In a nutshell

The weekend was splendid.

Pilcrow Lit Fest wrapped up with Opium's Literary Death Match and the Rebuilt Books Auction. Yours truly got appointed AV geek for a day and worked the microphones and lights for the event at the ViaDuct Theater. I am not in the habit of attending readings, but I'm going to start. There is something really cool about hearing people reading their stories. As a bonus I got to hang out with Amy Guth, her hub and a couple of friends afterward at the Silver Cloud Bar & Grill. I have a soft spot for that place because MizBubs, girl genius, once re-designed our kitchen and living room on the back of a cocktail napkin there years ago.

Sunday afternoon was my niece's first birthday party, and that was a blast. My brother and his wife throw a good party, and I waddled out of there fat and happy.

Sunday night we made our way over to the Tiki Terrace after a power nap, and had a few drinks at Retro Zombie Tiki Terror. The event was co-hosted by Kitty Zombie (an amazing character!), ChicagoZombie.com, ZombiePinups.com and Zombie Army Productions. Our very own Nora made a few clams doing zombie makeup, and then to top off the evening she won the zombie pin-up contest! Behold, zombies at the tiki bar in all their splendor:

Since it was Sunday, you know there were cocktails. And the Sunday Afternoon Cocktail was (of course)

The Zombie (recipe from this story about Beachbum Berry)

1 ounce fresh lime juice

3/4 ounce unsweetened pineapple juice

3/4 ounce papaya nectar

1/2 ounce applejack

1 ounce dark Jamaican rum

2 ounces Barbados rum

1 ounce light Puerto Rican rum

1/2 ounce 151-proof Demerara rum

tablespoon powdered sugar

Shake everything--except Demerara--with ice cubes. Float Demerara on top of drink. Garnish with mint sprig, pineapple cube skewered between red and green cocktail cherries, and a pinch of powdered sugar sprinkled all over.

Today we managed to get out into the yard to work on the annual de-whitetrashification. We repaired some loose stones on the front porch, weeded, cut the lawn and cleaned up the herb garden. While I was working on the porch, MizBubs, girl dynamo, got the idea of repairing and sprucing up our bird bath:



Finally, as a bonus, since today felt like a Sunday we had another cocktail. Today's 3-Day Weekend That Feels Like A Sunday Afternoon Cocktail was:

The Mint Julep

8 mint leaves
2 tablespoons simple syrup
3 shots of bourbon
crushed ice

Tear up the mint leaves and place in the bottom of a tall glass. Add syrup and muddle (the handle of a wooden spoon works well if you don't have a muddler). Add bourbon and stir. Fill the glass with crushed ice and stir again, garnish with a sprig of mint. Enjoy!