Daiquiri No. 3

It may be the last day of September, but that doesn't mean you don't need a little sunshine in your glass! This one comes from Cuba, specifically La Floridita in Havana, where Hemingway was known to drink several of these each day.

My father has long been fascinated by Cuba and communism, so we took a family vacation there several summers ago to see it under Fidel's reign; while the bar has lost some of its luster in recent years, there certainly wasn't anything wrong with the rum!



Daiquiri No. 3

1 1/2 oz of light rum
3/4 oz of freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 oz of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
1/4 oz of maraschino liquor
1/4 oz of syrup

Combine all ingredients in a blender with ice; blend until smooth. Pour into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a lime.


Notes: the Daiquiri No. 3 is also called the Hemingway Daiquiri, thanks to the man who made it a legend. He drank them frozen, so there's no shame in enjoying them that way, although they're also delicious served up.

Barbancourt white rum is my favorite, but for the genuine article, pick up a bottle of Bacardi. Now is the time to find a bottle of maraschino liquor, too-I love Luxardo's straw-wrapped bottle!

Cheers!


Photo by Eat Love Drink.

Watercolored

You're probably familiar with Chelsea of oh my deer–she's that gorgeous, grinning bride on the very first cover of Southern Weddings and she's hitched to the unnaturally talented Tec Petaja, but best of all, or perhaps most unfairly because some girls get all the luck, she's a pretty brilliant producer of all things pretty. Like these stunning watercolor invitations in shades of pink and peach and green.

Have you ever seen anything more lovely?

Hannah and Jonah

An East Coast clambake wedding, complete with Pimm's Cups and candlelight? Count me in!

First spotted on Snippet & Ink, this beauty of a celebration is all DIY, and an inspiration for anyone with a crafty bone in their body. Using the motto "Sweet and Simple" to guide them, this Brooklyn-based couple tied the knot on the water in Cape Cod.

The crafting started with the couple's invitation suite; Hannah, inspired by an old card, created a custom rubber stamp and "printed" the save-the-dates and invitations on paper from Kate's Paperie! She also chose a vintage dress from the Pasadena City College flea market for $50 that she altered herself, so a splurge on her "something blue" Loeffler Randall shoes and gold bow cuff from Alexis Bittar was well-deserved! The groom wore a J.Crew suit, Pucci bowtie and a pair of Tretorn sneakers you can be sure got plenty of mileage long after the big day!

Since rain threatened their plans for an outdoor ceremony at the Pamet Harbor Yacht Club, the vows were moved indoors. Hannah and her friends collected greens from the side of the road and one of her friends constructed the garland just hours before the ceremony! The bride's engagement ring was from Excalibur Jewelry, and the pair exchanged wedding rings from Doyle & Doyle and St. Kilda. A Cape Cod florist made Hannah's baby's breath bouquet, along with the wildflower-inspired boutonnieres, while the bride and her friends arranged the simple centerpieces.

Cosmos catered the intimate reception, serving a clambake, lobsters and a raw bar, and Hannah and Jonah chose a Pimm's Cup as their signature cocktail–recipe is forthcoming. A marzipan cake topped with porcelain figures was whipped up at the Danish Pastry House in Boston, and guests took home jars of Jonah's homemade pickled beets, wrapped in newspaper that echoed the newsprint table runners.


Photos by the talented Brad Fowler, Song of Myself Photography.

Punchy

Kate Spade peep toes in a punchy shade of watermelon make for a perfect pop beneath a lace gown, don't you think? And the carpet? It's a surprisingly divine combination!

Tell me, what's your favorite kind of shoe–a strappy sandal, a sky high platform or a pair of bejeweled ballet flats?


Photo by Captured by Kate.

Fit to be Tied

Maybe it's my raised-in-Mississippi sweetheart, but there's something so charming, so delightful about a seersucker suit, particularly when it's paired with a striped bow tie! Tell me, do you swoon for seersucker or despise it?

This weekend was blissfully quiet; after a Saturday morning spent catching up with a girlfriend and a much-needed nap with John, we met up with a friend visiting from Germany for a cocktail at Absinthe and sushi at our favorite neighborhood spot, Jimisan! Sunday started off grey and rainy, so an early morning stroll to Trouble Coffee for a hot chocolate and a slice of pumpkin bread was in order. We came home and got to work, John on his arrangements and me the blog-there's so much I can't wait to share with you all!

Fueled by cocoa, we worked until John whipped up a magnificent lunch and the sun started to shine. It was such a treat to hear him practice the guitar at home (he normally shuts himself into a practice room at school), and we wiled away the last few hours of the weekend sipping rosé and grinning at each other over two days well spent.

What were you up to this weekend?


Image by Laura Leslie Photography.

Moscow Mule

Moscow Mules are delicious, gingery and tart, but the very best thing about them, as far as I'm concerned, is the fantastic copper mugs they're traditionally served in! I'm thinking about scooping up a half dozen of these beauties-who's with me?

Moscow Mule

2 oz of vodka
3/4 oz of lime
1/4 oz of simple syrup
ginger beer

Combine vodka, lime and syrup in a shaker with ice; shake for 5-10 seconds. Pour into a mug or highball and top with ginger beer. Stir and garnish with a lime wedge and a sprig of mint.

Notes: The Moscow Mule is an all-American cocktail invented by a vodka distributor and his friend, a ginger beer producer-talk about capitalism at its finest! This cocktail doesn't require any particular vodka, but a strong ginger beer is best; try Fever Tree or Stewart's Ginger beers for bite!

Photo by Halberg Photographers.

Farm Country

John's mama's family is from Mississippi and this week we got some exciting news-her aunt is moving closer to civilization and wants to sell the property to John's parents! He immediately pulled out sepia photos of the barn, the pecan tree on the lake's shore and the long dirt drive, and the first words out of my mouth were, "We could put a Sperry tent on that lawn!" Needless to say, we're pretty delighted and keeping our fingers crossed that there's a move to Mississippi on the horizon and a country estate for us to visit!

With dreams of farm life dancing through my head, I popped over to Minted to see if they had any invitations worthy of a down home fête; imagine my delight when I found this "Farm Country Wedding" suite, designed by Mandy Gordon! The tractor, the kraft paper and the darling gingham envelope liners absolutely charmed me!

A Bride to Be

Growing up in Princeton, NJ, I don't think I'd ever heard the words "bridal" and "portraits" together. It's a tradition that's all but unheard of, and it took a wealth of wedding websites, namely Southern ones, to introduce me to the concept. While I still find they're more rarefied than a charming engagement session or even a day-after shoot, they can be so very lovely, like Claire of A Realistic Wedding's portraits can attest to!

Claire praised the opportunity to capture her bridal beauty without all the added stress of the big day; if you're not someone who spends lots of time in front of the camera, it also provides you a few more valuable hours of practice before the wedding. Besides, a day at the beach in Charleston, NC being photographed by the talented Richard Israel in your darling lace reception dress never hurt either!


Tell me, did you have bridal portraits taken, or do you plan to? Or are they simply not your speed?