Week in Review: Heartbeats, Music and My Favorite Summer Cocktails

Greetings to all my nosh readers!  How in the heck is your summer going?  I hope it is going as awesomely wonderful as mine. Happy Happy week it was!  There is nothing more in this world that nourishes my soul more than time with family and friends, aka my "heartbeats" (see the beautiful Carlena and Stacey above) and music. Seriously. This week was time with my heartbeats AND live music, all in the same day!

This is only a sneak preview to my summer concert music review, but absolutely one of my favorite musicians, Andrew McMahon and the Wilderness was back in the "Moines" this summer. Carlena, Stacey and I dined at John and Nick's delicious salad bar, prime rib and Orchid Martini's prior to the sold-out event. The Orchid Martini is one of my favorite cocktails because I really enjoy the taste of Chambord. Here is my favorite at home recipe from Williams Sonoma and Balthazar Restaurant in New York City. 

Balthazar French Martini:  Serves 1

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. chilled vodka
• 1 oz. pineapple juice
• 1/3 oz. Chambord
• Ice cubes

Directions:

In a cocktail shaker, combine the vodka, pineapple juice, Chambord and ice cubes. Shake vigorously to produce a frothy head and strain into a chilled martini glass. Serve straight up. Makes 1 martini.

Another great place to enjoy an Orchid Martini and my absolute favorite place is Francies. It was on their daily special from the day I moved here but recently has been taken off this past year. It is not on the menu, but if you order it, you will be pleasantly surprised!

The girls and I braved the hot temps outside, managing to sing our hearts out and dancing the night away at Wooly's. Well done Andrew!

The weekend brought a day of belated birthday celebrations of my friend Amanda and I's birthday. We started with mimosa's and mani's and shopping. I am most excited about my Yeti purchase (yeah I know, I am late to the game) and have started my own "melting" experiments with my first adventure being leaving the house at 8 am with ice, leaving the Yeti in my car all day and rechecking it when I leave work at 6:30 pm on a 90 degree day.  I will be sure to share my other Yeti experiments with you in a later blog post. Since it was blazing hot outside, again, we took a little siesta break and had the most delicious watermelon martini's from Bonefish Grill. Now I really thought I loved the Orchid Martini but nothing screams summer like watermelon. Amanda introduced me to this smooth and delicious drink with fresh muddled watermelon and cucumber all chilled by frozen watermelon cubes.   I was inspired to find a copycat recipe and upon my consulting with the "googles"  I discovered Bonefish Grille provides a video on how to make it and the recipe.  

Bonefish Grill Fresh Watermelon Martini

Ingredients:
1.5 oz – Your Favorite Vodka
2 each – Cucumber Slices
2 cubes – Fresh Watermelon
.25 oz – Simple Syrup
.50 oz – Fresh Sour Mix
Procedure:
Combine the watermelon cubes, cucumber slices and simple syrup in a glass and muddle well. Add your favorite vodka, and fresh sour mix. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass! Garnish with frozen watermelon cubes or a fresh cucumber slice.
 
Secrets to Shake it Up:

• Really impress your friends by making your own refreshing cucumber vodka! Slice a cucumber and place in your favorite vodka and allow to infuse for 24- 48 hours.
• If you like your cocktails on the sweeter side add a bit more simple syrup.
• Like Margaritas? Substitute Tequila for Vodka and increase your sour mix to 1.5 ounce, shake and strain over ice into a glass with a salt rim! Recipe Link here

After we decided to not indulge in another watermelon delight, we hit up a few more shopping stops and decided it was just too hot for us to be moving and grooving all over Des Moines. So we decided to find the closest place with AC and delicious cocktails, completing Amanda and Anne's Day O' Belated Birthday Fun at our new favorite neighborhood spot, Gilroy's Kitchen in West Des Moines.  This kitchen, pub and patio is a great central location between all of my heartbeats and we met up with Jason, Justin, Kevin and Ryan. My favorite thing about Gilroy's is the #RedHairDontCare theme with entertaining restaurant and menu design, names for their cocktails and delicious food (the food deserves an entirely separate blog post). I have tried a few cocktails off the menu, but today, I recently found my favorite in the "I Love Lucy."  Now, I do not have the recipe for this gem, so you will just have to swing by and enjoy one for yourself. It is a refreshing combination of cherry vodka, strawberry puree, muddled cucumber and signature ginger beer, brewed right here in Des Moines and famously known as Wertzberger's Ginger Beer.

It was the perfect way to end a pretty stellar day and the perfect mid-summer recharge retreat. Refreshing cocktails, relaxing conversation and my heartbeats. Who could ask for anything more?

AE

Friends, Memorial Day, Golf, Music, Future, and Real Deal Kind of Weekend

I think summertime likes to give me more time than I know what to do with by providing longer, sunny filled days and endless opportunities of excitement. However, it does rob me of known indoor activities like writing and blogging. So being the wise adult that I am, I know now to place an alert in my phone that says (no joke):   "Hey Anne,  I know you're having a blasty blast but it's been 2 weeks, have you blogged?"  

The first official holiday weekend to kick off summer fun started with a little trip to Omaha to have Happy Hour with my frista and other lady friends. We dined on sushi, had a few Grey Goose and waters and had endless laughs. Those girlies just make my day and it is always fun to go back and catch up with them. 

One of our favorite spots is Kona Grill because they have killer happy hour sushi and cocktail specials on their amazing patio. The only thing I wonder about Friday's in Omaha is does anyone work past noon?  Geez.....

After a delightful night with the girls, I headed back to my roots to enjoy seeing my beautiful mother, family and the peace and quiet.

There was a time in my life I felt leaving Panama and not looking back was the best thing in the world. Thing is, all roads lead back to the foundation of my life. There is a sense of peace and calm in this small but mighty Iowa town 

(cue John Cougar Mellencamp and the sweet sounds of Small Town). 

When I am back in the hood, I love to head out and hit the pavement with an exploring run. So many fun memories come rushing back and I feel like I could run for endless miles (which let's be honest, 4 miles is more like it and realistically my limit).  The train tracks line the east side of town and run through Whispering Pines Park, which was frequently traveled on by a slew of girls on bikes.

There is this calming sense of comfort as I drive up Main Street and see the homestead on the right. The home I spent the majority of the youth in, sprayed endless amounts of hairspray in, sang karaoke to Cyndi Lauper with my girl gang, ate homemade pizza under the kitchen table, slammed a few doors in, shed a few tears in and shared a life with my amazing parents and sister. I may have also kissed a few boys on the front porch as well.

We picked beautiful peonies in our backyard to take to my sweet Papa and sister on Memorial Day.  Peonies are one of my favorite flowers and they are everywhere in Panama. My mom has these stunning pink ones in the back yard.

 I had a little help from my friend Gypsy. She is also my fur baby, Lil g's momma. She loves to tag along in the backyard and supervise all the happenings.

I also couldn't resist one of my most guilty pleasures from my Mom's garden:  ONIONS!  Oh my goodness, I seriously can pick this straight from the ground, wash it off and eat it like candy. I don't mind dipping it in a little salt if it's handy. The best part about this is I know she planted them for me because she runs as fast as possible away from onions. So thank you Mom for this produce pleasure!

After a relaxing time back home, another work we started. Except this week was not only short, but it was our annual managers golf outing. 

There were over 300 managers who spent the day out on the links. Even though our team didn't win anything,  I would say our team won in the entertaining and a blast to be with division.  Thanks Matt, Jason and Stacey for making it such a fun day!

Each year, my summer officially starts with the first concert I go to.  Last year, I pledged to attend 3 concerts (minimum) a summer because there is nothing better than witnessing music in its most vulnerable and creative space: live. I also pledged to be open to new and different types of music to expand my horizons and the first one up did a lot of expanding.  It was an enjoyable night of creative outlaw country at Wooly's. 

The end of week was full of new adventures. I met up with this lovely, who I haven't seen for a long time when she was my intern!  I am proud of Jena and all of her dietitian accomplishments thus far. It is great reconnecting with dietitians I have worked with in the past and hear about all the amazing things they have done and are doing. 

The Principal Charity Classic was back in town this past weekend and it was a pretty kick ass day out on the course. I enjoyed a few beers, soaked up some sun (with SPF 30 slathered all over of course!) and hung out with some of my favorite people. 

Whew! Holy Sh*% that was a crazy, busy, beautiful week!  I love this time of year. I love making memories and being with people who make my heart beat. 

AE

Joyful Weekend

This weekend was so full of joy!  I started off digging into my big jar of joys and reading notes to myself from the past year.  

My friend Amanda gave me one of the greatest gifts I have ever gotten in my life. This started my joy revolution. Instead of ending each day with any negative thoughts, I wrote down a joy or many joys I experienced that day. At the start of my new year (my birthday), my intention is to settle in with a cocktail, a fire roaring and a snuggly blanket to read the great things that happened in the year before. This was the first completed year and it was such an amazing experience. I cannot believe through all the madness of 2015, I still had so much joy. Start your giant jar of happiness right now!! You will be so happy you did. I am already starting to fill it up with my joys of 2016.

Speaking of Amanda, she has the sweetest most loveable and well mannered man in her life, Brody. Brody and I spent a few days together this week and it was fun to be a doggy furmama!  I do love dogs and I couldn't resist snapping a shot of him chilliaxin in my backyard. Lil g handled him pretty well considering he has her beat by about 90 pounds.

The weekend brought this sweet lady into town, my momma, for a little cocktail club with friends, massages, pedicures, shopping, a little home maintenance, and some delicious food. 

We had a few Manhattans...many laughs and a little dancing....I will spare you those pictures 😆. 

We brunched at Gilroy's, our favorite new dining spot in Des Moines. I forgot to take a picture of our delicious breakfast. An amazing omelette with pastrami, sautéed onions and mushrooms, covered with a decadent mornay sauce. The hashbrowns, rye toast and coffee paired perfectly with this tummy pleasing plate. I couldn't resist ordering a fresh and perfect sweet Blueberry Smoothie with Mango Honey to-go. Next time I will not forget to take pictures. Make sure to go and experience breakfast at Gilroy's! 

The weekend was beautiful and we spent some time out in the sunny and 70 degree weather. I love my crab apple tree in my front yard, I wish it would stay this beautiful all year long. 

We ended our fun weekend with brunch, courtesy of yours truly. (I remembered to snap this photo, only because I do not cook this way often!). Nothing like a late morning mother/daughter chat with the windows open and the sweet spring air flowing through the house. 

Off to put these joys into my jar. Hope your weekend was full of them too. 

AE 

Celebrating in Paradise

This new year brought on the year of 40. Not one bit sad or concerned, just ready to rock it like no other. I wanted to do something to get away, relax and soak in all the wonder of the last 40 years, as well as prepare for all the wonder of the next 40.

Cancun with my great friend Brenda was the perfect fit. Brenda made the whole trip "just right" as Goldielocks did the porridge for the 3 bears. How cute is my pink birthday bed? She made the sign herself, packed that and the other decorations to make my day this special. Mind blown!! 

We headed off to the beach for sun, sand and cocktails. 

As the sun was setting, we decided to head back to our room. 

We were greeted with birthday champs from the management.

Perfect way to prep ourselves for a night out for dining, a little celebrating, and a few random hugs. 

And who could celebrate without this? 

And cake by the ocean....

Our trip did not involve anything adventurous or earth shattering. Just a week full of lounging, sunning and having girl time. 

We ventured out for a walk down the coast one morning to soak in all the beauty that surrounded us. 

And to think about how every day is another day to grab the world by the horns and make something out of it. No more wasting, regretting, feeling sorry or ungrateful for all the beauty there is in my life.

I got to have this moment and 40 years of many other amazing moments that have shaped my life. Some of them were happy, heartbreaking, lesson learning and glimpses of the future and what can be. 

I know I am not promised one second of my life, but I am so damn happy. Every second I have had has been mine, all mine. 

I am going to carry the exhilarating feeling of the sand between my toes and the ocean by my side with me everywhere I go. It is my bliss, it is my happy place, it is where I belong. And while I am not there right now, my soul is and my body will return there. 

This journey called life has been pretty bad ass. I know whatever that is to come is what I will make of it. I will go after it, no matter how far I have to go. And I know I will not be alone. 

Here's to 40. Here's to life. Here's to getting shit done. Here's to being magic. 

Here's to pure joy! 

AE 

Week in Review: Birthdays, Beer and Nachos

Happy Birthday to my dear friend Kevin!  May the next 40 years be as memorable and amazing as you are!  

We celebrated with cake and our first "Cocktail Club."  Kevin has this amazing vintage cocktail book. Each month, we are going to gather our friends and experience a different cocktail from the book. The adventure began with the Agave Gingerita and somehow they entrusted me as the bartender this time around. I only made a slight mess!  I think I will bestow that job to someone else next time and develop my skills as the connoisseur.  I am looking forward to sharing this fun experience with you as well! 

The drink was very sweet with a fantastic ginger flavor accented by the fresh lime. Kevin's face says it all, followed by "it's not to bad." Everyone who experiences the monthly cocktail feature will sign in our vintage cocktail diary. Looking forward to Between the Sheets next month.

On Saturday, the Des Moines area Hy-Vee Dietitians had their annual Whole Health Experience. Chef Stacey and I presented our Healthier Happy Hour with Buffalo Chicken Nachos and one of our favorite local beers. 

When you use amazing ingredients with a lot of flavor, you don't need to over indulge during happy hour. Stacey used her favorite sharp cheddar cheese and fat-free half and half to make the yummy cheese sauce on the nachos. Then using chicken breast tossed with wing sauce, crunchy broccoli slaw on top of whole grain chips = a very "happy" happy hour. 

Spring is here and all of this makes me so excited for spending time with friends, having delicious and beautiful food and a yummy cocktail along the way.

Cheers!