Booze Clues: What to Wear and Drink on National Irish Coffee Day

Coffee with a Kick

Today's National Irish Coffee Day, and if you've spent the weekend partying, mixing a little caffeine with some hair o' the dog therapy might help prep you for the week ahead. If this has been a mellow weekend, this is a great way to stay cozy. Here are a couple of options to sip at brunch today (or try at home), along with boot suggestions, because baby, it's cold outside.

2 Gingers Caramel Irish Coffee (Available at Doc's Landing, White Bear Lake, MN)

Ingredients
1/2 part 2 GINGERS® Irish Whiskey
1/2 part Caramel Cream Liqueur
Coffee
Whipped Cream

METHOD:
Pour hot coffee into warmed glass until it is about 3/4 full. Blend in 2 GINGERS® Irish whiskey. Top with Caramel Irish Cream by pouring gently over back of spoon. Add whipped cream for garnish and serve hot.

Sweet and flavorful with a little spice. If you're into flavored coffees, this is for you. 

Woolrich Artist Boot in Ginger/ Earth 

Slip on your favorite chunky fairisle sweater, a pair of skinny jeans and a shearling-trim ankle boot when you head out today. This Artist Boot by Woolrich (available at amazon.com) definitely compliments such a look and pairs well with the 2 Gingers Caramel Irish Coffee. Made of full-grain leather and luxe wool, this boot is the epitome of coziness. The 4.75 inch heel makes it day party-ready, and the 1.5 inch platform adds comfort. It has a rubber sole, you should be okay in slippery situations. 

Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Coffee

Ingredients
1/4 oz simple syrup

1 ½ oz Tullamore D.E.W. Original

Top with Lavazza Gran Selezione Coffee

       

METHOD:

To a pre-heated coffee glass add the ingredients above and stir. Top with lightly whipped heavy cream. Garnish with grated nutmeg. (You can also drink this one over ice as shown in the photo)

Strong, dark and smooth. This is a drink for the purist. 

YWWH Trekking Ankle Boot

If a plaid flannel boyfriend shirt, jeggings and and chunky socks fit your mood today, a heeled hiking boot like this faux fur-lined Trekking Ankle Boot by YWWH (available at amazon.com) is the ideal choice for you. Faux leather and a lug sole hold up well to the elements. The high heel adds a shot of femininity to the ruggedness of this style. 

*Fine Print: all images courtesy images. Shoes N Booze is an affiliate of Amazon.com and receives a commission on items purchased by following links to amazon.com.

Booze Clues: How to Make the Cocktail Sipped by the Stars at the Golden Globes

You might not be walking the red carpet or prepping an acceptance speech, but that doesn't mean you can't sip like a star on Golden Globes Sunday. Moet & Chandon, the official champagne of the ceremony enlisted model, culinary expert and founder of the Impatient Foodie blog, Elettra Wiedemann, to concoct the official cocktail. I got my hands (eyes) on the recipe for the Moet Bijou Rouge so that you can toast your favorite actors and actresses as they accept awards for jobs well-done.

MOËT BIJOU ROUGE

·         1 ounce  Gin

·         1/4 ounce Dry Curacao

·         3/8 Sweet Vermouth

·         2 dashes of orange bitters

·         Brandied cherry garnish (with a touch of the brandied cherry syrup)

·         Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial

Directions:

Combine Gin, Curacao, Sweet Vermouth and orange bitters in a cocktail shaker. Stir very well with ice, and strain into a coupe glass. Top with Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial and garnish with brandied cherry.

Wild Wednesday: Fendi Monster Booties & A Sarsaparilla Old Fashioned

It's Scary out There

It's official. Winter has arrived. Considering the fact that a few days ago it was pretty warm outside, Jack Frost seems like a new kind of monster. We're friends with the monsters though, right? Well, even if you don't like the ones under your bed or that brutal one called winter wind, this Monster Bootie by Fendi will likely win you over. Fox fur trim at the ankle provides whimsy and warmth, and they eyes add to the fun. The sculptural open heel gives it a modern feel. Worn right, this bootie says your style is untamed, you know how to have fun and you don't mind attracting an extra eye or two. (Pun slightly intended.)

The bite of winter's wind is soothed by a sip of whiskey. Rye whiskey, with it's frontier-sy feel, fits right in with our wild theme today, and if sipping it straight isn't your thing, you'll want a cocktail containing the flavorful spirit. Try a Sarsaparilla Old Fashioned made with Knob Creek Rye at happy hour. While bourbon and scotch have a refined connotation, ordering rye at a bar gives you a little extra edge. Sarsaparilla was popular among cowboys in the old west, so having it in your cocktail contributes to your rabblerouser image.

Sarsaparilla Old Fashioned

Recipe by Eddie Eakin |Dallas, TX

Ingredients:

- 2 parts Knob Creek® Rye

- 1/4 part Honey Syrup (1:1 honey and water)

- 1/2 part Root Beer Liqueur 

- 2 dashes Sarsaparilla Dry Bitters

- 1 dash Vanilla Bitters

Method:

1. Combine Knob Creek® Rye, Honey Syrup, Root Beer Liqueur, Sarsaparilla Dry Bitters and Vanilla Bitters in a mixing glass.

2. Add cracked ice and stir for 40 revolutions. 

3. Strain over ice in a rocks glass. 

4. Garnish with 1 whole star anise pod and a brandied cherry.

Outfit Idea 

Go for high-low in:
Fendi Monster Booties: available at NeimanMarcus.com
Annalise Cropped Sweater: available at candela.com
Jacquard Pencil Skirt: available at zara.com
Gattinoni Planetarium Crossbody Bag: available at Forzieri.com

No Mess Monday: Jeffrey Campbell Dulce Pumps and Martinis

Back to Reality (A.K.A. Back to the Money)

Mondays are hard enough, but returning to the office on one after the holiday break is just brutal. Here's the good news though (especially if you're a freelancer like me), you can start to recoup some of the cash you spent or missed during the holidays. In honor of speaking your windfall into existence, walking your talk and the saying that shoes speak louder than words, rock this money-print Dulce Pump by Jeffrey Campbell today. Though it's classically styled, the print may make it a no-go for more conservative offices. However, it's approved for happy hour no matter where you work. The 4-inch heel means you should probably secure a bar stool early.

You know how there are all those memes of Leonardo DiCaprio holding the martini glass (whether from Gatsby or Wolf)? There's a reason for that... something about a martini says "money." It's also one of the few things strong enough to cure the Monday blues. Here's a recipe for a novel take on the classic cocktail:

FORDS 50/50 MARTINI

INGREDIENTS:

1½ oz Fords Gin

1½ oz Dolin Dry Vermouth

1 dash Regan’s Orange Bitters

1 lemon twist, for garnish

METHOD:

Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass. Add large cold ice and stir for 40 revolutions. Strain over rocks into a chilled coup glass. Garnish with lemon twist.

Outfit Idea: 

Thall Shalt Get Her Own Money Tee: available at teesinthetrap.com 

ASOS Wide Leg Crepe Pants: available at asos.com
Tulle Open Front Metallic Cardigan: available at Piperlime.com
Mini City Bag: available at zara.com

Fine Print: all courtesy images

Fun Friday- Taylor Says Pumps and Pomegranate Margaritas

Yours. Mine. Ours!!!

Say it with me... Let's claim it together. Armed with resolutions, mantras, new planners and refreshed goals, we're ready to take on this puzzling thing called life. Your NYE hangover has been cured just in time for the freakin' weekend. What better shoe to express your current mood than one like this James Pump by Taylor Says, with its crossword puzzle print and filled-in words like "moxie," "art" and "babe" (because you're a total babe, and you know it). Oh... that puzzle print covers the outsole, too. Yay.

Taylor Says James Pumps: available at heels.com
V-neck sweatshirt: available at hm.com 
Blank Denim Skinny Boyfriend Jeans: available at piperlime.com
"This is my year" quote: found on Pinterest. Linked to La Dolce Vita blog

There may not be a better drink than a margarita to welcome the weekend. Since it's a new year, we're all thinking healthier thoughts, so why not try one that includes a superfruit? This Pomegranate Margarita we found on the blog at Threadsence.com looks pretty tasty. It's a concoction by Jessica of How Sweet it Is. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

2 ounces Grand Marnier

1 1/2 ounces Tequila
2 ounces pomegranate juice
2 ounce lime juice
1 1/2 ounces simple syrup
coarse salt for the rim
lime + pomegranate arils for garnish

Directions:

For simple syrup: combine equal parts sugar and water, bring to a boil and let sugar dissolve, then turn off heat and let cool completely.

Rim the ridge of your glass with a lime wedge and dip in margarita salt. Fill the glass with ice. In a cocktail shaker, combine tequila, grand marnier, pom juice, simple syrup and lime juice with ice, and shake for about 30 seconds. Pour over ice and squeeze in extra lime slices. Add some pomegranate arils for decoration.

Fine Print: courtesy photos. Cocktail image via Threadsence. 

Booze Clues: Bloody Marys to Beat your NYE Hangover

Hey 2015, Hey!!!

We made it! The ball has dropped & the bubbly has been sipped. The new year is officially here! Now, what? How about New Year's Day brunch, complete with a little "hair of the dog" cure for the slight hangover you're feeling? After all, it is National Bloody Mary Day. Here are a couple of options (along with shoe pairings to help with that heel hangover from dancing the night away) in case you and your friends are meeting at someone's house to exchange resolutions or make vision boards.

Carrot Bloody Maria (by Elise Larson of A Beautiful Mess)

Ingredients

Fresh carrot juice

Bloody Mary mix

Ice

2 ounces Numi Carrot Curry Savory Tea-infused tequila**

Worcestershire sauce

Tabasco sauce

Lime

Fresh veggies, for garnish

Margarita salt, for garnish

Black pepper

                   

Directions: 
Rub the rim of a tall glass or mason jar with a slice of lime. Dip into coarse margarita salt. Fill glass 1/3 of the way with ice. Add tequila, then fill the rest of the glass with half Bloody Mary mix and half carrot juice. Add a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce and the juice of half a lime. Mix with a spoon, then sprinkle a little black pepper on the top and garnish with celery and fresh veggies.

And on your feet... 

Keep it classic and cozy in brick red Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Winter Knit Sneakers (Available at Shopbop.com)
Do it bright in orange Adidas Originals x Pharell Stan Smith Sneakers (available at farfetch.com)
Stay dry and warm in olive green Nike Dunk Sky High Sneakerboots with bright orange laces(Available at nike.com)
Kick it cool in orange cheetah print Carvela Lorenzo Slip-on Sneakers (Available at Kurtgeiger.com)

Ole Smoky Green Bloody Mary

Ole Smoky Green Bloody Mary

Ingredients:

6 tomatillos

2 yellow heirloom tomatoes

1 dill pickle

3 garlic cloves

1 serrano chili (seeds remove)

1 oz. Ole Smoky Original Moonshine

1 ½ tablespoon preserved lemon

Juice of ½ lime

3 dashes Tabasco

½ teaspoon each sugar, salt and pepper

Directions:

In a blender, puree ingredients. Fill glass with ice and strain in blended mixture.

And on your feet... 

Do the fringe trend in tan Koolaburra Mocky Moc Booties (available at revolveclothing.com) 

Channel your inner Audrey in gold G.H. Bass Weejuns Penny Loafers (available at amazon.com) :
Go for an artisanal look in gold textured Very Volatile Kalessi Booties (available at volatile.com) :
Be thoroughly modern in ombre animal print Matisse Nugent Wedge Booties (available at singer22.com)

Here's to an amazing year!!!