is it just me, or does anyone else feel like they need a three day weekend to recover from their three day weekend? 

we celebrated my friend morgan on saturday in west los angeles and some of our best girls flew in for the festivities. we visited all our old stoping grounds, dressed head to tow in 80's gear. and
while i was terrible at taking photos, let me assure you that my group was committed. 

i was supposed to head home sunday for a productive day of recovering on my couch with football and my husband, but the girls convinced me to stay up in la for one more night of dinner and dancing. they know i'm a sucker for a night of dancing.
so instead of attacking my monday, i zombied through it. and i'm ready for rest and a bit of a detox. bring on the greens! 

salads are wonderful and can be so beautifully seasonal. i'm soaking up every last second of pomegranate season with this easy, bright salad.

pomegranate & blue cheese salad
serves: 2 dinner salads
prep time: 10 minutes
active time: 2 minutes
total time: 12 minutes
ingredients: 1 romaine heart, chopped. 1 cup arugula. 2 cups mixed greens. .25 cup pomegranate seeds. .25 cup blue cheese. .25 cup spiced pistachios (you can use any pistachios you have on hand). .25 cup apple cider vinaigrette. 

in a large bowl, combine all the greens and toss well so they are well mixed. 

add in the pomegranate, blue cheese and pistachios. 

drizzle with dressing. 

toss well and serve. 

xo, a

pomegranate & blue cheese salad
serves: 2 dinner salads
prep time: 10 minutes
active time: 2 minutes
total time: 12 minutes
ingredients: 1 romaine heart, chopped. 1 cup arugula. 2 cups mixed greens. .25 cup pomegranate seeds. .25 cup blue cheese. .25 cup spiced pistachios (you can use any pistachios you have on hand). .25 cup apple cider vinaigrette.
in a large bowl, combine all the greens and toss well so they are well mixed.
add in the pomegranate, blue cheese and pistachios.
drizzle with dressing.
toss well and serve. 

friyay is usually my day off. but today, i subbed a class for an instructor who had a sudden obligation. i had a nice morning at home with wes, drinking coffee and researching cocktails and then i headed to the studio. all morning i had this nervous feeling i couldn't shake. i arrived at my class early, excited to teach to a group i don't usually have. five minutes before class, the teacher before me informed me that the speaker was malfunctioning. low tones of my music weren't coming through. making my music, well, lackluster. for a thirty minute spin class. sweet. 

and then i realized it is friday the thirteenth. sounds about right. so i took a deep breath, remembered it was friday and in a few short hours i would have a cocktail in my hand, and i got through it. 

luckily, i'm in for the evening and will be hunkering down to avoid further disaster. with this delicious cocktail in hand. 

i found this vintage cocktail in a really cool cocktail book that wes's mom andrea gave him for christmas. i flipped to the page purely because i thought the name was cute, but i fell for it after reading the ingredients. clean, bright and just a little hint of sweetness. i have some really beautiful fresh marjoram in my little garden at the moment and it was the perfect floral compliment to the gin and lime juice. if you can't find any marjoram in your local store, try subbing lavender or other floral herb you can find. 

in rickey + fresh marjoram
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 1 minute
active time: 1 minute
total time: 2 minutes
ingredients: 2 oz gin. 1 tbs lime juice. 1 tsp simple syrup. 4 oz club soda. 5 sprigs marjoram. lime wedge for garnish. 1 cup ice + ice for serving. stainer. 

start by removing the leaves from three of the marjoram sprigs. grab the top of the sprig with one hand and run your index finger and thumb down the length of the stem, removing the leaves as you go. 

in a mixing glass or shaker, combine the leaves, ice, gin, simple syrup and lime juice.

shake or mix until well combined and the marjoram leaves have bruised to release their oils. 

strain the gin mixture over ice into your cocktail glass. 

top off with your desired amount of club soda.

garnish with the remaining sprigs of marjoram and lime wedge and enjoy. 

xo, a

gin rickey + fresh marjoram
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 1 minute
active time: 1 minute
total time: 2 minutes
ingredients: 2 oz gin. 1 tbs lime juice. 1 tsp simple syrup. 4 oz club soda. 5 sprigs marjoram. lime wedge for garnish. 1 cup ice + ice for serving. stainer.
start by removing the leaves from three of the marjoram sprigs. grab the top of the sprig with one hand and run your index finger and thumb down the length of the stem, removing the leaves as you go.
in a mixing glass or shaker, combine the leaves, ice, gin, simple syrup and lime juice.
shake or mix until well combined and the marjoram leaves have bruised to release their oils.
strain the gin mixture over ice into your cocktail glass.
top off with your desired amount of club soda.
garnish with the remaining sprigs of marjoram and lime wedge and enjoy.