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ASW Whiskey Exchange – Let’s Go

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Hello pretties,

I feel like I am cheating on my bae, the Mojito. But when a sister/friend suggested a bourbon tasting, I was down for an adventure. Enter ASW Whiskey Exchange, nestled in historic West End featuring a Tasting Room on the premises.

Did You Know?

There are specific laws around making bourbon?

  • Must be made in the United States.
  • Must contain 51% corn.
  • Must be aged in new oak-charred barrels.
  • Must be distilled to no more than 160 proof and entered into the barrel at 125 proof.
  • Must be bottled at no less than 80 proof.
  • Must not contain any added flavoring, coloring or other additives.

*Source: Federal Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits (27 CFR 5).

The Tasting

On a hot, sunny, afternoon, our adventure began. For $20 we received 5 tokens to try a taste or a slushy or both…LOL

We are ready to get our taste on!
Being a newbie, I started with two bourbons, both dark! I was told that purists forgo the ice, so I tried it both ways. Well both were too strong for me and honestly tasted like medicine.
But let’s talk about this cocktail. It was yummy, not too sweet and not so strong like the two bourbons. And this concoction was made with silver whiskey that looks and somewhat tastes like vodka and something else, but dang I can’t remember what was added. It was on point though! But It was quite good.
aswdistillery_slushy_robincharmagne
So between the dark bourbon, the light bourbon and the slushy, I’m choosing…the cocktail!
Of course there’s a Peachtree….
No idea what this contraption does, but I thought it looked unique!
I love the barrel room and guess what? You can rent the space for events. Definitely adding this spot to my list of event spaces.

Overall, the Exchange was so interesting and the staff was hella cool, knowledgeable, and patient with the newbie. There are tables set up to taste and chill. And for you pet lovers, ASW is pet friendly. I still don’t like bourbon straight. I have to add something to it and I do prefer it more like cocktail. If you are entertaining at home and serve bourbon, you need a whiskey glass and whiskey cubes.

The Verdict

While I’m not a huge drinker, I thought just like with food, expanding your palette is not a bad thing. If you in the Atlanta area and looking for an adult field trip, try bourbon tasting. I recommend ASW Exchange without reservation!

Do you drink bourbon?

robincharmagne

5 Things To Do For Your Birthday – Monday Musing

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unique-birthday-ideas-robincharmagne

Hi pretties,
It is a new month, but more importantly, it is my birthday month….LOLOL But seriously, I was thinking of what to do for my bday besides the tried and true dinner with friends. Of course I love good conversation over a good meal with friends, but I was thinking what else is there to do on this special day? So, here are 5 experiences to try solo or with friends. And, these ideas generally are not all that expensive but still a whole lotta fun!

five-Birthday-Ideas-robincharmagne

I am undecided on my birthday plans, but anticipating doing something a little different and fun for sure. My friends are usually game for anything so whatever experience I choose should be a blast. I will keep ya’ll posted on the upcoming high jinks. What did you do for your last birthday?

robincharmagne

Pineapple Passion

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pineapples-decor-robincharmagne
Hello pretties,
Last Spring/Summer I had a love affair with lemons and this year I have a passion for pineapples. Regarded as a symbol of hospitality, the pineapple is a favorite for adding Spring/Summer to your home. I know, I know you think it’s kitschy, but I promise I picked some really cute, functional home decor goodies all under $25 bucks.

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Divas And Desserts With Sutter Home

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divas-and-desserts-with-sutter-home-red-moscato

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MoscatoMoments #CollectiveBias The following content is intended for readers who are 21 or older.

Hello pretties,
Diva friends are always so much fun to entertain and Sutter Home helped make it an even better night. On a typically hotlanta night perfect for sipping on Sutter Home Red Moscato and for making some sweet treats, three divas joined me to try a new wine.
divas-desserts-sutter-home

Before the girls arrived for our Divas and Desserts night, we setup the wine, accessories and dessert station. This is a fun summer setup and not terribly expensive. Summer fruits like blue berries, cherries, and strawberries are in season and on sale. In addition, priced just right, the Sutter Home Red Moscato is a good choice for summer entertaining.

The divas love a good sweet wine but not overly sweet and this Red Moscato fit the bill. It has a fresh and fruity taste with hints of cherries and berries. I chilled it just a bit because even at night, it was still balmy.

red-moscato-sutter-home

The dessert station was so simple – blue berries, cherries, and strawberries; sponge cake, vanilla ice cream, graham crackers, almonds, macadamia nuts, chocolate syrup and whip cream. Yummy!

fruit-ice-cream-sutter-home-red-moscato

With all these goodies, we made fruity treats to complement the Red Moscato.

dessert-making-sutter-home

The Divas were so creative and whipped up some tasty desserts and I’m sharing two of our faves that paired well the wine. Each recipe makes one serving:

Strawberry Graham

Ingredients:

1 graham cracker square
1 scoop vanilla ice cream
1 tablespoon of strawberries
A dollop of whip cream
A dash of almond shavings
Layer in a cute dish and enjoy!

Sponge Cake Berry Delight

Ingredients:
1 sponge cake
1 tablespoon crushed graham crackers
1 tablespoon of strawberries
1 tablespoon of blue berries
A dollop of whip cream
A dash of almond shavings
Layer in a cute dish and enjoy!

Add a glass of Red Moscato and you are done!

wine-dessert-sutter-home-moscato

Who knew divas, desserts, and a good wine could be so much fun on a Thursday night. These divas are friends who became family, nothing like it! Sutter Home knows something about family; this business has been family-owned since 1948, winning 350 gold medals. That says a lot about the quality and consistency of their wines.

wine-glasses-sutter-home

I think I have found a nice wine to complement any occasion. Sutter Home is the go-to wine for your summer gatherings. Pair with a favorite fruity dessert and checkout other options on the Sutter Home Pinterest page.

Have you tried other Sutter Home Moscato wines? If so, what’s your favorite?

Linking with these lovely bloggers.

robincharmagne

5 Things To Do When You Don’t Do Halloween

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Halloween-alternatives-on robincharmagne

Hey there,
I don’t know about you lovely readers, but Halloween has never been on the top of my list for celebrations. This might sound mean but for the last 15 years, I have never given out one morsel of candy on Halloween. My porch light is off and I chill for the night. So if you’re like me and you ain’t feeling Halloween, here are five fun alternatives.

1 – Turn your tricks into treats. Assemble a bag of treats and deliver to your neighbors or family members. And the treats don’t have to be Halloween themed. How about a cold weather kit with an ice scraper, flash light, energy bar, cold weather tech gloves, cough drops, etc.
2 – Pumpkins are for more than lattes and pies. Host a Pumpkin Decorating party. This activity works for everyone in the family as pumpkins come in all sizes. Lots of things to use for decorating including paint, markers, paper, stencil or glitter
3 – Don’t want to venture out? Stay in and chill watching family oriented movies. One of my all-time favorites is the The Good Witch on The Hallmark Channel. These movies convey so many positive messages for kids and adults alike. Start from the beginning and catch all 7 movies
4 – With Thanksgiving right around the corner, spend the evening decorating your home for the Fall season or the Thanksgiving holiday. This activity is another good one for the whole family. You will have weeks to enjoy before it is time to start Christmas decorating
5 – If your kids must have some treats and want to dress-up, take advantage of events hosted by your local mall. The kids can still get their sweet tooth soothed and maybe you can snag a cute must have like a plaid shirt or quilted vest.

Halloween night doesn’t have to be a complete bummer. Enjoy it and maybe start some new family traditions!

What are you doing for Halloween?

Linking with these lovely bloggers.

robincharmagne

More Or Less – Slate Cheese Trays

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cheese tray, slate cheese tray

Hello,
Now that the days are longer and we’re entertaining outside, it’s time to pull out the outdoor dining serve ware. A cheese tray is a good piece to have for outdoor dining so I’ve curated two good choices, one more and one less. I like slate because it has that rustic feel, great for outdoors. What’s really cute though is using chalk to mark the yummies you’re serving your guests. These are fairly similar but I think I would go with the less version because it has the rope handles making it easy to carry from kitchen to patio or deck.

How To Select Cheeses

Once you select your slate cheese tray, you’re ready to assemble your cheeses. This handy guide will help!



Image via: Buzzfeed

Which slate cheese tray did you choose? And $225 buys a lot of cheese, enter The July 4th Star Spangled Giveaway HERE CLOSED!

Link parties{here}.
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Sweet Weekend Fun

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Friday

ziosk, chili's, flip-flops

Saturday

Team Elevate at Fun Fest

Sunday

Sweets

Hello Pretties!
A lovely weekend it was for sure! I hope y’all hit the streets or stayed home but enjoyed whatever you indulged in! I had a ball this weekend. Started out Friday, enjoying some shopping and dining with my bestie. We hit up Dress Barn and I snagged the cutest pair of flip flops. Flip flops are usually very casual, but the metallic accents on these really dress them up! Of course shopping makes you hungry, so we stopped by Chili’s. Have you dined at Chili’s lately? They have gone hi-tech with the Ziosk tabletop device. You can order food, drinks, read the newspaper, play games, and pay your check, right at your table! I’m a gadget girl, so I thought it was super fun. Me and the bestie shared this yummy dessert with the biggest scoop of ice cream I’ve ever seen – so good!

I got my workout on with the Color Fun Fest. Oh this was a blast with a sweet group of friends otherwise known as Team Elevate, cause we’re all trying to be the best women we can be. The Color Fun Fest is a 5K run/walk where the goal is to get as colorful as possible. There were color stations throughout the course where the participants get doused in a different color. By the end of the race, we were a real rainbow. We did the night wave which was even better! A portion of the proceeds from the Color Fun Fest benefited Free Arts for Abused Children, HopeKids, and Flight For Cystitis Fibrosis – quite worthy causes. The Color Fun Fest visits several cities so if it comes to your city, sign-up and join the fun!

And Sunday was brunch with my sweet co-workers. We work virtually so it was so nice to get together in person. We had great food at The Shed at Glenwood and even better conversation. And this sweet treat, a homemade Ding Dong yeah, I know I just did the walk the night before, but that thang was sooooo sweet and chocolatey! I saved half for a sweet Sunday bite! Ended the weekend with a live chat with a sweet friend via Facetime! Love this app from Apple!

I feel refreshed and ready to take on the week. How was your weekend?

Link parties{here}.

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Picnic Must Haves

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picnic_supplies

picnic basket//blanket//folding chair//cooler//corkscrew/bottle opener

Happy Friday,
It’s a 3-day weekend, hope y’all can get out and enjoy some fun with family and friends. I’m so looking forward to this down time. I’m not a huge outdoor person, but I do love a picnic. It’s picnic season and I’ve put together some picnic must haves. These five things will definitely get the picnic party started. Two extras to add sunscreen and bug repellant! Just add food and drink – my choice and you’re all set!

What are you doing this holiday? How about a picnic? Have a Marvelous Memorial Day!

Link parties{here}.

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Outdoor Living Spaces

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Hello,
You know this weather in The A is really on a roller coaster. Easter was amazing and now we’re looking at cooler temps and rain, go figure. But, it’s still a prime time to style your outdoor living space. I’ve mentioned Houzz as a very comprehensive resource for any type of home interior design/decorating inspiration. I’ve curated six lovely spaces for a medium size outdoor living space.

Elements of an Outdoor Living Space

There are no hard and fast rules for styling your space but some key elements are: outdoor seating which could be a combination of love seat, chairs, table, or even a chaise lounge;umbrella – freestanding or attached to your table; water feature – fountain or pond; outdoor lighting – lantern, torches or candles; for those cool nights a fire pit; and for outdoor feasts, I’m thinking anything on a kabob, a grill.

Which outdoor living space is your fave? #1 is my pick, so bright and colorful!

Link parties{here}.

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First Day Of Spring!

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Spring

WooHoo! It’s finally Spring. If you visit robincharmagne often, you know we have had roller coaster weather here in The A. Some days I have the heat on and other days the ceiling fans are whirling. And let’s not forget Snowmageddon or Icepocalypse or whatever unofficial weather term you want to call the polar vortex. It was a mess with stranded motorists all over the city. But there were so many stories of kindness and true Southern hospitality at its best, yep it wasn’t all bad. But guess what today is…the first day of Spring!

I love Spring, it’s just warm enough to get out and really enjoy these longer days. Here are 10 things I plan to do for Spring.

1. Attend the Atlanta Dogwood Festival
2. Get a fresh pedi in a bright pink or fuschia
3. Have a picnic at Piedmont Park- with this cute basket
4. Dine al fresco- The Pinewood is a fave
5. Spring cleaning- organize those statement necklaces and boyfriend watches
6. Decorate Easter eggs-unique ideas from April HGTV magazine
7. Plan Spring Break – sand and sun is calling
8. Rock some open-toe shoes – love the details of these sandals
9. Snag some fresh flowers, especially tulips
10.Get caught in a spring shower-no worries with this cute umbrella

Yep, Spring weather brings us lots of fun indoors and out! What are you doing now that Spring has finally sprung?

Link parties{here}.

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