Southern Comfort launches Blood Orange

Being a Southern (US) girl, I grew up on Southern Comfort.  Well, of course, I didn't drink it until I was of legal age (Drink Responsibly) but it's a very familiar bottle in the bar line up of any proper Southern bar or drinks cabinet. Southern Comfort was created in a New Orleans bar in 1874 by bartender M.W. Heron.  It's the perfect blend of neutral spirits with fruits, spices and whiskey flavoring. 

This year Southern Comfort launched their first ever Travel Retail Exclusive, Blood Orange Comfort.   Hey, I travel.  I enjoy Retail and Exclusives!  They offered me a bottle to try out and as they say in the South, "Momma didn't raise no fool."  Yes, please.

a summer picnic

If one more person mentions fall or autumn I might cry.

It's still summer!  Albeit, I did have to wear a sweater yesterday.
But, I'm going to enjoy summer until the very last second.

Since we're moving in a few weeks, we want to make sure

to enjoy Blackheath several more times before we go.

There are few things more typically London than a picnic in the park.

First, we popped over to a deli and purchased some food.

Somehow we ended up with all the beige food.  Pork pie, scotch egg  and quiche.

Yikes, not much fruit or veg in sight.  Well, except for a few berries.

 In the form of a cupcake.

We've had this kite in the trunk of our car for ages and I was determined to fly it to watch Matt fly it on the heath.

Unfortunately, there were some issues with the kite.

Luckily, we had this little treasure chest to take our mind off of the kite fiasco.

Travel Retailer World Duty Free has partnered with expert Mixologist Charlie McCarthy to

come up with 23 great new cocktails for their annual Summer Drinks Festival.

They asked us if we would like to try one of them out.  Yes, please.

This was Matt's first modeling gig and he took it very seriously.

Of course, I was paying him in cocktails so he was well motivated.

Being a lover of the traditional Gin & Tonic, gin obviously played a major role

in the cocktail we selected, the English Garden.

Start with 35ml of Martin Miller's Gin and then 15ml of Elderflower Cordial.

Add 100ml of pressed apple juice, pour over ice and garnish with lime and mint.

There you have an English Garden.

We both loved it.  You would think it might be too sweet, but it wasn't at all.

(To be fair, we probably upped the gin measure a bit.)

Very light and quenching, a refreshing alternative to a G&T.

We had a lovely afternoon with our cocktails on a checkered blanket in the sun.

One of the best ways to spend a summer day in London.

And look.... success!

This was the 3 seconds it was actually in air before it went into a crazy death spin.

It was probably closer to playing lawn darts than flying a kite.

If you want to try your own hand at a fun new cocktail,

check out World Duty Free's website for some step-by-step video tutorials.

Before I go I have to address that photo in the bottom right corner of the collage.

Obviously, a) I took it (see the shadow of my hand) and b) I'm not really asleep.

But, still... I think it's cute and we were truly cuddling in the summer sun.

Have you tried any new cocktails lately?  Share the recipe.

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 World Duty Free sent us the ingredients for the cocktail for the purposes of review.  
 All photos, writing and opinions are my own.   
As always, I promise to be open, honest and transparent with my readers. 
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Masterful Cocktails at La Brasserie

I've always wondered if I should have been a bartender when I was younger.

I’ve heard they make great money and you can just imagine the stories.

Plus, at all future parties you can impress your friends with your mad pouring skills.

I got to get behind the bar recently to see how it actually feels to be a bartender.

Photo thanks to Melanie at Sunny in London

I met Melanie and Jess at La Brasserie for a fun evening of cocktails.

La Brasserie is in Chelsea and is London’s first all day brasserie serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.

It has the feel of the bar in that old American show “Cheers”, where everybody knows your name.

But with a distinctly Parisian twist. It was full of regulars laughing and chatting.

I stopped in for just a brief Cocktail Master Class with Alex.  

Four hours later, I was being waved out the door by a dozen new friends,

much later than I had anticipated on a school night.

But a fun time was had by all, I assure you. 

The master class is offered every Sunday night from 6 to 8pm and is fun and casual.

For only £10 you pick out the cocktail you want to try and when you’re ready,

Alex welcomes you behind the bar and walks you through the process.

It’s all completely hands on and I think I'm a natural.

Photo thanks to Jess at Love & London

I chose the Brasserie Julep which was kind of like a gin and tonic,

but made even more British with the addition of some brewed tea.

Gin, fresh lemon, mint, elderflower, earl grey tea, soda and sugar, all shaken together,

poured over crushed ice and served in the most wonderful pewter mug with a bumblebee on the side. 

Photo thanks to Jess at Love & London

Once you’re done with your creation you hold it up for a photo and cheers from your fellow patrons.

Then the best part, you get to drink it. It was very tasty,

made more so by the fact that I made it myself.

Their signature cocktail is the Brasserie Martini served in a stemless martini glass nestled in a bowl of ice with an oyster kicker on the side. I can’t wait to go back and try their food.

Luckily, we have signed a contract on our new place which is just around the corner at Sloane Square.

I absolutely love everything about it and can’t wait to get moved in.

I think La Brasserie will become a regular stop.

They also offer a lovely afternoon tea.

What's your signature cocktail?

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I was a guest of La Brasserie for the purposes of review.  All photos, writing and opinions are my own.   
As always, I promise to be open, honest and transparent with my readers. 
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.