Here's to love: A little sighing, a little crying, a little dy­ing-and a touch of white lying

August 23...Love is in the air!

Today is Double Seventh Day in China...Qixi Festival...or Chinese Valentines Day! Today we drink to love. Double-Seventh Day refers to the seventh day of the seventh month on the Chinese lunar calendar, while not as popular in the states, the story is well known in China. The festival originates from the love between Niulang a cow herd and Zhinv a weaving girl.
Niulang an orphan was raised by his older brother; after being treated badly, and given barely enough to eat, he was kicked out into the street with only the clothes on his back and an ox. It was said that the ox was once a Taurus, a beautiful, proud night star, until it was banished from the heavens. The old ox talked to Niulang, and told him that not far from where they made a home, several young goddesses came to bathe in the sacred pond, one was Zhinu "the girl weaver", granddaughter of the King of the Heavenly Kingdom. Virtuous and kind, she was considered the most beautiful being in the whole universe.The ox told the boy that if he could take her clothes away while she was in the sacred pond, she would stay with him forever as his wife. The next day as the young goddesses undressed and jumped into the waters, Niulang jumped out and stole the beautiful girls clothing. As the other ladies ran and dressed in fear, the eventual lovers were left alone. As he returned her clothing the young man knew he would adore her for the rest of his life, and when their eyes met, she knew the same. As the young goddess retrieved her clothes she knew she would love the cowherd for eternity and pledged to be his wife. After they were married and had children, the King and Queen of Heaven caught wind of who their daughter had married. Enraged, they swept down to earth and took her back into the night sky to live amongst them.
As the young lover returned home to find his children crying, he tried to catch the King. As the King and Queen sat listening to the cries of the young man and his children, they agreed to let the young lovers meet every seventh day of the seventh month. They would eventually become stars, Niulang is Altair and Zhinu is Vega. Every year, the two stars are closest together on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar year...and to that we drink.

Ah,, but wait! That reminds me of another love story that would begin on this day. Many moons ago, in the year 1974 a young man, perhaps not a cowherd, but for sure a young man from the opposite side of the tracks, was told of the beautiful goddesses that swarmed to the not so sacred pond down the street called Bourbon Street. While it may not have been an ox that told this young man of their beauty, I'm sure it involved an ass :)  The young men approached the pond and his eyes met a certain young woman he knew he would love her forever, and she would pledge him eternity.
On August 23, 1975 these young lovers would join their lives, and go on to produce to grateful children. I love you mom and dad!

Tonight we toast my amazing parents with a drink from the groovy 70's, one I'm sure they both enjoyed that night at the pond!

Harvey Walbanger

Invented in 1952 by three time world champion mixologist ( we're not worthy, we're not worthy) Donato 'Duke' Antone (Paolantonio),  Harvey would become an icon who shaped the seventies!

Ingredients:

1 oz of your favorite vodka

1/2 oz Galliano

approx. 2 oz Orange juice

Orange Slice for garnish

Maraschino cherry for garnish

Directions:

Pour the vodka and the orange juice into your favorite groovy seventies glass.

Add ice

Float (pour slowly on top) Galiano on top.

Garnish with orange and cherry or what ever shagadelic fruit you wish!

Grass is cheap and Sex is free

Here's a toast to you and me!

author unknown

Tonight I drink for my parents! I love you, and hope my own life can mirror yours. Thank you!

My parents wedding song, I hope you continue to dance!

"Nights In White Satin"

"Nights in White Satin"Moody Blues

Nights in white satin,
Never reaching the end,
Letters I've written,
Never meaning to send.

Beauty I'd always missed
With these eyes before,
Just what the truth is
I can't say anymore.

'Cause I love you,
Yes, I love you,
Oh, how, I love you.

Gazing at people,
Some hand in hand,
Just what I'm going thru
They can understand.

Some try to tell me
Thoughts they cannot defend,
Just what you want to be
You will be in the end,

And I love you,
Yes, I love you,
Oh, how, I love you.
Oh, how, I love you.

Nights in white satin,
Never reaching the end,
Letters I've written,
Never meaning to send.

Beauty I'd always missed
With these eyes before,
Just what the truth is
I can't say anymore.

'Cause I love you,
Yes, I love you,
Oh, how, I love you.
Oh, how, I love you.

'Cause I love you,
Yes, I love you,
Oh, how, I love you.
Oh, how, I love you.