Live FriGAY Happy Hour

Is there anything better than a Happy Hour? Well of course there is - a Happy Hour hosted by your favorite GAYS of course! ;)

You know we love a good cocktail, friends - especially at the end of the work week.

Therefore, FriGAY Happy Hour was born.

We have had so much fun with this every-other-week cocktail hour! It has been amazing exploring new recipes, ideas, and we honestly have learned so much by just doing. We are by no means professional mixologists; BUT, we have that “gay gene” (LOL) so we can make almost everything look pretty.

Along this FriGAY journey, we’ve had a lot of friends say “you should do one of these Happy Hours LIVE!” BUT we’d never attempted it…until now! Of course we had the PERFECT venue you in mind so reached out to our friends at The Empty Corner - this creative event space is cozy, eclectic and fun! And is there any better way to start the weekend off than with friends, drinking specialty cocktails, and singing along to live piano?! Ummm, we think NOT!

The Perfect Cosmo

Cosmos have been famously highlighted during Sex and the City, the 1990s, and of course by our culinary icons, Martha and Ina! They are simple to make, with simple ingredients, and taste so YUMMERS! You can make ahead and shake over ice in smaller batches to serve on demand. Some people like them a little more tart (more lime juice) and some like them a little more sweet. We’re Goldilocks in this argument - we like them JUST RIGHT! LOL! You can also change it up with the seasons and switch out the cranberry juice with options like Pomegranate Juice, Watermelon juice, or even make then a little more scandalous and sub the vodka with tequila and the triple sec with Coconut simple syrup - this creates a sweet but tart tropical version (technically called a Samantha-politan)

Recipe

(makes 1 cocktail)

2 oz vodka (we prefer Grey Goose)
1 oz cointreau
1 oz cranberry juice
1 oz fresh or Rose’s lime juice

Shake all ingredients over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime or an orange slice - Yummers!

Yummers in my Tummers

No cocktail hour would be complete without some munchies. Let’s be honest here…after a few cocktails, girls and boys need some food!

Thank goodness Gamboard Company came to the rescue! We are so grateful to have connected with this local, family-owned, small business that specializes in gourmet grazing tables that are both artistic and delicious. They can be found at local artisan markets selling their handmade charcuterie boards and or hosting approachable workshops with tips on table decor, flower arrangements and more! They actually came to the venue, set everything up, AND picked up the day after - SCORE!

This spread y’all…was GORGEOUS! Almost too pretty to eat - but once that 1st person dove in (that 1st person is always Nathan) it was fair game! Table highlights included: burrata with roasted cherry tomatoes and balsamic drizzle paired with tomato focaccia. Artisanal crackers paired with aged gouda, chive cheddar, or creamy boursin, topped with sliced prosciutto or sopressata and drizzled with honey or jam made for the perfect bite. Marinated artichokes, cornichon and stuffed pepperoncini balanced out the table, with a touch of sweetness in the macarons, peppermint bark, fresh fruit and roasted nuts. A little something for everyone - Yummers!

Tipsy Ivory Ticklin’

We love to think about the music room at Plum Grove way back in the late 1800s…there was no TV, no smart phones, BUT there was plenty of alcohol and usually a piano around! I’m sure the Converses had friends over and loved to entertain in the space listening to music and sipping a glass of port (or 2!).

So began the evolution of Tipsy Ivory Ticklin’ - A cocktail at home, maybe some wine with dinner, AND back home we went for some tunes on the piano (and perhaps a little singing too!) We, of course, post this amateur performance on The Gram for all to enjoy and it’s totally guilt free - you can’t judge any mistakes because Nathan’s tipsy, RIGHT?

We LOVED being able to have some showtunes-style singing at the Empty Corner event and it was so much fun seeing folks joining in here and there singing their favorite songs. We may or may not have surprised everyone with a rendition of Wicked’s “Popular” as a homage to our Halloween 2022 Halloween costumes ;) Being so close to the Holidays, we decided to end the night with some good old fashioned Christmas Carols - so festive!