Weekend Wrap-Up

Good morning, readers! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. We entertained the in-laws and took a trip to the family cabin near Lake Wenatchee. The weather was perfect, the conversations flowed freely and the food was plentiful. Just the kind of weekend I needed to recharge my batteries!

Just another beautiful Saturday afternoon on the deck at the cabin.

An array of pink wildflowers in our neighbor's yard.

Cheese! Family photo time.

The Weekend in Pictures

1.  Escargot from RN74
2.  An unexpected Saturday morning shoulder massage from our kitty, Bella
3.  You only live once.  So true!
4.  Fresh, homemade bouquets. Daisies, chrysanthemums, roses, carnations and more.
5.  First sign of grapes growing in our front yard
6.  A night out at the theater - RENT!

Mixology Monday: Martini Mantra

On Friday, we went out to dinner with our good friends Brian and Wendy.  We finally got to try this sushi restaurant we've been eyeing for months and it was worth the wait.

One of the funnier points of the evening came when our waitress offered us a bit of advice:  if you order a dirty martini, ask for a side of olive juice.  That way, if it's not dirty enough, you can adjust the olive juice as needed without having to send your drink back.  Personally, I like my martinis so dirty they resemble swamp water, which means I'm always sending them back and feeling guilty about it. Now I don't have to sweat it. Now that's news I can I can drink to!

Mixology Monday: Creme de Violette Martini

Hopefully you've all had a lovely weekend. I know I did!  I tried a fantastic new restaurant here on Saturday night called Re:public. While the food was to die for (try the crispy pork belly with ginger-glazed carrots), the drinks left the biggest impression on me, especially the Creme de Violette Martini.  Wow.  Just, wow.

If you've never had Creme de Violette liqueur, it's essentially brandy flavored with violet flowers. It's very sweet with a subtle, floral aroma.  It's also a deep, dark purple color, which sort of makes you feel like you're drinking something that should actually taste awful.  

I would definitely try this cocktail again, though it looks like there are many other interesting Creme de Violette combinations out there. I wonder if any other joints here in Seattle serve them?  

Looks like I've got some exploring to do!

My Creme de Violette Martini backlit by candles. 

A snapshot of Re:public's eclectic drink menu. The
Creme de Violette cocktail is there in the middle. 

P.S. Stay tuned for some cool DIY projects this week that don't have anything to do with cocktails, I promise! :)

Mixology Monday: Atholl Brose

Let's face it: any way you slice it, Monday is the roughest, longest day of the week.  To help pass the time, I've decided to implement a new weekly blog post. I'm calling it Mixology Monday. My goal is simple: to share one drink a week with you lovely readers, as well as bar reviews as necessary.  Up this week?  The Atholl Brose cocktail at MacLeoad's Scottish Pub in the Ballard district of Seattle, Washington.

Since I'm Irish, I naturally assumed that there was no such thing as a Scottish pub or if there was, it had to be the lamest kind of pub in the world.  After all, it's the Irish, not the Scottish, who have their own drinking-themed holiday. Erin go bragh!

Long story short, it turns out Scottish pubs DO exist and this one is amazing!  If you like Scotch-based drinks, you'll love this place.  Even if you don't like Scotch, there's still something for everyone.

The lovely menu. So many Scotch drinks to choose from!

The most amazing Scotch drink I've ever had: the Atholl Brose.

The unassuming exterior on Ballard Avenue NW.