Limoncello & Lovely Links

Happy weekend lovelies! Hope you week was wonderful. I had a most amazing week myself and next week I am off to …NYC! I have not been home in awhile and I am looking forward to seeing friends, sleeping in late, a little shopping, catching up on emails, and let us not forget…lots of great food. There is no place in the world like New York City when it comes to restaurants. I will still be blogging so please stop by and say hello! Now let’s get to the “cocktail” and Lovely Links!

image via Taste

Today’s cocktail feature is not an actual cocktail but an Italian liqueur called Limoncello. This mouth puckering liqueur is made by steeping lemons in alcohol until the fruit’s oil is released causing the alcohol to turn yellow. The liquid is then mixed with a simple sugar syrup to create limoncello. This citrus flavored liquer is served in Italy as an  after dinner digestif in a small glass. However it limoncello is also used  in baked deserts,  as a topping on ice cream, and cocktails. If you love all things lemon, you  are going to love limoncello! It’s perfect for your spring and summer soirees. Why not make your own courtesy of Gia de Laurentiis.

Ingredients
10 lemons
1 (750-ml) bottle vodka
3 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups sugar

Directions
Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the lemons in long strips (reserve the lemons for another use). Using a small sharp knife, trim away the white pith from the lemon peels; discard the pith. Place the lemon peels in a 2-quart pitcher. Pour the vodka over the peels and cover with plastic wrap. Steep the lemon peels in the vodka for 4 days at room temperature.

Stir the water and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. Pour the sugar syrup over the vodka mixture. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight. Strain the limoncello through a mesh strainer. Discard the peels. Transfer the limoncello to bottles. Seal the bottles and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 month.

We started off the week with a palette of decadently rich colors in the Cake & Details board “Opulent Decadence”. Found the gorgeous preppy perfect Kate Spade New York “Mercer Drive” dinnerware in his and her colors…pink and navy. The understated yet glamorously chic Etsy jewelry boutique Studio 1040 was a favorite post this week and why not? Affordable and gorgeous. This “No Place Like Home” print via Red Envelope will always remind you and your beau how true those words are…every day. These pretty colorful spring flowers wrapped in twine by Be Imbued are picture perfect. This gorgeous Zahavit Tshuba wedding dress is still one of my favorite wedding dresses this year. The cap sleeves are perfection!

Weddings… Love Ruche? Who doesn’t and now there is one more reason to love Ruche! Head on over to Wedding Chick now; one lucky reader will win $1000 towards two Ruche dresses. Have you seen the latest issue of Mag Rouge? It is my favorite issue so far! It’s absolutely beautiful. Phenomenal job Kate! This real wedding with pink anemones and elegant simplicity over at Southbound Bride will have you swooning. I love all the details over at Pressed Cotton’s “Gentleman’s Corner” clever boxes, flasks, and whiskey stones for the gents in your wedding party. A dreamy peach-blush wedding venue fit for royalty…and every bride is a princess on her wedding day.

Life, Food & Decor… April is national Grilled Cheese Month? Use up your entire calorie allotment in one meal with this fried chicken and waffle grilled cheese {with a how to}. If you are watching the calories like me {it’s almost bikini time darling} these grilled watermelon and cheese bites are just as yummy…ok maybe not as yummy as fried chicken and waffles…but savory nonetheless. Still stuck on working on your goals? Worry not friend, it is only April but time waits for no one start realizing your goals and create a goal poster. See it do it!

Fashion… Be the first to know which dormant luxury brands are being relaunched {some you’ve never heard of}. A gorgeous collection of spring/summer dresses by BDBA spotted on ever so chic blog Haute Design. They are magical. If you think that black is too hot to wear for the summer months…it’s going to be a hot look for the 2013 spring/summer season.