Martha's Wedding Show

Tune in tomorrow for Martha's Wedding Show. She's having Vera Wang, Frederic Fekkai, and Darcy Miller on. They'll talk about bridal and guest fashions, and decorating tips.

photo courtesy of MarthaStewart.com

Beverage Monday.

Grande Absente

The alluring, banned alcoholic beverage that was banned in the US in 1912 is back. It was believed to be highly hallucinogenic. It was called the Green Fairy! Supposedly the Wormwood is what makes it addictive. Today I am featuring, Grande Absente, Absinthe Originale is one of the oldest traditional absinthe recipes. It is hand crafted in Provence like it was from 1860-1912. It is made exclusively with the highest quality spirits and select botanicals from the region, including a full measure of the legendary botanical Wormwood, also know as artemisia absinthium.

The Traditional Way

Absente can be served two ways: mixed with water, or the traditional mixture of sugar and water using an Absente spoon and glass. The traditional method of preparing this drink is to slowly pour water over sugar cubes placed on a slotted Absente spoon and balancing the spoon on a glass containing 1/2 Absente and 1/2 Water. Depending upon your individual taste, Absente can also be served mixed with up to five parts of water to one part Absente. The Absente will change color, from a bright, clear green to a pearly and opalescent green, ready to drink.

The Green Fairy
2 oz Absente

1 oz GET 27

Lemon Juice

In a shaker filed with ice, mix Absente, GET 27 and a splash of lemon juice. Add a ½ teaspoon of sugar if you desire. Shake until the green fairy wakes up. Strain into martini glass and garnish by floating a lemon slice or drop in a twisted lemon peel.

The Absente Frappe

2 oz Absente

1/2 oz anisette

Soda Water

In a tall glass filled with crushed ice. Pour Absente, anisette and top off with soda water. Mix and enjoy

Green Dragon

1/2 oz Absente

1 1/2 oz Midori

3 oz Vodka

Pour ingrdients into a shaker full of ice. Shake until very cold, strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a cherry.

Cheers,

Happy Easter

~Have a fun~filled day everybody~

Traditions & Superstitions~The Invitation

Letterpress invitation by Bella Figura.

Today on Traditions & Superstitions we are going to talk about why there are so many rules to do with the invitations and where they came from.

• In the Middle Ages, invitations were written in calligraphy by monks, for the nobility.
• They were considered a luxury. Most people couldn't read or write
• Before then the town crier would announce to all the impending marriage.
• The envelope was usually sealed with a wax impression of the host's coat of arms.
• The printing press was invented in 1447 by Gutenberg.
• In 1642, the invention of metal plate engraving printing brought wedding invitation printing to the middle class.
• Engraving is done by handwriting on metal in reverse and then printing on the paper.
• Tissue paper was put on top of the invitation to prevent smudging, in case you were wondering what to do with it.
• Each guests name was also engraved on the invitation.
• During the 17th century people started announcing their weddings in the paper.
• Lithography was introduced in 1798. This method uses chemicals to produce an image.
• Lithography made it possible to mass-produce wedding invitations.
• During the Victorian times invitations were made by lithography or handwritten.
• They also usually sent them out only about two weeks before the event, instead of the six to eight weeks now.
• The invitations were delivered by foot or horseback. The post service wasn't reliable.
• The invitation was put into two envelopes since the outer envelope could be soiled en route.
• The outer envelope was thrown away by the butler before it reached the guest.
• The inner one was presented to the invited guest clean and pretty. It is the one without a seal.
• The wording is from the nobility and society mavens.
• Traditional invitation wording is the most formal of English, from Victorian times.
• For ceremonies taking place in a house of worship, use request the honour of your presence.
• For ceremonies taking place in a non-religious setting should say, request the pleasure of your company.
• Traditionally, invitations are written in black ink on white or cream paper.
• They were printed in a script font.
• Using titles for everybody on the invitation makes it formal.
• If you are getting married in an untraditional way you can be a lot more creative with the wording.
• The names on your wedding invitations should be the same as on your birth certificate.
• In 1973, the US Postal service started issuing their LOVE stamp.
• You can now order personalized stamps through the USPS at Stamps.com, Zazzle or a few other companies.
• You can have the post office hand stamp the invitation.
• It is not proper to put no gifts, the gift registry or give to a charity instead of gifts on the invitation, no matter what kind of wedding you are having.
• Today's letterpress invitations are made on antique machines.
• According to Wedding Paper Divas, the top invitation trends for 2009 are birds, peacock feathers, flowers, dandelions, and branches.

Happy Reading,

Beverage Monday

Happy Easter

~That's my Husband in there, 2007~

Since there is a drink for just about anything, how some about Easter Drinks?

Easter Bunny

• 1 1/2 oz Dark Creme de Cacao
• 1/2 oz Vodka
• 1 tsp Chocolate Syrup
• 1 tsp Cherry Brandy

Pour the crème de cacao and vodka into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
Shake and strain into an rocks glass filled with ice. Slowly float the chocolate syrup and cherry brandy on top.

Easter Egg Cocktail

• 1 oz blue curaçao
• 1 oz white crème de cacao
• half-and-half

Pour the blue curaçao and crème de cacao over ice cubes in rocks glass filled with ice. Slowly float the half-and-half on top.

Honey Bunny Cocktail

• 2 oz carrot juice
• 1 oz orange juice
• 1 dash grenadine syrup

Pour the juices in to rocks glass filled with ice. Add the grenadine.
Honey Bunny courtesy of 1001 Cocktail Recipies.

Cheers,

Newport Dunes Bridal Show

Thank You to all of you who came to the Newport Dunes Bridal Show and visited our booth. For those of you that couldn''t make it I'll post photos of A Joyuex Day's booth a little later. We had a fun give away. Enjoy your the rest of your Sunday.

Happy Planning,

Joyeux Updates

Don't forget to stop the Newport Dunes Bridal Show tomorrow from 11am -3pm. It's $5 per person and $2 to park. I'll see you there. Here are the directions.

I have extended the Photo Card Creations contest. It will now end on April 10th at 2pm Pacific. Make sure leave a comment for your chance to win. Click here to see the details.