Wow! I just saw it's been a solid year since I last wrote in...time really flies (when we're not in quarantine!)
Hope you're all staying safe, healthy + sane amidst these crazy times.
With all of this extra time indoors and at home, I can't be alone in wanting to experiment with new cocktail recipes (especially those who are homeschooling!) It was so nice out this weekend that I wanted a refreshing, tropical cocktail that would be light enough for day drinking...i.e. not a creamy pina colada. We had pineapple in our fridge so fresh pineapple margs it was! Recipe below...
Besides making cocktails, it's been fun to make new recipes. We've been loving the recipes on Marion's Kitchen for a change of flavor. Her 15-minute garlic prawn udon has been a favorite that we mayyy have made three times so far. Below is a picture of her basil stir fry – also excellent!
Otherwise, having theme nights has been a fun break from the regular. Taco night has been a winner – cooking up whatever meat you prefer and then putting out a bunch of toppings on the table like fresh guac, cheese, lettuce, pico, jalapeños etc so everyone can make their taco exactly how they'd like...and of course, taco night is not complete without a margarita! Playing some mariachi music makes it extra festive!
I think my most favorite activity so far has been wine tasting at home. I gave Apops an invitation and set up different stations of wine – starting with sparkling and ending with a heavier Cabernet. Each station had a snack as well so it was really fun!
Being a little creative during these tough times definitely helps lighten things up a bit! What have been your favorite recipes? Hoping this is all over soon – in the meantime, stay safe + healthy!
Cheers, guys!
Miriam
Fresh Pineapple Margaritas
What You'll Need:
Fresh pineapple
The juice of half a lime
2 shots of your favorite silver tequila
Half a shot of Cointreau or triple sec
Ice
What To Do: (Makes 1 drink)
1) Add about 8 cubes of pineapple to a blender and blend until smooth.
2) Strain the pineapple juice until it's just juice.
3) Add the pineapple, lime juice, tequila, and Cointreau to a blender with ice. (You can also do this recipe over ice and add the ingredients to a shaker), but blending everything cooled everything down nicely.
4) Blend until smooth
5) Garnish with a fresh pineapple slice + bonus points for adding Tajin or something spicy to the rim to balance out the sweetness of the pineapple.
A yummy variation, though we didn't have any on hand, would be to add some cilantro!
Also, here's a link to my favorite cocktail recipe of all time just as a refresher: https://lazyjackpress.com/blogs/news/cocktail-recipe-du-jour-fresh-watermelon-margarita
]]>Happy spring!
I have been loving this grapefruit and elderflower cocktail with either gin or vodka and have been making it quiiite often. It's refreshing and since it uses actual fresh juice, it's packed with tons of vitamins so it must have some health benefits, right? Bueller? What I love about this cocktail is it feels fancy enough for a weekend but it's also quick to whip up on a weekday. If you're really in a time crunch, you can sub out the fresh grapefruit for bottled, but if you have the extra three minutes, the fresh juice really does make all of the difference! You can even make a big batch in advance for when company comes over! (Or just save it all for yourself! teehee!)
Cheers, guys!
Miriam
What You'll Need:
What To Do:
1) Juice the grapefruit. I use a little hand held juicer - sort of like this:
It's not as efficient as a big juicer, but it does the trick.
2) To a highball glass filled with ice, add the grapefruit juice, gin or vodka, St.Germain and stir.
3) Top with seltzer.
4) Garish with some mint...it really compliments the whole drink!
]]>
Hey guys!
I’m so happy that winter is finally over and that spring is (basically) here!
One of my favorite things to do on a Sunday night is to have a theme night. It’s guaranteed to chase away the Sunday blues (if any) and it just makes a regular night a lot more fun and festive! Basically, you pick a theme either based on a trip you loved or even a local day adventure and make a meal from a cookbook or favorite restaurant, as well as a typical cocktail, and then listen to tunes from that place. It’s also a fun way to learn a new recipe!
Last Sunday, we did Caribbean night! We picked out a recipe from the cookbook of our favorite restaurant in Anguilla (Blanchards), listened to tropical music, and made pina coladas. (May have also worn matching t-shirts!)
Now, pina coladas aren’t normally my go-to cocktail because, aside from the brain freeze, they don’t pack enough punch for the amount of calories they boast, but bear with me here. This recipe comes from the bartender where we stayed and it was absolutely delicious! Also, because it calls for three different types of rums (yes, THREE!), you won't feel as guilty and it will definitely have you feeling fine in no time. Besides three rums, you definitely need fresh pineapple juice – it makes such a huge difference compared to canned pineapple juice! Trust me on this. The juice IS worth the squeeze on this one. Finally, grate fresh nutmeg on the top! Oh yeah, and never say no to a floater!
Here’s to a wonderful spring ahead!
Cheers!
Miriam
What You’ll Need (Serves 1)
- Fresh pineapple cubes – about 3 ounces worth
- 2.5 of Coco Lopez
- 1.5 ounces of Bacardi white rum
- 1.5 ounces of Malibu rum
- 1.5 ounces of Myer’s dark rum
- Ice
- Blender (if no blender, you can also serve this shaken over crushed ice!)
- Fresh nutmeg
What To Do:
1) Add everything BUT the Myer’s dark rum to the blender and blend until smooth.
2) Top with a shot of Myer’s.
3) Grate a little nutmeg on the top.
4) Garnish with an orange or pineapple wedge and/or maraschino cherry.
PS. Did you know that the pina colada dates back to the 1920s from Puerto Rico?
]]>
I just returned from the Atlanta International Gift Show and I'm feeling so excited and inspired. I'm so grateful about our new stores who have joined the family, our reorders, and new custom projects! I've already started designing for some of these projects and can't wait to see the finished product!
For those of you who have never been to the show, AmericasMart (the show venue) is absolutely huge! It's literally 59 miles of market and 7.2 million square feet!
I was lucky enough to be in the Toss Showroom (building 2, 813A) and was among some pretty great brands (and people). It was a preppy paradise!
Here are some picts of what my section looked like:
Next up: Toss Designs – they have cute/witty accessories for women – many of which can be customized with your hometown, initials etc!
Haute Diggity Dog – the snazziest toys for your dog! (Also the maker of the Barkin bag - my personal favorite!)
Next, Clairebella – such beautiful and preppy stationary, wallpaper and other gifts designed by Kathy. Literally obsessed with all of her designs!
Next stop: Fornash – super fun, bright, and preppy jewelry and accessories! I love all of their bright colors!
Finally, DefineMe Fragrance – a fun, fresh, and empowering fragrance brand for women! My personal favorite was their hair perfume!
Of course, we had zero fun! Love this picture of Connie sporting Haute Diggity Dog's Rolex watch dog toy, a perfect compliment to her outfit. Wouldn't you agree?
And no day was complete without some champs/wine at happy hour! It was so great getting to know everyone – from pow wowing about our businesses and sharing ideas, to sharing our (mis)adventures from the night before...
See you all next month at the NY Gift Show and get ready for round two this summer in ATL! If you're going to the show, make sure to stop by the Toss Showroom – not only do we have the best group of designers, but we also have the most fun!
Cheers!
]]>So this is sort of cheating since it's not a technical cocktail recipe, but peach wine is almost no work, super refreshing +delish, AND you're getting an extra serving of fruit! Win-wn-win! Let's be honest, sometimes during the week (begrudgingly) we don't have the energy to make an elaborate cocktail. I often want something more than just wine before dinner. Don't get me wrong – we normally opt for wine during dinner, but we like to have something different while we're cheffing.
While on our honeymoon in Italy, our concierge told Apops and I that we must try the wine with peaches. It was a local specialty. As there was a pretty strong language barrier, I didn't get an explanation, but I was obviously curious to try it out. Was it sangria? No. Was it super sweet with fruit juice? No. It was just dry, white table wine with fresh cut peaches. It wasn't life changing, but it did add a subtle extra layer of flavor that jazzed up the wine. And obviously, minus pouring the wine and cutting the peach, it's almost zero work.
I tried peach wine for the first time at a tiny restaurant in Amalfi that was on its own little island. They sent their boat to get us, which was so cool in itself. And after that, I was hooked. I had the peach wine everywhere I could (especially when the sun was blazing and we were taking a pool break – I had to rehydrate, you know?)
As it is still technically summer, I'm going to hit up the farmer's market in town today and add some peaches (while I still can) to tonight's white wine! Bonus: wine with peaches also goes super well with all things BBQ!
Cheers, guys!
Miriam
As I didn't have peaches last night, I added 4 raspberries to my dry rosé and it was also awesome!
Tending to our garden with the rosé w/ raspberries (look how domestic I've become!!!)
]]>I haven’t written a blog post in a little while here because it’s been prettyyyyy busy around here! If you’re not following along on my adventures, you should, btw, (@lazyjackpress on Instagram) then here's a little update.
So first, Apops and I moved back to my hometown of Belvedere (in the SF/Bay Area). It’s absolutely the opposite of New York, but at least we finally have a little outdoor space.
Kitty is adjusting also! (Minus trying to get her to walk on a leash – she did NOT like that!)
LJP moved headquarters also. New address: 114A Main Street in Tiburon – cross street Via Davina! Hehe. Those of you who know me, know it's my middle name. It’s definitely nice not to have dozens of tie and sock boxes taking over any and all available floor space.
Next, our wedding weekend. I’ll do a more in depth post about the wedding later when I get the official wedding picts back, but it was awesome having all of our friends come to Cali to see where I grew up/where we live…(love you guys!)
The weekend started off with a small welcome party at the San Francisco Yacht Club (pre-gaming at our house first).
The next night was our “rehearsal” dinner in Napa w/ lots of vino!
Finally, the weekend culminated in our wedding at Meadowood in St. Helena. It was absolutely the most amazing night ever. The food, Scott Beattie’s curated mixology cocktails (especially the MirPops – recipe coming soon!), the flowers, the setting, and the love – I hope I never forget how magical it was!
The next morning, Apops and I left for our honeymoon on the Amalfi Coast. Take me back (although I guess it is good I'm not eating pasta 2x a day anymore! lol)
That’s the update for now…lots of life changes! But I’m excited for the new adventures ahead. I have lots of new ideas and excited to be back and getting ready for LJP and the holidays!
Cheers, guys!
Miriam
]]>
My bridesmaids threw me the most beautiful shower ever! I'm still so excited thinking about all of the thoughtful details that went into making the day so special. Lazyjack Press is obviously a men's accessories brand, but I do love sharing some exciting personal moments (and milestones) with you all!
Can't even imagine competing with Ladyhattan's post of the shower - especially since she included my dating rules I gave her before she married Prince Erik!
Thank you to my ladies!!
M
Read Ladyhattan's blog post on the shower here: http://ladyhattan.com/manhattan-new-york-rooftop-bridal-brunch/
]]>It doesn't need to be Cinco de Mayo for us to enjoy a marg! This recipe is one I've been making recently on Sunday nights - definitely a cure for the Sunday blues! Also, this recipe calls for multiple veggies so it's a great way to knock out those pesky veggie servings. #amiright? It's definitely a winning cocktail that has a little bite – perfect for Cinco de Mayo and beyond!
Cheers, guys!
Miriam
What You'll Need (Recipe serves uno)
What To Do:
I just got back from an amazing trip to Italy. While I was there, I visited the mill where the ties are made. I knew making ties wasn't the easiest thing, but seeing the process really made me appreciate every little detail that goes into making them from beginning to end.
I'm particularly excited about our newest design: Camel Toe!
This one has been rolling around inside of my head for some time – I just couldn't quite picture the exact design. On my last Disney trip, I was on the ride, "It's a Small World" and there a couple of animatronics I've loved since I was a kid and always look for – one of them is a pink, furry camel with beautiful eyelashes (another favorite is the hula dancers in Hawaii – love them!) As soon as I saw the pink camel and its expression – I knew exactly what I wanted the tie to look like.
Now, when you have a tie called "Camel Toe," you have to try extra hard to make the design elegant in order to balance out the extra cheeky name. Plus, who doesn't love a critter tie? Below is my first sketch of the camel. As you can see, the eyelashes followed me back from Disney.
The finished tie came from Italy a few days ago and I just can't stop looking at it! I can't wait to be at a pop up or trade show and see people laugh when I tell them the name of the seemingly innocent camel tie is "Camel Toe" – though at this point, I don't think anyone should be *too* surprised!
Cheers, guys!
Miriam
]]>Not anymore.
Enter Lazyjack Press. Shaking up weddings and formal events and making them fun again! Ladies shouldn't be the only one's excited about what they're wearing at an event.
My sorority sister, Whitney, who is the Queen of Prep (no, really – she is!) first suggested yearsss ago that I look into making cummerbunds. I didn't really think much about it because the mill in Italy was sort of confused by the whole thing. But years later, with many a request later, I persisted and am so proud of the finished product. The cummerbund is our signature Re-Rack pattern (red party cups) on the same 21 momme Italian silk just like our ties and it is fabulous, if I do say so myself!
What's nice about the cummerbund is that you have options. It pairs with either of our reversible Mullet bow ties in blue or pink– so the wearer can choose either a solid bow tie with the party cups peeking out or obviously, full party cup mode. Of course, there's always just the Re-Rack bow tie – a classic, but winning combination.
So, crack open that beer and accessorize your way to a wild time!
Cheers!
Miriam
Ps. We'd love to see your wedding looks so please send us picts :)
Our Re-Rack Italian silk four-pleated cummerbund. Shop the look here.
The Mullet bow tie in blue. Shop the look here.
The Mullet bow tie in pink. Shop the look here.
The Re-Rack bow tie. Shop the look here.
]]>One of my favorite customers I met while at the Grand Central pop up market approached me about doing custom for a foundation she volunteers at. I always get excited about a new custom job since it's a chance to be creative and design something completely new from my line. But this project was extra special because the proceeds from the sale of the items will go to benefit animals in need – a cause I'm personally passionate about!
I think the logo is so cute! It has a feather, a leaf and a paw – covers all the wildlife bases and sort of reminds me of the circle of life!
So for men, we did navy ties with the logo.
For women, we did our Belvedere scarf in light blue with the logo.
I think it's going to be a winner! To learn more about the Wildlife in Crisis Foundation, click here.
Cheers, guys!
Miriam
]]>Hope you all had a great weekend!
We just did a photo shoot yesterday and it was so much fun! I was so happy that Nick modeled for us again (www.nickpeciaro.com + @NickPeciaro). He's such a natural and obviously, quiiiite handsome! And this time, we were lucky enough to have the truly talented Matt Hayek take our photos! (Mhayekphoto@gmail.com + @matthattanyc). Working with the two of them was such a breeze and it was so special to see the ties essentially come to life at some of NYC's most iconic spots.
Because we had such a dynamic duo on board, I wanted to share some behind the scenes shots. The shots below were taken on my iPhone while both Nick and Matt worked their magic, but hopefully, it shows some of the energy and fun we had while shooting!
Can't wait for everyone to see the finished photos!
Cheers, guys!
Miriam
Getting ready for the shoot!
Nick tying his first look at the Plaza w/ the help of a red Ferrari: The Re-Rack tie!
Lookin' good, Nick!
Matt + Nick in action!
Nick wearing the Tie One On tie!
Matt adjusting Nick's bow tie!
Nick in our reversible Blue Balls bow tie!!
Look 4: The Buckwild tie in green!
This is where a bird pooped on me, but think this series of Nick wearing the orange Mullet tie + Matt capturing him crossing this busy NYC street will be amazing!
Love this one!
Look 5: The Lazyjack the Knife bow tie! Also, how cute are our new shopping bags?!
First taste of fall!
Loved seeing Matt's vision come to life on his camera!
Blue Mullet time!
Getting ready to shoot some more magic!
Final look: Three Sheets to the Wind tie!
]]>Fun fact: did you know that you can find a bull shark in seawater AND freshwater and that they can even swim upstream? Scary! Definitely not a shark you want to run into in the water.
Well, it's a wrap, folks! After six months at our pop up in Grand Central, we are done! (Don't worry – we'll be back!) It was so great to connect with so many new people and to see a lot of our favorite customers as well! It definitely made those 7:30 early mornings much more bearable, especially on the days where it felt like I had JUST closed from the night before.
Very very rarely, we'd get a difficult customer. I had one person who kept asking me for ties with the entire Mona Lisa painted on it, or a tie in gold lamé or a tie with jumping goats on it. Needless to say, I completely struck out with her. It reminded me of one of my favorite shows, "Little Britain."
For those of you who aren't familiar, Little Britain is like a British version of SNL. It has two actors that play a bunch of different reoccurring characters in a sketch format. I was trying to think of my all time favorite character in the show, but they're all so hysterical and twisted in their own way, I can't choose!
Anyway, in the sketch below, Mr. Mann is a disgruntled customer who comes to (regularly) harass the shopkeeper. In every skit at the store, Mr. Mann wants something obscure and extremely specific that most probably doesn't exist. Even if the shopkeeper manages to produce the product by some miracle, Mr. Mann is not pleased (and makes his displeasure known). There's a link to the clip below if you just need a little laugh. Anyway, it's how I feel on some days, and thankfully, very rarely!
The show is on Hulu, ps, if this clip makes you curious. There are so many other amazing sketches in the series – definitely worth checking out!
Cheers!
Miriam
]]>I was so excited to collaborate with Sam + Olivia to make custom accessories for their upcoming wedding! At first, they were going to recolor one of our existing designs, but then decided it would be more meaningful to have a design that was special to them. The groom's family is from New Zealand so the kiwi bird seemed like a fitting choice!
Sometimes it takes me a while to get the motif or the repeat just right, but this one just came to me one day at our pop up and I hand drew it on a post it! It's cute (if I do say so myself) – not stuffy and perfect for a preppy September wedding at a New England yacht club.
The groomsmen will be wearing the custom bow ties and pocket squares, but they made sure their dads were included with matching ties! We will post picts of the ties in action once Sam + Olivia get married. In the meantime, congrats guys!
Meanwhile, you can shop "The Cheeky Kiwi" tie and bow tie on our website!
Cheers,
Miriam
To design custom accessories for corporate or wedding, email me at miriam@lazyjackpress.com.
To shop this tie, click here.
To shop the bow tie, click here.
Here's a closeup!
]]>Hey guys,
I'm loving this warm weather. Finally!
Alex and I have been (mildly) obsessed with a fresh watermelon margarita cocktail and we can't stop making it. It's so light and refreshing, yet feels like something we should be drinking on vacation in Miami or the Caribbean. The best part is you only need a few ingredients to make the drink and a quarter of a watermelon makes about 4 cocktails! Also, there's no added sugar so no guilt here!
Cheers!
Miriam
What You Need:
Watermelon (seedless is best)
Mint
Tequila (I used Espolon Blanco)
Lime
What To Do:
1) Juice your watermelon + strain the juice with a fine mesh sieve. We use a manual juicer we picked up at Williams Sonoma, but a blender is fine too.
2) Muddle about 4 leaves of mint on the bottom of a highball glass.
3) Fill your highball glass halfway with watermelon juice – about 4 to 5 ounces.
4) Add the juice of half a lime.
5) Add your tequila!
6) Add ice and stir thoroughly.
]]>
Father's Day is in 12 days!
As part of my deal with Billion Dollar Buyer, I designed custom ties and socks exclusively for Landry's for Father's Day. I absolutely love doing custom and this particular assignment was no exception.
For the tie, I took our popular Mullet tie (business in the front, party in the back) and did a little spin on it. It still has the beautiful woven silk in the front in a stunning shade of blue. But in the back, instead of our party cups, it has little Super Dad shields – reminiscent of Superman – e.g. Clark Kent/Superman – perfect for your Super Dad!
The socks are a "handy dad" theme. They're super cute and made on an unbelievably soft Pima cotton blend in Peru. I love the contrasting red heel and toe on the navy socks.
These items are available EXCLUSIVELY at the Golden Nugget properties and online at https://shop.landrysinc.com. They guarantee shipping in time for Father's Day too.
Cheers, guys!
Miriam
]]>With Memorial Day weekend around the corner (!!!), prime hangover season has begun. Is it just me or do hangovers seem to come more frequently and be worse than they used to?
Anyway, Alex and I did a day trip to Philly a few months ago. As we were leaving our favorite bar, (The Ranstead Room), and after sipping delicious cocktails with many different infused alcohols and muddled goodies, I made some sort of remark about how I'll feel these drinks the next day. The bartender didn't miss a beat and quickly whipped up his favorite hangover specialty: the Electric Current Fizz, an obscure cocktail from the 1800s that has started making a comeback.
I looked at the raw, runny, egg yolk doused in Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce in a shot glass and the tall, foamy, light cocktail in a highball glass he handed to me. No way. Period. Not happening.
"Bottoms up," the bartender said. He instructed me to first eat the egg yolk, breaking it in my mouth and then chugging the fizz – much like a Boilermaker – you want to down it before it separates!
Here goes nothing.
It was good. REALLY good. I love savory and spicy drinks anyway so the egg yolk with the hot sauce was great followed by the light, refreshing lemon fizzy drink. I could get used to this. And as promised, no hangover the next day.
Move over Irish Carbombs/Boilermakers – the Electric Current Fizz is here to stay.
Below is the recipe – remember, there's always a risk of foodborne illness so please be mindful if you're making this at home or having it out.
Cheers, guys!
Miriam
What You'll Need:
2 ounces dry gin
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
1/2 ounce sugar or simple syrup
1 egg
Soda water
Tabasco
Worcestershire Sauce
What To Do:
1) Separate the egg white from the egg yolk. Set the egg yolk aside.
2) Combine the lemon, gin, sugar, egg whites into a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously!
3) Top with soda water.
4) Put the egg yolk in a shot glass, careful to not break it. Add dashes Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco to taste.
]]>In case you didn't know, Mother's Day is fast approaching. It's on the 14th...yes, of this month! I love designing all of the ties, bow ties and socks for men with their cheeky patterns and witty names, but really wanted something that I could enjoy too. Besides the flip flops for ladies and the small scarves in the Riding Derby and Wasp designs, I really don't have much of a selection for women. Don't worry, I'm working on it!
I've wanted to do a colorful and versatile scarf for quite some time that would make people say, "Wow!" So, I'm pleased to introduce you to La Vie en Rose scarf made in Italy on 14 momme Hermes twill in 36 x 36 – such a luxurious and elegant statement piece. Plus, how cute is the tagline – everything grows with love!
There are 10 available. My mom is getting one, but don't tell her!
I love scarves and hope this will be a wonderful start of many more to come!
Cheers, guys!
Miriam
To shop our scarves, click here.
]]>Hi guys!
Hope everyone had a great weekend! Alex and I drove down to the Jersey Shore on Saturday just to get a little break from the city. I know what you're thinking – GTL. But seriously, over the last few years, there are some awesome restaurants and bars that have popped up over there as well as some old favorites. I always love me a little Martell's Tiki Bar for their oversized fresh squeezed OJ + Grey Goose and Red's Lobster Pot for their spicy and tangy lobster fra diavolo in Point Pleasant. But on the way back to the city, after reading some fabulous reviews on this one particular Bloody Mary in Asbury Park, I obviously had to check it out.
The good news: Asbury Park is even closer to get to from the city than Point Pleasant. And besides Porta Pizza, which may be worth a trip itself, the Asbury is a brand new swanky hotel with two rooftop bars, outdoor movies in the summer and a beautiful pool – perfect for a mini weekend getaway. You almost feel like you're in Miami rather than Jersey. (No offense to Jersey!) But I digress...The Bonney Read is located on the corner of Cookman Avenue on the main street and you can't possibly miss it. Even at 4:30 pm on a Sunday, it was bompin'!
Onto the bloody – it was garnished with a snow crab leg, a jumbo shrimp, celery, a large Spanish olive, lemon...yes, I'm still going – a clam, and bacon! The bloody itself was served in a giant mug (really giant) and the rim was lined with Old Bay and topped with three ounces of your choice of vodka, gin, or tequila. I opted for vodka. One of my favorite people on Twitter commented and said, "It would appear that someone has mistaken your cocktail glass for the Admiral's Feast at Red Lobster." (@Flinndiesel) I got a good chuckle out of that!
But anyone can stack their bloodies high with garnishes to detract from a subpar Bloody Mary mix. Not this one. This bloody packed a punch. It was flavorful, had tons of fresh horseradish and black pepper, was the perfect amount of spicy so my ears burned a little, and I'm sure there were some secret spices incorporated that I'd love to get my paws on. When I finished the mini seafood tower, I wasn't disappointed to just be left with their bloody mix, which is often the case.
I definitely recommend taking a break from the city and taking a mini adventure to the shore this summer! And don't forget the Bloody Mary at Bonney Read!
Cheers, guys!
M
Below are some more picts from the weekend!
The beach at Point Pleasant
At the Tiki Bar
Red's
The Re-Rack socks made an appearance this weekend!
]]>
We started the trip with a wedding in Houma and after, ended up taking New Orleans by storm – first stopping to do an amazing swamp tour. We had a limited amount of time on our trip so we definitely made sure we got to see as much of the historic bars/restaurants and sites as possible.
Another fun fact I learned while I was down south is that the Sazerac is believed to be the first cocktail invented in America. It's also the official cocktail of New Orleans. I obviously had to try it, right? We went to the Sazerac Bar at the landmark Roosevelt Hotel. I concluded after a sip that it was most definitely not my cup of tea, but I was glad I tried it. Also, the bar was gorgeous – dark, rich woods. I opted for an extra spicy Bloody Mary instead garnished with pickled okra. Delish!
Below is a recipe for the Sazerac. Below that is our thrilling encounter with one of the gators we saw on our swamp tour and our tour guide who proved he wasn't scared of anything!
Cheers!
Miriam
What You'll Need:
2.5 ounces of Rye Whiskey (or Cognac) – Sazerac Rye if you can find it works best!
1 Sugar cube
Absinthe
Lemon peel
2 Dashes Peychaud's Bitters
1 Dash of Angostura Bitters
Chilled old fashioned glass
Ice
What To Do
1) In an old fashioned glass, take the sugar cube with a few drops of water and muddle it. Note: don't use a cocktail shaker for this recipe!
2) Combine the whiskey (or cognac) with the two types of bitters and stir well.
3) Take your chilled old fashioned glass and coat it with absinthe making sure there is no excess liquid.
4) Pour the whiskey and bitters into the chilled glass and garnish with a lemon peel.
Cheers, guys!
]]>
Hi guys,
Learning how to tie a bow tie really isn't that hard. Promise. It does take plenty of patience at the beginning until you get the hang of it.
When I first started LJP, I had to learn how to tie a bow tie for our displays and it took me a while. It's not like I was a dude who enjoyed wearing them all the time so it was definitely a daunting task at first. After looking at tons of videos and dizzying diagrams that looked like a cartoon cat getting in a fight with lines going in all different directions (Heathcliff, anyone?), I found Bill Nye the Science Guy's bow tie tying tutorial and it clicked.
Everyone remembers Bill Nye, right? He's cool. He taught us as kids all about science stuff and how the Earth was formed so he is definitely qualified to teach us how to tie a bow tie.
Here's his video:
Bill Nye – Tying a Bow Tie is Not Rocket Science
If this video didn't quite do it for you, then I have another option. For anyone who learned to tie their shoes with the bunny ears analogy, this video is for you. In it, a guy is teaching another guy how to tie a bow tie using animal analogies like elephants, parrots and fish. Check it out below.
How to Tie the Perfect Bow Tie: Lessons from a Men's Shop
So for all of the people out there who have always wanted to tie a bow tie, but didn't know how to tie one – this is for you. Happy tying!
If you're inspired to try a bow tie, I usually suggest the Mullet bow tie, which currently comes in blue and lavender. It's reversible with the plain woven silk in front, with our iconic party cup print in the back (business in the front, party in the back). There are so many options for how to wear it besides the plain side in front or cup side in front, but that's advanced bow tie tying for another day :)
Cheers, guys!
Miriam
]]>I've been planning to do a music design for a long time but couldn't exactly what I wanted to do. Once I figured out what I wanted to do, the design came together quite quickly designs require draft after draft of digital CADs before we go into production, but Looking for Treble came together quite quickly and easily! Hope you guys like it as much as I do!
P.S. a big thank you to my college roomie, Melps for sitting on the phone with me brainstorming idea after idea for the name. How great is the name, by the way? Besides naming the tie, we had to come up with its tagline – probably one of the most fun aspects of the job! We (finally) decided on: "One time at band camp...but seriously, when the bass drops, you'll be looking sharp!" However, there were some other hysterical contenders that were deemed not appropriate. I present you the outtakes for the tagline of our Looking for Treble tie!
1) You don't have to say home and beat your drum, toot your own horn and soon you'll be tickling the ivories or strumming that G-string!
2) A reminder that you and your lady will be making sweet music later.
3) Where is the G-string?
4) Feeling horny? (get it, because there's a horn on the tie!)
5) One time at band camp...
6) Slappin' the bass...
And just for posterity's sake – here's the clip from "I Love You Man" – make me laugh every time!
Cheers, guys!
Miriam
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I can't believe it's been a week since our episode of Billion Dollar Buyer aired! It's been so great to get all of the wonderful messages and emails from you guys – every single one is definitely appreciated! It's also been nice to finally have my friends stop asking what happened. I was getting tired of fielding questions, as my poker face isn't the best!
But in case you missed it, below is a link to the episode. Watch it here.
The Chick Magnet tie.
]]>So our episode aired last night on CNBC and it was, needless to say, very exciting!
Without going into too much detail of what happened on our episode – just in case you haven't caught the episode yet, Tilman offered me a deal, which was higher than what I had proposed. I was shocked! At first, Tilman said, "I think your mom was right..." I felt my heart sink and my face go absolutely beet red. And after what seemed like a very long pause, he restarted his thought, "I think your mom could have been right..." It was one of the most life changing and amazing moments of my life! I had no idea he was going to give me a deal. In fact, I was pretty sure he wasn't going to. He went on to tell me how what I built was something special and that is something important. Now, I'm not a cryer but when someone so successful is telling you they believe in you and are going to personally invest in your dream, it's a very surreal feeling and I may have let a few tears escape. I learned so much from this experience...not only did I get a new logo, which is so fabulous, but I also learned that the sky truly is the limit for us at LJP. I'm so excited to continue doing what we're doing and definitely looking forward to all of the exciting things in our future!
I hope you guys loved the episode! If you haven't watched it, you're missing out!
Thank you, Tilman and the team at Billion Dollar Buyer.
]]>I'm so excited/nervous to watch our episode on Billion Dollar Buyer tonight. I'll be seeing it for the first time just like you guys!
Here are some picts of filming and behind the scenes. The crew was awesome! Although it was super high stress, we definitely had a lot of laughs.
Be sure to tune in tonight on CNBC at 10:00 pm eastern!
xoxo
Miriam
Day 1: Heading to first day of filming at Grand Central.
Amanda cheering Eileen (our lovely neighbor from Garden of Silver) helping our team member Ryan tie his tie! Love this pict!
Amanda and I sprucing up before Tilman arrives. Nerves at this point are at an all time high!
Tilman arrives!
Survived day 1 of filming!
Day 2:
Amanda and I heading to our challenge!
Day 3:
Getting ready for my interview.
The setup is pretty intimidating considering the only camera I've ever been on is my dad's old school camcorder!
With Candra
With the crew + Jack.
Part II:
Amanda and I arrive in Houston!
Landry's headquarters. Eek!
The ominous setup again!
Obviously have to have margs in Texas!
Day 2:
Getting ready for our bid in the conference room. Nerves are at such a high it's amazing I'm upright! lol
That's all you get for now!
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xoxo
M
The day started off in Reims (land of champagne) at Taittinger. Yup, that's a lot of champagne and it's all still done 100% by hand.
Followed by an exquisite dinner at Le Duc in Paris. This is the moment after Alex popped the question.
We obviously had to toast with MORE champagne!
]]>I was so thrilled and honored to be chosen for season 2 of Billion Dollar Buyer on CNBC! All I can say at this point is, what an incredible experience - from laughs, things being thrown, to tears - it was an experience I will never forget. Also, thanks to Tilman, I have a new logo that I absolutely am in love with.
For more on our episode, tune into CNBC on Tuesdays at 10:00 pm after The Profit! My particular episode will air on 1/10 but can't wait to see all of the drama unfold in the meantime.
Here's a preview:
https://mobile.twitter.com/billiondollartv/status/801097070526496768
Cheers!
M
]]>During filming (more on that later), I was asked if my dad ever wore ties. That question sparked a whole stream of memories. My dad wore a tie every single day – even if he didn’t have a meeting to dress up for. I used to love helping him pick out ties at Hermès the one time a year he’d grudgingly agree to go shopping (after being bribed with lunch). But each morning, I loved helping him pick out the “perfect” tie. Truth be told, I was utterly unaware if the tie clashed or complimented his outfit. Regardless, he’d put the tie on and head to the office. Looking back, I’d like to think I got it right most of the time, but who knows! It’s an interesting memory to think back on now that I’m designing luxury ties.
Cheers, guys!
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