First of all, I’m sorry for my brief hiatus from the blog. As some of you may know, Jeff and I are buying our first home! We’ve spent every available weekend for the past few months driving to different neighborhoods and looking at houses. We eventually narrowed our search down to Long Beach, NY and were focused on a single area there for a long time. We were drawn to the quiet tree-lined streets close to the train, grocery stores, and shops, but didn’t have much luck with finding the right home for us. Feeling discouraged, we went back to sorting through listings online. A short time later, we came across a home in a different part of town and were intrigued by its charm.
This house was a bit farther from the train and in a historic neighborhood closer to the beach. We scheduled a viewing and immediately had a good feeling as we approached the house. There was a small deck and garden in the front. As we entered, we were greeted by the friendly owner. The first room was an enclosed porch, perfect for reading and enjoying the beach breeze. Next was the living room, which had high ceilings and featured an original fireplace from the late 1920s. The rest of the house had three bedrooms, a large kitchen and full bathroom (both of which have lots of potential, but need a little updating) and a large attic (for storage or a potential fourth bedroom). We began to picture ourselves grilling on the deck and entertaining family and friends in the space. The home was also within walking distance to popular bars and restaurants. It completed the vision of how we pictured our new life in Long Beach.
We saw the home, made an offer, agreed on a price, and had the inspection done all in one weekend. Finally, things were working out for us and it felt like it was meant to be. A couple of weeks ago, we signed contracts and made the down payment. The sellers had already rented the home for the summer so we won’t move until September. For now, we just relax and wait. We’re filling our time learning about renovating, shopping for furniture, and trying out new spring cocktails. As a small way to celebrate the big news with all of you, I thought I’d share a few of our favorites.
Glasgow Mule
2 parts ginger beer
1 part Scotch whisky
1/2 part lemon juice
1/2 part St. Germain
A dash of Angostura bitters
Mint sprigs to garnish
Fill a cup with crushed ice. Add Scotch, lemon juice, and St. Germain. Stir to combine. Top with ginger beer. Garnish with a mint sprig.
Strawberry Rhubarb Fizz (based on a cocktail from Shake by Eric Prum & Josh Williams)
3 shots vodka
2 tbsp strawberry jam
4 slices of fresh rhubarb (plus 2 thin spears to garnish)
1 shot fresh lemon juice
Seltzer
Muddle the strawberry jam, rhubarb slices, and lemon juice in the bottom of a shaker. Add Vodka and fill with ice. Shake for 10 seconds. Strain into Collins glasses filled with ice and top with seltzer. Garnish with rhubarb spears. Makes 2 drinks.
Brooklyn (based on a cocktail from Franny’s)
2 parts whiskey
1 part lemon juice
1 part sweet vermouth
Lemon peel to garnish
Combine whiskey, lemon juice, and sweet vermouth in a large glass with ice. Stir until chilled. Strain into a coupe and garnish with a lemon peel.
Cheers!
Crushed Red 
Wishing you happiness and great adventure as you plan and nurture your new home. All the best!