Posts

The Bees Knees

Image
The Bees Knees Cocktail  is a classic Prohibition-era cocktail made with gin, lemon and honey. It’s brightly flavoured, lightly sweet, and just an overall delightful drink—hence the name. Enjoy one at home on a nice spring day. It tastes even better on a patio or balcony, if you have one.   For this cocktail I made my first honey syrup. The Bees Knees The origin of the phrase is unknown, except that it means of excellent or very high quality.  Some people believe that it is a reference to the fact that bees carry pollen in sacks on their knees, and that the expression therefore alluldes to this concentrated goodness.  Others maintain that the saying is just a corruption of the word 'business". Still others maintain the the 'bee' referred to is actually Bee Jackson, a world champion Charleston dancer who was very popular in New York in the 1920's.    VanDuesen bee hard at work. Note the nice knees. Ingredients 2 oz gin 1/2 oz Lemon juice 1 oz Honey syrup Dash Lavend

My Old Clock

Image
I came upon this phrase in one of Dawn's old cookbook collections. Yesterday is history Tomorrow is a mystery Today is a gift That's why it's called your present.

WANDERLUST NO MORE

Image
Wanderlust The Travel Store is closing.   This was the “map room” at “Wanderlust - The Travel Store” where I’ve worked my part time retirement gig for the last 3 years.   It’s now sadly closed forever - a sudden victim of the pandemic shutdown. This type of shop blossomed in the 60’s as so many of us young boomers hit the road for grand adventures. This was the time of Europe on $5/day, of VW vans, and flower power.   Wanderlust (the store) was established in 1980. It survived for all those years (and was recently thriving) on famous 4th Avenue in now hip and once hippie Kitsilano. It was one of the very few left across the country. Most had already fallen victim to globalization, the internet, and rising real estate costs.   I fear we will now lose many of these idiosyncratic little “mom n pop” shops which serve unique niche markets but offer more than merchandise. They sold t-shirts, or old records, or fancy teacups and lace. They are boutiques showing new designers or techniques for