drink : grapefruit basil paloma

to celebrate cinco de mayo, we made grapefruit basil paloma cocktails last night. they were so delicious that i wanted to share the recipe here with you! it's a variation on the original paloma, "the dove." it is a citrusy, fresh take on a gimlet or margarita and the tequila base makes it perfect for this holiday. i substituted the typical club soda for st. germaine liqueur to give the cocktail a floral tone and added my favorite summer herb, basil.

grapefruit basil paloma

1 part grapefuit juice

1 part blanco tequila

1 part st. germaine liqueur

squeeze of lime

muddled basil leaves

throw all off this in a shaker with ice, muddle basil and lime, and shake.

pour, garnish with basil, and enjoy!

this drink is equally as great with gin or vodka, so the liquor is interchangeable. let me know if you try this one.

enjoy and happy cinco de mayo!

xoxo

madeline

spotlight : nyc's hudson hotel

{ground level entry into hudson hotel}

a little green for your st. patrick's day - while we were visiting nyc, we stopped into the hudson hotel for a drink. during college, i studied this boutique hotel and have always wanted to visit. it was designed by philippe stark, the product designer behind some iconic kartell furniture, namely the ghost chair. i highly recommend staying there if you can afford it...or like us, stopping by to explore the interior. there are two bars inside the hotel, a library bar, and an outdoor lounge. these first five shots are my own, but they don't do the space justice - so i have linked to a few more from pinterest below. it is such a magical place and was the perfect retreat from the blizzard that day. we drank cocktails, ate truffle popcorn, and warmed up by the fire in hudson common.

{street facade of hudson hotel in midtown}

{glass box at top of entry escalators}

{the front desk and lobby, covered in vines}

{outdoor bar and lounge}

{modern white bathroom, love the backlit mirrors and wall panel texture}

images via 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

bar 'cart' styling

the title of this should be styling a bar cart when you don't have a bar cart. any surface with a tray will do. this time of year is the perfect season to have a stocked bar for guests, parties, and cocktails. i like to keep the essentials around for classic drinks like a gin & tonic, a negroni (campari and vermouth), and an old fashioned (bourbon and bitters). old fashioned is my husband's all time favorite - it was his signature drink at our wedding. mine was a st. germain cocktail with champagne. i also love showcasing local favorites like the gin from nashville's corsair distillery and lincoln county lightning from josh's hometown. on our bar cart i also have some sentimental items - a few nice bottles of wine from my aunt and father, my grandmother's copper mug, and decanters that were cherished wedding gifts.

i mentioned in a past post that i am still looking for my dream bar cart and waiting patiently until i find one with the right price tag. in the meantime, i found this side table (with an undermount sewing machine?!) that is the right size for the lacquer tray. i love styling with these dried yellow craspedia flowers also; they add a little personality. the hilarious tequila mockingbird book is from my wonderful sister in law! when i find an actual cart, i will add another tray with favorite cocktail glasses, cloth napkins, and other cocktail making tools. what drinks are you mixing up this thanksgiving weekend?

sources: white lacquer tray from west elm. hemingway print from ohmydeer handmades etsy. paint color benjamin moore quiet moments. sewing table vintage. tequila mockingbird book from urban outfitters.

xoxo madeline

fall drink: mulled wine

when the weather gets cold enough, i love making festive fall drinks. this mulled wine recipe is one of my all time favorites - given to me by my sister-in-law, brittney. you can add whiskey if you like the flavor or keep it simple. josh and i will be enjoying this around the firepit this weekend.

mulled wine

ingredients 1/4 whiskey or brandy, optional 1 bottle red wine, i use cabernet sauvignon or merlot 1/3 cup honey or sugar 2 cinnamon sticks 1-2 oranges, sliced 7 whole cloves 1 tsp allspice or ginger, can also add star anise

directions combine all ingredients in a large saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 20-30 minutes. add brandy or whiskey if you like the flavor. strain and serve, serves 4-6. enjoy!

xoxo madeline