well, baby girl minichiello could arrive any day now. she is due on august 6th (naturally on a tueasday), but at this point she is considered full term any time she decides to join us. and aside from a few more things we want to complete around the house, i am ready.

i mean, i’m not totally ready to push out a watermelon, but i’m as ready as i will ever be.

and even more ready to enjoy friyay happy hour cocktails again.

it is hot hot hot all over this here country and the best way to beat the heat is with a cool drink. i imaged this cocktail up as a fresh fruit, vodka version of a daiquiri. and when i went to google how to spell daiquiri (because i am a horrible speller) i discovered that today is national daiquiri DAY! so i guess you have to make it now.

strawberry + citrus cooler

serves: 1 cocktail

prep time: 3 minutes

active time: 1 minute

total time: 4 minutes

ingredients: 1 oz vodka. 3 oz dry white wine. .5 cup hulled and halved strawberries. 1 oz lemon juice. 1 oz lime juice. 1 tbs sugar. 2 cups ice. shaker. strainer. blender or food processor. lime wheel for garnish.

in the food processor or blender, combine the vodka, strawberries, juices and sugar.

blend until puréed. fill your shaker with half the ice. pour the blended mixture over ice in the shaker.

add in the wine. shake well till combined. strain the contents of your shaker over the remaining ice in your serving glass.

garnish with the lime wedge and serve.

xo, a

strawberry + citrus cooler

serves: 1 cocktail

prep time: 3 minutes

active time: 1 minute

total time: 4 minutes

ingredients: 1 oz vodka. 3 oz dry white wine. .5 cup hulled and halved strawberries. 1 oz lemon juice. 1 oz lime juice. 1 tbs sugar. 2 cups ice. shaker. strainer. blender or food processor. lime wheel for garnish.

in the food processor or blender, combine the vodka, strawberries, juices and sugar. blend until puréed. fill your shaker with half the ice. pour the blended mixture over ice in the shaker. add in the wine. shake well till combined. strain the contents of your shaker over the remaining ice in your serving glass. garnish with the lime wedge and serve.

yes friends! we made it to the first day of summer. today is the longest day of the year and the official summer kick off.

our calendar is packed to the gills this week with graduation cakes, food delivery, baby shower, wedding and anniversary cakes. ALL the summer celebrations are going down now.

in additional to sharing all the beautiful cakes this weekend, i’m sharing this summer lunch i planned with my friend lish from lisherbevents and these gorgeous melamine products from juliska.

it got me super excited for summer. summer food, summer fruit, summer drinks and before too long, a summer baby. baby is the size of pineapple this week and coincidentally i’ve been eating a ton of it. it makes me think of tropical vacations and some of my favorite cocktails.

in this weeks edition of delicious cocktails i make and then pass of to my lucky, LUCKY husband, we have a cooling, tropical orange and pineapple drink that tastes like the dreamiest popsicle in a glass. and will have you feeling like you are on vacation.

pineapple + orange rumsicle

serves: 1 cocktail

prep time: 3 minutes

active time: 1 minute

total time: 4 minutes

ingredients: 1.5 oz white rum. .5 oz triple sec. 2 oz fresh squeezed orange juice. 3 tbs pineapple purée (i blended up about 5 pineapple cubes in a food processor until smooth. if you aren’t into making your own purée, you could always sub pineapple juice) + pineapple wedge for garnish. 1 cup finely crushed ice + a couple cubes for your shaker. shaker.

start by filling your shaker with the couple full ice cubes. pour in the rum, triple sec, orange juice and pineapple purée. shake well till everything is well combined.

fill your serving glass with crushed ice. strain the contents of your shaker into your glass.

garnish with a pineapple wedge. serve and enjoy.

xo, a

pineapple + orange rumsicle

serves: 1 cocktail

prep time: 3 minutes

active time: 1 minute

total time: 4 minutes

ingredients: 1.5 oz white rum. .5 oz triple sec. 2 oz fresh squeezed orange juice. 3 tbs pineapple purée (i blended up about 5 pineapple cubes in a food processor until smooth. if you aren’t into making your own purée, you could always sub pineapple juice) + pineapple wedge for garnish. 1 cup finely crushed ice + a couple whole ice cubes for your shaker. shaker.

start by filling your shaker with the couple full ice cubes. pour in the rum, triple sec, orange juice and pineapple purée. shake well till everything is well combined. fill your serving glass with crushed ice. strain the contents of your shaker into your glass. garnish with a pineapple wedge. serve and enjoy.