Posts Tagged With: cocktails

the break we needed

Posted on July 2, 2021 by robynbird

YBW and I went to visit friends last week.
I’ve known this fam for nearly twenty five years, our kids grew up together, the mom and I taught together at the old preschool. They were here for our wedding in 2015, and YBW was enthusiastic about spending good time getting to know them. Y’all, he fit right into their family, and I couldn’t be more thrilled about that!

We needed a break.
We needed to get out of this house we no longer own before we move to our new house.
We needed to disconnect from everything here.
We needed to breathe new air.

Um…the air in Tucson is fucking hot! One hundred eight degrees is no joke!
Of course it is the desert.

But funky 4th Ave provided relief in one form or another.

We got to see all four of the (adult) kids, ranging in age from twenty-seven to about to be nineteen. Even my Goddaughter, the second eldest who lives just outside of Phoenix, was able to come down and ‘work’ from her mom and dad’s for a few days!
Joy is not a big enough word, y’all!

After a few days in Tucson, we (only the parent-y adults) drove six hours to spend a few days in their house in Carlsbad.
The perfect little Pacific coast beach town!

We’re back in Virginia where we belong.
Laundry, grocery shopping and tidying the house were on my list this week.
East coast time is our enemy…but we’re hoping to become friends again sooner than later.
After sleeping from only 10:15 to 11:30pm Wednesday night, I crashed about 8:15 Thursday night and woke at 9:40 this morning. Let us hope I broke the cycle.
As we head into the weekend, I’m disappointed we won’t be at the beach with our friends, but I’ve already hugged Meredith and Beau and their mommy this week, and this weekend we’re going to see Baby K for the first time since Sunday two weeks ago!

I came home feeling refreshed (apart from the wack-a-doo sleep schedule) and ready to organize and pack for our move the end of this month.
I knew I needed a break. I knew my husband would benefit from a break. Traveling is stressful, but visiting people we love is not.
We needed this break, this trip, this time with our family of friends.
I’m ready for what’s next.

Categories: me | Tags: beach, cocktails, come for a visit, family, fellowship, friends, friends as family, mini break, renewed of spirit, travel, vacation, vacay | 12 Comments

September gratitude

Posted on October 1, 2020 by robynbird

Today is October first.
The official start of Halloween month!
But before I get all SQUEE about that, I’m going to express my gratitude.

September was straight chaos. But it was also quite lovely.
As I look back on this month I find myself grateful for both.

I’m also grateful for:

a porchlife lunch with Mike and Josie
Husband N’s willingness to transport a 16 foot ladder
a successful and fun flea market day with YBW, his brother and sister-in-law
meeting with the builder about electricals in the new house
stackable jewelry organizers
a tearful conversation with YBW

Target run with Thing 1 and Baby K (sassy thing chose her own new shades and bag)

finally getting to talk with Jessica
Husband N’s mad landscaping skills
cool Autumn mornings
Thing G seems content at his mom’s
winery day with Nora and Dale’s family
joyfully ‘hate watching’ the Twilight saga with Thing 1

bathroom construction progress

windows open for several days in a row
playing a game called Bye Felicia
making good use of my instant pot
two of my alternative healthcare providers
Saturday morning snuggles with YBW and Baby K
exercising my 19th amendment right and responsibility by voting early
TJXrewards points

inventing this ridiculously delicious cocktail with Thing 1

having airline miles to purchase tickets for Thing 2 and Boyfriend M to visit in November
the post office in Old Town Manassas
taking a chance on the curated bundles at Bards Alley and getting some great reads
red toenail polish
CBD oil capsules
being in the car by myself

My heart is full of gratitude as I look back at this lovely and chaotic month.

Categories: me | Tags: #porchlife, autumn, books, cocktails, family, friends, friends as family, Girl Power, grateful, gratitude, joy, Little Everyday Joys, love, love my life, lovely weather | 2 Comments

a very Roby week

Posted on June 26, 2020 by robynbird

Y’all know about this file folding your clothes situation?
Seems it’s been around a while, but gained serious momentum with Marie Kondo. Of course I consider myself a damned fine laundry doer, but this file folding is something I’m not familiar with. And I’m always game to learn something new. Especially if it’s about my fave household chore!
A quick google search lead me to Abby Lawson’s youtube channel.
Her voice is kind of annoying. But I quickly became focused on what she was doing and stopped listening to her.

Y’all! This is so freaking simple!
It’s almost how I pack a bag, only it’s a combination of rolling and folding.
I’m over here like, Oh hold on sister, I got this!

I went to my tee shirt drawers.
Yeah, you read that right, drawer is plural. There were three of them. (mind ya business)
There were three because separating them suited my way of life more than necessarily needing that much storage.
One was plain tees. You know, a few each of black, white, and navy with a couple other colors thrown in. They’re for layering, for wearing outright, and can be worn with anything to dress up or down.
The second was printed tees. You know, words about reading, or books, about kindness. These are the tees I can wear to school on casual days.
The third was printed tess that aren’t school appropriate. You know, that Drink Naked tee from Naked Mountain Winery. The three concert tees I own. All my Nats gear (can wear to school, but only on spirit days).

So, after a super quick purge (maybe 8 tees?) I got started. I was saving so much damn space I even got shirts off hangers in the closet and folded them.

This one is all the plain tees and my Nats gear.

This one is all the printed tees.

At this point, my concern is wrinkles. If they’re a hot mess, I’ll rethink this file folding situation. If not, BOOM baby! I’ve got three drawers and some hanging tees all in two drawers.
I’m considering doing my sleeping tees and jammie pants next…we’ll see.

In other news, we’re looking at less than a month until Thing 1 and her family move to this house! I’m ready for unrestricted access to that baby girl! Of course, she’s going to exhaust me and I’ll be like, Birdie’s over it, go tell your Mama. But to be able to love her whenever either of us wants. And to watch her do all the weirdo baby things as she does them? Priceless!
I’m excited to meal plan and do food things with Thing 1. I’m super eager for her to bake for me. That girl is the queen of baking!
We talked today about her anxiety about me and her dogs. I’m honestly super chill about the concept of three dogs in this house. I mean, that may change, but instead of me having a huge temper fit when I’m at the end of my rope, we’ll discuss and problem solve anything as needed. She seemed more relaxed after we talked. Yay!

Had delicious (appropriately social distanced) lunch on the porch with Nora Wednesday. She brought Greek food. Because she rocks! Y’all I do love me some porch life!
Yesterday, I went grocery shopping and finally went to get a pedicure. I know. I know. It was frivolous, but I DGAF! I needed to do that for me. Now I have feet as soft as a baby’s bottom and adorably peachy-pink nails. My feet and I are content! (mind ya business again)
Today I’m painting a crib for Baby K to put her dollies in.
It was mine when I was a little girl, and Thing 1 and Thing 2 used it when they were little. Now it’ll belong to Baby K. I’m nearly finished with all the painting at this point. I’ll share the process in it’s own post.

I also need to go to the liquor store. That seems almost more frivolous than getting a pedi. But I took vodka with me to Thing 1’s and accidentally left it there…twice! So while we have wine and bubbly, summertime beer, and bourbon, also a bit of tequila, we have no vodka.
I’d like to make vodka lemonade with some of my porch grown basil.
We do have gin and fresh limes, so I could make gimlets. Oh! I’ve got that mint growing on the porch, I could make a south side…hmmm…maybe I’ll go to the liquor store next week?
What’s funny is I’m not even hankering a cocktail. I just want to be able to do what I want when I decide I want one.

This is YBW’s last week working from home.
His company finally moved into the office that’s right near the house we want to buy. The office space is bigger so the entire team can be in the same physical space while being appropriately distanced.
I can hear him watching Trevor Noah right now, so I don’t guess he’s working all that hard at the moment. I’m not calling him out or anything, I’m just sort of acknowledging that there’s not really much he can do at home. It also means I can go in there and see if he wants to hang out with me with probable success!
And that’s what’s up around here.
Hope all y’all are content in your week.

Categories: around the house | Tags: Baby K, beer, bubbly, cocktails, file folding, friends as family, gin, greek food, organization, organization skills, self quarantine, social distancing, tee shirt, Thing 1, vodka, wine | 8 Comments

ready for porch life

Posted on April 13, 2020 by robynbird

Ever notice how everything is straight chaos while you’re trying to organize?
YBW and I spent the majority of Saturday on the porch. Bringing out the rugs, furniture, and cushion storage containers. Putting together new outdoor dining furniture.

The breeze was chilly, but it was warm in the sun. You can see the abandoned hoodie on the chair.
We moved all that cardboard to a sunny spot in the yard and asked Thing G to come out and break it down.
Because the winter was rather mild, most of the herbs are coming back. I need to get more basil and lavender, but all the peppermint, cat nip, thyme, and lemon balm is growing like gangbusters! (In case you’re wondering, yes, these herbs do help deter mosquitos.)

We rearranged a few times before we got it right, but were pleased with where we landed.
So much so that we made cocktails and a late lunch/early dinner about four o’clock and ate at our new table on the porch!

We went over to the construction site Sunday morning and walked around in the townhouse unit that’s like ours will be. YBW spent time looking at where to put some sort of chase in which to connect future solar panels on the roof with the electrical system. I was all about furniture placement.
We had our cameras with us and planned to visit a park and walking trails, just to get out of the house. But as we were leaving the new houses, it began to rain. No sense walking around the park in the rain, so we headed home. We drove right out of the rain in one county and into a warm sunny day in the next.

I picked up Meredith’s book and plopped myself on the porch all afternoon until it got windy and rainy and I had to come inside.

The maple tree helicopters are flying about. The oak trees haven’t yet dropped their weird little wormy-pollen-things. I’m waiting to set up the fountain until after that mess. I missed the water sounds as I sat out there, but I’ll be patient, I hate cleaning oak tree pollen out of the fountain.
I’m ready for porch life, y’all!

Of course it’s pouring and windy with mad storms on this Monday morning.
But I’ll be patient because I’ve got all spring…and summer…and fall to spend on that porch. And when the world opens back up, I’ll invite loads of folks to share in my porch life!

Categories: me | Tags: back porch, cocktails, deck furniture, hard work, home organization, IKEA, love, love my life, organize, porch life, self quarantine, social distancing | 9 Comments

anniversary celebration

Posted on November 1, 2018 by robynbird

YBW and I celebrated our anniversary in DC on Sunday with tickets for the World Premiere of Beetlejuice The Musical!

First we stopped at Round Robin Bar in the beautiful Willard for preshow cocktails.

We had a lovely chat and enjoyed people watching before we walked over to the National.

Orchestra seats were great!
There was an absolute buzz in the theater! I mean really, you could feel the anticipation in the air!
I’m going to go out on a limb and tell you that I loved loved loved this show!
The music was exactly what it needed to be. The actors were spot on. Costumes great. And the set! The set was spectacular!
So many great lines and visual gags, so many F words and gestures.
I have to say that one of my favorite moments was when Beetlejuice pulled a yarmulke from his pocket and placed it on his head before the wedding. This guy who so blatantly disregards any sort of propriety must cover his head before the wedding?!?! It played well for me, but ‘I myself am strange and unusual’.
If you’re planning to see it when it hits Broadway in the Spring, you won’t be disappointed!

It was cool and cloudy, but still a great day to walk around town.
After we left the theater, we were a bit early for our dinner reservations, YBW wanted to people watch down at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. He wanted to see what all the protesters had to say on that day.
I’m just reading the signs that pretty much say F**k Tr**p and thinking that if you’re going to sit outside someone’s house and protest them, you might consider being a more creative with your signs. I don’t know, perhaps that’s just me.

We arrived at Woodward Table and our table wasn’t ready yet so we decided to hang out in the bar for a bit. I went quickly to the ladies room and when I came back around the other end of the bar I heard the sound of a cork popping!
I looked at YBW and pointed at myself mouthing the words, “Is that for me?” He grinned an nodded.
When I sat down next to him, he said, “I was going to wait for you, but then I realized we needed some bubbly.”
(He was right!)

Delicious cheese board before dinner and a beautiful Autumnal menu made for a wonderful dinner.
Of course no dinner is complete without one of these.

What a lovely day!

Categories: me, music | Tags: anniversary, Beetlejuice, broadway, champagne, cocktails, dinner and a show, musical theater, National Theatre, Washington DC | 4 Comments

Girlie Hotel Weekend

Posted on October 10, 2018 by robynbird

Columbus Day.
Seems such a sham now we have a much more detailed history of his actions.
But I got a day off school, so I’m not complaining.

Three day weekends are a blessing no matter what your day job.
I took mine and went to see Thing 2.

I left school at 2:00 Friday afternoon and pulled into the driveway here just before 5:00 Monday afternoon.
It was fast and furious, but it was worth it!

We tried to plan one of these weekends last year, but could never quite make it work. And in 2017-2018 I actually saw Thing 2 more times in one ‘year’ than I have the entire five years we’ve lived apart.
Thanksgiving 2017 we were all at Thing 1 and Husband N’s.
Christmas 2017 Thing 2 and Boyfriend J were here.
In March when Thing 1 lost her baby, both Thing 2 and I were there to help pick up the pieces.
Both Thing 1 and Thing 2 were here in June for Thing G’s graduation. (and mother-daughter tattooing)

Anyway, we planned this visit so we could see each other more frequently without her always having to come here.
She called it “Girlie Hotel Weekend” and she was right!

Because it took me four hours to get out of Virginia instead of the normal 2 hours and 20 – 30 minutes, I was much later arriving in Columbia than either of us expected. She got dropped off by friends about ten minutes after I checked us in.
So! Much! Giggling!

We started our Saturday with pedicures and mimosas.
Did a little Devine Street shopping before moving on to Target where my daughter said, “Nobody likes to Target the way I do but you.” (It’s genetic)
Roads were closed all over downtown because it was Parents Weekend at USC. What a pain in the ass. But, because we had to take Blossom, I remembered a place I loved to eat when I lived down there.
We had a great lunch, and a pitcher of mimosas, and some of the most delicious cheesecake at Di Prato’s.
We shopped and piddled around Columbia all day Saturday.
Then popped some bubbly and snuggled up in the hotel beds and watched Hocus Pocus. We love us some Sanderson Sisters!

Sunday saw us at our beloved Waffle House. I know. It’s just awful, but we love it. Nowhere else makes egg sandwiches like that. Not to mention, the guy who checked us out used to be the theater teacher at the high school.
Thing 2 was like, Was that Mr W? It sounded like him.
I actually had one of those lightbulb over the head moments! It was!
She wondered if he freaked out when he saw me after I ripped him a new one Thing 1’s senior year.
We laughed and laughed. We’re mean like that.

After breakfast, we made a return to Target and went shoe shopping.
Because I wanted to see the restaurant where she works, we went over and sat in the bar for a few hours. She drank sake and I let her bartending co-worker surprise me. We ate dumplings and noodles and drank and talked and laughed and hung out. I even got to meet one of the “regulars” a Rod Stewart-esque hair dresser that reminded me so much of my dad I could hardly believe it. Thing 2 had her own lightbulb over the head moment when she realized I was right that he seemed so like her beloved Pap.

Monday morning we shared breakfast, grabbed coffee and said goodbye.
She drove to work and I got on the interstate to come home.
I was sad, and even though it was a good kind of sadness, I didn’t want to feel it all the way home so I gave myself until I got out of South Carolina to be sad.
And you know what? It worked. I was only a bit sad, but I sat with it and honored it while we were still in the same state.
Then the Hamilton Soundtrack got me through North Carolina and when I arrived safely in Virginia I called YBW to report the news. It took me just less than seven hours to reach my exit on 95. Another twenty or so minutes to the house and the return trip was over. As I was unloading the car, YBW pulled into the driveway home from work.
Now that’s great timing!

I’m grateful for the time off from school, the financial ability to do a weekend trip, and a new car that made the trip a breeze. I’m grateful for that sacred time with my Thing 2. I’m grateful for our open and honest communication, our ability to laugh at similar things. I’m grateful I’m her Momma and she’s my baby.
We needed that time together, and it was good for us!
My heart is overflowing with love.

Categories: love, me, on being a mom | Tags: cocktails, fun, joy, love, mothers and daughters, quality time, relationships, sacred time, snuggles, Thing 2 | 9 Comments

learning to love New Orleans

Posted on August 9, 2018 by robynbird

New Orleans.
We were there for six days over the beginning of August.

You may find yourself asking: The bayou in August?
Yep.
And to be quite honest, it was actually hotter in VA while we were there, and the humidity was similar enough that we almost didn’t notice.

New Orleans seemed a magical place, and I was curious.
I’ve read loads of stories set in this city. I’ve heard loads of stories from travelers to this city. Seen many a film set in this city.
What was lovely about going at this time is that the city is celebrating it’s 300th anniversary!

Not to mention the first week of August is their jazz festival.
And the first Saturday of August is their annual white linen art walk.

Here’s what I discovered about New Orleans, it’s pretty much like Charleston, or Savannah.
Only dirtier. And louder.
Initially I was a bit turned off.
But, I came away with a genuine affection for New Orleans.
I would honestly like to visit again, and even stay in the French Quarter, just not half a block off Bourbon Street.
Who knows, perhaps with more time spent, I’ll love it the way I do Savannah and Charleston!

Beautiful courtyard breakfast each morning at Hotel Mazarin.

Fascinating people watching on Bourbon Street.
This was more a YBW thing than a Robynbird thing. My senses were a bit overwhelmed with the noise and scents. But once I adjusted to the chaos, I was able to find entertainment in it. YBW took loads of photos on Bourbon Street, even had beads thrown at him for his efforts! I spent most of my ‘behind the lens time’ in other places.

Wandering the Garden District in the rain. (was super-New-Orleans-gothic-romantic)

Riding the streetcar was actually one of my favorite things we did.

We rode the St. Charles Ave and Canal lines.
A delightful mix of tourists and locals all trying to get from one place to another. I honestly loved everything about the streetcar experience. Even the slightly-mad-completely-drunk-probably-homeless man who chatted us up on the way to the White Linen Walk. The smell coming off him was honestly something I have not the language to describe. He was ‘in your face’ but not disrespectful or belligerent, but I was relieved when he exited the car only two stops after we got on. YBW said, “That’s why this seat was empty when we got on.” Y’all, he ain’t lying!

Jazz at Satchmo Summer Fest

and with Second Hand Street Band at 21st Amendment Bar

The cemeteries. (My GOD, y’all! The cemeteries!)

White Linen Walk in the Arts/Warehouse District. I have no photos of this because it was more tightly packed than I expected. It was fun, but a bit of a let down. Though I do love wandering through galleries, and there was some unbelievably beautiful art to be seen. We drank a bit and walked along Julia Street before we zipped past the Central Business District and through Lafayette Square to our next destination.

A funky-fun and beautifully entertaining burlesque show.

Bella chatted us up before the show and was absolutely lovely! Though at the time, I didn’t’ realize who she was. Later on when I was a bit tipsy, I leaned into YBW and said, “How precious is she? When we were talking about how her gloves were missing rhinestones I didn’t realize she was the Queen of us!”
Y’all, she may be the Queen of that show, that venue, those folks, but she was a lovely girl and I enjoyed the time we spent with her!

We ate so much ridiculously delicious food. (from classic fried shrimp po boys, to the finest Creole cuisine, from dive diners, to the place that invented bananas foster)
If I thought it would make the trip, I’d mail-order a Parasol’s po boy once a week!
What’s lovely about well prepared food is the serving sizes. So you can more frequently eat smaller, rich, delicious meals. This is guiding me to rethink the way we eat ’round here.

Cocktails. (French 75 is to die for!)

I will never turn down a delicious cocktail!

We even joined a Second Line on the way to dinner one night!

When we went out the Canal streetcar line, we discovered the Katrina Memorial.
This is a damn resilient city filled with some damn resilient folks!

We shopped.
We drank.
We ate.
We walked and walked and walked.
We laughed.
We kissed and held hands in the street.
We got sunburned.
I got bit by fire ants.
I’m so pleased I got to spend time in “America’s Most Interesting City” with my beloved.

New Orleans is brash and loud. It’s a bit trashy.
New Orleans is beautiful and romantic. It’s filled with hidden delights.
New Orleans has a great big beating heart. It is tenacious af!
Writing this post made me love it even more.
I’m looking forward to when I’ll return.

Categories: me | Tags: bulesque, cemeteries, cocktails, food, french quarter, garden district, jazz, music, new orleans, nola, po boys, restaurants, vacation, YBW | 1 Comment

International Week of the Birthday ~ day five

Posted on May 11, 2017 by robynbird

Cocktails on the porch last night before breakfast for dinner made for a rather happy Robynbird!
It’s pouring with rain this morning and chilly in the 50s. March weather in May seems weird to me.

I celebrated myself today with a pedicure!

Came home, put on my jammies, and now I’m going to make champagne cocktails with Cat Head honeysuckle vodka!

Aren’t they pretty?

Last day in the countdown…tomorrow I’ll wake up and it will be my birthday!
I suspect it seems strange for a grown ass woman to be so excited about her birthday…but I don’t care!
Let’s celebrate me!

Categories: me | Tags: birthday, celebrate, champagne cocktails, cocktails, international week of the birthday, love | Leave a comment

Christmas Eve at Church of the Motion Picture

Posted on December 26, 2016 by robynbird

Saturday night after the Hanukkah candles were lit and prayers said, YBW and I realized we wouldn’t make the early Christmas Eve service at Emmanuel.

And at roughly 45 minutes each way, we knew we wouldn’t want to attempt the 11:00 service. Sad face Robynbird. I do so love Christmas Eve services.

But then I got an idea! Kind of like the Grinch, only mine wasn’t an awful idea. Mine was a wonderful idea!
I turned to YBW at the foot of the stairs and I said, “Let’s go to ‘Church of the Motion Picture’!”

When he asked what movie we should see, I knew the answer straight away.

(Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!)

We busted out of the house to get to the shoe store before it closed at six. I decided at the last moment I wanted to wear these shoes to lunch on Christmas day.

They were 30% off and I’d earned a $10 certificate and I had a store credit from returning a pair of boots. So I got these adorable booties for less than $30 that was already spent! And I rocked them with the cutest dress for going out to lunch on Christmas Day!

We left DSW and headed to Fairfax Corner. We were almost an hour early for the movie so we decided to stop in at Coastal Flats for cocktails. The girl tending bar was called Michelle and she took great care of us. We chatted her up and laughed and generally had a great time.

I had a Lucky Lounge Lemonade and YBW had a mojito.

After the movie, we came home to open our Christmas Eve pressies. Then snuggled for a long time in front of the fire with a bottle of prosecco before we finally gave up waiting to see Santa and went to bed.

Categories: me | Tags: Christmas, Christmas Eve, cocktails, date, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, impractical shoes, movie theater, movies, new shoes | Leave a comment

Thanksgiving in Charleston

Posted on November 24, 2016 by robynbird

Yesterday was spent downtown.
We met my Charleston family (sans nephew) for lunch at one of our favorite places, Jestine’s Kitchen. Mac and cheese, green beans, and unbelievably yummy fried chicken, (which I ate in my systematically OCD way of picking off and eating the fried bits, picking the meat off of and discarding the bone and then eating all the meat).

We wandered and shopped King Street. Jessica had a list we needed to check off, I was just along for the walk.
Turns out that I did a little shopping too. What’s curious about this shopping is that I only purchased things for myself. That’s unusual for me, normally I purchase for everyone else first.
It was fun though, because I bought sort of silly and frivolous things.

As we walked past Copper Penny, I saw a scarf on a mannequin in the window that made us stop and go in. It was the only one in the shop and the girl climbed into the window to get it for me.

I may have a slight scarf ‘problem’…if I don’t reign it in, it could blossom into a full fledged addiction. (Surely, there are worst things I could be addicted to…so scarves might just be OK.)

Candlefish was so cool! They even have candle making classes! I diffused oils, so I never really burn scented candles, but they had some really lovely ones. Of course I bought these adorable bobby pins at the candle shop. And that makes a kind of sense that really doesn’t. Who really cares? I absolutely adore these little moon and star hair pins!

In a curious little boutique called lou lou, I bought this precious little headband.

We stopped for a post-shopping cocktail at the Thoroughbred Club in Charleston Place.
I had a delicious concoction called the Courtesan Cocktail.

After a visit to my Charleston family for more cocktails and time near the fire pit, Jessica and I went over the Tattooed Moose for a late dinner. Their french fries are cooked in duck fat. I mean, my God those fries!!

This beer though!

After all that we came home and watched Chadwick Boseman as James Brown.
If you haven’t seen it, you simply must!

Today, we’ve eaten breakfast, watched the parade, and gone through a box of old photos. Now we’re watching Hairspray while I write…

We’re going to Sweeny’s for dinner this evening.
Happy Thanksgiving, y’all!