It's the time of year when bing cherries go on sale, and I immediately think of making a big batch of this amazing cherry mojito drink and throwing a party. Either make your own simple syrup (by boiling water and sugar) or use the pre-made kind, then stir in lime juice and bing cherries for a DELICIOUS summery tasting simple syrup. Add syrup to a glass with sparkling water and cherry vodka, and you have an amazing mojito on your hands! (Mint is optional - I like the taste well enough, but I add it to the glass mostly to make it look more impressive). If you've got kids or teens on your hands, sub the vodka for some Sprite or 7-Up and add a few maraschino cherries for the novelty factor. Cherry-lime goodness for the whole family! Cheers!

For anyone who likes to entertain (like me), a home bar area is definitely a necessity. Whether it's just a cart or a full blown section of your kitchen, having a bar with all the good stuff ready lets your guests take over getting themselves situated with drinks while you're free to prep dinner or make the rounds if it's a large party. Making a bar area look like you put some work into decorating it isn't as hard as you might think  - I love the picture above with all the various things that go together to make it look like it was hard work. Paper straws, champagne on ice, a random pineapple (or really any other fruit you like), and vintage bottles always seem to do the trick. Every time you finish a bottle of booze that you like the look of, wash it out and keep a few on your bar for a VERY easy decorating trick. Put some dried flowers in there and earn an A++ for your minimal effort decorating skills. Cheers!! xoxo

Well I've certainly been having my cake and eating it too the last few weeks, between all the traveling and vacationing I'm been doing I think it might be time to pull back the reins and kickstart the old "diet" that I like to try and fail at a few (dozen) times a year. Since it's Thirsty Thursday, I'm going to make an organic, LA style super smoothie with strawberries, bananas, spinach, apple juice, flax & chia seeds (because apparently they're amazingly good for you, not sure what I think about that, but I have a few friends that would talk your ear off about it), acai powder (which apparently you can buy at Whole Foods and I'm sure no other store ever), and some ginger for a bit of a kick. It's actually damn pretty delicious... I won't mind drinking these for a few days. Cheers! xo

One of my absolute favorite things about Mustique is the signature rum punch. It's so amazing that I absolutely MUST have it every time I come; no trip could possibly be complete without it. When I'm feeling nostalgic, I like to mix some up at home, sit outside in the sun with my eyes closed, and pretend I'm there. Los Angeles doesn't smell nearly as good as the Caribbean... but you get the idea. Last March I posted a recipe for my Mustique rum punch (click to read the post and make it yourself!), and this year I'm drinking these bad boys again, and loving every second of it. Cheers from the Caribbean!!

It's going to be a HOT one for my photo shoot today, but I'm feeling more than prepared. It might get up to 90 by the afternoon, but I've got the AC cranked, my sunglasses on, and plenty of sweet tea ready in the refrigerator. Watermelon sweet tea is a Texas favorite  that's the perfect remedy for a hot day. It's pretty simple - all you need is watermelon, mint leaves, tea, and sugar. I like to make a whole batch and have it ready to go for most of the summer - and if you're feeling like having a little fun, a bit of bourbon mixed in wouldn't hurt either. Cheers!

It's starting to get HOT out there; not just down in Texas, but on the coast in Los Angeles too. It's a little early in the season, but I'm dusting off all of my favorite hot weather cocktails and scouring Pinterest to get ideas for new ones that I haven't tried yet (if that's even possible...!?) The first hot weather drink of the season has to be the orange sorbet mimosa. At brunch, for dessert, or just as a mid-day drink by the pool, this one is a winner every time. I don't have an ice cream maker (too much work) so I'll kick it old school and just use the sorbet that comes from the store; top with champagne, maybe a few orange slices if I've got 'em, and voila! Frosty nectar, anyone?

Here's an exciting cocktail that I'm excited to try... the Blood Orange 75 is a combination of gin, prosecco, and blood oranges that together make a shockingly bright red cocktail that I can't wait to throw back. This recipe calls for making your own blood orange flavored simple syrup, which sounds delicious if and when I have the time - but if not, I'll go with the bottled simple syrup, throw some blood orange pulp in there, and call it a day. Blood oranges are delicious, but if you don't have any, definitely use the regular kind. I'm sure after a few you won't have any idea what kind of oranges you're drinking anyway. Cheers!!

This Thirsty Thursday's cocktail is obviously a shout out to France - Chambord lemonade? Yes, that sounds absolutely delicious. This one is just vodka, Chambord, and lemonade - mix together and try not to down the whole thing in one sip. Cheers!!

Those who know me well know that I love, and I mean LOVE, a good glass of rose - especially when I'm in France. Or maybe those who don't even know me that well know this about me, considering I tend to have a hard time shutting up about things. I'm busy practicing my rose drinking this week, and you know what? Maybe it's just me, but I think I get a little bit better at it with each glass... cheers!!

Between bloody marys and mimosas, it's a toss up between which is my all-time favorite brunch drink. They're both delicious and pretty classic, and there is definitely a reason for that. Spring time brunch with a loaded bloody mary sounds pretty much like heaven, so this Thirsty Thursday is devoted to a classic - but a delicious one at that. Make it however you want, but for me, the more the better: jalepeno, horseradish, lime, shrimp, olives, pickles, pepper, salt - all delicious. Cram some celery and carrot sticks in there too if you can fit them in the glass! This bloody mary from A Beautiful Mess calls for jalepeno vodka, which I'll admit sounds delightful, but what are the chances of having it just laying around the house? I'm a firm believer that brunch is supposed to be the ultimate lazy meal (family gatherings not included). And if you're not making a lot of bloodys, what the hell else can you make with leftover jalepeno vodka? Not much. I'll stick with the straight stuff and add in the spice myself. Here's to the most delicious brunch I've had in a while! Cheers!!