Black Girl Magic in ESSENCE Magazine!
We partnered with ESSENCE Magazine to create three cocktails inspired by Black Girl Magic. Pick up a copy of the February Magazine from your local supermarket to get the recipes to our celebratory cocktails!
Thanks ESSENCE Magazine for the opportunity to share a few of our home bar tips and custom cocktails
www.essence.com
Cocktail Bandits give 4 Tips to Prepare for #CHSWFF
And just like that, Charleston Wine and Food Festival is only ONE WEEK away!! We are so pumped about this year and we can’t wait to share all of our food and bevvie experiences with all of you next week…
But FIRST, we to share some tips on how to prepare yourself for 5 days of eating and drinking BEFORE the Festival. We have gone for the past 3 years and we think these tips will prepare your mind, and body for the week!
1. Hydrate!!
The FIRST thing one should do before attending #chswff, or any food and wine fest, is drink plenty of water and green juices/smoothies. Since the festival is in seven days, this is the perfect time to prep your body by filling up on healthy fluids. During #chswff, there will be so many different foods and beverages to sample so it is IMPERATIVE to hydrate so your body can handle the pounding it’s about to receive from the week!
2. Exercise!
Similar to hydrating, engaging in physical activity for at least 30 minutes per day, a week BEFORE THE FESTIVAL will give you more energy and stamina during the week of the events. There are over 100 events around the city with plenty of eating, drinking AND walking… so prepare that body to enjoy everything that #chswff has to offer!
3. Check the weather!
This city is very temperamental in March, it could be freezing one day, a pure sauna on the next, and raining the day after. Checking the weather before #chswff will determine what to wear for each event. The goal is to be comfortable and have fun.
4. Pre plan each day!
There are events happening all over the peninsula and beyond during the festival. We have seen so many attendees miss events that they paid for because they didn’t know how far it was from their previous event. Don’t let this happen to you. Review your schedule for the week and devise a clear plan of action each day. Create your own customized schedule and map around the events you will be attending for #chswff. Between events, check out other Charleston attractions that are in the area. We have plenty of art galleries, retail stores, and the College of Charleston is only a block away from the tasting tents. Do your research, make a solid plan for each day… FOLLOW that plan, and enjoy Charleston Wine and Food!
We hope that these tips make your experience with #chswff even BETTER than expected! We are a part of the Social Media “Street Team” this year and can’t wait to see your smiling faces around the city!
Lexus CFW Pre-Party/Charleston’s Next Top Cocktail Competition
The Lexus Charleston Fashion Week pre-party/ Next Top Cocktail competition at Republic was one for the books this year! There was amazing food, gorgeous fashions and of course delicious cocktails.
We love every thing about Charleston Fashion Week but we are the “Curly Ladies who talk Cocktails Daily, so we want to spend time talking about the 6 cocktails that were up for the title of Charleston’s Next Top Cocktail.
The first two cocktails were presented by Steven Huddleston of Prohibition. The Ciroc Mango cocktail called, the “Charleston Washout” was a beautiful blue color and was garnished with palmetto leaves that represented the Holy City. It’s was a beautiful cocktail and it tasted just as good as it looked!
His second cocktail made with Crown Royal Vanilla, was named “Early Morning Roll Call” included barrel aged cold brew coffee, chocolate walnut bitters, Crème de Cocoa and Tolerance liqueur; garnished with 3 barrel aged coffee beans. It was just like all of Steven’s cocktails…. Yummy and creative!
Ryan Welliver of Cocktail Club created a coconut milk based cocktail called “Kid that Can’t Read Good”. The Ciroc Mango cocktail brought savory sesame seed oil and sweet flavors together with ease! He also used these wonderful geisha glasses that were perfect for his Asian inspired cocktail. 
Keith Gasque of Cherrywood BBQ, made a Ciroc Spicy Mango Mule. The sugar-cured jalapenos paired well with the mango notes from the vodka… and we love ANYTHING with spice. It was a Moscow Mule with a makeover.
Mimi Welmeth of the Cocktail Club made this incredible cocktail with Crown Vanilla called “The Red Stiletto” and it was as sexy as it sounds. This drink also included a house made brandied cordial, lemon juice, and was topped with lavender & thyme foam. The lavender flower and thyme garnish were the perfect accent to such a beautiful, aromatic and delicious cocktail. 
Last, but certainly not least, Katie Daniel of Poogans Smoke House curated a Crown Royal vanilla cocktail named the “Charleston Crown Affair.” This spirit forward cocktail included local Amaro and tart cherry saffron bitters. It was very balanced and garnished with an orange crown and brandied cherry. It felt like sipping royalty. Haha!
After the cocktails were made, the bartenders made special samples of each drink for the guests of the party… Nice touch!
The 5 bartenders worked really hard on their presentations. It was obvious because the judges had to deliberated for quite some time choosing the winners. (But, it had to be done!)
The pre-party was a success! There were emerging designers that will be participating on the runway, gorgeous designs, and of course cocktails on cocktails on cocktails!! The judges had a hard time choosing from all of those fantastic drinks the bartenders created but the winner can’t be announced until Fashion week which is March 14-18, 2017. See you then! #charlestonfashionweek
www.crownroyal.com www.charlestonfashionweek.com www.republicreign.com www.ciroc.com
Margaritas are special
February 22nd is National Margarita Day. We love tequila in all its forms but Margaritas are special. Fresh juice with a taste of salt just reacts to the agave spirit better.
We’ve created a couple craft margaritas to expand your palate and your love for Tequila!
Blue Lagoon Margarita Hornitos Plata Blue Curacao Cranberry Juice Lime Juice Wild Hibiscus Pyramid Salt Flakes
Minute Margarita Hornitos Plata Hooch Limeade Soda Mike's Hot Syrup Granna's Gourmet Bloody Mary Rimmer
Add Hornitos Tequila and hot syrup to mixing tin. Shake passionately. Rim glass with Bloody Mary salt. Add ice to glass. Pour in mixture. Top with Hooch. Enjoy responsibly.
Thank you!
www.hornitostequila.com
www.oandohooch.com
www,grannasgourmet.com
www.mikeshothoney.com
www.b-lure.com
Summer’s Corner
Rarely do we leave the peninsula, even more rarely do we venture as far as Summerville but when we were invited by our girls at Touchpoint Communication to a new development community with on-premise community garden and full cafe, we had to check it out.
Moreover, our good friend, JA Moore is head chef and creator of several menu items. We were elated to sample JA’s dishes as he was trained at the acclaimed Johnson & Wales before the institution left Charleston.
Chef Moore served elevated cafe options including warm sweet potato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches with lavender jam. The savory, creamy and sweet combination was a southern twist on traditional lunch fare. And to whet our whistle, Chef prepared us Riesling wine cocktails dipped in honey and garnished with mint!
Co-hosting our afternoon was JA’s charming wife, writer and Charleston PR girl, Victoria.
She shared some of her favorite things about Summer’s Corner including the on-location farmer’s market and resident garden full of okra and herbs.
It great to seeing growth in area’s outside of downtown. Summerville is vastly becoming a viable alternative to Charleston living.
