Currently Craving: Bubbles

Champagne is one of my favorite drinks! I love the *POP* when you open the bottle, the effervescence in the first pour and that giddy feeling from your first glass! The Holiday's always promise the consumption of bubbly but for me I love to celebrate with sparkling beverages year round! Why not right?

For those who do not have as much...lets say...experience with champagne or sparkling wine, (It's only truly champagne if it comes from the region of Champagne, France!) it can be a bit intimidating. Here is a simple guide for choosing your bubbly:

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Cava: "The Spanish Champagne" Serve with hors d'oeuvres, particularity cheese and crackers.


Cuvée de Prestige: a proprietary blended wine (usually a Champagne) that is considered to be the top of a producer's range. Serve with Asian cuisine, sushi, etc. 


Rosé: Bubbly with the addition of small amounts of Red wine during blending. Serve with shellfish. 


Prosecco: A dry Italian sparkling wine. Serve with chocolate and strawberries. 

The sweetness of a sparkling wine or Champagne ranges from:

• Extra Brut (Brut Sauvage) - Totally dry
• Brut - Dry
• Extra Dry - Medium dry
• Sec - Slightly sweet
• Demi - Sec: Fairly sweet
• Doux - Sweet
  
  

  

  Illustration by Julia Rothman

  **There is a great post about the Past and Present of Champagne over on Design*Sponge. I saw this illustration by Julia Rothman there and just fell in love with it!**
  
  
  
  
  Another festive way to enjoy your bubbly is a Champagne Cocktail! Here are three of my all time favorites:
  
  

  

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  Black Velvet
  4 parts Champagne or sparkling wine to 1 part Guinness beer... Heavenly!!
  
  
  
  
  
  Cattivo
  (This cocktail comes from one of my favorite water holes in PDX, North 45. I want to incorporate this into my wedding and they were kind enough to send me the recipe!)
  1.0 oz Lemoncello (depending on how sweet the cello you may have to adjust)
  0.5 oz fresh lemon juice
  7.0 oz Prosecco (or bubbles of any sort would probably work)
  Garnish with lemon twist or lemon wheel.
  
  
  
  
  
  The Pink Fizzy
  
  
  (From Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook)
  Handful of Pomegranate seeds
  1.0 oz Pomegranate Juice
  1.0 oz Pink Grapefruit Juice
  2.0 oz Champagne or Sparkling Wine

  
  

  Happy New Year!

  Cheers!
  
  
  

  

  
  
  
  

Ladies Night

Sunday night I co-hosted Ladies Night with my girlfriend, AC. We hosted a Booty Parlor Party in the skyline lounge of the apartments where we work.  Booty Parlor is a sexy at home boutique where you and your girlfriends can browse through and shop for the hottest designer toys and sexy bedroom accessories!
One of my favorite people, Cameron, was our Sexy Lifestyle Advisor (or Bootician) and just let me tell you how much she rocks! I love this girl!
Now you might be thinkin' "Oh a trashy sex toy party, eh?" Booty Parlor is the total opposite of this but they are 100% focused on boosting your sexy self-confidence and inspiring you to have sexy experiences!


We had a smaller group attend than expected but after our Mojo Makeovers we were feeling the "SexyRevolution"!













That's me and Cam above and Aimee with Kristi below. This gals are awesome and I am sure gonna miss them! (Don't worry...I am already trying to talk them into a Ladies Weekend on the East Coast!)

We enjoyed wine, caprese skewers, goat cheese crostinis, veggies and hummus, cookies and I just couldn't resist BlowPops! hehe

My Top 3 Favorite Items from Booty Parlor:
1. Flirty Little Secret Firming Cream with Pheromones
2. Bath Kitten--White chocolate and honey aroma bubble bath milk with an ultra-soft terry cloth mitt that massages!
3. Dust Up Kissable Body Shimmer in Crusin' for a Bronzin'--Cinnamon sugar flavored and taste just like Cinnamon Toast Chruch--Yummo!


I love being able to support sexy, savvy, smart women and business' that have do the same!


Check out Cameron's website thesexysuperstars.com

Its All Happening

You know that high you got as a kid on Christmas eve? Well, I have had that feeling since Saturday! I can hardly sleep from all the excitement. We are ceremoniously on the road back home this Friday morning. Not only are we making the move back to South Carolina but I got the job! I am officially (well, really officially on November 16th) the Marketing Manager of Hominy Grill in Charleston, South Carolina.


"Robert Stehling, chef-owner of the homey Hominy Grill and winner of the 2008 James Beard award for Best Chef in the Southeast, has a more refined take that uses bacon and a combination of sharp white Vermont Cheddar and parmesan cheese. Fans wait patiently on the sidewalk of Rutledge Avenue for the dish..." from Gourmet Magazine May 2009 (RIP dear Gourmet...you will be missed!)


We celebrated the offer and the move on Saturday night at Andina Restaurant...a taste of Peru in the Pearl! So Delicious! We started the evening off with a Sacsayhuam´an {pronounced "sexy-woman"} for me and a Gin martini for Adam.  I have been craving this Habanero infused vodka and passionfruit cocktail and could not leave Portland without having just one more!  Mango Verde Y Langostinos Cebiches (Green mango, passionfruit and prawns) paired perfectly! For entrees, Adam chose, Adobo de Cerdo (pork tenderloin, butternut squash and gorgonzola ravioli) and for myself, Quinoto de Hongos de la Montaña (quinoa with golden beet and local mushroom risotto, laced in truffle oil and grilled asparagus)--AMAZING! Dessert you ask? I just could not resist the spicy sweet flavor of a second cocktail!  

Sunday was full of Football and then Ladies Night! I will say that all in all my final weekend in Portland was very successful! 

A Case of the Mondays

Today was one of those Mondays! Just a blah sort of day. Not sure if it was the weather or what. Lucky me was greeted with a delicious treat to help "cure" my case of the Mondays.

Peanut Butter Creams: Crispy little peanut butter oatmeal cookies are filled with peanut butter cream and drizzled with bittersweet chocolate.

Cappuccino Creams: Can you say “coffee addict?” These little espresso shortbread sandwiches filled with cinnamon buttercream have won the hearts of many customers. Perhaps they are the perfect breakfast cookie?

Two Tarts Bakery in Portland, Oregon makes the most amazing little cookies ever.

"At Two Tarts, we create an array of artisan “pint-sized” cookies for your enjoyment. Ingredients are sourced locally and organically whenever possible. Green business practices are important to us as well, as evidenced by our packaging."

I first fell in love Two Tarts when I worked at the Hotel deLuxe (If you are ever in Portland--You must stay here!) and the gals from Two Tarts were kind enough to regularly bring our sales department special deliveries of our favorite afternoon treats! If you aren't lucky enough to enjoy these special deliveries, or don't find yourself in attendance of a Two Tarts catered event--I recommend scouting out Pecan Tessies, ANZAC Cookies, Ginger Chocolate Chip and their Seasonal Selections at the Portland Farmers Market or NW 23rd Retail Location!

Edit: I am in a fight with my blogger format--why is it changing fonts, sizes, colors and format after posting? ugh...is it worth it to explore other options?