Resources and Ridiculousness, Season 1

Episode 025 | Drinking at Home

Listen here!

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:

  1. 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!
  2. 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.
  3. Murder Mystery Party – assign guests a character and a dish to bring. Some options come with scripts, while other options allow guests to organically create their own questions.
  4. 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!
  5. 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!

Season 1, Travel - Where to Drink

Episode 024 | Drinking Abroad – Italy & Greece

Listen here!

Settle in, lushes! We are crossing the pond and drinking abroad today! We highly recommend this episode if youโ€™re planning a trip to Greece or Italy, or if youโ€™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, itโ€™s the best value – for about 5โ‚ฌ you get a drink and snacks!

Chrissyโ€™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, itโ€™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 Mollyโ€™s โ€œno morning meatโ€ rule. They sound delish. Donโ€™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, itโ€™s time for wine with dinner.

Chrissyโ€™s favorite bars in Italy:

Vino Vero (Venice) – Chrissy enjoyed a cooking class in Venice with Lorenzo. (Lorenzoโ€™s house made the favorite bar list too). He recommended his favorite at Vino Vero, Amarone wine.

– Sophias cafe (best craft beer)

Santa Maria (brewery in Verona – taproom)

Retro Wine & Cocktail Bar (Venice)

Cafe Rialto (Venice)

Caffe Vergnano (comparable to Starbucks)

Marie Bistrot (Verona)

Bottega Vini (Verona with 198 pages of wine)

Antica gelateria del corso (base of the Madonna della Corona church – Spiazzi, Italy)

Hopfen & Co (Bolzano, Italy)

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 โ€œcommuter cruiseโ€ – 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 Caesarโ€™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 Katerinaโ€™s Bar on water with great views and Captain’s.

There was one place Chrissy wanted to visit more than anywhere else – Santorini! โ€œI had happy tears the whole time!โ€ she says. While more places were open here than in Mykonos there still werenโ€™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 didnโ€™t get off the boat this day. Perhaps an excuse to go back?

Chrissyโ€™s parting tips in this episode:

  • You know itโ€™s a long day of travel to get overseas – it helps to have airline club level (check out airline credit card deals if you arenโ€™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 – itโ€™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?

Season 1, Travel - Where to Drink

Episode 020 | Miami: Bars, Breweries, Boats & Baseball: Pareidolia Brewing, Nauti Dawg Marina Cafe, Cerveceria la Tropical, Veza Sur, loanDepot Park (Milwaukee Brewers at Miami Marlins)

Listen here!

Traditionally when you hear โ€œMiami,โ€ 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 girlsโ€™ 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 Mollyโ€™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. Pareidoliaโ€™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 – itโ€™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.

They arrived right around lunchtime and with their food Molly ordered a flight of the Slow Paddle Porter (5.2%), Knee Deep in Peaches Smash Beer (4.7%), Gotta Guava Kettle Sour (4.7%), and Donโ€™t Call Me Ginger (5.9% Red Ale). She then ordered a regular sized Knee Deep in Peaches, her favorite from the flight. Chrissy drank Berry Good Seltzer.

Before they left, the girls announced the winner of their Coppertail Brewing Beer 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 thatโ€™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, Miamiโ€™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! Itโ€™s an art district with over 70 galleries and murals everywhere! First stop in Wynwood was Cerveceria la Tropical – Cubaโ€™s oldest brewery, but one of Miamiโ€™s youngest breweries. The girls were blown away when they walked up to this brewery. Itโ€™s stunning. Stunning! Itโ€™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.

(The girls return to Miami in Episode 037 | Miami Florida Breweries, Bars, Speakeasies and Little Havana and interview Cerveceria la Tropical brewer Harold Perez Mendoza in Episode 038 | Behind the Booze – Cerveceria la Tropical: Interview with Brewer Harold Perez Mendoza!)

Chrissy drank the Mameycita (La Tropocalโ€™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! Itโ€™s pet friendly, has lots of games and hosts a food truck on site. Itโ€™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 Surโ€™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 โ€œout of the box brewingโ€ offering unique flavors and awesome food! Itโ€™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? Itโ€™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. 

Chrissy also stopped at Marabou (great empanadas), American Social (fantastic happy hour), Limonada Bar + Brunch (spin the drinking wheel of chance!), Batch (distillery) and Versailles (world famous Cuban restaurant).

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. ยกDale!

Season 1, Travel - Where to Drink

Episode 016 | Disney Drinking, EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival

Listen here!

Tune in to the Boozy Blondesโ€™ most magical episode! ๐Ÿ’ซ

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 โ€œa taste tour across six continents, drinking around the world, travel, friends, food, booze โ€“ it has it all.โ€ The Disney Food Blog provides tons of information and resources and describes the festival โ€œโ€ฆfeaturing incredible special events, informative culinary and beverage demonstrations, celebrity chefs, and delicious Marketplace Food Booths around the park, this annual event is a canโ€™t miss part of the Disney calendar!โ€

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

  1. Mickey or Minnie Ears โ€“ 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.
  2. Matching Shirts โ€“ again, thank you, Etsy, for endless options of unique, customizable products. There is no end to the Disney Drinking puns (bibbidi, bobbidi, boozeโ€ฆdrunkest of them allโ€ฆtale as old as wineโ€ฆdrinking beauty)! Fun fact โ€“ the blondesโ€™ squad wore custom festival tees long before Etsy was a thing!
  3. Food & Wine Passport โ€“ trust the boozy experts; itโ€™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 โ€“ and remember what you loved so you can look for those items on your next visit.
  4. Gift Card Wristlet โ€“ you can purchase these at select stores inside Epcot. Itโ€™s a handy way to hold your money โ€“ just swipe at each kiosk!
  5. Backpack โ€“ 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.
  6. Comfy Shoes โ€“ plan on walking A LOT. A full lap around the World Showcase is 1.2 miles โ€“ that does not include future world nor walking to your mode of transportation. So be good to your feet!
  7. Sunblock โ€“ duh. Itโ€™s Florida, the Sunshine State. And most of your day will be spent outside.
  8. A Plan โ€“ 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

  1. As stated just above โ€“ plan a timeout. Make reservations for the middle of your day to take a break from the insanity and outdoor elements.
  2. Avoid the main entrance โ€“ itโ€™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.
  3. Get a gift card โ€“ even if you donโ€™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 youโ€™re on a budget. Once youโ€™ve drained the funds, reevaluate โ€“ time to go or time to reload?
  4. Buy your Mickey or Minnie ears from Etsy. There are plenty of options at Epcot, but itโ€™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!
  5. Start later in the day. Itโ€™s a long day, and itโ€™s day drinking.
  6. Check out the bar in Morocco. Itโ€™s a full bar and when the girls have gone, it hasnโ€™t been very crowded, especially compared to other bars around the World Showcase.
  7. If possible, avoid weekends.
  8. If you canโ€™t do the Food & Wine festival, try the Flower & Garden festival!
  9. Going with a group? Make a theme โ€“ itโ€™s fun and itโ€™s easy to find members of your squad when youโ€™re all wearing the same theme.
  10. Pack a hangover recovery kit.
  11. 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.
  12. Download the My Disney Experience app and Food & Wine Festival apps.
  13. Share items โ€“ itโ€™s fun to split things so you can try a bigger variety!
  14. Get a baguette in France โ€“ itโ€™s inexpensive, great to split and works to soak up some booze in your system
  15. Ride the Sky Buckets (aka Disney Skyliner)
  16. Buy annual passes strategically โ€“ if you buy your pass at the end of Food & Wine, you have more time to use it next year during Food & Wine.

Boozy Blondesโ€™ Favorite Resources

  1. Disney Food Blog โ€“ all things Food & Wine. The girls love the website and Instagram account.
  2. Oliviamichelleh.com โ€“ for all the Instagrammers out there, Olivia posts the best places for pics.
  3. Wdwnt.com โ€“ Chrissyโ€™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 youโ€™re able to make a trip to this festival, the 2022 dates are July 14 โ€“ November 19.

Season 1, Travel - Where to Drink

Episode 015 | Busch Gardens Bier Fest

Listen here!

What could be better than thrill rides, a safari, you best friends and a beer festival?! Not much, according to the Boozy Blondes. That’s why they love the annual Tampa Bay Busch Gardens Bier Fest!

The girls sip on one of their favorite bourbons, Woodford Reserve.ย  There was a special Woodford tasting tent at Bier Fest where the girls definitely spent some time!

So last year, Bier Fest ran on every weekend from August 13 – October 31. The 2022 dates for Bier Fest are only Aug 12 – Sept 5! Thatโ€™s not even a full month! But unlike 2021, it does not coincide with Howl-o-Scream (much to Mollyโ€™s delight). So there is a small window, but if you can make it, GO. The blondes loved it and would absolutely attend again.

The girls are huge Epcot Food & Wine Festival fans (listen to the Disney Drinking – Epcot Food & Wine Festival in two weeks!), and they both agreed Busch Gardens felt like a mini version of that – with more rides, more animals, less crowds and less cost. A definite win!

With your Busch Gardens admission ticket you have access to Bier Fest. Each item, food or beverage, is sold ala carte. Food ranges from about $6 – $10 per item, and drinks are about $11. BUT! They offer a sampler ticket! This is a must-have. If you listened to the Booze Cruise episode, youโ€™ll remember the girls discussing the drink package. They both love to purchase this ahead of time so the trip is worry-free when it comes to tallying up drink costs. This Busch Gardens Bier Fest Sampler is kind of like that. When purchased, the holder gets a card with a lanyard that gets punched with each sample – food or beverage (note, it’s full size food offerings, but 7oz beer or cocktail samples). Prepay and taste away!

The girls started out slow, hoarding their punches while they rode rides and explored the park, but with one hour to spare they realized they had a lot of drinking to do! As the tents were preparing the close, the girls rushed around collecting samples to fulfill the Sampler – beer, wine, bourbon – they had it all!

Both girls loved the bison sliders – that was the favorite food of the day. Unless you count the sugarcane straws that came with the girlsโ€™ mixed drinks. Chrissy ate her straw faster than she drank her drink!

Much of this episode talks about Howl-o-Scream and Halloween Horror Nights – places Chrissy desperately wants to take Molly who is insistent that she will never go. Be sure to listen to this episode if you want to join Chrissy in the โ€œletโ€™s scare the sh!t out of Mollyโ€ campaign.ย 

If you are considering visiting Busch Gardens Bier Fest, this episode is a must listen to. The girls talk about the ups and downs of the fest, some of the rides they enjoyed and animals they encountered. If you attend this year, or have in the past, definitely share your experience and pictures with the Boozy Blondes!

Season 1, Travel - Where to Drink

Episode 013 | Booze Cruise Vol. 1

Listen here!

In this episode the Boozy Blondes get in vacation mode, sipping their official go-to cruise drinks, talking all things cruising. If you could consider cruising a sport, the girls would take first place every time. Chrissy is an old vet at the cruise game and taught Molly her ways โ€“ even though she has a long way to catch up to Chrissyโ€™s experience, Molly is a quick learner and together the girls absolutely crush cruising.

The DOE and official go-to cruise drink is spiced rum and ginger beer. At home, the girls typically use Captain Morgan or Sailor Jerryโ€™s for rum, but they are split on the ginger beer. Chrissy prefers Goya brand for its extra spice and Molly prefers Fever Tree or Q Mixers (because she doesnโ€™t like flavor especially spice).

When on the cruises, the girls go with Kraken rum while the boys love Zacapa. On Chrissy’s group birthday cruise in 2019, the group was known as the Zacapa crew; all the bartenders knew thatโ€™s what the group was drinking when theyโ€™d walk up to the bars!

For years Molly was convinced she should never step foot on a cruise ship. Every time she was invited, and even times when she had them booked, something would happen that prevented her from going. Finally in 2018 the sun and the stars and the moon aligned, and her butt got on that ship. And she was hooked! โ€œCruise Mollyโ€ is the happiest person you will ever meet, and Chrissy was thrilled because her partner in crime would now scheme with her to get on even more cruises.

So even though the girls are obsessed and highly recommend cruising anytime you can, cruising is not for everyone. While the girls have avoided getting seasick, some people are more sensitive to that. Others feel claustrophobic being stuck on the ship. And there are stereotypes with cruising โ€“ the short weekend cruises are non-stop partying benders and the week-long cruises are full of old people. Just remember, itโ€™s what YOU make it.

At time of recording, the girls have only ever cruised on Royal Caribbean (since then, Chrissy has cruised overseas on a different cruise line), and they love it. The following information applies to cruising on Royal Caribbean โ€“ the girls arenโ€™t sure if the same rules apply on other cruise lines.

Most if not all cruise lines have a private island, and Royal Caribbeanโ€™s CocoCay has really upped its game over the years. In 2019, they opened the newly renovated island. They built a dock all the way to the ship so you no longer have to take a tender (those are not fun) and built cabanas, pools and a water park!

So as Boozy Blondes, the girls are huge fans of purchasing the drink package ahead of time โ€“ the deluxe beverage package which includes booze, of course. Before your cruise, watch the website for sales because itโ€™s close to $100/day without any discounts. Having peace of mind when it comes to an all-inclusive experience makes the girls happy, as opposed to keeping track of how many drinks theyโ€™ve had and wondering what that final bill will look like at the end of the cruise. The drink package also works on the private island, so you donโ€™t have to pay for your drinks individually there โ€“ there are exceptions, like the pineapple drinks. Those are not included. They are super sticky, but make great pictures!

The drink package includes bottled water, coffee, discounts on bottles of wine and tastings too! Speaking of wine, you are also allowed to bring two bottles per stateroom on board with you. Even if you purchase the drink package, itโ€™s nice to have these bottles in your room for while youโ€™re getting ready or relaxing on the balcony. #backupbooze

The girls put together some lists for you โ€“ including their favorite things about cruising, pro-tips, packing tips and general things you need to know.

Favorite things:

  1. The fact that you wake up in a new place every day
  2. Great for group trips โ€“ everyone does their own booking, can customize to their preferences
  3. Itโ€™s a choose your own adventure trip โ€“ so many options
  4. The themed parties (provided by ship or you plan one for your group)
  5. All the games โ€“ trivia, bingo, casino
  6. Live music
  7. Dinners โ€“ gluttonous but so fun and always delicious
  8. Drink package โ€“ the girls love getting boozy โ€œfor freeโ€ (they pay ahead of time, they know)

Pro tips:

  1. Watch for discounts online and purchase packages and excursions before you leave
  2. Bring 2 bottles of wine per stateroom on board
  3. Go to Windjammer in the AM โ€“ they sometimes have carts with mimosa and other drinks
  4. Make friends with your servers โ€“ they will take excellent care of you and customize your dining experience

Things to know:

  1. Tips/gratuity is included in price of cruise, but bring cash for servers and housekeeping for end of trip
  2. No irons in room โ€“ can get laundry service
  3. Some cruises come with drink packages and some offer different tiers
  4. You can reserve event space for private parties โ€“ and some rooms are free! Others you pay for with private bar and bartender
  5. For the drink package, all persons in stateroom must buy it if one person does
  6. You can get non-alcohol drink packages
  7. You can order water service to have bottles delivered to your room

Packing Tips:
(listen to Pack Like a Booze Traveler for more ideas)

  1. Inner tubes + bungees
  2. Special cruise cups (like the boozy blondes cups above)
  3. Plastic bags for wet clothes
  4. Dry erase boards
  5. Lanyard + hole punch
  6. Command or 3M hooks
  7. Pump hand soap

Itโ€™s always good to research your ports before you go. While the cruise line offers excursions, you can find some pretty awesome places on your own. The girls found Rip Tyโ€™d in Nassau on their most recent cruise, and met Christine, the owner, while they were there. Watch for the Behind the Booze episode to launch later this year!

Do you have pro tips for the girls when it comes to cruising? Please share them in the comments!

Resources and Ridiculousness, Season 1

Episode 011 | Booze Delivery: Winc, Wine Insiders, Beer Drop, Drizly and More!

Listen here!

The Boozy Blondes get deep in this episode as they reflect on the idea that time is the one thing you canโ€™t buy more of or make more of. Once itโ€™s gone, itโ€™s gone. Which makes booze delivery services so valuable. It saves the girls vital time when their life-stream is brought straight to them! And reallyโ€ฆis there anything better than having booze delivered right to your door? 

The market has been flooded with different options of booze delivery services. Where do you start? Which offers the best deals? Who has the best selection? Can you gift delivery services? In this episode the girls break down nine services while enjoying a glass of their DOE: 19 Crimes Red Blend mini bottles. They reference this beverage in their โ€œPack Like a Booze Travelerโ€ episode. You are sure to always find these mini bottles in both Chrissyโ€™s and Mollyโ€™s travel bags. And fun fact, the most popular booze variety to be delivered is wine.

Currently 44 states allow delivery of alcohol – and itโ€™s important to note this can differ by county in each state, so check your areaโ€™s rules before placing any orders. 

So going back to the most popular delivery, wine. The girls have tried 6 different services:

WINC (Get $20 off your first order here!)

  • 3 bottles/month ($39)
    • Sustainably sourced 
    • Offer most low sugar, organic and vegan options

WINE INSIDERS
*this is Chrissyโ€™s fave

  • High quality/ low price
  • Not subscription 
  • Free shipping with 6 bottles or more
  • Pick up locations if not home
  • Offer mystery box deals (all reds, all whites, mix)

FIRST LEAF

  • 6 bottles/month ($90)

NAKED WINES

  • $40/month membership and you can use that $40 toward purchase
  • Supports independent and small wine makers

BRIGHT CELLARS

  • wine matching quiz for taste profile
  • 4 bottles/month ($80)

VINESSE 

  • $99/ month, six bottles reserved for you – you can accept, decline or delay your bottles

Next the girls discuss delivery services specific to beer:

BEER DROP

  • great selection of beer
  • Easy to work with
  • AI-driven assortment (quiz)
  • Access to small breweries
  • $39/month
  • You can send this to someone – Molly received a Beer Drop delivery from Chrissy!

 TAVOUR

  • virtual case to fill with beer
  • Beer from 47 states (limited number released)
  • Ships to you once full

All-inclusive – wine, beer and liquor:

DRIZLY (Support our podcast by using our affiliate link here)

  • shop all local retailers and price check
  • Delivery under 60 minutes 
  • You can buy someone a drink through Drizly (Chrissy was gifted this from her brother!) As a gift, the recipient is notified and then can choose when to schedule delivery

TOTAL WINE

  • unsure how far delivery radius is? In Jacksonville, Florida, Total Wine does offer delivery services as far north as Amelia Island and as far south as St. Augustine.
  • Online ordering available for pickup, curbside or delivery. Chrissy has placed orders ahead of time and has her Boozy counterpart deliver (#phoneafriend)

The girls wrap up the episode as they do most, with their Fast Five questions. One of the questions was what drinks would you have delivered from a bar if you could and Chrissy answered Christmas drinks from Forgotten Tonic. Learn more about these drinks in our Behind the Booze with John Moore episode.

With so many options to choose from, the girls would love to hear your favorite delivery services! Leave a comment if you have a go-to. 

Resources and Ridiculousness, Season 1

Episode 010 | St. Patty’s Day

Listen here!

They say on St. Patrickโ€™s Day, everyone is Irish. When it comes to the Boozy Blondes, Chrissy has Irish in her blood and Molly has Irish in her name. So naturally, the girls love celebrating this religious Irish holiday (being celebrated by the Irish for over 1000 years)! But as you listen to this episode, youโ€™ll learn St. Pattyโ€™s Day boozy celebrations are more of an American party day than Irish party day.

The DOE is Glazed Over by Mobcraft Beer. In case you didnโ€™t follow the Boozy Blondes Instagram account (@boozy.blondes) over December, the girls celebrated the 24 days leading up to Christmas with a Mobcraft Beer Advent Calendar. Glazed Over is a 7.6% Imperial Cream Ale brewed with whole glazed doughnuts and honey, sprinkled with cinnamon, vanilla and just a hint of maple. One of the girlsโ€™ favorites out of the calendar.

While itโ€™s a religious holiday, most Americans celebrate St. Patrickโ€™s Day as a drinking holiday.  Green beer, whisky, Guinnessโ€ฆeveryone is Irish on St. Pattyโ€™S Day, right? Parades are a St. Pattyโ€™s Day staple and fun fact – the very first St. Pattyโ€™s Day parade in the whole world was held not in Ireland, but the Boozy Blondesโ€™ hometown of St. Augustine in 1601! And the Boozy Blondesโ€™ original hometown of Scranton, PA, has one of the largest St. Patrickโ€™s Day parades in the country! Scrantonโ€™s โ€œParade Dayโ€ is actually the second largest in the country for a city its size. The largest St. Pattyโ€™s Day parade in the world is in New York City; the parade in Dublin is #3.

The girls look forward to celebrating St. Pattyโ€™s Day in St. Augustine every year, especially when they are in town to attend Celtic Music & Heritage Festival. Whatโ€™s better than celebrating in the first US town that ever held a St. Patrickโ€™s Day party?! This year St. Augustineโ€™s Celtic Fest is March 12-13, 2022, at Francis Field in downtown St. Augustine. Celtic Fest is a 2-day celebration of music (with performances from bands like Albanach, Steel City Rovers and Jamison), food, booze, shopping, Highland games and kid areas. Daily passes are $15, but you can purchase a 2-day VIP pass for $80. This VIP pass gets you access to all listed above but also includes a free beer, t-shirt, special area access and private bathrooms.

Friday night (March 11th) hosts a whiskey tasting for $50. The Boozy Blondes bought their tickets minutes after they recorded this episode. They will get to sample 7 whiskies and learn the stories/history behind them. We’ll see if the girls remember the stories after sampling all that whiskey…

For the Boozy Blondes, no St. Pattyโ€™s Day is complete without the perfect costumes, and you can expect to see the girls decked out in their Celtic green! They would love to see your St. Pattyโ€™s Day dubs, so be sure to share your pictures and tag @boozy.blondes on Instagram!

Whether or not you attend Celtic Fest or the St. Pattyโ€™s Day parade in St. Augustine, there are plenty of great bars and restaurants to visit to soak in the Irish culture, no matter what time of year. Some of the blondesโ€™ recommendations are Barley Republic, Meehans, Bull & Crown, Kings Head British Pub, Ann Oโ€™Malleys and Chatsworth (with amazing Guinness stew).

Slรกinte!

Season 1, Travel - Where to Drink

Episode 009 | Keel & Curley Farm

Listen Here!

The Boozy Blondes dug out their boots, hats, overalls and plaid and spent the day down on the farm – Keel Farms…and Winery…and Brewery. Yes, so many fun things all on one piece of property! Quick background – Keel Farms was started by Joe Keel in 1981 across 10 acres in Plant City, Florida. In 2003 it transformed to a nursery for blueberries, and Joe used the end of year crop of blueberries to make wine. His first batch was 10 gallons.

By 2013 the farm expanded to 35 acres and regularly produced craft beers and ciders…along with the wine, of course. In 2018 Joe’s son Clay and his wife Carmen took over and focused on making the farm a family friendly, fun place to visit with dedication to sustainability and community.

The DOE is Dog Rose Crewing Company’s Lion’s Head Honey Sour, a 5.2% kettle sour with honey made by the bees posting up in the lion’s head at the Bridge of Lions in St. Augustine!

Keel Farms is definitely a destination, and the girls loved every minute spent on the farm. They happened to visit on Halloween, and there was a special event that day benefitting a big dog rescue. Because of its popularity the girls arrived right at 11am when it opened to try to get a table (they had called weeks prior to make a reservation, but they were already booked up – so, plan your trip well in advance). You know how important food is to the girls, and if they wanted to try a variety of ciders, wines and beers, they need to start with a good base!

Because of the special even, Keel Farms was offering the deal of a lifetime – at least it felt like the deal of a lifetime that day. If you said at the bar, for $10 you could get a bottomless flute. With your flute, you could try ANYTHING Keel Farms had on tap! This was a dream come true for the Boozy Blondes! (And Phil!) They tried almost everything on tap and both agreed the favorite was the seasonal pumpkin cider.

The food was delicious. They shared the fried gator tail as an appetizer, which had a surprisingly beautiful presentation! Rainer had the Cubano, Molly had the Wine Smash Burger and Phil & Chrissy split the Blue + Bleu Smash Burger.

After tasting until their hearts’ content, the girls got full sized pumpkin ciders and took off to explore the farm (and walk off those burgers). Keel Farms encourages guests to wander the property with a drink in hand, and the girls did just that. They had booked a tour, and Elizabeth was their tour guide. Full of dad jokes and an expert tractor driver, Elizabeth took the group through the production site and spent a little time with the Boozy Blondes following the tour (listen to her interview in this episode).

There is so much to do at Keel Farms, the girls want to go back as soon as they can. When they return, some must-dos include:

  1. Talk to Omar, head brewer
  2. Try Pecan Brown Ale
  3. Attend another event supporting the community
  4. Bring more friends
  5. Yoga in the vineyard
  6. Other tours (especially if Elizabeth is the tour guide)

Make sure to follow Keel & Curley Farms on its Facebook and Instagram pages to keep up with all the fun events they host throughout the year like trivia nights, live music, wine and flower arranging, charcuterie board making, 5k wine runs, etc.

As always, share your experience with the blondes! If you’ve been to Keel & Curley Farms, share your pictures and tell them about your experience through the Anchor app or in the comments below!

Resources and Ridiculousness, Season 1

Episode 008 | Tailgating!

Listen here!

The Boozy Blondes cover the fine art of tailgating. Yes, itโ€™s an art. Itโ€™s what the blondes look forward to most before (and sometime during) any outdoor event! Their experience over the years has led them to compile a valuable list of tailgating must-haves. Read on and follow the Amazon link at the end of this entry to access the ultimate tailgate accessory list.

The drink of the episode (DOE) is Pinot Noir. What?! Totally not a traditional tailgating go-to libationโ€ฆunless youโ€™re Chrissy who downed her weight in White Zin during her college years. Think about that. Running around, playing yard games, causing ruckus, chugging white zin. (Anyone else getting mouth sweats?)

When the blondes recorded this episode it was the start of Fantasy Football season. Molly (Fantasy Team, White Knucklers, shout out to The League) was 1-4, getting killed. We are happy to report this Boozy Blonde made an amazing comeback and took 3rd place in the Central Florida League!!!

During this episode the Boozy Blondes talk about the history of tailgating in their lives, and reminisce about tailgate days together over the years. Favorite tailgates include University of Central Florida (UCF) games and OAR concerts at The Amp. With their competitive nature the blondes always include games at their tailgates. Beer pong, Frisbeer and Flip Cup are their faves.

Chrissyโ€™s favorite tailgate ever took place August 30, 2014, in Dublin, Ireland. UCF played Penn State in the Croke Park Classic. (Days) prior to the game fans partied/tailgated at bars in Temple Bar Terrace. What better place for a tailgate than Dublin?! Game day was exciting – it was a close game, but the Nittany Lions pulled out a victory in the final seconds with a 36-yard field goal kicked by Sam Ficken. Boooooooo.

Living in St. Augustine, the Boozy Blondes arenโ€™t far from Jacksonville, home of the Jacksonville Jaguars. TIAA Bank offers a Tailgaters Lot – a dream come true for Chrissy and Molly! Traditional tailgating yard, real bathrooms (not outhouses), a full bar and TVs! Airstream Ventures have also got into the tailgate game by opening up River City Railway across from the Tailgaters Lot, 25 rail cars available to rent out!  This is a must-do for the Boozy Blondes!

Dream tailgates – both blondes chose NFL events for their bucket list spots. Lambeau Field (Green Bay Packers) for Molly and the Superdome (New Orleans Saints) for Chrissy. Both girls love the energy and team pride both cities emulate during game day and want to be a part of it.

So what do you think? Where should the Boozy Blondes experience tailgating? What are your favorite tailgate games? Favorite tailgate foods and drinks? The girls would love to hear from you, so send your thoughts through Anchor, comment on this blog entry or send an email!

Check out the Boozy Blondesโ€™ ultimate tailgate list here. Cheers!