Trick or Treating Adult Style

One of the best cocktail parties I ever threw was co-hosted with three others in four locations. Perhaps you've already experienced a roaming cocktail party but if not, here's how it works:

• reach out to your neighbors and to your friends who live within walking distance and suggest having a joint cocktail party.
• select a convenient date for your event, preferably on a Saturday or Sunday.
• decide on a theme for your drinks such as spiced rum cocktails, tropical drinks, holiday cocktails, skinny drinks, etc.
• plan out an appetizer menu so that each home isn't serving pigs-in-a-blanket.
• ideally you'll want about 45 minutes in each home, plus travel time. It goes by FAST, so start early with a happy hour kick off time. People will need a lot of encouragement to leave the first spot but by the second home they'll get the hang of it.
• send your invitations out with a reminder to wear comfortable shoes (I know, it sounds so old, doesn't it?
• keep the prep work super simple. The host for the next party may want to leave a few minutes early to get those appetizers heated, but don't go crazy with the cooking.
• stay behind at your own home long enough to quickly clean up. It's no fun coming home to a pigsty at the end of a fun night.
• the first host will get a plethora of hostess gifts: wine bottles, six packs, and spirits. Be sure to spread the wealth with your other hosts.
• take lots of photos! It's a guaranteed good time that you'll want to remember. 

Spider Egg Brew

Halloween is the perfect time to eliminate any pretense surrounding mixology and just have a bit of kid-like fun. This drink was created using blk black water, which may be quite shocking to see but it tastes no different than water. Here's one more recipe to add to your festive plans for tomorrow night.

Spider Egg Brew
3 ounces Skyy blood orange vodka
2 ounce Galvanina organic blood orange sparkling juice
Black ice cubes made from blk black water

Halloween Cocktail: Skincrawler

This drink doesn't have to be served in a skull cup, but when other than Halloween will you have a chance to use one? I purchased mine from Party City for $2.99 a piece. The Skyy should be easy to find but I picked up the Blk Black Water from BevMo. The candy blood was purchased at the supermarket in the Halloween candy section.

Skincrawler

Ingredients
3 ounces Skyy blood orange vodka
1 ounce Blk Black Water
1/2 ounce candy blood (sweetly sour!)

Directions
In a shaker, combine the ingredients. Shake until the syrupy candy blood is well diluted. It's very intense so add more black water to your cocktail if you don't it to over power the vodka. Strain the liquids into a glass with ice and serve (with a cackle).

Bar Visit: Shangri-La | Santa Monica

Blood of Eden

The Shangri-La Hotel is located on beautiful Ocean Avenue in the heart of Santa Monica. The building recently went through a much needed upgrade including an update of the rooftop bar, which is still, I'm happy to say, a well kept secret. With large windows that open to the ocean, there's a strong breeze that constantly pushes in, filling the room with fresh sea air.

I recently met up with two dear friends for a drink. It was our second time there together...we all love a spot without a crowd. My girlfriends were drinking wine already when I arrived so I quickly chose a cocktail called the Blood of Eden. It's $12 and made with Pearl of Pomegranate, West Indian Orange Bitters, Blood Orange Soda, and lemon.

Jordan, Maryann, & Jenn

The view was spectacular, but the drink was mediocre. I'm finding that in the quest to provide original cocktails bars aren't necessarily hitting home runs. Is it the measurements of the ingredients? The bartender's execution? The quality of the alcohol? I'm not exactly sure. I'll stop by this Santa Monica gem again, order the Cucumber Gimlet, and hope that it's more impressive than my previous choices.

Thirsty Thursday: Ghost Goblet

The Ghost Goblet cocktail can be enjoyed year round but with Casper the Marshmallow, it's perfect for Halloween.

Ingredients
3 ounces Cake Vodka (I used UV)
2 ounces half & half
1 cup vanilla ice cream
1 cup ice
1 Peeps marshmallow ghost garnish

Directions
Blend all the ingredients together until frothy. Pour into a goblet and nestle a Peeps marshmallow ghost into the center.

For an alcohol free version, omit the vodka and double the ice cream.

Halloween Party Cocktail Napkins

These are cocktail napkins that I just couldn't pass up. The website is a great find too, filled with the unusual and unique: Halloween Asylum.

Wedding Sangria

Uncle Dan and Megan

This past summer I was very flattered when my cousin, Megan, asked for a sangria recipe for her wedding. She planned to have the drink available right as guests were arriving instead of making people wait until after the ceremony for a little libation. In my opinion, this is the most considerate choice. People come to weddings to celebrate, to rejoice, and to drink.

Megan chose my traditional red wine sangria with apples, oranges, lemons, and limes. She selected her own varietal, as well as the brand of the brandy and the orange liqueur. The beverage was placed right at the entrance of the wedding with moderate sized plastic cups and cocktail napkins.

Although I've shared my recipes many times, the stakes become higher when it's your cousin, and it's your cousin's wedding. I was nervous that the drink would meet her expectations and contribute to the sophisticated event I knew she'd be hosting.

A wedding guest enjoying sangria

Risking looking a little too eager to be the first to hit the sangria, I filled my cup halfway and returned to my seat with our family. After one sip, I was thrilled. Under Megan's direction, the catering company had pulled it off and made a wonderful drink. What made me even happier was watching guest after guest leaving their bench to fill their own cup before the ceremony began.

Megan was so stunning, the wedding ceremony so beautiful, and the dinner and dancing so delightful, that the sangria's success was irrelevant.  However, I was happy to know that the festive wine held its own, and contributed in some small way to a lovely evening.

Manhattan Beach Book Signing

Julie Fisher's Great Article in MSN's Glo.com

Mixology. Money & Memory Cards by Carl Grooms

Don't miss Carl Groom's review of our book on his fabulous website, Coastlines & Tan Lines. Please leave a comment. We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Product Spotlight: Refine Mixers Margarita Mix

Photo by Gamma Nine

Making  your own sweet and sour is ideal. But let's face it: who wants to? Especially when there are so many good ready made mixes available. Although I'm fairly certain I've found the perfect store-bought mix from Trader Joe's, I'm always interested in trying something new.

This weekend we used the Margarita mix Refine, a product out of Berkeley, California. I usually stay away from products with a radio-active yellow glow, but the glass bottle, green leaf in the logo, and exclusion of HFCS closed the sale.

What I didn't notice until I'd downed half my Margie, is the zero calorie element. This part makes me nervous. I've read enough about sugar to know that it's a slow poison that may doom the human race. But make believe sugar really frightens me.

I did a little research and Refine uses Stevia, a natural sugar derived from the Sunflower family. I'd heard of the sugar substitute before but never used it. Apparently it is 300 times sweeter than sugar, which could explain the extreme sweetness of this mixer and my only critique of the product. It's slightly too sweet for my liking, overpowering the citrus flavors. There's also a little aftertaste that falls more into the chemical category than the all-natural.

Refine offers several other mixers and I'm eager to try them. I'll also give the Margarita mix a few more tries. I'm thinking positive thoughts.

Candy Corn Martini

If you're a die hard candy corn fan like me, this drink is just for you. You'll want to plan ahead for this cocktail because it takes a little while for the candy corn to dissolve. But overall it's super easy. The martini version is extremely sweet, so beware. You can also try the vodka mixture over ice with soda or tonic water to make it less candy corn-intense.

Ingredients
1/4 cup candy corn
4 ounces vodka
Tonic / soda water (optional)
Garnish with sprinkles (like the bats?)



Directions
Put the candy corn in a glass container. Add the vodka and set aside until the candy dissolves. When you're ready to make the drink, shake the vodka/candy corn mix with ice and strain into a martini glass (or mix with tonic or soda water).

Chocolate Bats & Orange Sprinkles

This Girl's HOT PICK of the WEEK

The Santa Barbara Sunset Wine Cooler with a Thermal Shield. I love that is doesn't look like a traditional wine basket. If you're planning an after work picnic or a romantic afternoon surprise, this bag is so discreet that you won't draw much attention to yourself, or rather, the luggage. $36.99

Letter to the Omni Hotel

Monday Manners Rule #98: Never Insult the Way Someone Orders

What people drink, the way people drink, and how people order drinks will vary from city to city and from country to country to country. When a customer orders in a way that you may be unfamiliar with, or that you disapprove of, do not insult her. Just provide excellent service and the beverage that she ordered. You are there to do a job, and not to pass judgement on others.

Pacific San Diego Magazine - San Diego Pacific Magazine

Pacific San Diego Magazine - San Diego Pacific Magazine

Jocelyn and I are included in the October issue of this magazine. Check it out!

Primanti Brothers, Pittsburgh

Jocelyn enjoys and Iron City

Seconds after tweeting, "I'm in Pittsburgh," the dining recommendations came flowing in. Normally I would have looked into each suggestion carefully, reviewing the menu online, the customer comments, the cocktail menu, the decor, and the location. But for the first time, the meal that everyone told me I HAD to experience was the same: Primanti Brothers.

@DrncPno said, "Primanti Bros. is a place 2 go to discover the authentic 'burgh. Sandwiches are a meal on a bun."

@cliffordbrown3 said, "Primanti's is a tradition you must experience when in da 'burgh."

@Cat_Pylant said, "So, so jealous- as everyone has advised Primanti's is a MUST!"

My family and I took a brisk walk from downtown into The Strip to find this place. We wanted to eat at the original joint to immerse ourselves in an authentic experience. I knew absolutely nothing about the eatery but based on the referrals, I wanted to do it the right way.

Due to jet-lag we were hungry for lunch at 11:30 a.m., which meant that the line was only 10 deep and fast moving, thanks to a friendly but no nonsense host. We were seated in the second room, right next to the bar (they must have heard I was coming), and just below a flat screen TV broadcasting the Pittsburgh Panthers in the process of winning.

Pastrami Sandwich

When you're hungry, every single item on the menu looks a-mazing, so choosing was not easy. I finally settled on a pastrami sandwich, a side of fries, a large pickle, and an Iron City beer.

The meal was sensational. A perfect balance of meat, coleslaw, fries, and sauce served on a sheet of paper. And even though I was stuffed after the first half of the sandwich, there was no chance I was leaving any of it behind.

Primanti Brothers has zero reason to ever change a single thing about this place. Just promise me you'll never expand to California. It just wouldn't be the same.

7 Ways to RUIN a Cocktail Party

Nervous about throwing a cocktail party? Don't be. As the author of This Girl Walks Into a Bar, I've detected several party pitfalls that are sure to wreck your event. Take note, steer clear, and learn from someone else's trial and error.

Click here to read my article for ModernMom.com and learn how to avoid ruining a party this holiday season.

Drink Photo Shoot

It was really fun to have our drinks photographed for an upcoming article about my sister and I and our book, This Girl Walks Into a Bar. After looking for the perfect location  for the shoot in Northern San Diego, we settled on our parent's home in La Mesa, California.

Brevin, the director of photography for Pacific San Diego Magazine, showed up with a mini studio set. In about 5 minutes one bag was opened up and the kitchen was transformed into a camera-ready set. I of course had to take a picture of the action. A drink of mine was getting its 15 minutes of fame and the moment needed to be recorded.

Stay tuned for the magazine issue later this week! And if you become a fan of Pacific San Diego Magazine on Facebook, you'll have a chance to win a copy of our book!

Restaurant and Bar Review? (I'm up in the air)

I have never been this entertained and at the same time educated while in a bar before. Okay, it wasn't exactly a bar. It was United Airlines flight 943 from Chicago to LA.

Shortly after ordering my glass of Hayes Ranch Chardonnay and gourmet cheese, cracker, and dried fruit plate, Captain Ed Contrerra invited us to tune into his "Talk Show in the Air" on channel 9.

Lively and endearing with a good sense of humor, the Captain amused us with airplane trivia and some aviation history. This is what I learned:

• the air up at 32,000 feet is 3 times thinner than what we're used to down on the ground.
• at take-off, the weight of the plane was 215,000 pounds and the heaviest it can be to take off is 240,000.
• we'd burn 28,000 pounds of fuel, or 4,000 gallons. And if anyone was worried about their carbon footprint, that's only 23 gallons a person for the whole trip. Not bad!!
• the temp outside the window was -62, and according to Captain Contrerra, "why we ask you to kindly keep your windows rolled up."
• the plane cost about 80 million dollars (gulp)
• the captain and his co-pilot, Ken Kennedy, were at the end of their 4-day leg. 
• because "no self-respecting pilot lands a plane on autopilot, feel free to applaud when we land."

When I was a kid, airplane travel meant mid-air visits to the cockpit sporting plastic "wings" pinned on by bubbly flight attendants whose jobs had yet to include "unofficial homeland security office" in the descriptions.

The friendliness and warmth of this United crew, couple with the delicious wine and cheese, made this mobile bar one I'll come back to.

Monday Manners Rule #7: Give Special Thanks for Special Tips

Most of your customers are probably tipping you a lovely 15-20%. You always say thank you and acknowledge their gesture. Then there's that 30, 40, or 50% tip that comes unexpectedly and without apparent reason (other than your stellar service).

When this happens, it's appropriate to acknowledge the tip. Not with a big song and dance but something like...

"I just want to thank you for your generosity" or "I've just settled your bill and you were very kind. Thank you."

Don't linger or think that the customer wants to be your best friend. Smile, keep working, and hope that he or she comes back again.

Thirsty Thursday: The Hostess

Be the hostess with the mostess with this thirst and hunger quenching martini that allows your guests to enjoy their appetizer and cocktail at the same time. These bite size garnishes compliment the drink perfectly and will satisfy the company without allowing anyone to ruin their dinner.

Ingredients
2 ounces vodka
1 ounce pear liqueur
Splash organic pear juice
Garnish with goat cheese and pear

Dude Approved: Beef Sticks

I was hesitant, I'll admit. In fact, I even said no to the offer to try Benny's Bloody Mary Beef Straws the first time a sample was offered. A beef straw. Hmmm. Is that something that This Girl can get behind?

Because we have a really strong male following on Facebook and Twitter, I decided that it was time to get some input from a dude.

I marched myself and my beefstraws over to my brother-in-law's house and found a guy who could give the yay or nay. This man is a hunting, hiking, fishing, camping warrior who has sampled enough dried beef to offer an educated opinion. His verdict would be my verdict.

But before he opened the package, he did have a few questions for me.

"Is it 100% beef?  Yes. 10% USDA.
"Does it need refrigeration?" Only once opened.
"Is it really meant to be a straw for Bloody Marys?" Straw, stirrer, functional garnish, decoration.

He pulled off the seal, savored the aroma, and tried some. "It's good!" he said. His tweenage daughter asked if she could try one. "Yummy," she said expressively. "I like it," said his little niece.

And there you have it. If it's good all by its lonesome, it's good enough for a tomato cocktail.

It has our stamp of approval. To see for yourself, click here and order some for yourself.

Tell It Tuesdays: State

Today's Bar Review is written by guest blogger and author Noriko Nakada.

My mission when I set off for Chicago over Labor Day weekend, aside from attending a wedding, was to pick a bar to write about for This Girl Walks Into a Bar. Really? One bar in all of Chicago? This girl walked into at least twenty and past hundreds more over the holiday weekend.

I toyed with reviewing Sky Box where your ticket not only buys you access to two full open bars, but also a right field view of Wrigley Field. I considered writing about one of the two sports venues I visited: Soldier or Wrigley Fields where the service is tough to match with such a strong ratio of beer guys to fans. For this California girl who is forced to leave her seat and stand in line for a drink at Dodger Stadium, the constant presence of beer guys with their trays of Bud, Bud Light and Old Style could have gotten me in trouble.

But STATE, where I posted up to watch my Oregon Ducks get thumped by LSU on Saturday night, won out. This Lincoln Park bar has computers with huge flat screen monitors set up along the bar during the afternoon and evening hours so if you can't find your team on one of the 100 HD TV screens you can watch them on the web. As the night crowd starts packing the place, the to computers disappear clearing the long U-shaped bar.

I was there with a bunch of guys and our bartender, Crystal, took great care of us. She kept the beer and shots flowing and helped us order half-price food items: an enormous bowl of guacamole, an appetizer sampler, a chicken quesadilla and sliders.

As the night wore on, coeds from nearby college campuses started to pack the place. Crystal explained the STATE plastic cup system. Hosts pay a fee for these color-coded cups so guests can keep reloading their cups with well drinks all night long.

The place was teeming by ten and if I'd been a little younger and if Oregon had won I would have stuck around longer, but I caught a cab back to my hotel. The guys hung out a while longer since Crystal was taking such good care of them. They enjoyed a late night at STATE with minimal tab damage.

Katherine & Flannery's Fabulous Book Giveaway!

Posted from www.FashionablyBombed.com

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2011

"This Girl Walks Into A Bar" Giveaway!

We just gave away two gorgeous Lilly Pulitzer outfits (see that post here!)  

And now we're giving away a fabulously fun book called 

This Girl Walks Into A Bar by sisters Jordan Catapano & 

Jocelyn Dunn Muhlbach. This book is not only high-larious, but it's also 

a great guide for anyone who wants to become a professional bartender!  

Our favorite part is the chapter called, "Dealing With Drunks" where they

talk about their own experiences dealing with 

UN-Fashionably Bombed patrons...

To enter, simply follow us and the authors on Twitter and tweet this:
"The @FBombedGirls are giving away a fabulous bartending book called 

This Girl Walks Into A Bar (@GirlWalksIn2Bar) and I MUST win it!"

Entries must be posted by Monday, September 19th at 9am PST*.  

One winner will be chosen at random.

{*Winners will be contacted once comments close and announced 

on September 19th. Good luck!}

PS: You can buy the book here if you just can't wait!