Sips and Sounds, Volume 3

Vol. 3

The Sip: Winter Lady

The Sound: Songs Of Leonard Cohen

Inspired by a cocktail from a local restaurant, this is one of the yummiest drinks I've had in a long time! Coupled with the soothing, poetic sounds of Leonard Cohen, it made for an exceedingly pleasant evening. 

INGREDIENTS

Fresh Ruby Red Grapefruit

Rum

Cinnamon Simple Syrup

Bitters

Lime

INSTRUCTIONS

In a shaker, combine 2 oz of fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice (about half of a grapefruit), 1.5 oz rum, .5 oz cinnamon simple syrup, a few dashes of bitters and a generous squeeze of lime. Shake with ice, pour and enjoy! 

To make the simple, combine equal parts sugar and boiling water in glass measuring cup. Add a generous dash of cinnamon and stir until well combined.

Holly Jolly

Though I've been trying to keep shopping for myself to a minimum lately, this look is comprised almost entirely of new items! No regrets here, though. This combination had me feeling ever-so-festive, and I know I will continue to wear and love each of these pieces. I must gush especially about the boots. After one wear, they are already favorites. Again, quality makes all the difference when it comes to shoes. These look and feel so rich, and they're super comfortable to boot. Pun absolutely intended. Hope your weekend is merry and bright!

Sweater: TJMaxx
Shirt: Old Navy
Jeans: H&M
Boots: Courtesy of Trask
Necklace: Courtesy of Julie Vos

Sips and Sounds, Volume 2

Vol. 2

The Sip: Spiked Mexican Chocolate Egg Nog

The Sound: A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector

Christmastime is here, so I channeled those festive vibes for a holiday-themed Sips and Sounds! Phil Spector is a questionable character to say the least, but the Wall of Sound is one of my favorite musical production techniques of all time, and this is easily my favorite Christmas album. To accompany the cheery tunes, I put a different spin on a holiday classic. Recipe below!

INGREDIENTS

Egg Nog

Whiskey

Cocoa Powder

Cayenne Pepper

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

INSTRUCTIONS

In a saucepan, combine 6 oz egg nog, 1.5 oz whiskey, about a teaspoon of cocoa powder, a pinch of cayenne and a dash of cinnamon. Stir on low heat until all ingredients are combined and the mixture is nice and warm. Pour into a mug, sprinkle with cocoa powder and nutmeg and enjoy! 

A few notes: I know some people are weirded out by warm egg nog, but think of this as a variation on hot cocoa. I have yet to try making egg nog from scratch, but store-bought works fine for this recipe. Be careful with that cayenne! It can heat up quickly, so start with the tiniest amount. You can always add more. The result is sweet, rich and festive with a spicy kick!

Mele Kalikimaka

This vintage dress is one of my favorite thrift store finds of all time. Between the length, pattern and color palette, it's both timeless and seasonless but completely unique. I wore it for an event a couple of months back and had a magical photo shoot beforehand. Everything fell into place perfectly -- the lighting, the backdrop, my bubbly mood. It was until the next day that I realized, to my horror, that the memory card hadn't been in the camera! That little mishap made me eager to don the dress again. It's on my list as a potential holiday party get-up. The colors are ideal for the season, while the tropical flowers keep it from being an obvious choice. Hawaiian Christmas, anyone?

Dress: Vintage
Necklace: Anthropologie

Bee-autiful

I squealed with delight when this enormous bee popped up in front Union Station. As you may know, bees are pretty much my favorite thing in the world. My excitement escalated even further when I realized she moves! Oh, and she wore a giant bejeweled crown during the World Series. So, even though the lighting wasn't ideal, I just had to get my picture taken with this buzzing beauty (while wearing my buggy sweatshirt, naturally).   

Sweatshirt: H&M
Jeans: Delia's
Shoes: Converse

Sips and Sounds, Volume 1

Vol. 1

The Record: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, The Boatman's Call

The Refreshment: Old Fashioned

It's the inaugural edition of Sips and Sounds! In case you missed the explanation last week, I'm changing the name of Vinyl Vednesday, but the feature will stay the same. 

Nick Cave is an artist I admire but don't know extremely well. There are a handful of songs I know and adore (including the first track on this record), but I enjoyed sitting down for a full listen of one of his many albums. As for the cocktail, I wanted to make something stiff and no-nonsense. Rather than inventing something, I opted for the classic Old Fashioned. Recipe below!

Ingredients

Sugar Cube

Bitters

Maraschino Cherry

Whiskey

Water

Instructions

Put a sugar cube, a few dashes of bitters and a maraschino cherry in your glass and muddle. Add 1.5 oz of whiskey and a tiny bit of water and stir. Add a single extra large ice cube and enjoy! For whiskey, I love Old Overholt rye. It's super smooth and a great value. 

Keeping it Casual

Whether I chalk it up to laziness or style evolution, my looks have leaned super casual and, dare I say, a bit grungy lately. Either way, a lot fewer skirts and heels have been popping up in my rotation recently. 

Shirt: Thrifted
Tee: Sandlot Goods
Jeans: Urban
Jacket: Courtesy of H&M
Shoes: Target

Cozy Socks & Clogs

 Apologies for the indoor iPhone photos. I've just been so bad at getting blog-worthy pics lately (especially with the sun setting so early), that I've decided bad pictures are better than no pictures! This is what I wore to a Friendsgiving feast over the weekend. I simply couldn't wait for warm weather to break out the sunny Swedish Hasbeens I recently found on super sale! Cozy socks and clogs? Perfect for the season in my book. 

Sweater: Courtesy of Lulu's
Jeans: Courtesy of H&M
Shoes: Swedish Hasbeens via 6pm.com

Boot Season + Trask GIVEAWAY! - CLOSED

This giveaway is now closed, and the randomly selected winner has been notified. Thank you to all who entered!

Winter weather blew in overnight recently and has lingered since. Once the temperature dips, I live in boots...with jeans, with dresses, with everything! That's why a good quality pair is essential. Trask, a heritage brand that prides itself on the finest craftsmanship inspired by the great American West, was kind enough to send me a pair. I chose the Abbey, a classic heeled riding boot. When I pulled them out of the box, I was immediately struck by their sleek, polished beauty, and I can tell they'll only look better as I break them in. And, guess what?! You have a chance to win a pair for yourself! Comment on this post for a chance to win the Abbey. The winner will be chosen at random next Friday, November 28th, and announced that day. Open to international readers. 

Dress: Old Navy

Jacket: H&M

Scarf: Target

Socks: Forever 21

Boots: Courtesy of Trask

Vinyl Vednesday, Volume 36 + A Name Change!

Vol. 36

The Record: Fleet Foxes, Helplessness Blues

The Refreshment: Montezuma

Fleet Foxes is one of my all-time favorite bands. I never tire of their lush harmonic sound and gorgeous lyrics. They're definitely a cold-weather band for me, so the timing felt just right. For the cocktail, I decided to put a wintry spin on a margarita. I know I've been featuring a LOT of cranberry recipes lately. Usually my cocktails are put together with whatever I happen to have on hand, and I always have cran in the fridge. I'll mix it up next time. Promise! 

Ingredients

Smoked Salt

100% Cranberry Juice

Triple Sec

Tequila

Lime

Instructions

Rim your glass with smoked salt. In a shaker, combine .5 oz cranberry juice, 1 oz of triple sec and 1.5 oz tequila. Pour into your glass, add a generous squeeze of lime and enjoy!

I also have a Vinyl Vednesday update to share. For a few reasons, I've decided to retire the Vinyl Vednesday moniker in favor of a new name: Sips and Sounds! Not to get too nit-picky, but I'm not always able to stick to the Wednesday schedule and sometimes I don't have the desired album on vinyl, so the name can feel disingenuous at times. Also, it seemed a little silly to me that the cocktail component (obviously important) was not included in the name. So, the feature will stay the same, but next week will mark Sips and Sounds, Volume 1. Change is good, right? Thanks for following along!

Kansas Couture for Lawrence Magazine: Winter 2014

The Winter 2014 issue of Lawrence Magazine is out! This edition of my fashion column is my favorite so far. Rather than talking seasonal trends, I put together outfits inspired by three of my favorite movies. Check it out here!

Fall in Love

Here's what I wore as a bridesmaid in my dear friend's Halloween wedding. It was a chilly, light-dappled morning, and these photos aren't the best. But the bride (in person and in pictures) looked stunning, and my memories of the day are picture perfect. 

Dress: Vintage
Boots: H by Hudson

Vinyl Vednesday, Vol. 35

Vol. 35

The Record: Matthew Sweet, Girlfriend

The Refreshment: Tuesday Muse

I was only familiar with the titular track on this album, so it was fun to listen to the rest of the catchy assortment of songs. The irresistible vintage photograph on the cover was my starting point for drink inspiration. I went with a girly, luxurious cocktail with some cozy seasonal flavors and named it for actress Tuesday Weld, the subject of the photo. Recipe below!

Ingredients

100% Cranberry Juice

Cinnamon Simple Syrup

Sparkling Wine

Instructions

Combine .5 oz cranberry juice and .5 cinnamon simple syrup in your glass. Top with champagne, stir and enjoy! It tastes a little like Christmas. 

I'm not much of a snob when it comes to sparkling wine, especially because I almost always use it as a cocktail ingredient rather than a solo sipper. As long as it isn't too sweet, I'm happy! I always have Trader Joe's Blanc de Blancs on hand. It's a yummy dry bubbly and only costs $6 a bottle. Prosecco and Cava are also good bets. 

To make the cinnamon syrup, combine equal parts sugar (I used brown but granulated works too) and boiling water. Stir in a generous dash of cinnamon. 

Alexander Wang X H&M

The much-anticipated Alexander Wang X H&M collection launches today! This sporty, city-inspired collection is both functional and fashionable. Featuring cutting-edge techniques, the line includes performance pieces for both the street and the gym. Check it out online or in select stores worldwide!

Jersey: Courtesy of H&M
Leggings: H&M
Shirt: H&M
Shoes: Nine West

Vinyl Vednesday, Volume 34

Vol. 34

The Record: The Shins, Chutes Too Narrow

The Refreshment: Pink Bullets

The Shins...one of my favorites from way back when! I had a hard time choosing between this album and Oh, Inverted World, but you can't go wrong either way. Okay, confession time. Because of taking a break last Wednesday, it's been two weeks since I made this cocktail, and I can't exactly remember the recipe! I'm pretty darn sure it was gin, lemonade (I like Simply Lemonade brand) and a bit of cranberry juice topped with soda water. Simple but yummy!