alcoholic rootbeer.
when i first discovered this, i wasn’t exactly excited. it sounded a little weird to me. but oh my goodness is this stuff good! it’s kind of a trend right now, i guess. i’ve tried a few brands, but this one is my favourite by far. it’s amazing how much it tastes just like rootbeer!!! the label recommended pouring it over ice… which, again, sounded odd to me but i tried it anyway. and it’s very good!
however, it’s also very very sweet and has a ton of sugar in it, so i only drink one on occasion for fun. and i highly recommend you do, as well!
🙂
… and she is {ironically} not really a fan of having her picture taken.
😛
it’s that time of year!
don’t you just LOVE autumn?!
the colours, the crisp air, the leaves falling, the clothing, the smell of pumpkin everywhere…
and it’s the time of year during which the only beer i’ll be drinking is oktoberfest! {pretty much}
and usually i’m sippin’ on some sam adams, cuz i just love that stuff. but i literally squealed with excitement when i discovered this sierra nevada oktoberfest!
i’m somewhat obsessed with sierra nevada. however, i only recently starting drinking their beers… and my goodness are they ahh-mazing!
a friend of mine told me that sierra nevada has been tested/known for their extremely clean water… and in my opinion, this greatly effects the taste of their brews. i don’t know quite how to explain it, but there is something distinguishably different about sierra nevada beer, and not just this wonderful oktoberfest. it makes sense to me that it could have something to do with the natural cleanliness and quality of their water.
furthermore, i love SN’s oktoberfest because it was brewed in collaboration with an old-school 19th century german brauhaus, using their recipe!!! the brewery is one of the oldest in the country… and i mean, it doesn’t get much more authentic than that!
and this stuff tastes incredible!
sierra nevada claims this is a ONE TIME ONLY release – so get your hands and taste-buds on some as soon as you can!
SLAINTE!
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are you a sierra nevada fan?! and if so, do you agree with my theory regarding their water?!
i’m kind of obsessed with lettuce-wraps, as of late…
they are so easy to make and they are fulfilling without the guilt – gluten-free {if you want them to be}, quick and simple to prepare, and full of colour!
i also like to eat lettuce wraps during my “transition” months… like september, when the weather begins to change and my body begins to prepare for the heartier foods, but i’m not quite ready to let go of lighter fare. lettuce wraps meld the changing seasons together nicely.
i also LOVE grass-fed beef… for the nutrition, the health of the animal, the health of the planet… and the sense of pride i take when purchasing sustainable, farm-fresh food.
furthermore, i love to eat locally and support a “100-mile diet” as often as i can in my life. the 100-mile diet simply means you only eat food that is raised or grown within 100 miles of where you currently live. for me, choosing this lifestyle is the best way i can “vote with my dollars” in supporting a food-system that is sustainable, healthy, and good for our planet earth. i pair that choice with seasonal and organic eating, and it has proven to be the best lifestyle for me.
almost everything in these lettuce wraps was locally grown/made :
once you brown your meat {try really hard not to overcook grass-fed beef!} and add in any spices you wish, simply pile it all up on a clean lettuce leaf and wrap it up and eat it!
i created my wrap in this order : lettuce leaf, beef, cheese, tomatoes, onions, olives, salsa, guacamole, tortilla chips..
and then…
nom nom… nomcrunch.. NOM NOM!!!
it’s just around the bend… that wonderful feeling in the air, as summer transitions to autumn… this is, afterall, my favourite time of year… and i humbly and somewhat eagerly welcome the change of seasons {both literally – in nature, and figuratively – in my own life} as i toast with a yummy, beautiful brew — pumpkick, from new belgium… and goodness, they sure know what they’re doing when it comes to beer!
and i’m slowly learning what i’m doing when it comes to life…
SLAINTE!
eat the rainbow!
farm-fresh veggies and homemade ranch dip with simple greek yogurt and herbs.
colourful mixed bell peppers, olives, sugar snap peas, baby carrots, and mini cucumbers.
nom nom!!
there were such beautiful and intimate moments at this wedding, that at one point – i almost forgot to keep taking pictures! i was completely enamored, what can i say?! these two are such magnificent souls… and their love carries such an intense energy with it that EVERYONE could feel!
they decided to wed on the blue moon, just three weeks ago, this past july. it was just the most beautiful day and only 20 people were present for the ceremony… and so was blue moon, the yummy beer.
congratulations, a & a! ❤
it’s my mama’s birthday today… you may remember how i celebrated a couple years ago…
well, this year i am going to take myself out to do something special… and in honour of my mother {since i look just like her} and her birthday, i thought i would post these silly pics of myself… Continue reading
my grandpa used to say, “a potato will cure what ails ya…” and i’ve held on to his words over the years. i can hear him in the back of my head when i’m making mashed potatoes, or any variation of potatoes. i just happen to love them. probably in part due to my irish and german roots and also due to my grandma always teaching me how to stretch a dollar. the potato is an inexpensive food that is loaded with vitamins and minerals. when i was a kid, i used to chop them up into small bits, sprinkle them with salt, and eat them raw!
today, i eat them any way i can get them. lately, i’ve been making a potato hash, or potato homefries. it keeps well in the fridge, and you can make a huge batch and heat them up for breakfast or a side dish with dinner. top with a fresh egg, or dip in a little ranch dressing or ketchup… and nom nom!
i’ve been keeping it pretty simple with mine :
simply heat up some oil or butter on medium to high heat and add in garlic, onions, bell peppers, and potatoes… then cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occaisonally. you want the potatoes to crisp up a little bit… but keep in mind, if you are batch-cooking them, you can reheat them later and crisp them up at that time.
super easy and simple. and you could even freeze these if you wanted to! but i doubt you will want to or have any left over, because they are just so yummy! 🙂
lots to love this summer!
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eatin’ baked brie with caramelized onions, grapes, and strawberries…
watchin’ silly movies and dressin’ for random weather…
servin’ farm-to-table meals…
margaritas… and sunglasses…
seein’ randomness… and plenty of beauty…
eatin’ dessert with beer and wearin’ new hats…
catchin’ rays and devourin’ tapas at happy hour…
random sunrises and… other things…
workin’ on puzzles… and completin’ them the same night 😉
eatin’ on the patio and watchin’ sunsets…
admirin’ the flowers and wearin’ them in my hair…
tryin’ new cocktails… and appetizers…
and balancin’ that with lots of fresh summer veggies…
and these!…
takin’ selfies… and stayin’ true to me…
havin’ friends who are chefs!!!!…
for real… i have some SUPER talented friends!!!!….
keepin’ an open eye…
red lobster’s crabfest!… and the boozie drink they served me… it came with a sidecar of gran marnier… which, i was lovin’… and which also totally made me buy dessert! {key lime pie!}
cloud-watchin’….
fresh beer and BLTs… and coffee!
and i’m lovin’ the fact that my hair is finally growin’!
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what are YOU lovin’ about summer?!?!
🙂
❤
it’s kind of a known fact that photographers generally don’t like being photographed… in this case, with my friend slash client who also works behind the lense, she was no exception 😉
congratulations, kate!
here’s a bunch of pics via the iphone, from recent days in the life of audrey michelle :
… “especially in the month of june…”
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my roommate brought these gorgeous flowers home from work recently and i gasped with glee when i laid eyes on them… then i immediately grabbed my camera, of course! actually, i waited until about 6:00 the next morning, then took them out on the balcony and sipped my iced americano while snapping images of these amazing beauties. i just love mornings… and i LOVE morning light… especially this time of year!
such pretty tulips, orchids, peonies, and greenery!
i am inspired by LIFE. not necessarily by the world, and the way we live, but by LIFE itself. these flowers are alive, just as we are. i was inspired by the stillness of these flowers, the stillness of nature… how nature just IS. the sole purpose of these flowers is to simply be. if anything, they just long for us to look at them, to bring awareness to them. and i believe when we “stop and smell the roses”, we can connect with them, with nature, in such a way that can offer stillness and peace to our own lives. after-all, i do believe we are just as much a part of nature as nature itself.
i love what eckhart tolle says about nature :
“Even a stone, and more easily a flower or a bird, could show you the way back to God, to the Source, to yourself. When you look at it or hold it & let it be without imposing a word of mental label on it, a sense of awe, of wonder, arises within you. Its essence silently communicates itself to you and reflects your own essence back to you.”
eckhart’s words resonated with me and i’ve carried them in my heart over the years. when i felt the glee i did upon seeing these flowers, i was reminded of that quote… and i thought i would post some pics of these gorgeous flowers along with some of my favourite quotes regarding stillness, spirituality, or love.
i hope you enjoy and i hope this brings some stillness to the mind and a warmth to the heart.
❤
“the earth laughs in flowers.” ~ ralph waldo emerson
“the intuitive mind is a sacred gift, the rational mind is a faithful servant. we have created a society that honours the servant and has forgotten the gift.” ~ albert einstein
“we need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. see how nature – trees, flowers, grass – grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence… we need silence to be able to touch souls.” ~ mother teresa
“there is a voice that doesn’t use words… listen!” ~ rumi
“if we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change.” ~ buddha
“after women, flowers are the most lovely thing God has given the world.” ~ christian dior
“the best teachers are those who show you where to look but don’t tell you what to see.” ~ alexandra k. trenfor
“yesterday i was clever, so i tried to change the world… today i am wise, so i am changing myself.” – rumi
“and when you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.” – fredrich nietzsche
“be kind whenever possible. it is always possible.” – dalai lama
enjoy the weekend! ❤
brunch! – w/ salmon lox, bacon frittata, cherry almond scones, fresh fruit!
living butter lettuce!
nicoise salad!
danish cream-puff pastry!
bacon, mush, tomato scramble over arugula!
happy hour with fine ladies!
farm-fresh eggs!
oozing danish chocolate cream puff pastry!
tomato pesto turkey salad!
snacks!
vegan dinner! – w/ yucca fries, corn on the cob, quinoa, and garden salad!
classic cobb salad!
potato waffles! – w/ creme fresh and smoked salmon!
flank steak salad! – w/ red peppers, zucchini, mozzarella, and chimichurri!
food & foto 