The Happiest Hour {Best Berry Sangria}

There is this little bar in historic St. Augustine called Sangria's. They make, hands down, the best sangria you have ever had. They let the fruit soak over night in sangria from the day before and top each glass with bit of sparkling wine for an effervescent flair. I've never made sangria in my life that compares to this. Until now. The trick I learned was mixing it all the night before and letting it sit. I added a bit of the mixture to the berries and let those sit overnight as well. The next day, I mixed  it all up and topped with sparkling wine to create my perfect rainy day cocktail! Here's the recipe.


:: Ingredients ::
750 ml Bottle Red Wine
1 1/2 Cups Port Wine
1 Cup Orange Juice
1 Cup Cranberry Juice
2 Cups Mixed Berries

:: Directions ::
1. Combine red wine, port wine, orange juice, and cranberry juice in pitcher.
2. Place berries in a separate pitcher and top with 1 cup of the sangria mixture.
3. Let both sit in the refrigerator overnight. Serve and enjoy!

Essentially {Birthdays}

This week has been all about sharing my favorite things from blood orange margaritas to cupcakes and more. So, to finish out the week, I wanted to share with you the things that make any birthday of mine perfect. These are a few of my favorite things that I couldn't imagine celebrating without. From red wine to confetti, and everything in between, here's my selection of birthday (or party) must haves!

What are some of your must haves for celebrating a birthday?

Stock the Holiday Bar

Tis the season for holiday parties! They can be such fun to attend, but if you are hosting your own it, like any other party, can get a bit overwhelming. You want to make sure all guests are pleased and have something there they enjoy, but can't tailor a menu to everybody's taste. The same goes for the bar. Some people prefer vodka over gin, whisky over scotch, craft beer over commercial styles, and champagne over wine. Either way, you want to make sure there is something there for everybody but don't want to break the bank buying everything in the liquor store. Fear no more! Here is the guide to stocking the perfect holiday bar. You won't break the bank and everybody is sure to be pleased. With these staple items guests can make the cocktail of their choosing. Happy Holiday bar stocking!

Liquors:
1 Vodka
1 Rum
1 Whisky
1 Tequila

Wines:
1 Red
1 White
1 Sparkling (Champagne, Prosecco, etc.)

Mixers:
Coke
Sprite
Sweet n' Sour
Orange Juice
Cranberry Juice

Additions:
Limes
Cherries