A New Year & Fresh Start

Happy First Tuesday of 2022!

Can you even believe it?

Call it cliché but I always love a fresh start. A new season, a new month, and I (usually) love Mondays. I always look forward to a new year. Now after 2020 and 2021 I feel we enter a new year a little more gingerly.

When the new year starts, I always do a breakdown of what The Fast Fashionista will bring you throughout the year. I like to have a plan and concept before just running a muck. So here it is:

Fashion and Lifestyle

Many moons ago on this blog I would do posts on outfits and their color palettes. This is going to be a big focus on putting outfits together fast and easy with a palette. Hopefully, more home décor content as well.

Perfectly Plated

I have such a passion for cooking and I love sharing that with you. Here, I’m going to learn more about actual plating, give you fast weeknight meals, and of course My usual fancy made easy recipes.

My Martini Moment

Fun and fancy cocktail recipes as always. This has turned into one of my favorite parts of this blog. Not only am I making these recipes easy but I want to build them from liquors that aren’t obscure or hard to find. I started this part of my blog about six or seven years ago when on a Friday, after a stressful work week, I would sit at my bistro set in my dining room and have a dirty martini. I would laugh to myself and think “This is a lovely Martini Moment”.

I’m sentimental about certain things and now this bistro set lives refinished in my bedroom and I thought it was only appropriate to shoot this photo here. I think everyone should know how to whip up a classic Dirty Martini.

what you do:

Grab your favorite martini glass and I throw in my olives first (Feta or Gorgonzola stuffed). Then add in Vermouth. In a shaker with ice add in vodka and brine. Shake, shake, shake! Swirl the Vermouth up into the glass and then add in the shaker goods. If you like it more “dirty” add in more brine.

fun fact: it’s bad luck to garnish your martini with an even number of olives. Do one or three. Five if you’re like, hungry.

Thank you for stopping by!

I’m so excited to share some new fun things with you!

Blue as the Ocean

Well, here we are the last Friday of August. Hard to believe right? So many are back at school and vacations in the past. Now I know that Summer isn’t over until September 22nd but I’m also guilty of whipping out those pumpkins just a little early.

However…

To celebrate the unofficial end of Summer I thought I’d bring you a drink that’s as blue as the ocean! This super fun take on the classic Moscow Mule doesn’t need to stay in the summertime that’s for sure. Now grab your copper mugs and make a drink with me!

what you do:

Add all ingredients to copper mug except Ginger beer, then add crushed ice and pour Ginger beer the over ice. Garnish and serve!

I really like having Blue Curaçao on hand because you can do so many things with it. It’s also a liquor that you’ll have around for a while because it isn’t often used. This is a key ingredient for making a green or purple drink, or in this case a vibrant blue one.

Have a wonderful weekend and have a cocktail or two!

Summer in a (very pretty) Glass

Happy Friday, Friends!

I’m pretty sure I could drink this every day. Plus, what’s more refreshing than a lemonade on a very hot summer day? You probably know by now I’m here for the fresh Basil. I swear I have other herbs but this one is by far my favorite.

What makes a drink taste even better? Pretty glasswear! Dragon Glasswear gifted me these beautiful Wave Wine Glasses and I’m in love. They are from the Aura Collection and have an iridescent hue to them. I figured that only a very pretty drink should go in them.

This is absolutely not the last time I’m making this one. But, let me tell you how to make a drink look like this.

what you do:

1. Boil the water and then add sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves.

2. Add blueberries and basil and simmer for five minutes.

3. Strain into bowl so that the solids don’t get mixed into the syrup.

4. Let cool to room temperature.

This one is fancy (pinky up!) but so easy. Throw everything in a shaker with ice and pour into (pretty) glasses full of ice. Garnish with basil and blueberries! Perfect for a hot day!

Enjoy the weekend Pretties!