occupied me, and will continue to do so for a few days more. May I suggest a bit of diverting reading while I'm away? The winners...

Drink of the week: Magic Bus (Friday, 04 June 2004 01:47 PM ): In honor of the opening of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (and its vertigo-inducing bus ride scene>, we present this week's beverage: MAGIC BUS Creator: N/A Ingredients: 1 oz. Tequila Silver 1 oz. BOLS Triple Sec Curacao 1...

Turn of the screw(top) (Thursday, 20 May 2004 11:50 AM ): Sorry posting has been light this week. I'm trying to enjoy a long-needed vacation. It surprises me how much trouble I have relaxing, even in the most idyllic of settings. Fortunately, there's some wine on hand to help. On that...

Wasting away again (Wednesday, 05 May 2004 10:02 AM ): It's Cinco de Mayo, one of my preferred holidays because it can arrive on any day of the week, occasioning an unscheduled and festive social hour, and yet it's not as overblown as St. Patrick's Day. The holiday is barely...

Drink of the week: Dirty Shirley (Thursday, 29 April 2004 11:27 PM ): From the short story "Too Smart" by Emily Chenoweth, published in Tin House issue 19 ("Lies!"), Spring 2004: It is clear to me when I arrive at the hotel that I should have chosen something else to wear. That's because...

Special delivery (Thursday, 22 April 2004 05:43 PM ): This afternoon, UPS delivered a package to me. (Two posters from the Bonny Doon Vineyard, of wine labels designed by Ralph Steadman. Quite cool. The company also offers fun t-shirts and other goodies, and lots of wine that cannot be...

Creating my perfect beverage (Monday, 19 April 2004 02:25 PM ): Starbucks and Jim Beam Brands Co. are joining forces to take control of my liquor cabinet. Well, the article doesn't say exactly that, but it sure sounds like that's their plan: The two companies didn't disclose yesterday many other details...

Drink of the week: Death in the Afternoon (Thursday, 01 April 2004 07:01 PM ): Absinthe may become available again. But not for a while. In the meantime, we must console ourselves with Pernod. Here's a promising-sounding cocktail with a Hemingway theme: DEATH IN THE AFTERNOON Creator: N/A Ingredients: 1 Champagne 1.5 oz. Pernod Glassware:...

The soothing chirp of a room full of pagers (Wednesday, 31 March 2004 09:15 PM ): Tomorrow night will not be a good night to have a computer or network problem in the Pittsburgh area, as it's the first Thursday of an even-numbered month, which means it's Geek Night. The Church Brew Works will be overrun...

Drinks of the week: Gimlet and Algebra (Thursday, 25 March 2004 08:11 PM ): Two drinks for this week, one for each of my sisters.... For Laura, whose birthday is today, a classic drink to which she introduced me years ago in San Francisco. GIMLET 1 part Rose's lime juice 5 parts gin Fil...

In a New York state of mind (Wednesday, 24 March 2004 11:21 AM ): Tremble has been on a roll lately. Of course, last night he did a reading at the "Giant Tuesday Night of Amazing Inventions" so we shouldn't expect anything new today or perhaps tomorrow. But there's much to enjoy with the...

Drink of the week: Bourbon Sidecar (Wednesday, 10 March 2004 09:21 PM ): Today I found an interesting recipe in the Drink Recipes section of Happy Hours: BOURBON SIDECAR Creator: N/A Ingredients: 2 oz. Bourbon 1 oz. BOLS Triple Sec Curacao Glassware: Cocktail Glass Directions: Shake with cracked ice and serve in a...

Drink of the Week (Thursday, 04 March 2004 11:44 AM ): In honor of Girl Scout Cookie week: DIRTY GIRL SCOUT Creator: N/A Ingredients: 1 oz. Bailey's Irish Cream® 1 oz. Kahlua® 1 oz. Vodka 1 tsp. Creme de menthe (Green) Glassware: Highball Glass Directions: Pour all ingredients into shaker. Fill...

Ridiculous Drink of the Week: Surfer on Acid (Monday, 23 February 2004 02:49 PM ): From Happy Hours: Drink Recipes: SURFER ON ACID Creator: N/A Ingredients: 1 oz. Jägermeister® 1 oz. Malibu Coconut Rum 0.5 oz. Pineapple Juice Glassware: Shot Glass Directions: Shake with ice and strain into shot glass Ick. But in the interests...

The beverage with a thousand faces (Friday, 20 February 2004 11:07 AM ): The Toronto Star says we are living in the Age of Vodka: "The entrenchment of vodka comes down to one part alcohol and one part advertising. The drink itself is not a complex spirit. To make it, you simply need...

A quivering of mint over the cask-wood wine-depth of brandy (Thursday, 12 February 2004 12:11 PM ): "I'm certain that most of you have never even heard of the stinger, and you should not feel ashamed. An obscure after-dinner drink, eighty years past the prime of its popularity, it is enjoyed now, when enjoyed at all, not...

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