Happy July 4th Weekend!! I hope you’re taking some time off to eat and drink and spend time with family and friends and essentially have a super fun week! I’ve certainly been doing a lot of that, and I’m looking forward to my little girlfriend getaway tonight to see J-Lo!!!! SO EXCITED!!!!
In today’s Friday Five, I want to highlight some fun summer cocktails that I’m looking forward to trying this month! These are fairly simple cocktails and they look absolutely delicious - I will keep you posted on Instagram as I try making these!
But before I get to the ones I haven’t made yet, I want to kick off with my favorite cocktail this year - the Negroni. This drink is so easy to make because it’s 3 simple ingredients: equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. Shake in a cocktail shaker, and pour over a single large ice cube. Finish with an orange twist.
Botanical gins are really big right now, and I’ve been using Tanqueray Rangpur gin for mine.
Cheers!
LOCAL BONUS:
In this segment I highlight some fun events happening in Cleveland over the next several weeks.
Starting June 20th - July 28th: Asian Lantern Festival is back!!! Head over to the zoo every Thursday - Sunday from 6:30- 10:00 pm for this amazing display of Asian art via lanterns. If you want a peek before you go, check out my recent blog post.
Every weekend this summer: The Terminal Tower Observation Deck is open! Take in some amazing views and take self-guided tour of this historical building. Advance tickets required.
July 6th: Ohio’s only organic craft distillery, Western Reserve Distillers is hosting tastings and tours. Come sample the Bourbon, Rye or Wheat Whiskey in addition to their Vodka's, Gin and Rum.
July 6th: The annual Larchmere Festival is back, this time with goats.
July 7th: Cleveland Color Run! Nick and I are signed up on a team with our friends Joe and Laura! You are more that welcome to join us - it will get you a small discount. Our team name is Adopt A Shelter Pet - we are walking/jogging a little through this 5k course, so don’t worry about training for this. We are not runners. This family friendly event is part of the All-Star weekend celebration so come have some fun!
July 10th: Asiatown Food Tour. This monthly event takes you on a tasting tour around Cleveland’s Asiatown. Didn’t know Cleveland had one? This tour is a great introduction.
July 11th-14th: Cleveland Tall Ships. Nick and I went to this the last time it happened and it was so much fun! This is a super fun event for families.
July 13th: Tequila Fest. Live music, taco eating contests, and world class tequila. I can’t think of better reasons to attend this event.
July 12th-July 14th: Cain Park Arts Fest. The Cain Park Arts Festival is a juried fine arts and fine crafts event, featuring the work of artists across the country.
July 13th: Sunflower Wine Festival This annual event raises money to fight cancer in children and this event is a sell-out event each year.
July 13th-14th: The Cleveland Flea Shop local, eat local, and experience local at the famous Cleveland Flea.
July 14th: Si Jolie! French Fashion in Cleveland. This is the opening night for this exhibit at the Cleveland History Center that highlights how Paris fashion motivated Clevelanders to travel abroad, influenced local fashion, inspired the golden age of department stores, and how significant fashion was socially. Celebrate Bastille Day with the Cleveland History Center!
July 14th: Yoga + Beer at Platform Beer My friend Alicia is an amazing yoga instructor (see her event in June) and she’s hosting a series of yoga events to benefit The Arthritis Foundation of Ohio. Each event includes a 60 minute yoga class and a free beer. Cheers!
July 21st: Taste of Tremont Experience Tremont’s finest restaurants in a super casual setting. Quick tip - do not drive to this event. Parking is the WORST! Just ride a bike or take an Uber/Lyft
July 24th- July 27th: BorderLight International Theater and Fringe Festival. Cleveland’s Inaugural Theater and Fringe Festival comes downtown. Check out my blog post previewing this festival and grab your tickets!
July 27th: CPL150 Street Festival! I’m a huge patron of the Cleveland Public Library, which is one of the top 2 libraries in the country (the other is the New York Public Library). This year the Cleveland Public Library celebrates 150 years with a huge celebration at it’s downtown branch. A must see if you love books, arts, puppets and everything in between.
I will update this list each week in the summer. ENJOY!