Other famous Taureans include Buddha, Uma Thurman, James Brown, Barbara Striesand, Cate blanchett, Cher, Liberace, David Beckham, George Clooney, Enrique Iglesias, Billy Joel, Katherine Hepburn, Stephen Baldwin, Stevie Wonder, Cate Blanchett, Janet Jackson, Pierce Brosnan, Tori Spelling, Jack Nicholson, Shirley MacLaine, Al Pacino, Jerry Seinfeld, Michelle Pfeiffer, Uma Thurman, Kirsten Dunst, Willie Nelson

Why is rose and pear a Taurus? Because based on Medieval Herbal Astrology, Venus is the planet of all things exceptionally beautiful, delicious and fragrant. I do believe these two foods possess these traits in spades, no? Since Venus rules over Taurus, and Libra these foods can belong to either sign. But since we’re celebrating Taurus we’re going to give it to the Bull…

Rpattz Sangria

(makes one gallon)

1/4 cup boiling water*
1/4 cup sugar, and stir
2 1/2 cups white wine
1 cup brandy
1 cup pear juice
3/4 cups triple sec
3/4 cups sour*
1 cup orange juice
1/8 ounce rose water*

***Sour Mix: 3/4 cups hot water, 3/4 cups sugar, 4 cups containers lime juice

***The best brand of rose water is “HERATIGE ROSE WATER” which can be bought at health food stores, metaphysical shops and online.

***Kangen water is the purest water I have ever come across and I recommend it highly. It augments the natural flavors you add to it and has become one of my core ingredients.

I created 5 original, gourmet, seasonal, champagne cocktails for this event… taste each one and have a full size serving of your fave! hey, you even get to keep your brotherhood champagne flute : ) light snacks provided, too… only $10, so, who’s in?! BUY TIX at BROTHERHOOD-WINERY.COM

HAPPY EARTH DAY! the best way to save the planet is to curb your diet by minimizing your meat intake. FACT.

scorpio BILL GATES even published a short film on his website, THE GATES NOTES, declaring veganism as the best way to save the environment.

are you going to argue with bill gates?

in support of this, i attended the annual HUMANE LOBBY DAY last week in albany and met with senator’s office larkin to express the importantance of treating animals animals with compassion. i met some great peeps there… shout out to the only eco florist GOOD OLD DAYS : )

Happy Birthday Aries, the first sign of the Zodiac. The ram is the sign that exemplifies celestial infancy. So, when Aries doesn’t get what they want they may scream, cry or pout like an infant. They might therefore be perceived by some as selfish, which is probably their only negative trait. I just adore Aries for their fun and spontaneous manner, possessing the tireless energy of a child. It’s refreshing to be around an Aries–they tend to be risk takers, and are exiting, funny and fast. Don’t expect stability from an Aries, stick with Taurus for that. Which brings us to our celebrity couple of the month, Aries Kristen Stewart and her man, Robert Pattinson, the bull. The ram and bull are the perfect pair. The bull steadies the ram’s craziness. When the ram gets bores, or feels too comfortable, they often want to shake things up just for the sake of it. It can be hard for them to stay the course with so many wonderful distractions to explore, like Rupert Rhubarb. It takes a strong hand to keep Aries in line, a hand that often belongs to Taurus. I know lots of couples with this complimentary astrological arrangement.

Other traits of Aries include: impulsive, brave, enthusiastic, headstrong, competitive, rebellious, optimistic, and inquisitive. They are born leaders, warriors and defenders. Every sign is connected to a tarot card, and Aries’ is that of the fool, because they often act first and think second… which lends itself to another ironically placed holiday: April Fool’s Day. So then, what better cocktail for Aries than a Rhubarb Fool-inspired tipple?

Famous Aries include Lady Gaga, Hugh Heffner, Alec Baldwin, Reese Witherspoon, Keira Knightley, Victoria Beckham, Kate Hudson, Kourtney Kardashian, Leonardo Da Vinci, Eddie Murphy, Mariah Carey, Robert Downey Jr, Jackie Chan, Emma Watson, Jessie J, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Shannen Doherty, Ashley Judd, Jennifer Garner, Claire Danes, Julia Stiles, Fergie, Jennie Garth, Rosie O’donnell

Why is rhubarb an Aries? Mars is the fiery red planet and plants that bear a reddish hue or possess a tart, spicy or sour flavor are often ruled by Mars–like Aries.

KSTEWED RHUBARB BUBBLY

1-2 barspoons stewed rhubarb*
Fill with champagne (Brotherhood Winery Carpe Diem)
Top with whipped cream* (coconut is a great dairy substitute)
Garnish with a sprinkle of brown sugar

COCONUT WHIPPED CREAM: Put one can coconut milk in fridge a day in advance. Open can and separate water from the thick cream. Beat only the very thick cream, which should be a cup or less, until fluffy. Add approx 4 tbsp sugar depending on preference. Refrigerate and rewhip when serving cocktails.
REGULAR WHIPPED CREAM: Beat 1 cup heavy cream with ¼ cup sugar until fluffy.

STEWED RHUBARB: Simmer for 20 minutes: 1 c water, 1 c sugar, 2 c chopped rhubarb. Mash as mixture is cooking to engage flavor.

Happy Birthday Pisces, the sign most likely to be an alcoholic. The birth charts of alcoholics were studied and found that those with a prominent placement of Pisces in their natal chart were more prone to alcoholism than those without. However, not all Pisces drink like fish… a lot of them are dry. And mostly, but not always, it’s because they partied too hard in the past. Some Pisces–like every sign–just don’t like booze…Simple as that. But it’s ironic, isn’t it, that St. Patrick’s Day falls during Pisces? The reason people of this sign are tempted by the lure of drugs and alcohol is because they are using them as an escape mechanism. Pisces is so sensitive to the harsh energies here on Earth, that life is sometimes just too much to bear and they have to get away from it all. Vodka makes a great train.

Other traits of this sign include: idealistic, sensitive, empathic, private-natured, emotional, psychic, dreamy, heavenly, spiritual, ethereal, imaginative, creative, intuitive, compassionate, escapism-prone, serenity-loving, Highly Seductive! Pisces are heart breakers… they have that special “je ne sais quoi.” Women are attracted to the soft, feminine side of their nature, which can be hard to find in men! That said; don’t think for a minute that the fish isn’t a ruthless killer shark on the flip side. After all, there are two fish, remember? And they swim in opposite directions. Pisces can be super aggressive, ambitious, competitive and successful. So much so, that before Virgo pushed them out of the top millionaire spot, they held that title. I’m quoting Susan Miller here from a few years back so maybe they’ve moved up again, I honestly don’t know.

Famous Pisces include Eva Longoria, Albert Einstein, Adam Levine, George Washington, Cindy Crawford, Alexander McQueen, Tommy Hilfiger, Kurt Cobain, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Carrie Underwood, Daniel Craig, Ke$ha, Steve Jobs, Carrie Underwood, Jon Bon Jovi, Bruce Willis, Dr. Seuss, Johnny Cash, Kurt Cobain, Dakota Fanning, Queen Latifah, Ashley Greene, Rihanna and Justin Bieber.

So what happens when two dreamy Pisces dreamboats collide? Internet chatter–lots of it. Rihanna and Justin Bieber alledgedly “hooked up.” Really, no pun intended. The whole thing sounds a little fishy, but it just might be true. And this, the story goes, is the reason Selena dumped Justin. Apparently, she’s devastated. Seriously though, 19 and 21? Kidz, go have some fun and if it’s meant to me it will… that’s what Dr. Gwen says.
But let me get back to Astrology because I’m starting to feel like Donald Trump dispensing advice… So, because Pisces’ ruling planet was discovered after the “inner” planets, Pisces was considered ruled by Jupiter up until 1846. But when the “outer” planet Neptune, was discovered, Pisces was assigned joint rulership under both: big Jupiter and watery Neptune.
As a result, Pisces is thought to possess gifts from both planets, Jupiter and Neptune. Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system and because of this, Pisces is infused with expansive qualities in the mental and emotional realms. Neptune is a planet of the deep. Its energy tugs at the recesses of the mind, and subconscious desires. Jupiter amplifies Neptune’s watery energies in Pisces.
The stone of an avocado is huge, and that‘s why Jupiter calls it her own. The avocado can be easily called a Pisces! Watch out, this one goes down real smooth… Just like two fish in love. Speaking of love, my old bar manager came up with this drink… Cheers!

BIEBER RIHANNA
8 parts silver tequila
4 parts fresh lime juice
4 parts mineral water
4 parts agave
1 ripe avocado
cumin salt blend

Place all ingredients except ice and salt in blender and puree until smooth. Chill in fridge. Serve in a salt rimmed glass.
CUMIN SALT BLEND: Add pinch of ground cumin to bowl of salt and mix with a fork until desired level of piquancy is reached. Do not use iodized salt, ugh.

Happy Birthday Aquarius, the most unique sign in the zodiac. Independent, unconventional, detached, rebellious, inventive, original, idealistic, far-sighted, candid, private, romantic, personable, and strong-willed are all traits of this sign.
Famous Aquarians include Christian Dior, Jennifer Aniston, Paris Hilton, Seal, Oprah, Kurt Cobain, Brandy, Shakira, Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, Ashton Kutcher, John Travolta, Garth Brooks and Ellen De Generes

No one can argue that Oprah is an odd bird. I love her so! Odd in a good way, as most Aquarians are. The sign of the water bearer–or in our case–the liquor bearer, is known for it’s airy, fun-loving, open-minded, friendly tendencies. But I must tell you that I have known more than one Aquarius who weren’t entirely like that description. So remember, a person’s Sun Sign is incredibly impacted by the rest of their chart! I highly recommend getting your own chart done. You can do that for free by downloading the app, Celeste, or joining AstrologyDating.com.
The other type of Aquarius–the one not so much like Oprah, despite her private nature–is rather reserved and has lots of eccentricities. I know, generalizing here… But, they really do tend to have strange yet harmless habits. Like they eat each food on their plate one at a time. Or they seem to defy logic in their thought pattern. That’s probably because their brain can run circles around yours. They are known as the analytical sign, and their wheels are always turning. There is certainly one common thread woven into the personal tapestry of all Aquarians and that is altruism. Aquarius is always empathic to other’s plights. They are true humanitarians.
Here’s some interesting tidbits about our odd Oprah: In 2006 she celebrated her birthday by purchasing her ruling planet, Uranus, from the International Star Registry, renaming it to Myanus™. She didn’t stop there, also buying her constellation of Aquarius for an alleged eight-figure sum. She decided to keep that name. On the day she announced all of this, she handed out Astrology crystal bracelets to her audience as “The Age of Oquarius™ played in the background. Oprah takes Astrology seriously and has her own personal Astrologer, like many celebrities do. All though she has lots of charities, her soft spot for animals is obvious. She has a menagerie of pets, and rewrote her will to include millions for their care in the event they outlive her. She almost put the meat business out of business with her famous lawsuit, which succeeded in waking many people up to the unspeakably horrific condition of livestock animals in America that still continues today.

Why cedar? Based on Medieval Herbal Astrology, there’s little question that the Cedar tree falls under the stern ownership of Saturn, and may hence be considered an Aquarius. Saturn co-rules this sign along with Uranus, which was discovered only recently, and after all, my cocktails are based on Medieval Astrology, not modern Astrology. Known for its formidable pest and weather-resistant properties, this tree means business. Just like its planet. Not only is the wood of this tree highly functional in modern society, but it is also steeped in spiritual tradition. Cherokees believe that the Cedar tree holds the essence of their ancestors, and wearing its wood protects against evil spirits. Cedar wood oil was used by the Sumerians and Egyptians. It is the sacred incense of Tibetan temples, and is repeatedly mentioned in the Bible. The name Cedrus is Arabic for kedron, which means power. Today, cedar spray is used increasingly as a holistic alternative in the combat of fleas and ticks, bed bugs and other such lovely creatures. Its healing oil is frequently used in aromatherapy for a myriad of treatments. A more unusual way to utilize the essence of Cedar’s strength is in a nightcap. Earthy, musky, and highly fragrant, infused cedar tips tend to make a fine spirit even finer.

HOT OPRAH TODDY:
Build in mug:
2 oz gin
8 oz boiling water
1 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 oz cedar tip syrup*
Garnish with lemon bow
CEDAR TIP SYRUP: dried cedar tips can be found in health food stores or online?(mountain rose herbs)
Toast 2 parts dried cedar tips in skillet over medium low heat. Remove from heat and crush lightly with mortar & pestle, spice mill or food processor. Add to sauce pot with 3 parts white sugar, 2 parts water. Simmer for 15 minutes. Strain for use.

check out my article in the fabulous GLOBAL LOOKING GLASS: In Search of Vegan Wines in New York’s Hudson Valley!

I relay my experience with VEGAN wine and specifically, New York’s Hudson Valley. did you know there was such a thing as VEGAN wine? YUP. very interesting stuff people!