sexy white wine sangria

There's certainly no shortage of sangria recipes floating around out there in the recipesphere; but on a hot, casual Saturday afternoon, I'm usually wanting white wine, rather than red. The club soda in this particular version really does it for me by skimming off the overly sweet and leaving behind a thirst-quenching crispness.

Alone or with your best sangria drinkin' guys & gals, this super refreshing and very simple (chances are good you already have most of the ingredients in your kitchen) winey goodness does the trick.

Sexy White Wine Sangria

• 1 bottle of Sauvignon Blanc 
• 1/2 litre of club soda (or ginger ale if you like it really sweet ... I personally do not) 
• 2 kiwis 
• 1/2 cup of raspberries 
• 2 limes 
• 1/2 cup of sugar 

Cut the kiwi and the lime into wedges. Pour the wine into a large, preferably glass, pitcher. Add all the fruit and the sugar then mix well. Cover and let it sit in the fridge for at least one hour. When you’re ready to drink, add the club soda and about two handfuls of ice. Mix again and serve immediately.

{ ❤ again? }

I swear we were just sittin' at this very spot on the calendar, weren't we? Well, here's my Red Paper Crap Day tribute to myself :). I jest. Sorta.

Sparkling wine & berries

Chocolate Raspberry Truffles

Elinor understands.

Purr

Broiled Lobster Tail with Garlic Butter Sauce

I'm the hero of this story. I don't need to be saved.

I'm now going to go pour myself a glass of cab sav and leave you with the sage words of Lily Tomlin: "If love is the answer, could you please rephrase the question?"
Happy week.
xo

winter in a texas vineyard

Yesterday a friend and I visited Messina Hof Winery here in Bryan, TX. Obviously we're many months from grape harvesting time, but there's something ridiculously peaceful about walking through the vines during the middle of winter. And since our weather is currently about as mild as January weather can be, we took advantage of an opportunity to stroll around the lake, snap some photos, and enjoy multiple glasses of amazing wine (cheese too, of course). A fantastic Friday afternoon.

:: nye preparations ::

HA! That post title implies that I have super grand New Years Eve plans, doesn't it? I so don't.

I'm going to be home at midnight on December 31. In my house. Relaxing. I won't have a funky, Middle Eastern strain of flu (see NYE 2010). And I won't be frantically spending the day trying to find the perfect outfit for a party I don't want to attend (all, good things).

So today I opened a bottle of bubbly for the purpose of taking an early NYE "festivities" test drive (pretend, for a moment, that I don't sip sparkling wine frequently).

It was the right thing to do.

In the process, I pulled out my camera, as I regularly do ... and it struck me that, to some, I may come across as her--that nutty woman who photographs her cat, as if he's her child. Fuck. I swear I'm not that person. It was simply a poignant moment in which Jaxson (feline) appeared to be as interested in my wine as was I (my baby loves to dunk his paw into my glass).

So I snapped his photo.

I'm not that person.

It's going to be a good year. I can feel it.