An ongoing tradition for the Boozy Blondes is to visit Sky Valley, Georgia, between Christmas and the new year. This episode gives you a raw look into a typical New Year’s Eve celebration during their trip – the annual Tournament of Champions – the favorite Drinking at Home night of the year! This year the group added an extra element to the tournament – Secret Santa onesies! Each player had to wear a onesie chosen by another competitor.
Today there is no DOE. The girls never mention what they are drinking in this episode, but it is very apparent they were overindulging prior to (and during?) recording.
The annual Tournament of Champions involves a bracket-style competition of seven games:
Pool
Shuffleboard
Darts
Foosball
Flip Tac Toe
Blackjack
Asshole
Six competitors go head-to-head to earn points in each game – the player with the most total points at the end wins a coveted spot on the podium. The girls interview the competitors following the 2022 tournament and ask them all the same questions:
Which of the competitors would you choose to battle one on one?
Who had the best onesie?
What game should be added to Tournament of Champions?
Which of the seven games in Tournament of Champions do you play the most in real life?
Who would you trade onesies with?
Listen to this sometimes cringy yet entertaining episode for an uncensored peek into the real world of drinking with the Boozy Blondes, and get to know the other Tournament of Champions competitors a little bit too – Rainer, Joey, Rachel and Phil.
1st place | Joey 2nd place | Chrissy 3rd place | Rachel 4th place | Rainer 5th place | Phil 6th place | Molly
Beware of high-pitched voices!
What are some of your favorite games that would be good for the Boozy Blondes to add to Tournament of Champions for next year? DM the girls on Instagram (@boozy.blondes) with your suggestions!
Wow. Chrissy really has made the podium every year! Impressive!
Get ready, lushes! The Boozy Blondes are sharing their recipe for the best ways to drink at home! Sure, cuddling up with your favorite glass of wine in the best seat in the house qualifies as drinking at home, but this episode takes it to another level. If you’ve been listening to the Boozy Blondes podcast over the past 20-some episodes, you know these girls take their drinking seriously – and always up a notch!
Drinking at Home Recipe (easy!) – 3 parts guests – one hearty serving of libations – a dash of the perfect theme
Mix these together for execution, and voila! Drinking at home just went up a level. The Boozy Blondes have hosted many different themed parties over the years of their friendship and give listeners insight how to recreate some of their faves:
WOW Party – Wine of the World…each guest or couple brings a bottle of wine and dish to share from an assigned country. Put out score cards for wines, and recommend guests bring a food that pairs well with their bottle. Make sampling stations, and enjoy!
Oktoberfest Party – host a night making flower crowns with your friends prior to the event. Create name tags with German names and host a German games competition.
Sports Party – when your favorite team is playing, it’s fun to lean in to the colors. Serve drinks and food that compliment your team’s jerseys!
Crocket Party – this is an oxymoron of a party – it’s a redneck version of croquet in fancy white outfits! Grab those plastic flutes for Champagne, pinkies up while eat tea sandwiches and survive the wickets!
Lockdown during Covid taught the girls to get creative with virtual activities while drinking at home. Virtual Bingo, Beer Pong, Drawful and You Don’t Know Jack were some of the best virtual drinking at home nights.
Yard Game Tournaments are a Boozy Blondes fave! Whether you go all out with team costumes and brackets or just get the gang together to throw horseshoes or bags, a little competition always keeps things interesting! The girls have been team HoboMolecule for at least 15 years now!
Along with yard games, card games and board games add some competition to your drinking at home night. YouTube has a great Power Hour series; the girls especially love the Totally Rad 90s Power Hour!
Hosting a beer tasting at home is a fun way to try new varieties. This has become a tradition for the Boozy Blondes during their annual trip to Sky Valley. Pick out some beers (or ask guests to each bring a six pack), set up sampling stations and download this handy beer tasting sheet! This is a great way to find beers you love – or hate! Be sure to have your camera ready to capture the bitter beer faces!
What are some of your favorite games/themes when drinking at home? Let the Boozy Blondes know in the comments below!
Settle in, lushes! We are crossing the pond and drinking abroad today! We highly recommend this episode if you’re planning a trip to Greece or Italy, or if you’d like to live vicariously through one of the Boozy Blondes and her fabulous trip overseas!
The DOE is aperol spritz (3 parts Champagne, 2 parts aperol, 1 part sparkling water over ice). In Italy spritz is big, made with any aperitif + Champagne + fizzy water. All the locals drink spritzes (especially as a day drink) and most often they are served with crisps (chips) or snack towers. This is your pro tip – order a spritz, it’s the best value – for about 5€ you get a drink and snacks!
Chrissy’s trip spanned over 19 days – and it was full of planes, trains and automobiles. And boats. Her trip was in late March/early April which is typically the off-season in Italy and Greece. During the off-season you can expect a low amount of tourists, it’s easy to get into restaurants, hotel rates are discounted, but the weather is hit or miss and not everything is open. Locals recommend traveling In September.
In this episode Chrissy shares travel tips, favorite bars and differences in the drinking culture as she takes listeners through her adventures in Italy and and cruising through Greece. She visits:
Milan, Italy
Venice, Italy
Padua/Padova, Italy
Verona, Italy
Madonna della Corona, Italy
Bolzano, Italy
Kotor, Montenegro
Mykonos, Greece
Santorini, Greece
Bari, Italy
One drinking culture difference in Italy – the coffee game is strong. Coffee bars are actual bars, and there are different trends for different times of day. In the morning grab coffee and snacks, breakfast pastries or meatballs. Meatballs for breakfast?! This may be the one exception to Molly’s “no morning meat” rule. They sound delish. Don’t get comfy though; locals enjoy their coffee and snacks while standing at the bar and move on. Starting around 11am the coffee bars start serving spritz and chips (crisps) – unlike breakfast, you can sit down for this one. Later in day, around 7 pm-ish is cicchetti (happy hour), then after 8pm, it’s time for wine with dinner.
Chrissy’s favorite bars in Italy:
– Vino Vero (Venice) – Chrissy enjoyed a cooking class in Venice with Lorenzo. (Lorenzo’s house made the favorite bar list too). He recommended his favorite at Vino Vero, Amarone wine.
Chrissy boarded her cruise ship from Venice and immediately noticed a big difference from the cruises the Boozy Blondes frequent in the Caribbean (listen to Episode 013 Booze Cruise for tips to making the most out of your weekend cruise). This particular European cruise was filled with young families, the drink package was not a priority (she was willing to bet she and Phil were the only ones with a drink package – they were ship favorites with the bartenders!), the activities were not in English, and it was a “commuter cruise” – people were boarding and debarking in all the ports. But similar to the Caribbean cruises, the ship docked in beautiful places!
The first stop was Kotor, Montenegro which was so picturesque or rather, Game of Thrones-esque, as Chrissy describes it. There were cats everywhere (they are protected), and Christmas is very big there. Chrissy recommends Caesar’s Wine Bar for the best charcuterie board and inexpensive wine.
The next port was Mykonos – a party place in season, but it was pretty much shut down when Chrissy was there. It reminded her of a little Venice and she visited Mykonos Brewing Company with Yoshi! (This is the only brewery on the island). She recommends Katerina’s Bar on water with great views and Captain’s.
There was one place Chrissy wanted to visit more than anywhere else – Santorini! “I had happy tears the whole time!” she says. While more places were open here than in Mykonos there still weren’t many tourists. If you visit, go to the Meteor Cafe in Oia and the Venetsanos Winery. Guests can take a tour here, and they offer a tasting flight with a meat and cheese board.
The last port was Bari, but Chrissy didn’t get off the boat this day. Perhaps an excuse to go back?
Chrissy’s parting tips in this episode:
You know it’s a long day of travel to get overseas – it helps to have airline club level (check out airline credit card deals if you aren’t currently a member) – long layovers = expensive bar trips otherwise
book First class on trains – she experienced both First and General fares and the ease of logistics and lack of stress in First Class is well worth the price
Pay for the international data plan for phones – download google maps and gps routes to avoid getting lost when there is no service or Internet
When in Venice, splurge for a private water taxi, not a vaparetto (Chrissy describes a vaparetto as a bus on water – it’s only 7 to 15 euro OW or you can buy daily, weekly or monthly passes, whereas a private taxi is about 90 euro but it takes your door to door rather than a random vaparetto stop. When you arrive in Venice, depending where the stop is in relation to your lodging, you may have to drag your luggage through streets quite a ways
Have you traveled to any of these locations? What are some of your must-sees?
Eavesdrop on the Boozy Blondes in Hyperion Brewing’s adorable beer garden as they dish with Hyperion’s Director of Marketing, Aprill Lundgren! Hyperion is a family-owned nano-brewery in the Springfield neighborhood of Jacksonville serving fantastic-tasting beers with bold flavors! Hyperion was the first stop on the girls’ Jax Ale Trail Volume 2 tour (episode 021).
The DOE is Water My Lawn, a 4% sour with lip-puckering watermelon flavor. (While the Boozy Blondes enjoyed this beer, Aprill sipped on Porchfest Gold, an easy-drinking 5% golden ale.)
Hyperion Brewing opened its doors in 2017. Aprill’s home-brewing friend wanted to take things to the next level. After looking for investors, they pitched the idea to Aprill’s parents, with the intention of her parents cluing them in to the holes in their presentation. To their surprise, Aprill’s parents loved the pitch so much, they wanted to invest and be a part of the operation!
Hyperion got its name through the inspiration of a special beer. Aprill once drank a beer called Kronos which made quite the impact on her. Kronos is part of the Titan Series in the Hyperion Universe which is how the name came to be. From here the team adopted a celestial vibe in the brewery and beer names, such as Selene Citrine (5.4% blonde ale with blood orange) and Phoebe’s PB (6.5% porter with a rich peanut butter flavor).
There are 15 rotating taps at Hyperion and in addition to Water my Lawn, the girls split a flight with Neopolitan Dreams (5.4% porter), Phoebe’s PB and Selene Citrine. They really, really enjoy the beers here. Hyperion invested in a reverse osmosis water filtration system, which strips the Jacksonville water they use of hard elements and controls the exact water profile of each beer they brew. The girls believe this 100% makes a difference in quality and taste and attributes to why Hyperion’s beers really stand out and are so delicious!
The brewery also includes a taproom, Chef’s Corner kitchen (hello, Sunday brunch!) and beer garden perfect for hosting events such as showers, fundraisers and even weddings! Hyperion offers fun events like trivia, drag bingo, storytelling, yoga and has a run club (note, there are few things the Boozy Blondes would willingly run for – 1. a good sale or 2. if they are being chased and running for their lives or 3. for beer #willrunforbeer). Follow Hyperion on Facebook and Instagram to keep up weekly events.
Another amazing and unique aspect of Hyperion (there are so many!) is the Helios Brewer’s Experience. If you want to get your hands dirty and be a brewer for a day, take advantage of this opportunity! As head brewer you partner with Hyperion’s Brew Master to bring your boozy vision to life. Choose what type of beer to brew and what flavor profiles you want it to have. It’s hands-on learning from scooping grains, weighing out hops and doing quality control checks (yes, it’s a full day of work!). Your beer will be featured in the tap room too! (Above it is mentioned Hyperion hosts weddings – what is more special than serving your guests your own craft beer?!)
The Boozy Blondes loved their time with Aprill, and they absolutely love Hyperion Brewing. They definitely want to book a day as boozy brewers with the Helios Brewer’s Experience and have already started daydreaming about the perfect boozy blonde beer!
The Boozy Blondes had so much fun on their first Jax Ale Trail run, they had to do it again (listen to Episode 006 | Jax Ale Trail Vol. 1 here). And after listening to this episode, it’s pretty apparent there will be many more volumes on this Jax Ale Trail trek before they visit all the breweries! They double-dipped some breweries on this second leg, so they didn’t cover as much ground as they anticipated.
The Jax Ale Trail is a collection of 22 breweries across the greater Jacksonville area, and in this episode the blondes made it to three – plus an Irish pub – plus their favorite German Speakeasy, Buchner’s Bierhalle!
The Jax Ale Trail comes with a passport that can be picked up at any of the 22 breweries on the trail. Passport holders earn prices as they collect stamps:
4 stamps = a koozie
8 stamps = a t-shirt
All 2 stamps = ??? It’s a surprise! The blondes really want to earn this one!
To earn your rewards, drop off your passport at the visitors center at 110 N Laura Street, Suite 120 in downtown Jacksonville.
The DOE is Berry Bonds Just Juicin’, a 3.8% sour with blueberry, blackberry, vanilla and lactose from Parleaux Beer Lab in New Orleans, LA. The girls love this pink sour and the baseball puns that go along with it!
The first stop on this leg of the Jax Ale Trail was Hyperion Brewing Company in Springfield. The girls interviewed Director of Marketing, Aprill Lundgren. Be sure to listen to Episode 022 | Behind the Booze – Hyperion Brewing Interview with Aprill Lundgren when it releases August 25, 2022, to get the inside scoop on all things Hyperion. Aprill and her team have built a fantastic brewery with amazing-tasting brews and strong brand.
The girls shared beers with Aprill (both drank Water My Lawn, a 4% watermelon sour; Aprill drank Porchfest Gold, a 5% easy-drinking golden ale) and gushed over the beautiful beer garden and delicious brews. They shared a flight, which included Neopolitan Dreams (5.4% porter), Phoebe’s PB (6.5% porter) and Selene Citrine (5.4% blonde ale), following the interview before moving on to the next stop in Springfield. Be sure to follow Hyperion on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with new tap releases and special events! Also be sure to check out the Helios Brewer’s Experience Hyperion offers – listen to Episode 022 to get all the details about being a brewer for a day!
Next stop was Strings Sports Brewery just up the road from Hyperion. This brewery is an active drinker’s paradise with a basketball court, darts, Jenga, a plethora of tvs to watch your favorite teams, a beer garden and food on site. The girls shared a burger – perfect base for day drinking! Strings has eleven rotating taps, along with a selection of wine, cider, High Noon, Odna Tequila Sodas and White Claw. Molly drank the Golden Sombrero, a 5% Mexican Lager, and Chrissy drank a lime-flavored Odna. You can follow Strings on Facebook and Instagram for all their fun happenings!
Next stop was a spontaneous decision – The Stout Snug in Murray Hill. The Stout Snug is an Irish Sports Bar and two-time winner of Jacksonville’s Best Irish Pub! This is a great spot with a full bar (and some pretty delish craft cocktails), live music three nights a week, trivia night and board games serving American and traditional Irish food selections. It’s also a creamery! The girls indulged in some craft cocktails here and played very competitive games of Sorry and Uno!
For dinner the girls made reservations at Buchner’s Bierhalle, their favorite speakeasy in Jax. They ventured here during their Jax Ale Trail Vol. 1 trip and had to return. This time they sat outside in the beer garden. Ryan was their server again (fave!), and they drank wine with their charcuterie board and giant pretzel. So good! Be sure to follow Buchner’s on Facebook and Instagram! There’s always something fun going on – and plenty of glamour shots of the amazing pretzel…
For more details on Tabula Rasa and Buchner’s, be sure to check out the blog for Episode 006 | Jax Ale Trail Vol. 1! The girls make a strong statement in this episode that Volume 3 will take them to all new breweries on the Jax Ale Trail – no double-dipping next time – and they will be on point (since memories of this day are a little hazy)! So stay tuned for the next installment on this Jacksonville adventure. Cheers!
Traditionally when you hear “Miami,” your mind instantly goes to palm trees, fashion, expensive cars, South Beach and non-stop parties. But did you know Miami is home to 40 breweries and beer halls nestled among the cute suburbs of its downtown? Miami hosts an often overlooked craft beer scene and the Boozy Blondes tackle a sliver of it in this episode.
The DOE is Vape Life by Tank8 at The Fermentorium in southeastern Wisconsin (hear more about the Fermentorium in Episode 12). Vape Life is a Cotton Candy IPA and the girls’ favorite beer ever! The also cracked cans of delicious Spa Goggles, a 4% ABV gose with cucumber and lime flavors from Ology Brewing in Tallahassee, Florida, since they crushed Vape Life in no time.
So the girls ventured south to Miami for Molly’s birthday. They planned a day-drinking brewery tour day and a Brewers game since they were playing the Miami Marlins. During the drive they stopped halfway to Miami in Sebastian, Florida, at Pareidolia Brewing Company. Pareidolia’s definition according to Miriam Webster is the tendency to perceive a specific, often meaningful image in a random or ambiguous visual pattern // the human ability to see shapes or make pictures out of randomness (like an ink blot test or seeing pictures in clouds). The blondes loved this concept and noticed multiple examples in the decor of the brewery. The logo is a perfect example of a pareidolia – it’s a barrel but it looks like a face!
Pareidolia opened in 2014 and was the first craft brewery in the area. Fun fact, the owners also co-founded the Treasure Coast Wine & Ale Trail: 9 breweries, one winery, one cidery and one meadery! You know the girls want to tackle this trail!
Anyway Pareidolia is family friendly and dog friendly, with a brew room, taproom and outdoor area. They feature live music, beer, wine, seltzer, cider, and food. As you know, food is very important to the Boozy Blondes, so shout out to drinklocalflorida.com who makes it so easy to find breweries with food in different parts of the state.
Before they left, the girls announced the winner of their Coppertail BrewingBeer it Forward contest – congrats to @seang_thatsme for winning a beer courtesy of the Boozy Blondes! Be sure to follow Pareidolia on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with all that’s happening here!
Second stop was Pompano Beach for a Happy Hour booze cruise to Lake Boca. Big thanks to Mike and Colleen, the booze cruise hosts – Mike even listened to Episode 13 (Booze Cruise) so he was prepared for the Boozy Blondes! After spending time on the water the crew stopped at Nauti Dawg Marina Cafe in Lighthouse Point for dinner. They enjoyed pretzels, burgers and grouper Reubens and were impressed by the fantastic service at this waterfront restaurant.
From here it was time to finish the journey south and check in to the hotel. They girls stayed in Brickell, Miami’s financial district and close to Wynwood where the brewery crawl would take place.
Wynwood is a beautiful, trendy suburb of Miami, and the girls definitely did not have enough time here! It’s an art district with over 70 galleries and murals everywhere! First stop in Wynwood was Cerveceria la Tropical – Cuba’s oldest brewery, but one of Miami’s youngest breweries. The girls were blown away when they walked up to this brewery. It’s stunning. Stunning! It’s pet friendly, open and airy with the brewery, tap room, beer garden, stage, kitchen and full bar all on site. Listen to this episode to hear the amazing history of this brewery stemming from its Cuban roots.
Chrissy drank the Mameycita (La Tropocal’s version of a pain killer) and had the Cuban sandwich. Molly enjoyed a flight of Nativo Key Suave IPA (4.5%) which was poured tank to glass, Noche Tropical (4.6% Schwartzbier), Tropicalista IPA (6.9%), and Berry Blush (5% wheat beer). She also had the Fields Forever cocktail (basil infused vodka, guava, strawberry and St. Germain) and ate smashed Brussels and Yucca fries.
The girls begrudgingly pulled themselves away to hit another brewery on their list but definitely want to return to Cerveceria La Tropical soon! Follow them on Facebook and Instagram for events and specials.
While it was difficult to leave La Tropical, the girls were glad they did because their next stop was Veza Sur Brewing, which they also loved! Veza Sur is home to a brewery, taproom and beer garden – and delicious beer and creative beer cocktails! It’s pet friendly, has lots of games and hosts a food truck on site. It’s adorable inside with a giant bookshelf behind the bar displaying hundreds of fun knickknacks.
Chrissy opted for a beer cocktail, Shoot the Moon, a super tart concoction of Veza Sur’s guava sour mixed with fresh Florida citrus, house brewed Campari and mint. Molly again ordered a flight that came with a bonus cafe con flan (5.6% ABV coffee porter topped with flan)! The other beers on her flight were Chismosa Raspberry Wheat Ale (6.4%), Lulo Sour (3.8%), Prickly Pear Sour (6%) and Key Lime Sour (6%). Everything was so good!
Veza Sur offers daily happy hour specials so be sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
Because the girls spent so much time at these two breweries, they were unable to visit any others. They had to get back and changed for the Brewers game at loanDepot Park, home of the Miami Marlins. The girls were impressed by the stadium and really enjoyed the game and atmosphere. Pro tip – if you arrive early hit the Bud bar in left field for $3.05 beers! During the game you can visit the 305 Concession Stand for $3 hot dogs and $5 beers (12oz cans). loanDepot Park is also home to Biscayne Bay Brewing Company!
While not on this trip, Chrissy was able to visit some other great breweries and bars in the Miami area:
3 Sons Brewing in Dania Beach, Florida. 3 Sons boasts “out of the box brewing” offering unique flavors and awesome food! It’s family-run and family friendly. During her visit Chrissy enjoyed Fer Sherbet (7.2% sour), Sour Scoop (8%) and Smooth Ops Pina Colada (6% Smoothie-style Hard Seltzer). She also ordered the ceviche! Has anyone ever has brewery ceviche before? It’s excellent at 3 Sons!
J Wakefield Brewing in Wynwood, Miami. This brewery is perfect for the Boozy Blondes – it offers lots of sours! This brewery is independently owned and used crowd funding to open its first brewery.
So while South Beach is fabulous and fun, the greater Miami area also has lots to offer and the Boozy Blondes and have only begun to scratch the surface. ¡Dale!
Grab a tropical drink and soak up those vacay vibes as the Boozy Blondes share their interview with Christine Albury, owner of Rip Ty’d Brewing in Nassau, Bahamas! During a port day in Nassau on a recent weekend cruise, the girls set out to find this adorable brewery they had noticed online before their trip. A bit off the beaten path, it’s a quick 15 minute walk east on Bay Street and south one block on Armstrong Street. Basically, when you get off the ship, take a left on Bay Street away from the Straw Market and Senior Frogs.
(Quick disclaimer – the girls’ shirts were hand-selected by the Boozy Bros in the first tourist shop they found on Bay Street. Each person chose a touristy tee for someone else to wear.)
The DOE is the Tipsy Mermaid. So cute! It’s Rip Ty’d’s watermelon pilsner, vodka, cranberry juice, club soda and a squeeze of fresh lime.
Rip Ty’d Brewing opened about 3 years ago. Christine’s late husband Tyrone had brewed beer about 25 years ago, and one day she and her business partner decided to learn how to brew the old recipe (currently on tap at Rip Ty’d, called Fools Gold, a 4% EPA). After mastering the recipe, they began to test the product in the market and had a very positive response. Soon later, Rip Ty’d Brewing was born.
The Rip Ty’d building is home to the brewery, tap room and beer garden. The tap room is designed with Nassau’s rich history and culture in mind. The centerpiece is the bar. It is an old sloop that had coincidentally been caught up in rip tide. The taps are hand-carved mermaids and mermaid tails. Old family postcards of Nassau’s landscape and original trades like straw work and sponging have been transformed to art pieces, allowing guests a look at how the island has changed over the years. When inside Rip Ty’d, you truly feel a heartbeat; you feel part of the Rip Ty’d family, and you feel part of the rich Nassau culture.
Rip Ty’d offers four to seven beers on tap depending on the season and also offers craft cocktails, serving whisky, vodka and tequila. (The girls each took delicious margaritas to go for their walking drinks back to the ship!) During their visit, four beers were on tap, so the girls tried them all! Fools Gold, Loose Goat Porter (7%), Island Hopper IPA (6.5%) and Farmer’s Daughter Pilsner (6%).
The beer garden is home to fun events and food truck nights! Be sure to follow Rip Ty’d on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with the happenings – there could be a fun event during your visit to Nassau!
Listen to Christine’s interview to hear about what it takes to run a successful brewery, challenges to brewing on an island and her expansion plans for Rip Ty’d. Make sure to visit Rip Ty’d Brewing next time you’re in the Bahamas and share your pictures with the Boozy Blondes! It’s truly an authentic place to visit in Nassau with a Bahamian made product. There are very few places like Rip Ty’d, so be sure to wander over and enjoy the craft beer and craft cocktails tucked away on a nostalgic street in Nassau.
(For more Rip Ty’d fun, listen to Episode 043 | Booze Cruise Vol. 2 when the girls go back to the Bahamas and visit Christine!)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA! Grab a hot dog, your patriotic gear and some sparklers while you tune in to this episode about America’s annual birthday party.
The DOE is Sour Me America from DuClaw Brewing in Baltimore, Maryland. This 5.5% ABV sour is as delicious as it is appropriate for the 4th of July and the description is fantastic: Like a patriotic, lip-puckering fruit popsicle in your glass, we’ve brought together three refreshing fruit flavors to rocket you into summer with ‘Sour Me America.’ Brewed with cherry & raspberry purees, lime juice & tart cherry juice. Sip freely!
The blondes dive into a little history and reminisce about Independence Day Celebrations past. The final version of the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, and a year later Congress adjourned early to celebrate the year anniversary of our country’s independence. Since then, game on. We celebrate year after year after year!
The Declaration of Independence authors were Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman and Roger Livingston. #themoreyouknow
Present day, the best places to celebrate are:
Boston, Massachusetts | weeklong celebration called Harborfest
Growing up the girls remember celebrating the 4th with their parents’ friends – Chrissy in Philly and Molly in Tunkhannock. The girls started celebrating together in the late 2000s outside The Villages, Florida, on Lake Weir. More recently they tend to stick around St. Augustine and enjoy biking around their own city who hosts one of the most spectacular fireworks shows over the Castillo de San Marcos and Matanzas Bay.
The girls wrap up this episode with some trivia. Do you know the answers? Tune in to see if you’re correct!
Where was the first Independence Day celebration held?
How many times does the Liberty Bell ring on every Independence Day?
What is the location of the nation’s oldest 4th of July parade?
What was the total number of people who signed Declaration of Independence?
What food is most commonly consumed on the 4th of July?
Listen up, all you fabulous foamers, this episode is for you. The Boozy Blondes take a trip along the Tuckasegee River in southwest North Carolina on the Great Smokey Mountain Railroad!
The girls recorded this episode on location in Sky Valley, GA. Visiting Sky Valley is an annual trip for the blondes after Christmas through New Year’s each year. When they recorded this episode, it was their 5th annual trip. Every year they plan a one-day excursion to explore the area around Sky Valley; this year they chose the Great Smokey Mountain Railroad trip with visits to two breweries.
The steam train left Bryson City, NC, and traveled at aggressive speed of 9 mph towards its destination of Dillsboro, NC. Chrissy kept waiting for “take off,” but the train crept along, taking its time along the river. The girls had planned this trip early (highly recommended to get your tickets way ahead of time) and booked a 1st class car on the train. You must be 21 or older to sit in this car which includes a bar, serves lunch (that you pre-order) and offers comfy table seats for two or four.
The bar offered a selection of good wine and specialty drinks and beer. The Boozy Blondes split a bottle of wine and were pleasantly surprised when they were allowed to keep their wine glasses! On the journey back, they ordered boozy coffee drinks and were allowed to keep the coffee mugs too! Bonus! They also left with souvenir travel cups (bottomless soft drinks while on the train) and a tote bag. And, they were served surprise dessert on the ride home! These little extras really added to the 1st class car experience that day.
Anyway, during the crawl to Dillsboro the train provided views of sets from two well-known productions – the 1950s classic Dave Crockett and the 1993 feature film The Fugitive. Fun fact, The Fugitive featured the first-ever Hollywood-filmed train crash! It took three weeks to prepare, and they had only one chance to get the shot. The train ride also passed through a haunted tunnel (much to Molly’s dismay and Chrissy’s delight); listen to the episode to hear the story about why it’s said to be haunted.
Before we talk about the breweries on this excursion, back to foamers, which we addressed at the beginning of this blog. If you know, you know. If you don’t (like the girls didn’t), look it up (obsessed train enthusiasts with professional photography gear). The girls were fascinated with the foamers who were fascinated with the locomotive carrying the Boozy Blondes.
During the hour and a half layover in Dillsboro, the girls visited Innovation Station, one of three Innovation Brewing locations. Chip & Nicole are the owners and Colin was the bartender when the girls visited. The loved the steampunk theme, awesome art and swag. Innovation Station has 32 taps, 25 host its own beer, and the other taps offer ginger ale, cider and wine. This location is home to the pilot brew house used for inventing fun varieties. There is also a food tuck on site.
When they returned to the depot in Bryson City, the girls made a quick stop at Mountain Layers Brewing Company. (Nantahala Brewing Company is also in Bryson City, but sadly, the girls didn’t have enough time to visit on this trip.) Mountain Layers is owned by Kim & Mark who vacationed in the Bryson City area for years. When they retired, they moved here permanently and opened the brewery. It’s a two-story building with bars on both levels. The brew house is on site and has a great outside rooftop area with fantastic views of the mountains and downtown. Downstairs is home to the beer garden and local food truck. Molly drank the Honey Just 2 More, a fruit beer with black currant, and Chrissy drank the Nitro Rocket Corner Oatmeal Stout.
The girls were big fans of both breweries they visited and the beers they tasted. And while they loved the train ride, they don’t see careers as foamers in the future. They prefer to be in the 1st class train car, enjoying libations and cards as opposed to chasing down the train to get pictures of it. One great picture was enough for them:
Please share any train rides you recommend with the Boozy Blondes! They’d love to experience another journey on the rustic rails!
Tune in to the Boozy Blondes’ most magical episode! 💫
There is something special about the magic of drinking in the most magical place on earth that keeps bringing them back to the annual EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival. Over the past 15 years or so, the girls counted at least ten trips to the gluttonous festival which holds some of their favorite memories.
The DOE is Imperial Crazy Mona from Tabula Rasa Brewing in Jacksonville, Florida. This Porter is aged in Rye Barrels for 18 months and is 11% – a little strong for these two, which is apparent as they giggle and gush about all the fun EPCOT brings!
The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival is “a taste tour across six continents, drinking around the world, travel, friends, food, booze – it has it all.” The Disney Food Blog provides tons of information and resources and describes the festival “…featuring incredible special events, informative culinary and beverage demonstrations, celebrity chefs, and delicious Marketplace Food Booths around the park, this annual event is a can’t miss part of the Disney calendar!”
The blondes discuss a brief history of the festival and share their insider tips to make your boozy adventure as amazing as possible. They start by sharing their must-brings to Food & Wine.
Top Things to Bring
Mickey or Minnie Ears – with endless options thanks to Etsy, you can purchase your ears at the park or before you go. Molly recommends the Etsy shop DearestEars for comfy and unique options.
Matching Shirts – again, thank you, Etsy, for endless options of unique, customizable products. There is no end to the Disney Drinking puns (bibbidi, bobbidi, booze…drunkest of them all…tale as old as wine…drinking beauty)! Fun fact – the blondes’ squad wore custom festival tees long before Etsy was a thing!
Food & Wine Passport – trust the boozy experts; it’s very difficult to remember all the delicious food and beverages consumed after a full day at the park. Passports like the one sold in the Etsy shop SansoneStationery are a great way to remember all those calories the next day – and remember what you loved so you can look for those items on your next visit.
Gift Card Wristlet – you can purchase these at select stores inside Epcot. It’s a handy way to hold your money – just swipe at each kiosk!
Backpack – some essential supplies are sun block, Chapstick, water bottles and a light hoodie, but slinging a bag over your shoulders allows your hands to be free to eat or double-fist drinks! Plus you can store any souvenirs you might pick up along the way.
Comfy Shoes – plan on walking A LOT. A full lap around the World Showcase is 1.2 miles – that does not include future world nor walking to your mode of transportation. So be good to your feet!
Sunblock – duh. It’s Florida, the Sunshine State. And most of your day will be spent outside.
A Plan – there is a lot to see and do and eat and drink. Map out your path and must-sees/must-consumes before you go. Plan a timeout spot.
Boozy Blondes Pro Tips
As stated just above – plan a timeout. Make reservations for the middle of your day to take a break from the insanity and outdoor elements.
Avoid the main entrance – it’s really cool to walk into Epcot and see Spaceship Earth, but using the World Showcase entrance in between France and the UK will save you tons of time and hassle.
Get a gift card – even if you don’t want to wear the wristlet, get a gift card and load it with your desired spending limit. Gift cards make it easy to pay and also keep you in check if you’re on a budget. Once you’ve drained the funds, reevaluate – time to go or time to reload?
Buy your Mickey or Minnie ears from Etsy. There are plenty of options at Epcot, but it’s always great to support local businesses, and the blondes have found Etsy options to be more comfortable than those at the park. If you have a Ears shop, please let the Boozy Blondes know! They would love to support your shop! They also want to add Boozy Blondes ears to their collection!
Start later in the day. It’s a long day, and it’s day drinking.
Check out the bar in Morocco. It’s a full bar and when the girls have gone, it hasn’t been very crowded, especially compared to other bars around the World Showcase.
If possible, avoid weekends.
If you can’t do the Food & Wine festival, try the Flower & Garden festival!
Going with a group? Make a theme – it’s fun and it’s easy to find members of your squad when you’re all wearing the same theme.
Pack a hangover recovery kit.
Plan brunch the next day. Yes, the whole point of the Food & Wine festival is to indulge and be gluttonous. But you will be hungry the next day, and brunch is a great way to relax and relive the adventures from the day before.
Wdwnt.com – Chrissy’s favorite Food & Wine app comes from here and all the kiosk menus are posted each year as well.
Please share your tips with the Boozy Blondes so they can continue to enhance their trip to the Food & Wine Festival every year! If you’re able to make a trip to this festival, the 2022 dates are July 14 – November 19.
Boozy Blondes 