Guavaritas!

Friday we hosted a tree trimming & gingerbread house making party. It was quite the success. I think it might become an annual event. My baked crab rangoons were a hit. Even made a new friend!

Thanks to the fabulous drink that Cynjon introduced me to, I had a verrrrry good time. If you like spicy stuff, the guavaritas are the way to go. Jalapeno infused tequila with guava juice. This batch was much spicier than the last time.

It was great way to unwind. In fact, I felt so relaxed, I didn't even trim the tree or make a gingerbread house! Yep, all I did was drink, eat candy meant for decorating the houses, and do shots. Yep. That's what I said.

Shots of jalapeno infused tequila. I don't remember the last time I did shots--probably the few years right after I graduated college. Damn they were good! Cynjon, you really try shooting that tequila! Only one of my friends was brave enough to shoot the tequila with me. I think I drank him under the table. Hehehehehe.

Thankfully, my friends trimmed the tree for me, and they made some fabulous gingerbread houses! That's the church made by my long time friend Brandon. We don't get to hang out enough. He's like a brother--because we fight alot.

Oh yeah, here's the guavarita recipe. Give it a go! I think it would work great with some Passion Fruit nectar too.

Guavaritas
the "bulk" version

Add 2 to 3 sliced jalapenos to a bottle of white tequila. Let this sit for a couple of hours...the longer it sits, the spicier it gets. Add 1 cup lemon juice, and 1 cup Cointreau to the mix. Once the jalapenos have "steeped," scoop them out, and combine the mixture with pure guava nectar to desired strength...some folks want just a splash of the mix, and some folks want just a splash of the nectar!

I substituted orange Curacao since it was easier on my pocketbook than Cointreau. It still tasted great.

A date!

Wow, hubby and I actually went on a date last week! We had passes to a sneak peak of The Duchess starring Kiera Knightley. I didn't know much about the movie, except for a really short blurb in some magazine I can't remember.All I needed to know was it's a period costume drama.

Bring on the fabulous costumes! Bring on guys with sexy accents. And there was a special cocktail hour at the fancy schmancy Ritz-Carlton Georgetown before the screening. I had a sexy drink called, what else, the Duchess. It was tasty, all I remember that it had fresh blackberries and raspberries in it. Hubby had the Duke, which had strawberries and fresh basil. We got there late and missed all the good swag from the party but hubby won the door prize, which was dinner for two at the Ritz! How awesome is that? My 30th birthday is coming soon, so I think that might be a good time for another date.

The Duchess was such a great escape. It's about the life of 18th century aristocrat Lady Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, played by Kiera Knightley. She was stuck in a loveless arranged marriage and unable to be with the man she loved. To top it off, social decorum also meant that she couldn't stop her husband from sleeping around. Whew! It definitely makes me appreciate the freedoms we have as women today. Kiera Knightley did a great job. In a role like this it's so easy to overact, but she didn't. And Ralph Fiennes, who played the Duke, is an amazing actor. I know he was the villain, so to speak, but he played the Duke with such subtle nuances.

If you're going to see the movie, definitely bring a hanky. It's a drama, I tell you! Did you know Lady Georgiana is an ancestor of Lady Di?

Let me talk about the costumes! They are beautiful. And sewn so beautifully. She had on a different outfit in every scene. The detail was amazing. This is the first dress we see her in, still an innocent young girl.
You can see more detail pictures at the official website, but The Costumer's Guide has some great stills from the movie too. I think the fashion from the 18th century is gorgeous, but I definitely would want to wear a corset all day! Not to mention, as royalty, the clothes were so complicated you couldn't remove them by yourself.

The movie is based off a the book Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire by Amanda Foreman. She was quite a celebrity and politico for her day. I'd love to read more about her than just her love life. Off to add it to my list on Paperbackswap.com.

Winner!

Photo from smohundro via Flickr

Okay, I'm so sorry it's been so long since my last post. And you're probably wondering who the winner is for the giveaway! So wait no more, the winner of the travel sized RomantaTherapy Passion Power in white chocolate is Wylde Iris! And here's the drink she shared with us:

Ok now the drink...

We like margaritas and this is our spin on the traditional.
1 1/2 oz Cuervo Gold Tequila
1 oz Grand Marnier or Cointreau
1 oz water
1 tsp Agave nectar (or to taste)
1 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
Shake well and pour over ice. Very good.

I'm a fan of any drink with tequila in it! I also did receive some great romance tips! You might see those in my newsletter this month. Not on my email list? Sign up with the link in the sidebar.

No olives & a Giveaway

photo by Flickr member 365bunnies

I love a martini. Not the ones with olives and vodka. Nope, I love girlie martinis. The fruitier (or chocolately) the better! Maybe it's just the way then then stem of the martini glass feels between my fingers. Maybe it's how sexy I feel balancing the fragile glass while sipping such sweet nectar.

My favorite martini is definitely the Appletini. However, maybe it's time I branch out. However, there are requisites. It has to look sexy and taste good!

Chocolate Martini
Don't forget to rim the glass with some cocoa powder or even better, chopped chocolate bits.

• 2 oz vodka
• 1 1/2 oz Godiva Chocolate liquer
  
• powdered cocoa for rimming

1. Pour the ingredients into a shaker with ice cubes.
2. Shake vigorously.
3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass rimmed with cocoa.

Doesn't that sound delicious? I'll have to pick up some Godiva Liquer for our next happy hour.

Did you know that August is Romance Awareness Month? To celebrate, I'm offering a giveaway and a sale on my website. Visit my shop and you'll save 12% off your order when you use code ROMANCE at checkout. Fine print: Not valid retroactively, on party orders, or with other discounts.

Now here's the giveaway! Tuck a travel size of our yummy Passion Powder in White Chocolate in your bag on your next romantic getaway. Dust this on your lover and you can nibble, lick, and kiss your way into oblivion.

You can get 1 entry for doing each of the following. Just leave separate comments for each item and I'll randomly draw a winner next Friday, August 22. Extended until Aug 25th. Sorry, due to mailing costs, this contest is only available for US residents.

1. Leave a comment with a romance tip that has worked well for you. No bedroom details necessary!

2. Share your favorite sexy drink. If you have a recipe, please share a link!

3. Post this giveaway on your blog and leave the link in your comment here!