Drink of the Week #11: The Ginger

Once again I tried to replicate a favorite drink of mine from one of my favorite local restaurants, and I have to say, I completely nailed this one to perfection.  

I love ginger!  Anytime I fly a Ginger Ale is my drink of choice, and whenever I am sick I sip on Ginger Ale throughout the day.  Ginger candy is delicious, and fresh ginger in a spicy Asian dish is one of my favorite flavors.  With my taste-buds love for ginger I knew that a ginger cocktail would be a hit.

The Ginger has a double dose of immune healthy ginger; with fresh ginger and Ginger Beer.  I use Ginger Beer instead of Ginger Ale because it is made with real ginger and less sugar, yielding a more flavorful punch of flavor.  It costs more and can be hard to find, but it is well worth it.  And while it is called Ginger Beer, it isn't actually beer at all, it is 100% free of any alcohol.  

The Ginger is a simple blend of muddled fresh ginger, lime juice, and a touch of agave nectar topped with Gin and Ginger Beer.  The hubs and myself like a bit of a spicy kick to our cocktails so I decided to add a few drops of our own Homemade Habanero Bitters to the mix (yes, I said homemade).  

September Fashion: Black & White

September 11th was my 29th birthday, and with it came a dinner celebration with a few close friends at my favorite sushi restaurant. I always have a hard time getting dressed in September.  I want desperately to bring my jeans out of hiding, but it just isn't quite cool enough for it yet.  However, after months of summer dresses, I never want to wear them anymore. That pretty much leaves shorts.

I really enjoy taking a casual pair of shorts and dressing them-up; because they are so much more comfortable than a dress.  

 

I had a cute new black shirt that I wanted to wear, so pairing it with white shorts seemed like the right choice.  I wanted more color, being how it is still Summer,so  the outfit came together nicely with a bright teal purse as my pop of color.  

 I knew with a simple outfit I needed to amp things up a bit with my accessories, so I immediately grabbed  my silver torsade statement necklace form Chloe & Isabel.  It is such a dramatic piece, I love it.  Most days I wear it I get compliments anywhere I go.  With a a studded black leather wrap bracelet and black wedges, the outfit was complete.  

 

You can never go wrong with black & white.  

Happy Birthday to all my fellow Septemberists out there.  

Chloe & Isabel: Jewelry Love

Hooray- I just hit my one year anniversary of being a merchandiser for Chloe & Isabel.  I stumbled upon the company when I was in the process of closing my online fashion boutique and fell in love with it instantly. From it's people, to it's vision, to the products, I love being a part of such a wonderful company and team.  While I haven't reached my goal for sales in this past year, I only sold $2,500, I am not giving up.  I will continue with the company and hopefully reach the point one day where I can move-up in ranks.

Let me share with you why this company is so magnificent, and the perfect place to buy your high-quality jewelry.

 The People

A mere four years ago CEO & Founder, Chantel Waterbury, decided she wanted to start her own jewelry company with a fabulous vision in mind.  With experience in major jewelry industries such as Tiffany and Co, Cartier, and Kenneth Cole, she had the experience and skills to go off on her own.  She has a clear vision, a big heart, and a knack for jewelry design.  Since the beginning Chloe & Isabel designs have been featured in dozens of magazines and publications including Real Simple, O, Lucky, In Style, Shape, Vouge, Glamour, The Huffington Post, The Today Show, and more.   

 

The Vision

Chloe and Isabel was inspired by a concept called, "The Friendship Philosophy."  This is the idea of two best friends, with different personalities and styles, united by their passion for style and self-expression, coming together.  "Chloe" is the fearless fashionista, who is always in search of the season's hottest trends, while "Isabel" appreciates timeless, beautifully-crafted pieces. Whether a Chloe, an Isabel, or a Chloe-bel (that's me), Chloe and Isabel has everything you are looking for in jewelry. 

The Products

Starting at just $18, every piece of jewelry is designed in New York City and backed by a lifetime replacement guarantee.  All products are hypo-allergenic, nickel-free, and lead safe, which means even the most sensitive of jewelry wearers can splurge; they really have a little bit of everything for every style.  I find myself discovering new pieces to lust after even though they have been on the market for months. Plus, with full new collections launching every season, and capsule collections in-between, you are guaranteed to be awed year-round with gorgeous bling.  

 Check out my Chloe and Isabel boutique (Merchandiser: Sunday Champagne) and fall in love with Chloe & Isabel, just like I did.  

To be informed of the latest Chloe & Isabel products, updates, and sales, follow me on Instagram (@sundaychampagne).  

Drink of the Week #10: Sweet Heat Rita

Summer is margarita season.  More than any other season, I find myself wanting to sip on an ice cold tequila rita in the summer.  I don't typically make ritas at home, because every time I have tried to create a simple rita on the rocks it turns out terrible, but I had inspiration for this one.  

With the plethora of fresh market peaches everywhere right now, I figured now is as good of a time as any to create a rita, a peach rita that is.  Of course, peaches can be very sweet and overpowering so it needed to be paired with another bold flavor to balance it out...jalapenos!

The Sweet Heat Rita is the perfect balance of sweetness and spiciness with a kick of tequila flavor.  The great thing about the spice is you get to decide how spicy you want yours to be.  Slices of fresh jalapenos simmer at low with a bit of honey and water, to create a healthier simple syrup with an infusion of spicy jalapeno flavor.  The more jalapeno in the liquid, and the longer it simmers, the hotter the syrup.  

Being a combination of spicy and sweet I found the addition of salt to add a nice layer to the concoction.  So often the salted rim is too much salt, or too little.  Adding the salt to the drink itself instead of using it as a garnish was a great idea, guaranteed to be in every sip.  

The Art of Summer Nights

With the husband and myself both having backgrounds in art, we jump at the opportunity to visit the local museums; especially when a special exhibit is in town or an event it taking place. 

The Nasher Sculpture Center (Dallas) runs a monthly 'til Midnight at the Nasher, which we recently discovered.  I have no idea how long this event has been going on for, but I loved it so much (I am sad that it took me so long to find out about it). 

Take a picnic, combine it with live music, a movie on the lawn, and a basket of food from an award-winning chef.....Welcome to 'til Midnight at the Nasher! 

We arrived just as the band was going on stage, Whiskey Fold Ramblers, and snatched the perfect spot in-between the stage and the movie projector.  We laid out our blanket and b-lined it for the yummy stuff. 

We picked-up our pre-ordered picnic basket by famous chef Wolfgang Puck and a bottle of wine.  We wanted to walk around the Nasher and take in all of the newest exhibits, but we were hungry so we sat down, poured the wine, and dove into our basket of goodies.  

The basket was comprised of the perfect picnic food.  Crispy Fried Chicken, Potato Salad, Spring Salad, a Fluffy Roll, and even a Mini Sticky Roll covered my plate; and eventually filled my belly. 

It didn't take me long to remove my shoes and enjoy the company of friends. The four of us had a great time catching up with a drink in hand, and great music playing in the background.  Not to mention the people watching was fun and entertaining. 

As the sun fell the band completed their set, and the movie came on.  We had intentions to stay for the entire movie, but since it was a kids film, Where the Wild Things Are, we decided to head out to a bar to continue our evening.  

til' Midnight at the Nasher was a wonderful, relaxing, perfect date night.  I can't wait for the September one, so I can do it all over again.