Red, White and Blue - 4th of July Party Cocktails!

Just can't help myself - love summer cocktails and just had to show off a few that I want to try for this weekend.   Thought I would share a few ideas that I am contemplating to serve our weekend guests from Portland!

Pop Rock Cocktails (hilarious!)


Just add red, white or blue "Pop Rocks" to the rim of your summer cocktails to give them that extra little sizzle and pop!

Pop Rocks on the Beach

1/2 oz Vodka
1/2 oz Midori melon liqueur
1/2 oz Chambord raspberry liqueur
3 splashes Pineapple juice

This one might be the winner for me - now to just find the Pop Rocks....
(from Pizzazzerie.com)

 Or how about this pretty fresh fruit con-concoction from PrettyPlain Janes? 

Dang, she knows how to make some beautiful cocktails - wouldn't you love to be invited to her house???

Ingredients

• *1 cup simple syrup (1 part sugar plus *1 part water, boiled until dissolved and cooled)
• *1/2 cup fresh strawberries (sliced in half)
• *1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• *1 bottle dry white wine
•     club soda or tonic water
• *ice
• *few sprigs of fresh mint for garnish

Directions

1. Fill Pitcher with ice and top with berries (save some to place in glasses).
2. Pour in simple syrup and then wine until pitcher is 3/4 full.
3. Top off with club soda or tonic water, stir and serve in ice filled glasses. Garnish with mint sprig.

This pretty cocktail recipe was sent to me from Designs by Lolita (LOVE their creative martini and wine glasses!)

Blueberry Martini
1.25 fl oz SMIRNOFF® Blueberry Flavored Vodka
.25 fl oz orange liqueur
.5 fl oz Lemon-Lime Soda
1. Stir and strain to lose bubbles, and serve in a martini glass.
2. Garnish with a lemon twist and blueberries.


And from Sunset Magazine - I just love how they used star fruit to make the cute skewers!
Raspberry Lemonade (non alcholic)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rinsed fresh raspberries 
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup lemon juice
• 2 cups water
• In a small bowl, with a potato masher or spoon, mash 1 cup rinsed fresh raspberries, with 2/3 cup sugar. Let stand 10 minutes. Press through a fine strainer into a pitcher (at least 1 1/2 qt.); discard seeds. Stir in 1 cup lemon juice and 2 cups water. Taste and add more sugar if desired. Pour into tall, ice-filled glasses.

P.S.  Don't forget to use pretty glassware!

Try a set of Lighthouses for the perfect Patriotic Celebration!

Can't go wrong with a set of Anchors! 

Wishing everyone a fabulous 4th of July!  For more 4th of July party ideas - check out my "America the Beautiful" board on Pinterest.

Attention - Kristin Hannah Fans

Happy Independence Week!

This is your opportunity to help Kristin Hannah with one of her favorite organizations;  The Wounded Warrior Project.   If you've had the chance to read Kristin's latest New York Times Bestseller, Home Front, it is abundantly clear what an impact our service men and women have made upon her.

From Home Front - 
"This book is dedicated to the brave men and women of the American armed services and their families, who sacrifice so much to protect and preserve our way of life"
 (if you haven't read it, I would suggest buying a box of Kleenex and getting your copy this holiday week)



A little about The Wounded Warrior Project:
 Their Mission - To honor and empower wounded warriors.
Their Vision - To foster the most successful, well-adjusted generation of wounded service members in our nation's history.


The Wounded Warrior Project Organization achieves these goals through a wide variety of unique FREE programs.  They provide assistance with health, wellness and even employment service to help our wounded veterans and their families adjust to a new successful life after their much-appreciated service and sacrifice to our country.  


Just take a look at their site, www.woundedwarriorproject.org , I find their work to be a testament to what our country is all about, and absolutely amazing to see what this group has accomplished! 

Here's how YOU can help:  Ms. Hannah has generously offered five of her most popular early bestselling novels for a silent auction to support this incredibly meaningful group. All proceeds will go directly to The Wounded Warrior Project.

Not only are these five books from her own personal library; they are also rare first editions, in pristine condition, currently out of print (with these gorgeous covers!), and all have Kristin Hannah's original signature.  Note - these are being auctioned as a set of five.

When Lighting Strikes - October 1994

Once in Every Life - December 1992

The Enchantment - June 1992 (one of my personal favorites!)

If You Believe - December 1993

Waiting for the Moon - September 1995

Let the bidding begin!   Please e-mail libertybaybooks@embarqmail.com with the 
following information:

Bid:

Full Name:

E-Mail:

Phone Number:

The auction will be open through July 15th, and the winner will be announced July 16th on the Everything Coastal Blog and on the Liberty Bay Books Blog.   Good luck!

Patriotic Tablescapes

I am seriously digging all of the red, white and blue tablescape decorating!  Totally nautical - and perfect for the 4th of July. Makes me wish I had a bigger house to store more dinnerware, glassware and my favorite table linens....

Just wanted to show you all a few of my favorite images gathered this week around the net! 

From one of my favorite blogs - FOCAL Point.  I think you will love Lynda's sense of style!  For the whole blog post - Patriotic Place Settings

Stripes, rope, shiny details - and LOBSTER!  How can you go wrong? (Pinterest)

From Back Porch Musings - pretty tablescape with lighthouse dishes. 

From Naps on the Porch - how great is this?  Check out the rope flatware, and the mason jars!

Seriously cute blog post with such fun nautical red white and blue details!  Hop on over to Words on Wheels for all of the details 

So much fun - and easy to put together from! Image from Better Homes and Gardens

And then for a few of ours...All of these table linens can be found at Caron's!

And there's always beautiful Blue Crab Dinnerware to go with!

Have a great weekend everyone - we are headed out in the new Mini-Cooper for a drive up to Bodega Bay, maybe a little wine tasting, maybe a to find a dungeness crab for Saturday night's dinner!