Magical Monday: Alexandra G Sandals & Bundaberg Cocktails

Welcome to Summer!

On Your Feet: Ariana Sandals by Alejandra G

Because: It's Summer Solstice, or the first day of Summer and the day we get the most time to play in the sun. There's something positively magical in the air. You might as well channel it in a pair of mesmerizing shoes, like Alejandra G's Ariana Sandal. If your personal charm doesn't put people under your spell, the psychodelic print on this sandal will. The 4.75 inch heel says you're daring, and the sexy (so-summer-16) ankle laces say you know what's hot now. If your office culture isn't fierce-friendly, pull these stunners out for happy hour and beyond... you've got plenty of time to enchant before the Strawberry Moon makes its appearance.

In Your Glass: a Bundaberg Solar Flare

Today's all about solar energy, so why not channel it in the form of a cocktail that's chock-full of citrus. Enter Bundaberg's Solar Flare. Featuring vodka, Bundaberg Blood Orange sparkling fruit drink, lime and grapefruit, it's sweet, effervescent and just tangy enough. You may not be able to get this exact cocktail at happy hour, but you can get something similar- and it'll say you're a bit more complex than someone who simply orders "vodka orange". Also, it nods to your sunny outlook and sweet personality.

Sipping at home? Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
1.7 fl.oz Vodka
Bundaberg Blood Orange
0.7 fl.oz Lime juice
0.5 fl.oz Grapefruit juice
0.5 fl.oz Orange juice

Method:
Build in tall glass. Garnish with Orange, grapefruit and lime wedges.

We received complimentary samples of Bundaberg Sparkling Fruit Drink recently, and we're loving the variety of flavors. Made in Australia, they're craft brewed over 2 days, and they locally source most of their ingredients. To learn more or find out how to get your hands on some, click here.

Boozy Book Review: Zen and Tonic

On Drinking to Your Health

Did you know that before people drank wine and cocktails as recreational intoxicants, they were using them as medicine? Do you know how to tell whether your produce is organic, conventional or GMO by simply reading the label? These two tips are among many helpful tidbits found in Jules Aron's Zen And Tonic: Savory and Fresh Cocktails for the Enlightened Drinker. 

I recently came across a few Instagram posts mentioning Zen and Tonic and requested a copy for review. Honestly, I'm glad I did. In addition to beautiful cocktail imagery by Gyorgy Papp and imaginative cocktails made with natural ingredients, Jules AKA the Healthy Bartender packed the pages of her hardcover ode to drinking with great tips and helpful tidbits about everything from fruits and herbs to ice and glasses. For example:

Aron also provides recipes for syrups and infusions to use in cocktails, along with a list of health benefits for many of the fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices and flowers used in the recipes. Most importantly, though, she stresses the importance of moderation and reminds readers that her recipes shouldn't be used to cure or treat diseases (smart!). 

My favorite aspect of the book, though, is that while its language and content is easily understandable for someone who's not in the liquor and spirits industry, it doesn't pander or condescend. In fact I found it quite enjoyable despite already knowing much of the health-related info (I'm in to living la vida healthy). As we enter summer, with all its soirees and barbecues, it's probably worth getting a copy... you'll be the star of every BYOB event. Trust me. Zen and Tonic is published by the Countryman Press and has a suggested retail of $24.95. You can purchase it in the Shoes N Booze Shop, on Amazon or at various locations. In the meantime, here's the title cocktail.

*All images were taken from the pages of Zen and Tonic. Though I took pictures of them with my own camera, photography credit for the originals goes to Gyorgy Papp.

Go Drink Here NYC: Time Out New York Bar Awards

Best in Glass

Time Out New York recently assembled a panel of liquor luminaries to select the best bars, bartenders and cocktails in New York. With so many amazing places to imbibe in the city, it had to be a tough choice. Nonetheless, Yana Volfson, Lucinda Sterling, Jillian Vose, Eben Freeman, Joe Campanale, Sam Ross, Jane Danger, Sam Anderson, Thomas Waugh, Meaghan Dorman, Jim Kearns, and Karin Stanley managed to pick four finalists in each of seven categories. Here's the list:

• Best New Cocktail Bar: Bar Goto, Grand Army, Leyenda, Mace
• Bar of the Year: Attaboy, Long Island Bar, Maison Premiere, The NoMad Bar
• Best Bar Team: Attaboy, Long Island Bar, Maison Pemiere, The Nomad Bar
• Best Restaurant-Bar Program: Betony, Cosme, Llama Inn, Mission Chinese Food
• Best Comeback Kid: Black Crescent, Dante, Donna, Holiday Cocktail Lounge
• Best Single-Focus Bar: Amor y Amargo, Four Horsemen, Mayahuel, Tørst
• Best Instagram-Worthy Cocktail: Dark and Stormy at Genuine Liquorette, Shark Eye at Mother of Pearl, Tahitian Coffee at Slowly Shirley, Coconut at ZZ’s Clam Bar

The winners will be announced tomorrow night (May 16, 2016) at the 2nd Annual Time Out New York Bar Awards. This year's event will be from 7-10 PM at Arena (135 W 41st St). The cool part? It's not only open to industry insiders. You can score a ticket HERE for $53.75. In addition to sipping Peroni, Tito's Handmade Vodka and custom cocktails, you'll get to enjoy passed hors d'oeuvres and Tipsy Scoops boozy ice cream while grooving to beats by DJ Louie XIV.


We'll be in the building sipping, chatting, and possibly doing a two-step. Hope to see you there!

Booze Clues: 5 Cinco de Mayo Drinks that Aren't Margaritas

Because You Had Margaritas Last Week

FACT: Cinco de Mayo is NOT Mexico's Independence Day (that's September 16th). It is also NOT National Margarita Day (though it may seem like it). Cinco de Mayo actually commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely defeat of French forces at the battle of Puebla in 1862. Also, we Americans have made a mockery of the day in various ways (as we do with most holidays, especially if we can use them as an excuse to get hammered... St. Paddy's day, here's to lookin' at you.). This HuffPo video actually explains that many of the ways we celebrate are actually a bit offensive. Yikes! 

Now that we all feel a little guilty, let's sip a few of those woes away. You do know the margarita isn't the only Mexican-inspired cocktail out there, right? Consider the paloma, michelada, or even one of your favorite cocktails with tequila replacing the usual spirit. We've rounded up a few cocktail ideas to get your ideas flowing.  

Herradura Paloma (An Easy Switch if you REALLY love margaritas)

 

INGREDIENTS:

2 oz Tequila Herradura Silver

5 oz grapefruit juice (or Spiked Seltzer Indian River Grapefruit)

1 oz Lemon juice and salt

METHOD:

In a big ball glass put the ice and Tequila Herradura. Add salt, lemon juice and grapefruit juice (or Siked Seltzer).

Mexican Martini -Created by Garrett Flanagan for El Original (If you're into dirty martinis)

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 oz. Lime Juice

1.5 oz. Simple Syrup

3 oz. Tequila

0.5 oz. Olive Juice

METHOD:

Shake with ice, pour into martini glass, garnish with olives and enjoy!

SX Honey Bee -Featured on the menu of Bodega Negra in NYC

INGREDIENTS:

2oz SXchachacha

.25oz Mezcal

Fresh Lemon Juice

Honey

Lavender Bitters

METHOD:

Blend SXchachacha, mezcal, lemon and honey over ice. Shake. Pour into large rocks glass. Add a dash of lavender bitters.

Altos Anejo Manhattan -Created by Charles Joly

INGREDIENTS:

2 parts Altos Añejo

1 part Carpano Antica® vermouth

2 dashes of bitters

METHOD:
Blend ingredients and stir over ice. Strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with orange peel and serve straight up.

Succotash’s Gochujang Michelada

INGREDIENTS:
6 oz Dominion Candi (Belgian style tripel) or beer of your choice
1.5 oz Gochujang michelada mix (see below)

METHOD:
Use a lime wedge to moisten the rim of a glass halfway around. Place a mixture of equal parts Korean chili flakes and Kosher salt on the half moistened rim. Fill the glass with ice. Add the michelada mix. Top with the beer, and stir 3-4 times to evenly distribute all ingredients. Garnish with a straw and a lime wheel.

Gochujang Michelada Mix Ingredients (yields 7 micheladas):
2 oz Chung Jung One’s Gochujang Korean Chili Sauce
1.5 oz Crystal Hot Sauce
5 oz Fresh lime juice
1.25 oz Fresh orange juice
0.5 oz Worcestershire sauce
0.5 oz Old Forester Bourbon
0.25 oz Honey
Preparation:
Add all of the ingredients into a pint-sized container. Mix thoroughly. Store in the cooler when not in use. Shelf life: two days.

* Mango Habanero Margarita -Available at Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar in NYC (A bonus because some people just love margaritas)

INGREDIENTS:

1 ¾ parts Milagro Silver tequila

¾ parts Orange Curacao

1 part mango puree – Perfect Puree

1 part scratch sour mix

2 slices fresh habanero

4 drops Bitterman's Hellfire Habanero Shrub - available at Tommy Bahama

METHOD:

Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass, add ice and shake with a Boston shaker to blend. Pour into salt rimmed double rocks glass and top with 2 slices of habanero.

Will you be trying any of these for Cinco de Mayo? Do you have your own special cocktail for the holiday? Still totally stuck on margaritas? (We won't judge.) Let us know in the comments.