Fourth of July Beverages

Dress by Lady Roi. I think it is discontinued.

Here is a bonus Beverage 'Monday" edition this week. In honor of the USA's birthday tomorrow I am featuring American Cocktails. Enjoy your weedend. Have fun & be safe.


All American

• 1 oz. Bourbon
• 1 oz. Southern Comnfort
• Coca Cola

Put alcohol in a highball filled with ice. Add Coke.


Cherry Patroit by SKYY Infusions

• 1 ½ oz SKYY Infusions Cherry Vodka
• 1 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ oz. Cointreau
• ½ oz. Sweet vermouth
• ¾ oz. rye whiskey
• 2 oz soda

Mix ingredients in cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon zest and cherry.

American Beauty

• 1 oz Brandy
• 1/2 oz Dry Vermouth
• 1/4 tsp White Creme de Menthe
• 1 oz Orange juice
• 1 tsp Grenadine
• 1/2 oz Tawny port
  

In a shaker half-filled with ice, combine the brandy, vermouth, creme de menthe, orange juice, and grenadine. Shake and stain into a cocktail glass. Pouring slowly and carefully, float the port on top

Firecracker

• 2 oz Wild Turkey
• 4 dashes Tabasco sauce

Fill a shot glass almost to the top with Wild Turkey and add 4 dashes of tabasco sauce. Drink quickly!


Cheers,

Recipies from Drink of the Week.

Rehearsal Dinner

Here are some photos from my Nephew's rehearsal dinner that I designed and coordinated at the Canary Hotel in Santa Barbara on Thursday. I was going for a sunset/rustic look with rafia accents and centerpices with red, orange and yellow gerba daises. It was outside on the roof in an area called the Rooftop Perch. It has a 360 degree view of Santa Barbara. It was sooo windy up there, though. It finally died down about the time dinner was served. Whew! My wish tree had to be put under wraps till it was calmer.

The wish tree before & after. & of course my little boy.
It was a beautiful, fun night before the big day!

Enjoy,

Mr & Mrs. Joyeux with the Pacific behind us

National Wear Red Day

February is National Heart Month.

The Heart Truth: Heart Disease is the #1 Killer of Women

The Heart Truth is that one in four American women dies of heart disease, and most fail to make the connection between risk factors—such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol—and their personal risk of developing heart disease.

The Heart Truth Campaign: Serious Messages about Women’s Heart Health

The Heart Truth is a national awareness campaign for women about heart disease sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Through the campaign, NHLBI leads the nation in a landmark heart health awareness movement that is being embraced by millions who share the common goal of better heart health for all women.

The Heart Truth campaign warns women about heart disease and provides tools to help them take action against its risk factors. It is primarily targeted to women ages 40 to 60, the time when a woman’s risk of heart disease begins to increase. However, it’s never too early—or too late—to take action to prevent and control risk factors since heart disease develops over time and can start at a young age—even in the teen years.

The campaign message is paired with an arresting visual—the Red Dress—designed to warn women that heart disease is their #1 killer. The Heart Truth created and introduced the Red Dress as the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness in 2002 to deliver an urgent wake-up call to American women. The Red Dress reminds women of the need to protect their heart health, and inspires them to take action.

The Heart Truth partners include: The Office on Women's Health, DHHS; WomenHeart: the National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease; the American Heart Association; and other organizations committed to the health and well-being of women.

What’s a Red Dress Got to Do With It?

The Red Dress was designed to build awareness that women are at risk for heart disease, and motivate them to take action to reduce their risk. The creative concept of a Red Dress tested well with diverse women who cited its ability to get attention, convey the seriousness of heart disease, and change the perception that it is only a man’s issue.

The symbol links a woman’s focus on her “outer self” to the need to also focus on her “inner self,” especially her heart health. The Red Dress serves as a red alert to convey the message that “Heart Disease Doesn’t Care What You Wear—It’s the #1 Killer of Women.

So let's wear red to raise awareness about heart disease.  It can begin as early as our teens.

Happy Planning

Steph

Beverage Monday.

Red Drinks for February

Red Snapper

1 oz Crown Royal

1/4 oz Amaretto

3/4 oz Cranberry Juice

Put all of the ingredients into a shaker filled with ice.  Shake well and strain into a shot glass or serve over the rocks.

Little Red Corvette

1/8 oz Amaretto

1/8 oz Frangelico

1/8 oz Chambord

1/8 oz triple sec

1 1/2 oz vanilla vodka

Fresh Raspberry & Orange slice for garnish

Put the liquid ingredients into a shaker filled with ice.  shake and pour into a rocks glass. Garnish with the raspberry & orange.

Red Hot Lover

2 shots of vodka

2 shots peach schnapps

1 dash grenadine syrup

Strawberry Juice

Orange Juice

Put the alcohol into a hurricane glass filled with ice.  Pour the juices in equally to the top.

Cheers,

Steph

Mexican Inspiration Board

In honor of this week's Mexican Independence Day I thought we should feature a Mexican Inspiration Board. Mexico is a very colorful place. So this one features the many colors of Mexico and also a couple of must haves at Mexican weddings.

• Almost all Mexican weddings (bodas) include a Mariachi Band.
• These favors include milagros. Little religious medals. From Brides.
• This is at Hacienda Las Trancas, located in the heart of Mexico, about 4 hours northwest of Mexico City, in Guanajuato.
• This floral cake is from The Knot.
• The Los Muertos cake topper was found on Brides.
• The fountain picture was taken at Las Trancas.
• How about personalized Hot Sauce for a favor?
• Arras are coins used during the Mexican wedding ceremony. A groom gives his bride 13. Arras symbolize the groom's promise to support his family.
• Mexican Wedding Cake Cookies. Yum! From Epicurious.
• This Table Scape was found on The Knot.
• A little Senor and Senorita favor. Found on Santa Barbara Wedding.
• Invitation from Exclusively Weddings.
• Sangria photo from Eat Around the Pitt.
• Bout from The Knot.

Adios,

Happy 4th of July

In honor of Independence Day, I thought I would do a Red, White & Blue Inspiration Board. You can do the patriotic colors without having the flag emblazoned on everything. Next year we will celebrate 4th of July on a Saturday and why not do the colors for your patriotic wedding. Plus, as a bonus you get to cap the evening off a great firework display and hand out sparklers to your guests.

So here's wishing everybody and fun & safe 4th of July weekend.

• Berries and Sand centerpieces-Martha Stewart
• Ruby, Diamond & Sapphire Necklace-Jewelry Castle
• Table Scape-Social Couture
• Boat Place Cards-Beau Coup
• Red & Blue M & M's
• Cracker Jack's
• Bouquet, Cake and Boutonniere- The Knot
• Striped Wedding Invitations-Wedding Paper Diva's
• Place Setting-Country Living Magazine
• Wedding Dress-Alfred Angelo. Modified with a cherry sash.
• Red, White & Blue Shoe-Dolce & Gabbana
• Sparklers-My Wedding Favors