Throwback to May 6, 2014

1. Yeah, so our names rhyme. But I had mine first, so I get dibs.

2. I was wearing berets back in high school, and you were only a little brat, so I get dibs.

3. That royal blue dress I wore to my wedding rehearsal dinner because royal blue is my favorite color? Yeah, you ruined that for me, too.

4. My internship was in the US Senate, not the White House, and cigars were never available.

5. My Husband will once again start saying, “If only you had taken my last name when we got married…”

6. Do you know how humiliating it is to call someone for PTO business, introduce yourself to the kid who picks up the phone, and then to hear the kid scream, “Mommy, this person says she’s Monica Lewinsky!” and then you hear the mom say, “Oh hang up, it’s a prank”?

7. I have finally stopped introducing myself as “Monica PPPPuh-winski,” and now I probably have to start that all over again.

8. Seriously, B*%#! I will never have a grandchild named after me, because you have ruined the name Monica for forever.

Enjoyed: Thursday, May 6, 2021

Listed on the menu: Yes, as Classic Old Fashioned

Listed ingredients: Bowman Brothers Small Batch Bourbon, Angostura bitters, Luxardo cherry

The occasion: Celebrating the end of Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week with my colleague, I. H.

My rating: The drink was what I expected, but no more. The bright red cherry (was it a Luxardo?) and a piece of orange peel were obviously muddled in my cocktail glass, since the cherry was smashed into pieces and the orange peel was down at the very bottom of the glass. The bourbon was pleasant, but I hoped for more pizzazz. *** out of 5.

Final thoughts: We sat outdoors and enjoyed the mild, sunny day, so I missed watching the bartender make the drink. I almost wonder if the bartender did use the top-shelf bourbon (made in Virginia), since it was Happy Hour and well-drinks were being poured. No matter–I happily toasted to all teachers and support staff. Cheers! It’s been a difficult year, and I am so impressed with everyone’s dedication.

Enjoyed: Friday, April 30, 2021

Listed on the menu: No, but the rye I selected was listed.

Ingredients: Knob Creek rye, a dark cherry, and probably orange zest, a dash of simple syrup, and angostura bitters.

The occasion: Husband is two weeks out from his second vaccination, so now we are both fully protected! We decided to celebrate Mother’s Day early, so we drove the Mustang over the mountain to Staunton for the night. We returned to Zynodoa, in the historic downtown, where we had enjoyed a wonderful meal for our anniversary in October 2019. The chef did not disappoint (we dined well on several items, including oysters, NY strip steak, swordfish, bone-marrow mashed potatoes, and a hibiscus panna cotta) nor did the bartender. My Old-Fashioned was divine–just the right balance of rye and orange.

My rating: ***** out of 5.

Final thoughts: Ah, such a pleasure to sip such a drink! I would have been disappointed–given the restaurant’s soothing ambiance, attentive staff, and creative chef–if the bartender had not lived up to my expectations. The Old Fashioned seems deceptively easy to make, but it is not–it takes a skilled mixologist to make it delightful, and this one succeeded. And such a pleasure to be served a cocktail in a glass (versus a disposable cup) at a cozy table indoors!

Throwback to April 29, 2016

1. “All that tuition money we paid to VCU, and now I may not be there to bask in the glow of commencement exercises? No way!”

2. “I am simply going to phone the President of Duke University and tell him that this is unacceptable.”

3. “It’s only 156 miles between campuses. If we drive 100 miles per hour, we may be able to make it on time to both ceremonies.”

4. “One of those kids just has to flunk this semester, so he or she can graduate on another date. Simple!”

5. “It’s like that old movie, Sophie’s Choice. Which child of mine do I love better?”

6. “Oh, $%#& this! *&%$ it!”

INTRODUCTION: I read an article, a few weeks ago, which suggested that one way to make our summer memorable (as we slowly return to pre-pandemic conditions) is to pick a favorite food and sample it at various locations. I decided, instead, to pick one of my top-five favorite classic cocktails (i.e. the Old Fashioned) and to sample it at various locations. And so my new adventure begins…

Enjoyed: Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Listed on the menu: Yes, as a specialty drink, The Dye House Old Fashioned.

Listed ingredients: Bourbon, Amaro Lucano, serrano syrup, orange bitters, and aromatic bitters.

The occasion: Oldest Son is fully vaccinated, as are all the members of my family, so he came to visit us at our home in Charlottesville for the first time since Christmas 2019. We took him to The Wool Factory, an old textile mill now re-furbished into a brewery/restaurant/event venue, in the Woolen Mills neighborhood, near the Rivanna River. The location is pretty and historic, and a unique addition to our cool little town. And there’s outdoor seating, so win-win!

My rating: I always smell the drink first, and the scent of this drink was its greatest weakness–it reminded me of stale onions in the refrigerator. I suspect the smell comes from the serrano syrup, which was also responsible for the drink’s greatest strength–the peppery tingle it left in my mouth, which blended curiously well with the orange and bourbon flavors. The amaro added a bit of bitterness, and I would probably have omitted this ingredient if I were making this drink. 3 *** out of 5.

Final thoughts: I was hoping to begin my Old Fashioned Tour with a more enjoyable drink. Husband ordered the same, and he was under-impressed. Next time here, I am getting the beer from the brewery, which earned praise from Son.

Throwback to April 27, 2013.

1. No more writing tuition checks.

2. We can remove him from the auto insurance policy.

3. Maybe he will take some of my old furniture away when he moves.

4. Maybe he will take some of my ever-growing collection of artwork by College Girl to decorate his new place.

5. Yet another excuse to visit IKEA.

Throwback to April 12, 2014.

1. Vacuum your car! Your date does not want to sit in that mess!

2. Do you know where to put your hands when you dance?

3. Wrist corsages are the best idea ever, because I have seen how guys’ hands tremble when they try to pin flowers to your dress.

4. Don’t forget to tip your server at the restaurant. Eighteen percent would be nice.

5. Remember the line about “leaving room for the Holy Spirit?” Yeah. Do that.

6. Make sure you say hello to her parents. Make eye contact. You may want to throw in the fact that you’re an Eagle Scout.

7. Yes, she’s very tall, but she is probably wearing flats. Get over it.

8. You are so lucky that that gorgeous girl agreed to go with you.

9. Drive carefully.

10. Say a prayer that you and all your friends stay safe tonight.

Throwback to April 11, 2016

1. When he asked me to stop talking about our children, I stopped talking about our children. Until the next day.

2. For every visit I planned to a botanical garden or a historic home or an art gallery, I included a visit to a car or plane or train museum.

3. I tried to be interested at every car or plane or train museum, I really did.

4. We toured a brewery.

5. I chose bed and breakfast inns in a variety of styles (such as Victorian and Craftsman and beach house) to spare Husband from a lace-and-doiley overload.

6. I assured Husband that even though the B and B decors inspired me, I would not be re-modeling our home. Or at least not until the kids were done with college.

7. We took turns choosing our shared appetizers and desserts.

8. We took turns being the designated driver.

9. Better still–a few times I selected B and Bs close to downtown, so that we could walk to supper and not worry about the driving.

10. When the tipsy yet sweet retired couple sitting next to us at the bar started slow dancing and playing kissy-face right in front of us, I controlled my impulse to nudge Husband in the ribs and say something like, “See that? That had better be us in 15 years!”

Throwback to March 30, 2013

1. Youngest Child is on a cruise to the Bahamas with the band peeps (all puns intended), so the nest is empty.

2. The interval between last-snow-of-the-season and Easter is too short, so I am not in the cotton(tail)-picking mood.

3. Since the only way we will see College Kids is to actually go to Richmond, we are going out to eat Greek food on Easter Sunday with aforementioned College Kids and a few chicks they have befriended.

4. I believe in adding egg-citement to our lives by varying routines and basking in the unexpected pleasures.

Happy Easter to all!

Throwback to April 4-6, 2012

1. Teenagers love rats who play basketball.

2. The family has, through the years, purchased half of the “science” toys that every museum gift shop sells.

3. Regardless of #2, teenagers still must visit gift shop to buy a gizmo not yet owned by family.

4. Six dollars’ worth of popcorn is barely enough for a teenage boy.

5. Six dollars worth of popcorn does not last through the entirety of an IMAX movie.

6. Son knows way more about physics than I ever did.