SweetGirlSmirk

Maybe I'm just old, but I am over going out on St. Patrick's Day, the weekend before, or any time where people are expected to wear green and drink watered down "beer." I have come to hate St. Patrick's Day. Now, wait a minute. I wear a claddagh ring, I have more shamrock-y stuff lying around my room than a leprechaun in training, and I am one of the four human beings who actually enjoys the sound of bagpipes. My mother was a McLaughlin! If I can't love St. Patrick's Day, who can? For one, I love that a day is devoted to Irish culture, I hate the bar scene. I love the smell of corned beef and cabbage cooking in my home, I hate the smell of the vomit lining the bar bathroom, entrance way, parking lot, and the hair of half of the people here. I love toasting with a Jameson and cranberry, there are few things more offensive than coloring Miller Lite green and calling it "Irish" beer. I love listening to my favorite Irish artists, I hate the so...

A good drink can make a night. It tastes great, doesn't get you too messed up for the evening, and will ensure that you come back to the establishment again and again. There are 3 times that I have found such a drink (not counting beer on tap, but a quality signature cocktail). In part one of this series, I praised the virtue of the appletini from the Lowes Philadelphia . I am continuing with the apple theme for cocktail 2 (personal taste prevails, I guess) but with a major twist. The appletini is smooth and sweet, this one hits you much differently. I normally avoid specialty "shots" as they are typically overpriced, overfilled with juice, and do not give you a good bang for your buck. Maybe at 22 they were great, and maybe I am just showing my age, and I stay away. But at my hands down favorite place ( McGlynns at Pike Creek. It is a great restaurant/pub that is never too loud and the food and atmosphere is always pitch perfect) they have a daily list of drink specia...

Break out an Irish jig, it is time to celebrate St. Patrick's Day! Whether you fall asleep to the sound of bagpipes or list U2 as your best known Irish artist, here are 17 songs to get you through the 17th like a pro! Follow on Spotify here! 1. Flogging Molly- If I Ever Leave This World Alive 2. The Dubliners- Seven Drunken Nights art by Aaron Walls 3. Flogging Molly- What's Left of the Flag 4. Mundy- Galway Girl 5. Flogging Molly- The Likes of You Again 6. The Clancy Brothers- Tim Finnegan's Wake 7. Dropkick Murphys- Fields of Athenry 8. The Clancy Brothers- Galway Bay 9. Flogging Molly- Rebels of the Sacred Heart 10. Dropkick Murphys- The Wild Rover 11. Dropkick Murphys- Amazing Grace 12. Dropkick Murphys- The Green Fields of France 13. The Pogues- The Irish Rover 14.The Dubliners- Whiskey in the Jar 15. The High Kings- Rocky Road to Dublin 16. Dropkick Murphys- Black Velvet Band 17. The Irish Rovers- Drunken Sailor KimmayJ  is an Irish American...

I have become obsessed with super easy desserts. Like the whole pour a can of pineapple into angel food cake mix and boom level of super easy desserts. I also love cherry cordials, but refuse to eat them outside of Christmas time. What is a girl to do?! Cherry chocolate brownies. Now, they are more of a gooey mess than a solid brownie, but serve it warm and with a bit of whipped cream on top, and dig in with a spoon, and you will be happier than you have been in a while. And, I used the gluten free Betty Crocker brownie mix so it is even delicious for us celiacs! Seriously, I am obsessed. It's warm and melty and the cherries are so sweet... I would eat the whole pan if it didn't mean a whole mess of weight gain. So, here's the recipe. 1 box brownie mix 1 egg 1 can of cherry pie filling Preheat oven to 350 or as directed on box of brownie mix. Mix ingredients well in a bowl. Pour into greased 8x8 square pan. Bake as instructed on box plus 10 minutes (mine took 40)....

Happy Twin Peaks Day! To any true fan of this David Lynch and Mark Frost phenomenon of a tv classic, you know just what that means,  it is February 24th and Agent Cooper has arrived in the mountainside town of Twin Peaks. To the rest of the world, this means nothing. But it should. It really, really should. It debuted in 1990, and I was only 6 years old at the time I obviously wasn't too into supernatural murder arthouse tv. Thankfully with time, and a love affair with Blue Velvet and IFC, I started to worship at the altar of Lynch and fell in love with this baffling tv show. It really is baffling. But it is worth the ride. Don't take notes, just go along with it and when you are done the binge watch (which as of this writing you can do on Netflix) you will just want to start all over again. I don't want to tell you anything about the story, but here are my three favorite things that ever happened on the show and sum up just where Lynch and Frost were willing to go to ...

One of my favorite artists is AWallStar. Not just because he is one of my favorite people, but he is also super talented. Currently in school for graphic design, he has a style all his own. He works in digital design, illustration, and fashion design. His lifelong love of punk rock and comic books shines through in everything he touches, lending to some pretty unique stuff that is sure to be a conversation starter and turn heads. You can follow him on twitter @awall299 ! I will feature his work often, but click here to check out a few "wearable art" pieces currently up for purchase! KimmayJ is an artist and writer always trying to satisfy her head with beautiful things. When she can't travel, she is often found wandering art museums or books. You can also follow her on facebook , instagram , tumblr , pinterest , and twitter !

Forgot to chill your wine? The night is not lost. Pro tip: put some frozen reusable "ice cubes" in the glass! You get a quick chill without watering it down. And they look cute. Cheers!