Liberation Day

Posted on September 4, 2013 | Leave a comment

Yesterday was the first day of school and I’m not gonna lie — I couldn’t push my kids out the door fast enough. Don’t get me wrong. I love the sweet darlings, and we had a great summer of hiking, swimming, road tripping and summer day camping. But after 10 weeks (yes, 10 — the Calgary flood robbed us of four whole days of school) of no structure, “Mommy, watch this!” and bedtimes pushed past 9 p.m., this mommy was ready for a return to sweet routine.

Bennett and Avery were super excited about their first day of school.

Bennett and Avery were super excited about their first day of school.

I was especially excited because this year Bennett is in grade 1 at Renfrew. Translation: full days. I load him on the bus at 8 a.m. and usher him back into the house at 4:30 p.m. I half expect him to head for the Dad chair, ask for the evening paper and order a Manhattan, but today he only said, “I’m hungry,” before devouring a Larabar and a peach.

Bennett boards his bus all smiles on the first day of school.

Bennett boards his bus all smiles on the first day of school.

Full days aren’t new for Avery, so she barely waved goodbye before lining up by the school door with the other grade 3 kids. As soon as she entered the building I skipped back home whistling Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah. Then I locked the dog into her kennel, popped the cork on a bottle of Moet and cheersed myself repeatedly.

Piper is growing up even faster than Avery!

Piper is growing up even faster than Avery!

Is it wrong to feel so euphoric about the children entering this new phase of full day institutionalization? Should I feel sad they are getting bigger and growing up? That there’s less time for free play with them, and more time for me-play? Translation: I can actually compose an e-mail without interruption, and I have long swaths of time for writing stories.

Some of the moms at Avery’s school have mixed emotions about their kids starting full days. They’re giddy about the new freedom while simultaneously grieving the loss of the littleness. And I get it. During particularly sweet moments I often wish I could just freeze time. I think, “I want them to be eight and five forever!” But then they grow and learn more and I’m glad for it because it means we can do more as a family and have better conversations and it just makes life easier for everyone. What’s more, my kids love school. They are as ready to return as I am for them to go back. As I wrote in a previous post, being a parent is, at its core, an act of letting go.

So yesterday, I let go. I waved goodbye, watched the bus drive away, and did a little happy dance. (Full days, people!)

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Drink of the Week: Cucumber Cointreau Sour

Posted on August 30, 2013 | Leave a comment

It’s fair to say I’m on a bit of a Cointreau kick. I brought back a big bottle of the clear spirit — made from orange peels — from France, and I’ve been mixing margaritas, fizzes, white ladies and now, sours. I made this Cucumber Cointreau Sour using only muddled cucumber, lime juice, Cointreau, an egg white and a splash of water. It’s smooth, refreshing and tart, with that lovely, slightly sweet taste of oranges. Delicious.

This sour, made using Cointreau, makes a refreshing drink on a hot, end-of-summer. long weekend evening.

This sour, made using Cointreau, makes a refreshing drink on a hot, end-of-summer, long weekend evening, whether in France or in Fernie.

I have to say I’ve been impressed by Cointreau’s ability to stand up in a drink as the base spirit. Prior to visiting the Cointreau distillery and museum in Angers, I had only used it in cocktails such as the margarita and sidecar where other spirits (e.g. tequila and cognac) do the heavy lifting. After drinking many a fizz in France (Cointreau, lime juice, soda water), I figured it would be lovely anchoring a sour, too. I was right.

Cucumber Cointreau Sour

  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 6 cucumber rounds
  • 2 oz Cointreau
  • Egg white
  • Splash water

In the base of a cocktail shaker, muddle the lime juice and 3 cucumber rounds. Add the Cointreau and egg white, then dry shake to emulsify egg. Taste, then add a splash of water if desired. Add ice and shake again, then strain into a rocks glass and add the 3 remaining cucumber rounds for garnish.

P.S. You’re not supposed to serve a sour on the rocks (as pictured) but it was so hot I couldn’t help myself. Gotta love our short summers.

P.P.S. I’m going to be writing more about Cointreau and Cointreau cocktails in an upcoming Spirited Calgary column in the Calgary Herald.

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Posted in Cocktails

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Just call me Miss France-y Pants

Posted on August 29, 2013 | Leave a comment

I had the good fortune of spending last week in Paris, Reims and Angers, France,  with a group of Canadian travel, cocktail and fashion journalists, courtesy of Cointreau liqueur, Piper-Heidseick champagne and their Canadian distributor, Select Wines & Spirits. It was a first-class — and amazing! — experience that I’ll be writing about in some upcoming stories for the Calgary Herald, but I wanted to share some of the highlights here.

1. The sights

The Eiffel Tower is lit up at night and even sparkles for five minutes every hour.

The Eiffel Tower is lit up at night and even sparkles for five minutes every hour.

Wow, Paris! It had been years since I’d visited the City of Lights and I’d forgotten that not only is every boulevard wide and tree-lined, there’s usually a famous monument in any direction you turn your head. We spent a morning touring the city in a vintage convertible Citroen with 4 Roues Sous 1 Parapluie and drove past the Louvre, L’Arc de Triomphe, Notre-Dame and countless Second Empire-style buildings that line the streets. We even had dinner one night at Monsieur Bleu, right across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower. Awesome!

2. The sleeps

I don’t usually get excited about spending time in my accommodations when travelling — I’d rather be out exploring a new city. But, hello. A chateau? I can totally picture myself as a chatelaine.

It's decided then. I'm becoming a chatelaine.

It’s decided then. I’m becoming a chatelaine.

We stayed at Chateau des Briottieres, an 18th-century chateau in Anjou, nears Angers. I also luxuriated in Paris at Le Royal Monceau, a Raffles hotel, and Hotel Costes, my first hotel with a complimentary condom as part of the in-room amenities. Really.

3. The booze

I have forgotten the name of this yummy number but I remember it as my first gooseberry garnish.

I have forgotten the name of this yummy number but I remember it as my first gooseberry garnish.

Well, it was a cocktail-themed press trip, after all so when in Paris… drink Cointreau. At 11 a.m.? With a gooseberry garnish? Mais oui!

4. The bubbly

Tasting Piper Heidseick at 10 a.m. Vive La France!

Tasting Piper-Heidseick at 10 a.m. Vive La France!

Before France I pooh-poohed champagne as too dry, hangover-inducing and pricey. Clearly, I had never tried really good champagne (or maybe it just tastes good because — pinch me! — you’re in Paris?). I loved the tiny bubbles, creme-brulee taste and length of both Piper-Heidseick and Charles Heidseick champagnes. And I never had a hangover! But, sadly, it’s still pricey.

And to sum in all up, here’s a photo that captures the trip:

The newly-minted chatelaine sips champagne at a vineyard in Champagne.

The newly-minted chatelaine sips champagne in Champagne. Mais oui!

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