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Wine & Cocktails

Dwell, Fall, Living Room, Music, Wine & Cocktails

NOVEMBER 2019 SOUNDTRACK

Music lovers, I’m back today with a fresh Monthly Soundtrack for your listening pleasure! My November 2019 Soundtrack is a laid back, easy listening playlist brimming with 2 hours of eclectic and inspiring tunes spanning genres that have been fuelling my creative endeavours this month! I’m also still on a bit of a jazz kick — there’s something about cold weather and the approaching holiday season makes jazz sound so good (especially in front of the fireplace with a glass of your favourite libation!). As 2019 winds down I’ve been busy finishing up various projects while gearing up for the holiday season — and I’ve had this playlist on heavy rotation. It makes for great thinking, creating, writing, relaxing and entertaining music!

While I discovered tons of new artists and albums this month, Bahari’s Gameboy, boxboy’s i should probably get moving, The Hails Stay, Handsome Ghost’s Blood Stutter, the Savior Adore remix of Japanese Wallpaper’s Fooling Around, Akira The Don and Jordan Peterson’s Clean Up Your Room, Kasbo and Lizzy Land’s I Get You, Verzache’s I Don’t Wanna Be Nothin’, UTAH and Jacob Steele’s I Found You, Saavan’s Remember, Houses Fast Talk, Boojie Belgique’s Everytime, Maggie Rogers Love You For a Long Time, Andrew Applepie’s 11:11, Luna Shadow’s practice, EXES With Fire, Handbook’s Forgiveness, Blonde Maze’s The Kite, Saib’s Yoko, Kays and Akacia’s Dirty Heaven were my most played tracks. Thanks for stopping by to listen — and enjoy your Saturday, friends!

November 30, 2019 by Justine

Entertain, Fall, Flowers, Summer, Wine & Cocktails, Winter

VIOLETTE NOIR BERRY SANGRIA

Just ahead of the holiday season, I’m thrilled to bring my sixth sangria recipe to JustineCelina today (if you’re new here, why yes, I adore sangria!). In years past, I’ve shared my tried and true recipes created with wine and spirits you would traditionally associate with sangria — but over the years as I honed my mixology skills I’ve also become just as passionate about craft cocktails. Now that I have a well-rounded baseline of sangria and cocktail recipes to work from, I find myself drawn to more creative and interesting ingredient combinations and flavour profiles — and that’s exactly how the idea for my Violette Noir Berry Sangria was born! Although I have a Classic Winter Citrus Red Sangria (my original sangria recipe that inspired all the others!), I’d always wanted to develop a berry-forward sangria using less conventional grapes and liqueurs. So this summer, I got to work using some of the more elusive ingredients in our bar — and today I’m finally sharing the recipe, after 6 months of extensive testing!

My Violette Noir Berry Sangria is a dramatic, berry-infused libation where bold, luscious flavours of raspberry-laden Chambord, floral Crème de Violette, juicy blackberry and a fresh kiss of citrus intertwine over an elegant Pinot Noir backdrop. This sophisticated, Parisian-inspired spin on traditional red sangria is as intricate as it is accessible — seducing both wine lovers and skeptics with each delicious, antioxidant-rich sip. It’s the ideal accompaniment to festive cocktail parties, formal occasions, holiday dinners or anytime you’re craving a refined, wine-based bracer to delight and surprise even the most discerning of palettes! As always, my Violette Noir Berry Sangria brimming with fresh, better-for-you ingredients and is free of added sugars — because I believe in balance in all areas of life. Cheers to a happy and healthy holiday season!

November 12, 2019 by Justine

Entertain, Fall, Summer, Wine & Cocktails

SMOKED PEACH MAPLE BOURBON SMASH

Craft cocktail lovers, I’m back today with fall’s first libation in celebration of Autumn Equinox! If you frequent my FOOD or COCKTAIL sections, you’ll know that my most inspired creations are born out of making use of what we have on hand to yield unexpected combinations — and that’s exactly how this recipe came together. Late August is when our annual case of Okanagan peaches arrives and every year I end up going into peach recipe overdrive, while simultaneously eating my body weight in peaches. I’ve explored peaches in smoothies, sangrias and crumbles (that recipe will have to wait until next summer), but this year I had an itch to experiment with my favourite summer stone fruit in a proper cocktail. We’d been grilling up a storm for dinner one Friday evening and Adam had some delicious Smoked Maple Bourbon kicking around — and voila, my Smoked Peach Maple Bourbon Smash came to life right there on our patio!

This summer-meets-autumn sip juxtaposes the essence of juicy late summer fruit with a smoky grilled edge, infused with spicy autumnal warmth to create the ultimate transitional cocktail that’s equal parts sweet ‘n spicy. If you still haven’t had your fill of late summer peaches, get your grill on and imbibe this simple but sassy cocktail sure to impress both bourbon lovers and bourbon skeptics (believe it or not, I was the latter prior to this cocktail!). As always, my Smoked Peach Maple Bourbon Smash is free of dairy, gluten and refined sugar — and brimming with better-for-you ingredients, because I believe in balance in all areas of life. Grilled Okanagan peaches, Smoked Maple Bourbon, 100% pure Canadian maple syrup, fresh thyme, spicy ginger beer, fresh lemon juice, a splash of soda water and a dash of bitters are shaken to perfection and served over ice in this quintessentially September libation!

September 23, 2019 by Justine

June 2019 Soundtrack | Smiling brunette woman enjoying a glass of white wine in her bright and airy mid century modern living room during the summer | The Best Summer 2019 Soundtracks | Summer 2019 Music | Brunette woman wearing a knit tank top and white cropped jeans sitting on her coffee table | JustineCelina’s Inner City Calgary bohemian, mid-century modern apartment | Calgary Lifestyle + Interior Design Blogger // JustineCelina.com

Dwell, Living Room, Music, Summer, Wine & Cocktails

JULY 2019 SOUNDTRACK

Happy Friday, friends! This girl is so ready for a glass of wine and for the long weekend. If you’re in need of some fresh tunes to decorate your long weekend adventures, my July 2019 Soundtrack is ready for streaming! This hour and a half long playlist features a really eclectic mixture of tracks spanning genres from instrumental to rap, with an emphasis on hip-hop (there are so many new artists I’ve been enjoying this summer!). No matter what you’re up to this long weekend, this easy-listening playlist is full of summer anthems you’ll enjoy during August long weekend and beyond!

There are so many standout artists and tracks I discovered in July — including Lil’ Skies Name in the Sand, bülow’s Do You Mean and You and Jennifer (who we saw live at The Calgary Stampede), Dazy Park’s Heartbeat City, Kabo and ford’s Places We Don’t Know, Maree Docia’s At Last, Sunrise, Tennyson’s Wintersleep, Medasin and Kathleen’s Always Afternoon, Mood’s Bucket List, Machine Gun Kelly’s El Diablo and Candy (but I had the whole album on heavy rotation this month!), Hope Tala’s Lovestained, Amorphous and Amindi’s Alright, Jacques Green and Cadence Weapon’s Night Service and San Holo’s Lead Me Back. Happy listening and enjoy this beautiful long weekend!

July 31, 2019 by Justine

Entertain, Local Love, Occasions, Pantone, Spring, Vegetarian, Wine & Cocktails

RASPBERRY RHUBARB ROSÉ SPRITZ

In the wake of Summer Solstice, I’m so excited to share the first clean COCKTAIL of the season here at JustineCelina! Those of you who follow along with my Instagram Stories will know this one has been in testing since early April, when the first rhubarb of year starting popping up in my local farmer’s markets. This year I hosted the special ladies in my life for Mother’s Day brunch and created this signature cocktail inspired by them to celebrate the occasion! I’m happy to report my Raspberry Rhubarb Rosé Spritz received rave reviews after 15 rounds of testing and perfecting — my Mom even exclaimed “Now that’s a keeper!” upon first sip!

My Raspberry Rhubarb Rosé Spritz typifies the season in a jubilant celebration of all things feminine, fruity and nostalgic. Rhubarb and raspberries have always reminded me of my Grandmother’s garden and berry picking at the family farm — so I channeled some of my fondest childhood memories into this cheerful libation! A summer-inspired trio of rhubarb, raspberries and honey combine in a scratch-made Honeyed Raspberry Rhubarb Syrup to infuse this effervescent cocktail with seasonal panache, beautifully complimented by sparkling rosé, local craft vodka, soda water, fresh lime juice and a dash of bitters. Enjoy this pretty, Pantone Living Coral inspired spritz with the special ladies in your life this summer — it’s the perfect menu addition for your next summer soirée, brunch, baby or bridal shower, or girls night in! Cheers!

June 26, 2019 by Justine

Entertain, Pantone, Spring, Vegan, Vegetarian, Wine & Cocktails, Winter

GINGERED CARA CARA GRAPEFRUIT PALOMA

Clean COCKTAIL lovers, I’m back with 2019’s first better-for-you libation! I’ve actually been testing my Gingered Cara Cara Grapefruit Paloma since last February — but because my recipe testing process is so intense, believe it or not, my star ingredients went out of season by the time I had it perfected (call me crazy, but that’s how committed I am to the perfect cocktail!). So, I waited until the height of citrus season this year to publish the recipe — and I’m so glad I did, because the results are absolutely delicious!

Have you ever had (or heard of) a Paloma? In true JustineCelina style, I’ve elevated this traditional Mexican cocktail with a fresh, plant-based, seasonal spin. My Gingered Cara Cara Grapefruit Paloma is a simple, refined sugar free, 6 ingredient ode to citrus season in cocktail form! Freshly squeezed Cara Cara orange, Ruby Red grapefruit and vibrant lime juice combine with Reposado tequila, spicy ginger beer and a Himalayan pink salted rim to create a jubilant, citrus-centric tipple bursting with vivacious Spanish flavour. Escape the depths of our Canadian winter and transport yourself to a sun-drenched, white sandy beach in just 10 minutes — no plane tickets required!

February 18, 2019 by Justine

Pantone Colour of the Year 2019 Living Coral Inspiration | How to Incorporate Pantone's Color of the Year 2019 Living Coral in Your Home, Beauty Routine, Personal Style, Wardrobe, Flowers, Decor, Food, Drink and Entertaining this year | Living Coral Interior Design Trends | Pantone Living Coral Inspiration | How to Use Pantone Color of the Year 2019 Living Coral // JustineCelina.com

Beauty, Dessert & Treats, Digital Blooms, Dwell, Entertain, Fashion, Flowers, Food, Inspiration, Living Room, Makeup, Pantone, Plants, Roundups, Smoothies & Juices, Spring, Summer, Wine & Cocktails, Winter

PANTONE 2019 COLOUR OF THE YEAR INSPIRATION | LIVING CORAL

Happy love day, friends! This year, I’m putting a PANTONE 2019 Colour of the Year spin on Valentine’s celebrations with a warm, pink-hued introduction to all things Living Coral! By now, you’ve likely heard about 2019’s hottest hue — either here at JustineCelina, or elsewhere online. As a creative professional, I’ve followed PANTONE (the global colour authority for creative industries) for inspiration my entire career. In fact, I even have a section dedicated to them here on the blog to categorize all my PANTONE inspired work throughout the years! As someone who’s very inspired by colour, I love to stay informed about the latest colour trends and allow them to inspire, challenge and push my creative work.

As you can probably imagine, I’m particularly passionate about PANTONE’s selection for 2019! If you’re craving a serious dose of colour to help see you through these final wintery months as we (slowly but surely!) transition into spring, today’s post is an ode to Pantone’s 2019 Colour of the Year. Get ready for a mega dose of Living Coral inspiration — including my favourite ideas to inspire you to incorporate this beautifully vibrant and energetic hue into your personal style, home decor, plants, flowers, beauty routine and even your food and drink this year!

February 14, 2019 by Justine

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