Natalie

Celebrate the Holidays with Chambord

December 22, 2020 by Natalie Leave a Comment

Celebrate the holidays with Chambord! I’ve teamed up with my friends from Chambord to give you a last-minute gift idea plus two holiday cocktail recipes. I understand better than anyone what it’s like to procrastinate to the very last minute to buy gifts and to plan what you’re making for the holidays. It is me. Every. Single. Year.

Chambord makes the perfect gift for a hostess, last-minute gifting or stocking stuffer. The bottle is so unique and elegant and looks amazing on your home bar or entertaining area. Pretty and delicious? Sounds great to me!

Every drop of Chambord is produced at a chateau wholly dedicated to Chambord in Cour-Cheverny in the Loire Valley of France. It’s made with 100% natural ingredients and uses whole, fresh fruit in the production process and contains XO Cognac, which is aged longer than VS or VSOP. So you can feel great about using it in your cocktails.

A very easy cocktail you can whip up in no time for Christmas or even the New Year is The Chambord Royale by simply adding 1/4 oz. of Chambord to your favortie glass of Champagne or Prosecco and garnishing it with a raspberry, blackberry or both.

I’ve made my own little spin on this cocktail by turning it into a larger format punch for easy entertaining at-home or socially distanced. In addition to Chambord all you do is add lemon juice and your spirit of choice. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Chambord Royale Punch

1/2 cup of Chambord

1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice

1 cup of your spirit of choice (I recommend gin or Cognac)

Top off with a bottle of sparkling wine

lemon wheels, for garnish

raspberries, for garnish

blackberries, for garnish

Add lemon juice, Chambord and spirit to punch bowl. Then add ice and top with sparkling wine. Garnish with lemon wheels, raspberries and blackberries.

This Chambord Royale punch is decadent and wonderfully effervescent. It’s the ideal accompaniment to meats and cheeses for a cocktail hour or beside a rich holiday meal. Might I add that a sparkly punch is always wonderful and appropriate for NYE.

Whether you’re spending it with your closest family members or even apart from them, Chambord makes the perfect gift. If you’re spending it apart, gifting a bottle and then making the Chambord Royale cocktail or punch over Facetime/ Zoom might be a fun way to connect with your loved ones this season. Regardless have a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year and please celebrate responsibly.

Order directly via Drizly and you can get $5 credit on your first order* using promotion code CHAMBORD. Also don’t forget to tag your Chambord cocktails with #makethemomentmagnifique over on Instagram.

This is a Drizly offer. 21+ subject to terms and conditions of Drizly. Void where prohibited. Offer Expires 3/30/21. Thanks for supporting the sponsored posts that make Arsenic-Lace happen.

My Staycation at The Dive Motel

August 6, 2020 by Natalie Leave a Comment

Well, it’s been crazy everyone. Every day, week and month that passes the only thing that accurately captures my emotions is the little emoji woman doing a facepalm. I’m sure y’all feel exactly the same way. This is why I needed to take a little break from the walls I’ve been stuck in alone these past six months. I took a little trip across town for a staycation at The Dive Motel here in East Nashville.

I travelled so much in the before times. Even if it’s just temporary I feel like I’ve lost a lot of things that brought me joy. Travelling, bars, restaurants, live music, flea markets…all gone, for now. I’m trying to stay positive and I’m also trying to support when I can. All of my favorite musicians were doing live streams throughout the quarantine, so I watched and tipped when I could. I try to support a local bar or restaurant at least once a week. There are no flea markets to my knowledge going on but I have recently safely visited some local thrift stores. But I don’t think I will be travelling out of the state or country for a long time. Enter The Dive Motel.

I have been following their little journey into existence from the start. Every time I visited Nashville prior to moving here they were always booked. So I was delighted to finally be able to stay there, in the room I’ve always wanted to stay in. All while supporting a local business. Each of the 23 rooms is uniquely designed and one of a kind. All the rooms come with a ‘Party Switch’ that spins a Disco Ball to the tunes of “Dive Radio”, consisting of 4 channels: Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll and Sleep. There’s also access to The Dive Bar & Lounge and pool. It’s a 1970’s dream come true.

Sitting poolside with Bowie and an Aperol Spritz is exactly what I needed. The hotel was so beautiful and the staff was amazing. These photos were just too good not to share. I hope you can go somewhere that makes you happy even if it’s just a five-minute drive across town.

This isn’t a sponsored post, this is just me supporting a local business. I also want to encourage anyone who has been having a hard time to try to do what they can to feel better. Even if it’s not exactly the same, small things really go a long way to improve your mental health. I know it is hard times for everyone right now. We all might not be able to afford a staycation or to eat/drink out. But we are all in this together. We need to do what we can to support each other and to support businesses.

I can’t wait for the after times. I’ll see you there with a tequila in hand and probably two-stepping at Robert’s Western World. If you live in town or are just stopping through, make sure you stay at The Dive Motel. I will definitely be taking another staycation there soon! Bowie even seems refreshed after our trip.

Kiwi Watermelon Margarita Popsicles

July 4, 2020 by Natalie Leave a Comment

It’s officially my first southern summer here in Nashville. Not the summer I imagined I would have, that’s for sure. It reached 91 today so I made these Kiwi Watermelon Margarita Popsicles. I’ve been buying a lot of fruit and freezing it to make smoothie bowls and frozen margaritas now that it’s warmer. Enjoying icy cold things while spending time in the sunshine on the deck is my favorite thing. I’ll tell you what, having an outdoor space AND having central AC for the first time in my life is quite the treat. But not as good of a treat as these Kiwi Watermelon Popsicles. I might be lying. I’m not sure.

Kiwi Watermelon Margarita Popsicles, makes 10

1/3 cup tequila

1/2 cup lime juice

3 tbsp. agave nectar

2 tbsp. triple sec

4 kiwis, peeled and sliced

2 cups watermelon

Popsicle mold

First, batch your margarita mix. Add tequila, triple sec, lime and agave nectar together. I did this in a measuring cup. Since we have to layer the popsicles were going to do them in two steps and I wanted them to both have the mix in them so that both parts are boozy.

Next, peel and slice your kiwis. Add them to the pitcher of your blender with a splash of the margarita mix to puree them. Once done blending evenly distribute the kiwi margarita mix into the popsicle molds. Send them to the freezer for an hour or so or until frozen. Reserve the rest of your margarita mix for the next step.

Once the kiwi portion of your popsicles is frozen it is time to make the watermelon layer. Add your watermelon to the clean pitcher of your blender with the rest of the margarita mix.

Blend and then evenly distribute between the popsicle molds on top of the kiwi layer. Put the top on the popsicle mold tray and insert popsicle sticks. Freeze up to four hours but overnight is always best.

I haven’t made a boozy popsicle in awhile and boy have I missed them. They were always such a pain to photograph in my old house in the summer because there was no AC. Try photographing something that is melting in a 90-degree kitchen. Not fun.

Happy to report that these were much easier to photograph. Turns out that having central air is amazing. Who knew? lol. I have a feeling I will be making a lot more popsicles this summer because they’re just too good. What’s not to like about dessert and a frozen cocktail combined together?

These Kiwi Watermelon Margarita Popsicles hit the spot on this very hot day because they’re tart and fruity and completely refreshing. Watermelon is one of my favorite fruits to use in margaritas and I’ve been drinking a lot of watermelon margaritas lately. Then it dawned on me that I should turn it into a popsicle. Not sure why I never thought of this sooner but I’m glad I finally did.

I hope you’ll make these Kiwi Watermelon Margarita Popsicles. Check out my other popsicle ideas like these Boozy Cold Brew Popsicles, Dark & Stormy Popsicles or these Aperol Spritz Popsicles. And if you make them don’t forget to comment below and let me know what you think.

Cheers everyone and have a safe July 4th weekend. Remember to wash those hands!

Easy 3 Ingredient Quarantine Cocktails

April 30, 2020 by Natalie Leave a Comment

While we’re all stuck at home it’s nice to have a few easy cocktail ideas up your sleeve. I’m sharing three of my favorite easy 3 ingredient quarantine cocktails. These are the three cocktails I drink the most of so I made sure I had all ingredients on hand to make these classic staples. Classic cocktails are great for at-home mixing because most of them are simple as well as delicious. My three must-have cocktails for quarantine is an Aperol Spritz, a margarita and a negroni. Shall we make some drinks? It’s been a while.

Quarantine Cocktails

Aperol Spritz, serves 1

2 oz. Aperol

3 oz. prosecco

1 oz. soda water

orange wheel, for garnish

Firstly, add all ingredients into a wine glass filled with ice and stir. Garnish with an orange wheel. Suns out spritz out!

Margarita, serves 1

1 1/2 oz. tequila

1 oz. triple sec (like Cointreau or Combier)

3/4 oz. fresh lime juice.

lime wheel, for garnish

salt, for rimming (optional)

You can either serve this up or down but I prefer my margaritas up with salt. Salt is also optional here. Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice. Then shake and strain into a salt-rimmed glass. Or not. Finally, garnish with a lime wheel. Or not. You don’t have to be fancy with garnishes. You’re home so you can take it easy. If you feel like being more adventurous try this hibiscus margarita recipe that I made!

Negroni, serves 1

1 oz. gin

1 oz. sweet vermouth

1 oz. Campari

orange twist, for garnish.

Add all ingredients to a double rocks glass with ice. Stir and express the orange twist on top of the drink. Lastly, place the twist in the drink. Sip and enjoy! If you’re into tequila like I am you should try a Rosita instead.

Most people with a decently stocked bar should have these items on hand. These quarantine cocktails are easy and quick to make and there’s something for everyone. If you’re in the mood for something light and refreshing, obviously an Aperol Spritz. Do you want something that’s crisp and sour? Well then, have a margarita! Or would you rather have something bitter and boozy? Then a negroni should do the trick.

I hope you’re all staying home and above all else staying safe. In the meantime, fix yourself a drink. After all, it’s almost the weekend, if that means anything anymore. I’ve linked all my favorite product picks to Drizy just in case you needed to get anything delivered to make some cocktails. Cheers, everyone! xo

Creating My Outdoor Living Space

April 28, 2020 by Natalie

Okay. I’m going to start by saying that I’ve never had an outdoor living space in my adult life. So I’m really really excited to be sharing inspiration for creating my outdoor living space. My deck! I haven’t come up with a clever name yet as I have in the past for the Hallway Refresh or Office Overhaul. If you want to help me brainstorm a cute name feel free to leave a comment below. Deck Dreams? lol, I don’t know.

Like everyone else during the lockdown, I’ve been binge-watching a lot of things. Alias Grace, Outlander, The Dublin Murders, Little Fires Everywhere, Handmaid’s Tale to name a few. I’ve also been watching a lot of music videos too. I’ve watched Dwight Yoakam’s entire catalog of music videos. I have also watched a lot of episodes of The Buck Owens Show. So don’t be surprised when I tell you the color palette inspiration came from Buck Owens and The Buckaroos western suits in a 1966 episode. It’s true. I have problems. Pink, white and black everyone.

I made two design boards for what will be the living room area and what will be the dining area. This is the first time ever that I have been into the idea of black being an accent color but I really loved the way it looked. Thanks Buck!

Here are some before photos.

I’d really love to put up some outdoor curtains to cover the back wall that divides the deck from my neighbors. That would also allow me to hang some plants from the curtain rod. I’ve looked up some options and it seems doable. Covering the brown wall with white curtains will make everything look a little more cohesive and bright since I can’t repaint the deck.

The Living Space

Here is my main inspiration image for the back of the deck which will be the living area. Obviously a different color palette but pretty much how I imagine the setup being. Also, LOTS OF PLANTS. YES! Big couch and two deck chairs that actually came from my old living room design. I loved the style so I bought them and used them inside but now they save me a little money since I no longer have to buy chairs.

I went back and forth about whether I was going to get a large coffee table or two smaller ones. But I went with two metal stools because I liked the option of moving them around as needed. The perfect pop of black to tie in the end chairs in the dining area. That pink/terracotta rug is everything. Jute poof to add texture and to pull in the jute of the rug from the dining area.

There is a break in the windows which leaves a bit of wall in between the living and dining areas. I imagine that being a bar cart area. WITH MORE PLANTS.

More before photos.

The Dining Space

Here is my inspiration image for the dining area. I like the idea of walking out of the house into this space as an extension of the existing dining space in the house. I’m dreaming of having my morning coffee here. I loved the idea of four main chairs that matched and two matching end chairs. So I went with pink metal chairs for the main chairs and black rattan chairs for the ends. A simple light wood table and a jute rug to pull it all together. Also MORE PLANTS.

All items linked below, Pinterest board here and can’t wait to keep updating you on the process of my outdoor living space.

Greetings from Nashville

April 25, 2020 by Natalie 2 Comments

Well. I’ve been trying to write this post for months. Before and after making the move to Nashville.

You read that right.

I moved to Nashville.

If you’re following me along on IG then you already knew that. But before I start updating the blog again regularly I thought I would catch you up on what has been happening since December of last year.

I’m not sure where to start but to say that I had been trying to make the move to Nashville for around 3 years and the timing and situation just never seemed to line up. Even before moving into my old place I wanted to make that move and the decision was if I wasn’t making the move then I would have to find a place that would accommodate living and working and that I would be happy in. And so I stayed in Jersey City, NJ and made that apartment a home. Which you’ve seen quite a lot of from all of my One Room Challenge projects and home tours.

I was so emotionally invested in that home because I put so much time and effort into it that it pretty much took me an entire year to say goodbye to it. That mixed with trying to finish the book and everything else life was throwing at me. But after making a few more trips to Nashville over 2019, the last one being over Thanksgiving, I finally made my decision. I came home from that trip and I never unpacked my suitcase. I decorated for Christmas, I put George Jones on, and I applied for a home in Nashville, TN. My goal being that when I took the Christmas decorations down I would be packing them up along with everything else I owned.

I was approved and on New Year’s Eve 2019 I signed a lease for my first place in Nashville, TN. The greatest New Years gift I could have ever hoped for. Exactly one year after my partner left, one year after writing a book and publishing it and one whole year of finding my way back to myself.

I spent the next two months packing, planning and executing this move. After lots of trips to the Salvation Army, many Uhaul boxes, numerous mental breakdowns and two 13 hour drives later my things and I arrived in Nashville two days before my 33rd birthday. On my 1 week anniversary while I was celebrating with friends at Roberts Western World a tornado hit Nashville and its surrounding areas. Particularly devastating parts of East Nashville where I live. I felt very lucky to have a house to come back to after a 2-hour uber drive home through all the wreckage. That night I slept in my bedroom closet completely traumatized.

I spent the week after the tornado volunteering in East Nashville. Every day was different. Some days I was making sandwiches or packing lunches or taping up boxes or dropping off food to those in need. I couldn’t imagine unpacking the house I just moved into and was lucky to still have, while others just streets away had lost everything. So I earned that volunteer state nickname on my new Tennessee license.

A week after the tornado pretty much everything shut down due to Covid-19. All I can say is this isn’t the fresh start I was hoping for but here I am. I’ve spent the last two months unpacking, settling in and well, just living. It has been hard to think of anything else. And I’ve been wanting to write this post but so much has happened in such a short amount of time I just didn’t know where to start. I hope you’re all safe and I hope we can get back to normal life soon. But in the meantime, I thought I could get back to sharing some cocktail ideas and some home decor inspiration.

So I’m here to tell you that I’M BACK. xo Natalie

Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate

December 20, 2019 by Natalie Leave a Comment

There’s nothing I love more than a hot chocolate on a cold night. In fact, that’s about all I love about cold nights because I hate the cold! I made this Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate the other night when we had a snow squall. What’s a snow squall you might ask? I had to ask google the same thing. It is a very abrupt and short-lived snowstorm with blizzard and whiteout conditions. Thankfully I had my friends over at Exotico Tequila to help me through it and this Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate to keep me warm.

Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate, makes 2 cups

2 cups milk

4 oz. Exotico Tequila

2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tbsp. demerara sugar

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1/8 tsp. chili powder

1/8 tsp. ground cayenne (you can omit this if you don’t want it too spicy)

bittersweet chocolate shavings, for garnish

marshmallows, for garnish

To make your Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate whisk cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon, chili and cayenne together until combined. Add your milk to a small saucepan and place on the stove over low heat. Add in your dry ingredients and stir until all ingredients are incorporated and the cocoa has melted into the milk, about 10 minutes. Stir in your vanilla extract.

Add 2 oz. of tequila to your serving vessel, I used enamel mugs, and then pour the hot chocolate. Garnish with mini marshmallows and chocolate shavings.

I love sweet and savory dishes and drinks and this Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate checks all those boxes. It’s decadent and rich and warming from the chili and cayenne. I have a very high tolerance for spice and while I don’t find this overwhelmingly spicy, you can omit the cayenne if you think this recipe will be too spicy for your taste. Exotico Tequila is so perfect for this drink. Chocolate and spices complement the sweet earthy notes in tequila and other agave spirits.

This is not only a great drink to serve on Christmas Eve or for dessert on Christmas Day but you can also enjoy it all winter long. A hot cocoa bar is a great idea to set up for a party or gathering and I put together some ideas in this post. While I will be enjoying this Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate for as long as the temperature dips below 45 degrees there’s nothing like sipping on a warm drink in front of the Christmas tree.

I hope you decide to make this drink and Happy Holidays from me and Exotico Tequila! xo

Cranberry Orange Marmalade Sour

November 22, 2019 by Natalie 1 Comment

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. Mostly because of the food. Turkey, gravy, stuffing, cranberries, pumpkin pie… I could go on and on. A part of me is a bit sad that I’ll be missing that this year as I head on down to Nashville on Thanksgiving. But I got a little taste of Thanksgiving this week when I made this Cranberry Orange Marmalade Sour with my friends at Exotico Tequila.

I really enjoy coming up with different ways to enjoy drinks that fit the season. This drink is perfect to serve alongside all the dishes that you’ll be whipping up on turkey day. I can only assume that you’ll have cranberries in the house so making the cranberry syrup for this drink will be easy peasy.

Cranberry Orange Marmalade Tequila Sour, serve 1

2 oz. Exotico Tequila

3/4 oz. lemon juice

3/4 oz. cranberry syrup*

1 heaping barspoon of orange marmalade

Sprig of rosemary, for garnish

*Cranberry Syrup, makes 1 cup

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 cup fresh cranberries

First, make your cranberry syrup which is super easy! Add sugar, water and cranberries to a saucepan and simmer on low heat. Stir frequently until all cranberries have started to pop. After the cranberries have fully cooked, about 10 minutes, the syrup should be looking bright red. Remove from heat and let completely cool. Strain out cranberries and store syrup in a bottle or jar in the refrigerator.

After you’ve made your cranberry syrup it’s time to make a Cranberry Orange Marmalade Tequila Sour. Add tequila, lemon, cranberry syrup and orange marmalade to a cocktail shaker. Fill shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a sprig of rosemary.

I love this cocktail so much! The cranberry syrup is tart and the orange marmalade provides sweet, citrusy and jammy fruit notes. The rosemary is delightfully fragrant. And well, the tequila, it’s Exotico Tequila so it’s perfect in everything as far as I’m concerned. If anything embodied Thanksgiving in a glass it would most certainly be this drink 100%. The cranberry syrup makes this Cranberry Orange Marmalade Tequila Sour such a lovely hue as well. I wish fresh cranberries were around ALL YEAR!

I hope you consider making this for your Thanksgiving festivities next week. I’ll be en route to Nashville to sell my book at a holiday market for Black Friday and Small Business Saturday at Ft. Houston. If you’re local to Nashville stop by, grab a book and say hi! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Dia de los Muertos

November 2, 2019 by Natalie Leave a Comment

The Mexican holiday Dia de los Muertos, also known as Day of the Dead, is the first two days of November. It’s an ode to the afterlife and a reminder that death is nothing to be afraid of. I was so honored to team up with one of my favorite mezcals, Banhez, to make an offrenda to my father Alexander Jacob for Dia de los Muertos.

In most regions of Mexico, practices developed to honor dead children and infants on November 1, and to honor deceased adults on November 2. November 1 is generally referred to as Día de los Inocentes (“Day of the Innocents”) but also as Día de los Angelitos (“Day of the Little Angels”); November 2 is referred to as Día de los Muertos or Día de los Difuntos (“Day of the Dead”).

The ofrendas, as the altars are called, are carefully assembled using many traditional elements, but each of them is unique on its own. They can be personalized with the dead person’s favorite food, mementos from their lives and their favorite items. Some traditional elements would be food items like tamales, pumpkin, pan de muerto (bread of dead), and sugar skulls. Beverages would include tequila, mezcal, pulque, atole and hibiscus tea. My father was Italian and loved to eat so I made spaghetti with red sauce (gravy as we call it) and meatballs. I also included a side of bread and parmesan cheese which no Italian meal can be without!

My father also loved red wine and I really wanted to incorporate that element into a cocktail for the ofrenda with Bahnez. I put a simple twist on the New Your sour to come up with a drink that’s still authentic and also complements the ingredients of the food.

Oaxacan Sour, serves 1 cocktail

1 1/2 oz. Banhez Mezcal

3/4 oz. lemon juice

1/2 oz. cinnamon syrup

Float red wine

Freshly grated cinnamon for garnish

Add all your ingredients, besides wine, to a cocktail shaker. Shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass. Float red wine and garnish with freshly grated cinnamon.

Día de los Muertos is an opportunity to remember and celebrate the lives of departed loved ones. Above the ofrenda is my favorite photo of my father along with some flowers. The scent and bright colors of flowers, particularly marigolds, are meant to guide the spirits to their altars. Glasses of water are usually left out to quench the thirst of the dead after their long journey. I hope this will inspire you to honor someone that is important to you that is no longer with us. I also hope that this Oaxacan Sour will quench your thirst too. After a long journey, I like to drink mezcal. Remembering and missing my father today and every day. xo

Harvest Margarita

October 25, 2019 by Natalie 2 Comments

Margaritas never go out of season for me. There is something timeless about a 3 ingredient classic cocktail that spans all seasons. I’m always in the mood for something crisp, simple and refreshing. I also do love cold weather spices though. But that’s pretty much all I love about cold weather. I’ve always considered myself a summer girl even though I was born in February, possibly the coldest month of the year. I’ve dreamed up this Harvest Margarita with my friends over at Exotico Tequila to bring you a slightly more seasonally appropriate margarita. I promise it will keep your hands cold and your heart/liver warm.

Harvest Margarita, serves 1

2 oz. Exotico Tequila

3/4 oz. spiced agave syrup

3/4 oz. fresh lime juice

2 dashes Angostura bitters

equal parts salt and cinnamon, for rim

lime wheel and star anise, for garnish

Spiced Agave Syrup

1 cup agave

1/2 cup water

8 whole allspice berries

8 whole cloves

3 cinnamon sticks or cinnamon bark

3 star anise

To make the spiced agave syrup add agave, water and spices to a small saucepan and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes or until the syrup smells fragrant. Remove from heat, let completely cool and strain/discard the spices. Store in a container or jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Next, make your Harvest Margarita! Add tequila, spiced agave syrup, fresh lime juice and Angostura bitters to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a double rocks glass over ice. Finally, garnish with a lime wheel and star anise.

So in love with how such a simple tweak to a drink can change it entirely and make it perfect for a new season. I variated on one of my favorite margaritas, the Tommy’s Margarita, which is just tequila, agave and lime juice. It was created by Julio Bermejo at Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant in San Francisco, CA. It’s a sweeter margarita due to the agave and lack of triple sec. Infusing the agave with seasonal spices while adding aromatic bitters makes it such a wonderful and unforgettable cold-weather margarita option.

It’s certainly a pleasure to come up with recipes using one of my favorite spirits. I hope you’ll enjoy this recipe with Exotico Tequila even more than I do. Thank you guys for supporting sponsored posts that as a result, make Arsenic Lace possible. Please chime in on the comments below if you decide to make this recipe. I love hearing what you think! Cheers and happy weekend! xo

Natalie

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