Aperol Cocktails

There is nothing I love more on hot summer day than an Aperol Spritz.  I fell hard for them on a trip to Italy last summer where it became our staple pool-side cocktail at our villa nestled in the Tuscan countryside.  Many months later, I had the most gorgeous Aperol Spritz I've ever seen at Sam's in Boston.  The color reminded me of a phoenix rising and I've been trying ever since to have bartenders replicate it, to no avail. 

Just as I often choose my outfits based on the shoes I'd like to wear, I also sometimes decide my drinks based on the vessel I'd like to sip from.  Tuesday was a warm day, by English standards, and I was itching to use my vintage champagne glasses that my parents gave us for our wedding in March.  I didn't want champagne, so I decided to play off an Aperol Spritz and make an Aperol Cocktail.  It's cool and refreshing and perfect for a warm afternoon that isn't so stifling that you crave ice.  Here's how to make one:

1. You will need: Aperol, Prosecco or a dry sparkling wine (I used cava because I like it better), and soda water. 
2. In a pitcher or cocktail shaker (we left ours in Boston, accidentally... tragedy!) combine equal parts Aperol and soda water and stir with ice until it is very cold.
3. Strain into a glass- the prettier the better!- and top with prosecco/sparkling wine/cava.  As you add the cava, the drink will change from the color of dying embers to that of a blushing sunset.  Garnish with a lemon slice and enjoy! 

It's super easy and, as is the way with me and summer cocktail-crafting, there are no definitive measurements.   Just add as much of this and that as you like until you decide it tastes right.  I'd say my concoction was 3 parts cava to one part Aperol/soda water.  The end result was light, bubbly, and super beautiful to both look at and consume.  YUM! 

Day Drinking @152 Dot Ave

A couple days ago, David and I stopped in at Franklin Southie for an afternoon aperitif.  The sun was coming through the windows just right, making the space look bright and new.  I especially loved the shadows we cast on the brick bar and the way my Aperol looked like embers in a dying fire. 

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David and I sold all the furniture we put on Craigslist and are currently living in the worst kind of limbo.  Our dressers went to a skeevy guy who tried, but did not succeed in low-balling us, so our clothes are in piles on the floor.  A nice Spanish man took our kitchen chairs and we've since been enjoying all our meals in bed, and our books are stacked in tidy (and not-so-tidy) piles along the walls because our bookcases went to a sweet Australian woman.  Slum Castle is an absolute mess and I'm looking forward to the day when moving boxes arrive so we can start organizing our lives into nicely labeled cardboard homes. 

@ Sam's

The last few days have been downright beautiful here in Boston.  The air has been hot, the sun's been shining, and David and I have been enjoying lots of walks and open-air lunches. One of the challenges of a beautiful weekend in Boston is to find a delicious meal at a restaurant with a patio that isn't totally crowded, but lucky for us we know one of the best kept venues in the city, Sam's.  Located on the top floor of Louis, a small and beautifully curated local department store, Sam's has a roomy deck and one of the best views of the Boston skyline.  Contrary to what you may think about the fusion of high fashion and food, the portions at Sam's are always generous and the vibe is comfortable and casual.  It's always been one of my favorite lunch spots in town and it's the perfect place to watch the sun set whilst enjoying a crisp glass of champagne.

To avoid the chaos surrounding yesterday's marathon, David and I decided to keep to the outskirts of the city and spent a couple hours basking in the sunshine on Sam's deck.  My drink of choice was a perfectly proportioned Aperol Spritz which looked just as refreshing as it tasted and made my heart ache for Italy.  It was a perfect afternoon spent daydreaming in the sunshine with the man I love.