A Snake Bite

14 comments:
It's that time again....peak orange season


 This year the orange orchard is incredible....
the fruit is literally pulling the branches to the ground 
and every tree is in full blossom....what an incredible smell

crazy wonderful

so what to do with all of that orange juice?
I'm not much of a mixologist 
but I love tea and especially tea with lemonade

not long ago I ordered an "Arnold Palmer"
from a little cafe and the server said:

"do ya see any golf courses around here?...it's called a snake bite up this a way"

oops
really
?

So here is my version of a 
Snake Bite
using 
OJ

Mix together:

a nice large pitcher of your favorite ice tea 
(make about 4 quarts)

Add:

4 or 5 tea bags of 
Coconut Chai Tea
(I use Zhena's Gypsy Tea which you can find at Trader Joe's
or use a tea that has a lot of spices like Constant Comment)

let this sit overnight in the fridge

When ready to serve/drink:

add 4 cups of freshly squeezed orange juice 
to your pitcher of ice tea


 fill some nice large glasses 
about half full with ice
now you can drink this
"as is"

but to add some 
BITE
to your drink

I like to top it off with a shot of 
Captain Morgans Spiced Rum

I stick a big slice of lime on a wood fork
(you can find these bamboo disposable forks at Target and most grocery stores)

float the shot of rum on the top of the tea
and swizzle with the lime slice


ENJOY


My Dream Home

24 comments:

A few weeks ago a wonderful blogging friend, Cindy who pens the wonderful blog
 Rough Luxe Lifestyle
came up with the idea of having a group of bloggers write about
 building their dream home
and...
 you can visit all of the other blogs 
today too and see what they designed!

This was a bit of a challenge for sure, because like most of us...
I would love to live in many different places...

A loft in Manhattan?

An apartment in Paris?

On a yacht in Monaco?
(remember this is a dream..right?)

Hawaii?
Mexico? Montana?


 But I  kept coming back to a place
that has left an impression on my heart

 this special spot
 has what I consider to be the most compelling and beautiful
landscape
that can be found anywhere....

a big blue sky
rocky coastal ocean panoramas

views,  vistas and rolling hills
plants and wildlife



not one of which takes center stage....

 all are of equal importance to this spot along the coast of California

called Big Sur
it sits
140 miles south of San Francisco

I have had the opportunity to vacation there, quite a few times,
 at an incredible Inn called the 
Post Ranch 

 The Inn and surrounding buildings
were designed by Big Sur architect Mickey Muennig
His designs combine the elements of nature, art and architecture
into a dwelling which becomes part of the site itself


It is hard to see where each aspect of the design begins 
and where it ends

"Architecture is much more than shelter;  it bonds a continuous and worldwide mystery to its inhabitants.  The clients lifestyle, inherent attitudes, cultural background and specific dreams or desires can often inspire new ideas from which a design may spring"  G.K. Muennig


His work is further complimented by the use of raw steel
concrete, redwood, glass and stone

This is a house he designed which has all of those aspects 
as well as an incredible site along the 
coastline

this is it...my dream home!

Big Sur has one of the most stringent environmentally protective land use policies in the United States
which make it difficult to build 
but allows the further protection of declining species of plants, insects and animals

Another aspect of Muennig designs is his use of solar and "off the grid"  
carbon neutral philosophies
such as sod roofs, solar panels and reclaimed gray water

Now for some eye candy....!!!


For those of you who have read this blog for a while 
you know that I am a huge fan of 
modern country

 I have recently fallen for 
 designers that have that certain "thing"...
which is actually the lack of excess and clutter

  clean almost unfurnished rooms 
where art, architecture and texture can be the focus
 Karen Blake






Briggs Edward Solomon







 Pam Pierce



 Ralph Lauren



 Nancy Fischelson





 m. elle designs




 Darryl Carter




I could really go on and on....there are so many beautiful designs to love

but
I have to admit
I really don't believe in dream homes



 life changes so much
and often what you thought you really wanted was just someone else's version
 of the perfect house and not really your version

I wish we spent more time saying
 "right now this is good enough"
and
sometimes less is more
in ways other than decor or architecture


  sometimes all of the hard work results
in a big bucket of flowers and not a house in Big Sur
 so for today I'll take a bunch of lavender


or a swing on the porch



 or a nap on the lawn

in my "dream" house
the one I happen to live in today!

thanks for stopping by, I know this was a long one

here are the others

Collage of Life
Rough Luxe Lifestyle
TG Interiors
Roses and Rust
Linen and Lavender
Splenderosa


please take a peek
I know you will love them

Happy Dream House Hunting

~*Kelley*~