New Puggle, Booze, and ABBA

On Saturday, we took a road trip to the great white north....er....Maine, with three goals:

1. Pick up puggle puppy
2. Stop at New Hampshire State Liquor Store
3. Listen to ABBA's Greatest Hits

My primary goal was the booze, Jamen's was the pooch, and Ryan's was, well, ABBA. For the record, Ryan brought the CD along for the ride.

After a traffic-filled 2+ hour journey to Kennebuck, Maine, we arrived at the breeder's home, and Jamen once and for all welcomed Riley Cyrus into his world. I will take credit for amending her name, as Riley was simply not enough for this diva in training (the doggie, not Jamen).

This is Riley Cyrus. She's an 8-week old puggle, and quite adorable.










This is the New Hampshire State Liquor Store, a wonderland of spirits and vino, all tax-free and discounted atop that. Although NH is assuredly a purple state, and arguably a red one, they know how to drink, placating residents and passers-through with the promise of cheap booze.

It is impossible for me to leave this building without having spent under $150.

Yesterday was no exception.

But, now I'm stocked up. 8 standard bottles of wine, 1 magnum of wine, and ginormous 1.75 liter bottles of Bombay Sapphire, Martini & Rossi Dry Vermouth, and Parrot Bay, and a not-as-large-but-still-big bottle of Bailey's, all for $175.

I have never made a proper martini for myself, mainly because:

1. I technically don't know how
2. I have never had dry vermouth on hand
3. I didn't own martini glasses
4. I didn't have fruit / olive spears

I solved #2 on Saturday, and solved #s 3 and 4 earlier today.

#1 is still unsolved, but my cocktail book is now sitting on my kitchen counter, ready and waiting for later this afternoon.