Wild in the Streets! A Bubbly Cocktail for the Weekend

Today we're kicking off the three-day weekend with a happy hour cocktail featuring cachaça and Barrow's Intense Ginger Liqueur! In fact, I could go for one right now! Have a fabulous holiday weekend!

Vintage Cocktails For When You're Not Having It

Is it just me, or have you noticed lately that everyone seems to have an opinion about you, your life and the things you do and that, furthermore, they're determined to share those opinions with you, regardless of how uninterested you may be in hearing said opinions? If this sounds familiar to you, here are some on-theme vintage cocktails to help dull the pain of unwelcome input. If you aren't suffering fools these days, lucky you. Go ahead and celebrate your success in avoiding the annoying with one of these lovely libations, brought to you by one of my favorite bar guides, Bar Guide: Published by TRUE, The Men's Magazine (1950), which is both "authentic and hilarious" if they do say so themselves. I think we could all use a laugh!

You'll find that, after a couple of these medicinal brews, the screeching, opinionated, negative voices gently melt into the background along with the ambient noise of everyday life. Isn't that better?

Rubber Duckie Cocktail with Wicked Dolphin Rum

A rubber duckie may make bath time lots of fun, but a cocktail doesn't hurt! Here's one featuring two fabulous rums from Florida's Wicked Dolphin Rum in a soothing shade of blue. Perfect for relaxing over a long holiday weekend!

Mocktail Monday: Pristine Pineapple

Today's non-alcoholic libation is in the tiki spirit, with no actual spirits! Who says a drink needs to be filled with booze to be festive? A hollowed out pineapple makes every drink a celebration!

Neptune's Daughter Cocktail!

It's time for happy hour (thank God) and today we have a fabulous nautical libation featuring Neptune Rum and a lovely edible hibiscus flower from Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup! Are you ready to face the god of the sea? Because I am!

Too Busy To Host A Party?

Lately, summer seems to fly by in a blur. There are so many events and parties that it feels as though you're cooking out for Memorial Day and the next thing you know the stores are pushing Pumpkin Spice Everything and Halloween items are fully on sale. Were you too busy to plan a gathering of your own this summer? Do you still wish you could, but have no time? Never fear, help is here from 1977 and the Party Book from Lexington Liquor Mart, in Lexington MA, a gift from our fabulous friend Mod Betty, of Retro Roadmap! These "Party Books" were something a liquor store could obviously order with their own name printed on it, since we have many that are identical between the covers from other stores, but that is what makes them fascinating. They often advertise "Ample Parking" and all have the exact same photos, recipes and ads. They're also full of party tips, which makes them amazing windows into the past. Here are some tips for entertaining with "The Magic Sherries of Spain" and pairing wine and cheese. According to this Party Book you can get away with zero cooking whatsoever. But don't call it lazy. Call it vintage!

Entertaining so easy even Glendora could handle it! And if it's just not going to happen before Labor Day weekend, don't worry. Everyone still loves wine and cheese in September. Start sending those evites!

Cocktails in the Morning?!

You can't drink all day unless you start in the morning! Everyone is busy, which can make party planning a chore. Why not throw a breakfast bash? Our recipes and tips will get everyone's day off to a great start!



Click here for more info about Few Spirits Breakfast Gin, the fabulous sponsor of today's episode.

Mocktail Monday: Slightly Stormy

It's bright and sunny here (at least until the eclipse comes), but today's Mocktail Monday creation is Slightly Stormy. It's a Dark & Stormy variation that you can sip any time you like! If only all of our storms came in beverage form...

Live from the Velveteen Lounge Kitsch-en!

Last night's live broadcast featuring the music of 9th Wave, one of our favorite bands, and Neptune Rum was a lot of fun - once we got started! We had some technical difficulties in the beginning, when YouTube would NOT let us connect. I sometimes think YouTube takes great pleasure in ruining my life, but that's a topic for another time! If you missed the broadcast, here it is! There were some really good cocktails in there and I highly recommend picking up a bottle of Neptune Rum when it comes to a store near you. It tastes like a much more aged rum than it actually is and the price is great!



Coming tomorrow: Mocktail Monday, followed by Boozy Tuesday!

The Darkening: A Cocktail for the Eclipse

Are you prepared for Monday's solar eclipse? And by prepared I mean is your cocktail menu set? If not, this one is your very own mini eclipse in a glass! Take advantage of the (relative) darkness and enjoy a lovely libation!

40 Years - Elvis Lives!

On August 16, 1977, Elvis Presley left the building for good. Join us in a toast to the King! We have a fabulous cocktail fit for royalty and deep fried peanut butter and banana balls with spicy dipping sauce. Don't miss this party!

Mocktail Monday: Roots of Passion

It's Mocktail Monday! Take a break from the booze with a lovely libation with dandelion root tea and passion fruit. The entire family can enjoy it!

Cocktails & Music from the Asbury Park Surf Music Festival

Do you love surf music? Here's a little teaser for the upcoming (August 26) Asbury Park Surf Music Festival, with recipes and music that will be featured at the event! We'll be attending for the first time and would love to see you there!

Special Guest Blogger: Glendora

Hi, hons. It's your favorite cousin and guest blogger. I don't know about you, but I am so ready to put up my feet and relax with a glass of wine. What a week! Between a new Facebook page, Twitter feed and an email address I'm not sure I can handle all this activity. I borrowed some books from Ms. Velveteen because I thought I might learn to cook (ha ha ha) and I'm dyin' here. First this one, which had no food at all, but featured a guy you know only wants one thing, the Girl Watchers' Bar Guide.

Not a single wine drink in the lot, but I guess it was published by Southern Comfort. I don't like that look on his face one bit. You can't trust him and forget about that captain at the bottom of the page. He looks shifty, like he might throw you overboard if he doesn't get what he wants.

I have to admit, I do like a man with a very large...drink.

Here we go, finally some vino, even if it does come in burger form. Gertrude Kuhl Fiedler was obviously a woman of refined taste and I salute her. And you could serve that Hawaiian Hamburger with that enormous Honolulu Cooler.

Well, that's it. Who knows, I may even cook this weekend. It's a long shot, but anything's possible. Have a good one and I'll see you real soon. 

A Visit to Barrow's Intense Ginger Liqueur

We're very excited to share our visit to Barrow's Intense Ginger Liqueur, the birthplace of the lovely liqueur we're enjoying in all of our cocktails lately! They couldn't have been nicer to us and showed us a fabulous afternoon in their fabulous Brooklyn lab.  I've become a big fan of their product, not only because they're amazing folks, but because I truly love the liqueur. If you like ginger, do yourself a favor and grab a bottle. Visit barrowsintense.com to find a store in your area. You will be glad you did!

Glendora is back!

Glendora is back, with recipes for wine and wieners, along with a curious tale about her latest date from hell, involving a whiny wiener. Will she ever find true love (outside of a Franzia box)? Only time will tell.

Mocktail Monday: Pink Tuscadero

Mocktail Monday is now on YouTube! Click the video above to see this week's offering, the Pinky Tuscadero, being made and look below the video to see the recipe written out!



Thank you to Q Drinks for providing the lovely Sparkling Grapefruit mixer for this episode. Their mixers are top notch and we plan to feature more very soon!

Shark Infested Cocktails with the Men in Gray Suits!

Did you not get enough sharks during Shark Week? We have more! There is seemingly no end to the number of shark themed cocktails!

Gin Cocktail Recipe for National Watermelon Day!

It's National Watermelon Day! Let's celebrate with a cocktail! This one is very refreshing - perfect for a summer evening by the pool, on the porch or in front of the TV!

Columbo Cooking

Those of a certain age, or possibly even those who are younger, since it ran off and on for 32 years, probably remember Columbo, the LAPD TV detective who gave every impression of being slightly bumbling and unorganized, but who in reality was sly as a fox and way ahead of the criminals he pursued. He never lost his temper, even when criminals underestimated him, jeered at him and basically called him an idiot to his face. He always got his man or woman in the end. I LOVE Columbo!  So imagine how excited I was to learn that there is a Columbo cookbook coming soon, by Jenny Hammerton, of Silver Screen Suppers! Best of all, I was given the opportunity to test a recipe for the book - Theodore Bikel's Glorified Meatloaf! Bikel played an insufferable genius on the show, but he did know a thing or two about meatloaf. It was delicious!

Theodore Bikel's Glorified Meatloaf. Slightly purple, owing to A LOT of wine.

I hear Jenny is still looking for recipe testers, so be sure to visit her blog and get in touch if you're interested! 

Ladies Night on Gilligan's Island!

It's Ladies Night on Gilligan's Island and you're invited! We have a fabulous cocktail, featuring Barrow's Intense Ginger Liqueur, created especially for Ginger and an appetizer so easy Lovey could whip it up on her cook's night off!