Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Happy Labor Day Weekend, Loungers!

Hopefully, I'll be spending most of it by the beach this weekend.

We'll be back Tuesday with a new "Bartending 101"!

Friday Photo Album: That One Party

Time for me to share another set of photos from my archives. Here's some photos from when Harriet hosted a party, and things got a little crazy.  First George and Harriet started that "Pass the Orange" game, where you essentially just look like you're making out:

Cocktail Recipe Du Jour

This week's Thirsty Thursday is brought to you thanks to DrinksMixer.com:

A Little Dinghy
2 shots Captain Morgan® Parrot Bay coconut rum
2 shots Malibu® coconut rum
cranberry juice
pineapple juice
orange juice

Pour the shots into a glass of ice, and fill the glass with equal parts orange juice, cranberry juice, and pineapple juice.

Garnish with a pineapple wedge, an orange slice, and an umbrella.

Cheers...and AHOY!

Crushing on Joel McCrea

Bartending 101: Alcohol on the Brain

All I can think about is alcohol.  It's Saturday night and I am going out for a much-needed Girls' Night.  But all I can think of are drinks based on the color of my friends' outfits.  Gina is wearing pink, so naturally I think of a Pink Lady; Ali's in a brown halter, so I think of a Dirty Mother.  And Ali doesn't even have kids.

We get to the bar and sit in a corner booth.  Loud but slow acid jazz is blaring.  I should be relaxing and enjoying the time with my friends.  But looking over at the bar, I feel like I'm in an office supply store.  It affects me as much as looking at a row of file folders.  I'm seeing the bar the way it is in the classroom; it all looks like colored water to me.  I can smell the food-coloring and paint.  None of it looks appetizing and I find that I'm not thirsty.

Just as I'm about to reach a new level of frustration, a couple of guys walk up to us. "Can I buy you a martini?" the tall one asks.  But all I can think of is where the dry vermouth bottle sits in the well.  Do I want it electric or nuclear?  What's the stupid garnish on those?  It's too much to think about so I decline and shoo them away.  

Bartending 101: How to Make Simple Syrup

You've probably heard the phrase simple syrup if you've been around high-end bartenders or mixologists.  It is a basic sugar-and-water syrup used to make drinks at bars.  The syrup is obviously used as a sweetener and makes a great base for inventing new drinks.  Since it gels readily when pectin is added, it can also be used as a base for fruit sauces, toppings, and preserves. A lot of mixology requires simple syrup, and to be an excellent mixologist, you should make your own.  Here's how:

All you need is 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar.

In a small saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil; simmer until the sugar is dissolved, 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.

This recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups.  To make a richer syrup, use 2 cups of sugar instead of just 1.

You can make as small or as large a batch as you wish and store it in the refrigerator in a well sealed bottle for around 6 months.

Friday Photo Album: Those USO Days

You probably didn't know that during World War 2 I helped at the USO by entertaining the troops!  Well here are some pictures from those good ol' days.  

Here is one of me standing with two soldiers from the 103rd regiment.

Cocktail Recipe Du Jour

It's been a stressful week, but we see the light at the end of the tunnel called Friday.  Here at the Lounge, we're doing a little housework and redecorating, getting ready for autumn. So I thought for Thirsty Thursday we could all relieve our woes with an Absolut Stress.

In a cocktail shaker pour Absolut vodka, dark rum, peach Schnapps, orange juice, and cranberry juice (about an ounce each).
Shake well.
Pour over ice in a tall glass.
Garnish with a slice of orange and a cherry.
Say "Aaahhhh" as the relaxation pours over you.

Cheers!

"Va Va Voom" Star of the Day

Joi Lansing

Joi Lansing was born Joyce Wassmansdorff in Salt Lake City, Utah on April 6, 1929. A buxom blonde model and actress, her earliest work was as a model, which eventually led to a weak film career. 

On television she appeared on “The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickcock,” “I Love Lucy,” and “The Beverly Hillbillies” in a recurring role. Joi took a hiatus from films in 1950 while she concentrated on her modeling career.

In 1951, she married fellow actor Lance Fuller almost immediately after both had made brief appearances in the 1952 hit musical “Singin' in the Rain.” Fuller also acted in a number of B-films throughout the 1950s, including “This Island Earth” (featured in “MST3K: The Movie”) and “The Bride and the Beast,” written by Ed Wood. Lansing's marriage to Fuller lasted longer than many other celeb unions, ending 2 years later. With her film career dwindling, Lansing utilized her gorgeous figure to return to modeling.

Bartending 101: James Bond is a Pussy

Every Tuesday, I will be reposting "vintage" posts that had previously only appeared on the now-defunct blog SorryIGotDrunk.com. This is the second post in an 8-part series called "Bartending 101." Enjoy!

I love men.  I love your one-track minds, how you yearn for the power of the remote, and how you talk about sports like we discuss “Real Housewives.”   But the one thing I will never understand is how you guys worship James Bond. 

It’s the beginning of another class when Betty waits for everyone to settle in, and then very dramatically and bluntly she announces, “James Bond is a pussy.”  There is a collective gasp that fills the room.

I, of course, don’t really have an opinion on Mr. Double-Oh-Seven. Not like I hate the guy, I just don’t have much information to go on.  The only James Bond imagery I’ve seen is when it’s spoofed in an Austin Powers movie. 

But the men in my class go ballistic.  There are hurt expressions and many protests…one dude puts his hand to his heart as if he’s experiencing chest-pains. “What??” one guy finally whispers.

“James Bond is a pussy,” Betty repeats.  She looks around the room, knowing the blasphemy she’s committed.  And then she tells us why.

Sweepea's Book Review: Unbroken

Being a huge fan of anything about WWII, I was intrigued to read the novel "Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption."  The book, written by Laura Hillenbrand, outlines the true story of Louis Zamperini and his extraordinary life from Olympic runner to POW to international hero.

To say this man's life is interesting is an understatement.  He basically should have died about 5 different times.  His suffering is remarkable, because he survived through it all.

As a boy, he was out of control, wreaking havoc throughout his neighborhood. As a teenager, his brother encouraged him to run, and in doing so, Lou discovered that focusing on his running diverted his energy from bad to good. When World War 2 hit, he joined the Army Air Forces.  It was here that his already amazing life took a dramatic turn in to adventure, danger, and survival.

Crushing on Marlon Brando

...And apparently we're not the only ones!  The people at BuzzFeed seem to have a real love for young Marlon Brando... I found two blog posts from different authors about the actor, mostly comprised of photos of him as a young, virile, and smokin' hot man.  Peruse the two articles for even more Brando beefcake:

• Yummmm!
• Rrrrrowr!

Friday's This & That

It's Friday!  Now let's see what's floating around the interwebs?

Well, it looks like another of Steve McQueen's cars is up for auction.  They speculate 1967 Ferrari could go for anywhere between $8 and $12 million when it goes to auction later this month at the RM Auctions annual Monterrey sale in California.  "Chianti-colored" (that's dark red for you non-wine drinkers), it was a gift given to him when he was filming Bullitt.

Emma Ferrer, granddaughter of Audrey Hepburn and Mel Ferrer, is going to appear on the September cover of Harper's Bazaar.  Check out the multiple news links to verify, but it definitely looks just like her grandma. The 20-year-old art student doesn't seem to be making modeling a full-time career -- as this is her first photo shoot of its kind -- and with those genes, she definitely should consider making it a full-time thing.

Always looking for great books to bring me back to the Golden Age, I found this great list at Huff Post Books of 8 Books That Will Transport You to Old Hollywood.  I've already read Errol Flynn's My Wicked Wicked Ways, and it was pretty good.  I hope I can get to the others.

Happy Friday, and have a great weekend!

Cocktail Recipe Du Jour

I'm out celebrating the beautiful summer days with a good ol' fashioned barbecue.  And in case you haven't noticed it's a Thirsty Thursday and time to try another cocktail o' the day!

Since baseball season is in full swing, let's really get in the mood.  You can go to Liquor.com, where have a whole section on great baseball drinks. Whether you're at the ballpark, watching the game at home, or just enjoying the backyard barbecue like I am, these drinks are great for the season.

Because I'm a vodka gal, I especially like the suggested Absolut Boston Homerun, and you don't even have to root for Boston to drink it.

Add ingredients to a highball glass filled with ice:
1 oz Absolut Boston Vodka
2 oz White grape juice
Splash of ginger ale

Cheers...now PLAY BALL!

Jungle Book Remake: Same Ol' Same Ol'

Disney loves to shine up something old to make it new again (which I've been ranting about on here continually).  Now they are working on remaking their 1967 version of the "Jungle Book," starring Bill Murray as Baloo, and co-starring Scarlett Johansson and Christopher Walken.  Jon Favreau is set to direct.  If you remember, just 10 years ago in 1994 they made a live-action version of the classic story, and the reviews were average.  Then you had the straight-to-video "Jungle Book 2" sequel, which was even worse.  What makes Disney think they can do better this time?  Well because it's being described as a "live and animated hybrid," which sounds so much better than "remake," right?

Oh, and because Disney can't even think of anything new, why should any other studio?  Warner Bros is coming out with their own version of the story exactly a year later.

Smokin' Pup

So...the crazy-eyed poodle is up for a Dog Show prize, and he thinks smoking is going to help him win?

Hardly.

And if you're only smoking a cigarette for 15 minutes, you're doing it wrong IMO.

Bartending 101: First Day of School

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Happy Birthday, Norma!

We're a day late (and a dolla' short), but we're wishing the Queen of MGM, Norma Shearer a happy birthday!  

Photo provided by Dr. Macro

Check out our previous"Va Va Voom" post of this Hollywood legend.

"Va Va Voom" Star of the Day

Gloria DeHaven
Seen as both a blonde at times as well as a brunette, Gloria DeHaven was born in Los Angeles, California on July 23, 1925 to famous parents - the popular "polite comedy" stage-and-film team of Mr. and Mrs. Carter De Haven.  She began her career as a child actor with a bit part in a Charlie Chaplin film but was then signed to a contract with MGM studios. 

Under contract to MGM from 1940 to 1950, the lively and talented DeHaven was the studio's all-purpose ingenue, acting opposite everyone from William Powell to Red Skelton. She later starred in a series of Technicolor musicals at 20th Century-Fox. When musicals fell out of public favor she starred in soap operas, where her notoriety soared. 

Bloody Mary's!

It's Friday and it's happy hour, so we're looking for big things in the future.  Coming up this September for all you Bay Area folks is the Bloody Mary Festival.  The event will be held on Sunday, September 28 from 1 - 4 pm (expecting you to party hard Saturday, therefore needing the Bloody Marys). Tickets are selling fast, as the "early bird" price is already sold out.

If you've read my previous "BoozeQuest" on the subject of Bloody Mary's (on the now defunct site SorryIGotDrunk.com), you'd know that with extensive research I have become quite the Bloody Mary aficionado.  The Festival boasts an expert panel, yet I wasn't consulted.  But I'm sure they will have a great amount of discussion and debate over what makes a great Bloody Mary.

Must-See Movie: How To Marry A Millionaire

How To Marry a Millionaire (1953)
The last time I wrote one of these things was when only DVD rentals were possible, but now you can actually instantly watch this movie (and, of course, others) on Netflix's Instant Watch.  This movie is fantastic, and should definitely be in everyone's queue.

Starring Betty Grable, Marilyn Monroe, and Lauren Bacall, this movie is truly a how-to guide with a great strategy of how to find a man.  In fact, all I learned about dating I learned from this movie.

Don't let the title get you. I'm not a golddigger, but that's just not my priority. However, you can substitute the word millionaire with what any desirable man is (Jewish boy, older man, nice guy), and these tips not only are helpful, but they just make sense.

Shatze (Bacall), Pola (Monroe), and Loco (Grable) all state aloud to each other what they are looking for one thing in a man: six figures!  Then the three girls go to great lengths to reach their goal, strategizing and doing everything by their guidelines.  They pool all their money to live in a rich neighborhood in a highbrow apartment, even selling all their furniture to surround themselves with rich, eligible bachelors.

Wait...what?

So now we're just cooking pets to heal them?

Seems legit.

Crushing on James Garner

The blog is back after a 3 1/2-year hiatus (!) and we are crushing - and mourning the loss of - our Jimmy Garner.  The actor died July 20, 2014 and we were sad to hear the news.  

We will miss you, but you will never be forgotten!  

Check out previous posts on James Garner.