Tag Archives: S&C on the road

A beer drinker’s holiday

Posted on September 17, 2012 by msshoescocktails | Leave a comment

Attention beer drinkers. Specifically, Belgian beer drinkers. More specifically, lambic style beer drinkers. This may be a post for you.

Ms. S&C recently took 10 days to spend some time in London, Belgium (Bruges and Brussels), and Amsterdam. When you’re on a holiday such as this one, it’s hard not to visit a pub or a beer bar *at least* once a day. Ms. S&C would argue it’s one of the best ways to settle into a new city, get to know a neighborhood and just get off your feet for a bit. And when visiting these cities in particular, the most interesting — and perhaps the most refreshing — thing to order is beer.

In London, you’re gonna order a pint and you’re gonna order something on draft. Or, there may be a time or two when you order a half pint and that half pint may be cider. Either way, cheers!

In Belgium, ordering beer can be intimidating. Even the smallest of beer bars will have a hundred or more beers to choose from. Ms. S&C stuck mostly with lambic style beers. They’re funky and earthy, and sour, and sometimes with a touch of sweetness. They’re complex. And despite my choice of adjectives to describe them, they’re really, really good.

Here’s an almost complete list of what two beer drinkers can drink in three short days in Belgium (in order of appearance):

De Ranke XX Bitter
3 Drei Fonteineri Oude Gueze
Girardin Gueze (black label)
Girardin Kriek
Boom Mariage Parfait
Cantillon Gueze
Moinette Blonde
Brugse Zot
Rochefort 6
Saison Dupont
Troublette
Duchesse de Bourgogne
Hanssens Artisanal Oude Gueze
De Garre Triple (on tap)
Gulden Draak (on tap)
Petrus Gouden Triple
Duvel (triple hop)
Cuvee De Ranke
Saison de Dottignies De Ranke
Cantillon Faro
Cantillon Lambic (on tap)
Cantillon Kriek (on hand pump)
De Rank Gulden Berg
Houblon Chouffee
Boon Oude Gueze
Cantillon Rose de Gambrinus
Oerbier

When visiting a new city, one may ask: how do you know where to go? Sometimes you can rely on just popping into the nearest place when your legs are too tired to take you any further. But much of the time, you can benefit from a little research beforehand. For instance, Tim Webb’s Good Beer Guide to Belgium is worth the purchase. Rick Steves is a pretty reliable source too (he also recommended our favorite bar: t’Brugs Beertje in his travel guide). A few spots Ms. S&C would like to find herself drinking a beer again:

The Lamb and the Fog (London)
Lounge Bohemian (London, cocktails)
The Rake (London)
The Jugged Hare (London)
t’Brugs Beertje (Bruges)
De Garre (Bruges)
Poatersgat (Bruges)
Chez Moeder Lambic (Brussels)

When in Amsterdam, after seven days on the road, you might want to chill out, have a smoothie and stick with a beer you know. Amstel, particularly Amstel Light, has always been a personal go to. But, it’s also a city when you may just want to sit back at a coffeehouse overlooking a canal, drink some mint tea and watch the bicycles go by.

posted by Ms. S&C

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Tagged Amstel, Amsterdam, beer, Belgium, Good Beer Guide Belgium, lambic, London, Rick Steves, S&C on the road

Happiness awaits

Posted on November 29, 2011 by msshoescocktails | Leave a comment

There’s a sign for Palm Grove Bar & Grill that reads “Where happiness awaits you.”

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!).

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Posted in beer, dark rum

Tagged Anguilla, beer, Carib, Presidente, Pyrat Rum, Red Stripe, S&C on the road

Lake favorites

Posted on August 17, 2011 by msshoescocktails | Leave a comment

Okay, okay, Ms. S&C promises this will be the last of the lake-related blog posts, Twitter posts, and Facebook posts. But, she couldn’t wrap up this year’s lake trip without sharing more of her favorites.

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.

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

Until next year!

posted by Ms. S&C

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Posted in cocktails, music, white rum

Tagged bajan rum punch, friends, lake trip, punch, S&C music, S&C on the road

Salute Italia

Posted on September 30, 2010 by msshoescocktails | Leave a comment

Dear Italy,

I miss you. I miss my morning cappuccino. I miss my afternoon caffe (and those well-dressed baristas with their cute hats). I miss the grazies and the pregos. I miss al dente pasta. I miss fresh seafood. I miss your vino rosso. I miss saying vino rosso, per favore. Of course I miss your pizza. I even miss your graffiti and the crowded streets in Naples. I miss taking the train to Pompeii, to Sorrento, to Rome. I miss that nocciotella gelato I had in Amalfi.

I miss the sea view from my hotel room in Positano (I miss all the views!). I miss the sound of the waves crashing on Fornillo beach. I miss the Mediterranean air. I even miss those grueling stairs and steep climbs.

Other things I miss:

Lunch in Positano: prosecco, birra, misto di verdure (mixed vegetable platter), and usually al fresco.

This view of the Amalfi Coast. Is there anything more beautiful?

Visiting musuems like the Museo Archeologico Nazionale, in Naples.

Gelato. Did I mention the daily gelato?

I’m not sure when I’ll see you again (but, I plan on seeing you again!).

Amore,

Ms. S&C

[Update: For those of you keeping track of such things — you’re not crazy — this post *has* been updated with new pictures and slightly modified text. Nothing major (and not that we’re close), but we strive for perfection at S&C.]

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Beach amusements

Posted on August 8, 2010 by msshoescocktails | 1 comment

Parades of people, salty air, smells of ice cream and boardwalk fries — there are so many delights at the beach! (Ms. S&C wishes she was still at the beach.)

She has shared Rehoboth Beach experiences before (fortunately the weather was much more cooperating this time around). Favorite spots that were revisted during her recent stay included:

Dogfish Head – this brewery still has the most interesting beers around. Where else can you find Sah’tea (made with black tea, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and black pepper), Festina Peche, Saison du BUFF (a collaboration with Victory and made with parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme)?
Nicola Pizza – when carrying around the box, on local said to another: “she knows where to get pizza.”
FINS Fish House and Raw Bar – great oysters and fun bar staff, one of which we nicknamed Rehoboth’s Vinny Chase.

Ms. S&C also came across some new spots that will now be included in the rotation:

The Ice Cream Store – homemade ice cream with over 70 flavors, including: Bacon (more subtle than you think), Better Than Sex (almost), Lucky Charms (yes, the cereal), Mayan Chocolate Cinnamon (made spicy with cayenne).
Purple Parrot – modeled after bars in Key West, everyone’s welcome at this karaoke bar.
The Starboard – a super fun, high-energy bar in Dewey Beach, who’s motto is: Happy Hour Proudly Starts at 9 am! The Starboard is also famous for their Bloody Mary Smorgasbord which includes a wall of mixers, hot sauces, spices, and tons of garnishes. Ms. S&C made herself a liquid salad indeed!

In Bloody Mary heaven at The Starboard in Dewey Beach.

The Starboard is also famous for their “crushes,” a super refreshing mix of fresh juices (orange or grapefruit), vodka, and soda. Ms. S&C first heard about “crushes,” from Washington Post’s Going Out Gurus. And, she agrees with Fritz Hahn, crushes are a favorite beach drink (recipe to come, promise!).

Orange you glad you tried those crushes, Ms. S&C? Yes, she is.

As for other beach amusements, Ms. S&C tried surfing for the first time. She arranged lessons with Rehoboth Beach Boarding School and will never forget this call: Get Ready (waves coming), Paddle Hard, and Pop-up. The adrenaline rush was pretty incredible. Plus, there’s something great about paddling around on a surfboard in the ocean. (And, there’s something badass about coming home with bruised knees and sore ribs.)

PS) You better believe that a S&C surfer playlist is in the works. Stay tuned for that because it will go great with those “crushes.”

posted by Ms. S&C

The Bloody Mary smorgesbord at The Starboard in Dewey Beach.

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Posted in cocktails, spring/summer cocktails, vodka

Tagged beach, bloody mary, crushes, grapefruit, orange, S&C on the road

Cocktails for a cause

Posted on May 21, 2010 by msshoescocktails | Leave a comment

Ms. S&C likes to shop for a good cause — and drink for a good cause. And, you don’t have to twist her arm to get her to New York City to do so. When a good friend of hers announced she was co-chairing the first annual Food & Fotos event, to benefit Foundation Rwanda, Ms. S&C was thrilled to attend the event and support the cause.

A few facts:

Between April and June of 1994, an estimated 800,000 Rwandans were killed in the space of 100 days.
An estimated 20,000 children were born from rape during this genocide.
Due to the stigma associated with rape, these children and their mothers have been severely marginalized by their communities, live in extreme poverty and do not have the means to pay their children’s school fees.

Food & Fotos was an event to help sponsor secondary school education for these Rwandan children. And, it was outstanding. It featured tasting tables and signature dishes from 30 of New York City’s top restaurants, and there was an exhibition of portraits from Rwanda. A silent auction of culinary items and contemporary photographs was also held to raise funds. (In a last minute dash, Mr. and Ms. S&C snagged the “Taste of DC” item, so we get to look forward to a return trip to Restaurant Eve and visits to 1789 and Old Ebbitt Grill!)

Mr. S&C enjoyed the fine beers from Brooklyn Brewery, but Ms. S&C made tequila her drink of the night. 901 Silver Tequila was a sponsor of the event and offered several tasty cocktails. Yes, 901 is Justin Timberlake’s brand. (901 is the Memphis area code where he grew up, and is also representative of “the time of night when your evening is ending, but your night is just beginning,” says his spokesperson.)

The drink of the occasion? Tequila. The shoes? Polka dot peep-toes.
(sorry for the blurry pic, but it’s the only one I have of the shoes *and* dress)

The Valley Vista was my favorite cocktail of the night, even though a pesky bartender tried to steer me towards a less spicy, more fruity beverage. He thought I couldn’t handle the jalapeno, but Mr. S&C assured him that, despite my very colorful dress, I have a dark side. The La Senorita was an interesting cocktail. Wondering if the pineapple syrup was prepared with liquid smoke? It was a little like sucking on a wood chip (not necessarily a bad thing, particularly because the strong flavor makes it more of a sipping cocktail).

Valley Vista
ingredients:

901 Silver Tequila
Fresh lime juice
Homemade grenadine
Cucumber
Jalapeno slice for garnish

La Senorita
ingredients:

901 Silver Tequila
Smoked pineapple syrup
Fresh lime juice
3-4 dashes of Tabasco
Lime wedge for garnish

Looking forward to making Food & Fotos an annual event!

posted by Ms. S&C

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Posted in cocktails, tequila

Tagged for a good cause, good cocktails in NYC, S&C on the road

Favorite flats

Posted on January 8, 2010 by msshoescocktails | 1 comment

Ms. S&C has been busy, busy, busy getting ready for her biggest work event of the year. It is one of those all-consuming — yet somewhat exhilarating — work periods. I’m reminding myself about work things in the shower. I’m thinking about new ideas walking home from work. I’m working late. And working more means blogging less.

Ms. S&C has made time for a few other activities to help keep her sanity. Yes, there’s a weekly yoga class. But there’s, of course, the no-fail retail therapy. One recent purchase (100% work-related) included a new pair of flats. Plain black flats. Exciting shoes, right? They’ll compliment my black rolling suitcase nicely.

Except. I am excited. I think fashionable flats are so hard to come by (and I’m not the only one). These plain black flats from BCBGeneration, found over at Zappos, may be my favorite flats yet. The pointy style is dressy, the off-center rosette is whimsical, the short heel is comfortable. And they’re perfect shoes for my upcoming (work) occasion.P.S. It is New York City I’m going to. Even for work, even when it’s cold, New York City is New York City, and it’s something to look forward to.