Happy Hour Friday: Negroni

It's hard to say where this cocktail comes from or when. Some say it goes back as far as 1919 which makes it a true classic. It is enjoying a slight resurgence of popularity lately and that could be due to Americans new fascination with Italian herbal liqueurs, Campari being one third of the ingredients in this drink. I myself began a little love affair with Campari and Aperol while living in New York City a couple of years ago and am now on a slow journey to discover all of the varied Italian liqueurs I can get my hands on. A friend told me recently that Fernet Branca, a bitter liqueur I posted about recently, has become the darling of some gay communities and is being ordered as a shot at bars which I find hilarious as well as a much better choice than Jagermeister.

If you really dislike the taste of gin, stay away from Tanqueray and try Plymouth instead as it is much lighter on the juniperiness; let's just say it's not your mother's gin. Nevertheless, this drink is a sipper, not a gulper.

Negroni

1 oz. gin

1 oz. sweet vermouth

1 oz. Campari

orange twist for garnish

Stir in an ice filled mixing glass and strain into a chilled cocktail glass or an ice filled rocks glass. Garnish with and orange twist.

Mid-Week Mid-Century Roundup

Friends, the Craigslist (Austin area) roundup is back! And check out the Brasilia items this week...man oh man do I love that furniture. Enjoy.

Brasilia hutch (drool, drool, heart palpitations!!), no price listed

Set of 4 Brasilia dining chairs, no price listed

Brasilia credenza, $750 (not familiar with this "vertical line front" of Brasilia...are you?)

Starburst clock, $95

Walnut twin headboard/footboard, $90

Teak nightstands, $500 (ouch!)

Mid-century desk chair, $65

Solid wood twin headboard, $50

Set of three formica tables, $100

Flickr Flavr O'The Week: Orange Doors

Found here.

Found here.
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Found here.

Found here.

Nothing Says "Springtime Fashion" Like Double-Knit Polyester...

From the 1969 Sears catalog. Where else?

These SEARS ladies are having a collective, fabulous hair day...

Happy Hour Friday: Jalapeño Pineapple Infused Tequila

Down in Texas jalapenos are abundant. You'd be hard pressed to find even a convenience store that doesn't have jalapenos in it. You may not find serranos or habaneros, but by god there will be a barrel full of jalapenos near the front door of EVERY grocery store. We use them in everything - breakfast, lunch and dinner. If you don't like them, don't come here.

A couple of summers ago I got really into this infusion of tequila I adapted from another recipe. I would keep a bottle of it in the freezer and have a little glass, like a liqueur after dinner, in the evening. I'm really not so fancy as to drink liqueurs after dinner, I just love tequila and any excuse to drink it.

One of the nice things about this infusion is that you can use a middle-of-the-road tequila and it no trace of its mediocrity will be noticeable - a bonus for a girl on a budget. The longer you infuse it, the more pineapple juice will dilute the tequila, but also the more heat will accumulate from the jalapenos. It's a fine balance that must be monitored every 6-12 hours or so until it suits your taste. If you forget about it and over infuse the jalapenos you will have some serious fire-water on your hands.

Jalapeño Pineapple Infused Tequila

1 750ml bottle of decent tequila - reposado is even better, though

2-3 good sized jalapenos, halved and seeded

1 pineapple, peeled and cut into chunks

1 sprig of rosemary

Combine all the ingredients in a glass container and refrigerate covered for 12 - 36 hours, tasting every 6 - 12 hours for heat. When desired infusion is reached, strain the ingredients through cheesecloth. Eat a few of the pineapple chunks - what the hell, it's the middle of the day and you could use a little buzz right about now - you've earned it. Store the tequila in the freezer.

adapted from Lark Creek Inn Tequila Infusion

We Love Wood Redux

We at Retro-luxe love wood! It was the subject of our very first post, almost a year ago. Sadly, the majority of the world doesn't share our passion for wood...wood paneling that is. It's usually the first thing to go when these hipsters commence their horrendous "makeovers." Back in the day it was a favorite decor choice for families who enjoyed it's warm, cozy appeal, and it looked fabulous. We at Retro-luxe encourage you to leave the wood alone, unless it's hideously cheap and/or and made out of plastic.

Check out these wood paneling ads from our coveted stack of 60's Better Homes and Gardens magazines.

Mad Men Living Room Makeover

Betty Draper redecorated her living room!

I realize this is old news for many, however for yours truly, this is new news. Due to the fact that I have small children en la casa, we don't have cable. There are good and bad things about this...you can't watch Madmen or the Daily Show in realtime, but you can also go weeks without knowing that Jesse James cheated on Sandra Bullock, a definite plus. I've spent the past week delightfully viewing season 3 of Madmen, courtesy of Netflix, the greatest invention since contraceptives. Never fear, there will be no spoilers here, in case there is anyone else who hasn't seen season 3 of Mad Men...I will say that the storyline takes an amazing turn that is riveting and brilliantly conceived.

“A modern Chinoiserie breakfront, a Dunbar Japanese-influenced sofa, silk Duponi drapes, Murano vases, and a classic Drexel end table.” That's what Betty Draper's decorator said. In classic 60's style, they're anxiously awaiting Don's seal of approval.


Photo found here.

Do you remember what the Draper's living room looked like before?


Photo found here.

The verdict?

I'm glad they kept the grass cloth walls, and the credenza, which I love. I like the new coffee table and I love the new seating. However, I loved the old couch too. It was so glamorous. I prefer the new curtains because they lighten up the room and seem more elegant. Thumbs up, overall. That is until Betty had to go and put that hideous Victorian fainting couch in front of the hearth. I'm wondering if we'll be seeing much more of this living room in the future...

If you'd like to read more about Mad Men living room decor, check out these posts: Helen Bishop's Living Room--Get the Look, from Casasugar
Mad Men Decorating Style from House Beautiful
Mad Men Inspired Home Decor from Woman's Day
When a Chaise is Not Just a Chaise, a photo gallery contextualizing the 1963 redecoration of the Draper's living room.

Happy Hour Friday: The Tillery

Named after my new street, Tillery, this drink I feel very much reflects my tastes as a bartender. I find it to be the perfect combination of rich, herbal, sweet and sour flavors.

The Tillery

1 oz. rye whisky

1/2 oz. Averna Amaro

1/4 oz. pomegranate molasses (available at larger liquor stores, middle eastern food markets)

1/4 oz. fresh lemon juice

1 t. agave syrup (simple syrup if you don't have agave syrup)

fresh pomegranate seeds for garnish, if available

Shake over ice and strain into an ice-filled rocks glass, preferably your favorite vintage one. Top with a teaspoon of pom seeds.

Porter and Dolly...

In the immortal words of James Henry, "if it was any better, I couldn't stand it."



Dolly is so beautiful.

Marina Abramovic’s Artistic Pad

This article in the New York Times features two very cool pads inhabited by Marina Abramovic. You can see these images and others in the slide show here. I've recently become obsessed with this artist since reading an article about her in the New Yorker magazine, in the March 8th issue (Walking Through Walls by Judith Thurman, found here).

Her NYC loft is austere and stark, with mid century modern pieces.



Her upstate country abode is shaped like a star, which is a symbol she identifies with from her country of origin, Yugoslavia.



Here are some fun facts about Marina:

She's a performance artist.

A retrospective of her work is currently on exhibition at MOMA.

She's participating in one of the exhibits, where Marina will be sitting motionless all day long for 72 days, and starting across the table from various museum patrons who stand in line for a chance to sit motionless across from her, but for not so long, say just an hour or so. You can read about this here.
You can see Marina live during museum hours here, just click here and click "watch live." It's fascinating! I wish I could see it in person...

Marina likes use her body as a medium and push it to extremes...



Image found here.

In one piece, Balkan Baroque, she spent 6 hours a day for 4 days scrubbing 1500 cow bones, weeping, and singing Balkan folk songs.



Image found here.

To culminate a meaningful relationship, Abramovic and her lover, Ulay, started out at opposite far ends of the Great Wall of China and walked toward each other. After three months of walking they met in the middle and said goodbye. I've once had a boyfriend who broke up with me by leaving a message on my answering maching, so I find this level of stamina and commemoration particularly impressive.

Her farewell performance will be her funeral, which will take place simultaneously in 3 different cities. In each city there will be a coffin. No one will know which will have the real body.

Congratulations: Book Give Away Winners

Congratulations to Stephanie and Mamacita for being recipients of our "Girls Like Us" book give away. After reading a post that lengthy, you both deserve a prize! You'll be getting an autographed copy from Sheila Weller, the author! Thanks again, Sheila!


Carole King, with her Grammys for Tapestry. By Jim McCrary

Happy Hour Friday: Appetizer a l'Italienne

The Italians could use a little boost right now, what with all the papal scandal and pedophilia run amok. I can't get down with that nut-ball they call the pope, but I can get down with their Fernet Branca. So I'm going to focus on the good things - their booze.

The Italians make some wonderful herbal liqueurs that can come off quite bitter, but like anything else in life, they grow on you. The Italians drink some of these herbal liqueurs on the rocks (those bitter sips can be a bit of an exercise in self-flagellation), but mixed into cocktails these liqueurs blossom.

This one is a soft and lovely concoction.

Appetizer a l'Italienne (from Imbibe Magazine, Mar/Apr 2010)

2 oz. sweet vermouth

1 oz. Fernet Branca

dash of Absinthe

2 dashes simple syrup

Stir over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.