july captured.

dillicious homemade pickles.

growing up, i spent a serious amount of time at my nonno & nonna's house, especially during the summer months. because they lived around the corner from us, and my nonna didn't work, my brother and i would spend all day everyday there. some of my oldest memories are of us sitting in the garage, 'doing the tomatoes' or peeling the skins from roasted red peppers (which i'm pretty sure is the reason why i don't have fingerprints on any of my right fingers) and jar everything you could think of; my favourite being the pickles --always was, always will be. if you have italian grandparents, i feel you know exactly what i'm talkin' bout.

having an endless supply of fresh, homemade pickles at my fingertips, is the number one reason i believe i am an addict to this day. so, to keep the tradition and addiction alive, i decided to make a batch of my own homemade dillicious dills.

 made with love of course.

how we do: dillicious homemade dills

using this recipe, i ended up with 8 medium sized mason jars packed to the tits with fresh baby cucumbers i purchased from the market yesterday morning. there is something so satisfying about shopping at the market -- for $5, i was able to buy 3 pounds of cucumbers from a local farmer, complete with dirt under his fingernails and weathered summer skin.

i think they taste better because he grew them.

*i couldn't think of a better pickling soundtrack than the civil wars.

ps-someone got me addicted. you know who you are.

how you choose to jar your cucumbers is entirely a preference thing. normally i prefer my pickles whole, with some girth (don't we all?), but because these babies were a bit too big for my jars whole, i sliced them quickly into quarters. i like that they are the perfect size to grab as a snack, the way they look in the jars, and how they get extra pickley because so much of the inside of the pickle is exposed to the brine. for the seasoning, i used a "pickle combo" of peppercorns, fennel, dill seed, mustard seed and fresh dill as well. for a few of the jars i added two whole cloves of nonno's garlic from the garden.

once my jars were ready to go, i got the brine mixture boiling and used a measuring cup to pour the mixture over the cucumbers, leaving about an inch of space from the top. leave the jars to cool to room temperature before putting the seal and lid on as tight as you can (tight enough that you need the boy to open them for you later on- makes him feel more like a man). because i plan on eating these quickly, i used a 'quick canning' method. the pickles need to be stored in the refrigerator, and are good for up to three months. they will be ready to eat as early as tomorrow, but the longer you leave them, the more pickley they become. eat them sooner rather than later for optimal crunch.

i love how beautiful they look, and can't wait to crack open the first jar over the next few days. i plan on having them with this recipe for the most ridiculously tasty tuna melts. and because i'm not a total gluten, i wrapped a few jars as gifts for my mom, paul's mom, and the crazy kids that made me fall for homemade pickles in the first place, my nonno and nonna.

some pretty patterned paper, twine and a tag later, they look good enough to eat.

learning to photograph & being my opa's granddaughter.

today i read the quote "your first 10,000 photographs are your worst", and it made me say 
'thank the good lord' and 'oh shit' at the same time.

through writing pretty things & potty mouths, my love of photography has grown to a whole new level. as far as i can remember, i have always loved taking pictures. growing up i would grab my parents kodak vr35 out of the junk drawer, and photograph the shit out of pretty well everything in our house -- oh look, there's a shoe, better get a pic of that, oh yeah, this tablecloth is interesting, better snap a quick one of that. roll after roll of film, i would have my dad take me to the grocery store to get it all developed, and then i would sit in my room and sort them into piles: my favourites, my not-so-favourites, blurry as all hell and then of course, the endless and inevitable photos 
of my left middle finger.

when i was 15 i received a kodak easyshare digital camera for christmas, and it was the cat's ass let me tell you. you mean i could take a picture of my middle finger and know it before getting the pictures developed? amazing.  i seriously thought i was annie leibowitz with that thing in my hands, and would shove it in everyone's face (including our family pooch 'baby', who was my number one victim model) before they had a chance to tell me to beat it. at a whopping 3.2 megapixels, almost every photo looked like it had been taken at night, underwater, while hammered, but i loved that camera and still have it locked up in a storage bin in the attic.

from 20-27 i moved through point and shoot after point and shoot. some i used so much they simply wore out, some ended up in pools, some were left outside in the rain all night, and others were dropped in the bathroom at the bar, or on the dance floor while doing the ol' awkward outstretched arm group shop while still dancing like a crazy person of course. with each camera i tried harder and harder to use it to it's full potential, reading through the manual, learning every setting off by heart, and taking more pictures than any normal non professional photographer should. when i started carrying it in my purse everywhere i went, paul began to loathe me it, refusing to let me take 'unnecessary photos' any chance i could get. from the time our animals were babies, they have been photographed almost cruelly. it's slightly embarrassing that they both know the routine if they see me coming at them with my camera or phone. lennon starts to purr like a maniac and rolls around like he's austin powers, india just stares at me,  lets me do my thang knowing full well she will be smothered in kisses and given lots of cookies for her patience and outrageous adorableness. my unborn children are going to be straight up fucked.

more than the final result, the process of taking a photograph is my favourite thing about having a camera in my hands. noting the light, what's in the background, moving the camera until the scene in the viewfinder is just right. i make a point of planning the photos i'm going to take and use in posts, and have come to realize the difference between using the best images i can take, over something not-so-good to fill the space. i'm working really hard at becoming as good of a photographer as i can, and am already researching the next camera to add to my collection, which won't happen until i learn all i can about the one i have now. as part of my 30 by 30 list, i attended an afternoon class on the basics of the camera i own now, my canon rebel 2ti. myself and an older gentlemen were the only students, which was great for me as i need as much one on one as i can get. i know i am the worst for reading and learning about the functions, because i  just want to be able to pick that bitch up and snap away like a pro, but clearly this isn't the way to learn, and i have made an effort to educate myself, 
which i feel is paying off slowly but surely.

the camera above and this amazing leather bag belonged to my opa who passed away a few years ago. when my family sorted through his personal items, they came across it tucked away in the closet, and asked if i wanted to have it -- of course i snatched that shit up right quick. photography was one of opa's favourite hobbies, and he's the reason our family has so many precious memories saved in albums and on slides. i think opa's passion was passed down on to his kids and onto my generation, as most of my family on my dad's side all love the camera as much as i do. sometimes when i miss him, i like to snoop through his camera bag, looking at all the receipts he saved for his lenses and accessories (he was an accountant, he couldn't help himself) and playing with the cameras. 

if i had to guess, i have taken well over 10,000 photos in my lifetime, but i know i'll never get where i want to be, unless i continue to harass the boy and animals i live with, and keep on snappin'. opa lived until he was 89, and i can't help but find myself wondering how many photographs he took over the span of his long, beautiful life. i feel i have some serious catching up to do.

summertime nails.

i have an addiction to nail polish. there. i friggen' said it.

i get all weird at the sight of my naked nails, and can't remember the last time they weren't painted for more than a day. i occasionally let them come up for air, but the itch to get some colour on them takes over, and i smother them in my new favourite shade, design or technique. this summer has been my favourite for nail trends, and i have loved taking the time to do my nails as best i can. because i am not the kind of girl that can sit and watch tv without doing something else at the same time -- go on the computer, knit, eat, but most often, i conveniently have lots of time to paint my nails.

these are a few of my favourite colour combo and designs as of late. i've been playing around with ombre, geometric designs and finishes -- matte is my favourite, and love how a little pop of colour can complete an outfit and make me feel just a bit more girlie.

what's your favourite summertime nail trend?

what? you're not as sick in the head as me?

that's cool. that's cool.

i have a girl crush. on marion cotillard's face.

{images found here and here}

it's only slightly disturbing that i have more crushes on female celebrities than i do male, but i'm ok with that if you're ok with that. you're ok with that right? i saw 'the dark knight rises' last night (yes, i missed the bachelorette season finale to see batman. yes, i am the best wife in welland. yes, my medal is in the mail). once over the joy of joseph gordon levitt being in the movie (i forgot he was until his adorable dimpled baby face flashed onto the screen), i was double whammied with an appearance 
by the always lovely marion cotillard.

without giving much away, she was her usual sweet, girly self. complete with that damn french accent, that is pleasantly not annoying and makes her even more darling than she already is. i first fell in love with her in 'big fish', another one of my faves, and she hasn't let me down since. i love her clean classic style, and get a serious 'audrey vibe' from her, that's the perfect combo of sexy and sweet. in writing about my girl crushes, i have come to the conclusion that i prefer brunettes, usually with 
biggish boobs and are just the right amount of fucked up.

i hope you make the best of it.

i recently read a quote from the 'curious case of benjamin button', and it instantly made me want to watch the movie again. on my list of favourites, i hadn't seen it in a few years, and wanted to watch it again to see how i felt about it. and that's what we did last night. it's funny how your appreciation for something can change so much depending on the stage of life or state of mind you're in. released only four years ago, i feel totally different about the film now, than i did yesterday--i feel like i now recognize the full worth of some of the lines and details, i didn't take note of before--how beautifully it was filmed, cast and told. i even did my research, and was surprised to find that the original short story was written by f. scott fitzgerald, which explains why so many of the quotes from the film, make so much emotional sense.

sometimes it's nice to try things on for size again. for what it's worth.

for what it's worth:

it's never too late or,

in my case, too early

to be whoever you want to be.

there's no time limit, 

stop whenever you want.

you can change or stay the same, 

there are no rules to this thing.

we can make the best or the worst of it.

i hope you make the best of it.

and i hope you see things that startle you.

i hope you feel things you never felt before.

i hope you meet people with a different point of view.

i hope you live a life you're proud of.

if you find that you're not, i hope you have the strength 

to start all over again.

--benjamin button.

{image found via}

in my hot little hands: cupcakes & cashmere 'the book'.

as listed on my 'blog love' page, i am a huge fan of cupcakes & cashmere, and have been reading along for about 2 years now. emily, the girl who writes the blog, combines fashion, home decor, personal style and entertaining, bundled up into one neat and pretty package. quality photos, simple step by step instructions and a definite defined style, cupcakes & cashmere is a place i definitely pull inspiration from on a daily basis. being the same age, i feel like we share common interests, and see the world from the same space--living it through in the prettiest way possible. so when i found out she would be writing a book of the same name, i made my way to amazon, and placed my order. (with my very own credit card. the only one i have owned since moving in with paul. he took my first one away from me. that's a whole other story).

i had pre ordered this baby so long ago, i actually forgot about it until i put my hand in 

the mailbox monday evening, to find it sitting there. 

my first reactions:

- smaller than i had expected (isn't this is a common first reaction?).

- majority of the content from the blog (which i had expected).

- less about fashion and more about home decor and entertaining.

that being said, in the two days that i have been home with the worst flu in the history of the world (honestly, i can't even stand the sight of myself, and i haven't looked in a mirror since monday) i drank every cuppa tea in the house while reading the book, glossy cover to glossy cover. broken down into seasons, she shares tips from table settings to simple summer cocktails, aesthetically displaying a bookshelf and wardrobe building blocks. fresh, airy and easy to read, it met my expectations and looks darling stacked with flowers on my dining room table. if nothing else, the book definitely makes you go to that pretty girly place, where all you want is to paint your nails and bake chocolate chip cookies for a cute boy. 
and i think that alone is worth it.

unconditional love.

until one has loved an animal

a part of one's soul remains unawakened.

-- anatole france

they are there every morning when you wake up,

and they are there every night when you go to bed.

they wait for you when you leave to get coffee,

and kiss you hello every time you get back.

i love how india's whole bum wiggles when she sees you,

and how she nuzzles her nose into your neck when she hugs.

i love that she's patient with children and is always a good girl.

i love how lennon meows for you when he needs some love,

and will snuggle with you for as long as you let him.

i love that he's an honest to goodness scaredy cat,

who holds my hand and gives kisses.

i love that they tag team us and usually win.

when they eat food colouring on the couch and

spread cherries through the whole house.

but most of all,

i love how they fill the days with the most unconditional sunshine and light.

friday the 13th, tits & tattoos.

while writing up my 30 by 30 list, i knew that going to port dover with my dad for "friday the 13th" was something that definitely had to happen. i love going for rides on his bike with him, and thought there was no better way to be a part of a true biker experience, than going to dover. happening every time the 13th falls on a friday, i was lucky enough to score the only one this summer, and we made plans to make the trip. my dad texted me a few days before, saying he had "picked up a black bandana with pink skulls on it (to match my black helmet with pink flames) for me, and we would be leaving around 6:30am". immediately i thought he had had one too many rusty nails, but no, he was totally serious. if we wanted to make it into town, find a place to park and maybe even eat something, we would have to leave at the crack of dawn. like a good daughter, i was ready and waiting for him, on my front porch yesterday morning. we drove up with some of the guys he rides with and some that he works with, as well as one of his best buddies kenny and his daughter kristin, whom i have grown up with, and are both hilarious. it was going to be a good day.

after a quick meet-up at 'timmy's' we were off like a young brides panties. about an hour and a bit of a ride, we went from needing jackets and pants, to full on sunshine and warm air. a friend of my dads was camping out in dover, and we stopped by on the way in town to change into shorts and sandals. we were greeted by a mass of bike enthusiasts, already celebrating with breakfast beers, and very polite requests for me to show them my tits. considering i was on the back of my father's bike, it wasn't going to happen, but i'm sure they were given many a show, as there were tits everywhere you looked -- old ones, new ones, some as big as your head. if you ever want to see boobs all day, go to dover.

 i didn't expect it to be a town wide event, and never would have pictured people camped out on their front lawns, sitting in parks and along the street, as if a parade were happening. the whole town seemed to shut down in order to cater to the day, and it was so nice to see that everyone supported the whole event. vendors were set up selling chaps, jackets and accessories, there were food stations and small shops to look around in. port dover is such a sweet little beachy town, i made mental note to come back with paul and the pooch to spend the day. by 9am it was a sea of sweaty, leathery, ponytail wearing perfection, so we decided to grab some breakfast before it was impossible to sit anywhere, and had eggs benny and coffee on the main street.

by 11am the sun was so hot, and the streets were so packed, that you were running for any square inch of shade. we all found 'friday the 13th' shirts, and were able to walk through the whole town, checking out bikes and doing what i love most; people watch. it was a gold mine for anyone who likes to sit and watch as much as i do. at any given moment, you could see a funny shirt, a seriously outrageous outfit, or the strangest bike. i especially enjoyed this gold glitter skull number, rode in from quebec, complete with a victorian casket and matching helmet.

once we had our fill we decided to scoot out before things got even busier. we stopped for a frosty beer on the way home, and cruised through the countryside in the scorching sunshine. even on a bike, going 100 km an hour, the thermostat was showing 100 degrees on the bike while moving. it was a great day and i love that i got to spend it with some old friends and of course, my old man. who says the 13th is unlucky?

ps-half way through the day i realized that i had been calling my dad "daddy" the whole time (as i always have), and he never mentioned it once. even in the middle of thousands and thousands of bikers. now that's a good dad.

hearts & crafts: paper anniversary map on canvas.

i realized i never did share what i made paulie for our first anniversary, so excuse the tardiness of this post, but you know what they say, "better late than dead'. back in april, i mentioned how i was leaning towards incorporating maps into a craft i could put together for him, without spending a million dollars. i liked that they are masculine, and would be a good representation of our first year of marriage -- you, know, celebrating the places we've been, and the places we are yet to see. 

i racked my brain for an idea that would be perfect, and it wasn't until i had collected all my materials and spread them out in front of me, that the project came together. i didn't take photos of the process, but i trust you can figure it out fairly easily. if i confuse you at any point, take a shot of tequila, cross your eyes and re-read it. i'm sure it'll all make sense.

how we do: paper anniversary map on canvas

you will need:

a map of the world

canvas (as large as the map)

spray adhesive

clear acrylic sealer

push pins or brads (the cuter the better)

while visiting my girlfriend in toronto, we walked past a gift shop that was displaying the most beautiful wrapping paper sheets by cavallini & co, one of which was this vintagey map of the world. i figured it would be perfect for whatever craft i ended up making for paul, and snagged two sheets -- at $4 each, i decided i should grab two in case i royally effed up the first one. thank sweet baby jesus for this, because that's exactly what happened.

because the print on the paper is so pretty, i couldn't bring myself to start cutting it up, so i decided i was going to use it as a whole sheet. i thought i might want to frame it, so it could be hung in our dining room (maybe a study in our big boy & girl house one day), but that didn't satisfy my crafting craving, and seemed less personal than i was going for. as i wandered through the art supplies at michael's, i noticed that their gallery wrapped canvases were on sale for 40% off, and when i saw they had a size that would display the map dreamily, i picked it up. i also grabbed a small packet of red and pink heart shaped brads, and was on my merry little way.

with everything laid out in front of me, i figured the best way to get the map onto the canvas, was with mod podge. the paper was thick enough to handle it, i had some, and it was matte finish, so i thought i was golden. oh shit was i wrong. long story short, the paper wrinkled up like a set of 95 year old testicles, and then peeled back as it dried. super annoyed, i ripped everything off like a crazy person, swearing like a truck driver/sailor/pirate/my father and scraped the canvas clean. i ditched the mod podge business and after a quick trip to walmart, i had a can of elmer's spray adhesive in my hot little hands and said a small prayer: it worked like a dream. it went on with great coverage, in thin coats, and the paper stuck to it perfectly. i folded the edges of the map around the canvas like i was wrapping a gift, and then smoothed everything out with a credit card. once i was happy with how it looked, i gave the whole thing 3 coats of matte clear acrylic sealer, allowing each coat to dry in between.

if i could have found heart shaped push pins, i would have used those, but i could only find heart shaped brads, so i made them work. with a pair of wire cutters, i cut the metal fastener piece off the back, and used a glue gun to adhere the hearts to the map. the pink heart marks where we were married, and the red hearts are the places we have been. as we travel the world and visit new places, we can add another heart, until the map is filled with all the places we have loved. cheesy? i know. and i don't give a rats ass.

he opened the gift and kind of just stared at it. it's exciting to know that as we go through this life together, we will slowly fill the map with more and more little red hearts. in a way, it's like we're going to leave our mark on this world, 

and i can't tell you how excited i am to do it with him.

girls rule, boys drool.

{image found here}

last night, i had my girlfriends cass & neena over (paulie cooked us dinner and the four of us ate the best pierogies with jalapenos in our dining room like one big happy family--i swear, paul has more girlfriends than any man i know). afterwards we sat on a blanket in the backyard, just us girls (india too of course) talkin' nail talk while toni braxton's "you're making me high" played on the laptop. 
it was a great little monday evening.

while we chatted, cass pulled up the video below, and i instantly fell in love. i don't know if i have been living under a rock for the last month or what, as this shit has gone crazy viral, but i am so glad she showed it to me. lennon & maisy are sisters, and they're canadian ta boot. from outside of toronto, they grew up on a 170 acre farm with no tv, internet or cell phones. lennon is 12 and maisy is a whopping 8 years old, these girls are cooler than i ever could be. when i grow up, i wanna be as cool as them. when lennon started singing, i couldn't believe she was only 12, her ingrid michaelson tendencies only make me more excited to see how amazing she is going to be as her voice matures. come on, her name alone (which i am smitten with, and if i didn't already have a lennon in my life, my future child would have been named this) has set her up for success. girls are the shit.

niagara lately: volume I.

"squeaky swings and tall grass.

the longest shadows ever cast.

the water's warm and children swim.

and we frolicked about in our summer skin."

i think this might be the first time in my life that i have let where i live, show me its truest colours. lately i have found myself, more than ever, being taken aback by not only how handsome it is, but how lucky i am to get to live here. growing up, i complained about how there was nothing to do, how there was nothing worthwhile to see, but as i grow older, i have come to appreciate if only a fraction of all that niagara has to offer -- it's quaint, it's unique, it's the perfect little spot, 
and i'm happily nestled right in the thick of it.

sometimes you just need a reminder.

{image found here}

having this week off from work (with zero plans or things to do) has been just what i needed to get me right into the thick, heavy, laziness of summer. when the days are so hot, it takes all that's in you just to stay awake and keep going. we were fortunate enough to get the time off together, and i think the most productive thing we have accomplished all week, was being able to make permanent imprints of our asses in the couch. mine on the left, paul's on the right, and then there's india, right in between.

a part of me feels guilty for not doing more, while another part of me, a much larger part, is just fine with how things have played out. getting to spend time with each other, alone or with friends & family, and at home with the cat and pooch, is something i won't always get to take advantage of, so while i can, i will.

like the italians say 'dolce far niente'; the sweetness of doing nothing.

those italians sure as shit know what they're talkin' bout.

happy weekend.

the coolest carnival themed birthday party. without the creepy carnies.

a few weeks ago, one of my colleaugues-turned-good-friend nancy, asked me (as well as a few of our other co-workers) if i wanted to help her out with her daughter nickole's 10th birthday party. it was a carnival themed, last day of school, pool party soirée, and all of her friends and classmates would be there. i couldn't say no to nancy or nickole (seriously they are the cutest, tiniest humans on the planet, and when i hug nancy, i give her no choice but to motorboat me), so of course i said i would be there. we decided i would photograph the party, help run some games, and keep a hairy eyeball on a backyard full of pre-pubescent, tweens.

the party started at 4:30, and when i walked into the backyard for the first time, i couldn't believe the transformation that had happened. it was amazing. each kid was sent a home-made invitation, including a clip of tickets that they were to bring to the party. once they arrived, the birthday girl greeted them to take their ticket, and with a loot bag to fill while they were there. on the back of the ticket booth, was the photo booth, where each child could pick a prop, sit down, and have their picture taken. these photos were sent off to be printed during the party, and handed out as they left as a keepsake. i know. it's so cute i could shit.

a kissing booth (guess how many hershey kisses to win them all), tattoo station and several classic carnival games were set up and in constant use. tickets were won when playing the games, and redeemed at the prize table, complete with whoopee cushions, pinwheels, whistles and candy.  i didn't see one kid without a massive smile plastered on their face the entire time i was there, and i think i had that same ridiculous look on my face too, it was the best birthday party i have been to. after stuffing their faces with a candy buffet (i spent my fair share of time at this table), chips & hotdogs, cotton candy, individual bags of popcorn and cupcake ice cream cones, they swam in the pool and told me who had crushes on who, and that no, the nerdy boy wasn't cute, and would not grow up to be hot, rich and successful. i warned them that the boys they thought were cute, would grow up to be bald and have beer bellies, but they didn't believe me. i'll see about that in 20 years.

as i left the party, i couldn't help but think about how lucky nickole is to have an amazing mom like nancy.  i saw how much work and time she put into making this birthday, the best nickole would ever have, and i know from the smile on her face, and the way she sparkled that day, that it was exactly that. in a way, it makes me excited for when the time comes that i get to be that kind of mama for my own babies, and it makes the martha stewart inside me fist pump like an idiot.

long weekend pink lemonade sangria.

i have a friend, her name is nataschia. she is sweet, kind, unexpectedly hilarious and can photograph the shit out of anything--seriously, she can even make my super shy, usually looks like 'sloth' from "the goonies" in photos boy, look like the model he is deep down inside. apparently the only thing this woman can't do, is make a decent pitcher of sangria. so when she emailed me recently and asked me to post a recipe of a version of this tasty summer treat, (as the last batch she made "burned her throat"), i had no choice but to make her proud. yes, testing and perfecting the perfect cocktail is hard work, but someone's gotta do it.

now i have tried my fair share of sangria over the last few years, (pitchers for $5 in montreal? sure, swing me two), and i am yet to find one i haven't liked yet. usually a combo of orange juice, gingerale and either white or red wine, there isn't one thing about it i'm not a fan of. what i hadn't had the pleasure of trying, was a lemony version of this sweet, sour, sparkling bevy, and i wanted to change that. considering pink lemonade + vodka is one of my favourite drinks, i thought i would take those flavours, and add some vino to it, as everyone knows everything tastes better with vino. 

how we do: pink lemonade sangria

makes 2 pitchers (because i'm italian and can never do things in small doses)

you will need:

1 can of frozen pink lemonade concentrate

500 ml of sugar free lemon fresca

1 750ml bottle of white wine (pinot grigio or riesling)

raspberries

lemons

easy and self explanatory, this recipe can be done ahead of time if serving as a signature cocktail for a party, or when you're shit faced and want something light and refreshing. make up your pink lemonade in a separate container, and while the concentrate is still frozen. to the pitcher you are serving from, add half of the pink lemonade mixture, half of the lemon fresca (i used sugar free as the pink lemonade mix is super sweet on its own) and half of the bottle of wine. i used a local pinot grigio as its main notes are citrus fruit, so it went well with the whole flavour profile i was trying to create. <---who do i think i am?

in a wee bowl i mashed the shit out of 4-5 raspberries with a bit of sugar to make a pulp. <--that's more like it. this went on the bottom of each glass, first for colour, and second to add a pulpiness to the sangria that you normally get when using orange juice and other fruits. fill your glasses halfway with ice (i prefer adding ice to the glasses instead of directly into the pitcher so it doesn't water things down, and so you can make a bigger batch of sangria. always thinking), add your sangria mix and finish with a few raspberries and a squeeze of lemon juice. i added a fat juicy raspberry and a slice of lemon for garnish.

a perfect mix of sweet, sour and bubbly with a nice amount of wine, 2 or 8 glasses of this and you are lovin' life. miss. nataschia, i hope this both quenches your thirst and tickles your fancy, without the burning throat business.