Friday Happy Hour: Basil Caipirinha

OMG YALLLL!!!! Why haven't I done a Friday Happy Hour post in like 23434534531123945 years?!??! Because, let's be frank, I've done a LOT of drankin' in the past 2 months since I've been enjoying funemployment. 

So, bear with me as I digress... I left Ft Lauderdale on February 20 for a short 2-week road trip to Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville (this trip was basically based around a few races I'd committed to). Well, this 2 weeks turned into 3... then 4... then a month... While I've been gone I was so lucky to spend amazing quality time with my long lost Tampa/Orlando peeps, run 3 races (10k, 15k and 5k) and met an amazing man :) But I am SO GLAD to be home again home again jiggity jog! I have a LOT of changes going on in my life and once things are settled I'll share, but until then, it's basically time for me to soak it all in and enjoy it!

I've been having a slight caipirinha obsession in the past few months. A caipirinha is similar to a mojito, but made with fancy pants Brazilian "rum". It's refreshing, semi-healthy, and tasty! I made a few regular ones the other night for the bf and again tonight with basil when I got home from Tap42 (side note: this place is AMAZEBALLS!). So... here goes nothing! (And a big apology to you cocktail snobs out there...)

Basil Caipirinha

• 1/2 lime cut into wedges
• basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 1/2 ounces cachaça (you can find this in fancy liquor stores, I got mine in Total Wine; there's several brands, Leblon seems to be the middle of the road)
• ice
• water/soda water

In a pint glass, muddle half a lime cut into smaller wedges, a few basil leaves, and a teaspoon or so of sugar. Before I cut the limes, I always roll them a bit to get the juices flowing. Then add 2 1/2 ounces of Cachaça (now listen here, you know I am HUGE proponent of "use what you have"... but do NOT use just regular rum... I promise you cachaça has a completely different taste, and since you don't put a lot into this cocktail, it will absolutely alter the taste). So, once you have all this, add ice until the top of the glass. The liquid will not fill up to the top. So, top it off with water or soda water. You can stir it to combine, or I like pouring it all into a shaker, then pouring it all back into the glass. You can garnish with a lime or basil leaf or just drink it! HAHA!

Then take your cocktail to your balcony and really enjoy it :)
xoxo,
Janie from Scratch

Homemade Road ID

Ever since I started running on a regular basis, I've always been SUPER concerned that something would happen to me, and since I don't run with a phone or ID or anything, no one would ever know who I was. It's a serious paranoia of mine (amongst many others). They have ones you can buy online but they are super boring and sterile looking. So I enlisted my mom to help make one for my friend Ryan and I. 

Using my mom's embroidery machine I was able to create this super cute design, and then my mom sewed the button holes for the shoe laces. 

Jane B's machine stitching away

Then I laced it on and voila! Now I'll never be lost if something ever happens to me while I'm running :)

I can't wait to try it out at the Gate River Run in Jacksonville this weekend!


Side note: Ryan and I did our first 10k this weekend!! It was a great race. It was FREEZING and rained the first 1-2 miles, but after that, we both settled in and had a great run. It was funny because she was a little ahead of me but when we compared notes, we struggled and found it easy at the same spots. Mile 4 was great for both of us and mile 5 was terrible for both of us. And we even matched:

Twinsies!

So get outside and have fun! It's so nice out lately:)
xoxo,
Janie from Scratch