Only one remedy for some hot, smokey weekend summer time blues.  Yep, you guessed it – a weekend all about ME with plenty of indulgence.  Let’s just call it my belated birthday bash(es) with the Burnaby Blues and Roots TODAY and The Lilac Tree Has Been Hacked to the Ground Film Festival.

Now take it away Little Miss Higgins …

Blues and Roots Checklist

• Water – check
• Hat – check
• Blanket – check
• Tickets – check
• Crazy Old Coot from Saskatchewan – check
• Stopping the Crazy Old Coot from letting The Great Garbonzo know where we are off to – X

Oh Hell, just give me some GIN.

In honour of the festival kicking off today and one of my favorite film festival goers and gin lover, Richard Gustin, I am raising a rather delectable glass of Sapphire Barcelona. A very lavish and luxurious tasting gin drink, made for kicking off film festivals in exotic locals, like Yorkton, Saskatchewan. So that you too can toast the launch of the film festival, here is Merlin Griffiths and Vancouver darling, Lorraine Murphy, concocting this delectable bevie:

A Cosmo for Me!?! (Photo by Richard Gustin)

The particular pregnant lady that I am currently taunting is Kerrie from Crunchy Carpets.  You see Kerrie loves gin and was recently invited to THE most fabulous party put on by Bombay Sapphire on the 58th floor of the new Shangri-la.  And because she’s pregnant, she couldn’t properly enjoy!  So she kindly offered the tickets to me.  Clearly that was before she realized that I get my kicks from taunting pregnant ladies.  So even though, I’ve already posted my favorite Bombay Sapphire gin bevie on Wet Coast Woman, I need to rub it in a little more here with the pics from the night:

Oh and here is the gin drink (courtesy of Bombay Sapphire) that got away, that I think may have been my favourite had I enjoyed it.  Sometimes I’m just too polite as I gave it to my guest, Richard:

Sapphire Ginger Mint

Glass: Highball or Collins Glass

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz    Bombay Sapphire Gin
• 3 oz            Ginger Ale
• 6                  Fresh Mint Leaves

Method:

• Place the mint leaves in your hand and clap once to open up the flavour.
• Add all ingredients to the glass and fill with ice.
• Stir well to mix the mint flavour through the drink.

And Richard’s favourite gin drink from the night:

Sapphire Comopolitan

Glass:  Chilled Martini Glass (medium size)

Ingredients:

• 50 ml           Bombay Sapphire Gin
• 25 ml           Triple Sec
• 50 ml           Cranberry Juice
• Squeeze of Fresh Lime

Method:

• Shake vigorously in a mixing glass filled with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass.
• Garnish with a flamed orange peel.

Thanks so much Kerrie, Ian Barr, Victoria Taylor, Ayesha Khan, Murray Bancroft and Merlin Griffiths!  An absolutely delightful evening!  Richard and I greatly enjoyed ourselves!