Enter The Old Fashioned.

My new favourite cocktail is so easy to make and delicious to drink. Instead of classic Angostura bitters, I used Orange Angostura – a trick I learned from expert mixologist Trevor Burnett.

• Fill glass with ice.
• Soak one sugar cube in 12 drops of orange bitters.
• Muddle cube.
• Squeeze orange zest (from the peel – not the white stuff) into the glass and let drop.
• Add 1.5 oz. of bourbon.
• Add 1.5 oz. of soda water.
• Give the drink a slow stir. Don’t “bruise the spirits”.
• Garnish with an orange slice and cherry.

Now to decide how best to drink the Aperol I bought…

Sources: ohbeautifulpaper, ohgo, eldoradobar, onthefourthfloor

OK first of all – these people are crazy. You are on TV!! And will be in magazines!! You. Be. Cray.

Guys even I know that satin is a bad idea. Even me! I feel like she wouldn’t let anyone help her get ready and all her minions gave each other the wide-eye-teeth-inhale behind her back. You know what I mean.

Tami Taylor nooooo. Actually, Tami Taylor would probably be really into this dress. Which means Connie Britton can’t let go of the character which is OK with me. Backing off.

Erin Wasson why did you do this? Did you really need the press? You made the Keep It Neil shirt for RVCA and you go out in public like this? Does not compute.

This was on a dare, right? You guys are SO FUNNY!

I don’t passionately hate this but I just want to point out that it’s pretty much identical to the dress my friend wore to Grad in 1998. Which is not at all long enough ago to be considered retro yet. I just expected more! She’s arguably one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood, so why the poorly cut dress? Oh, because guys like her boobs in it. Right.

Some more snoozes that I didn’t hate or love:

Hi I love you, girl crush. Snoozy dress though. You look really comfortable though, which must have been nice. Yah yah yahhhhh so anyways….

Your BFF-ness warms my heart. When you won the Globe, Laurie (I call her Laurie – CT forever) looked like she wanted to tackle you but restrained herself quite nicely.

Last year, Mila Kunis’ Oscar dress was one of my favourites so I guess she decided to get one made just like it this year. Pretty but…boring.

Now the really likes:

Girl, you can wear anything and I’ll still think you’re the coolest-looking of them all. Did I say girl? I meant your High Excellence.

Stunning. Not risky or anything but I love this dress. Most coveted.

I really like this. The hair and matching earrings, I dunno, but the dress is different and looks like something special. That’s all I want to see! Really special dresses from now on only.

More special. Expensive! Expensive can trump special especially when your husband owns Gucci.

I know Rooney Mara is an asshole, but this dress is beautiful on her. Super waif and ethereal and dark.

Something happened later in the night and Biel’s dress started drooping like a third boob (bummer!) but I think it looks great here. I’m a sucker for a good doily dress, and her hair just looks incredible.

Well, that’s it.

Not it’s not.

You didn’t think I’d miss this, did you?

hahahahahaha ahhhhhh she never fails to make me laugh.

I am into everything this picture has going on at the moment.

Long, short, tight and loose – great combo. If only I could wear a cropped leather jacket (football shoulders over here)

Sweats and jewels. Into it.

In about five months and four inches, this will be my hair.

So Clueless.

Matchy-matchy but still so clean and cool.

Creamy whites.

Any day, every day.

Shorts and opaque tights are awesome on either end of the transition in and out of winter.

Dirty hair day ‘do.

And sometimes I just save pics of people I wish I looked like.

(Most of this is probably from theyallhateus)

Monday morning update – dirty ‘do achieved:

Old to the internets, new to me. I love Beirut and this short film by Vincent Moon (aka my future husb) is exactly what my brain needs on a lazy Sunday. Zach Condon’s voice…forget it.

More? NPR taped a DC show last month – you can listen to it here.

Monday music to take the edge off.

This is a topic very close to my heart (literally). As a woman who is very, ahem, blessed (which is a stupid euphemism because we’re all #blessed), I have had a rough time fitting into bras. Being the biggest chested of all my girlfriends meant I looked to them for the “right” bra to wear. For a while it was the Calvin Klein sports bra (grades 8-10) and then it was whatever super dainty, comfy contraption I could find. Forget strapless! They were forever creeping down my ribcage and causing me anxiety. For years I wore the most ill-fitting ridiculous bras and knew no better.

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Then I was introduced to the breast professionals. My first fitting (which was about 20 lbs heavier ago) I was told I was an F30 (at the time, I was wearing a C36). (Note: The letter is the cup size, the number is the band size). I spent about $150 on an extermely tight-fitting French brassiere and proceeded to get wasted and rant at anyone within earshot about how ridiculously huge my boobs were (“I mean, imagine how big Pamela Anderson really is? She’s gotta be like a double V!”).

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Now I’m a lot less smaller but I still go to a professional for my bra purchases. I can’t shop at the mall stores because they don’t go as big as my size, but I know a lot of girls who are bigger than me and do. Consider this post a primer to get you thinking about giving up your current cup and letting a professional strap you in from now on! Here are some starting out tips to consider:

1. The back strap of your bra should sit straight across your back, no higher than your shoulder blades

2. The centre of your bra should sit firmly against your chest (you should have to struggle to fit a finger between the bra and your skin)

3. The cup should fit snugly, but not pinch into you, or bunch up in any way

4. If you’re larger, go for a soft cup bra as opposed to a moulded cup – they will fit better and you’ll get less “spillage”

4. Bring or ask for a fitted t-shirt to try over the bra to get a sense of how it will look day-to-day

5. A properly fitted bra should feel amazing – not uncomfortable in any way. If you’re fitted and feel uncomfortable, try a different place – there’s no science to this, sometimes it just takes time to find the perfect bra.

I now have some beautiful bras (specifically Freya) strapped and strapless, that fit me just right. Invest in your ladies, girls, they’re worth it!

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]]> http://thevodkablog.com/2012/01/04/perfect-fit/feed/ 0 Stokes OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA bra2 bra3 bra4 http://thevodkablog.com/2011/12/31/the-2011-wrap-up/ http://thevodkablog.com/2011/12/31/the-2011-wrap-up/#comments Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:37:51 +0000 Vodka Blog http://allisonstokes.wordpress.com/?p=3214 ]]>

Unlike 2010, 2011 was less of a roller coaster ride for me. Most of this year was spent celebrating other people’s big life changes – which is just fine with me. But that also meant that I spent a lot less time thinking about what I want from my own life. I don’t do regrets, but if I could go back to this time last year, there are definitely a few things I’d like to change. I feel like I’m finally back on the path I laid out in 2010 and I’m excited to make this year my best yet. I mean, the world’s going to end next December so I don’t have a lot of time, right (jokes).

I kicked off 2011 with a trip to NYC, which was just OK but also served as the impetus for how seriously I started to take my health (ironically, I was sick more this year than any other I can remember). One of the most vicariously exciting things that happened this year was the opening of my BFF’s store BYOB Cocktail Emporium – the shop has really thrived and I’m so so proud of my girl that I could burst.

I flew home and brought a boy with me. This led to some low times (thanks for sticking with me, y’all) but thanks to some amazing friends, I rallied right back. Rough winter! The summer got better, starting with my little sister’s wedding back in NFLD – but then my apartment flooded and I was homeless the rest of the summer…maybe this wrap-up was a bad idea haha. Moving on:

I got fake eyelashes (awesome!), went to my sister’s second (catholic blessing) wedding and got to move back into my apartment. I finished a contract and had a few weeks to myself before starting at a great new job. I had a dreamy Thanksgiving and an even dreamier Christmas.

I’m so excited for what 2012 will hold. Mainly, for the birth of my first niece or nephew in July – hurray!

Hope it’s your best year yet, too. Thanks for reading XOXO

Via theyallhateus

The most consumed booze on our Island – Lamb’s Amber

Snowfall at Hey Rosetta – encore performance of Fairytale of New York (watch it here)

St. John’s staple – The Ship

Purity display. There is no better soup cracker than a Purity Cream, let me tell you.

We have our own beer brands you can’t get anywhere else. NBD.

Favourite house decoration

This girl is growing up so fast

Elf on the Shelf for Maeva. Awesome new family tradition.

Favourite tree decoration

This flying monkey was my brother’s favourite gift

A good-bye shot of my beautiful city.

So long city, hello ocean.

Dinner at Grand Electric

Fitzroy Boutique pop-up shop

Furry decorations at BYOB

Feist at Massey Hall

Sick-bed buddy

Friendship bracelet making at my work holiday party.

Breakfast at Morning Glory

A juicer! This is the Omega Mega Mouth Juicer ($269) and from what I’ve read, it’s one of the best. I’m big on fruit and greens juices and I feel like if I owned this baby, I’d be mad nutritious.

This next one is also for the mornings: the Tivoli Audio Model One Radio ($179.99). Growing up, I’d wake up to the hourly chime of CBC Radio coming from the kitchen. It’s comforting to have the radio going in the morning, but it cannot be the alarm clock radio. I’d rather stick needles in my ears than listen to radio from an alarm clock. Traumatized, clearly.

As much as I try, I can’t go digital with my appointments. It’s so much better to have everything laid out, right in front of me. Nobody does organization better than Moleskin ($7).

I only just found out that Fieldguided designed a new tote for Summerland featuring lyrics from Stevie Nick’s Wild Heart (you know how much I love). This is coming my way, Santa or no Santa. Must. Have. (And pretty much everything else from the Summerland shop).

Books for Christmas are always welcome under my tree, although I usually get comics from my Pops (sweet). Diane Keaton is kind of the coolest and I want to read about her. Simps. ($30)

I’ve been on the hunt for a tea cozy ever since Kristen gave me my beautiful new teapot. Nothing beats a homemade knit, now I just need to find someone to make one for me (or a sweet vintage shop that sells them!). (Image via The Selby)

A new 2012 calendar from The Wild Unknown featuring KITTENS. Obviously. $30 from Catbird.

A Modern Friendship Bracelet from Biko ($85) would really add to my arm party, not to mention I’ve met the designer a couple of times now and she’s delightful. I love supporting local talent!

Is that too much? Am I super greedy?

I wasn’t joking about the comics.