Cutesy Tuesday: Floral Ted Baker Pumps & Cherry Blossom Cocktails

Summoning Spring, STAT!

On Your Feet: 

The calendar says it's spring. However, if you're in the Northeast, it feels like Old Man Winter is hanging on for dear life. Nonetheless, the National Cherry Blossom Festival is in full bloom throughout Washington, DC (March 20- April 5). No matter where you're based, Celebrate "the Nation's greatest springtime celebration" in floral pumps like the "Saeber" by Ted Baker (less than $130 at Amazon).  A metallic gold heel and toe accent add a bit of edge to a silky flower-print upper. Maybe if we give spring a sartorial salute, it will actually fight for its rightful place on the thermometer.

In Your Glass: 

Toast the new season and all the flowers (sneeze!) it will bring with a sweet, but strong cocktail, like this Very Cherry Smash. The tequila makes it festive, the orange liqueur adds depth and lime juice provides an element of tartness. Here's how you make it:

Very Cherry Smash

Ingredients:

1 part Sauza Blue Silver 100% Agave Tequila
2 parts JDK & Sons 03 Premium Orange Liqueur
5 cherries (pitted and stemmed)
1 tbsp. agave nectar
1 part fresh lime juice
1 part club soda

Method:

Muddle together cherries, lime juice and agave nectar. Strain into shaker. Add in orange liqueur, tequila, and ice and shake. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Top with club soda and garnish with cherries.

If You're Not Into Heels

Adidas Floral Wing Sneaker

Shoe News: EOS x Keds

Sweet Kicks and Soft Kisses

Keds (which seems to keep its name current via Taylor Swift collaborations) are a springtime favorite of mine because of their classic appeal, and in recent years, I've become a fan of the emolience that is eos (evolution of smooth) lip balm pods. The two brands decided to partner on a capsule collection, thanks to fans showing lots of love for a recent joint post on Instagram. Availble for $50- $55 and  exclusively at Shoe Carnival, the sneakers will each come with an eos Smooth Lip Sphere in a corresponding color.  Shoppers can choose from the following Keds x eos options:

• Champion eos Passion Fruit (lavender)
• Champion eos Blueberry Acai (light blue)
• Double Up eos Raspberry (dark pink).

My favorite eos flavor is the mint, so I actually wish they'd done a sneaker to correspond with that one, but the ight blue colorway is suddenly high on my consideration list. What about you? Will your kicks match your kisses this spring?

*Courtesy image via PRNewswire

3 St Paddy's Day Drinks that Kick Green Beer's Butt

Beannachtam na Femle Padraig ("Happy St. Patrick's Day!")

Let's start this with an Irish toast: 

May those that love us, love us

And those that don’t love us.

May God turn their hearts.

And if he doesn’t turn their hearts,

May he turn their ankles

So we’ll know them by their limping

Now, for the drinks. Green beer is cool if you're under the age of 25, but after that point, it's time to get a bit more refined. Guiness is always an option, and so is straight Irish whisky. However, if you'd like something a little sweeter, here are some options (and not all of them contain whisky): 

2 Gingers "Big Ginger"

Ingredients: 

2 parts 2 GINGERS® Irish Whiskey

Ginger Ale
Lemon Wedge
Lime Wedge

Method: 

Pour the 2 GINGERS® Irish Whiskey into a pint glass with ice. Top with ginger ale, followed by a wedge of a lemon and lime.

Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Manhattan

Ingredients:

50ml Tullamore D.E.W. Original

15ml sweet vermouth
5 ml Luxardo maraschino liqueur
Dash Angostura bitters
Dash Orange bitters
Orange zest
Maraschino cherry

Method:

Stir the ingredients together quickly over ice. Pour into a chilled coupette glass. Zest orange twist over surface of drink, spiral and drop into the glass.

Milagro "Cool as a Cucumber Margarita"

Ingredients: 

2 parts Milagro Silver

1 part Fresh Lime Juice

3 Cucumber Slices

1 Lime wheel

1 Cucumber Stick

Garnish: course ground sea salt and black peppercorn mix

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a blender without ice. Blend and pour over fresh ice into a rocks glass prepared with a half salted rim. Garnish with a cucumber spear and lime wheel (optional).

Do you have any fun plans for St. Paddy's Day? What about a go-to drink?

Booze Clues: 2 Drinks To Toast Pi Day

Happy Birthday, Einstein!

If you're a math geek, you probably already know this, and if you're a trivia enthusiast (like I am) you'll be interested to know that today is both Albert Einstein's birthday. This year is special, though, because today's date, 3/14/15 represents the first five digits in Pi, the infinitely long ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter- 3.1415. Here at Shoes N Booze, it's an excuse to toast with pie-themed cocktails. Here are a couple of recipes:

Piehole Whiskey "She's My"

Ingredients:

1.5 oz. Piehole Cherry Pie

.25 oz. Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum

.25 oz. pineapple juice

Splash of sour mix

Method:

Build ingredients over ice. Strain into glass.

Basil Hayden's "Mildred's Peach Pie"

Recipe by LA Mixologist, Joel Black of Black LAB Ventures

Ingredients:
1 1⁄2 parts Basil Hayden’s® Bourbon
4 Fresh Peach Slices
2 dashes Peach Bitters
3⁄4 parts Lemon Juice
1 pinch Ground Cinnamon
3⁄4 parts Honey Syrup (see recipe below)*

Method:

1. Muddle peach slices, peach bitters, lemon juice, ground cinnamon and honey syrup in a mixing tin.

2. Add Basil Hayden’s® Bourbon and shake vigorously for 7 seconds.

3. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a peach sprinkled with cinnamon.

*Honey Syrup
1. Combine 3 parts honey with 1 part hot water.
2. Stir until completely combined.