Saturday, August 20, 2016

Rock it like a Red head tipples

Jen Pfeiffer's The Rebel Bubbles

I love to try new wines through our Angel Network naked wines. The premise is, you pay a monthly amount that small vineyards use as investment money. You can draw down on that to purchase their wines. I consider it charity really.😄

This is one of the best sparkling a I've had. They only produce limited bottles a year so you have to be quick. We grabbed a carton to be on the safe side. The taste is lovely, but the highlight is the amount of bubbles. One of the best amount of bubbles I've had in an Australian sparkling.

Saturday, July 16, 2016

Brisbane City Tipples and a GOOD MARGARITA

Had a city night with a friend. Nothing beats a cocktail with lunch. Nice enough Mojito. Got myself one of Jo Jo's $5 sparklings next. They were perfect for lunch. However.. here is our good find.....

We decided to eat randomly, at Nagomi Japanese restaurant right on Eagle Street Pier, over the road from our hotel. I haven't had a lot of Japanese food. The friend I was with had. This place looked perfect for us. Casual, cheap and it was crowded. The cocktails were $6.60 each so our expectations were not high. OMG. GOOD SHIT. These were an 8.5. Strong and cheap and a good flavour. Tasted very much like mine. We were in margarita heaven. Especially since we could buy 1 for the price of 3. Which we had. :) http://nagomibento.com.au/#/about-nagomi

Ipswich Cup Tipples

Umm.... there is not much I can post about this. $150 for all you can eat and drink during the day while you sit inside track with a lot of bogans. I love it. :)

I don't know what I drank, but I drank a lot of it. I think I consumed my body weight in party pies. Did I get my $150 bucks worth? Absolutely. No margaritas though. :)

The Pumphouse Brewery - Ipswich

So... a really nice restaurant in a really dead place. So sad my childhood town is now almost a cemetery. This restaurant is new and was packed. Great vibe. Good food. And nice beers on tap. Yet no blackberry. The line up was huge so I bought a cider on tap. (not me.. but.. why not) and a light German Wheat beer. The first sips were horrendous, but I DID get use to it. There's hope for me yet. I think I'm going to order a beer here and there and see if I can train my palette!

Brisbane Brewing Co Tipples

So on the way to my niece's musical, we stopped by the Brisbane Brewing Co for burgers. YUM. But even better, I decided to 'go a beer' again. Bruges inspired me. This one was a blackberry beer and I loved it! Haven't been able to find it again. Not sweet, tart. Delicious. I'm on the lookout now.

My 45th Birthday Tipples

Okay... so I'd had a long day at work and was tired. That MAY impact this margarita score. We went to Cactus Jacks at Redcliffe. The food and service wasn't awesome and the margaritas were okay. To be honest, I can't remember which ones I had. 2 varieties. They were just okay. This is a great place to meet up with friends for snacks and a drink. Happy birthday me! So great to have an underage driver in the family. Thanks Hannah. :)

Melbourne Tipples

We were very well behaved on our Easter Trip to Melbourne. But the rooftop bar Madam Brussels was VERY different. It was hard to get a grip on WHAT it actually was? A gay bar? An alternate bar? Whatever, it was weird and unique and there was plenty to look at the whole time we were there. Check out the drinks menu below and you'll see what I mean. This jug was the Love Juice. It was nice, but loses points because it was impossible to pour. I could NOT hold the jug up. It was so heavy. Drink went everywhere. But a REALLY interesting bar that I'll take people back to.

Jugs

$35 for two to share or $55 for four

Our trend-setting Beer and Wine List is constantly evolving, bringing you the most fabulous drops from around the globe. We have sourced the finest grapes and hops from the Yarra Valley to the Tuscan Hills of Italy for your oral pleasure.

BUT WAIT TILL YOU SEE HER JUGS!

What’s a punch shared between friends anyway?

$19 to play with your self

$35 Two Player (4 standard drinks)

$55 Playing Doubles (8 standard drinks)

If you prefer the Classics, talk to our experienced staff members who can stir you up a martini or two! Don’t be shy, all you have to do is ask darlings xx

WINTER PUNCH MENU

THE MADAMES FRUITY DOUBLE D CUPS
The madams’ own Australian liquor, MAIDENII! Pimms was so last year darl. Washed to the back of your throat with dry, lemonade, a touch of Bombay sapphire GIN, cucumbers, strawberries, lemons and mint!

THE SMOKEY THROBINSONWhat every lady wants in the cooler months. Hard, wet, hot and ready to roll….
Randy Brandy, licker opps, Licor 43, vanilla, Pineapple & Apple Cider. Finished off with smoky Scotch. This is the new sexier version of a hot toddy!

AMARETTO SOUR
Welcoming a taste of Italian to her tipple list, this fluffy almond flavored jug will not fail to please!

MOSCOW MULE
Oh so fresh!! Vodka, Tahitian lime, Irish mint, laced with ginger beer and aromatic bitters

GIN GARDEN
Freshen your step down the garden path! London dry gin, fresh cucumber & elderflower cordial, apple juice and soda.

BLOODY MARY
Whether you’re coming down from a big night or simply starting one! A classic cocktail to revitalize those taste buds.

THE GILF

I am so sorry that your mind has taken you to such places, but GILF stands for…. GIN I LIKE TO FUNK. A hot and heady mix of Gin, Maraschino, Chamomile, Lemonade and Honey. The HOT GILF will take you places you have never been and perhaps never want to remember

MAI TAI
Brighten up your day with a tropical classic! Lashings of Rum, Orgeat, Lime, Pineapple and fresh Orange.

SANGRIA
taking the bull by the balls. A bloody red sangria infused with brandy, strawberries, cinnamon and toped with bubbly lemon.

ALL YEAR LONG

THE VEILED MAIDEN
The virginal juice of the season! Tequila, Lillet, pomegranate and cranberry juice.

LOVE JUICE
For rumpled skirts and knickers gone who-knows-where… Bacardi, Berries, apple juice toped with bubbles!

THE GINGE MINGE
his tasty, refreshing drop combines Ginger Beer, Apple Cider, a whack of Vodka and splashes of exotic Kiwi and Ginger Liqueurs.

THE MADAME’S GLUHWEIN
Cheeky mulled wine to make you tingle in all the right places! A fine drop of red, peaches, strawberries and spice.

The Tramcar Restaurant.

We went on the 4 hour dinner trip on the Melbourne Tramcar restaurant. What a great experience! The tramcar we were in was jovial. No wonder. All you can drink. Wine, beer and spirits. Had quite a few bubblies on this trip. Don't remember what it was, but it didn't matter. The experience was a winner.

+39. A small Italian Restaurant on Little Bourke Street. This was a later night, on the spot decision to dine here. Glad we did. Best gnocchi I've ever had. Noone else was drinking (???) so I had my daughter's favourite, an Aperol Spritz. Thought that might slow me down since I don't enjoy them much. Well this one I DID! It wasn't as bitter as usual. Now I've learnt to make them in a similar fashion. A nice way to drink Prosecco.

Beach Burrito Company Tipples - Coolongatta

So this was nothing that great at all. A 6 only. $42 for a jug of Tommy's. A bit exy. The Beach Burrito Company was literally 5 minutes from our Mantra hotel at Cooloongatta. It was very popular, especially with the local bat colony. NOISY. We sat inside since it was a windy night. Not too bad meals, but really a good casual spot for snacks and a drink.

Friday, January 8, 2016

40th Birthday Tipples - Maroochydore

So we started off birthday celebrations for my friend at the Greenout Café in Ocean St. It lists mojitos as a speciality on their signage. Nah. Yuk. Again. Full of sugar syrup?? Gross.
Had a couple of wines there before moving next door to the piano bar. As we were very merry, my newly 40 friend asked the bartender to make her a drink that tasted like a walk through an orchard. After looking dazed for a minute.. I think he realised he had two half cut middle aged women and could serve us anything. Turns out it was DELCIOUS.
I don't know what it's called. He made it up. But it tasted like sherbert. Kind of fruit tingle like. A perfect dessert for a nice long lunch.

Gordon Ramsey Tipples. London House -Tsim Sha Tsui

Yum. On all counts. I heart Gordon Ramsey and I enjoyed his pub food more than his degustation stuff. Mind you.. most expensive pub meal I've ever had. This was a GREAT drink.

Belvedere Spectre 007 98

Belvedere, Lime Juice, Fresh raspberries, Ginger beer

(A delicious blend of fruit and spice, shaken or stirred, especially created by our Mixologists

for House… London House)

Before it, I'd had a margarita. I have to be careful not to over inflate my score. This was the first normal margarita. It's a 7. Great night out.

Hong Kong Tipples. Don't bother.

Bleah. Hong Kong Cocktails are way toooooo sweet. Many use sugar syrups. Not too nice at all. Best margarita was at the local Mexican. But even it was sweet. None were above a 5 and most a 4.

This crushed strawberry and sparkling was from the Brotzeit German Bier Bar in Mody Rd. THIS was nice. Very expensive. Not worth it. Still enjoyed it as Rob was paying. :)

Outback Steakhouse. Not bad. But again.. sweet. 5. IF that.

Tequila Jack's Chatham Rd South. Not bad. Best we found. So I had a jug. Still a 5. Not as sweet. But sweet.

JC's Sports Bar. Meh. Only good thing was that it was strong!

Bavarian Bier Cafe Tipples

Christmas party was at the Bavarian Bier Café at Eagle St Pier. I had a margarita and I'm giving it a 8.5/9. It was really nice. Close to mine. Great balance of sweet/sour. More sour.

A lost Margarita - somewhere in London

I can't remember where we had these drinks. I do remember that it was a very swank area with lots of bars and plenty of hot men in suits meeting in the open courtyard of them all. I remember this as a nice drink.. a 7 at least.. but it may have been the view influencing me. :)

Beer Tipples. The Day I became a beer drinker.

BRUGES. Belgium.

One has to drink beer in Belgium. I was at a FANTASTIC restaurant. Ribs'n'beer. Awesome. The only table left was a bar table. The manager had to clear his books for me. This was a raspberry beer. It was YUMMY. Think Cruisers.. for beer. By the end it was a bit too sweet.

So then.. I stopped at.. I don't know. The next bar in Brugges?? This was a cherry beer. YUM. Liked it a lot. Didn't like the staff. So moved on.

So feeling like I was now an accomplished beer drinker.. I tackled a normal beer. A chimay blonde. Gag. I am not a beer drinker. I am a cruiser beer drinker. I did however, drink the whole thing. Very slowly. I can't find the pic of my last beer. Still looking. It was a cherry while I saw watching the beautiful Market square. Horrible drink. Very lambrusco like.

Parisian Tipples. It's all about the ohlala

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. This was my 4th trip to Paris and the first I've had a balcony. I can never go back. Must. have. balcony. To top it off.... an accordion often played under my window. It doesn't matter what tipple I had. It was always good sitting here. It was cold. But worth it. I bought French bottles from the supermarket... maybe $5?? They all tasted like Gold. The maid must have thought I was a drunk with an empty bottle each night.

I admit it. I cried a little. I've been on the Seine a few times. I know all the buildings. Not interested in the commentary. This was a Champagne cruise. Sat in a VIP section. And we drank 3 different champagnes while we travelled up the river. As I was a solo.. the sommelier kept topping up my glass. So I left very happy. In both ways.

Wine. You are almost expected to have it with every meal. Who am I to argue?

A drunk Tipple

Okay... I'm not going to post about the other drinks I had this night. Mostly cause I don't really remember. I do remember that we ended up at a little bar (that was nearly closing) near my hotel. Near Embankment Tube stop (Trafalgar Square area) We were very bloody merry and this Cosmo tasted bloody fantastic. Well that's how I kind of remember it. :)

Open bottle laws? What are they? Only in Australia. What I love about many places I visit is they don't exist! It is right up my alley to sip a Prosecco Spritzer while walking around the food markets. Reminds me of the Thai night markets. Cocktails in bags with straws while you shop. This was refreshing (probably means mostly lemonade) and kept me shopping a little bit longer.

GBK - an easy lunch tipple

Forget fancy restaurants. If I could eat GBK (Gourmet Burger Kitchen) every day.. I would. Something to compare it to here would be Grill'd I guess. I know this isn't a food blog but their chicken burgers are to die for. So this particular one (I went to 3 on this holiday.. GBK whore I am) was at Cambridge. They have wonderful Elderflower cordial. Free refills. THIS one though, has Gin in it. Perfect combo. :)

Be At One - Soho London

http://www.beatone.co.uk/cocktail-bar/soho-greek-street

Be At One bars are all over the UK. This was a little one in Soho. In fairness to this Margarita.. I don't remember it a great deal. We were certainly buzzing after an evening of food and margaritas and I know I was getting over them a bit. I DO remember thinking that this one was closest to mine at home. Made with lime instead of my lemon though. Not bad.. maybe a 6. Fun way to end the night here.

The Pink Chihuahua - A "secret" bar in London

http://elcamion.co.uk/cocktail-bar/

So. We went to this little underground bar. Very cool. Old fashioned almost nudie pics on the wall. Vinyl booths etc. Very grudgy cool. First round was a classic margarita. 8 pound 50. Meh. This place ( well this bartender) prides itself on the margaritas. Only about a 5. Second one was a Tommy. I told the bartender the last one was a 5.. had to lie to him about this one. It was a 5 too. Wanted him to keep some of his self esteem.

Hard not to let the cool surroundings bias my opinion of the drinks. We certainly seemed to be enjoying them. :)

Saturday, September 26, 2015

Cafe Pacifico Tipple - Covent Gardens London

Okay.. So I researched the best margaritas in London before I left home... And this place popped up n my screen. I love Mexican.. It was right around the corner and even better.. 2 for one in Monday's.

So we were keen. And sad by the end. I don't cope well with the wrong glasses. But I sucked that up. For some reason it was quite sweet? Almost like the rim had sugar mixed with salt. And there was obviously lime/lemon mix.. Not juice. Disappointment. But I drank them.. And another. 4 or 5 outta 10.

Saturday, September 19, 2015

Mask Bar London. A tired tipple

Yum! This is a good one. Or I'm severely travel weary. Ignored all the groovy packed out bars around me and settled for the very nice hotel bar. I'm smashed. A full glass.. Very acidic but heavy on lime. Just delicious. A good margarita start London. Though bloody expensive. £14!!