Thirsty Thursdays: Tito’s Vodka and Welch’s

I find it amusing that the decision to post today’s Thirsty Thursday post coincides with a lawsuit against the vodka I had already planned to write about. According to the lawsuit mentioned in a story on Paste Magazine just yesterday, “A California real estate broker has filed a civil lawsuit against Texas-based Tito’s Handmade Vodka, claiming the distillery can’t claim the vodka is ‘handmade’ because of the sheer volume of bottles sold each
year.”

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Well, I don’t care if the vodka is handmade or not- the bottom line is it is yummy and smooth and because of my recent opportunity to try it, Tito’s Vodka is making an appearance for this week’s Thirsty Thursday!

I tried Tito’s Vodka on Friday, September 5, 2014. A co-worker brought it and a bottle of Welch’s Passion Fruit juice in for our weekly happy hour. I had never tried the vodka or the juice but thought- what the hell! You never know until you try whether you will like something or not right?

First, I poured a shot of the Tito’s. The vodka was smooth and the lighter fluid after taste many vodkas present was nowhere to be found. Second, I splashed a little bit of the passion fruit juice into a cup to try it by itself. I’ve had drinks with passion fruit mixed in them in the past, but this was the first time I tried it alone. The juice was tart but not too tart and no overtly sweet either. Lastly, I grabbed a Red Solo Cup and decided it was time to put the two together. Unintentionally I mixed equal parts of the Tito’s and the Welch’s Passion Fruit juice with ice in the cup.

Verdict? The half and half drink was really good! It was kind of funny that every time I took a sip I commented on how good the drink was to the point that my coworker said, “You don’t have to keep saying it’s good.” I couldn’t help myself though. It really tasted yummy and I honestly couldn’t prevent myself from uttering that every time I took a sip! LOL! I would definitely make this drink again and would highly recommend it if you are looking for an easy drink to mix for a party but don’t want that annoying alcohol after taste.

So, lawsuit or no- Tito’s gets thumbs up from me- regardless of it’s handmade claims it tastes damn good!

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Thirsty Thursdays 9-18-14 Rum Dranx for Pirates

#ThirstyThursdays #DrinkRecipes #RumDranx

What’s a Pirate’s favorite letter? RRRRRRRRRR!   
What’s a Pirate’s favorite drink? RUM
Ahoy Mateys! In honor of International Talk Like a Pirate Day which is tomorrow 9/19/14 today’s Thirsty Thursday post celebrates RUM! Here are a few of my favorite rum dranx:

 

Rum Runner 

Ingredients:
– 4 oz spiced rum
– 1 oz blackberry liqueur
– 1 oz  crème de banana liqueur
– 8 oz orange juice

Prep:
Add rum, blackberry liqueur, crème de banana liqueur, orange juice and grenadine to a martini shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a tall glass filled with ice. Drink up and enjoy!

 

Mai Tai

Ingredients:
– 1.5 spiced rum
– 1.5 coconut-flavored rum
– 1 teaspoon grenadine syrup
– 3 fluid ounces pineapple juice
– 2 fluid ounces orange juice
– 1 cup ice cubes

Prep:
In a martini shaker full of ice, combine the spiced rum, coconut rum, grenadine, pineapple juice and orange juice. Shake vigorously and strain into glass full of ice.

 

Yellow Rose

Ingredients:
– 2 oz triple sec
– 2 oz pineapple juice
– 2 oz Captain Morgan White Rum

Prep:
In a martini shaker
full of ice, combine the white rum, pineapple
juice and triple sec. Shake vigorously and strain into glass full of
ice.

The Yellow Rose was a recent discovery at the new Green Gators bar on Anderson Road. I had never had Captain Morgan White Rum before my visit to Green Gators but this drink is yummy!

What’s your favorite rum drink? Tell me in the comments below!

Ready to get your Pirate on? Learn the basics of Pirate speak HERE!

Check out the first Thirsty Thursday post The Return of Thirsty Thursdays! Fireball Whisky

Do you have a drink you want me to try or a product you want me to review?

Contact me HERE! I’m PR friendly 😉

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Crafty Cocktails – Fireball Whisky

Recently, Fireball Whisky sent me a bottle of their delicious liquor to review. I decided once they complied I would share some crafty cocktails with ya’ll. Why? Because, honestly, who doesn’t love a good cocktail recipe?!?

Have a product that you want me to review too? Contact me HERE

Straight up Fireball Whisky tastes like the Atomic Fireball candies we all remember from grade school. Seeking new adventure, after receiving the bottle I went to their website and looked at a bunch of the recipes they recommend. Below are the ones my husband and I tried and what we thought about them:

Christmas in Your Mouth

3/4 oz Fireball Whisky

1/4 oz vanilla vodka

Top with cranberry juice, mix and shoot

– This shot hurt BAD, but it tasted so good. It went down hard but was quite yummy. My husband hated the after taste of this shot. I couldn’t really tell it had one because I was too focused on the burn

 

C-4

Fireball Whisky

Coffee liquer

I guess equal parts? (The website wasn’t clear so that’s what I did)

Mix together for a shot or pour over ice

– I chose this drink simply because of it’s name. When it was mixed it actually looked like the color of C-4- or what I’ve seen of C-4 in shows like Burn Notice. LOL! While Fiona couldn’t make more than a molotov cocktail with this drink like she does in season 1, I think she would approve of this drink’s consistency and flavor. My husband Jeremy and I did this drink as a shot and it was pretty good. Just don’t spill it like we did because it is sooooooooooooo sticky when it’s all over everything.

The supplies…

Cinnamon Toast

1 part Fireball Whisky

2 parts Chila ‘orchata (We used Rumchata)

Mix, chill and serve as a shot

– This was our favorite drink of the night! We definitely could have had more than one of these a piece but we only bought enough Rumchata to make one drink a piece). So frikkin yummy! No burn, really smooth and just a great shot!

Fire on the Mountain

1 oz Fireball Whisky

0.5 oz Mountain Dew

Mix together for a shot or pour over ice

– This was our least favorite drink. It just looked like a glass of dark pee and tasted really gross. Perhaps we were too sober to try it?

Hot Flash

3 Parts Fireball Whisky

2 Parts Amaretto

1 Part OJ

Shake over ice and strain into a shot glass

– This was our second to least favorite drink. I think the problem here is we tried to drink it as a cocktail rather than shoot it as a shot. By this point perhaps we weren’t sober enough because we tried to sip the damn thing. I’ll bet if we had just shot it that it would have been awesome!

Overall, I’m a fan of Fireball Whisky. If you can handle some heat I would definitely recommend it. If not, try the Cinnamon Toast recipe. It cools it down and is just fantastic! Two drunken thumbs up!

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Have a product that you want me to review too? Contact me HERE!

I’m PR friendly 😉

My Obsession with The Suitcase Entrepreneur

 

If you follow me on facebook you have likely heard me mention The Suitcase Entrepreneur at least once or thrice 😉 I LOVE this book so much I’m reading it for the third time. The idea of the book is to build a mobile business that can be run from anywhere in the world. This as many of my friends and family know has been a desire of mine for YEARS.

Over the past few months I’ve been getting closer and closer to being able to run my business from anywhere but like any dream I have had a few setbacks along the way. In the last month my desire to make this dream a reality has gotten stronger than ever and I’ve been coming up with plans and ideas to cut the cords and finally hit the road with nothing but my husband, my laptop, my camera and my suitcase.

I’m anxious to see where my next steps will take me. I’ll post updates on my goal as time goes on 🙂

Do you want to create a mobile business that you love with the freedom to work from anywhere in the world? I highly suggest you check out The Suitcase Entrepreneur today!

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One Thing I Did to Celebrate My 30th Birthday

For my 30th birthday I decided to give back. So, I chose 30 people, some at random to give gifts to in lieu of throwing a birthday party. I taped envelopes on snacks at gas stations with money inside to buy a snack, I gave a couple of people gift cards to a store I was shopping at, I gave some strangers I randomly walked past an envelope with a little cash to buy whatever they wanted and I gave every person in my office at my temp job a little gift. Why did I do this? I really want to give back more in my life. I’ve been really lucky to get some of the things I’ve gotten and it’s my party and I’ll give back if I want to! I still have seven more people on my list to give to and what I’m going to do is pick 7 random people on kickstarter to help fund their projects.

Each person that received a gift from me so far has also received the card you see at the top of this post. It says:

It’s my birthday but you get the gift! For my 30th birthday all I wanted to do was give back so I chose 30 people to give gifts to. All I ask is that you pay it forward and do something nice for someone else. Doing so would make one of my birthday wishes come true 🙂 Thanks for accepting this gift! I hope that your future will be filled with as much happiness and love as possible.

Love always-
The Famous Ashley Grant (The link on the card is now inactive as I dropped the word “the” from my name haha)

Have a great day everyone! If it’s your birthday- HAPPY BIRTHDAY! If it’s not I wish you a happy day anyway. I’d like to pass what I wrote in my birthday card on to YOU- I sincerely hope that each and every one of you will be blessed with more happiness and love than you ever dreamed possible.

30 Things I’ve Learned in 30 Years

30 is a big round number, and I was inspired to share 30 things I’ve learned in 30 years. Here’s what I’ve learned…do you have any ahas to share? Leave a comment below!

1. There is good and bad in the world. Being with like minded
individuals can either lead to progress or destruction. Make sure you
are in the productive group.
2. Not everyone is out to get you even when it feels like the world is against you.
3. Everyone is dealing with problems and your issue may not be as bad as
theirs. The nicest home can be filled with the most troubles.
4. You can’t trust everyone you meet, but keep close the people that you can.
5. You can forgive everyone that hurts you, but you should never forget.
With that said, it should be noted that revenge is not always sweet.
Sometimes it’s actually really bitter.
6. What’s right is not always popular; what’s popular is not always
right. (all sources I found said this quote is by Albert Einstein)
7. Being the cool kid may not be all its cracked up to be. The amount of upkeep to always be trendy, have the
perfect clothes, perfect hair and coolest gadgets just sounds
exhausting. I’d rather get that extra hour of sleep than have every hair
in place thank you!
8. A smile burns more calories than a frown and it looks better too. A bonus: smiling while unhappy somehow makes it hurt less.
9. Some people are innately evil and should be avoided like the plague.
There really are some people who will beg, borrow and steal their way to
the top and don’t care who they have to step on to get their. As soon
as you realize who they are, pluck them out of your life!
10. Always look out for number 1, but don’t step in number 2 either. (movie line from Back to School with Rodney Dangerfield)
11. When you stop looking for mister right you find him. I didn’t see my
husband Jeremy coming but am so glad his path crossed mine.
12. Speaking before thinking has massive consequences but when the heart kicks in, the head shuts down.
13. I didn’t need to take as many math classes as I did. My calculator
really can solve all my math problems. P.S. love the tip calculator on
my phone!
14. Someone will always be bigger, better, stronger, smarter than me.
All I should really focus on is being the best I can be and following my
dreams.
15. I didn’t gain weight overnight and can’t expect to lose it overnight.
16. Living a healthy lifestyle is imperative and eating crap makes me
feel like crap. Note to self-must find ways to get cheaper healthier
food 🙂
17. The best job in the world is one that you love, can make money at
and are actually qualified to do. When it stops being fun its time to
change it.
18. Money is not the only key to happiness but it sure feels better to
cry in a car with air conditioning than one without…especially in the
Florida heat. Nonetheless, I’d rather be broke and happy than rich and
miserable.
19. Dogs are better than cats for some people and I prefer dogs. No hate
mail please-its my preference and what I learned about me!
20. Sharing is caring except when it comes to my toothbrush. Mom also
always said never share my drinks, my makeup or my hairbrush.
21. Karma is a bitch sometimes but she can be sweet too. Do unto others as you want done to you.
22. One red sock can ruin an entire load of white clothes but pink is one of my favorite colors.
23. If at first you don’t succeed destroy all evidence you tried. Never give up, never surrender.
24. Being an adult is fun but responsibility blows sometimes!
25. I should have stopped wishing I was older and enjoyed every minute
of the present. Too often I look forward to stuff in the future and
neglect the wonderful moments of now.
26. Wine is fine but liquor is quicker; either way hangovers suck!
27. Everything happens for a reason and we may never know what that
reason is. Some things in life have to be accepted and this is one of
them.
28. You don’t always have to know how something works to believe in
it…For example, I don’t know how electricity works but I use it and I
do know this- A man can cook with electricity and electricity can also
cook the man (lesson learned from Bob Proctor)
29. I do not have all the things I want today, but I have everything I
need and for that I’m grateful! There is always, ALWAYS, something to be
grateful for!
30…. The one I learned this year that has become my new mantra is: You haven’t actually failed until you stop breathing!!! I LOVE this lesson! I’m taking it to heart because I have been bummed over not being where I want to be in my career yet and have felt a little like a failure but you know what- as long as there is breath in my lungs and a beat in my heart that means I have another day to work towards making my dreams come true. So, I have not failed! I have just found ways that don’t work and I will continue working towards my goals until I can’t anymore!

Also check out Celebrites I Share My Birthday With!!!

Where I found the picture at the top of this post

This post contains links to an affiliate. See my disclosure policy for more information.

My First Beignet…and My Second and Third?

 

I’ve been wanting to try a beignet ever since first hearing about them on the Girls Next Door (don’t judge me!). The girls were in New Orleans for Mardi Gras- Kendra and Bridget were sick and Holly bought them coffee and beignets in attempt to bring them both back to life. I hadn’t heard of beignets before that episode actually- I know. I need to get out more. Well, today I got my chance to try beignets because one of the gals I work with has a dad who apparently loves cooking and has a killer recipe for these powdered sugar covered fluffy concoctions. Above is a photo she took after her dad made a batch and this morning she brought some into the office.

The best way I can describe a beignet now that I’ve finally eaten one is an airy pastry coated in crack powdered sugar. Just don’t call it a doughnut!!!

These little bastards are good and I confess one wasn’t enough so I had a second. The second one was just as good as the first. I would definitely be willing to stuff my face with them again if given the chance. Apparently they are best when made fresh though. I went back for a third about a half an hour later and it wasn’t as good.

Too impatient to wait on a trip to New Orleans or for someone to bring you some to try? Here’s a recipe to make your own at home.

This post contains links to an affiliate. See my disclosure policy for more information.

Robin Williams – Gone Too Soon

Robin Williams 7/21/51 to 8/11/14

#RIPRobinWilliams 


Today, is a sad day not just for Hollywood, but for anyone who has ever been touched by the humor that came from Robin Williams. For those of you who don’t know he was found dead this morning in his home and according to news reports it was from an apparent suicide.

Robin Williams was an amazing actor and I loved watching him in everything I saw him in. He made me laugh, he made me cry, he made me forget about everything going on in my life for those brief periods of time I let myself get lost in watching his films.

What saddens me the most is not only hearing the news that this funny man we all looked to for laughs committed suicide but that his publicist said he has been suffering from depression for a long time. Please folks- if there is ANYONE you know suffering from depression encourage them to get help. Don’t suffer in silence.

Source for image above

It’s Been a Blur Since Returning from BlogHer

David Tutera and The Famous Ashley Grant

The last several days have been a complete blur since returning from BlogHer 14. I got home at 11 something Sunday night, in bed by after midnight and woke up Monday morning exhausted and still on California time demanding three more hours of sleep because seriously it was still just 3 a.m. there! Note to self- next year take an extra day to recuperate!

I made lots of connections and have not yet had a chance to follow up with a single one of them. Sigh… The day job until I’m famous had to come first. The good news is it’s Friday and other than a photography gig and a movie I’m seeing I’ve planned to devote this weekend to going through my massive pile of business cards looking for the people I swore I’d email and then I will spend the next week doing just that!

I still have lots of photos to post, reviews to write and shout-outs to give and I will keep my word that this year I will not abandon the cards and the people behind them for several months. I will not give anyone the chance to forget about me! So, if I met you at BlogHer and said I’d write you – I will 🙂 If you said you would write me, I understand why you haven’t yet. Let’s continue to get caught up and we will connect real soon.

Xoxo-
Famous Ashley Grant

 

How I Spent My 2014 Fourth of July

How did you celebrate America’s 238th birthday? As for me, my husband came up with a romantically sweet idea. Warning! I’m about to get all gushy about how sweet my husband can be.

I had suggested going to a park near one of the many places in Tampa Bay that would be having fireworks. He upped the ante by suggesting we stay home drinking wine, eating cheese and watch fireworks from our balcony (lots of folks light fireworks around the lakes of our apartment complex). To take this romantic gesture even further he took me to Publix where we tried a bunch of cheeses to find four we liked the most for a yummy cheese plate. Then it was off to the wine aisle to grab a couple of bottles of wine and on the way to the check out we grabbed some crackers.

Here’s the final cheese plate with the crackers:

During the fireworks my hubby asked me to stand up and he and I hummed our first dance song from our wedding as we danced on the balcony. I felt like the only woman in the world on that balcony as the fireworks lit up the sky and we danced to our song. He definitely scored high on the romantic scale. After a while the fireworks faded but he had a plan for that too!

He grabbed a couple of RedBox flicks for us to finish out the night with.- Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit and 47 Ronin. We started with Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit and although I confess I fell asleep during 47 Ronin, overall I have to say this Fourth of July was the most fun I’ve had with my husband.

How did you celebrate your Fourth of July?

Have a drink you want me to try or a product you want me to review? 

Contact me HERE! I’m PR friendly ?

This post may contain a link to an affiliate. See my disclosure policy for more information.