Casual Christmas

I can't believe how hot it is this Christmas?!?!  My car yesterday said it was 79 degrees outside and I don't think it was lying.  Wearing a simple t-shirt, jeans, and flats I was sweating and had the AC blasted in my car.  

Given the heat and the fact that I have a baby boy, this is not a boots and cute shirt kind of Christmas, it's a casual one.

What's the best way to dress casual for Christmas?  T-shirts of course, but not just any t-shirts, Christmas ones; particularly those quoting Christmas movies. 

Hands down Christmas Vacation is the greatest Christmas movie of all time.  

Quiz time!  Who said, "You Serious Clark?" in Christmas Vacation, and why was it asked?  

Paired with my cutest pair of red pointy-toe flats and my Kate Spade bow earrings, this green holiday shirt is my absolute favorite.  

Baby boy on the other hand went with an ugly sweater Home Alone onesie donning, "Merry Christmas You Filthy Animal." It was kind of perfect for him during this photo shoot because he was a tired little thing and not in the mood to smile.  

Wherever you are this Christmas, and whatever weather you might be having, I hope it's a great one.

Drink of the Month : Drunken Mallow-Nog

Once upon a time I did 'Drink of the Week.'  But, then I got pregnant and had a cute little baby boy.  Therefore, 'Drink of the Week' is now 'Drink of the Month.'

Oh Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year.  I love everything about Christmas; the lights, the music, the movies, and of course the drinks.  

We are an eggnog house from the time Thanksgiving rolls around until after the New Year.  Sometimes we make homemade egg nog, but most of the time we buy good old grocery store nog.  It's great as it right out of the fridge, but it doesn't hurt to spike it every once in a while.  Afterall, 'tis the season.  

Spiking eggnog is as simple as adding a shot of rum, whiskey, or bourbon.  But why not spice things-up a little bit to make it seem more merry?

Start with a simple combination of your nog and booze of choice. I myself prefer very little alcohol in my nog because a little goes a long way; to each his own.  

Most people stop there, but if you want to turn your simple drink into a beautiful one for guests, light it on fire....seriously!

Add a few marshmallows atop the nog (I used large mallows, but I think small would be better).  Then grab your tiny kitchen torch and light it up.  As you can see my mallows were a little too crisp, but it made for a great photo.  

Once you get your mallows to the perfect melty goodness, grate some fresh nutmeg over the top and sprinkle with silver sugar.  

That's it!  You turn a simple boozy eggnog into a pretty cocktail on Christmas morning.  If you want to make it even fancier, put it in a 'Christmas Vacation' Moose Mug. Ha! 

 Merry Christmas Ya'll!

A Distillery & Santa

Booze and babies do go together!

On one of the rare days the hubby and I had together this month we decided we needed to spend it taking our little baby boy to visit Santa for the first time.  Now, as all of you know, Santa is very well-traveled, and hops around from place to place in order to see as many children as possible.  ;) Lucky for us, Santa just so happened to be visiting a distillery that particular day.  

We loaded-up our little one in his cutest Carter's outfit- long-sleeve thermal and a soft plaid vest- and hit the road for Lewisville, Texas to Witherspoon Distillery. 

Witherspoon has been around since 2011, but had recently opened a brand-new beautiful location in the heart of Old Town Lewisville.  I myself had never been to a distillery before, so visiting Santa there seemed like the perfect idea.

With a mix of wood, brick, and industrial lighting, the facade of Witherspoon is beautiful.  I was impressed with the place before setting foot in the door.  The inside is beautiful as well.  With a large bar that wraps-around the room and comfy couches to lounge on, it's very inviting.

First on the agenda...meet Santa Clause.  We were so grateful to not have to wait to see Santa in a big long-line, AND we didn't have to pay to see Santa either.  We easily walked-up, introduced our little man in red to the big man in red, and... baby immediately grabbed a hold of Santa's beard and didn't let go.  Ha!  His first time meeting Santa and he made sure that he was the real deal; Santa didn't mind though.  Baby might not have been all smiles for St. Nicholas, but he didn't cry either.  My smart little dude just studied him, told him what he wanted for Christmas telepathically, and went on his merry way. 

After I went crazy with the picture taking of Santa and baby, we found a nice couch to set-up camp on, while daddy ordered adult beverages from the bar.  Witherspoon has a great selection of Whiskey, Bourbon, and Rum.  The best part?  They had a huge cocktail menu so I didn't have to drink straight liquor.  LOVE!  We wanted to try half of the menu but settled on one cocktail each. 

A little rum for me, whiskey for the hubby, and a bottle for baby.  

It was the perfect way to spend a day together, and to visit Santa.  I look forward to going to Witherspoon again, but next time without baby, so we can go on a tour and do a little tasting. 

From My Family to Yours

I can't believe it took nearly six months after my little butterball was born to get our family photos done.  It was a gloomier day than I wanted it to be, but my baby boys smile and bright blue eyes were all the sunshine we needed. 

I didn't realize how difficult it would be to coordinate outfits with a little one.  The first thing I did was find his outfit.  I knew I wanted something blue, to match his eyes, but finding something wasn't easy.  When I finally found the blue plaid button-up with cords I knew it was the perfect choice. 

From there I went on to find the hubby a shirt that would match baby.  I myself decided to go with creme to be the neutral one; it was a great excuse to splurge on a lace shirt I had been lusting over from Anthropologie. 

While the outfits weren't a perfect match, I loved how we all came together in these adorable photos. 

I am so thankful for these two boys in my life, today and always.

Happy Thanksgiving...from my family to yours!  

Magnolia at the Silos

Do you watch HGTV?  I do and I love it.  It's such a great channel to have on in the background on a weekend afternoon when you are doing housework.  Every show makes home remodeling seem like a breeze, while in reality that isn't possible for most homeowners.  The channel always has me thinking back to my days as an interior design major in college.  I miss the design world quite a lot, so HGTV is where I go to get my design fix. 

I love two shows on HGTV, Property Brothers and Fixer Upper.  I first got hooked on Fixer Upper because the couple intrigued me.  The show is hosted by Chip & Joanna Gaines (and their adorable little family).  They are a hilarious married couple who live on a farm in Waco, Texas and flip homes in the area.  Aside from their fun personalities, I first found the show appealing because Waco is only an hour drive from where I live. 

I love their decorating style, Modern Farmhouse.  Antique farmhouse elements come together with modern touches and cool colors in nearly all of their projects.  Every time I watch the show I find myself lusting over multiple design elements; if not the entire makeover. 

When I found out that The Gaine's were opening a new design store, Magnolia at the Silos, I knew a mini road-trip was in my future.  I set the date on my calendar for the grand opening and counted down. 

The grand opening was a two day event.  I planned on heading down the first day to snag all the good stuff before it was sold out.  Unfortunately we had severe thunderstorms in the area with flooding that day so we did have to postpone our trip to the second day; we knew it would be crazy busy.

Bright and early on Saturday, October 31st I set out to Waco with my mother-in-law and sweet baby boy; it was his first mini road-trip. 

After an hour and a half drive from Fort Worth we arrived at The Silos at the perfect time.  We lucked out with a parking spot close-by and made it into the building before the rope went -up and a long line formed outside The Silos.  The place was so crowded they had to control how many people were in the building at a given time. 

At first sight we were surprised by the crowds, how were we going to get through the building with the stroller?  Then we were slightly disappointed at how small the actual shop was.  But, we found our groove and started strolling through the aisles.  I loved everything in the store but of course I had to pick and choose what I could buy for my home. 

In the end I walked away very happy with a framed chalkboard, magazine bin, milk jug centerpiece, white vase, and comfy t-shirt. 

After a half-hour in line waiting to pay, we were excited to get our things dropped off at the car so we could go back to The Silos for the outdoor farmers market and food truck lunch.  But, just as we were headed back there, it started to rain.  Afraid that my little dude would get wet and cold we decided to not stay and didn't get to enjoy that part.

Magnolia at the Silos is a great shop for cozy home accessories at a great price and I can't wait to drive to Waco to shop again.  Maybe they will have some new things before Christmas?!?! 

Shop online here. 

Missing in Action

I'm back! 

Where did I go? 

Nowhere, I just had a baby and have been adjusting to my new lifestyle and schedule. 

I have missed Gin & Pearls so much and have been eager to get back at it. 

My baby is already five months old and we have gotten into a "swing of things" balancing my new job and taking care of his cuteness.

Hopefully I still have some readers out there and you didn't give up on me just yet.  I have many posts on my mind that I plan on preparing for you all very soon to continue my adventures in life and style.  

xoxo,

Gin & Pearls  

The Collective Brewing Project: Your Craft Beer Hangout

I have been awaiting this post for a very long time now.  Aside from having a baby on the way, the husband and myself have been quite preoccupied the past few years with The Collective Brewing Project.  

Back in 2012 the hubs, Ryan, and one of our best friends, Mike, decided to open a brewery.  Three years later that idea is a reality; a brewery and taproom in the Near Southside district of Fort Worth known as The Collective Brewing Project. 

It was a long process to go from an idea to an actual working facility, but we have officially been open over six months now and business is booming.  

The Building

We didn't want just another warehouse brewery like most Texas breweries are; we wanted a unique space that was comfortable year-round (thank you air conditioning) with a fun vibe.   Being a taproom in addition to a brewery we needed a space that was inviting, a place that you could bring the family to and enjoy a cold beer at.    

After nearly a year of looking for the perfect space we found it in the Near Southside District of Fort Worth, just a few blocks South of downtown and North of Magnolia.  The building was built in the 1920's, which we loved, and has a history of being a paper mill, a church, a tannery, and more.  

The space had been sitting empty for a few decades so it was a mess when we found it.  We spent the long hot summer of 2014 renovating the space by ourselves, which was not easy.  We destroyed, built, and re-modeled the 4,700 square foot building. 

The bar was meticulously built from the ground-up using a combination of steel, metal, and old ship-lap, that we re-purposed from a closet within the building.  The exposed brick walls were cleaned-up and all the old broken windows were replaced.  

As you enter the building you find yourself in the taproom; bar to the left and plenty of seating ranging from handmade high top tables to stained picnic tables.  Edison bulbs hang from industrial cords wrapped around wooden beams, the taproom wall is covered in a selection of beers handwritten on chalkboards, and string lights lace in and out of the exposed ceiling beams and air ducts.  

As you walk past the taproom you are greeted by the brew-house, where the magic happens.  The walls are lined in beautiful stainless steel tanks and dozens of re-purposed barrels, housing fermenting beer (Please Don't Touch Our Bungholes).  Complete with a puppy friendly patio out back, it is the perfect taproom/brewery for the neighborhood.

The Beer

The reason to have a brewery in the first place...the beer.  My husband Ryan, the head brewer, makes some of the best beer I have ever had.  No, I am not saying that because I am biased, I truly believe it.  His beer is damn good!  

We have three 'beer concepts' at The CBP, Standard Pours, Taproom Projects, and a Funkytown Series.  

The Standard Pours are our everyday beers that started us off.  We most always have our Mustache Rye'd Rye Porter, Tropic Thunder Green Tea Saison, and Pale Galaxy Session IPA.  Other Standard Pours at times have been our Apes in Space Apricot IPA and Fantastikolsch.  

As we move into the Taproom Projects we get a little bit more creative and selective.  These are our experimental beers that are brewed for a one-time limited edition release, or brewed multiple times because of overwhelming demand.  Our Brown IPA has made its way onto the projects board more than once.  We have also offered beers such as the Citra Citrus Elderflower Wheat, Mr. Green Pale Ale, and What's the Angle of Your Galangal?  Thai Spiced Wit.  

The Funkytown Series is what we have made our mark on the town with.  Making a name for Sour beer in the DFW Metroplex, the Funkytown Series is all about wild yeast, brettanomoyces, and barrel fermentation.   Our Petite Golden Sour is our most popular beer; both at the taproom and in local beer watering holes around DFW.  Our most recent 'baby' is our Sour Red aged in Cabernet Barrels, as well as our Farmhouse Belma Brett Saison Dry-Hopped with Belma.  These beers are very limited and AMAZING. 

Ryan and Mike (with a little bit of me) have been friends for over twenty years and share a love for craft beer.  What they have created in the heart of Fort Worth is a craft beer experience like no other.  They have put their blood, sweat, and tears into The Collective Brewing Project, and it does not go unnoticed the second you take a step into the taproom or a cold CBP beer touches your lips.  

With the help of Ben, our cellarman, as well as an amazing taproom staff of friends, The Collective Brewing Project is a brewery that will long indulge craft beer lovers. 

Come out to the taproom for a few beers with friends or family, or even by yourself, and enjoy the atmosphere.  Whether you want to sit at the bar and strike-up a conversation with the bartenders about our Crowler machine, play a round of giant jenga with your best friend, or sit on the patio with a few half pints and a bag of kettle chips, The CBP is a great hangout.  

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Follow The CBP on facebook, twitter, and instagram to stay up-to-date on the latest events including:

Trivia Night

Yoga & Beer

Live Music and Food Trucks

Festivals

Bikes- Beer- Donuts- Coffee

#funkytownbeer 

Adventures in Pregnancy

I am officially almost done being pregnant; with my due date in a mere 17 days the end is in sight.  It has been a very long 9 1/2 months; in a sense I feel like my life has been put on hold since September.  And of course being so close to the due date I am super uncomfortable, sleep terrible, and ready to meet our little man.  

 I have a lot to do in the next 17 days to prepare for baby boy Tucker's arrival, but the hubby and myself are so excited to see our baby boy for the first time and to bring him home. 

A lot has happened in the past few months...

we painted the nursery, we had our baby showers, we spent a ton of money on baby stuff, we set-up the nursery, we decorated the nursery, we got an outside ultrasound done, I have been to tons of doctors appointments, attended birthing classes, have read some baby literature, pre-registered at the hospital, and much more.  

We still have some organization to do to the house before his arrival, as well as a deep cleaning of the house, and a few more baby purchases, but we are mostly ready.  Luckily I have the next couple of weeks to get it all done.  

Our baby boy has been doing very well, he is measuring perfectly, head-down like he should be, and moves like crazy all the time.  His favorite thing to do is move his little feet under my ribs so you can see his bony heels poking out of my belly- so cute.  His daddy loves to talk to him and tell him how loved he is.  

Our dog, Roxy, is definitely aware of his presence.  She loves to follow me around the house, even to the bathroom; I have a new shadow that won't leave my side- haha.  She also loves to go into Tucker's room and stare out the windows; we always find her there when we get home. 

We find ourselves daydreaming about Tucker being here and all the fun we will have as a family.  Our lives are about to change drastically, and while it can be a little scary to think about at times, we are looking forward to all the new adventures in front of us and can't wait to experience them all. 

Drink of the Week #13: Green Moss

Just in time for St. Patrick's Day I give you a delicious green drink.  No, it's not green beer, or a margarita, or even a mojito, it's a healthy breakfast smoothie. 

The hubs and I enjoy a little bit of moss every morning for breakfast.  A refreshing blend of fruit, green vegetables, almond milk, and some heart-healthy seeds is a way to start the day feeling great.

The base for Green Moss is Spinach; we tried Kale a few times but it yields a grittier-vegetable character that we aren't a fan of in our moss.  The addition of banana gives the moss a creamy character while the peaches, my favorite ingredient, give a vibrant acidity and fill-out the moss.  Any fruit can be used of course, but after trying different variations of berries, pineapple, and more, peaches win everytime.  

To add a boost of health to the moss we add flax seeds and chia seeds.  Not only do the seeds add protein, fiber, and omega-3s to the drink, but they are also heart-healthy (just make sure you have a quality blender or the seeds won't breakdown).  

The last component is some liquid.  You could simply use water, but water takes away flavor, so we add almond milk and fresh-squeezed 100% orange juice.  Any milk works, soy and cashew also add a great flavor component. 

 A quick, easy, deliciously healthy green breakfast, or even afternoon pick-me-up.  Green Moss is my favorite green beverage hands-down. 

Baby Bumpdate

We are officially entering the third trimester and have just 13 weeks to go before we meet our little boy.  January was my best month by far; the only month where I did not experience terrible pregnancy symptoms.  As I am entering my third trimester new symptoms are beginning to show and I am starting to become tired and out of breath much more.  The most difficult part has been sleeping, I don't really do it.  I am constantly uncomfortable and toss like a turtle on its back all night; plus the acid reflux forces me to sleep sitting-up some nights.

Symptoms aside we are getting very excited to meet our little man and have finally found the time to start planning for his arrival. 

We officially completed our registries and have baby showers on the books.  While the nursery is nowhere near ready, we at least can say, as of yesterday, that it has been started.  My hubby and father-in-law built the crib and changing table yesterday, so I guess it is official now, we are having a baby.  Haha. 

We have so much more to do, like paint the walls, get more furniture, decorate, and actually prepare.  I have a feeling a lot of it won't happen until April, but it is still plenty of time before our May due date.

The most exciting news by far is that our little man has a name...

Gender Reveal

It feels like it took a century to find out the gender of our sweet baby, including having a sonogram to see what our baby actually LOOKS like.   When we finally got to experience both we were blow-away to see toes, fingers, and the baby moving all around.  It was worth the wait and the best way to start 2015.  

We had an amazing sonogram tech for our gender reveal.  Before she told us what we were having,  she gave us a good 10 minutes to just watch the baby moving on the screen.  It was such a wonderful experience for the hubby and myself.  

When she finally told us the sex I screamed, accidentally, the baby is exactly what we thought it was, and what we were hoping it would be (besides being healthy of course).  

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Immediately I wanted to get our gender reveal photos done.  I wanted to do a series of photos holding two different bundles of balloons, one pink and one blue, and then slowly release one of the bundles into the air; to be left holding the balloons that would reveal the gender.  They were going to be the cutest photos of the hubby and myself since our wedding day.  

I set-out getting my hair done the morning of, stopped and bought two bundles of balloons, picked out outfits for the hubs and myself, enlisted the help of a friend to take our photos, and found a location to have the photo shoot.  Everything was set-up to be perfect.  Until....the photo shoot went terribly wrong...

It was INCREDIBLY windy everywhere we tried to go.  The balloons were hitting us in the face and trying to fly away; not to mention my hair was attacking me.  Our photographer had to be quick to take a shot whenever the wind would stop for a brief second, therefore not giving it enough time to adjust, so 95% of the photos were a blurry mess.  Then, the hubby got excited thinking the photos were looking good and released the balloons before we were ready to release them.  Typical luck right? 

All that aside, we are beyond thrilled to announce that....

It's a BOY! 

A cute, button-nosed, long-limbed, precious baby boy.

With nothing but the turquoise balloons in hand we had no choice but to move the photo shoot inside and change our photo plans. 

We decided to take pictures inside our brewery.  The place that we spend most of our days and nights, the place that we have devoted our lives to creating for nearly three years now, the place that our sweet baby boy will grow-up in, and the place that will hopefully one day provide us with the means to give our baby all the worldly experiences he deserves.  While I was upset that my photo shoot plans did not go as planned, it seems meant to be that we took the photos where we did.  

Your daddy and mommy love you baby boy!  

Looking Forward to 2015

With the crazy busy year of 2014 behind me I am looking forward to all the wonderful things that 2015 holds, as well as its possibilities. 

First, lets take a look back at this past year:  

• In 2014 I decided to close my five year blog, The Sassy Writer, and went to work on creating a blog that I could be proud of and love, Gin and Pearls.  I worked for two months creating a look that I loved and Voila!  While I don't get a chance to blog as much as I want to, I love my new endeavor in the writing world.  
• I started the year by closing my Sunday Champagne fashion boutique and took a big financial bite because of the risks I took opening it.  It was a somber, depressing moment for me.  
• We went on a wonderful three-day vacation to Durango, Colorado to spend time in the mountains with family.  It was peaceful, relaxing, and the perfect excuse to spend time with my husband.  
• Our brewery, The Collective Brewing Project, finally opened its doors in Fort Worth and is a success. 
• My wonderful hubs and myself announced that we would be adding a baby to our little family come May. 

My 2015 Goals:

• Quit my job (and find a new one).
• Have a successful birth, healthy baby, and be a good mommy/wife. 
• Take a long vacation outside of Texas for my 30th birthday. 
• Lose the baby weight I put on (join a group workout class).
• Pay off debt and move to a new home in our ideal location.  

While I only met one of the six goals I made for 2014,  it was a busy year for us and I know that 2015 holds more.  With the brewery open and a baby on the way, it should be an amazing year, one of our best yet.