The French Cosmo

3 oz. pineapple juice
1 1/2 oz. vodka
1/2 oz. cassis
Garnish: pineapple slice or leaf

Shake all the ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled stemmed glass. Garnish with pineapple slice or float a leaf from the fruit in the drink.

Pink Margarita

1 1/2 oz. tequila
1/4 oz. Campari
1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz. honey

Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Pour into a tumbler. Serve on the rocks and garnish with a lemon slice and mint leaf.

Cherry Punch

1 oz. cherry vodka
1 oz. triple sec
Splash of Rose’s grenadine
Splash of cranberry juice

Shake together all ingredients but cranberry juice with ice. Pour into glass and top with cranberry juice. Garnish with a fresh cherry.

Kerasi

- 2 oz. peach vodka
- 1 oz. cherry puree (fresh pitted cherries)
- 1/2 oz. peach liqueur
- 1/2 oz. cherry brandy
- 1/2 oz. lemon juice
- Sparkling wine, like Cava

Shake all ingredients except Cava over ice, strain into flute. Top with Cava and cherry.

Watermelon Martini

- 3 oz. Ketel One Citroen
- 1 oz. Watermelon Pucker
- 1/2 oz. Cointreau or triple sec
- Splash of lemonade
- Splash of 7-Up

Mix all ingredients together over ice, shake, and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a slice of watermelon.

About

Courtney Cox is a writer and editor at Destination I Do Magazine and recently graduated with a degree in Print Journalism from Arizona State University. Her passions include traveling and she’s looking forward to an upcoming trip to Australia as a representative of Destination I Do. For travel deets and the inside scoop on Destination I Do, follow Courtney on Twitter here.

Photos/Recipes courtesy of Cosmopolitan Magazine

 

Snuggle, sip, ski and snowboard in tahoe...

Snuggle and snow weather has officially arrived. Are you ready to cuddle up? Well, check out PlumpJack Squaw Valley Resort in Lake Tahoe. Nestled away in the hillside, and delicately covered in snow during the winter months it’s a seductive boutique hotel ideal for a romantic getaway.

Spend your days learning the art of shredding by taking snowboarding lessons with Squaw Valley USA. And spend your evening hours either in the outdoor hot tubs soaking your sore muscles or by the fireplace sipping Irish coffee in the cozy lounge.

Hit the slopes mid-week to take advantage of amazing mid-week rates which means staying four nights or getting the fifth night for free. Or become a 2010/11 Squaw Valley USA or Alpine Meadows season pass holder and receive 15% off your stay during the winter months.

 

It's about Wine O'Clock...

Rain, sun, clouds, lather, rinse, repeat…The weather today, like yesterday, was classic Bay Area schizophrenia: a little bit Book of Revelations, and altogether mercurial. In consideration of the fact that you won’t be able to to bank on one particular weather pattern for more than 30 minutes today (it’s even too windy to surf!) I suggest you head over to SF Vintners Market at Fort Mason: the see and be seen community party/wine tasting/buy it-try it summit.

Yesterday’s event was epic, with spectacular wines from all over the Bay Area and wine country. Cameron Hughes was representing a great group of reds and one lovely Chardonnay.

My good buddies from Somerston Winery were in the house with their High Flyer and Priest Ranch picks, always good….

The Swanson Vineyard ladies, (stand out glamazon, Heidi Godoff) are always impossibly chic with delicious wine (and chocolates to boot). My favorite wines of the day were: high priestess of the vine, Heidi Barrett’s 2007 La Sirena Cabernet Sauvignon, and Knights Bridge Winery West Block Chardonnay: complex, and memorable (nothing tasted as good after I tried it – and they even let me try it 2 more times!) Great chatting with Knights Bridge Managing Director Timothy F. Carl, PhD, (I’m just going to call him ‘Dr. Bacchus’) – and will find some kind of excuse to get up to St. Helena to see my Somerston Winery friends, and new friends from Knights Bridge Winery for a proper vineyard visit….

SF Vintners was rockin and rolling yesterday, and although I spent a significant amount of time in the Reserve Area, there were dozens of great winemakers in the football-field-sized Fort Mason hall. It’s a fun event, and one to be shared with good friends, with new ones  at every corner. The wine deals and wine club memberships were staggering, and if you were ever to get a crash course in:

1. Your dream wine cellar
2. Your model  wedding wine list
3. Under the radar wine offerings and small batch vineyards you might never know about…

…this is a must attend event. Part of the reason I love living in the SF Bay Area is because of the sense of community and creativity that these people bring to the table. Cornelius Geary and Jeff Playter are stand outs: curators and thought leaders in the wine/lifestyle world, creators and aggregators of the Wine 2.0 movement, and SF Vintners Market, and super heroes for small and large vineyards, bringing them to a wildly appreciative audience.

Thank you to all the vineyards, and founders of SF Vintners Market, and those of you who haven’t been, don’t wait til Spring, get yourself over there and let them bring the tasting room to you!

Photography:  Cornelius Geary

 

Hey Anti-Brides:
So in response to a few friends of mine who lovingly say ‘I use social media as if I were in a witness protection program,’ or: ‘Babe, you aren’t tweeting enough!’ (not ‘tweeting enough???) but ultimately:

‘You just put an app in the iTunes store, aren’t you going to blog about  it??’

Yup, I think it’s about that time, but I decided to wait until everyone was at happy hour to pop this little nugget up:

Tiny drum roll please: We officially launched the Anti-Bride App yesterday in the iTunes Store, and we are stoked!

Admittedly, I’m not entirely comfortable with self-aggrandizing, (I’ll tweet about anyone else before our app – chalk it up to Catholic school), but I am really happy that:

1. It’s finally finished
2. Apple let it in the store, even though it had too many categories
3. It’s Friday and almost wine-o-clock….

Basically, our app is the blog, downloaded to your iPhone: and it’s free!

Originally, the blog supported the Anti-Bride book series, but over time, I realized that there’s a whole lot of territory to cover outside of W-day (but is still tangential to the wedding world world). As Sr. Editor for Destination I Do Magazine, I love to write about things I think our readers would like to do, from an eat, stay and play perspective, so they can vet the best experiences for themselves. Money’s tight these days, so if someone else can test-drive your overseas adventure for you, all the better!

We love to cover vibrant people: designers, authors, bloggers, chefs, winemakers, musicians, and rabble-rousers. We are interested in trends, movements, and people who stand for something that matters: Katie Martin of Eco-Beautiful Weddings, Jennifer Stein at Destination I Do, Emily Anderson at Good with Style, or Brett Snyder at Cranky Flyer. They fly their flags in different sectors of the Blogosphere, but have distinct and engaging voices that we love…They are influencers and thought leaders because they believe in what they do, and have great ideas on how to do it.

From lifestyle, entertaining, ingenious inventions, sparkly brooches, killer shoes, to twangy guitar bands: its all here, and more…Maybe our blog/ app is not strictly all-wedding, all the time, but it’s a celebration of what we love, channeling our “lust for life,” (to quote Iggy…).

Running a blog is a blast: it’s your thumbprint – a snapshot of your point of view. It’s a great way to connect with like-minded compatriots who share your philosophy, and if you are lucky, sense of humor. It’s also a content beast that needs to be fed every day. Without our team of bloggers (world class experts with wildly successful social communities of their own) I’d be a mad woman. I love them, I rely on them, and I’d be lost at sea without them:

Jennifer Stein: Desto Diva

Brett Snyder: The Cranky Flier

Brandy Gomez Duplessis: Glamogram

Stacy Jill Calvert and Melissa Johns: Two Brides

Autumn Millhouse: Love Vines

Dorothy Polka: Polka Dot Bride

Melissa Comito Aakre: Heavy Petal

Daniel Yaffe: Drink Me

Fleur Bailey: Fleur Adores

Katie Martin: Eco Bride

Ryan Hupfer: Groom with a View

Dr. Mark Savant: Med Wed

Kimberly Aker: Retro Bride

Jan: Astrogrrl

And there would be nothing to download if not for my dear friends, developers and co-pilots at Synappsis.

So if you are so inclined, you can download the app here.

Drop us a line and let us know what you think: bouquets, or brickbats, we’ll take it all! It’s our goal to improve it – we think of it as a grand experiment and adventure, warts and all.

But at the end of the day, we’re damned glad it’s out the door!

Happy Friday!

 

It's a nice day for a wine wedding (in a castle).

Do you fantasize about reciting your vows like a fairy tale princess in a castle wedding equipped with a wooden drawbridge, a medieval fireplace and scenic stone towers? Well, even though Castillo di Amorosa does not allow for weddings because of a Napa County ordinance, it does allow for one of the most romantic rehearsal dinner where they host the best wine education tour and tasting outside of Italy.

Amidst the deep green forest high above the Napa Valley vineyard floor lays Castello di Amorosa, (Italian for Castle of Love) a majestic Italian castle that opened in 2008. Rebuilt stone-by-stone by Italian artisans featuring hand-painted murals, a torture chamber and a wine cellar jam-packed with luscious Italian varitels that are only sold on-premise.

Open daily for wine tours and tasting, this romantic winery is also the perfect stop on destination wedding tours of wine country. Enjoy the “The Romance of Italy: The Wines of Napa Valley” tour where you get to ride in a horse drawn carraige before you taste wine. What could be more romantic? More than a tourist attraction, this beautiful venue offers an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perhaps reconnect with your grooms Italian culture and provide a back-drop that is only made for movies.

Happily-ever-after is guaranteed.

 

Campovida for edited eco-fabulous weddings.

Campovida is a stunningly romantic, and newly opened wine country wedding venue. Located in Hopland, a small countryside town, which is between the border of Mendocino and Sonoma counties; Campovida offers thirteen acres of biodynamic certified organic gardens, and a working vineyard. Most ceremonies are held under a cathedral-like grape arbor with cocktail hour in the herb and butterfly gardens. Their wisteria arbor is complete with a working fountain, surrounded by white bouquet roses, tall cypress and valley oaks tress, and is where the reception can easily take place. Vineyards encircle the property and the sense of rustic romance is undeniable.

This is how Campovida describes their thoughts on welcoming weddings.
“Thoughtful times require a thoughtful place. We believe that a wedding should be designed as a rich experience, filled with conversations, connection, and time to build those deep and lasting memories. Campovida calls you to create lifelong promises with the importance and beauty of a wedding ritual. It is the beginning of your new journey together”.

With ten cozy guest rooms, pool, beautiful event center, and a wine tasting room on the property it’s ideal for an intimate destination wedding, and will undoubtedly evoke a bride and grooms vision of a quintessential wine country wedding.

 

Romantic travel starts with the heart.

Part of being a romantic travel writer is to add value and romance to your destination, wherever that may be. Whether you are two are seeking the sun at a tropical beachside location or looking to hideaway in a rustic cabin resort, these tips, suggestions and travel advice will allow you plan and enjoy a truly romantic travel experience.

Romantic Travel Tip #1
One sexy way to maximize your dollars while traveling is by booking a romantic package. Many boutique hotels and resorts, ranging in star ratings, amenities and size, offer romantic packages year-around. Most romantic packages include heartfelt seductive additions to the purchase of your accommodations.  For example, some of the embellishments include couples massages, rose pedal-filled beds, dinner reservations, massage oils and often a bottle of bubbles-on-ice upon your arrival. Securing an irresistible getaway will be guaranteed.

Romantic Travel Tip #2
Don’t forget to pack romantic travel essentials; travel candles, massage oils and lingerie. Spice your vacation up even more with erotic games and intellectually stimulating activities that create opportunities to learn more about one another. In our typical routine and comfortable surroundings, dialogue tends to circle around the same topics of conversation. Travel often evokes a daring spirit and gives them the chance to explore old dreams and suppressed desires. Now is your opportunity to discover the other side of your partner.

Romantic Travel Tip #3
Bonding Activities include Italian cooking classes, kite-surfing lessons in Hawaii or cherishing a hike Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro together. These travel adventures create memories together and cement that loving bond that you both share. No matter if you are on  your first trip-away together, honeymooning or celebrating your twenty-fifth wedding anniversary continuing to challenge one another and discover new destinations together builds an unshakable bond and lasting memories.

About Autumn

For more on Autumn Millhouse and her book Romantic Napa Valley, An Insider’s Guide for Couples, click here.  Autumn Millhouse is an award-winning travel writer who specializes in wine, food and romantic getaways. She is also an international trekker who has wined and dined across the globe from Barcelona to Beijing . A self-proclaimed “hopeless-romantic” and author of Romantic Napa Valley: An Insider’s Guide for Couples, Autumn also has a bi-monthly column called Love Vines published in Napa Valley Life Magazine. She resides in Napa Valley where she cultivates her wine and food relationships with top chefs, winemakers and a slew of other foodies. Besides, sniffing, swirling and sipping wine daily, Autumn is currently working on her next travel book Romantic Sonoma Valley: An Insider’s Guide for Couples.

 

Heavenly Hibiscus Royale cocktail

Part 1: Elegant, chic and reminiscent of 1950’s glamorous affair, champagne (or in this case, sparkling wine via Napa Valley) cocktails instantly makes your Bridal Shower Brunch a special soiree. Tie the venue, cuisine and personality of the bride-to-be with your designated luscious libation.

For example, if the couple is honeymooning in Hawaii the Hibiscus Royale is unique tribute to the getaway. Or if rose colours adorn the upcoming nuptials then that cocktail can showcase the tone of the upcoming festivities. Whatever way you go with your cocktail choosing, one thing is for sure, don’t miss the opportunity to pop a bottle of bubbles and cling your champagne flutes together in celebration of the soon-to-be-bride.

Below are some of my favourite sparkling cocktail recipes provided by Domaine Chandon, a Napa Valley Winery and one of the most romantic wineries featured in my book Romantic Napa Valley: An Insider’s Guide for Couples. Chandon has brilliantly put together beautiful descriptors and charming concoctions that showcase their award-wining sparkling wines.

The Chandon Hibiscus Royale

Throughout history, flowers in winter have always been a luxury. This sparkling cocktail, made with edible hibiscus petals, lends a note of extravagance to any party. Hibiscus has been used to make herb teas for thousands of years, and is safe to mix with foods and beverages. A drop of rose water adds an extra floral note.

Ingredients

1 Hibiscus flower (wild hibiscus flowers in syrup). Made by the Wild Hibiscus Flower Company of Australia; available at Whole Foods.
½ tbsp syrup from the jar of wild hibiscus flowers
1 small drop of rose water
Chandon Blanc de Noirs

Instructions
Combine Hibiscus flower, syrup and rose water in a Champagne flute. Top with Chandon Blanc de Noirs and serve immediately. Suggested glassware: Champagne flute.

About Autumn

For more on Autumn Millhouse and her book Romantic Napa Valley, An Insider’s Guide for Couples, click here.  Autumn Millhouse is an award-winning travel writer who specializes in wine, food and romantic getaways. She is also an international trekker who has wined and dined across the globe from Barcelona to Beijing . A self-proclaimed “hopeless-romantic” and author of Romantic Napa Valley: An Insider’s Guide for Couples, Autumn also has a bi-monthly column called Love Vines published in Napa Valley Life Magazine. She resides in Napa Valley where she cultivates her wine and food relationships with top chefs, winemakers and a slew of other foodies. Besides, sniffing, swirling and sipping wine daily, Autumn is currently working on her next travel book Romantic Sonoma Valley: An Insider’s Guide for Couples.

 

La Quinta Resort & Spa: Palm Springs Baby!

Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and one is gold. Remember that song? It’s a popular song that most 8 year old Brownies sang as they held hands in completion of each Girl Scout meeting. As a twenty-something not much has changed. Girlfriends are an important fabric of each woman’s life. They keep our secrets, encourage us and if you’re lucky be our maid of honor. So before you take that walk down the aisle and start your new life, reconnect with your old one and solidify the bonds that will keep you and your best friends tied together as best friends, forever.

Here are my favorite Girlfriend Getaways where pampering, lounging, partying and bonding are mandatory.

Palm Springs

La Quinta Resort & Spa – A desert resort, known as a Hollywood hideaway that has most recently appeared in People Magazine and Life & Style Weekly with Gwen Stefani chilling by the pool, embodies old-world glamour. With dozens of palm tree adorned pools, world-class tennis courts, on-site shopping and a variety of outstanding dining establishments; you will never need the leave the resort. Lounge pool side, take pottery classes or hit the golf range with your best gals for a guaranteed sunshine filled escape. www.laquintaresort.com

Las Vegas

Wynn & Encore – There is no other place I will stay in Las Vegas after being spoiled at these two sister properties. Situated on the strip, across the street from one of the best shopping malls in town, this resort is the cream of the crop in terms of class, style and certain trouble for the more mature crowd. They offer the ultimate party experience at XS Nightclub, boast a topless European pool and house four-star dining restaurants where you can savor to-die-for French fare and still watch an awe-inspiring lightshow set against a giant waterfall. The gambling is pretty cool too. www.encorelasvegas.com

Napa Valley Wine Country

Avia Hotel – This contemporary boutique hotel sits in the center of all the wine tasting and fine-dining action that the area offers. Iron Chef Morimoto (Food Network Star) just opened a new restaurant around the corner and innovative Japanese cuisine. And in downtown Napa there are over 20 tasting rooms so there is no need to hire a driver; just walk (or bike) and sip. Pick up lunch at Oxbow Market Place on the Napa River and savor the true star in town, the wine, in the wine capital of the world. www.aviahotels.com

About Autumn

For more on Autumn Millhouse and her book Romantic Napa Valley, An Insider’s Guide for Couples, click here. Autumn Millhouse is an award-winning travel writer who specializes in wine, food and romantic getaways. She is also an international trekker who has wined and dined across the globe from Barcelona to Beijing . A self-proclaimed “hopeless-romantic” and author of Romantic Napa Valley: An Insider’s Guide for Couples, Autumn also has a bi-monthly column called Love Vines published in Napa Valley Life Magazine. She resides in Napa Valley where she cultivates her wine and food relationships with top chefs, winemakers and a slew of other foodies. Besides, sniffing, swirling and sipping wine daily, Autumn is currently working on her next travel book Romantic Sonoma Valley: An Insider’s Guide for Couples.

 

How to spell out a proposal to your intended...

Daydreaming about your destination wedding but he still hasn’t put a ring on it? Hint: Forward this article to him…

Surprisingly, I hear from nail-biting, nervous men about planning the perfect proposal because of my book, Romantic Napa Valley: An Insider’s Guide for Couples, which lists the Top Ten Napa Valley Proposals. Usually, these sweet men just need reassurance and a shot of romantic confidence (usually via a female) to set their fears to rest that – yes, you have planned something your woman will love and get her to accept your request at marriage.

One charming gentleman, who bought my book online, presented his girlfriend with a copy of the book on the plane as he whisked her away for a surprise romantic getaway.  Once in Napa he arranged a mind-blowing proposal that included breath-taking vineyard views, luxurious bubbles and on bended knee offered a bling-bling ring; an enchanting proposal that even the most jaded women couldn’t resist. Now they are planning their vineyard vows, via a destination wedding in wine country.

Au contraire to what some woman may think about men and proposals, I’ve learned that it is one of the most nerve-racking experiences for a man, (worse than walking down the aisle). This is one thing in the relationship that they plan and execute alone and they want to do everything they can to impress you, show you’re their sincere love and get you to say YES! So if you think your man needs a little assistance here are some tips that I’ve perfected along the way in helping the men plan the perfect proposal that will be followed by a loud, often tearful yes.

Do:

Be Creative; Use an inside joke between you two, enlist family and friends or something different like using chocolate sauce to write “Will you Marry Me?” on her dessert plate.

Surprise Her; Make sure that there is a surprise element in your proposal. The surprise element is what makes it so special and memorable. Woman love to be surprised!

Speak from the Heart; No matter when or where if you profess your love in a genuine way the proposal will be perfect.

Don’t:

Not Plan; Thinking and planning ahead will show her that you took the extra care to display your love to her. A lack of planning may show her that little thought was put into this momentous moment, and perhaps your future together.

Make Her Uncomfortable; By now you should know if she is a private or public person. If she is shy and uneasy in front of crowds proposing in the middle of NYC times square may cause her more embarssment then joy.

Propose Without a Ring; Hate to break it to you but – yes – a ring is required. It can be a gumball machine ring but it is a symbol of your commitment and if the woman loves you it doesn’t matter the size, shape or color because she will say I DO!

About Autumn

For more on Autumn Millhouse and her book Romantic Napa Valley, An Insider’s Guide for Couples, click here. Autumn Millhouse is an award-winning travel writer who specializes in wine, food and romantic getaways. She is also an international trekker who has wined and dined across the globe from Barcelona to Beijing . A self-proclaimed “hopeless-romantic” and author of Romantic Napa Valley: An Insider’s Guide for Couples, Autumn also has a bi-monthly column called Love Vines published in Napa Valley Life Magazine. She resides in Napa Valley where she cultivates her wine and food relationships with top chefs, winemakers and a slew of other foodies. Besides, sniffing, swirling and sipping wine daily, Autumn is currently working on her next travel book Romantic Sonoma Valley: An Insider’s Guide for Couples.