Ms. S&C just returned from her third trip to Anguilla, and her second to Palm Grove. It was this recent trip that she had the honor of chatting with Nat, the owner, while she ate her grilled lobster (with a tasty curry butter) and drank her Red Stripe. The conversation covered everything from Johnny Cakes, to American politics, to Anguillan heritage, to what it’s like to own a shack (Nat’s word) by the water. Ms. S&C likes this shack by the water. But, Ms. S&C pretty much likes all the shacks by the water in Anguilla.

Ms. S&C and her Red Stripe at Palm Grove, one of many favorite spots on the beautiful, relaxed, 16-mile long island of Anguilla.

Other Caribbean beverages of choice: Pyrat Rum, Carib, and Presidente. And, where are some good spots to drink said beverages? Favorite bars include: Dune Preserve (and if you’re lucky, reggae legend and owner, Bankie Banx, will be around; and if you’re really lucky, maybe you’ll show up on his birthday), and The Pumphouse (if you don’t see Bankie’s son Omari at the Dune, maybe you can catch him here on Friday night).

Favorite restaurants to wine and dine (there are so many!): Tasty’s (the best Johnny Cakes on the island, and they serve them for breakfast, lunch and dinner; Ms. S&C knows because she went there for breakfast, lunch and dinner), Picante (*really* good Mexican), Blanchard’s (for beachfront chic), and Smokey’s (great for live music and fresh fish sandwich). New places that she’ll be back to: E’s Oven (best bite of the trip was the grilled grouper with tomato jam), and Bonjour Cafe (a hippy-ish spot tucked back in the woods with a great vegetable roti).

The best way to hydrate? Fresh coconut water! (A rastaman that’s handy with a machete is particularly helpful in this endeavor.) And hydration is needed after sea kayaking, yoga on the beach, a Thai massage, and a night out at The Pumphouse.

Happiness awaits at many spots on Anguilla. This sunset spot was taken from Ms. S&C’s patio. She viewed it for eight full days. If you are ever thinking of visiting, please let her know (after three trips, she has copious notes that she’d love to share!).

posted by Ms. S&C

We give you the cucumber basil gimlet.

This refreshing summer beverage was adapted from a recipe found over at What’s Gaby Cooking (but originally inspired by a Miss Mojito post from a few years back). Gaby probably had some time to think about, and plan for, her preparation of this cocktail. Ms. S&C’s preparation was a little last minute, and she didn’t have the patience for simple-syrup-making and pureed-cucumber-straining. So, her adaptation went something like this. (With more time, she would recommend the simple syrup making and cucumber puree straining.)

Ingredients:

• Cucumber
• Basil — large handful
• Agave nectar
• Lime — one half per cocktail
• Gin

Directions (for one cocktail):

Peel cucumber, slice and puree until finely chopped. Fill glass with spoonful of pureed cucumber, 7 or so basil leaves, a squirt of agave nectar, juice of half a lime, and then muddle. Fill glass with ice, add an once and a half of gin and stir well (or preferably, transfer to a cocktail shaker to mix). Garnish with a cucumber wheel and sprig of fresh basil.

As a bonus: maybe you’ve got some extra tomatoes. Maybe that arugula became the bumper crop you never expected. Pick up some pre-made naan, whip up some arugula pesto, and top with whatever is around (maybe some parmigiano-reggiano,  maybe some goat cheese, and maybe fresh basil). And perfetto! Summer ingredients at their best.

posted by Ms. S&C

Drink favorites
Bloody Mary’s, Grapefruit Crushes, Pimm’s, Champagne cocktails, red wine, beer, beer, and more beer: there are lots of drink options at the lake. (You saw this picture from last year, right?) Thankfully, Ms. S&C is not charge of them all. Last year, a friend (we’ll call her Mrs. Smith) introduced us to Banks Rum and the Five Island Watermelon Punch. This year, Mrs. Smith, prepared for us a traditional Bajan Rum Punch. We didn’t keep score, but it was likely this year’s winning cocktail.

When Ms. S&C inquired about the recipe, Mrs. Smith shared the traditional (and delightful) saying to help one remember: 

One of Sour
Two of Sweet
Three of Strong
And Four of Weak

It translates into this:

• 1 cup lime juice
• 2 cups simple syrup
• 3 cups white rum, preferably Banks Five Island White Rum
• 2 cups of ice and 2 cups of cold water

Directions:

Stir all ingredients together in a large pitcher. To serve: fill a highball glass with three or four additional ice cubes. Garnish with a splash of Angostura bitters and a dash of grated nutmeg.

I want to think it is the perfect balance of sweet and sour that makes this a winning cocktail, but I really think it is the bitters and fresh grated nutmeg.

Favorite moments
Like the numerous drink selections, a lot of games are played at the lake: bocce, horseshoes, Scrabble, Mexican train dominoes, Left-Center-Right. But, it was during a competitive guys-against-girls game of Celebrity where a Coach Taylor impression (from Mr. Smith, coincidentally) will go down as my favorite charade moment of all time. With one turn of a hat, breaths were taken away. #fullhearts

Ms. S&C would consider almost any yoga session by the water a perfect moment, but her favorite yoga moment came on a rainy day — with first day jitters behind her — when she led an extensive indoor session that turned into a truly blessed experience. #namastebitches

Playlist favorites
Where there are booze and games, there is music. We marked this occasion with a collaborative playlist, in which everyone submits two song requests. Below you’ll find the complete list of songs, with notations for those currently in heavy rotation in the S&C house.

1. Mercy — Duffy
2. When Did Your Heart Go Missing? — Rooney
3. Birthday — Kings of Leon
4. Little Lion Man — Mumford & Sons
5. Loving Cup — The Rolling Stones
6. Jingling Baby — LL Cool J
7. Price Tag (feat. B.o.B) — Jessie J
8. Can I Kick It? — A Tribe Called Quest
9. Walk On The Wild Side — Lou Reed
10. Toob Amplifier — The Presidents of the United States of America
11. Rolling in the Deep — ADELE
12. Give Me Everything (feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer) — Pitbull
13. Otis (feat. Otis Redding) — JAY Z & Kanye West
14. My Mistakes — Eleanor Friedberger
15. Holdin On to Black Metal — My Morning Jacket
16. Hold You Back — JC Brooks & The Uptown Sounds
17. Metal Firecracker — Lucinda Williams
18. Get Me Bodied — Beyoncé
19. Look At Me Now (feat. Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes) — Chris Brown
20. Am I the Only One — Dierks Bentley
21. Cheers (Drink to That) — Rihanna
22. S&M — Rihanna
23. Baby Got Back — Sir Mix-A-Lot
24. So Lucky (Eurovision 2011 – Moldova) — Zdob Si Zdub
25. Your Touch — The Black Keys
26. Evacuate the Dancefloor (Radio Edit) — Cascada
27. Everybody Gets to Go to the Moon (Live) — The Three Degrees
28. True Loves — Hooray For Earth
29. That Way (feat. Jeremih & Rick Ross) — Wale
30. On My Level (feat. Too $hort) — Wiz Khalifa
31. I Gotta Get Drunk — Redbird
32. Rehab — Amy Winehouse

Until next year!

posted by Ms. S&C

Now, the mango is a notoriously difficult fruit to cut. But that’s the beauty of this recipe – you don’t have to dice the mango into neat, even cubes (although here’s a helpful tutorial for when that’s your goal). It’s perfectly acceptable to butcher the fruit as you see fit, since you’ll be pureeing the whole lot in a blender or food processor later.

Mango Margaritas
Serves five.

• 2 very ripe mangos
• Juice of 3 limes
• 10 oz. tequilo blanco
• 4 oz. triple sec
• 8 oz. grapefruit soda (I used the Izzie brand)

Remove as much flesh as possible from the two mangos.

If you’re using a blender: Puree all the ingredients in the blender until you reach a smooth consistency.

If you’re using a food processor: Puree the mango and lime juice together until smooth. Poor into a pitcher and add the tequila, triple sec and soda. Stir well.

Serve over ice in chilled glasses.

Posted by Miss Mojito.

So, here are three things that Ms. S&C really likes right now:

(1) Campari

Back when I started this blog (July 2008!), the bitterness of Campari was like nothing I had ever tasted. Now, my refined — or slightly numbed — palate craves the herbal sensation. My cocktail-writing idol (and now my New York Times Op-Ed writing idol), Frank Bruni, shared his experience with the Negroni Sbagliato awhile back. After trying it out myself, I can attest to it being a pretty damn good, fizzy and refreshing, “summertime negroni.” The Campari Cup (a love child of the Pimm’s Cup) is also good use of this aperitif.

(2) Anklets

I’ve noticed an anklet on one of my yoga instructors (yes, there is more than one yoga instructor in my life — and yes, I have crushes on all of them). Then, I came across this anklet on Garance Dore’s blog. My recent captivation of anklets also reminds me of the scene in “Love in the Afternoon,” when the spunky Audrey Hepburn wears an anklet to make the womanizing Gary Cooper jealous (of course it works). All this leads me to say: I want an anklet for the summer sandal wearing! Help me find a cool one. Please!

(3) New Music

I’ve been in a music rut lately. I haven’t been excited by much of anything (anything *new* that is — but, I do have a new-found love for Fleetwood Mac). Just as I’m lamenting this rut, the new Bon Iver album comes along. I am so in love — and it has been put on such heavy rotation — that I had to purchase the first album, “For Emma, Forever Ago,” too. Both albums  are great to listen to, but the new album is particularly dreamy. Fave songs include: “Towers” and “Perth.”

Naturally, when it rains, it pours. I’ve also been recently introduced to Eleanor Friedberger’s (of Fiery Furnaces fame) debut album, and I’m pretty giddy about: “My Mistakes,” “Heaven,” and “I Won’t Fall Apart on You Tonight.” Indie-pop at its best. I swear.

Lastly, The Feelies’ “Here Before” — their first album in twenty years — is certainly worth a listen. Or ten.

The three things blog post gives Ms. S&C an opportunity to share a combination of shoe and cocktail-related finds, along with something else. That something else usually includes music or yoga.

posted by Ms. S&C

For the picnic, or the baseball game (the Nationals have a double-header on Saturday, you know), let’s don these adorable Kate Spade sandals. That bow, the grosgrain fabric, the basketweave heel — nothing could say casual American holiday better.

For the night out, how about this classic Burberry espadrille paired with a flowy black sundress? Love the combination of red patent leather, espadrille midsol, and the check pattern.

For the wide-leg white linen pants (or the white linen anything), how about these striking Diane Von Furstenberg wedges? Yes, the height, the bold color, the multi-pattern wedge heel would contrast beautifully with white.

And what to drink this Independence Day? Well, we’ll have to get back to you on that, but these Black and Blue Mojitos and this Campari Cup are strong contenders (particularly given the amount of fresh mint we have growing over at chez S&C).

Happy fireworks, barbecues, picnics, baseball games, Declaration of Independence reading, patriotic song singing, parade going, blue-and-white sprinkled, sparkler waving holiday!

posted by Ms. S&C

The R.W. Knudsen brand makes a delightfully tart, organic black cherry juice that has become more widely available in grocery stores as of late. The flavor is quite potent and a little certainly goes a long way – making it a great mixer for a crowd.

Since I already had tequila on hand, I decided to meld the liquor with the juice in a vibrant Cherry Margarita. Given the pow packed by the cherry punch, I like to give my guests a fair warning and introduce this as a Tart Cherry Margarita, so they’re fully prepared for the pucker that inevitably follows the first sip. Feel free to mellow out the tartness level with some extra agave syrup for sweetness – but personally, I find the bite refreshing!

A pitcher full of cherry tequila goodness.

Cherry Margarita
Serves 6.

• 10 ounces tequila blanco
• 6 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
• 4 ounces tart bottled cherry juice
• 1 tablespoon agave nectar
• Fresh cherries (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher and stir well. Serve in chilled glasses over ice, with optional fresh cherries as a festive garnish.

Posted by Miss Mojito.

It doesn’t really matter if a perfect bourbon exists. One reason: we probably couldn’t afford it. Another reason: Ms. S&C (and Wilson) agree that Buffalo Trace — who is said to be making the so-called ‘perfect’ bourbon — is an excellent bourbon just as is. (Wilson even goes so far to call it his “desert-island bourbon.”)

Buffalo Trace doesn’t have to be the ‘perfect’ bourbon. It goes perfectly
well as is with blackberries.

Ms. S&C is sure she’s had — and written about — bourbon mixed with berries before. The inspiration comes from somewhere (aside from there being a lot of bourbon in the house). Anyway, this drink came together recently (but not so recently that Ms. S&C hasn’t had time to try it a second time). We give you a bourbon and blackberries cocktail that’s quite good.

Ingredients:

• Blackberries (three to five per drink)
• Lime (one per drink)
• Agave Nectar
• Bourbon (Ms. S&C likes Buffalo Trace and Maker’s Mark)
• Ice
• Seltzer
• Lime peel (for garnish)

Directions:
(for one cocktail)

Muddle 3-5 blackberries with juice of one lime and a spoonful of agave nectar. Add ice (enough to fill a glass) and 1.5 to 2 ounces of bourbon. Shake well. Pour and top with seltzer. Garnish with lime peel.

posted by Ms. S&C

Miss Mojito is recently returned from Tanzania. Business was the focus of this particular trip, which featured a schedule packed with visits to villages surrounding the capital city of Dodoma. So, what’s a girl to drink while on a Tanzanian adventure? Miss Mojito had two top beverage picks.

Stoney Tangawizi would make the list based on name alone. This super-tangy ginger soda packs way more “oomph” than the average American equivalent – there’s more ginger and fizz in every sip!

East Africa has plenty of local breweries, but my favorite beer was Tusker. It’s pale, fairly mild and eminently drinkable after a long day of trekking around central Tanzania.

I won’t even try to show you the shoes I sported while traveling in Tanzania. Suffice it to say that long skirts paired with sporty sneaks is not a good look for Miss Mojito!

Posted by Miss Mojito.

(1) Garance Doré’s Blog

What does the picture on the left tell us about how to be cool?

• Learn to wink
• Start smoking (or maybe just start carrying around a long, skinny cigarette?)
• Wear a trench over the shoulders
• Read more of Garance’s blog

(2) Anthropologie Dresses

Polka dots are always cool, right? We think so — especially when in flowy maxi dress form. (And speaking of fabulous Spring dresses, how does one choose between the twisted stripe dress, the pom flower shift, and the imprint fossil maxi skirt?)

(3) Beer Floats

Ms. S&C has determined that using beer in a non-traditional manner — say in cocktails and desserts — is now a very cool thing to do. (PS: Brasserie Beck’s beer float — a Kasteel Rouge, with hints of cherry, topped with honey cinnamon ice cream — is t-a-s-t-y. PPS: She also thought beer floats were cool last year when she made one herself.)

Because we all want to be cool.

posted by Ms. S&C