Purple haze all in my brain; Lately things just don't seem the same; Actin' funny, but I don't know why; 'Scuse me while I kiss the sky - Jimi Hendrix "Purple Haze"

September 18,

Kiss The Sky Day

Johnny Allen Hendrix was born in Seattle, Washington, on November 27, 1942. Four years later his parents would change his name to James Marshall Hendrix, or as the world would soon know him, Jimi Hendrix. At the age of fourteen Jimi had the good fortune of seeing Elvis in concert, we all had the good fortune that he was immediately inspired and would get his first electric guitar the following year. Music would become a refuge to Jimi as his parents divorced and his mom later died of cirrhosis of the liver. 

After dropping out of school in 1959, Jimi played with several local bands, his first formal band was The Velvetones, then he would later join The Rocking Kings. During this time Jimi ran into some trouble with the law and was given the choice between prison and the army, Jimi chose the later. After being honorable discharged in 1962, the future legend would start the wheels in motion towards his destiny. He would play back up for the likes of great talents such as Little Richard, Sam Cooke, and The Isley Bros. In 1966,  Chas Chandler, a former member of the Animals, became his manager. He would convince Jimi to go to London and join forces with musicians Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell to create The Jimi Hendrix Experience.  While in London Jimi gathered a following among the rock royalty of the area, The Beatles, The Who, The Rolling Stones, and Eric Clapton all became fans of the up and coming talent.

 In 1967, The JHE released their first track, Hey Joe, which was an immediate hit. Jimi would continue to grow from there with hits such as Purple Haze, and The Wind Cried Mary. The band would follow up with two more equally successful albums, before splitting up in 1969. That same year Jimi would play the Star Spangled Banner at Woodstock, which would go down in history as one of the best renditions ever. Jimi would not only mesmerize fans with his music, but he was one of the greatest showmen around, playing the guitar with his teeth, behind his back and at least once setting the guitar on fire. 

Jimi Hendrix, who is considered the greatest electric guitarist in music history, died of a drug overdose on September 18, 1970. At only 27 years old he had managed to change music forever.

Today we celebrate a rock legend who left us too soon...even castles made of sand, fall in the sea, eventually.

Purple Haze

Truly there is no drink more appropriate today!

Ingredients:

1.5 oz. Vodka

.5 oz. Blue Curacao

Cranberry

Directions:

This beauty can be done as a shot, martini or a high ball. It's dealer's choose. For the shot use a splash of cranberry, for the martini about .5 oz, and for the high ball top off the glass.

Mix all the ingredients in a shaker filled with ice and strain into either a:

Shot Glass

Martini Glass

Highball filled with ice

I would kiss a lot more than the sky for one of these! Muah!

 

I'm the one that has to die when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life, the way I want to. 

- Jimi Hendrix

Are You Ready for Some Football!!!

September 17,

American Professional Football Association is Established!

On September 17, 1920, the AP FA was established in Canton, Oh. Two years later it would become the National Football League, or the NFL! The original teams, which came from the Ohio and New York Leagues, for the 1920 season were:

Akron Pros

Decatur Staleys

Buffalo All-Americans 

Chicago Cardinals 

Rock Island Independents

Dayton Triangles

Rochester Jeffersons

Canton Bulldogs

Detroit Heralds

Cleveland Tigers

Chicago Tigers

Hammond Pros

Columbus Panhandles

Muncie Flyers

In 1950, the NFL acquired the All-American Football Conference. The NFL now has 32 teams.

Playoffs didn't begin until the 1932 season, and the the first Super Bowl would happen on January 15, 1967. The rest is history!

Today lift your glasses for your favorite team, for your favorite player, for your fantasy football league, or perhaps quiet Sundays with a husband out of the house!

Cheers!

Gatorade

Ok, so this is not your high school football teams Gatorade! Proceed with caution, this one's tasty!

Ingredients:

1/2 oz. Vodka

1/2 oz. Southern Comfort

1/2 oz. Melon Liqueur

1/2 oz. Amaretto

1 oz. Sweet and Sour

1 oz. Lemon Lime Soda

Directions:

Build drink in a tall glass over ice. 

Give it a swirl

Top with soda

I always enjoy animal acts -

President Calvin Coolidge, when asked if he wanted to meet the Chicago Bears 

Viva Mexico!

September 16,

Mexican Indepence Day

El Grito de Independencia

In the wee hours of September 16, 1810, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a priest in the small Mexican town of Dolores, Guanajuato, rang the church bell to gather all the townspeople. Hidalgo called for the people of Mexico to rise up against the Spanish Crown, initiating Mexico's War of Independence. While independence was not achieved until 1821, this event known as the Grito de Dolores is commemorated every year in town squares across Mexico.

Festivities actually begin on the 15th of September, with the biggest event being in Mexico City, where the streets will be decorated in red, white, and green lights and lined in Mexican Flags. At 11pm on the 15th the President will go out onto the central balcony of the palace and after ringing the very same bell Hidalgo rang in 1810, he cries out to the enthusiastic crowd:
¡Vivan los heroes que nos dieron patria! ¡Viva!

¡Viva Hidalgo! ¡Viva!
¡Viva Morelos! ¡Viva!
¡Viva Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez! ¡Viva!
¡Viva Allende! ¡Viva!
¡Vivan Aldama y Matamoros! ¡Viva!
¡Viva nuestra independencia! ¡Viva!
¡Viva Mexico! ¡Viva!
¡Viva Mexico! ¡Viva!
¡Viva Mexico! ¡Viva!

Salud!

Bandera
The Mexican culture is among the most patriotic of all cultures. While a margarita is a nice compliment to the day, let's do it correctly! The bandera shot is very popular on El Grito as it represents the colors in the Mexican flag (bandera means flag in Spanish.) Most fiesta on this day include foods with the national colors as well.
This drink is three layered parts: Lime, Tequila and Sangrita. You will need the ingredients for Sangrita to complete the drink. Hard work, but well worth it!
Ingredients:
1oz. Tequila
1oz. Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
1oz. Sangrita

Directions:
Fill one shot glass with Lime Juice 
One with Tequila 
One With Sangrita
Take them all back one at a time in that order!

Sangrita
Ingredients:

• 3/4 cups orange juice
• 3/4 cups regular or spicy tomato juice
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 medium jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded and coarsely chopped
• Pinch salt

Directions:

Put all ingredients into a blender a mix until smooth

The exact world Hidalgo said are often times disputed, but it is agreed the translation was very close to this:

"My children: a new dispensation comes to us today. Will you receive it? Will you free yourselves? Will you recover the lands stolen three hundred years ago from your forefathers by the hated Spaniards? We must act at once… Will you defend your religion and your rights as true patriots? Long live our Lady of Guadalupe! Death to bad government! Death to the gachupines!'"

"Arriba (up), Abajo (down), Al Centro (middle), 
y Pa' Dentro! (for the mouth)"

"Arriba", put your glass up, "abajo", glass down, "al centro", glass in the middle, "y pa' dentro", chug.

Different Fields, Different Grasshoppers; Different Seas, Different Fish - Indonesian Proverbs

September 15,

National Creme de Menthe Day

The sweet minty liqueur is perfect for these cooler fall evenings. Creme de menthe can be found in both white (clear) and green versions. The two are interchangeable, and only effects the desired color. Traditionally the liqueur is made by steeping dried peppermint leaves in grain alcohol for several weeks, giving it it's natural green color. The creme in the name does not refer to actual cream, creme refers to the high amount of sugar in the liqueur, think Cadbury creme eggs! Mmm...enjoy this delicious and warming day!

The Grasshopper

Named for it brilliant color, the grasshopper was another delicious concoction courtesy of The Big Easy.

Legend has it the popular cocktail was created at Tujague's a popular French Quarter bar. The drink gained widespread popularity throughout the 1950's and 60's.

Ingredients:

1 oz. Green Creme de Menthe

1 oz. White Creme de Cocoa

1 oz. Cream

Directions: 

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice

Shake, Rattle and Roll

Strain into a martini glass

If you are feeling extra luxurious, blend with ice cream instead of cream, Oh Yeah!

enjoy!

Here's to you and yours,

And to mine and ours,

And if mine and ours ever come

Across you and yours,

I hope you and yours will do

As much for mine and ours,

As mine and ours have done

For you and yours!

Feel her breath on my face, Her body close to me. Can't look in her eyes, She's out of my league. Just a fool to believe I have anything she needs. She's like the wind

September 14 - 

Remembering Patrick Swayze

August 18,1952 - September 14, 2009

Born in Houston, Texas, the son of a choreographer and a rodeo champ, Patrick Swayze was born with the "it" gene. Part cowboy, part romantic dream with the moves of Gene Kelly. In the early 80's he won many of us in the Outsiders, and didn't let us down after that. Though his acting may not have always been the best (he was nominated for quite a few razzies), he had a way of making us love him.

In his personal life he carried on all the endearing characteristic we fell in love with in his movies. He married his sweetheart, Lisa Niemi ( they met in 1970, when she was only 15 and he was 18) in 1975, and they were together until he day he died. He would make the world fall in love with his Dirty Dancing hit, "She's Like The Wind," which he wrote for his lovely bride.

Through personal tragedies, his father past away at the age of 57 of a heart attack in 1982 and his sister later committed suicide in 1994, Patrick would struggle with addiction and depression.It was actually the death of his sister that would root him again. He would seek spirituality through Baha'i, Buddhism, and Scientology. He retreated to his ranch where his love for animals would lead him to raising horses and cows. A known humanitarian, Patrick frequently worked with the Red Cross, American Oceans Campaign, Tuesday's Child, and any animal rescue charity that crossed his path. 

In January of 2008 Patrick was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer. He met this challenge with the strength and respect we had all grown used to. In January, 2009, in an interview with Barbra Walters, Patrick would tell the world he was "kicking it""

"That's one thing I'm not gonna do, is chase, is chase staying alive. I'm not, you know, you'll spend so much time chasing staying alive you won't live, you know? I wanna live. If anybody had that cure out there like so many people swear to me they do, you'd be two things: you'd be very rich, and you'd be very famous. Otherwise, shut up."

Sadly on September 14, surrounded by family, Patrick Swayze would succumb to the disease, only 20 months after being diagnosed. His body was cremated and his ashes spread over his New Mexico ranch.

Today we celebrate the life of a gentleman who made the women swoon, and the men jealous. A man who had character and dignity through life and death, and man who as a little girl told me,

"Nobody puts baby in the corner." 

Ghost Cocktail

This just seemed nicely fitted for the day.

Ingredients:

1.25 oz. Vanilla Vodka

.25 oz Godiva White Chocolate Liqueuer

.25 oz. half and half

.25 oz. Simple Syrup

(A teaspoon of sugar will suffice)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in to a cocktail shaker filled with ice

Twirl it around while doing your best Dirty Dancing

Strain into a martini glass

It's Friday Night, go all out and rim the glass with white chocolate shavings

Enjoy while reminicing about some of these Patrick moments:

  

            

"When those you love die, the best you can do is honor their spirit for as long as you live. You make a commitment that you're going to take whatever lesson that person or animal was trying to teach you, and you make it true in your own life...it's a positive way to keep their spirit alive in the world, by keeping it alive in yourself."
Patrick Swayze - The Time of My Life

“Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.” ― Roald Dahl

September 13,

It's Roald Dahl Day,

Happy Birthday Roald Dahl!

Roald Dahl, one of my favorite authors of all time, was born on September 13, 1916. Known as one of the greatest children's writers of all-time, Roald has penned such legendary titles as James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Witches, Matilda, and several other wonderful titles. Roald also wrote children's poetry as well as several short story collections for adults. A little known fact is that he also wrote several film scripts including James Bond - You Only Live Twice ( didn't see that coming, did ya?!),  Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. In addition he did numerous episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and his 1943 book The Gremlins was the inspiration to both the 1963 Twilight Zone episode, "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet", and the 1984 Steven Spielberg film Gremlins.

Roald Dahl's life was anything but ordinary. As a fighter pilot with the Royal Air Force he was injured when his plane crashed, fracturing his skull, and temporarily blinding him. He would heal and continue flying in some of the deadliest battles in WWII, eventually reaching the rank of Flight Lieutenant in 1942, and serving as an Intelligence Agent for the British Security Coordination. It was in 1942, while dispatched to Washington DC that Dahl would begin writing. His first piece was for the Saturday Evening Post, titled "Shot Down Over Libya." In 1953 he married actress Patricia Neal and  would have five children. After his daughter Olivia died in 1962 at age 7 from Measles, Dahl became a leading proponent of vaccinations, his 1982 book the BFG was dedicated to his little girl. After his wife had three anuerysms during pregnancy in 1965, Dahl took over her rehabilitation and care, she would learn to walk and talk again, and would eventually return to her acting career. Following his divorce from Neal. Dahl remarried Felicity Crosland. On November 23, 1990, Dahl died of a blood condition in Oxford; he was buried with his snooker cues, some very good burgundy, chocolates, HB pencils, and a  power saw. 

Here's to day dreams of floating off in a peach, to trying to figure out exactly where oompa loompas were from, to a childhood filled with endless dreams supplied by books, and to dreams I can now share with my son! Thank You and Happy Birthday!

“We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.” 
- Roald Dahl

James and the Giant Peach Shot

"'Something is about to happen,' he told himself. 'Something peculiar is about to happen at any moment.' He hadn't the faintest idea what it might be, but he could feel it in his bones that something was going to happen soon."
-Roald Dahl, James and the Giant Peach

That my dear James is a Buzz...

Ingredients:

1 oz. Jameson's Irish Whiskey

.5 oz. Peach Schnapps

Splash of Cranberry

Directions:

Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice

Shake that drink for me, Shake that drink for me!

Strain into a shot glass

Enjoy, Can you feel it?

Blueberry Mojito

Do you know what this drink is?

By Mojito, It's a Mojito!

WRONG! It's the most amazing, fabulous, sensational Mojito in the whole world.  

Ingredients:

1.5 oz. Caribbean Rum

2-3 Lime Slices

2 Springs of Mint

6-8 Blueberries

1 tsp. Sugar

2-3oz. Club Soda

Directions:

In a tall glass pour rum and sugar into glass

 squeeze limes and drop in glass

Place appr. 8 mint leaves and blueberries in glass

Muddle wit the muddler that by now you should have

(Slackers can use the back of a spoon)

Add ice and top with club soda

Garnish with a lime slice, mint sprig and/or blueberries on a cocktail skewer

Oh My!

It happens every time... they all become blueberries. Blueberry junkies that is, not actual blueberries in this case!

http://www.roalddahl.com/

“A little nonsense now and then, is cherished by the wisest men.” 
- Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator

Video games are bad for you? That's what they said about rock and roll! - Shigeru Miyamoto

September 12,

National Video Games Day 

Okay, so I'm with you on this, "Really, there's a holiday for that?" The answer is yes! Some thirty-something who lives with his parents not only managed to make one holiday out or this, but it happens again on July 8 (Really?!) I have a six year old that would be devastated if I skipped this holiday, and besides Atari rocked (Pitfall anyone?)

On January 25, 1947, Thomas T. Goldsmith, Jr and Estle Ray Mann filed a US patent request for an invention they described as a "cathode ray tube device." The patent, which was issued on December 14, 1948 was for a machine in which people used knobs and buttons to manipulate a cathode ray tube beam to simulate firing at "air-borne" targets. Space Invaders! In 1949-50, Charley Adama created a "bouncing Ball" game for MIT's Whirlwind computer, Hello Pong! Through out the fifties and sixties more and more games were popping up on college computer systems, most of these were games invented by individuals for hobby. Then came the glorious seventies!

In 1971 Galaxy Game was installed in the student union of Stanford University, this was the first ever coin operated gaming machine, and believe it or not only one was initially created. In 1972 Atari was founded, and they released the game Pong, this became the first widely successful arcade game ever, with Atari selling over 19,000 Pong machines. The blockbuster Space Invaders was released in 1978.

The first video game console was released in 1972 by Magnavox, called the Magnavox Odyssey.      

  *1977 - Atari 2600 game console was released      *1980 - Namco released Pac-Man / Mattel released Intellivision     *1981 -  Nintendo released Donkey Kong, the game that would introduce the world to a guy named Mario. Konami introduced Frogger.    *1983 - Nintendo releases the NES      *1985 - Mario Bros was released selling over 40 million copies and reigning as the top selling video game until 2008.     *1988 - Sega Genisis     *1989 - Game Boy     *1990 Super NES     *1994 - Playstation     *1996 - Nintendo 64 and the Resident Evil game franchise began     *2001 -Microsoft Xbox / Nintendo releases Game Cube and Gameboy Advance.     *2004 - Nintendo DS     *2005 - Xbox 360     *2009 - Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii are released within 8 days of each other.

Wow! No wonder kids are over weight! How many of these did you own? I'm guilty as well.

So here's to misspent youth, carpel tunnel, video gamer's thumb and forty year old virgins everywhere! If there is a world without Mario, I don't want to be apart of it!     

Both of these amazing concoctions are courtesy of http://thedrunkenmoogle.com - It's a great website!

For the gamer in my life I chose his favorite two games to represent, they also happen to be two of all time most popular games as well. So sit back enjoy these drinks and relive your youth playing a couple of your favorite games! Do they make Ms. Pac-Man for Wii or Xbox 360?

Warp Pipe (Super Mario Bros. Cocktail)

Ingredients:

1oz.  Blue Curacao

1/2 bottle Mike’s Hard Limeade

.75 oz.  Melon Liqueur

1/2 Lime (cut into wedges)

Directions:

 Cut lime into four wedges.  

Squeeze the lime juice into a highball glass and then drop them in the bottom. 

 Add some ice over top the limes, then pour in the Blue Curacao. 

 Add the Mike’s Hard Limeade until the glass is almost full, then top with your Melon Liqueur. 

 Stir a bit with a straw and enjoy.  

Don't over do the Melon, otherwise you lose the lime flavor

Sonic the Hedgehog (Sonic the Hedgehog shot)

Ingredients:

.25 oz. Grenadine

.5 oz. Menthomint Schnapps

(Can substitute Peppermint Schnapps)

1 oz. Blue Curacao  

Directions:

 Pour in the grenadine first.  

Then layer the Mentholmint schnapps and Blue Curacao on top, in that order.  

Take it down faster than the Blue Blur himself.  

Remember any of these games?

Thank You Mario! But Our Princess is in Another Castle!

You Have Died of Dysentery!

Finish Him!

I Feel Asleep!

It's in the Game!

Wakka Wakka Wakka...

It's Dangerous to Go Alone! Take this!

Here We Go!

It's Time to Kick Ass & Chew Bubble Gum, & I'm All Out of Gum.

“If Pac-Man had affected us as kids, we'd all be running around in dark rooms, munching pills and listening to repetitive electronic music.” 
―Marcus Brigstocke