Monday, March 10

Literary Libations: Grand Smash Spritzer & The Goldfinch

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This weekend was sunny and I spent a lot of time running around outside. I wanted a light, sunny drink to compliment the mood. The Grand Smash Spritzer was the perfect way to cool down.


What you will need: 3oz. Grand Marnier, 1 lemon, 15 mint leaves (about 4 to 6 sprigs), ice, club soda. Chop up the lemon into small piece and tear the mint leaves in halves. Add the lemon and mint to a shaker, muddle. Pour the Grand Marnier into the shaker and add ice. I used 3 large ice cubes. Shake until the outside of the shaker feels cold. Add several ice cubes to a Collins glass (or any glass you choose) and strain the mixture into the glass. Top up with club soda and add a sprig of mint for decoration! This can also be drunk in a rocks glass without the club soda, but the lemon flavor will be very strong.


*If you have not yet read The Goldfinch there are spoilers ahead.*
The bright flavor and golden color seemed to compliment my reading yesterday evening as Theo has moved from New York to Las Vegas. He is basking in the sun, the endless sky, and his lack of responsibility. Fourteen year old Theo has also begun to drink. This direction is honestly not where I was expecting the story to go, but I'm still fairly early on, not quite half way. Theo has now made friends with a boy named Boris who is fifteen, well traveled, but not as well educated. They are left to their own devices by all adult representatives and left to run wild and feed themselves. Theo's structured life with his mother keeps him from going completely crazy, but that life seems to be fading in to the distance like a dream. Whether or not he will ever go back to New York I can only guess, but I believe he has some relationships there that are not quite over. I think his strong ties to the people of that city will eventually pull him back.

Is a rebellious period really rebellious if no one is telling you how to behave? Theo seems to be rebelling against how he has been told to behave during the time directly following his mother's death. Controlled, meeting with therapists, social workers, and temporary guardians; Theo had been under the lens of a microscope. Donna Tartt's use of language is beautifully raw. The edges of sentences are sometimes left open, floating off into space, other times statements have the lilt of a question? She writes the way people talk and conversations come alive.

12 comments:

  1. I really love these yummy drink posts from u :) And gosh I need to start running as well soon but my excuse is when the weather becomes warmer haha. Dunno if I will read The Goldfinch yet with its' alarming amount of pages but I enjoyed reading the excerpt on the bottom~
    www.speakstyleandrock.com

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    1. Thank you! I'm not exactly running, more like walking, hiking, and playing with my dog (which sometimes involves running). I handle that a lot better than an actual jog! :) It is a very long book, but I'm actually reading through faster than I expected. There are a lot of pages, but it is an easy read. Thanks for stopping by!

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  2. It looks refreshing and tasty! I love the ingredients. I'll have to give it a try. :D
    http://www.averysweetblog.com/

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    1. I hope you enjoy it! I even like Grand Marnier on its own. :)

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  3. I have to archive this I like trying new drinks for the summer thamks.
    http://tifi11.blogspot.com

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    1. Summer drinks are my favorite, and it's been so warm here I've already transitioned! I hope you enjoy it!

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  4. i get so pulled in by your descriptions that i'm not sure i need to read the book - i like your cliffnotes versions enough to consider the book already read and done and crossed off my list :)

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    1. Haha, that's why I warn about the spoilers! :) There is a lot more to the book than what I'm saying (it's a long book). When I finish it I'll give it a rating as to how worth the read it is. I'm glad you enjoy my descriptions!

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  5. Oh this looks delicious!!! And definitely easy to prepare!!! Perfect drink for summer!!!

    http://anshul90.com

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  6. This drink looks delicious and I've been wanting to read that book :)

    Meg
    Two Leaf Clover
    http://two-leaf-clover.com

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