Summer Cocktail: Rosemary Gin Fizz

I am keeping my word to begin making delicious and fresh summer evening cocktails while I am on break.  For something refreshing and simple, I made a standard gin fizz but added fresh picked Rosemary from my herb garden.  It was perfect for a lovely evening to enjoy with friends!

Recipe:

1 lemon

1/2 tsp agave nectar (add more if you want it sweeter)

Rosemary sprig

1 1/2 oz Gin (I used Aviation)

splash of Club Soda

**Make sure to muddle some of the rosemary with lemon juice and agave nectar, then add gin and ice and shake. Top with soda water, garnish and enjoy! So simple.

Ancient Florals

A couple of weeks ago on a very HOT Friday afternoon, my husband and I ventured to the Huntington Library and Gardens to explore.  It was absolutely beautiful there navigating the Chinese and Japanese gardens, and sprawling landscape including a rose garden and actual paintings and artifacts.  It is nice to explore places within your own community (although next time I will go back on a misty day with a more comfortable temperature). 

Tuesday Tunes: Mazzy Star

Mazzy Star finally released a new song a couple of weeks ago for their forthcoming album, Seasons of Your Day, their first album in 17 years since Among My Swan in 1996!  "California" has gotten me super excited for the new songs and they still have it with Hope's voice that has not changed a bit and is as ever bit as dreamy sounding as before.  They are one of my favorite bands with So Tonight That I Might See being my favorite album, yes that has "Fade Into You" essentially one of the anthems of the 90s and an incredibly beautiful song.

July Cara Box {nautical}

This month I participated in the Cara box gift box exchange again via Wifessionals, with the ever so appropriate theme for summer: nautical.  I realize that nautical has been a trend and is possibly overdone at this point, but as someone who has always loved all things nautical (I am a July baby after all) I couldn't have been happier.  I was partnered up with Stefanie and Ashley this month, both of whom it was nice getting to know better via their blogs and email conversations.  It was a bit difficult to keep up this month as I was teaching summer school full time and was swamped with lesson planning and grading.  Anyway, when I arrived home from my last day teaching and saw the little box on my porch, I ran in the house and couldn't wait to open it.  Thanks so much Ashley, I loved everything and my house is now finally feeling a bit more summer-like.

Ashley sent me a tumbler, sunglasses, blue and white nail polish (very nautical), the cutest notebook, an Anchors aWeigh sign (I believe she made), post-its for my upcoming school year (little did she know, I live my daily life by post-it to do lists), and a super cute picture frame with an anchor and a painted wooden A (both not pictured).  SOOO thoughtful!!! =)

Farmer's Market Evening Cocktails {Pin}spirations

My summer finally begins today as it is the last day of teaching summer school in what has been a crazy busy month!  Nothing sounds better than walking to the farmer's market and making some fresh summer cocktails to enjoy on the porch with my husband on a warm summer evening!

All images via Pinterest