Traditional Daquiri

At most bars and restaurants, a daquiri is a green sugary concoction with whip cream and a crazy straw. But a true daquiri is a simple drink with just three ingredients—sugar, lime, and rum.

A few years ago, my sister introduced me to the Nicaraguan rum Flor de Caña, and I've been obsessed with it ever since. I never thought I liked rum until discovering Flor de Caña, and I can assure you that it tastes nothing like Bacardi. Flor de Caña can be found in both gold and white and you can find it aged from 4-21 years. After several tastings, my sister and I can strongly recommend the 7 year in gold. It's perfectly smooth and a great price. Flor de Caña can be hard to find, so if you spot any of the varieties, pick one up.

Traditional Daquiri Recipe

2 ounces rum

1 ounce fresh-squeezed lime juice (emphasis on fresh-squeezed)

1/2 ounce simple syrup (simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water, with the sugar dissolved)

Combine ingredients in a shaker with plenty of ice, and strain into a glass.

Enjoy!

Birthday Gift: Cutting Board

My sister has been to and lived in quite a few places. She has actually uttered the phrase, "I'm going to fit in a quick trip to Guatemala this weekend." So, I decided to make her a birthday present that celebrates her adventurous spirit. I designed an image featuring some of her favorite places, then I had Printfection print my image onto a glass cutting board.

California Vacation: Sonoma Valley

My parents are not big wine drinkers. In fact, my dad usually puckers his lips in disgust after having a sip of any sort of wine. My sister took us to her favorite tasting room to sample Muscardni and Ty Canton wines. After more than a few tastes, my father was suddenly trying to convince me that we should go in on a case of wine together. I agreed, and Ty Canton the winemaker signed our purchase and watched as we tried to fit the 12+ bottles of wine into my sister's fully packed Volkswagen Rabbit. My dad was a champ and carried most of the bottles in his lap during our 3 drive to Mendocino.

California Vacation: Oakland Athletics Game

We started our Johnson Family Vacation off by heading to the Oakland A's game. The weather was unusually sunny in Oakland, so my unprotected Norwegian arms suffered a slight sunburn. We had amazing seats thanks to my former boss. The A's did not end up beating the Tampa Bay Rays, but it was an exciting game.

Happy Birthday Dear Alissa!

Today is my sister's birthday! I will see her tomorrow in San Francisco to celebrate. Can't wait!

The District

I visited Washington D.C. for the first time this weekend to meet up with my sister. I had never been to D.C. before so we spent the majority of our time checking out the monuments and touristy things. Although I didn't get to randomly run into Obama like I hoped, a large motorcade did pass by us and enter into the White House!






































































We also had a great time at The National Portrait Gallery and the American History Museum. My favorite items included:

Michelle Obama's inauguration dress

Abraham Lincoln's top hat

The flag that inspired the Star-Spangled Banner

Julia Child's kitchen

A Deborah Butterfield horse sculpture

A Michael Jackson Portrait by Andy Warhol

We didn't get to go all of the museums so I'll have to go back soon!

¡Feliz cumpleaños a ti! ¡Mi Chica Favorita!

dear sister alissa, here are 10 reasons why i'm so happy you were born:


1. you speak spanish which is helpful when I need a dirty rap lyric translated


2. you are the only girl that could ride a motorcycle from guatemala to mexico and survive


3. you have dad's ability to wake up super early to workout but you fall asleep during action movies and at loud bars


4. you have a more extensive knowledge of wine than any midwesterner should ever have


5. you love fútbol even when you have no one to watch it with


6. you travel the world and have amazing stories


7. you forget to eat sometimes and can survive on a handful of walnuts


8. you are incredibly smart and have good advice for everything


9. you have great taste in clothes and you are an amazing gift giver


10. you have a big heart and you are going to save the world one day

Bay to Breakers

Since 1912, San Franciscans have been putting on their running shoes and joining the party. Although some run the race seriously, most use the race as another excuse to get naked. I took a more conservative approach and decided to be a dinosaur. RAWR!