Category Archives: Wonderful

A month of wonderful food, drinks, family and friends…

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It’s been nearly 4 weeks since we left Park City on a road trip across the west part of the states, through Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and now into Montana.  It’s not often the opportunity for a trip like this, so, I celebrate this.  We have been able to experience a couple of truly wonderfully pleasing cocktails and bottles of wine in the process of this trip including…dun, dun, dun… this top 5:

1.  Fairmont Empress Hotel Victoria’s Bengal Lounge Empress “1908 Tea Cocktail”.  This sounds weird, a cocktail made with tea?!  However, this is in a class of it’s own.  The Empress Victoria is known for their traditional English High Tea, served in the afternoon, however, the bartender’s have taken tea time to the next level by using the Empress’ tea to infuse vodka, shaken with a bit of lemon juice, simple syrup, egg whites, and served up garnished with a sugar rim and lemon peel and a tea biscuit, this is light, refreshing, frothy, and awakening.  It’s tea time gone naughty.

2.  Honig’s Sauvignon Blanc – end of story. It’s light, crisp, fruity, and Honig’s story is full of environmental flair.

3.  Laurelhurst Market in Portland’s Smoke Signals cocktail – the market’s Evan Zimmerman created this by first making smoked ice – not an easy feat. Taking some serious trial and error, he learned to slowly melt a frozen chunk of water by smoking it with hickory chips and then re-freezing the melted water.  He then chips off a manhatten glass sized piece for your glass, then adds Tennessee whiskey, pecan flavoring, sherry, lemon, and who knows what else. Did I mention he smoked ice?!

4.  Winery to visit – Frog’s Leap in Napa.  Not a lot of people know the story behind Frog’s Leap, basically owner John Williams started at Stag’s Leap and then created his own wine which was a success.  Their merlot is fantastic, their chardonnay their knight in shining armor, and the actual winery is a gem.  The name, comes from the location, a former frog farm supplying the delicacy to San Francisco restaurant’s in the 1800’s.

5.  Bubbles? Duh, there has to be bubbles. Domaine Carneros, done in the French fashion, mmm bubbles.

What have you been drinking this month?! Something wonderful, I’m sure.

-h

Tillandsia – the ultimate house plant

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I can’t help the fact that I absolutely adore plants, I love the instant brightness they add to a room. They also become similar to children to me.  I have a couple of houseplants that I have owned for nearly 5 years, and that I raised since they were mere seedlings including a Tai form Hawaii, an aloe for the ultimate sunburn cure, and a hand me down from an event I worked a couple years ago.

One of my favorite places in Salt Lake to go to check out flowers, cactuses, succulents, plus gorgeous displays is Cactus & Tropicals. Located in the Millcreek area and with another store in Draper, this gem is truly full of surprises.

I couldn’t help myself, I wanted to buy every single thing in the store, however, the hubby was with me to put the kibosh on the $100 orchid displays, the $60 planters, and the $40 bonsai trees. So, I narrowed my selections down to a couple of saucy succulents, and a Tillandsia ball.  Tillandsia otherwise known as an air plant, is quite possibly the easiest plant to keep indoors.  Give it some light, water it every couple weeks and it will survive.

Lovely ball of green goodness

Cactus & Tropicals has tons of absolutely gorgeous displays featuring these spider looking plants, including other supplies like sand, stones, and glass vases, lanterns, or bottles.  So, my suggestion if you are looking to add a little green to your life is head to your local garden store, pick up an air plant and get creative.

-h

Sofia Blanc de Blancs….in a can! Plus other wonderful bubblies!

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What can I say? I looove bottles that involve bubbles. So, I thought I would highlight some of my personal favorites:

Photo: Coppola

Perfect for slipping into your purse to watch the latest flick with the ladies or significant other, taste the wonderful fruity flavors while sipping it through the included straw! $20 for a 4 pack.

photo: Zardetto

Zardetto Prosecco, delicious Italian prosecco that is soft and delicate. $14.

photo: Cupcake

 

Cupcake Prosecco is fruity and citrusy at the same time and absolutely reminds me of eating cupcakes. Absolutely delightful. $11.
Just a few of my favorites, be sure that this is not the first time bubbly will be spoken of!
-h

Life is precious…

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What makes us do the things we do? What makes us make the decisions we do? How do the choices we make affect the people around us?  Just some thoughts that have been on my mind the last couple of weeks.  It is that time of year when winter seems to be getting a little long, I feel like I could use some sunshine and warmth on my skin to make me remember what exactly it’s like to be comfortable outside without a jacket.

It has been a cold winter in Utah, the coldest since I moved here, and I can’t help but think how that effects moods.  When I start to feel restless and can feel the temperaments of the people around me that I think, “how can I be a positive influence?”  Every day the people we encounter are affected by us, so take this moment to remember that a smile is encouraging, manners are the most effective type of communication, exercise helps, and spring will be here before you know it.

Other thoughts on how wonderful life is:  http://naterizzle.wordpress.com/2011/02/28/will-pope

-h

Hairbands that look like bracelets?!

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I’m guilty of it myself, wearing a hairband around my wrist all the time, just in case my hair starts going wild. But, my sister introduced me to these fabulous hair ties that look like a bracelet around your wrist. I may be a little late to the game on these (my friend C told me Jennifer Aniston wears them) but I’m as hooked as can be.

I just purchased the “Girls’ Night Out” 5 pack from Mane Message on Etsy:

Photo: Mane Message Etsy

Photo: Mane Message Etsy

They look cute both in my hair and on my wrist: simply wonderful.

-h

Mustard Yellow, the color of every season?

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One of my friend’s recently commented that she was in a huge mustard yellow phase, she was buying every clothing item that was available to her, and she couldn’t help it.  It was barely a week later when I ran across LoveandKnit on Etsy and saw this oh so cozy looking Mustard Yellow scarf:

Photo: LoveandKnit Etsy Site

At the wonderful price of just $60, I couldn’t help think that this chic infinity scarf could be the perfect accessory to carry from fall into winter, and even through those chilly spring nights.

-h

Kate Spade is always wonderful

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There is so much to love about Kate Spade, from the bright and cheerful colors, to the clean lines, always fashionable styles, and their completely user friendly website.

I came across free Valentine’s e-cards from Kate Spade today. (Happy St. Valentine’s Day by the way!) Which of course led me to their fabulous e-commerce site, which of course led to perusing their gorgeous bags, shoes, and more.

I couldn’t help but drool over this Cobble Hill Leslie bag:

Maybe I’m loving the red because I’m in the Valentine’s Day spirit, or maybe I love how the top zips and folds over, so it could definitely fit an ipad along with all the other necessities, or maybe it’s the custom woven striped lining. Whatever it is: I love this bag, and I love Kate Spade.

-h

Birthdays and Buttercream Frosting-yum, yum, yum, yum!

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I can never understand why people don’t love birthdays.  They mean presents, sweets, and excuses to party.

Last night I baked cupcakes for my hubby’s birthday (even though he dislikes sweets) and mixed up some homemade buttercream frosting, and then I had a sufficient sugarbuzz for the rest of the night.

Easy buttercream:

Ingredients:
– Powdered sugar
– Butter
– Vanilla
– Heavy whipping cream

Mix 3 cups powder sugar with 1 cup softened butter using an electric mixer on low for 1 minute then on medium for 2 minutes.
Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1-2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream, mix on medium until sufficient texture for spreading.
Add more cream if needed for spreadabililty.

YUM YUM WONDERFUL!

-h