Tag: thirsty thursdays

Thirsty Thursday Luau Edition

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In trying to find pictures for Throwback Thursday, I realized I have a lot of pictures of adult beverages (that is said with pride, by the way!). As such, I’ve decided that rather than share pictures of me with bad 80s hair and glasses that legitimately covered half my face, I could easily share glasses of a much tastier kind. So without further ado, I present to you: Thirsty Thursday!

You cannot go to Hawaii and not go to a Luau.  Even if you don’t like pork or BBQ or don’t eat [insert random item here]. YOU’RE IN HAWAII–GO TO A LUAU!

We went to the Smith’s Garden Luau on Kauai–I can’t remember exactly why we picked that one, other than the fact that the Smith Family also conveniently ran the boat tours to the Fern Grotto.

It was very much a touristy place and the luau accommodated a large number of people, but it was such a fun evening: the after dinner show was entertaining, the pork was AMAZING!, and the drinks were flowing–especially the mai tais!

Plus we got big chunks of pineapple in our Mai Tais….how can you go wrong with that?!?!

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We laughed. A lot. We got lei’d.  We saw hula dancing.  We learned how to hula dance (much easier after a few Mai Tais, btw!).  And there was a plethora of food items from which to choose (I mean, you know how I am about food!).  Also, if I didn’t already mention it–the Kalua pig was divine!  I may have gone back for thirds.  We were good little tourists and tried the poi–it was interesting, I’m so glad we tried it…but THE PORK! I’m drooling just thinking about it!

Yes, it was touristy and there were a lot of people–but it was such a great way to spend an evening.  Here are a just few more pictures:

Aloha!

Thirsty Thursday To A Tea…

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In trying to find pictures for Throwback Thursday, I realized I have a lot of pictures of adult beverages (that is said with pride, by the way!). As such, I’ve decided that rather than share pictures of me with bad 80s hair and glasses that legitimately covered half my face, I could easily share glasses of a much tastier kind. So without further ado, I present to you: Thirsty Thursday!

On our last day in Kauai, we decided to take a drive–all the way around the island.  Well, as far as the road would let us go (although–we did see the parts we couldn’t drive to by boat, so technically I’d say we made it completely around the island!).

As usually happens in a road trip, we reached a point where we were eager to stretch our legs.  Conveniently, we found a roadside drink truck advertising pineapple tea.  How does one say no to pineapple tea in Hawaii? One does not. 


It was definitely a refreshing & tasty reason to get out of the car!

Aloha!

A Yo Ho Ho Thirsty Thursday

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In trying to find pictures for Throwback Thursday, I realized I have a lot of pictures of adult beverages (that is said with pride, by the way!). As such, I’ve decided that rather than share pictures of me with bad 80s hair and glasses that legitimately covered half my face, I could easily share glasses of a much tastier kind. So without further ado, I present to you: Thirsty Thursday!

I know, I know: I’ve already featured the Koloa Rum Company on Thirsty Thursday before…and yes, I’m featuring them again.  I mean, is there such a thing as too much rum?  I think not.

Please note that any and all complaints will be actively ignored while drinking from my stash of Koloa…

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Here we are congregated at the tasting bar as our lovely bartender took us through all the rums that Koloa offered: White, Gold, Spiced, Dark, and Coconut.  We all graciously took turns finishing April’s tastes, as she would take a small sip of each for prosperity’s sake and then would slide her glass down to each of us in turn–we couldn’t let delicious rum go to waste!

After running through the line-up, we got a brief lesson on the Mai Tai and Koloa’s version for anyone who wanted one (yes, please!).

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Tastings are daily–but there are a limited number of slots per tasting, so the first thing you need to do when you get there (of course you’re going to go–why wouldn’t you?!?) is sign up for a tasting.  After that, do take the time to walk around the picturesque grounds and visit the gift shop (just don’t miss your tasting!).

For the store and tasting room hours–not to mention directions, recipes, descriptions of their current rum selections, and their e-gift shop can all be found on their website.

The best part of perusing their website is that I noticed that they’ve added a new rum to their collection since we visited: coffee.  Helllllllloooo gorgeous!!!!  Could there be a more perfect rum for me?

My only question (because the previous one was rhetorical) is: who wants to go to Kauai?!?

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Aloha!

Thirsty Thursday Mai Tai!

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In trying to find pictures for Throwback Thursday, I realized I have a lot of pictures of adult beverages (that is said with pride, by the way!). As such, I’ve decided that rather than share pictures of me with bad 80s hair and glasses that legitimately covered half my face, I could easily share glasses of a much tastier kind. So without further ado, I present to you: Thirsty Thursday!

You cannot go to Hawaii and not have a Mai Tai.

SIDENOTE: Autocorrect wants to change Mai Tai to Man Tai, which is making me snort coffee out of my nose!

Sorry [wiping coffee off the laptop], where was I?  Oh yes, “you cannot go to Hawaii and not have a Mai Tai.”  Unless, of course, you are not 21 then you can totally go to Hawaii and not have a Mai Tai.  Same applies if you don’t drink.  Or can’t drink.

But if you can drink and do drink and are old enough to drink, then I feel like you cannot go to Hawaii and not have at least one Mai Tai.  It’s part of the experience.

I guess now would be a great time to mention that we’re in Honolulu–and we’ve just landed after a 9 hour flight from Atlanta. After we dropped our bags at the hotel, we walked around Waikiki for awhile and stopped in at Duke’s for a late lunch and our first drink (you can read about Tracy and my drinks from previous Thirsty Thursdays.  Christi had the Mai Tai pictured at the bottom of this post).  After that we walked around a bit more and then ended up at the hotel bar.  And before you make a I-cannot-believe-you’re-in-Hawaii-just-sitting-at-the-hotel-bar face at me, it’s not the standard-tucked-away-in-the-back-of-the-hotel bar.  It was a rooftop hotel bar where you could lounge by the pool or overlook the beach.  And the drink of the day was none other than the Mai Tai.

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Ironically, the Mai Tai did not originate in Hawaii or any where in Polynesia (where it tends to be the go-to drink), but in San Francisco.

Like all great things, there are some discrepancies about who created it and when, but the over all consensus seems to lean towards Trader Vic’s in the mid 1940s.  I don’t really know enough to weigh in heavily one way or another.  Plus, in the grand scheme of things Mai Tais are not my drink of choice–even in Hawaii–so I’ll leave the debating up to the aficionados.

However, I feel like with all this talk about Mai Tais, I’d be remiss if I didn’t leave you with a recipe for one!  I found Trader Vic’s Original Mai Tai recipe in an article by Rick Carroll.  If you click on the link, he is kind enough to give you a brief history of the mai tai, the recipe, and a list of places throughout the islands where you should drink one.

Trader Vic’s Original Mai Tai
  • Pour only 80 proof J. Wray & Nephew Rum over shaved ice.
  • Add juice from half a fresh lime.
  • Some orange curacao.
  • A dash of rock candy syrup.
  • A dollop of French orgeat (it’s an almond syrup usually made with rose or orange flower water).
  • Shake vigorously.
  • Add a sprig of fresh mint.

I’m also going to suggest an umbrella…just because!

mai tai

Aloha!

Thirsty Thursday: Tropical Itch

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In trying to find pictures for Throwback Thursday, I realized I have a lot of pictures of adult beverages (that is said with pride, by the way!). As such, I’ve decided that rather than share pictures of me with bad 80s hair and glasses that legitimately covered half my face, I could easily share glasses of a much tastier kind. So without further ado, I present to you: Thirsty Thursday!

When there is a drink on the menu called the Tropical Itch, how could you NOT order one?  I mean, I didn’t…but Christi did and really that’s more or less the same thing!

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I mean, c’mon–it comes with a back scratcher!  If you like fruity, tropical drinks how can you refuse something with a garnish that detailed?

In case you’re wanting to recreate a bit of Hawaii ambiance at home, here’s a recipe from Modern Tiki for a proper Tropical Itch.

Tropical Itch
1 oz bourbon (we used Four Roses)
1 oz 151 proof rum
1/2 oz orange curacao or triple sec
1/2 oz lemon juice
3 oz passion fruit puree*
2 oz water*
1 oz dark rum (we used Meyers)
1-2 dashes bitters
bamboo backscratcher, for garnish

HipaHipa!

My Cup Runneth Over for Thirsty Thursday

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In trying to find pictures for Throwback Thursday, I realized I have a lot of pictures of adult beverages (that is said with pride, by the way!). As such, I’ve decided that rather than share pictures of me with bad 80s hair and glasses that legitimately covered half my face, I could easily share glasses of a much tastier kind. So without further ado, I present to you Thirsty Thursday!

Of course, we all had some amazing drinks while in Hawaii, however, I realized that I have already spoken about a number of them already–so I thought I would repost them for you again on this Thirsty Thursday.

Hipahipa!

Whiskey Wipeout from Duke’s

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Coconut Mojito from Duke’s

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Koloa Rum Company Mai Tai Shot

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The Best Piña Colada in my life–MY LIFE–from Huggo’s On The Rocks

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Nani Moon Meadery

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Thirsty Thursday #17

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In trying to find pictures for Throwback Thursday, I realized I have a lot of pictures of adult beverages (that is said with pride, by the way). As such, I’ve decided that rather than share pictures of me with bad 80s hair and glasses that legitimately covered half my face, I could easily share glasses of a much tastier kind. So without further ado, I present to you Thirsty Thursday, all the way from Hawaii (for some strange reason I have a lot of pictures from Hawaii that qualify for Thirsty Thursdays…)!!

One of the great things about drinking well with others is getting to taste different things.  This is providing “others” are willing to share with you…or you are really good at sneaking sips when they are too distracted to notice you partaking in their beverages.

This is a Whiskey Wipeout, which is what Tracy ordered at Duke’s while I ordered last week’s Thirsty Thursday pic: Coconut Mojito.

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If you like all things spicy, this is a drink you should definitely get when you find yourself walking along Waikiki in need of a tasty beverage.  Find Duke‘s Barefoot Bar, rinse the sand off your feet and ask for a beachside table.   It has Jim Beam, Grand Marnier, pineapple chipotle syrup, muddled pineapple, and fresh pineapple and jalapeños as a garnish.  How can you go wrong with anything that has a pineapple jalapeño garnish?!?!?

 

Thirsty Thursday #16

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In trying to find pictures for Throwback Thursday, I realized I have a lot of pictures of adult beverages (that is said with pride, by the way). As such, I’ve decided that rather than share pictures of me with bad 80s hair and glasses that legitimately covered half my face, I could easily share glasses of a much tastier kind. So without further ado, I present to you Thirsty Thursday, all the way from Hawaii (for some strange reason I have a lot of pictures from Hawaii that qualify for Thirsty Thursdays…)!!

This little baby is a coconut mojito.  It was the first drink I had in Hawaii.  Blended, not muddled and oh-so-tasty!   While some at the table said the aftertaste was a bit reminiscent of catnip, I thought the creaminess of the coconut with the lingering of mint gave it an extra layer of delicious texture.  Paired with a sinking sun and a beachside table at Duke’s in Waikiki, I was in heaven 🙂

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PS–after some pressing and a lot harassment, it was clarified that it tasted LIKE catnip smells, not that anyone at the table partakes in catnip…at least that he/she is willing to admit!

Thirsty Thursday #15

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In trying to find pictures for Throwback Thursday, I realized I have a lot of pictures of adult beverages (that is said with pride, by the way). As such, I’ve decided that rather than share pictures of me with bad 80s hair and glasses that legitimately covered half my face, I could easily share glasses of a much tastier kind. So without further ado, I present to you Thirsty Thursday, all the way from Hawaii (for some strange reason I have a lot of pictures from Hawaii that qualify for Thirsty Thursdays…)!!

You’re probably wondering why I didn’t start my Hawaii-themed Thirsty Thursdays with a Mai Tai.  Well, truth be told, they’re not my favorite.  However, I did find one that I truly enjoyed (don’t fret, there will be more pictures of Mai Tais before I’m done with Hawaii Thirsty Thursdays).  Yes, it’s a shot…and while at the Koloa Rum Company we learned that to truly enjoy a proper Mai Tai, it needs to be remain layered rather than mixing everything together.  Thus: The Shot 😉

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Thirsty Thursday #14

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In trying to find pictures for Throwback Thursday, I realized I have a lot of pictures of adult beverages (that is said with pride, by the way). As such, I’ve decided that rather than share pictures of me with bad 80s hair and glasses that legitimately covered half my face, I could easily share glasses of a much tastier kind. So without further ado, I present to you Thirsty Thursday, all the way from Hawaii (for some strange reason I have a lot of pictures from Hawaii that qualify for Thirsty Thursdays…)!!

I’m going to start off with the best piña colada I have ever had in my life.  MY LIFE.  I will concede that I don’t usually drink piña coladas, but it does tend to be my go-to drink if I want something with an umbrella.  Fresh coconut, fresh pineapple…deliciousness from the very first sip until the very last of my fourth…or maybe fifth…one.  Details are a bit fuzzy at this point.  What?  We got caught in a torrential downpour (more about that later) and had to wait it out at this great little beach bar we found in Kona…

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