An exciting weekend

 

A busy weekend at the cocktails and china chateau.

My lovely friend Karen came to stay, as I was about to do my first antiques fair ( first one  in about 20 years). So obviously Friday night cocktails were obligatory.

We had a 

Karens Kirsch Martini.

Kirsch

splash of grenadine

Extra dry vermouth

Frozen raspberries 

Ice.

Muddle the raspberries in a shaker, add the kirsch, grenadine, vermouth and ice.

Shake, strain and enjoy!.

And we did.

Saturday involved a wander around the town centre ( that was half an hour of our life we will never get back!)

Back home and a couple of hours relaxing in the garden, before we began sorting out the things for the fair.

All the boxes were packed and ready in less than 2 hours.

Dinner was a quick make of pizza and salad which we had in the garden, soaking up the evening sun and just enjoying chatting and drinking fizz outdoors.

I always think that everything seems better when its outside.

Fresh air took its toll on us and an early night ensued.

Up early and off to the lovely village hall a Hutton Rudby, where the antiques fair was taking place.

The traders were all friendly, everyone setting up  and getting ready to sell.

I was in profit in less than 10 minutes which was brilliant.

There were some interesting characters coming through including a 'forgetful' elderly lady 'with not a lot of money', I would like to give her the benefit of the doubt but to openly try to steal was quite entertaining. I actually think she was a dealer, or the mum of a dealer. 

All in all it was a wonderful day.

I dropped Karen at the train station and managed to get home, car unpacked just before we were hit by a massive storm.

It was certainly a full weekend, and I have booked to do another fair in December.

I will be taking it easy this week!

What a weekend

 

Well that was some weekend, one that most of us will not see again, all the pomp of the crowing of King Charles and Queen Camilla and the beginning of the Carolean Age.

I obviously celebrated it in style.

Having been out the door at 6.30am, I returned half an hour later with  arms full of foliage and blossom ( and some cowslips I found near the park).

 I then spent another half hour  turning these into a centre piece for my Coronation lunch table. All arranged on 3 vintage cake stands of  differing sizes.

It turned out really well.

It then turned to  the important things, TV on  in the build up to the big occasion and  some breakfast.

Cavier and champagne, which really hit the spot and started the day off rather well. 

I had saved cocktail hour until the afternoon of the coronation as I thought this was far more apt.

and the Coronation Martini went down very well.

Extra dry vermouth

Fino sherry

Dash of orange bitters

Dash of maraschino.

All put into a shaker with ice and given a good shake and then strained  into a martini glass and served with a cocktail cherry ( or two).

The day went very well, it really was a spectacle not to be missed. 

And now the flower arrangement is gone, the bunting is down and I am back in the day job after (another) lovely long weekend.

Roll on the end of the month when we have another.

This is turning into the best May  ever. ( I go on holiday soon too!)

 

Cocktail hour resumes and the weeks roll on

 

So after a little break for the Easter weekend, cocktail hour resumed at The Maison.

There was a four day week, but it felt like 40! I'm still struggling with the cough left over from covid and its becoming  a tad wearing now. Lack of sleep caused by constant coughing at night  means that I am more tired than normal.

Dratted covid!!!!

Fingers crossed I buck up soon, if only because its a matter of weeks to my holiday!

Friday came and  cocktail of the week was

The Godmother

Vodka

Ameretto 

Lots of ice.

Put ice in to a shaker and add the vodka and ameretto. Shake and strain over more ice in a tumbler.

garnish with  

Served with a platter of Antipasti ( well nearly).

And another week began, a trip to the Docs  for a full MOT means that I am still awaiting results!

However before I knew it , it was Friday and choice of cocktails was 

Brandy Manhatten.

Brandy

Sweet Vermouth

Orange bitters

All shaken with ice, strained and served over frozen grapes.

This really was exceptional and I had another just to make sure it was that good!

We are now heading to a bank holiday weekend  so lots to look forward to.

Have a great week

Easter been and gone

 

And just like that Easter is over and done  with for another year. I had a lovely weekend in a cottage in Yorkshire. Peace, quiet and lots of fresh air.

I stopped in the local market town and did a spot of shopping, I say shopping, really I had been rummaging in the charity and antique shops.

I am always on the look out for  vintage linen, glasses and china. You know the things that I bore you with pictures of on social media!
There is nothing like a decent cotton table napkin to go along side  bone china, and  don't get me started on  crystal glassware.

And true to form, I managed to find some rare pieces of china and some useful pieces ( for cocktail hour nibbles) , as well as some lovely glasses.

Oh dear it is becoming a bit ( a lot) of an obsession.

Having a new flash car, big house, designer clothes and handbags is not really my style, I tend not to try to go with the latest trend, I am much more my own  person and as such I like to set my own style. Quirky I think is the word So having a good look around for more of my quirky treasure is always order of  any free days I have.

With this in mind, I am looking to possibly  turn this into an online business, so look  out for more details in the future. ( whilst I am looking to see how to make it happen).

You may notice the lack of cocktails this week, well if truth be told I was really tired when I finished work on Thursday and Friday went by in such a blur, before I knew it, it was bedtime.

Cocktails will return next week.

Clocks spring forward and April arrives

 

This week has seen me woken every morning by the birds who seem to be in great voice, it makes me smile as  this is the time of year that I like most. The clocks  have moved on an hour and the nights are so much lighter. Everything looks brighter.

 Cocktails have been flowing here at La Maison.

To see us through to  the end of March we had 

Marseille Mule.

Pastis

Lime juice

Ginger beer ( or dry ginger ale if you prefer)

This is a take on the Moscow Mule with vodka being replaced with Pastis ( a great favourite of mine)

And 

G & E

which was gin and elderflower tonic ( found in Tesco).

I used frozen grapes to cool down the drink, this is something that I do a lot, it doesn't  water down your drink!

And now its April!  What cocktails lie ahead this month????

Well only time will tell.

Huge thanks to Tracey for the gift of a wonderful cocktail set ( some of it is seen in the picture). 

Another week , another cocktail

 

Well we have gone through  a week that saw snow fall, and then temperatures of 12c to be closely followed by one morning of -2, followed by  a morning of 5c. No wonder we are all suffering with colds. Hopefully we can get to some regularity with weather, and how very English to discuss weather when really I should be talking about cocktail hour.

So the cocktail of the hour ( and week) was

Russian Spring Punch

1 measure of creme de cassis

2 measures of lemon juice

4 ttsp sugar syrup

4 measures of vodka

champagne to top up

I put the cassis, lemon, sugar and vodka in a shaker with ice and strained into a glass, then topped up with  champagne.

this has been one of my favourite cocktails this year.

I am just to say say managing to keep up with a cocktail  every week, but need to up my game on  nibbles and photography

And now another week begins, we are edging towards the end of March ( how did that happen??).

Spring is on the way.

Have a great week.

Clearing out ( not china or glasses though)

 

I know that we are well into Lent, but this year as well as giving up sweeties and rubbish food, I also set up a bag which every day I add one item to . An Item that I no longer want or need. This way, just after Easter I will be donating 40 items to a local charity shop.

Its amazing what I have found to get rid of and it also is amazing what I have found and put up for sale.

I actually feel that I am making space.

Yes, yes, yes I know that I still pick up things in the charity shop, but I am more selective now.

My collection of china, linen  and my glasses are the things that I cannot whittle down at all and so for the time being I am keeping them. They are the the 'pretty' things which I love and use everyday. I always think its lovely to set the table.

I now feel that the 40 day clear out for Lent will become a habit, as for the selling, well it is going towards funding my further adventures abroad. so its all a win/win.

Heres to less clutter and more travelling.