Mawwage!

(This is a long post. If you don't intend to read it, just make sure you skip to the end for an amazing cocktail.)

I suddenly have time on my hands.

I don't really have a lot of time, because I've started 50 new projects, and really, I have a lot of things on the back burner that I need to really get a move on, but given the position I find myself in, I just might be able to do them.

However, I'm not interested in talking about those projects. Instead, I'd like to talk about two major lifestyle changes that I've made since my recent marriage that I find quite entertaining.

1. drinking

I like tea. I like it a lot. Several years ago we were at the Richmond Night Market and got a load of Chinese teas, including Jasmine, at crazy discount prices. Our favourite of the bunch was Yun Nan gold tea, which probably has a different name. Dave drove all the way to Richmond, found the tea shop, and talked to the owner for an hour about Yun Nan and came home with all kinds of stuff.
But I've told this story before.

I also like coffee. This is a more recent discovery that I made at a friends house. She made really, really good coffee in a coffee press. Since then, we've purchased a coffee press and 3 bialettis, including this one, which not only makes tasty coffee, but provides entertainment as well!

But now I drink alcohol. Now, I drank before marriage, it's true, but I didn't drink if I had to drive home afterwards, which was a good 99% of the time.
Now I have a glass of something every other day. We started with unique beers and some classic cocktail books, and have since branched out to wine and port. Dave's been buying prosecco and other fizzy wines recently (mainly to mix with absinthe). We watch for sales and we slowly have accumulated a decent bar. I'm in heaven.


2. Personal Upkeep.

Back when I was in school, I promised myself that when I graduated I'd do things like brush my hair in the morning BEFORE I got on the bus. Or at least brushing my hair every day. I never wore make-up. I might wax my legs once a year.

I graduated, but I didn't change my habits. It was just too much effort.

When I was getting married, however, I realized that if I didn't do something I'd end up in not only my own wedding pictures looking like a hag, but also in my brothers', and in the pictures of 4 other weddings I am to attend this year. So I watched at least 10 youtube videos, went to the drugstore, picked up the bare essentials, and got going.
My favourite discovery: Tinted moisturizer. Best idea ever.

After the wedding, I got gift cards for a department store and eventually, with Dave's encouragement, bought a hairdryer and hot curlers on sale.
Now, every morning, I comb my hair after my shower *GASP*, and then, I blow-dry it until it's almost dry. Not totally dry, because I don't have the patience yet. Yesterday I got mousse and applied it to get rid of the fly-aways, and THEN I put the curlers in to try them out.

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So that's how I came to have an amazing day today. I started, eating Nutella on toast with my hair full of curlers, and I ended it with this amazing cocktail:

Port Whiskey Punch

1 1/2 ounces bourbon whiskey
1 1/2 ounces fresh-squeezed orange juice
3/4 ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 ounce simple syrup (although, our port is so sweet, we should have skipped this, or at least used less. Also, agave syrup in a bottle is so much more convenient than making syrup all the time.)
1 ounce ruby port
orange slice, for garnish
lemon twist, for garnish


Combine the whiskey with the citrus juices as well as the syrup in a mixing glass and shake well. Strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Top with port and garnish with the orange slice and lemon twist.

The port settles on top and then slowly spirals down the glass, mixing into the rest of the drink. It looks amazing and tastes divine.

...but, seriously, I got a lot of housework and errands done today, too... Plus, I made a daffodil cake with duck eggs! HELL YES. That is going to be one rich and tasty cake.