What Matters Most

Sometimes we get so absorbed in our own life we forget about events around us or others...like your very own spouse who is under the same roof. He's worried about sales and a new business venture, and she her occupation which she enjoys very much but it's not her life. She doesn't bring it home like she use to, to the dinner table, or to bed but can't speak so much for the partner in her life. Then it seems there's nothing left to do but to drink ... to drown out the electronic noises of the modern life. The 50" inch flat screen t.v. hung on the wall, its reflection beams down on the glossy white floors. Blackberries dinging and pinging, followed by the snap, snap sounds of fingers on the tiny keys. She knows how the cats feel...except they can't talk or walk to the pantry and pour a mouth full of rum. Is this what life is about? Is this how it is going to be every day...from this day on and forward? And he says he can't have an intelligent conversation when she is slurring from drinking all day. What "intelligent" conversation? About work, about the lack of sales, about bikes?!?! How about plain old simple dialogues...about delicious recipes or good books or quiet summer nights watching outdoor movies underneath the blank clear skies? Anything other than the, "how was your day?" question which is usually formality than a genuine inquiry. Like the people who ask you, "How are you?" but could care less about hearing a response. Don't people LISTEN to other anymore? I guess not...because everything else is more important than the things that really matter most.

Reinder Wine

I'm not a big fan of Chardonnay but THIS is darn cute (and actually quite crisp and delicious)!!

The Art of Chugging Beer and How to Do It With Style

Great article: http://www.wikihow.com/Chug-a-Beer

Lime Cactus Michelob

I think I've found my new favorite brew! The Lime Cactus Michelob Ultra is simply delicious. It's fresh, light in taste with a hint of lime and sweetness. A great beer for those who don't like beer.

This brew gets three thumbs up !!

Do Not GottaHavaDrink

I love margaritas (good 'ol fashioned on the rocks with salt) and I love red wine, merlot, cabernet or shiraz BUT the two together can produce some serious regurgitation at the foot of the porcelain goddess (I don't mean mix the two drinks together--ew, that's gross! Actually white wine may not be so bad. Anyway, I mean don't drink one after the other.

Two glasses of margarita + one glass of merlot = DISASTER that had me spewing until I dry-heaved for three hours into the night this past Sunday. The sad thing was I didn't drink very much so the throwup party was hardly worth it. At least I didn't drink as much as I did the day before when I spent all afternoon drinking at the Bare Pool and then drank some more at Margaritaville for dinner and I was NO WHERE near nauseous. Well...I did have Tsingtao with my lunch at Pho Kim Long so perhaps it was the accumulation of alcohol in my system that did it.

I tell ya...after last Sunday I was ready to quit drinking any alcoholic beverage (don't we always say that after having gnarly drunk episodes and hangover? But then we drink again the very next day or a few days after a dry spell). Seriously, I have NEVER been as sick as I was the other night and SWORE while halfway sleeping in the toilet I would quit drinking FOREVER. But if I did that then, well...it would be the end of this blog...LOL!!

Then I thought, thinking back to the last time I hurled and spewed was years ago, and I did the same thing...a few margaritas and then wine with dinner and WHAM!! I was down for the count. So it's not because I drank too much. It's because I mixed margaritas and wine.

Lesson learned. No mixing. So margaritas + wine = and I DO NOT GottaHavaDrink of the that mix.

Tripppleberrry Wheat Beer

There's a brewery in Lake Havasu, AZ called Barley Brothers Brewery and Grill where I love to eat at whenever my husband and I visit the city. Built in July of 1997, this establishment has a comfortable atmosphere, waterfront view, and they brew one of our favorite beers--the Tripppleberrry Wheat, a Havasu favorite. This pastel wheat beer has hints of cranberries, blueberries, and raspberries. YUM!!

Served chilled, it's refreshing and light enough to go with an ooey-gooey calzone or piping hot pizza.

They also offer a wheel sample, each 3 oz. glass filled with their award winning brews so I could have a taste of everything.

You can take home any of your favorite brews in a half-gallon or gallon sized souvenir glass container (like we always do and bring back for refills).

The Tripppleberrry Wheat will always get three thumbs up from me !!

Scarlet Margaritas

There's a recipe in a magazine for Scarlet Margaritas which is basically a margarita with pomegranate juice and seeds. I love a traditional margarita on the rocks with salt any day so the idea of anything different is always kind of odd to me. It's kind of like putting applesauce on a hot dog or something...no thanks, I like them just with a ribbon of mustard. Plain and simple.

So my aunt made me a Scarlet Margarita during my visit to her home this weekend. I approached the drink with hesitation and curiosity but after having a sip, I think I can definitely live with it. Unlike traditional margaritas, this version is not as sour or over powered with lime. The scent is sweet and the flavor is balanced between sugary, tart and a hint of salt--altogether very smooth. You should try it! The recipe is below.
SCARLET MARGARITAS
4 cups crushed ice
1 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 cup orange liqueur
1/2 cup tequila
1 Tbsp. lime juice
4 Tbsp. pomegranate seeds (1/2 fresh pomegranate)
Lime wedges
Coarse salt
Garnish: lime slices

1. Process first 5 ingredients, and, if desired, pomegranate seeds in a blender 30 seconds or until frothy.
2. Rub rimbs of 6 glasses with lime wedges; dip in salt to coat. Pour margarita evenly into prepared glasses. Garnish, if desired. Serve immediately.

This recipe makes 6 servings (or one nice big pitcher for me). YUM! A refreshing drink for a hot summer evening, I give this drink two cheers .