the mint julep

Mint julep cups have been floating around the Internet recently and I LOVE all the uses people are coming up with. But why are they so awfully expensive?
Btw, has anyone ever had a mint julep? I hear they aren’t super tasty, but I’ve never had one. They are infamous mostly because it’s the traditional drink at the Kentucky Derby – here’s a fact for you:

They say that mint was planted at Churchill Downs in Louisville so that mint juleps could be served at the very first Kentucky Derby in 1875. On Derby Day alone, Churchhill Downs sells close to 80,000 mint juleps.

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Kentucky Derby Mint Julep
Serves 6-8 people

2 cups - sugar
2 cups - water
16 oz - Kentucky bourbon, 2 per mint julep
Crushed ice
10 sprigs fresh mint
8 mint julep glasses

Combine water and sugar in a pot and bring to a boil to make simple syrup. Boil for 5 minutes. Cool and place in a covered container with 2 sprigs of fresh mint and refrigerate overnight. To make your mint julep, start by filling each mint julep glass with crushed ice. Add 1 tablespoon of the mint flavored simple syrup then 2 ounces of Kentucky bourbon. Stir rapidly with a spoon to frost the outside of the glass. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint. Sip and enjoy!

Anyhow, onto the mint julep cups sans the mint julep.

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yay for friday

This weekend is supposed to be in the mid-60s, which is exciting. I have lunch plans with my dad Saturday, tentative plans to hit up downtown somewhere for a drink or two, and possible BBQing on Sunday. Should be a good one.
Now, let’s fill some blanks! Link up with Lauren.

 

1. When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do is head to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee. I don’t function unless I have it.

2. I can hardly wait for the weather to turn nice for more than three days at a time.

3. The quickest way to my heart is giving me a compliment because words are always nicer than material things.

4. A little known fact about me is that I’m an only child. People are always surprised! It’s definitely not a bad thing.

5. The best part about my job is the people. I love coming to work every day because of the strong support system and mentorship. It sounds corny, but I really do feel beyond blessed to work where I do.

6. Something I just couldn't live without is coffee. As noted above, I need it to function! Also, my office just got Peet’s Coffee for our kitchens, so I am now one happy lady all day long.

7. Something useful that I wish I knew how to do is drive a stick shift. I’m 100% sure that it would suck in the daily commute, but otherwise would be fun. I actually started off learning how to drive on a stick but I scared my dad so much that we switched to the automatic car. What? Going around in circles at 60mph in a middle school parking lot was scary? “I can’t stop! What do I do??” Um, yea.

Pine State Biscuits

If you live in the Portland area, you know how amazing the weather was this past weekend. It was astonishingly warm – in the 70s and 80s – and man, did I soak it up. Sure, it was our annual tease before summer starts in June. Or July or August, depending on when it feels like it. Oregon is stubborn that way. But I’ll take whatever I can get. Beggars can’t be choosers!

Friday evening I hit up Kells Irish Pub for a friend’s birthday. It was my first time there – can you believe it?? I had the hard cider, which was super good.

Saturday morning, a girlfriend and I picked up where we left off on last year’s brunch mission. We hit up the infamous Pine State Biscuits. The place is well-known around here, and has even been featured on Oprah and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, so you know it has to be good. Oh-em-gee. This place was AMAZING. I had The Reggie, which was a biscuit sandwich with fried chicken, cheese, bacon, and slathered with sausage gravy. My arteries are still moaning. Afterwards, we somehow still had room for coffee, so we wandered up the street to Stumptown for a cup of their french pressed. Again, so good. It was definitely a morning for splurging.

 

By the way, how cute is this basset hound we saw sitting outside? I need!

After brunch, I hit up Cornell Farms, a nursey near my house. I couldn't believe how expansive this place was. I pass it twice-daily on my commute, and I had always wanted to stop in. I'm so glad I did! They had tons of plants and gifts, and I picked up a bunch for my pots (forgot to take pics). My stepmom made me a hanging plant, which I also hung this weekend.

That evening I had another girlfriend over for dinner and dessert, which was a lovely way to catch up. Apparently, my weekend completely revolved around food and drink. But what's new? Sunday I spent the day sitting on my patio and relishing the warmth. I didn't need anything else.

ethics of sponsorships

I debated whether or not to write about this subject but, in light of a recent sponsorship experience, I couldn’t not. I am channeling my inner Jen, from People I want to Punch in the Throat because, let’s be real…THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT I WANT TO DO.

Rarely am I approached by companies offering me money for a spot on my blog so, when it happens, I get excited. Blogging is a hobby of mine, and one I never intended to make money off of, but if the opportunity arises you can bet it’s something I am going to consider. Thus far on my blogging journey I have been sponsored by two organizations – and those relevant links are housed to the right. They didn’t have fancy widgets and simply wanted links – so I obliged. What do I have to lose?

Which brings me to the reason I am writing.

 I was approached this week by the advertising team from www.answers.com asking to sponsor my blog. They had a button they wanted me to place under the sponsorship section. Wonderful, I said. Until our corresponded continued like this:

Hi Jessica,

My apologies on a late reply. There are a few links on your blog that do not meet our standards of quality. I've taken a screen shot of these links. If these can be removed, we can work with having our widget installed. I have a budget of $150 that I can offer, if that can help you make the decision. I appreciate your feedback and response, Jessica.



-Answers.com Ad Team

I nicely asked them to clarify.

Hi Jessica,

Links that don't meet our quality standards for this project can include unrelated content or low quality links. If it falls into the latter category, that is up to the management team to decide.

Thanks,
-Answers.com Ad Team

Again, I nicely asked for clarity.

Hi Jessica,

Unfortunately for this project I do have to keep in mind what other advertisers are featured on sites and blogs. The team I am referring is our sales team. I provided the option to see if there was a way we could work together. Since this is not an option, we will pass on the opportunity to work together.

Thanks,
-Answers.com Ad Team

I not-so-nicely responded like this:

Hi,

First off, it is unethical for your team to demand people to end their contracts with other sponsors - this is not your platform and, truthfully, $150 is a measly offering. I would not have accepted this offer for the sake of ethics. I cannot imagine what other bloggers will say. You came to me - not the other way around.

I would advise approaching bloggers a different way as you move forward. After all, you are corresponding with someone who has a public forum. That's why you approach us, yes? You can be sure I'll be writing a post on this interaction - and it won't be the kind you want.

Very unfortunate business handling.

Jessica

They apologized for the inconvenience.

I kept going back for clarity because I didn't think I was understanding their demands correctly. Was this a misunderstanding? Surely no company would ask such an odd request. It wasn't a misunderstanding.

Lessons? Please don’t email with demands to change my site or drop my lovely sponsors because they “didn’t meet your standards” – whatever the hell that means. I am shocked and disgusted with the level of unprofessionalism and lack of ethics this company had.

This is MY blogging platform, and I call the shots. I will not sacrifice my morals and ethics for a measly amount of money. That's not why I have a blog.

So, other bloggers, a warning to you about sketchy companies. Tread carefully with sponsorships.

*salesperson’s name on correspondence removed for privacy reasons

planning a girl's weekend

Life gets a little rough sometimes – it’s just the way things go. I’ve got a hard month ahead with a surgery scheduled for mid-May, and all the pre-op appointments that go with that. I won’t go into depth about it – probably TMI – but I’ll be totally fine. I’ll just go dark on you for a couple weeks.

Some of my girlfriends are also going through a bit of a rough patch, so I thought planning a weekend road trip would something fun we could all look forward to. Probably for later in the summer, when life calms down a bit.



image via

I think having fun plans to look forward to makes rough spots a lot more bearable. If you live in the Portland area, do you have recommendations for a fun overnight getaway? I would love ideas!

my weekend

This weekend was absolutely glorious. I did a whole lot of nothing, but the sunshine made me so incredibly happy. Though Portland is back to rain and gloom, the temperature is starting to warm up, so I’ll take what I can get at this point.

After a long week at work, I was overjoyed to just get some sleep and catch up on TV. Of course, I didn’t let the sunshine get away from me, so I spent Sunday out and about. It was lovely.

I’ve been rambling on Facebook and Twitter about koalas, and I think my friends think I am off my rocker. I was watching a show about the Australia Zoo (OK, it was a Kate Plus Eight episode) but now I am officially head over heels in love with Koalas – and I must hold one someday. Australia was never on my bucket list, but it is now. I have no idea how you get the opportunity to hold one but, if there's a will there's a way. That's my motto in life.

Random, yes, but I think I am sane in my thinking. I mean, hello! How stinkin' cute are they?

Image via Wikipedia

fill in the blank friday

Happy Friday! We made it. As usual, this week felt like two. Work has been crazy lately, and I think my brain is fried. Some sleep will definitely help.

I’m going to keep this post short and sweet, and just get straight to the blanks. I’m much too tired to think of anything interesting to say. Play along with Lauren, as usual.

Have a lovely evening!

1.  Today is a good day because I am nearing the finish line on a big project at work.

2.   The best thing I did all week was   partake in my first BBQ dinner of the season. Grilled teriyaki chicken and vegetables? Yes, please!

3.  The current weather is     sunny       and it makes me feel     optimistic   .

4. The best thing about spring is   that flowers start popping up all over the place. I love flowers!

5. A fashion trend that I'm dying to try out for spring is  adding more vibrant colors to the wardrobe. I do pretty good but could always use more.

6. A person who made me smile this week was   my aunt. She can always make me laugh.

7.  The most delicious thing I ate all week was  my BBQ dinner.

tulips

Fresh flowers make me one happy lady. I love spring and summer for this reason alone, when I try to buy fresh bouquets regularly. Any kind will do – tulips, daisies, roses, etc.

Easter Seals came into our office building late last week selling tulips, so of course I bought a bunch. At $5 for 10 stems, it was a steal! More importantly, it went to a great cause. They also handed out a flyer with facts about tulips…which took me by surprise. So, thought I’d share with my lovely readers. It’s always good to learn new things, yes? I bet you didn’t know these!

Did You Know?

·  Tulips may continue to grow up to 2 inches after you cut them

·  Tulips were actually first cultivated in Turkey, not in Holland as most people think. Today both Holland and Turkey have the tulip as their national flower.

·  The tulip got its name from the tillibend, the Turkish word for turban, which people thought resembled the Turkish headpiece

Easter Seals also provided some great tips for caring for your tulips. I usually just take the rubber band off and throw them in a vase.

How to Care for Tulips

·  Leave the cello wrap on your fresh cut tulips until you are ready to arrange them

·  To condition them, trim 1/3” off the ends of the stems. Place immediately into a tall container of cold water allowing them to take up water. The tulips may be limp, but should revive in two to three hours.

·  After the tulips have been conditioned, remove the cello wrap and arrange the stems in a vase of cold water

·  Do not mix tulips with other flowers until after conditioning. The sap of other flowers prevents tulips from taking up water.

·  If the flowers remain wilted, re-cut the stems

·  To ensure the longest life of your flowers, replace cold water daily and keep away from heat

We have a tulip festival in Oregon called the Wooden Shoe Tulip Fest, which runs now through April 30. Cars are $10, which includes admission for all occupants. Dogs are also welcomed. There’s another one close by, up north in Washington. I’ve been to the Oregon one many years ago and I’ve been meaning to go back. Just haven’t made the time for it.

Do you keep fresh flowers around the house? Do you love tulips as much as I do?

weekend recap

This weekend rocked. I mean, all weekends are awesome because I get an escape from work, but this one was filled with both friends and family. Bonus!

Friday night I had dinner at Via Delizia, an intimate Italian restaurant in The Pearl. It wasn’t too expensive, as house wine was only $5 for a giant glass. I had the cheese ravioli and it was so yummy. I would definitely order again. They are also known for its gelato – but I was too stuffed to get a scoop. Reason to go back! Afterwards, we wandered over to Olive or Twist, a little martini bar. I ordered the Marionberry Cosmo – oh yum. I ran into a coworker there, and then a high school friend at a third stop later in the evening. Portland is such a small town. For our outing, a girlfriend invited two of her friends for me to meet. They were so sweet and encouraging. I love making new friends!

Photo from Via Delizia

Saturday I went to a friend’s house for movie night, but it ended up being just the two of us, so we drank wine and played Kinect. It was with a girlfriend I got into a bit of a tiff with last weekend – I think God planned for everyone to bail out, so we could have some needed 1:1 time. It was wonderful.

Sunday was Easter, of course, my second-favorite holiday. One of my younger cousins was baptized, as well as three others. Two of them were young men, recovering drug addicts, who were visiting the church. When the pastor asked if anyone else wanted to be baptized that day, they eagerly ran to the alter.  It was so encouraging and such a blessing to witness. I loved that the pastor was so laid back and willing to baptize them on a whim. It's what it's all about, no?

My parents also got me an Easter basket – I don’t think anyone is too old for these!

weekend recap

Besides what I described yesterday, this weekend wasn’t all too horrible. But where else can a girl rant, if not her own blog?

On Saturday I visited City Liquidators – a gigantic multi-leveled warehouse filled with furniture and many, MANY, oddities. Where else can you buy a male mannequin? This place always kind of gives me the heebie jeebies, and I think that’s one reason I love it so. Didn’t purchase anything but not due to lack of stuff. Jeepers. Check it out.

I made these cream cheese wontons. I ordered wontons from a Chinese joint in my neighborhood a couple of weeks ago, except they were soggy, not fried. Perplexed is an understatement, and it was a great letdown. I’ve been craving them ever since. I whipped up this easy recipe in about 5 minutes flat. True story: I’ve never fried anything in my life and kept waiting and waiting for the oil to get bubbly. Um, it doesn’t until you plop your item in. *Kaboom!* Note to self: keep oil on lower temperate and wear protective clothing. Don’t worry - no one was injured in the slightest. I’ve got mad reflexes. I impressed myself.

I didn’t have the energy to try the country fried steak I mentioned on Friday – I’ll be doing it tonight – so I baked a healthy meal of cod and asparagus. Cod is a really meaty fish, easy to make, and is so darn cheap. Cod also reaps health benefits, as does asparagus.

Lastly, in efforts to comfort myself, I did a marathon of I Love Lucy. It has always been one of my favorite shows – Lucy’s antics are a classic.

Oh, and I put up a couple decorations for Easter. Yay!

How was your weekend? Did you try anything new?

the barrel room

This weekend was a bit more tumultuous that I expected – and not in a good way. I went out with a couple girlfriends for drinks at Portland City Grill, which was lovely, but then we went to a club – The Barrel Room – and it all went downhill. I’ll spare the details, as I won’t bring my friends onto my blog, but I had a very “Jersey Shore” moment. Like, I realized how sleazy clubs are, and questioned ‘why am I here at 1 AM totally and utterly miserable?’ I high-tailed it out of there and called it an early night. I won’t be back if I can help it. No guys were sleazy to me…it’s actually the GIRLS that are the issue. Ahem. Enough said.

I think I need to put up my clubbing hat. Could I be too old for these shenanigans already? Or maybe it was just the place and situation? Anyways,  not a good use of my money or time.

At least I felt cute while feeling miserable. Better than just feeling miserable. I wore my new Guess Jeans and a top I recently snagged from Nordstrom.

I highly recommend NOT going to The Barrel Room – it was outside, wet and just plain icky. No thanks.

Do you still go clubbing? How do you feel? Where is your favorite spot?