this will make a bunch of you cocktail bloggers very very very happy. now you don’t have to actually complain how awful vodka tastes. you can just critique how it cleans instead! yup, from sparkling chandeliers to killing mildew, APARTMENT THERAPY has conveniently put together a list. and if you’re one of those peeps who would prefer to drink your vodka, PLANET GREEN asserts that vinegar has the same cleaning effect as vodka for a fraction of the price. remember, cleanliness is next to godliness…

1. Keep Aphids off houseplants. Wash off houseplants with tap water then dab the leaves with a cotton ball dipped in vodka. Do not use alcohol on delicate plants like African Violets.
2. Shine chrome, glass and porcelain bathroom fixtures. Soak a soft, clean cloth with vodka and shine.
3. Remove hairspray from mirrors. Soak a soft, clean cloth with vodka and wipe mirrors clean.
4. Clean crystal and porcelain ornaments.
5. Clean the caulking around bathtubs and showers by filling a spray bottle with vodka, then spraying the caulking. Wait 5 minutes, then wash clean. Bonus: the alcohol in the vodka actually kills mold and mildew.
6. Clean a chandelier right where it hangs! Spray the chandelier with a solution of four teaspoons of vodka to one pint of water. Put down a cloth or plastic sheet to catch the drips.
7. Remove stains by rubbing with a clean cloth soaked in vodka. Rinse thoroughly.
8. Clean jewelry and cutlery. Soak it in vodka for five minutes, rinse and dry.
9. Remove the glue left behind by stickers and labels. Rub the glue with a soft, clean cloth soaked in vodka.
10. Use it to kill bees and wasps.
11. To get rid of the smell of cigarette smoke, mix one part vodka to three parts water, spray and let dry.
12. Clean tiles in the bathroom by spraying with vodka. Leave it on for 5 minutes and rinse. Great for getting rid of soap scum.

WOAH, WAIT THERE’S MORE… CLICK HERE FOR EVEN MORE USES FOR VODKA! via MSN

VIA PLANETGREEN VIA APARTMENTTHERAPY

ok, this is right up there with powdered alcohol and cocktail condoms. if you haven’t noticed, i love giving attention to retarded, er, creative alcoholic inventions… thanks rick for pointing out the virtues of vodka in a tube, known to the world as WODKA. luckily peeps, it’s not available in the US.

VIA MARTINI GROOVE

the queen of all fruits citrus is the grapefruit. she wins by sheer size. for her highness is ruled by jupiter, the planet we earthlings refer to as our largest. once upon a time pisces was believed to be under the sole rulership of jupiter. then neptune was discovered, and the two fishes are now thought to be jointly ruled by both neptune and jupiter. which brings us back to the DD sized grapefruit, and to me more specific, to grapefruit mojitos. if any sign likes to drink it is that of pisces. and this particular tipple goes down smoother than most, my fifth one tonight can attest to that. so here’s to pisces, one of my favorite signs of the zodiac… gentle, psychic, tasteful, compassionate, dreamy. unfortunately for the rest of us, they are slippery too. if you’ve ever tried to catch koi in your parent’s extremely deep, cold, murky fish pond, you’ll know how hard it is to catch pisces. you are quite the sportsman to catch her successfully, my compliments to your extraordinary fishing skills! enjoy your catch, serve her a grapefruit mojito.

GRAPEFRUIT MOJITO:
3 fresh mint sprigs
2 tsp raw organic sugar
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 1/2 oz light rum
grapefruit soda

In flat-bottomed glass, muddle mint, sugar and lime. add crushed ice and rum until glass is about 2/3 full and stir. Top off with grapefruit soda. garnish with sprig of mint or peel of grapefruit.

you probably know by now that i’m a sucker for good design and hip fashion, both of which 1800 pulls off on their website. black ground, snake skin, gothic letters, distressed paint splatters and fresh art in the form of LE bottles… what’s not too love? 1800 also boasts upcoming contests to design your own 1800 bottle and – get this – a pair of kicks. this brand has their finger on the heart of the urban pulse. thankfully 1800’s flavor lives up to it’s high art and tastes quite nice. but lemme tell ya, that extra 20 proof doesn’t go unnoticed. if you’re up for 100 proof, 1800 is your bitch.

the bottle’s stopper is a built in shot glass, which is cool, but hard to use. check out youtube to see it in action. personally, i can’t wait to use mine as an incense burner… oh happy repurposing pack rat that i am!

for those of you new to tequila, Blanco or Silver Tequila is aged less than the other categories of tequila, which isn’t a bad thing. that’s how it gets that light color and smooth taste. but 1800 Select Silver is actually a blend, with the majority being silver ($34.99). you might wanna check out DRINKHACKER’S review here.

if you would like to attend this star-studded event, or would like to make a donation, please click here.

well, it’s that time of year again… time to get your wicker on. now if you’re wondering, like a curious kaiser, where i got the peaches… i’ll tell you – from my freezer! here in new york, they are definitely not in season. isn’t electricity wonderful!? i bought myself a little freezer last summer and am still working my way through all the stuff i threw in there. but you should be able to find frozen peaches at any gourmet grocer.

ginger is ruled by aries. and aries does nothing gingerly. they will take unhealthy amounts of uncalculated risks. for they lack that healthy does of fear the rest of us tend to have. i’m jealous! if ever a piece of raw ginger has bitten your tongue, you’ll agree there is nothing gingerly about ginger either.

GINGERLY BUT NOT

5 oz pureed peach*
ginger syrup*
brandy
fresh squeezed lemon juice
seltzer

add peach puree, ginger syrup, brandy to ice filled shaker and toss
once. pour contents into tall glass and top with seltzer. stir and
garnish with a slice of peach.

GINGER SYRUP:
1 cup water
1/2 cup raw sugar
5 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh ginger
***place water, sugar, and ginger in small saucepan. Simmer for 15
minutes and remove from heat. when cool, place in storage bottle,
adding a splash of vodka and a drop of lemon oil to preserve (if you
have them, if not that’s fine).

PEACH PUREE:
5 fresh peaches
1 lemon
***peel and stone the peaches and place in blender along with the
juice of one lemon. puree until smooth. this mixture can actually be
frozen for later use.

the TRENDHUNTERS that must never sleep blogged a super cool piece on cutting edge fashion in bartending. it covers everything from several varieties of bartending robots to bacardi’s glow in the dark molecular mixed mojitos to the newest generation of hi-tech bars and lounges… this one is a must read!!!

VIA TRENDHUNTER

how cool looking is this silver plated coral wine stopper? as far as i’m concerned, coral anything rocks, as long as it’s fake or vintage. did you know that tiffany & co is one of the few companies that won’t use genuine coral in their designs. three cheers for them!

“Consumer demand has also placed corals at risk. Popular products include coral jewelry, home decor items and live animals used in home aquaria. Corals grow so slowly it can take decades for them to recover, if at all. Catches of precious red corals, the most valuable of all coral species, provide a striking example of how demand for a fashion item can decimate a species. Red coral populations have plummeted 89 percent in the past two decades. Conscientious companies such as Tiffany & Co. removed real coral from their product lines over five years ago.”

you can buy this cute little number, guilt-free, at SAKS. (oscar de la renta for lunt $45). VIA IN STYLE MAG

my favorite celebrity taurus is Shirley MacLaine. some think she’s a nut. i think she’s both brilliant and courageous. if you haven’t read her best selling book EL CAMINO, it’s both interesting, informative and inspirational. a real good read… like shirley herself, a real good taurus. but a real unusual taurus, or so i thought. for this earthiest of signs, her head surprisingly up in the clouds.

but… apparently, “because we live in a predominantly confused, wounded, and materialistic world that we think Taurus is mainly about money, possessions, and sensual indulgences. But Taurus is also a powerful symbol for enlightenment, and as we begin to wake up, it becomes more important to see Taurus and the 2nd House as referring to the potential for the truest inner peace, and therefore as well as to the obstacles to this real freedom.” VIA ASTROLOGYFORTHESOUL

Whoever said Taureans were predictable didn’t know Shirley MacLaine. But this atypical award winning Terms of Endearment actress, author, dancer, and spiritual seeker is typically Taurean in her quest for inner peace – a journey she’s taken to task. Material bound Taurus Shirley is famous for her earthy stability. Yet look deeper into her easy way in the world of natural things and see a supernatural connection. Shirley talks of past lives, like having been Charlemagne’s lover, or being guided by angels. Like most actresses early in their career, Shirley’s body image was closely tied to her self-worth, so self-love became a lifetime pursuit for Shirley. The body’s imperfections are raw material for Taurus; in appreciating her natural flaws with love and reverence, Taurus connects to her own unshakeable confidence, a security that cannot be bought or sold. Confidence indeed, this head-in-the-stars star is no shrinking violet. Wisdom, maturity, and celebrity have given Shirley her formidable diva reputation, something she proudly claims. “I’m a diva. If someone isn’t doing something right, I tell them and they do it my way. I’ve earned the right”. Can you say no bull? VIA MSN

shirley’s all-important rising sign is virgo, angel of truth and guardian of purity. her taurus/virgo combo really makes sense!