one blueberry press please. by orange

Even though I'm in my late twenties (sadly I think 27 counts as "late") I still drink like I just turned 21.  You might think from that statement I'm an acholic or have high tolerance.  Really what I mean is, I still like those really fruity and sweet drinks: Long Island Ice Tea, Black Opal, etc. 

Once you get into the working world and have 'classy' happy hours with friends, ordering a Black Opal doesn't seem quite right.  Especially when your friends are ordering the likes of a vodka soda or gin and tonic.  Just the name of the fruity drink ('washington watermelon' or 'blue karaoke') and/or seeing the drink (bright orange with a maraschino cherry and an umbrella) screams "can't handle the taste of alcohol/might have just turned 21." 

Recently, I went to a nice dinner with the husband and, per usual, asked the waitress what would be a good sweet drink to try.  She offered up a Bluebery Press. 

I heart this drink.

1) It's delicious!  It's not overly sweet but still sweet enough for me. It tastes almost like flavored seltzer water.
2) Much more sophisticated name then 'Black Opal" or "Purple Haze"
3) As all the liquids are clear that go into the drink...no one knows the difference between my sweet blueberry press and my girlfriend's vodka soda.

The magic:
In a vodka press, vodka is diluted with both a club soda or tonic and Sprite. You can order it with any flavor of vodka.  Hence, Blueberry vodka = Blueberry press.

Have I ordered this drink ever since that night out?  Yes.  Here is my most recent Blueberry Press at The Daily Grill in downtown Seattle.

Yum.

orange in Guess Lawri - gold leather wedges

the trip. by orange

About a week ago I was in a lovely seat on American Airlines on my way to the big apple with the husband. The trip was a 2008 christmas gift as I'd never been to the city before. The NYC trip made me think back to how a trip with the significant other can really be the make it or break it of the relationship.

When the husband and I first started dating, about 9 months in, we went on our first trip together to Akumal, Mexico. Besides it being our first trip together, there was one other major stressor that added to this trip. We had just moved in to a place we bought together a week prior to the trip. Yeah...we have really good timing.

Here are some of my favorite memories and lessons learned of that trip....

1) First off, the husband and I are both pretty freaking pale. I think the sun reflected off of us so much we were like white lights on the beach :).

2) When we arrived the place was nice...but not spectacular. As I had never been on a tropical/beach vacation before I was thinking luxurious hotel room, crisp linens, etc. This was more like a beach shack. An average "nice" room.

- this did spawn the first argument of the trip. I blame it mostly on a full day of travel, heat, and too high expectations.

***lesson learned: check out www.tripadvisor.com for recent photos and reviews of the hotel/resort from fellow travelers.

3) The doll-making 70 year old couple that we met at the daily happy hour who have been traveling to Akumal for the past 16 years every March. It made me hope that the husband and I would someday be like them. Just thinking about them brings a smile to my face.

4) Even though I am a nice pale white shade, I still enjoy pretending I can tan and laying out. The husband - not so much. So when day 3 hit and we were still on the beach, the husband got a bit ancy to get up and do some stuff.

***lesson learned: discuss a loose plan for the trip; making sure you are both on the same page so no unnecessary quarrels start. figure out a good compromise. or (this is my favorite solution) go on a vacation with another couple and that way the group can split up to head out to different day trips.