Tag: edible flowers

crimson in bloom

months ago, my mom mentioned that she wanted to take hillary and i to vegas to celebrate our birthdays. it evolved into a girls getaway weekend with two of our favorite girls, kendall and lo.

hillary knows how much i love a cocktail garden so when she caught wind of crimson in bloom (located in red rock casino), she made us a reservation. anyone who knows me knows how i feel about flowers and rosé so walking in to this magical wonderland that combined both nearly took my breath away.

the menu was expansive and included tons of hard alcohol options too so we were able to have a little bit of everything.

we started with a bottle of sparkling rosé. i had to experience this flower cart experience and had a still rosé that was enhances with orange blossom, edible flowers and lemon. it smelled and tasted delicious. our waitress, michelle, made the absolute best recommendations.

once we were ready for something with a bit more of a kick, hillary and lo ordered the elderflower.

kendall ordered the rosemary, which was patron based.

staying true to form, i ordered the lavender. it was vodka based and had a little caffeinated kick. the little lollipop to enjoy afterwards was a nice touch.

and because none of us can say no to hillary, we all took shots of tequila or lemon drops before leaving to do some gambling.

crimson in bloom is open until mid may. the theme of the bar changes seasonally so if flowers are your jam, head to red rock before it’s too late.

happy friday!

xoxo,

k. tap

son & garden

as i wrap up my week of posts about the bay, i could not help but save this brunch spot (i had been dying to go to) for sunday funday. christine and i hadn’t seen each other in the flesh since the first weekend of march so when there was a chance to try a spot neither of us had been to while beating seated outdoors, we couldn’t say no.

welcome to son & garden.

there are two locations – one in sf and the one we went to in menlo park. son & garden was so cute! it was an added bonus that the associates were friendly and incredibly mindful of all things covid related. after we were temperature checked, we were escorted to our table.

last sunday was the first truly cold day in the bay so it was good that christine and i dressed in layers because it windy af. while we were under a covered patio with heaters, we were not directly underneath one and it showed. during this time of year, if you are going to be doing any outdoor dining, i would suggest bringing layers or even a blanket. anyway, on to what we ordered!

i started with earl grey tea to knock the chill off + to give me a bit more time to decide what to order. i mean – what do you do when literally everything looks good?

i ended up getting the korean benedict which comes with a bone in short rib and kimchi fried rice. the eggs were perfectly poached, the hollandaise was made fresh in house and the rainbow potatoes were delightful. i don’t know what i did to deserve this benedict but lord knows i thoroughly enjoyed it.

in lieu of dessert, christine and i opted for a cocktail and it was just dreamy. cloud 9 is this fruity, bubbly goodness that is sparkling wine based and has edible flowers and a candied butterfly. as a girl that grew up loving cotton candy, i had to get my hands on this drink. and yes, it tasted as good as it looks. to both our pleasure and surprise, it was not overly sweet! when i return, i will definitely do one at the start and end of my meal.

we certainly will be back and i cannot wait to explore more of the menu.

i’m getting ready for a brunch date now before starting a two week quarantine to prep to visit my new nephew (enzo) in the bay. i hope you each are having a true sunday funday.

xoxo,

k. tap

vanderpump cocktail garden

over the weekend, i took a much needed road trip to vegas with my mom for an early birthday celebration. on saturday, we were lucky to have hillary join us for the day as we adventured to the most magical place in vegas – the vanderpump cocktail garden.

it is like stepping into the most beautifully lit forest. the experience was outstanding and the garden certainly had the lisa vanderpump touch. an added bonus? i have never seen a more efficient line/check in process. every single person working there was friendly, knowledgeable and aesthetically pleasing. and of course, the food and drinks were to die for.

if you are familiar with villa blanca, you probably already know and love the goat cheese balls. well guess what? you can get them here, too! we also did the crispy chicken sliders and the truffle potato puffs. not only was everything fresh and decadent, it was the perfect size to pair with a cocktail.

speaking of cocktails, our waitress, ashley, was able to answer all of our questions. she also returned in the blink of an eye with the most amazing drinks for us to try. my mom and i both went with the “please her, caesar!” and hilly had the “puff the magic dragon” – both were insanely delicious. my drink was vodka and champagne based while hilly’s drink was mezcal based. there truly is something for everyone.

both ashley and brandon (another employee at the cocktail garden) were just delightful. we felt right at home. when brandon realized he was in the company of a fellow virgo, he asked my mom what her favorite spirit was. when she replied with vodka, he brought these amazing shots for the table with an edible flower that numbs your mouth a bit and enhanced your tastebuds. my mom was SHOOK. she said that in all of her years of drinking, she has never had drinks this delicious or unique.

it was the perfect way to kick off a week of celebrations and we can’t wait to go back.

have you been to the cocktail garden? if so, what did you get?

xoxo,

k. tap