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eau claire distillery

Entertain, Fall, Giveaways, Local Love, Occasions, Wine & Cocktails

LATE HARVEST SPICED APPLE SANGRIA

I bet you thought I’d abandoned sangria for COCKTAILS, didn’t you? Although sangria was definitely my first love, as I’ve dived deeper into recipe development and mixology here at JustineCelina, my foray into cocktailing over the past 3.5 years was something I never would have predicted (I’m a huge wino and I thought I’d always prefer wine based libations to cocktails!). I’ve published just about every type of sangria recipe you can think of on these pages, incorporating red wine, white wine, rosé and prosecco — you’d think I’d have my bases covered by now, right? Nope. I’ve always wanted to create an autumnal sangria incorporating October’s beautiful BC apples and late harvest wine, but could never find the right spirit to bring it to life — that is, until now! Enter Eau Claire Distillery‘s newest limited edition offering, Apple Brandy. This seasonally inspired spirit is infused with orchard fresh Okanagan apples and the essence of warm French oak — and I knew it would be the perfect ingredient to elevate my Late Harvest Spiced Apple Sangria with handcrafted flair and character!

Just in time for Canadian Thanksgiving, I’m thrilled to bring you a fresh sangria recipe inspired by changing leaves, cozy knits, brisk autumn evenings and celebrating this beautiful life with family and friends! My Late Harvest Spiced Apple Sangria combines late harvest riesling with Eau Claire’s Apple Brandy, freshly pressed apple cider and ginger beer with a sweet and spicy trio of Okanagan apples, fresh ginger and cinnamon sticks to infuse this comforting, apple-centric sangria with autumnal warmth. In the spirit of the season to thank you for all your support this year, I’ve teamed up with Eau Claire Distillery, Calgary Farmer’s Market and Rocky Mountain Food & Wine Festival to create the Ultimate Local Foodie Giveaway — including a bottle of limited edition Apple Brandy, 50 Farmers Market Bucks so you can shop for everything you need to recreate this sangria at home while supporting our local farmers and attend Calgary’s premiere food and wine festival, on me (check out the bottom of this post for entry deets!). Wishing all of my Canadian friends the happiest of Thanksgivings — I’m so grateful for each and every one of you!

October 5, 2018 by Justine

Bar, Creative Process, Dining Room, DIY, Dwell, Entertain, Plants, Space Refresh, Wine & Cocktails

OUR DINING ROOM BAR | A BUILT-IN LOOK ON A BUDGET

Interior design lovers, I’m back today with a highly requested post in our SPACE REFRESH series detailing exactly how I created our built-in-looking Dining Room Bar for less than $900 (please keep in mind this project was completed n 2019), all in! In the initial reveal of our Dining Room, Bar & Kitchen, I touched on our design choices and the process of how the room came together, but today I’m sharing everything that went into bringing our home bar from concept to completion — including inspiration, planning, sketches and mock ups, alternate shelving options, sources (plus how I hunted down the best deals!) and of course, the finished space. If you’re planning to create a beautiful home bar yourself and are up for a healthy dose of DIY, or you simply want a closer look at where all the COCKTAIL magic happens behind the scenes here at JustineCelina, you’ve come to the right place!

Although this project didn’t turn out as I had originally envisioned it due to timeline and budget constraints, we truly couldn’t be happier with it! Throughout this process, I’ve learned that great interior design does absolutely not have to be extravagant to be functional and beautiful. Our goal with this space was to utilize its recessed features to create extra storage for our libations and glassware without losing any square footage in our main living area. We wanted to create an inspiring area to whip up cocktails, serve wine and allow guests to pour themselves a drink without having to come to the kitchen, which can become full easily. Since we love to entertain, creating a relaxed, informal bar area adjacent to the dining room table allows for much better flow in the room — and it also keeps the liquor flowing! Fix yourself a cocktail or pour up a delicious glass of wine and take a seat at our bar to see how this space came together!

IKEA LACK Wall Shelf in White (x3) | Michaelson 64” Wide 3 Drawer Buffet Table (in White Gloss / Maple Cream) | Mid Century Turned Wood Leg Planter | Bensley Antique 6-Light Chandelier (similar, similar, similar) | Acacia Wood Dining Table (similar) | Mid Century Dining Chairs with Wooden Legs (similar) | Macrame Table Runner (similar)

September 19, 2018 by Justine

Flowers, Giveaways, Local Love, Pantone, Summer, Vegetarian, Wine & Cocktails

JAPANESE LILAC GIN LEMONADE

I’m not really sure what’s happened — but this year, my love of cocktails is outshining my love of sangria (hey… no hard feelings sangria — we had a really good run!). I’ve also been dreaming of publishing a lavender lemonade for years — but funny enough, it’s never made it’s way onto these pages. I had the most delicious lavender lemonade the summer before I started blogging at some small town in interior British Columbia on our way back from a music festival — and I’ve been determined to create an equally delicious lavender lemonade ever since! That said, I know there are tons of lavender lemonade recipes out there, but now that I have a few solid years of COCKTAIL development under my belt and some incredible, unique, delicious ingredients in my bar, I thought I’d give it a go this summer!

So, while I fully intended this recipe to be a vodka-based lavender lemonade, as I moved though a rather intense testing process (remember when I mentioned I was cocktail testing over the long weekend?), I ended up swapping lavender for lilacs and vodka for gin — and I’m so glad I did! My Japanese Lilac Gin Lemonade tastes like summertime in the country and is very near to my heart — incorporating Japanese Lilac blossoms from the tree at my childhood home in rural Alberta, honey from the hives just across the stream and Eau Claire Distillery‘s award winning Parlour Gin distilled from the flourishing barley crops and unique botanicals of Alberta’s prairies. This floral-kissed, lightly effervescent lemonade was created with a thoughtful, hand crafted, farm-to-glass approach and made for lazy summer days on the patio, easy entertaining and watching the sunset behind glowing fields of canola! Join myself and my Connecting Over Cocktails crew to indulge in a summer inspired cocktail menu (check out their creations at the end of this post!) and enter to win bottle of the best gin I’ve ever tasted, along with a Tour & Tasting for 2 at Turner Valley’s Eau Claire Distillery! Cheers to hot summer nights, refreshing gourmet cocktails and the celebrating the bountiful offerings of this beautiful land!

July 15, 2018 by Justine

Music, Summer, Travel

JUNE 2018 SOUNDTRACK

Happy Canada Day long weekend, friends! What’s everyone up to? We’re enjoying some time with my family in the country — enjoy the tranquility of the prairies and doing some cocktail testing (get ready for a refreshing summer recipe coming your way later this month!). Whatever your Canada Long Weekend holds, I have the ultimate soundtrack for you! My June 2018 Soundtrack includes over 3 hours of easy listening grooves spanning genres — with a healthy dose of folky, bluegrass inspired vibes thrown in for good measure. I recently discovered Spotify’s Stay Wild playlist and it decorated the majority of this past week while I worked away on the second installment of my What to Wear to | The Calgary Stampede post — hence the uptick of tasteful twang at the tail end of this playlist!

While I love every track in include in these Monthly Soundtracks, this month, SACRE’s Lemonade, Polo & Pan’s Arc-en-ciel, Mura Kami’s Your Voice, AQUA STONE THRONE’S 3 Ways, Tadashi’s When You’re Ready, L’indécis’s God Behind The Pines, Bath’s Extra Solar, Alina Baraz’s I Don’t Even Know Why Though, The American Dollar’s Carousel (a new-to-me band with an Explosion’s In The Sky vibe!), Coubo’s Good Morning, The East Pointer’s Two Weeks, Sony Alven’s remix of Boardwalk, Yoke Lore’s Beige and PYNKIE’s Dew. Wishing you all a fun (and safe!) Canada Day long weekend!

June 30, 2018 by Justine

Entertain, Flowers, Giveaways, Local Love, Pantone, Spring, Wine & Cocktails

SPRING EQUINOX KIWI ELDERFLOWER SMASH

Happy first weekend of spring, friends! Wow — what a crazy, whirlwind week this has been. Between publishing our Living Room Reveal on Monday, my Style Me Pretty Living feature on Wednesday (pinch me!), a very exciting FASHION announcement (which has now published!), to a jam packed calendar full of events and meetings, plus 8 rounds of testing for this recipe (and subsequent cocktail ingredient runs before noon!), I’m finally getting a fresh cocktail for you this weekend. Initially this recipe was supposed to publish on Wednesday to welcome the first day of spring, so let’s just say my Spring Equinox Kiwi Elderflower Smash is fashionably late (like our spring weather) — but she comes bearing gifts! I’ve teamed up with Eau Claire Distillery once again to give away a full sized bottle of Prickly Pear EquineOx to one of you lovely Canadians (check out the bottom of the post for details on how to enter!).

After a long, snow covered winter, I’m elated to unleash my Spring Equinox Kiwi Elderflower Smash — a post-hibernation celebration of spring’s refreshing flavours in cocktail form! I figured it was time to pump the brakes on the gin train (let’s be real… there’s been a ton of gin drinking going down here at JustineCelina!) and introduce you to a completely unique spirit to welcome spring’s arrival. Today I’m working with Eau Claire Distillery’s award winning Prickly Pear EquineOx — a sweet, lightly citrusy, barley based vodka incorporating Alberta’s Prickly Pear Cactus with a special blend of spring botanicals. Complimented by a refreshing bouquet of elderflower, kiwi, lime, a kiss of wine, a dash of bitters and a splash of soda, I’ve created a seasonal elixir that pairs perfectly with longer evenings and balmier weather. I’ve also teamed up with 4 talented food bloggers across North America to bring you the Spring 2018 Edition of Connecting Over Cocktails! If you’re looking for some inspired cocktail ideas as we transition into spring, we’re totally got you covered — stay tuned to see what my fellow Food Bloggers of Canada are mixing up for you this weekend!

March 24, 2018 by Justine

Beauty, Fashion, Hair, How to Style, Jewelry, Makeup, Winter

HOW TO STYLE | MIDI DRESSES FOR WINTER

The time of year has come when winter really seems to drag on. Despite actually having pretty nice weather until late January, the past few weeks the have left a lot to be desired (I was snowed in for 3 days last week!). Mid February is typically when I start to crave the more free flowing, bohemian silhouettes and styles I love to wear during warmer weather — and this year, I was determined to wear those dresses and get really creative with my layering, despite the sub zero temps and snow storms! So today, I’m sharing a new post in my HOW TO STYLE series — and this time, I’m chatting about fresh ways to style your midi dresses for winter, incorporating a mashup of winter and spring trends with wardrobe staples in a boho chic look you can wear right now!

So ladies, dust off your midi dresses (mine is on clearance for just $19!) and come hang out with me for a little while on this snowy long weekend as I share my favourite outfit building tips, styling hacks and winter layering techniques to keep you feeling stylish and cozy at the same time! I’m also chatting about a handful of Winter / Spring 2018 trends — including 60’s inspired florals, teddy textures, fringe, longline layers, scrunched boots and a few of my favourite transitional beauty products. I hope this post inspires you to reconsider taking those all those gorgeous dresses lingering in the depths of your closet out for a pre-spring spin this February! If you’re stuck in a fashion rut somewhere between winter and spring, this post is for you!

February 17, 2018 by Justine

Entertain, Flowers, Giveaways, Local Love, Occasions, Spring, Wine & Cocktails, Winter

ROSE INFUSED CHERRY GIN FIZZ

Remember the summer I acquired a taste for gin? It’s since become my favourite spirit. In fact, around this time last year I even ventured to Vancouver Island to track down an infamous local gin unavailable in Alberta (I also made a cocktail with that one!). Although the gin I brought home from my coastal travels is long gone, late last year I stumbled on Eau Claire Distillery via Instagram (their bottles are gorgeous and totally drew me in!). Imagine my surprise to find out we have an incredible, award winning distillery less than an hour from home! Over the holidays I took a trip to the visit their distillery in Turner Valley with my Mom (who loves gin) and my brother (who was home from New York and loves cocktails) for a tour and tasting — and we were all completely blown away by the quality of Eau Claire’s hand crafted offerings and their farm to glass approach. Now that I know they exist (and they’re local!) I actually can’t fathom using anything else in my cocktails! Over the last couple of months, we’ve padded our bar with several of Eau Claire’s artisinal spirits — including their most recent offering, Cherry Gin.

In honour of love day, I’m so excited to share my Rose Infused Cherry Gin Fizz! This feminine, fruity and lightly floral cocktail combines Eau Claire’s stunning Cherry Gin with my favourite Prosecco, a splash of fresh lemon juice and a Rose & Pink Peppercorn Infused Honey Simple Syrup for a contemporary spin on the classic French 75. My Rose Infused Cherry Gin Fizz is a beautiful addition to your Valentine’s Day menu, but can be enjoyed anytime you want to indulge in a gourmet craft cocktail at home! As always, it’s free of dairy, gluten and refined sugar — and bursting with fruity flavours, floral undertones, unique botanicals and a refreshing effervescence. The best part? Eau Claire is helping me share the love this Valentine’s Day by giving away a Cherry Gin Cocktail Caddy valued at $99 to one of my Canadian friends — check out the bottom of the post for details on how to enter!

February 13, 2018 by Justine

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