place like home.

There’s really nothing exciting about how or what I drink when I’m back in my hometown (Redmond, WA). To be honest, my general beverage of choice is almost always (my favoritest beer) Mac & Jack’s African Amber Ale. My parents’ don’t have an extensive bar or anything. Half of the bottles they have are ones I left behind from my old bartending days or ones bought for a past holiday party. The other half are different forms of whiskey and whisky that my dad has picked up.

The times I usually come home, is often during the holiday season. Or more so, these are the times I have a longer stay. What I love about this time of the year though, is it’s that time when the outside air has a bite to it. Our boots get taller and the layers multiple. All this really means is that I like colder weather. And I love the crispness of the cold I get from home. It’s so fresh and the feeling of bundling up has comfort to it. And being home, well, there’s a lot of comfort there too.

I’m back to my old room with my loft bed and piles of stuff animals in my hang out corner underneath. Putting back on my old sweatshirts and fuzzy blankets with funny patterns on them–because I never seem to bring back warm enough clothes. And we start our mornings in the living room by the fireplace, letting the heat warm us up for the rest of the day.

As time goes on, and as I keep coming back home, I find myself embracing more of the relaxation vs… trying to fill my wee small hours always doing something active, seeing everyone in town, and visiting spots I missed. Even though I do still like to see old friends and visit my old stomping grounds… a lot of that has become less and less of my focus, and I’ve really just enjoyed being home.

So this drink, is really a drink of what I had in my kitchen. Nothing crazy. No fancy preparation. Just copying my dad’s ways mainly (which is warming up some whiskey and adding honey to it), and sitting by the fire. “Working on that novel” and being with family. The problem about coming back home once moving away, is that when I came back, I felt a need to do everything I did before. Again. And again. But when you keep trying to do it all every time…you miss out on embracing what it’s like to really be home. So. This Thanksgiving break back home, I just wanted to be home. Sleep in. Sit by the fire. Write. Watch movies with the family. Eat way too much. And call it good.

Let’s concoct: