Showing posts with label Drinks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Drinks. Show all posts

3.14.2013

A Place for Everything

003

Over the weekend, Brad got into a cleaning/organization frenzy and he created this little drink station.
It’s so cute, and it has so much more potential. Lou was talking about getting hooks for the back part of the shelving, so that they can hang a few mugs. There are so many mugs in the house (we have a bit of an obsession, and I don’t plan on stopping it anytime soon), most of them worthy of display. The collection of K-Cups, beans, grounds, and teabags also continues to grow.

I can’t wait to have something like this in my own little space. Until then, I’ll enjoy this.

I edited this photo using Afterlight (which is the new name for Afterglow) and Overgram, which is a fun app that helps you add words to your photos!

10.15.2012

A Simple Weekend

After all the craziness of last weekend, it was nice to have a quiet weekend in. I stayed in sweats/pajamas about 75% of the time, watched (and cried the whole time) Never Let Me Go, and I got nice and crafty! It was fun to sit down with a couple of Gin and Tonics (my simple and tasty favorite drink of the moment), some music, and work with my hands. I started off with some simple t-shirt scarves (I used this video as my guide, but kept mine very simple to start. I want to try and make more and incorporate different materials into it.
And of course, this is just the beginning of my crafty nature. I bought a bunch of things at Michaels’ and I’m so excited to get deep.

gnt2equipmentfinished

Here are a couple of Instagram photos to show the final products.

011021

Fun fun! Can’t wait to share more with you soon.

8.14.2012

Peach and Strawberry Sangria

sangria

For a while now, I’ve wanted to make my own sangria. Sangria is one of my go-to cocktails if I go out for dinner. Wine is always good, but toss some fruit and maybe a little liqueur in there and it’s extra-tasty! I’ve only ever had it when someone else made it, so I decided to have a go.
I purchased a bunch of “sangredients” as I like to call them now, and mostly followed this recipe for Peach and Strawberry Sangria.

sangria1peachstrawberries

My verdict? I think I could’ve used a little less peach schnapps. It made everything a bit sweeter than I’d usually prefer. Then again, I’m used to a red sangria. It definitely wasn’t a fail, but I definitely have some tweaking and perfecting to do.
But all that means is I get to play around and try some new recipes and tasty combinations!

fruity

7.17.2012

Tipsy Tuesday

tipsytuesday

Vacation Tuesday (seems so much longer than a week away) ended up being…pretty interesting. We started the day off sorta early, by vacation standards, and headed to Brad parents’ house to swim for a little with my friend (our friend) Lauren before she headed off to work at 2. It was fun floating and soaking in the sun (I definitely got my tan lines from that day), eating delicious hoagies for lunch, and listening to great music. After Lauren left, Brad and I ran a few errands and then immediately jumped into the pool afterwards. The interest part: I accidentally got a little tipsy. Like, I was floating in the pool, had a SkinnyGirl margarita and felt fine, then dried off to go inside the house and felt wobbly. It snuck up on me! We joined Brad’s parents for dinner (and some Summer Shandys) at a place called the Tipsy Turtle. It was delicious, and I polished off a quesadilla the size of a pizza without uttering a single syllable. By the time we got back to his parents’ house, I was face down on Brad’s childhood bed, fast asleep. Food and Shandy coma, for sure. But worth every second of it.

All photos taken using the Hipstamatic app. Bettie XL lens and Blanko Freedom13 film (for anyone interested).

6.28.2012

Nails and Ales

Another month’s worth of Nails and Ales! Get ready for a bunch of summer-worthy brews!

005 (2)

When I purchased this six-pack, I was debating between two watermelon beers. This one won because a) it’s a wheat beer and b) it has great packaging and a neat name. 21st Amendment’s Hell or High Watermelon is what would happen if you decided to suck on a watermelon-flavored Jolly Rancher while sipping a beer. This is THE FIRST TIME I’ve ever had a wheat beer in a can. 21st Amendment only uses cans, for very simple reasons (easy to recycle, etc.). I’d say try it if you’re curious, but I don’t see myself buying it again.
Nails: OPI Sparrow Me the Drama (Pirates of the Caribbean collection) and Super Bass Shatter (Nicki Minaj collection). Quick and simple.

003

Hefeweizens are super-smooth, easy-to-drink, wheat beers. I was really excited to Magic Hat’s Circus Boy because I had heard good things and I’m just starting to expand my Magic Hat knowledge. Unfortunately, it didn’t really stand out for me. It wasn’t bad by any means, but I guess it just didn’t blow me away. In fact, I’m a little bummed I didn’t take a picture of the second beer
I had that night (UFO’s Raspberry Hefeweizen) but there’s always next time!
Nails: This is definitely some of my favorite nail art in a while. I was inspired by Pshiiit, but I did my own little spin. It looks a lot more complicated than it was, but it still took seven different nail polishes. Instead of using little striper brushes, I did thin lines with the regular polish brushes, and made the clouds using the same method Nailside uses.
Colors: OPI I’m Not Really a Waitress, China Glaze Riveting (Capitol Colours collection), Sally Hansen Mellow Yellow, OPI Jade is the New Black and No Room for the Blues. Clouds – Sally Hansen White On. Glitter Top Coat – Prisma Luminous Color #6468

005

When I bought Hell or High Watermelon, this was close in the line-up. Unlike Shock-Top’s Summer Shandy, Samuel Adams Porch Rocker uses lager instead of wheat brew and tops it off with a yummy lemon flavor. I enjoyed this as much as I do a shandy, maybe even more so. It’s got such a clean, crisp taste and I can’t think of any better activity to do while drinking this than sit on a porch swing or rocking chair and enjoy a summer evening. I need to make sure I grab a case before it goes out of season!
Nails: I used OPI Nothin’ Mousie ‘Bout It (a cute pink glitter with heart confetti from the Minnie Mouse collection) over Pamplona Purple.
My only complaint about the glitter polish is that the hearts are hard to put on and hard to remove. Cute, though!

030

Maria’s boyfriend Josh went to make a six-pack at the local convenient store and asked if I wanted anything special. I jokingly asked him to bring me back something cute, but he actually did! Sweaty Betty is a smooth, light Bavarian-style blonde wheat beer. I drank this while sitting on the back porch, surrounded by white Christmas lights and tiki torches, and I couldn’t imagine a better beverage to be sipping on. I love a nice, clean, simple beer to drink, especially during the heat wave we endured last week.
Nails: It is very rare that I paint my nails one color without any glitter or layers. I had a couple of different designs in mind, but OPI Call Me Gwen-ever (from the Spider-Man Collection) is so lovely, it didn’t need anything but a super shiny top coat. This polish was hard to find (it’s one of the nicest colors in the collection, and a super-popular color in general) but my sister’s friend (my friend) Lindsay was able to snag the last bottle at a specialist shop. Half-price, too! Yay!

That’s all for this month! Can’t wait to share more with you next month.

3.01.2012

Nails and Ales

Round 3!
It’s been a while, but since I only paint my nails about once a week, and I reserve drinking for the weekends,
it takes a while to accumulate photos of my “nail art” and different beers.

003

Winter Lagers. For starters, Samuel Adams’ makes good beer in general. Sam Adams’ Winter Lager is definitely perfect for the season. They are heavier, spicier, and stronger than your average beer. Trust me, one is enough to keep you warm from the winter chill.
Nail Polish: China Glaze Yellow Polka Dot Bikini with Sally Hansen In the Spotlight glitter on top.

011

Newcastle Brown Ale is one of those classic flavors. It’s not a microbrew or seasonal ale with fancy added flavors. This is something you can get, and drink, all year round. I enjoy it. It’s smooth with a deeper taste. I’ve likened it to a Tootsie Roll in it’s after taste.
No bitter beer face here.
Nails: Nicki Minaj OPI colors: Super Bass Shatter over Fly, and Did It On ‘Em on the ring finger.

012

So, the deal is, if you want to try a crazy-large variety of many different, delicious beers…grab any and every Dogfish Head brew you can find.
This was my first Midas Touch. Do you see those ingredients? Needless to say, this was a yummy beer.
Considering it’s 9% ABV, it’s not something I could drink more than 1-2 of. But it’s worth the try!
Nails: OPI’s Sparrow Me the Drama, Stranger Tides, and A-Taupe the Space Needle in a cloud pattern (tutorial here)

010

Dogfish Head Raison D’Etre (aka Reason for Existence) is just that. A delicious beer that reminds you why you like beer so dang much. Brad bought this one on a whim because it sounded tasty (again, most Dogfish Head brews are) and I enjoyed mine immensely.
It’s rare I’ll say anything bad about Dogfish Head’s yummy beers.
Nails: Nails Inc. Magnetic Nail Polish in Whitehall (Seriously cool stuff. Effortless design in seconds!)

022

Carlsberg Elephant. I pretty much picked this out because it’s a classic brand and I absolutely love elephants. It was reason enough for me. Elephant is about 2% stronger than classic Carlsberg, with a harder bite, but it was the perfect compliment to my tasty chicken salad club sandwich from Goldstein’s Deli. Which is one of the greatest places on the planet.
Nails: OPI’s Coney Island Cotton Candy beneath a chevron-style manicure placement of OPI’s Holland Collection I Have a Herring Problem

1.24.2012

A Love Letter…to the Keurig

I will be the first person to admit that I am far from adulthood. I have a 9-5 full-time job, health insurance, my own car, and loans and bills to pay. However, I own a heck of a lot of Hello Kitty paraphernalia, sleep with a stuffed Elephant when I’m not with Brad, read and re-read the Twilight Saga (and watch the movies), and, if I had to live on my own (because I don’t, I live at home with my parents), I’d survive solely on grilled cheese sandwiches and sugary cereals. I usually have to remind myself that I’m in my 20s. I’m still in a pubescent, awkward, teenage state of mine (though I am convinced that you don’t really grow out of it for quite some time…).

It may seem strange, but I always associated coffee with adults. The thing is, this caffeinated beverage fueled  “olda folk”  as they headed to their day-to-day life and the usual grind. I sat and watched my family drink coffee and thought it smelled bitter. I often wished I had
over-milked and over-sugared tea. But as you grow, so does your taste palate.

Over the few adult years I’ve had, I’ve learned a lot of lessons about taste and appetite. You’re willing to try more as you grow older (or at least I am). I’ve eaten a chicken heart. I’ve tasted frog legs. (I wouldn’t do either again, but that’s not the point, guys.)  The deal is, I’ve become more adventurous. There’s more to beer than Key Light. There’s more to wine than Franzia.
You think this is silly, I’m sure. THIS IS ABOUT THE KEURIG MACHINE.
Some of you have been drinking coffee since you were a teenager (or earlier?).
Guess what? I didn’t. Anyways, let’s get to the point of the story.

keuriglove

Dear Keurig,

For years, I had heard about this wondrous and exotic machine that made a perfect cup of coffee with the simple press of a button. I didn’t care, though. I didn’t drink coffee. I didn’t really drink caffeine. I was raised on decaf, so I stayed away from coffee. A girl ridden with heart palpitations and thyroid complications, it was what was best. And the anxiety. Did you know caffeine heightens that? It does.
But suddenly, Keurigs were at my disposal. First, they showed up at work. Then Brad’s family bought one. And suddenly, for Christmas, my family had one! And what else was there to do but pop in a K-Cup, press down the handle, pick my cup size, and watch (and smell) a delicious cup of coffee pour in a matter of seconds. I learned that there was more to coffee than the usual stuff you’d get at the gas station or diner (though that can be good, too). There are so many flavors available to use , and in these one-time-use portions that make it so easy to pick and choose and be non-committal. Because of you, I know I like flavored coffees or a nice medium roast doughnut-shop style cup. I like to experiment with flavored creamers (Shout out to International Delights Cinnabon limited edition…) and less and less sugar (I don’t see myself goin’ straight black anytime soon). Because of you, I can treat myself to a hot cocoa or cider anytime I please. Because of you, I can set a cup with a green tea bag below your spout and having boiling water in about a minute, instead of waiting for a teapot to boil.
(Oh, and you also have tea K-cu
ps, you lovely machine you!)
The invention of the Keurig has introduced the wonders of coffee into my life.
Okay, so I often can’t have more than one cup without getting insanely jittery or anxious (I think a lot of people feel this way?), and I do drink decaf if I’m feeling a little Colombian and Cinnabon cream at night. But what’s wrong with that? I know I like coffee now, one of the primo adult beverages around, and that makes me feel just a bit more “grown up.” So…I love you, Keurig. You rock.
Don’t stop what you’re doing. And certainly don’t quit adding flavors to your ever growing list of K-Cups!

keuriglove2keuriglove3

1.10.2012

Nails and Ales

Time for Round Two of Nails and Ales!
This feature allows me to show off two of my favorite things…my nail polish endeavors and the different beers I try every so often.

020

Blue Moon is one of my favorite beers, hands down. So I was excited to try this seasonal ale.
The flavor was much stronger than the traditional brew, but I enjoyed it a lot.

010

Samuel Adams’ Chocolate Bock is ridiculously good. I don’t think I could drink more than one, but it would be an excellent dessert beer. The cocoa flavor was there, but not too sweet or overpowering. This came in a Samuel Adams holiday pack, and each beer was tasty in it’s own delightful way.

003

Lionshead is not a new beer for me, or even a fancy beer. If you can see in the picture, it is made in Wilkes-Barre, PA, aka right near home. Drinking this transports me right back to college and memories of crazy nights with great friends.
At about 15 bucks a case, you can’t go wrong. The matching nails were a happy coincidence.

012

Holiday nails and a holiday ale! This is a tasty, Christmas-y treat! The first sip is a festive flavor punch.
This was the one and only Fezziwig I got to enjoy. But I think that’s what keeps it so special.

024

Woodchuck Hard Cider is one of my favorite drinks EVER. And I’m not just talking in terms of alcoholic beverages. It’s not heavy on the alcohol content and it is just too tasty for words. The classic Amber flavor is my go-to, but I’m game to try every flavor. This particular cider is called Crisp, and is considered a session cider. It’s not a personal favorite of the flavors, it kind of reminds me of a green apple
Jolly Rancher. For me, that’s a little too sweet to enjoy. I did have the winter cider, though, and it’s beyond tasty.

11.30.2011

Nails and Ales

I was going through my Instagram photos recently (you can follow me @mikeylynn !) and noticed a trend…
As you may know, I am in love with painting my nails with different polishes and trying new techniques and styles. What you may not know is that I also really enjoy a good beer now and again (and again). My father is somewhat of a connoisseur, so I’ve been attempting to branch out and try some really tasty (or not-so-tasty) and unique beers and microbrews.
So, while scrolling through the photos, I noticed a lot of pictures in which I’m holding different beers, showcasing both the bottle and whatever my nails are rocking at the time. It made me laugh, but it just might make for a new regular feature here on the blog!

032026007009014

Notes on the beer:
Rogue’s Dead Guy Ale was good, but I could probably only handle one. Strong flavor!
Sam Adams’ Cranberry Lambic is a new discovery for me, and it’s an instant favorite. Would’ve been perfect on Thanksgiving!
Sam Adams’ Oktoberfest is a classic fall brewski. A must have.
Troegs Mad Elf Ale is delicious…but dangerously so. At 11% ABV, I was giggling 1/4 of the bottle in. Proceed with caution.
Dogfish Head makes some great beers. I don’t enjoy a lot of hops (IPAs are usually a no-go) but this one was easy to handle.

To be continued…

11.17.2011

A Weeknight Date

Monday night, to wrap up my long weekend, Brad and I went to Pearl for half-priced martinis and some sushi. I got a coupon on ReferLocal, which is a great site for local restaurants/salons/whatever with awesome half-priced deals. This was only my 4th time eating sushi and I still don’t know how I feel about it. I’ll tell ya this, though…the martinis were fabulous.

005

006009

011018

028

030

034

I especially love the names of the martinis. As you can see, it’s not just a drink menu, it’s the Tao of Abundant Martinis.
Serendipity, Zen, Dharma, Karma…the list goes on. And each one we had/shared was absolutely delicious.