TheBetterHalf, Author at Chez CateyLou

Kentucky Buck Fifty Cocktail

November 18, 2014 by TheBetterHalf 5 Comments

A spicy twist on the classic Old Fashioned, the Kentucky Buck Fifty Cocktail is a fun way to spice up your next party. Based on a drink at The Raines Law Room in NYC.

New York is a great city if you like to eat. As you may have noticed, Cate and I try and take full advantage of this. But New York is also great if you like to drink. And while you can get a drink just about anywhere in New York (and at any hour, as bars don’t close until 4am), one of my favorite spots is Raines Law Room, a “speakeasy” cocktail bar just north of the West Village. My go-to cocktail at Raines Law Room is the Kentucky Buck Fifty, which is a spicy twist on an Old Fashioned. The secret to the heat is the addition of Cholula hot sauce.

Today I have a quick and easy recipe for a Kentucky Buck Fifty – so easy you can probably make it right now with ingredients already in your house (and if not, consider this a wake up – you should always have rye whiskey and hot sauce in your pantry, or else I’m not visiting).

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Miami

September 23, 2014 by TheBetterHalf 8 Comments

Since the Top 20 format worked so well for our Seattle travel post, we’re going to do it again for Miami, although we are limiting it to 10 this time. Yes, from the rainy Pacific Northwest to the hot and humid beaches of Miami – our blog has some range. After the jump, see if South Beach is still bringing the heat (warning, there’s going to be a lot of Will Smith and Rick Ross references).

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La Mar by Gastón Acurio – Miami

September 8, 2014 by TheBetterHalf 4 Comments

La Mar by Gastón Acurio is an incredible Peruvian fusion restaurant specializing in fresh seafood and grilled meats, located in a beautiful waterfront setting in the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Miami.

On our most recent trip to Miami we had a great dinner at La Mar – the new flagship restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental Miami. La Mar, which specializes in Peruvian Fusion, is part of the Gastón Acurio restaurant group that includes Astrid & Gastón in Lima, Peru; the 18th best restaurant in the world per the World’s Best list. From the quality of the food, to the excellent cocktail menu, to the first-class service, La Mar is far better than the typical ‘hotel restaurant’ and is a must-visit for Miami travelers and fans of Latin American cuisine. That is, unless you’re planning to strut your stuff on South Beach the next day…

The Mandarin Oriental is located on Brickell Key (a small manmade island right off downtown Miami) and La Mar has a beautiful setting right on the water. In the cooler months, we suggest sitting outside and enjoying a lovely view of the city skyline. However, in the summer, when Miami has the humidity of a rainforest, it’s probably best to sit inside.

Also noteworthy was the excellent service at La Mar. Our waiter, Nicholas, was very helpful guiding us through the menu and made some great recommendations.
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Michelada

August 24, 2014 by TheBetterHalf 12 Comments

A Mexican beer cocktail that is full of lime juice and spices. A Michelada is a refreshing and addicting way to enjoy a beer!
Michelada | chezcateylou.com

I love beer. It’s just the best. And there’s no better time to be a beer fan than right now. There’s over 3000(!) breweries in America – up from a only 89 in the late 1970s and 1000 in 1995. And this is a good thing. I bet your local grocery store carries 10 different varieties of IPAs (except you Pennsylvania, you’re still the worst), your corner bar probably sells craft beers from across town and imports from across the globe, and even your hometown baseball team’s stadium likely has over 100 different beer options (which, in fairness, makes sense – have you ever tried to watch a baseball game sober?) Gone are the days when Budweiser, Bud Light, and Coors Light were the only game in town.

Despite the shift from mass produced lagers to more flavorful local beers, one mega brand has been able to maintain (and even grow) its status as a summer-time favorite, and that’s Corona. Corona, as well as other Mexican imports (Pacifico, Sol, Dos Equis, Modelo Especial), just seem to hit the spot on sunny, summer days. And sure, beer snobs may not hold Corona in very high regard (ahem, BeerAdvocate), but I don’t care. As much as I love a great IPA, there’s something about squeezing a lime into an ice cold bottle of Mexican lager.

But what if there was a way to appease both the beer snobs and those just looking for easy-drinking refreshment? A way to elevate a relatively pedestrian beer and keep all of its refreshing characteristics? I think this is why the Michelada was invented.

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Seattle – Top 20 (part 2)

July 6, 2014 by TheBetterHalf 9 Comments

Hope everyone enjoyed Part 1 of our Seattle recap. Today, we’ll take a look at my last ten thoughts about Seattle. Before we begin, a quick reminder that not all my thoughts are positive. Most are (we really had a great time in Seattle), but I try to remain objective and include things that I think other travelers would find helpful.

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