Butcher and the Boar

Dale and I went to Butcher and the Boar for dinner last night. I had wanted to go for New Year's Eve but they were booked. Thankfully they weren't to busy last night. I had steak and he had BBQ'd octopus. Also had a couple martinis.

Brandy Alexander

Dale and I watched Christmas In Connecticut last night. Brandy Alexander as a nightcap as we finished up the movie.

Christmas 2013 - Nightcap

A touch of Bailey's Irish Cream before bed on Christmas night. What a wonderful holiday.

Christmas 2013 - Lunchtime Tanqueray Martini

This accompanied the Hawaiian pizza we had for lunch. The beef bourguignon for dinner went in the oven as soon as the pizza came out.

Christmas 2013 - Wine

A taste of wine Dale used to prepare the beef bourguignon.

Christmas 2013 - Pumpkin Pie Liqueur

A shot of this to start Christmas Day.

Cocktail Hour Music - December 14, 2013

Warren checked in with us in the later afternoon to see what we were up to for the evening. I told him that Dale was making chicken cacciatore and that he was welcome to join us for cocktails and dinner. He got here at the tail end of my putting lights on the Christmas tree. Listened to Christmas Cocktails Parts 3 and 4 from the Ultra Lounge series. Part 3 offers a kickin' version of Baby It's Cold Outside by Sammy Davis Jr. and Carmen McCrae. On Part 4 is an interesting twist on Jingle Bells titled Jungle Bells by Les Paul and Mary Ford. Part 3 dates from 2004 and Part 4 was just released last year in 2012.

The Orange Peel Thing

OK, I tried the orange peel thing last night. We were out of martini olives so I cut some peel off of an orange and rubbed the rind against the inside of my martini glass. I mixed a gin martini and left the peel in the glass. I don't think it worked well with he Hendrick's I used as that gin already has some pretty strong flavors. The oil really does flavor the drink and I think it would all work much better with vodka.

Orange and Lemon Peels

"Orange and lemon peels as garnish is nothing new, but when you stir them into your drink instead, they add enough oil to change the drink's texture." -Erik Adkins, The Slanted Door, San Francisco, as quoted in GQ Magazine Online, December 2013

Cocktail Hour Music December 7, 2013

While making dinner last night Dale and I listened to Christmas Cocktails Parts 1 and 2. Both discs are part of the Ultra Lounge series. We've been listening to these two discs for a number of years and they're usually the first albums of Christmas music we listen just after Thanksgiving. Part 1 is notable for Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Mambo by Billy May, Christmas Kisses by Ray Anthony, and an old Toys for Tots radio spot found at the end of the disc featuring a bunch of back-up vocalist elves (sounding exactly like Alvin and the Chipmunks) singing along with Peggy Lee and Nat 'King' Cole. Dale and I always get a big kick out of that one. Part 2 is notable for Dean Martin's Baby It's Cold Outside, Bob Atcher's Christmas Island, and Les Baxter's Santa Claus' Party. Part 1 dates to 1996 and Part 2 to 1997.

Cocktail Hour Saturday December 7, 2013

Time to bring out the red shaker. Made a Hendrick's martini.

Psycho Suzi's - The Coconaut

Dale and I were at Psycho Suzi's tonight with Cindi and Maggie and their friends Mary and Chris. I drank a couple of Coconauts which the drink menu describes as a "cross between a tropical White Russian and a pina colada." Whatever it is it's very drinkable.

Buca 2

The restaurant from the outside. We went because Gary had a Groupon. The food and drinks were great.

Buca 1

Went to Buca last night with Warren, Gary, and Perry. Had a couple of Tanqueray martinis.

Cocktail Hour Music - Wednesday November 27, 2013

T'was the night before Thanksgiving and we listened to Robbie Williams' new one: Swings Both Ways. He does well with this style of music.

Pre-Thanksgiving 2013 Part 2

Cute dog at South Lyndale Liquors. Didn't see the St. Bernard until we were about to leave.

Pre-Thanksgiving 2013 Part 1

Dale and I hit South Lyndale Liquors to stock up for the Thanksgiving holiday tomorrow. Picked up some more Fulton's Harvest Pumpkin Pie Liqueur, Hendrick's Gin (a big ass 1.75 litre bottle) and a bunch of wine (of course to drink, but we'll also baste the turkey tomorrow in red wine).

B.A.N.K. Restaurant 2

I had the prime rib and Dale had the halibut. We started with the Brussels sprouts with creme freche and a balsalmic vinegar reduction. Divine. The whole atmosphere of the place was perfect for drinking martinis and eating beef.

B.A.N.K. Restaurant 1

Dale and I went to B.A.N.K. recently. It was fantastic. I started out with a Tanqueray martini while he had wine. I love the bar there. It's ovular and right in the middle of the restaurant. The bartenders would shake the martinis over their heads. It looked kinda butch. I tried it at home the next time I made a martini. It didn't feel all that butch.

A Glass of Wine

Made lasagna for dinner tonight and had a glass of wine while assembling it. I just don't drink much wine anymore so it was a nice change of pace. The featured wine was La Vieille Ferme which is one of Dale's favorites.

Dinner with Gary and Warren

Dale and I had dinner with Warren and Gary last night. Warren made spaghetti. I fixed my own Tanqueray martini. We watch The Hangover and had a blast.

Old Friends

Dale and I got together last night with some old friends we met a while back at church, Peter and Kathy. It's been about 10 years since we've seen them but it was one of those things where it didn't seem like much time had passed at all. We started out with drinks at their house. Dale had wine and Peter and I had vodkatinis. After cocktails we went to dinner at the Bombay Bistro downtown. After dinner we went back to their house for another drink. Peter built a fire and their amusing children entertained us for a brief while. It's nice to connect with old friends.

Martini with Brunch

Dale and I headed to Pizza Luce for brunch after church. He got eggs while I got the apple quinoa pancakes. Oh, and I had a Tanqueray martini.

Cocktails -Saturday October 26, 2013

On my own tonight for cocktail hour. Listening to Radio Deluxe with John Pizzarelli. Highlights from tonight's show include Get Happy by Tony Bennett, Dinah by Joe Venuti and Zoot Sims, and The Joint is Jumping by Fats Waller. Cocktail #1 is a Tanqueray martini. Drink #2 while listening to Sinatra and Friends? The same.

Quote - John Ciardi

Bachelor Pad Part 1

The following is from Wikipedia: "A bachelor pad is a slang term for a living space owned by a bachelor (single man) that is designed as a collective space (as opposed to individual items) with the purpose of facilitating a bachelor in his daily activities to include but no limited to daily functionality, use of free time, hobbies and interests, entertaining friends, and seducing women. A bachelor pad can be done on a very limited budget as is the case with many young adults and college students or to a level of extravagance as seen amongst celebrities."

Cocktail Hour - Friday October 18, 2013: Music

Last night's cocktail music was Bachelor Pad Royale from the Ultra-Lounge series. The Theme From "Our Man Flint" by Elliott Fisher really stood out to me for some reason. It has a fun space age-y vibe to it.

Cocktail Hour - Friday October 18, 2013: Warren's Drink

Warren had his regular libation: rum with club soda and Rose's lime juice. Sadly I didn't have any real limes on hand for a garnish.

Cocktail Hour - Friday October 19, 2013: Warren and Gary

Warren and Gary came over for drinks and dinner last night. Gary and I had Tanqueray martinis. Mine was very dry, of course. Gary's? Not so dry. He likes a bit more vermouth than I do. Dale had wine.

Apple Pie Cream Liqueur

For the last couple years I've picked up some Fulton's Harvest Pumpkin Pie Cream Liqueur. I quite like it. Was at the liquor store yesterday and grabbed some off the shelf only to find after it was wrung up that it was apple pie flavored instead. Decided to give it a try and am glad I did. I quite liked it, as well.

Cocktail Hour Music - October 16, 2013

One of the highlights is, of course, the title song by Dean Martin but, quite honestly, all of the tracks are just the bee's knees.

Cocktail Hour - Wednesday October 16, 2013

Last night Dale and I celebrated the eve of our four day weekend. Pictured is a Tanqueray martini.

Cocktail Hour - October 6, 2013

Dale and I made a chicken pot pie for dinner and had pumpkin ice cream for dessert. I, of course, had a Bombay Sapphire martini for cocktail hour. Music for cocktail hour was Cugi's Cocktails by Xavier Cugat.

Kilt Night

Listened to Radio Deluxe with Dale. He had wine while I had a couple martinis. The first was Bombay Sapphire and the second was Tanqueray. Athena loved hanging out with us on the porch. Warm for a September evening. It hit the low 90s.

Last Night's Cocktail Party

Dale and I had about 16 folks from the church council over for a cocktail party last night. Mixed quite a few gin and tonics in addition to a martini or two.

Birthday Cocktail

Tanqueray martini at the Monte Carlo on my birthday. My second one was Hendrick's

Summer Martini

It's oh so wonderful having a martini on the porch in the summer.

Cocktail Hour Music - July 31, 2013

Buzzz by Tipsy

Cocktail Hour - July 31, 2013

Gin and tonics tonight.

Cocktail Hour Music - July 7, 2013

Tonight I listened to Hilary Kole whom I discovered on my favorite radio show, Radio Deluxe, with John Pizzarelli and Jessica Molasky.

Cocktail Hour July 7, 2013

Tanqueray Martini

4th of July Martini

Last Night's Cocktail Music

Yesterday was Cole Porter's birthday. I've got quite a bit of his music in my collection.

Last Night's Martini

Tanqueray martini on the porch. Sun came out late yesterday afternoon - just in time to start its descent. If I sound sarcastic it's because I am. This has been a cool, overly cloudy, rainy June which would be a bit more tolerable if it hadn't been such a long, cold, overly cloudy, snowy winter.

Cocktails with a Kilt

While visiting Sam in Leavenworth I picked up a kilt at the local Celtic store. Last night I wore it for cocktail hour.

Jagermeister Flask

While visiting Sam in Leavenworth for Memorial Day Weekend, I bought some Jagermeister during a liquor store stop. It came with this nifty flask. Sam said he had never tried Jag so we each had a shot at home. He said he liked it so I left the bottle with him.

Gin and Tonic Season Has Begun

Visiting Sam in Leavenworth for Memorial Day Weekend. We all went out to a rib joint for dinner. Dale and Sam had beer. I ordered gin and tonics. Very refreshing.

South Lyndale Liquors

Dale stopped by for some wine. I decided to pick up some Hendrick's.