Archives

Wine Reviews
Five Nonalcoholic Drinks That Actually Taste Good

Isn’t it great that there are finally some cool looking and delicious nonalcoholic wines and spirits out there? It’s tempting to choose on packaging or buzz alone. But that may not be the best strategy for finding nonalcoholic drinks that actually taste good. Unfortunately, there’s no way to know how a 0-proof drink truly tastes until you plunk down your money and take it home. Despite the fancy packaging, some nonalcoholic adult drinks taste like water or awfully bitter and medicinal. I’ve made some bad purchases that I tossed or stuck in the back of the liquor cabinet to collect dust. I wish celebs backing some of these nonalcoholic drinks would be required to taste their products live on Instagram. Wouldn’t that be enlightening and entertaining?! Until that happens, I’ve been keeping my own list of taste-tested 0-proof drinks that are worth the money. In these nonalcoholic drinks, the taste…
August 15, 2023
Cocktail Recipes, Eat Like a Local, Travel
The Bubbly Girl Drink of the Week: Aperol Fizz

The Aperol Fizz is similar to the popular Italian drink called the Aperol Spritz or Sprizz, except that it swaps the club soda for tonic water. I really liked the extra bittersweet tang from the tonic water, and think you will too.
June 6, 2023
Cocktail Recipes, Pop Culture
Say Farewell to Queen Elizabeth II With a Black Velvet

While the concept of monarchy is fraught, it’s always sad when a family must say goodbye to a beloved mother and grandmother. And while I never visited Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth II was a familiar figure growing up. Her face was a familiar one on Canadian money, and I remember the gold and silver silhouettes of Queen Elizabeth II on colorful Trinidadian postage stamps on letters from friends living on the Caribbean island. Queen Elizabeth’s favorite cocktail was Dubonnet and gin, a taste she acquired from her mother. Here’s how to mix up the Queen’s cocktail, which sounds like a sweeter, less intense version of a Negroni, which pairs gin and Campari. But what does one drink to say goodbye to a monarch? Celebratory champagne and mourning don’t seem to go together. Yet those sentiments share a glass in the historic champagne cocktail known as the Black Velvet. The Black Velvet,…
September 19, 2022
Pop Culture
Julia Child’s Kitchen, The Smithsonian and Champagne

We love champagne and sparkling wine for its tantalizing bubbles, but is there a good way to save those bubbles if you open a bottle and don’t finish it? Absolutely, according to Julia Child, the woman who brought French cuisine and a taste for champagne to Americans with her cooking show and books. While travelling on the East Coast for Bubbly Bar tastings and book signings, I planned the trip so I’d have an extra day in Washington DC. I wanted to make sure to get to visit Julia Child’s kitchen at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. As soon as I walked into the kitchen exhibit, the first thing I heard was Child’s distinctive voice… talking about champagne! A video monitor was set up to play a series of videos on topics including her favorite kitchen gadgets. In this segment, Child pulls a gold champagne stopper off a…
August 15, 2022
Food + Recipes, Restaurants
Four-Star Ice Creams to Enjoy This Summer and Beyond

As I scrolled through my camera roll trying to decide what to post on Instagram for National Ice Cream Day (July 17, 2022) I realized that I’ve enjoyed a lot of amazing ice cream over the years. Inventive ice cream made with top-quality ingredients is one of the best parts about living in the San Francisco Bay Area. But no matter where I‘ve travelled, whether the climate is hot or cold, everybody loves ice cream. Here’s a roundup of some (but not all) of my favorites, and where to try these flavors for yourself this summer and beyond. Blueberry Muffin and Peach Pie ice creams from Sweet Rose Sweet Rose Creamery is this Santa Monica ice cream institution. It’s in a chic little shopping mall called the Brentwood Country Mart, where there’s also a Gwyneth Paltrow goop store. They have a range of flavors, but their claim to fame is…
July 18, 2022