Southern Protocol

Vodka. It’s the happy hour drink of choice here at Southern Protocol. Did we realize everyone knew that? Not necessarily… which is why we were curiously delighted at the email we received this morning from a mystery New York company outlining three (quite tasty looking) drink recipes, all using Van Gogh Vodka. We’re not selfish people, so we decided to share!

These drinks are perfect for late summer fetes… they can be made ahead of time, and are fun updates on tried and true warm weather classics!

Blueberry Mojito (you know I love my mojitos!)
28 oz Van Gogh Acai-Blueberry Vodka
14 oz fresh lime juice
7 oz simple syrup
Mint leaves
Fresh blueberries
Club soda

Muddle mint leaves, blueberries, and simple syrup in a pitcher. Stir in Van Gogh Acai-Blueberry Vodka and lime juice. Then add ice and top with club soda. Serve in a highball glass garnished with a mint sprig or skewer of blueberries.

Sparkling Dutch Red Sangria
1 bottle dry red wine
3 oz Triple Sec Liqueur
3 oz Van Gogh Pomegranate Vodka
6 oz Grenadine
1/2 Bottle pomegranate juice
1/2 bottle Pommery Brut Royal Champagne
1 orange, sliced
Cinnamon sticks

Combine the first five ingredients. Add champagne and give a quick stir. Pour mixture over ice and add slices of orange. Garnish each glass with a cinnamon stick.

(I just realized this last recipe isn’t made with vodka… oh well! It still sounds nice and refreshing!)

Early Riser
19 oz Ron Abuelo Anejo
6 oz Jumbie Coconut Splash
13 oz fresh mango juice
13 oz fresh pineapple juice
Maraschino cherries
Orange slices
Sugar cane stick

Pour all ingredients into a pitcher and stir vigorously.  Add ice, cherries and orange slices. To serve, pour into a tall glass and garnish with sugar cane stick.

All recipes came our way via Talbert Communications, Ltd in New York. Cheers!

I’m not a beer drinker. Never have been, probably never will be. Instead of craving a “nice, cool Bud” on a warm summer day, I still find myself reaching for a bit of champagne… to each their own, right?

Which is why I literally exclaimed from my seat when I saw this “Patriotic Pop” feature on Glam.com – it’s PATRIOTIC CHAMPAGNE! For only $14.99 a bottle!

The mini bottles of champagne are manufactured by Pommery, and are appropriately called “POP America Champagne.” Love it. Absolutely must have it for this weekend.

It was a very festive late afternoon of bites, bubbly and beautiful dresses at our Cynthia Rowley bridesmaid collection launch yesterday! Lots of brides and bridesmaids to be, plus many more who just wanted to mingle and admire.

Canape’s miniature bites were light, fluffy and wonderful – while I was a huge fan of the summer ratatouille (I’m down for anything with goat cheese), the obvious hit of the night were the mini orange-scented almond cakes. Supposedly Cynthia’s popping that recipe up on her blog sometime soon… be on the lookout!

As always, the flower arrangements from Stems were to die for… I couldn’t stop staring at one of the model’s fluffy peony bouquet! The modern studio was transformed into a sweet garden party, and the fun and fresh flowers definitely helped that!

And of course, there were the dresses. The owner of Bella Bridesmaid (where the dresses will be sold), Allison Longe, knew the collection front and back, and every single bride-to-be that scanned the collection found something she loved. What’s even better? The bridesmaids that tagged along had a blast trying the dresses on – and they loved them, too!

So many thanks to Charleston Weddings Magazine for their coverage, Jennifer Bearden and Leigh Webber for capturing all the details and atmosphere with their cameras, and to all of our lovely guests! The full collection is now available to see and try on at Bella Bridesmaid, conveniently located right above Cynthia Rowley’s King Street shop!

(Note: All photos here courtesy of Jennifer Bearden!)

Just a reminder about our sure-to-be-sensational event launching Cynthia Rowley’s bridesmaid collection next Tuesday! Bites from Canape, gorgeous flowers from Stems, heavenly dresses that are perfect for your bridesmaid or an upcoming wedding you have to attend this summer… there’s no reason NOT to come! Charleston Magazine will be documenting the event, and a team of girls from Bella Bridesmaid (where the dresses will be sold) will be on hand to take measurements and appointment dates. Come one, come all! And if you really want to be a dear, send your RSVP to charlestonevents@cynthiarowley.com.

It seems as though everyone in retail is getting into the bridal industry these days – everyone from Net-a-Porter to J. Crew and now Cynthia Rowley is dabbling in the world of wedding fashion. Cynthia Rowley’s whimsical and oh-so-pretty collections make for a perfect aesthetic for bridesmaids dresses that you really CAN wear again!

It only makes sense for one of the launches for the line to take place in Charleston, seeing as how our lovely city is one of the top destination wedding cities in the country.

So whether you’re a bride, bridesmaid, or just really love pretty dresses, please join us for the super sweet collection’s debut Tuesday, June 8th from 4 – 6:30 pm. The garden-party theme event will be held at 208 Coming Street, and will include tasty bites and bubbly (from delicious Canape) while you admire the garments. While the line’s distributor is Dessy, the local Charleston retailer that will house the anticipated line is none other than Bella Bridesmaid – conveniently located just upstairs of Cynthia Rowley’s King Street shop! Girls from Bella Bridesmaid will be at the event taking measurements and appointments for fittings.

While the party is open to all, we’d just love you to pieces if you’d RSVP to charlestonevents@cynthiarowley.com!

I try really hard to be a foodie. I’m so far off from being a genuine one, but in the sense that I appreciate all flavors and think myself to be adventurous in trying new cuisine, I could semi-count. All that PLUS I subscribe to Bon Appetit. I know, impressive.

There are some issues of Bon Appetit that are awesome, and some that are just eh; May 2010′s issue is fabulous. It is filled from cover to cover with delicious, FRESH recipes – just what we all need for the beginning of warm weather. I literally 2 minutes ago stumbled across this drink recipe, and had to share: a Limoncello Champagne Cocktail with Mint. Hello, freshness; hello, perfect cocktail for an evening of relaxation and gossip on the porch.

Limoncello Champagne Cocktails with Mint (Makes 2)
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup limoncello
2 tablespoons sugar plus additional for dipping Champagne flutes
Lemon peel strips from 1 lemon
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice plus 1 lemon wedge
1 cup (about) chilled Champagne or sparkling wine

Place mint, limoncello, 2 tablespoons sugar, and lemon strips in blender; blend until mint is finely chopped (lemon peel will be coarsely chopped), 10 seconds. Strain into small cup; discard solids. Run lemon wedge around rim of 2 Champagne flutes. Dip rims into sugar. Divide limoncello mixture and lemon juice between flutes. Top with Champagne.

Cheers!

PS Head over to the Bon Appetit website (link above) for some GREAT brunch ideas. Mother’s Day IS this weekend, after all!

How fabulously glamorous did everyone look at the 82nd Academy Awards last night? I can’t remember the last time that I was so smitten with so many dresses. I am obsessed with golds and champagnes for formal occasions, so I’m sure you can imagine my delight when diva after diva exited limousines in my color of choice!

Without question, my number one favorite from head to toe was Sandra Bullock – was it her night to shine or what?! She actually looked like an Oscar in her Marchesa dress…but an Old Hollywood, super feminine version. While every other starlet had her hair pulled back into a bun of some sort – which I do love, it’s sleek and you can see faces – she had a smooth slight wave that made me want hair extensions. And the red lips? You know it was a hit at Southern Protocol. The dress was shiny, which usually makes me nervous, but all in all I adored everything about her look.

Miley Cyrus’s Jenny Packham dress was amazing in and of itself, but it really was not a great fit on her. I’m pretty sure her chest isn’t overly large, so why she couldn’t bare to go up a cup size in the top is beyond me! I do love the juxtaposition of the structured corset and flowing, sparkly bottom – but her thick makeup made her look much older than she really is. Still, I would kill to just wear that dress around my house for a day!

Demi Moore makes me extremely anxious about aging…because I know that no matter how much I pray about looking half as flawless as she does at age 47, it’s just not going to happen. Her showstopping Versace dress was an unbelievably perfect color for her; monochrome with her skin without washing her out, and hugely fluffy while still hugging her enviable figure.

Based solely on principle, I find myself liking anything Chanel. Case in point: upon seeing Sarah Jessica Parker last night, I was a bit “eh, that fits her like a sack, don’t like it.” Fast forward to when she sweetly chirped that it was vintage Chanel, and my opinion somehow morphed into one of “well I guess it IS interesting and pretty!” Final decision: it is a cool dress, but it was so ill-fitting on her.

So happy with the turnout last night! I can’t wait for all the tabloids to come out with the after party outfits…THOSE are always a sight to behold!

Love champagne? Love Louboutins and their red-soled fabulousness? Have $500 laying around?

Then I have the perfect pick-me-up treat for you!

The one and only Christian Louboutin has partnered with the high class champagne bottler Piper-Heidsieck to create a champagne flute that is the best conversation starter I’ve ever seen: a mile-high crystal Louboutin stiletto. The glass is being called “Le Rituel” due to its historical origins: back in 19th century Russia, gentlemen honored  a prima ballerina’s superb performance by drinking champagne out of her pointe slipper. Turning a sweet/strange tradition racy, those saucy bohemians at the Folie Bergere in Paris continued the tradition – but replaced the prim and proper ballerina with a scandalous courtesan. Think Ewan Macgregor coyly pouring his favorite bubbly into Mademoiselle Nicole Kidman’s Victorian stiletto a la Moulin Rouge…

I’m not entirely sure of the logistics – the (semi-cheesy) video for the glass on the website suggests that you pour the drink into the toe and sip it out of the heel. Buuut that means that you can only pour a teensy bit at a time, so as to avoid spilling pricey Piper-Heidsieck all over your bohemian corset. If nothing else, it’s a beautiful little thing to perch on a bar! (If you drop $500 for little things…) The glass comes with a bottle of the champagne..what a bargain gift set!