#Thursday13 - #GirlsNightOut - Wine and Cheese Party

Thursday Night during Blueberry Festival is the Annual Wine & Beer Tasting events sponsored by our local grocery store, Riverside Market. Half of the Coffee Club works the event while the other half does the tasting. Oh, trust me... those that work get plenty of tasting as well.

Because this year's festival was cancelled due to the Covid crap, Coffee Club held their own Wine and Cheese party. Debbie hosted the event in her backyard and her decorations were super cute! Each Coffee Club "member" brought two bottle of wine to share and a unique cheese. We took turns presenting our wines with flare. 

These are a few of my favorite photos taken. 

1. 

Debbie, our gracious hostess.

2. 

Most Michigan wine was presented, but several came from other states with fun stories of how they were obtained. (Kendra - getting the wine from a gas station while picking up piglets from North Carolina, they one getting carsick and running loose at a welcome center.)

3. 

Leslie found this bag and thought it fit our group.
We've decided to start a book club so we can all have bags like this,
and have an excuse to read books & drink wine.

4.

Beautiful pic one of the gals took.

5. 

Deb finds the most unique items.

6. 

One of my favorite photos of the night.

 

6. 

My favorite wine of the night. Amy found it at small batch winery in Northern Michigan.

7. 

8. 

Me & my bestie with her daughter.

9.

An attentive group of ladies, ready for some serious wine tasting.

10. 

Kendra & Peggy

11. 

Kendra & Tammie

12. 

Kendra & Deb

13. 

The entire party. Sorry it's a bit blurry. No, it wasn't the wine.

Bonus pic and my ultimate favorite, perhaps of all the Coffee Club photos over the years.

We're just missing a few gals.

Is there something you do with close friends, whether it be weekly, occasionally or yearly?

Isn't it awesome having friends to share this journey of life with?

What special things do you & your pals do?

Destination North Peak Brewing Co

 A stop at North Peak Brewing Company is a must on every trip to Northern Michigan.

Flyboy Jr moved into a new apartment so of course the entire family helped. Actually, we use any excuse to head to Traverse City. Minion #2 is following his father's footsteps in attending Northwestern Michigan Community College aviation school, living and working in TC. 

At least one night during every visit we share a meal at the North Peak Brewing Company. The food is amazing and the service suburb.  A few years back, they accommodated the entire Quast clan as we were there for my sister-in-law's Special Olympics winter competition.

We love the food, hubby and minion #1 enjoy the North Peak brews with names such as Siren and Diabolical. There is a quaint bar downstairs we hang out before dinner during the winter . The North Peak menu has a great selection of Brew Pub fare with a Northern Michigan flavor.

This TC trip was no different. We were pleased North Peak was open during the Covid crap.

Hubby & I enjoyed drinks on the patio while we waited for a table to become available.
A beautiful day helped with the social distancing allowing us to be outside.

They seated us in a wide-open space upstairs.
(One of our favorite locations, btw.) 

We like the view of the vats. My guys are into all this craft brewing stuff.


For a starter, we ordered two bowls of Beer Steamed Muscles.
OMG! TO DIE FOR!!!

 Roasted garlic, Cajun sausage, muscles, and shrimp, in a tomato beer broth that I could drink every day. Even our pickiest eater chowed down on the sausage. The home made bread was perfect for dipping. Nest time I'm shopping, I'm going to stop in for just this dish!

 I wonder if I bring a 5 gallon pail, if they'd fill it for me. Hmmmmm...?

They guys pig out on the BBQ ribs or the monster Cowboy Steak almost every time we visit. I always get the same entree as it's my FAVORITE! 

The Atlantic Salmon with a Cherry Porter BBQ sauce. Smokey meets sweet. If you haven't ever had BBQ sauce on your salmon, you have to try this! But then again, I could put that Cherry Porter BBQ on everything. (Try it on the fries. Delish!)

The building built in 1899 once housed a candy factory, still has that old industrial feel.

The atmosphere was relaxed and our waiter was AMAZING!! He picked up on my guys sense of humor quickly and his whit matched theirs. We've always had a wonderful server every time we've visited. 

While we were there, all the wonderful covid restrictions were practiced. Tables were spaced apart inside and the number of guests inside limited. The normally busy place was still bumping since they utilized the outside. Carryout and Doordash delivery are also options.

We always recommend North Peak Brewing Company to our friends and family. Hubby and I have enjoyed a romantic meal to ourselves at least once and I'm looking forward to another. If you are ever in Northern Michigan swing over to Traverse City to had a drink or a meal at North Peak Brewing Co. Definitely worth the drive!

#SupportSmallBusiness

#SupportLocalBrewPubs

#SupportLocalBusiness

#TastyTuesday - Cherry Smash!

I missed the Traverse City Cherry Festival this year. *sigh* Stupid Covid crap. 

To honor one of the many things that didn't happen this summer, I lift a drink. 

Park your tush on my deck and enjoy a Cherry Smash with me.

Bottoms up to Summer 2020.

This flirty cocktail has only 161 calories and a nice amount of Vitamin C

Ingredients:
1 cup pitted fresh or frozen cherries
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, 4 mint sprigs
8 teaspoons of sugar
6 ounces (3/4 cups) dark rum
1/4 cup lime juice
3 cups cherry-flavored seltzer (plain
seltzer will work too)

Preparation
Using 4 glasses evenly divide the cherries, mint leaves and sugar. Mash the ingredients with a wooden spoon and then stir in the rum and the lime juice, top it off with seltzer. Add mint sprig for color.

******

When we first moved in, I planted two different kinds of mint in my ditch. It's gone a bit wild over the years. I will often pick a few springs in the morning after a walk to place in a vase, add to a dish or feed to Teeko the guinea pig.

DYI Fancy Wine Glasses

 Fancy wine glasses don't need to be expensive. Purchase some quality inexpensive glassware, wire and glass beads and you have a DIY project.

The house on the lake we rented for summer vacation had the cutest bar ware. My daughter-in-law and I examined the pieces carefully to realize they are crafted.

Four packs of wine glasses and goblets can be found for a reasonable price at Walmart and Meyer. Wire and glass gem marbles are easy to come by at any craft store. Use glass glue and you're all set. We thought a set would be a lovely gift for a new couple or home.

Self Isolation Sucks

 A couple days ago a close friend tested positive for Covid-19 therefore all of us who had been with her during a certain time are in self isolation for 5 days. I figured this would happen eventually to me.

Currently, it's just me and the youngest at home. I must say, my 15 yr old is pretty freaked out about everything. He's more worried about missing weight lifting and football workouts than being sick. 

Hubby and I discussed a plan early on if one of us would get sick. With his job as a freight pilot traveling around the world, we guessed he had a high chance of contacting the virus. Our bedroom is on one side of the house, has it's own bathroom, is on the first floor and has doors directly to the outside. These are all features first responders say are good to have. Hubby said if it were  him, he'd put a mini fridge in the room (for beer).

So my bedroom has become the "Rona Room" according to the youngest. When I leave the room, I don a mask and sanitize the shit out of my hands.

The first few days were quiet; solitary. I swam more, meditated more, did more yoga, walked the dog more, read more (I'm hooked on Pippa Grant)...you see where I'm going with this. I've cleaned my room, organized my bathroom cupboard and decorated my space with bouquets of wildflowers picked on my walks. 

I've been keeping a little journal to record my activities and thoughts. During this self-imposed quiet time, I'll catch up on blog posts and work on Hawk's Honor. Maybe I'll learn some new book promo tricks. 

The idea of me having the virus scares me - I have asthma, lupus and fibromyalgia. But I will cross the bridge when I come to it on Wednesday with the test. Hubby comes home from his 2-weeks assignment so I'm hoping it's good news.