Hi Friends! I’m Natalie Mason. I live in Charleston, SC and I am mom to Sterling 12 , Frances Moon 8 and our mini golden doodle Dolly.

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New Favorite Cocktail + Other Random Thoughts

Jun 5, 2015

Hooray for the weekend!  Matt and I are off to dinner tonight with another couple and we are going to try a new restaurant called here on James Island called the Screen Door.  I love trying new restaurants and I am so excited for a date night.

First things first since it is Friday I want to share a new favorite cocktail.  It is so easy and resfreshing:

Vodka + Fresh squeezed grapefruit juice + jalapenos + salt rim

Fresh squeezed grapefruit juice is key, don’t use store bought.  It tastes so much better if you juice a fresh grapefruit.

I don’t even like a salt rim on a margarita but I love it on this cocktail.  It just pairs perfectly with the citrus and jalapeno.

I have no actual measurements but this is an estimate of what I did.

In a martini shaker add ice.  Add a doubleshot of vodka per person, add the juice of 2 grapefruits, and one sliced jalapeno.  Shake all together.  Rim glass with kosher salt and pour drink and enjoy!

Who has been watching the Bachelorette? I am so glad Kaitlyn won, I just love her personality.

What do y’all think about the bromance on the show??  It just seems so staged me, I bet they are actors.  I have a few favorite guys and look forward to seeing who wins.  On another note who is shocked Chris and Whitney split?  Not me, she seemed way more into him than he was into her.

I can’t wait to pick up this issue of Vanity Fair.  This is all still a bit shocking to me, but I am so incredibly proud of Bruce for being true to himself.  I am also proud we live in a world today where this is accepted.  Everyone should be who they are at heart.  I know this was a tough decision for him to make, but also so brave and empowering.

One of my favorite lines just got picked up at Nordstrom.  Cooper and Ella was started by a fellow mom friend Kara, and I am so happy for her!

I am wearing the Rose Print Tee paired with my JCrew Tassel earrings (30% off)

Last night I enjoyed one of my all time favorite meals : Tomato Pie and Kale Caeasr Salad.  A perfect meatless meal.  Both recipes are under the recipes tab up top and I just updated it with all my recent recipes.

We leave for our vacation in a week!  I am so excited for some rest, relaxation. and adult only time- although I am already stressing about leaving my kids.  They are with me all the time so I know I am going to miss them like crazy.

A few pretties from JCrew coming with me.

Tassel Tunic | Red Dress | Tassel Necklace | Tassel Earrings

All 30% off right now with code SHOPNOW

These two melt my heart.  Now that Frances is getting a bit older they play together all the time and have the best time together.  I just love hearing them laugh and play.

If you are looking for a great Father’s gift, check out JL The Brand socks.  These are Matt’s favorite socks.  The quality is amazing and we love all the fun patterns.  You can use code SOCKS4POPS to get 25% off any purchase.

Rodney has been fitting right in over here.  He is such a sweetheart.  He loves to lay his head in your lap.

I have a new favorite lip color, thanks to Laura Mercier.  At my event last weekend the girls talked me into trying on this coral color and I fell in love with it.  It goes on like a lipgloss but lasts like a lipstick.  It is such  great color for Summer.

|| Laura Mercier Paint Wash in Coral Reef||

I need sone fun beach book recommendations for our trip.  Anyone read anything good?

I have been slowly reading books from this list Erin from Elements of Style recommended.  

Any favorites on this list?  I love the Language of Flowers and The Light Between the Oceans.

 Have a fabulous Friday!

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Leave a Reply

  1. Irene Toohey says:

    I think I'll make that dinner combo this weekend! You always come to the rescue! As for books, I have read and LOVED Prince of Tides, Sharp Objects, Cutting for Stone (But, not the best beach read, hard to get into, but amazing!), Little Bee (also AMAZING, but not light reading), She's Come Undone (one of my favs!). I have Room and The Kitchen House on my bookshelf and heard it's great. I think Bossy Pants is the best pick for a fun vacation! You will just devour it and laugh your butt off! Can't wait to hear more about the trip when you're back!
    Irene
    lifeandlovely.com

  2. Trish says:

    MUST READ: "West with the Night" by Beryl Markham. Truly one of the best books I have ever read! Hemingway says her writing puts his to shame, and that it's a "bloody wonderful book"!

  3. "Cutting for Stone" is one of my favorites! If you haven't read "Girl on the Train" yet…definitely a page turner!

  4. The Kitchen House and Girl with a Pearl earring are two of my all time favorites.

  5. The Girl with the Pearl Earring is my all time favorite book. A must read! If not at the beach, then at some point. Your kids are so sweet! I was so worried about adding another baby to our family, but it was the best thing we ever did. They are now 4 & 2 and have such a special sibling bond and play so well together. Now I just have to decide if I want to add a third… 🙂 Have a good weekend!

  6. I've read all those books and second Bossy Pants. The others are pretty heavy. I also just read A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams and it was WONDERFUL. I kept thinking it would be a perfect beach read. Have fun!

  7. Allison says:

    Cute outfits! She's Come Undone is in my top 3 and I'm an avid reader. Enjoy!

  8. I've never heard of tomato pie but that looks awesome! Is it similar to pizza (but literally a pie instead of a 'pizza pie')?

  9. Martha says:

    The best beach reading (well, actually, my favorite book EVER) is Beach Music by Pat Conroy. Blows Prince of Tides out of the water.
    Enjoy your vacation!!! We are heading to Playa del Carmen at the end of the month, and I can't wait!

  10. Jen Watts says:

    Have you read Luckiest Girl Alive??

    And I'm bummed about Whitney and Chris…

  11. I write a book blog and you can read my list of favorite beach reads here

    I would also recommend: The Opportunist or Mud Vein by Tarryn Fisher; Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, The Secret History by Donna Tartt; Night Film by Marisha Pessl

    Love that rose top and those tassel earrings!!!!!!!!

  12. That cocktail looks yummy, and I'm currently reading Sharp Objects, so far so good!

  13. Tess says:

    I just started 800 Grapes by Laura Dave and I'm loving it – solid beach read!

  14. Book Recommendations:

    Me Talk Pretty One Day- Hilarious

    The Prince of Tides or anything by Pat Conroy…. My personal favorite- Beach Music.

    The Invention of Wings- This new Sue Monk Kidd is a powerful novel

    Girl on the Train- Definitely worth the hype

  15. ohh be sure to let us know how you like screen door! xo jillian – cornflake dreams

  16. Blair M. says:

    Little Bee, Kitchen House, Orphan Train and Tina Fey's book are all BRILLIANT (Bossy Pants is hilarious)!! I also just picked up "The Royal We" – haven't started it yet but it looks great! Oh, and "Crazy Rich Asians" was sooo good, not "heavy" at all 🙂

  17. your doggie is so cute!!! I have read so many of those books but you must read The Light between oceans!

  18. Kate Duffy says:

    She's Come Undone and Room are both amazing! Room you will not be able to put down.

  19. Nickie says:

    Suggestion: A "Drinks" section under your Recipe tab. I'm always looking for a fun new drink to try…..and you have some good ones. 😉

  20. On vacation now and have finished Girl on the train and am about to finish the husbands secret by liane moriarty–both are so good!!

  21. Stephanie says:

    Excited to try this cocktail! I did a post on books I enjoyed recently. Hope you find a few good reads! http://ourfamilydodd.blogspot.com/2015/06/summer-reading.html?m=1

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