Halloween is a few weeks away! We’ve complied a list of our favorite spooky Halloween inspired cocktails for you to indulge in. We have everything from Rum to tequila.
As you begin to carve your pumpkins and break out your heavy sweaters, Kahlúa, the rum and coffee liqueur and Malibu, the original coconut liqueur and Caribbean rum blend want to ensure you are well prepared to enjoy the change in season with fall flavor favorites Kahlúa Pumpkin Spice and Malibu Black, Red and Spiced.
![Malibu_Witches'_Brew[1]](https://xojohn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Malibu_Witches_Brew1-476x700.jpg)
This post is sponsored by Hornitos® Tequila
Happy Hour is a good ole tradition where folks hit up their favorite restaurant, bar, stadium, or state/county fair, for affordable alcoholic drinks, such as beer, wine, and cocktails. Sometimes free or discounted Hors d’oeuvres are offered as well. I personally love a good Friday afternoon Happy Hour, especially if my friends get out of work early for Summer Fridays. Since summer is winding down, I wanted to grab onto what’s left of it. During summer and Happy Hour, I often go for refreshing cocktails, nothing too strong or overbearing, because it’s too darn hot in New York City for any strong alcoholic beverages. During my recent vacation in Aruba, I fell in love with coconut water all over again. Imagine lounging on the white sandy beaches of Aruba and a hotel staffer hands you a fresh coconut with a straw in it. So good! To capture that moment, I wanted to create a delicious drink with coconut water and tequila, to make the ultimate Happy Hour cocktail. This cocktail had to be enjoyable enough for me and my friends to keep our minds off the cool fall weather that’s about to hit us on the east coast.
Happy Friday! TO kick off this amazing holiday weekend, we’re sharing a fabulous food pairing. We are huge fans of whiskey and seafood! Luckily The Famous Grouse is mixing together Grouse & Ginger drams to pair perfectly with everyone’s favorite summer snack, The Lobster Roll. Nicola Riske, Brand Ambassador at The Famous Grouse dished on this dynamic pairing, “Whisky pairs beautifully with a lobster roll as the creamy mayo and melted butter combination with coat your mouth and then soften the alcohol on your palate. Specifically, The Famous Grouse pairs perfectly due to the zesty orange and citrus notes, which compliments the freshness of the lobster, celery and lemon already in the recipe,”
Location: 2888 Broadway, btw 112th and 113th New York, NY 10025
Cuisine: Mexican
Best Dish: Surprisingly the best dish was the Que Pasta. The rich sauce and spice was an unexpected treat.
Overall: Casual easy atmosphere and great food. This is a good choice for a low key dinner with friends or a casual night out.
We ventured out to Morningside Heights in search of something tasty and found it at Amigos, a quaint Mexican restaurant and bar. The decor is vibrant with red and white checkered tablecloths and colorful artwork displayed on the walls. The venue is surprisingly large with seating outside, near the bar, and at the rear. Bar seating is cozy and inviting; great for mingling with other patrons. For a more intimate meal, seating at the rear provides a larger area with the distance between parties and communal tables for larger groups. The menu is playful and fun with a mixture of traditional Mexican dishes and barbecue favorites.
In a sea of ocean blues New Yorker’s were all gathered among the finalist of the BOMBAY SAPPHIRE’s 9th Annual Most Imaginative Bartender Competition. The competition was hosted at the posh Lavo Restaurant and Club, located in the ultra-chic high end shopping district of New York City. We were privy to the ultimate in mixology cleverly. Custom syrups, potions, unique ingredients and a little bit of sorcery, went into this one-of-a-kind cocktails. Creativity and innovation is a huge part of this competition.
I took a moment to speak to Colin Appiah, the Senior Portfolio Ambassador with Bacardi, as I wanted to know what is was like to have the most fabulous job in the world.
This post is sponsored by Hornitos® Tequila
Beautiful weather, great food, and good some elements for a good weekend brunch. Luckily I live in a city where brunch locations are plentiful with many options. My friends and I often search for the best brunch spots New York City has to offer. This includes a great location, preferably on a low traffic street, and great deals, like bottomless drinks.
Location: 696 Madison Avenue
Cuisine: Italian
Best Dish: We adored the Lamb chops and the Ossobuco, but the Calamaretti was the star. The stuffed was a unique dish that would appeal to any seafood lover.
Overall: A fine space for a dinner with friends or relatives but not ideal for rambunctious kiddies. Families can dine at Nello and often do but the menu may be problematic for the little ones. Nello is a good choice for a very special date night with your spouse or a meal with out of town guests who would enjoy people watching.
The post is sponsored by Wild Turkey American Honey®.
I hope everyone had a safe and joyous 4th of July. The weather in New York was simply amazing, standing still at around 75 degrees. I was ecstatic because this meant my friends and I could hang on the rooftop to celebrate another year of independence. I set my plans in motion starting with securing a grill master, then setting up the soundtrack for the evening, and topping it off with the best bourbon (my favorite) I could find, Wild Turkey American Honey®. The rooftop overlooked the Hudson River and was the perfect backdrop for what was sure to be a great evening of music, BBQ, and of course fireworks.