happy friyay my friends! we made it through another wild week. 

today, i was planning a reflective monologue about all the crazy fires and how lucky my family and friends are that we escaped harm. but it seems almost like gloating to even go there when so many up north are still fearing for their homes and their livelihoods. 

my fears feel so insignificant now. 

so many now are struggling with trying times thanks to an angry mother nature. each new disaster is overshadowing the one that rolled in before it. deciding how to help, who to help and where to send that help has me spinning. 

and then my uncle called.

his call was actually business related since we are helping him with food for an upcoming event.but after we chatted about sheet cakes and appetizers, he told me that i had recently said something that brought some change to his life. it was a very small comment i made in the midst of conversation, but it stuck with him.

suddenly, it became clear to me what i need to do to feel more "helpful."

i just have to keep being helpful. every day. every hour. every minute. not necessarily offering up money or things to people all day every day, that's not always possible. but by giving help when help is needed. whenever that opportunity presents itself to me.

whether it's food for the homeless man who passes by our door a couple times a week, a mom who needs a good stretch and some escape from her day in my yoga class, or simply telling a coworker who is a bit down how great they are, i am just going to try my best to help. 

now we all can't help the same way. we all have different gifts, strengths and means. i recommend you pour yourself a drink, relax and figure out how you can help. 

mango sunrise
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 5 minutes
active time: 1 minute
total time: 6 minutes
ingredients: 2 oz tequila. .25 cup chopped mango. 1 oz lime juice. 1 oz triple sec. 1 oz hibiscus syrup. 1 cup ice. shaker. food processor. line wedge for garnish.

start by combining the lime juice and mango in the base of a food processor.

 blend until the mango is completely puréed. you will need 2 oz of the purée. 

in your shaker, combine the tequila, mango and triple sec. shake till completely combined and a bit frothy. about 30 seconds. 

pour the hibiscus syrup in the bottom of your serving glass. 

pour all the shaker contents including the ice into the glass.

garnish with lime wedge and enjoy.

xo, a

mango sunrise 
serves: 1 cocktail 
prep time: 5 minutes 
active time: 1 minute 
total time: 6 minutes 
ingredients: 2 oz tequila. .25 cup chopped mango. 1 oz lime juice. 1 oz triple sec. 1 oz hibiscus syrup. 1 cup ice. shaker. food processor. line wedge for garnish. start by combining the lime juice and mango in the base of a food processor. blend until the mango is completely puréed. you will need 2 oz of the purée. in your shaker, combine the tequila, mango and triple sec. shake till completely combined and a bit frothy. about 30 seconds. pour the hibiscus syrup in the bottom of your serving glass. pour all the shaker contents including the ice into the glass. garnish with lime wedge and enjoy.

i arrived home from teaching and taking yoga at eleven this morning ready to get busy in the kitchen. it's friyay, so duh, i had to make and enjoy a cocktail with wes. and then it was time toprep, prep, prep for the baby shower we are catering for my good friend lish tomorrow morning. 

but as soon as i started fiddling around at the bar, wes told me HE wanted to make our cocktail. 

you got it buddy! i'll happily enjoy the fruits of your labor and spend a couple minutes relaxing on the couch before the madness. so he got to creating. 

after we shot the cocktail, we headed out to our garden to enjoy it and some last moments of calm. as i edited the photos, i couldn't help but laugh. that sweet man has spent so much time watching me style photos, there was the perfect amount of props and garnish. too bad he didn't use most of them. so don't mind the muddler, long spoon or that rogue pineapple wheel in the corner of the ingredients shot/the background of many of these shots. they are pretty, but not required. 

while his styling might need work, his bartender skills are well honed. try this orange blossom for a fresh, easy drinking, summer cocktail. 

orange blossoms
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 2 minutes
active time 1 minute
total time: 3 minutes
ingredients: 2 oz vodka. 2 oz fresh squeezed orange juice. 1 oz st. germain. .5 oz hibiscus syrup (you can purchase it HERE). lime wheel for garnish. orange peel for garnish. 1 cup ice. boston shaker. ice for serving. 

fill your boston shaker with 1 cup of ice. 

pour in your vodka, orange juice, st. germain and hibiscus syrup. shake well. 

pour the liquid over ice. 

garnish with lime wheel and orange peel and enjoy. 

xo, a

orange blossoms serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 2 minutes
active time 1 minute
total time: 3 minutes
ingredients: 2 oz vodka. 2 oz fresh squeezed orange juice. 1 oz st. germain. .5 oz hibiscus syrup (you can purchase it HERE). lime wheel for garnish. orange peel for garnish. 1 cup ice. boston shaker. ice for serving.
fill your boston shaker with 1 cup of ice. pour in your vodka, orange juice, st. germain and hibiscus syrup. shake well. pour the liquid over ice. garnish with lime wheel and orange peel and enjoy.