FamousAshleyGrant

 

Today marks seven years since I officially started my freelancing business (i.e. got a business license and a website). Holy cow! I have been a PAID writer and photographer since October, 7, 2007! My first article was published in the USF Oracle the week of Valentine’s Day in 2007 and about eight months later I decided I wanted this to be my business. I have been on a crazy roller coaster ever since! In the photo above are the logos of just a few of the publications my work has been featured in. I can’t wait to see where the next seven years (and beyond) takes me!

It’s crazy to think that I was on the track to becoming a school teacher at the beginning of 2006. My art professor told me she had a dream I was a writer and suggested I take a journalism course as my other elective- the course lit a fire in me I didn’t even know I was lacking. That was the year I got married and changed my major to journalism. My first story got published in 2007 and the my career path was completely altered. They say everything happens for a reason and that in the blink of an eye your life can change if you have the courage to let it. It would have been safe to stay in education. It would have been easier to finish one more year of school and graduate in 2007. It would have been safe to get a steady job as a teacher, but I don’t think I would have been happy.

As a self-employed writer and photographer things aren’t always safe but they are a hell of a lot of fun. I’ve had wild ups and downs but I wouldn’t trade a minute of it. I can feel that I am on a path now to big things, exciting things and I truly believe that financial success bigger than I ever could have dreamed was possible is so close I can taste it. Here’s to seven years as a writer and here’s to the goal of writing I’m 100% debt free and financially independent by the time my eight year anniversary rolls around!

– The drinks are pre-mixed so you don’t have to buy a bunch of liquor and attempt to follow a bunch
of recipes. The guess work is handled for you

– You don’t even need shot glasses or mixing equipment. All you do is chill em and shoot em!

– They are great for parties because they have so many options you can please any set of taste buds

–  They are delicious! Duh!

 

– The packs are a little on the pricier side. The smaller packs come with four shots and are about
$6-$8 at most liquor stores meaning you will pay up to $2 a shot. Still cheaper than a club, but for the truly thrifty I recommend the party packs that have 15 in them. They come out to around $15-$20 a pack so at
most you will be spending about $1.34 a shot!
– The alcohol content is not as strong as you think. A single shot is 20% alcohol and comes in at about an oz and a half of liquor. You’d have to drink quite a few of them to get messed up or even buzzed.

The party pack that Twisted Shotz sent me also included some shots I had not yet tried including the Strawberry Sundae (vanilla and strawberry vodkas with cream), the Blazin
Apple (apple and cinnamon- tasted like apple pie ya’ll!), the Killer Bee (bourbon and honey- this one burned a little LOL) and the Root Beer Flirt (tasted just like root beer with its root beer liqueur and vanilla vodka). The Polar Bear it came with I’m saving for Christmas because it has mint in it!

I can honestly say that out of all the Twisted Shotz I have had I can’t think of one I didn’t like! Even the Killer Bee that burned a little I would do again. Therefore, my overall assessment is that I WOULD recommend these drinks and I will be drinking them again!

Do you have a drink you want me to try or a product you want me to review?

Contact me HERE! I’m PR friendly 😉

This post contains links to an affiliate. See my disclosure policy for more information.

The best compliment my husband has ever given me on my cooking he gave me tonight, “Holy crap hon I feel like I’m eating at a restaurant.” Followed by, “I’m so full but it’s so good I just can’t stop eating it.” Then, when I tried to take his plate because I thought he was done I thought he was going to attack me, “Don’t take that! When I digest a little I’m going to munch on the rest.”

Wow! Guess I did good! LOL!

For the curious- I made thick cut pork chops that I let sit with a dry rub of Montreal Steak Seasoning for two days then baked them in an oven bag that I placed in a Pyrex baking dish. All I did to bake the pork was added a heaping tablespoon of all-purpose flour to the oven bag and then poured one can of sliced potatoes. I left the liquid in the can to give the pork some more moisture. Then, I added the pork, closed the bag and cut 6 half-inch slits into the bag so the bag wouldn’t explode whilst cooking… I put it into a preheated 350 degree oven for 35 minutes. After the timer went off I pulled it out to make sure the pork was done and then covered it with foil, placed it back in the oven, knocked them temp down to 150 degrees to keep it warm and made some mac and cheese. Simple right? I could have made it even simpler if I’d just used frozen pork chops in instant pot recipes. Still, I wanted to put a bit more effort in this time and do something really special. Still, it wasn’t all perfect as some of you will have noticed…

I know – two starches with dinner- leave me alone! We didn’t eat the potatoes tonight so there! I’m saving those babies for tomorrow’s dinner!

Oh, and I made a sauce to dip the chops in. My husband LOVES sauces and I started making one a while back that he loves on steak so I thought we would try it on the pork chops and it was a hit. It’s just two ingredients- Sour cream and creamed horseradish. So easy it felt like cheating but we gobble that stuff up!

Anyway- the mac and cheese and the pork chops tickled my hubby’s fancy apparently! I’ll definitely be making this again because he told me it would be wrong of me to introduce him to pork chops that yummy only to take them away forever. He’s so dramatic sometimes. hahaha!

@TipsyBartender #ThirstyThursday #TipsyBartender #BubblegumVodka

Today’s Thirsty Thursday post was inspired by the amazing Youtube Channel: Tipsy Bartender. If you have not checked out that channel, read this post first (duh!) and then go check it out. Guys who like hot chicks mixin dranks while shaking their booties will probably like this channel and girls will enjoy making fun of said hot chicks because we are mean jealous beaches. hahaha

Anywho- the drank!

So, I wanted to try: 

Tipsy Bartender’s Bubblegum Vodka

watch his original video HERE!

To make the vodka you will need:

– 10 pieces of Bubblegum. I used Super Bubble because that stuff is delicious

–  6 oz (180 ml) Vodka

– Mason Jar or some other jar (I used a cleaned out spaghetti jar because recycling is how I roll)

How to:

1. Cut 10 pieces of gum and add them to a jar.

2. Pour in 6 oz. of plain vodka

3. Seal and let it sit for a couple of days

4. Strain the gum out and THERE YOU HAVE IT- Bubblegum Vodka 🙂

Now to make the cocktail that Tipsy Bartender made in the video you will need:

– The bubblegum Vodka

– Charms Blowpops (But I’m lame and totally forgot to buy these)

– Lemon Lime Soda such as 7-Up.

How to:

1. Fill glass with ice. I used an 8 oz. wine glass because I’m classy like that…

2. Pour in about 1.5 oz of the bubblegum vodka

3. Pour in about 2.5 oz 7-Up– to fill the glass my drink ended up being a little closer to 2 oz of vodka and 4 oz of 7-Up

4. Garnish with an unwrapped Charms Blowpops– But, again I’m lame and totally forgot to buy these so to improvised I took 3 pieces of bubble gum and put them on a skewer on top of the glass for the photo

5. Stir with the garnish and DRINK!

So, what did I think of the Bubblegum Vodka? It was REALLY Bubblegummy just like the chick in the video says. Then, when adding it to the 7-Up soda it still tasted just like drinking bubblegum!

Okay- so…now for a little bit more about the man behind the brand! Skyy John, the internationally famous host of the Internet’s top bartending show “Tipsy Bartender,” has spent the last ten years bartending at one of the hottest and trendiest spots in Los Angeles, as well as hopping around the globe mixing incredible cocktails….aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand he wrote a kick ass book! Check out “I’m having a girl over” by Skyy John today!

#IQuit #ScrewtheNinetoFive

Friday, September, 26, 2014, was my last day working at my 9 to 5 temp job. I worked there just under six months (179 days if you care to count). In a way- temping brought me back to life. I don’t talk about it much but in 2013 I was slumping into a bit of a depression. In 2014 I was starting to come out of that depression because I started a fun new gig and was forming plans for more new gigs, but my lack of income was still plaguing me.

In February I signed up with a local temp agency and in March I got a call that I would be a receptionist for a furniture dealer in Tampa. Interestingly enough as soon as I started working there I began getting call backs for my true passion- writing and photography. Then, about 3 months into working there I got lucky enough to fly to California for a blogging conference and make even more connections for more possible gigs. Before I knew it I was getting so many calls to write and take pictures that I found myself struggling to get up in the mornings because I was staying up late working on my real job. The final clue that it was time to leave my temp job came when I got offered a writing gig that would basically replace my temp job income…so of course- I took it! Now, I’m a little scared because I was starting to get used to a steady check but I’m hopeful that more good things are coming and that I won’t ever have to go back to a nine to five style job ever again.

Okay- so that is the back story and now, here are a few things I learned from almost six months of temping:

1. Change can be a good thing. Just the act of forcing myself out of the house brought so much more pep to my step. I may be able to work from home again- but I’m trying not to. Instead I’m working in coffee houses, the library, my husband’s office, anywhere with Wi-Fi honestly. I’ve learned that I just get too lazy and unproductive when I’m at home.

2. Sleep is crucial for me. My husband can sleep two to four hours and then work an eight hour day, but I NEED a full eight hours or things get weird. I get overly emotional, spacey, extra A.D.D., it’s just no beuno!

3. I need to be around people. I think one of the best things about the temp job was being around people. As cheesy as this is going to sound, it took me being around people for six months to realize just how lonely I’ve let myself get. I’ve only been out of the job for over a week and I’ve already had a lunch with a fellow writer, scheduled a dinner with another and reached out to a blogging group to see if we can organize a get together. I think my need for being around people is part of why I haven’t let myself stay home to work even though I can…

4. I do best with a schedule and a to-do list. I never realized just how A.D.D. I am until I was forced to set priorities and schedule my assignments. It’s amazing how much work I can get done in limited increments and now that I have nothing but time I’m trying to force myself to continue sticking to a schedule. Somehow making up fake deadlines and appointments is helping me complete stuff that I need to get done.

5. I can’t stand a nine to five job. LOL! Okay, this one probably came off meaner than I meant for it to, but I’m a soooooooooooooo not a nine to five chick. Yes, I learned I need structure and scheduling, but I also realized just how much I need the flexibility to move appointments and assignments around for whatever reason. I love the freedom of being able to set my own hours and do what I want when I want as long as deadlines are met.

Photo courtesy of Hubspot

I find it amusing that the decision to post today’s Thirsty Thursday post coincides with a lawsuit against the vodka I had already planned to write about. According to the lawsuit mentioned in a story on Paste Magazine just yesterday, “A California real estate broker has filed a civil lawsuit against Texas-based Tito’s Handmade Vodka, claiming the distillery can’t claim the vodka is ‘handmade’ because of the sheer volume of bottles sold each
year.”

I tried Tito’s Vodka on Friday, September 5, 2014. A co-worker brought it and a bottle of Welch’s Passion Fruit juice in for our weekly happy hour. I had never tried the vodka or the juice but thought- what the hell! You never know until you try whether you will like something or not right?

First, I poured a shot of the Tito’s. The vodka was smooth and the lighter fluid after taste many vodkas present was nowhere to be found. Second, I splashed a little bit of the passion fruit juice into a cup to try it by itself. I’ve had drinks with passion fruit mixed in them in the past, but this was the first time I tried it alone. The juice was tart but not too tart and no overtly sweet either. Lastly, I grabbed a Red Solo Cup and decided it was time to put the two together. Unintentionally I mixed equal parts of the Tito’s and the Welch’s Passion Fruit juice with ice in the cup.

Verdict? The half and half drink was really good! It was kind of funny that every time I took a sip I commented on how good the drink was to the point that my coworker said, “You don’t have to keep saying it’s good.” I couldn’t help myself though. It really tasted yummy and I honestly couldn’t prevent myself from uttering that every time I took a sip! LOL! I would definitely make this drink again and would highly recommend it if you are looking for an easy drink to mix for a party but don’t want that annoying alcohol after taste.

So, lawsuit or no- Tito’s gets thumbs up from me- regardless of it’s handmade claims it tastes damn good!

#ThirstyThursdays #DrinkRecipes #RumDranx

What’s a Pirate’s favorite letter? RRRRRRRRRR!   
What’s a Pirate’s favorite drink? RUM
Ahoy Mateys! In honor of International Talk Like a Pirate Day which is tomorrow 9/19/14 today’s Thirsty Thursday post celebrates RUM! Here are a few of my favorite rum dranx:

 

Rum Runner 

Ingredients:
– 4 oz spiced rum
– 1 oz blackberry liqueur
– 1 oz  crème de banana liqueur
– 8 oz orange juice

Prep:
Add rum, blackberry liqueur, crème de banana liqueur, orange juice and grenadine to a martini shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a tall glass filled with ice. Drink up and enjoy!

 

Mai Tai

Ingredients:
– 1.5 spiced rum
– 1.5 coconut-flavored rum
– 1 teaspoon grenadine syrup
– 3 fluid ounces pineapple juice
– 2 fluid ounces orange juice
– 1 cup ice cubes

Prep:
In a martini shaker full of ice, combine the spiced rum, coconut rum, grenadine, pineapple juice and orange juice. Shake vigorously and strain into glass full of ice.

 

Yellow Rose

Ingredients:
– 2 oz triple sec
– 2 oz pineapple juice
– 2 oz Captain Morgan White Rum

Prep:
In a martini shaker
full of ice, combine the white rum, pineapple
juice and triple sec. Shake vigorously and strain into glass full of
ice.

The Yellow Rose was a recent discovery at the new Green Gators bar on Anderson Road. I had never had Captain Morgan White Rum before my visit to Green Gators but this drink is yummy!

What’s your favorite rum drink? Tell me in the comments below!

Ready to get your Pirate on? Learn the basics of Pirate speak HERE!

Check out the first Thirsty Thursday post The Return of Thirsty Thursdays! Fireball Whisky

Recently, Fireball Whisky sent me a bottle of their delicious liquor to review. I decided once they complied I would share some crafty cocktails with ya’ll. Why? Because, honestly, who doesn’t love a good cocktail recipe?!?

Straight up Fireball Whisky tastes like the Atomic Fireball candies we all remember from grade school. Seeking new adventure, after receiving the bottle I went to their website and looked at a bunch of the recipes they recommend. Below are the ones my husband and I tried and what we thought about them:

Christmas in Your Mouth

3/4 oz Fireball Whisky

1/4 oz vanilla vodka

Top with cranberry juice, mix and shoot

– This shot hurt BAD, but it tasted so good. It went down hard but was quite yummy. My husband hated the after taste of this shot. I couldn’t really tell it had one because I was too focused on the burn

 

C-4

Fireball Whisky

Coffee liquer

I guess equal parts? (The website wasn’t clear so that’s what I did)

Mix together for a shot or pour over ice

– I chose this drink simply because of it’s name. When it was mixed it actually looked like the color of C-4- or what I’ve seen of C-4 in shows like Burn Notice. LOL! While Fiona couldn’t make more than a molotov cocktail with this drink like she does in season 1, I think she would approve of this drink’s consistency and flavor. My husband Jeremy and I did this drink as a shot and it was pretty good. Just don’t spill it like we did because it is sooooooooooooo sticky when it’s all over everything.

Cinnamon Toast

1 part Fireball Whisky

2 parts Chila ‘orchata (We used Rumchata)

Mix, chill and serve as a shot

– This was our favorite drink of the night! We definitely could have had more than one of these a piece but we only bought enough Rumchata to make one drink a piece). So frikkin yummy! No burn, really smooth and just a great shot!

Fire on the Mountain

1 oz Fireball Whisky

0.5 oz Mountain Dew

Mix together for a shot or pour over ice

– This was our least favorite drink. It just looked like a glass of dark pee and tasted really gross. Perhaps we were too sober to try it?

Hot Flash

3 Parts Fireball Whisky

2 Parts Amaretto

1 Part OJ

Shake over ice and strain into a shot glass

– This was our second to least favorite drink. I think the problem here is we tried to drink it as a cocktail rather than shoot it as a shot. By this point perhaps we weren’t sober enough because we tried to sip the damn thing. I’ll bet if we had just shot it that it would have been awesome!

Overall, I’m a fan of Fireball Whisky. If you can handle some heat I would definitely recommend it. If not, try the Cinnamon Toast recipe. It cools it down and is just fantastic! Two drunken thumbs up!

 

If you follow me on facebook you have likely heard me mention The Suitcase Entrepreneur at least once or thrice 😉 I LOVE this book so much I’m reading it for the third time. The idea of the book is to build a mobile business that can be run from anywhere in the world. This as many of my friends and family know has been a desire of mine for YEARS.

Over the past few months I’ve been getting closer and closer to being able to run my business from anywhere but like any dream I have had a few setbacks along the way. In the last month my desire to make this dream a reality has gotten stronger than ever and I’ve been coming up with plans and ideas to cut the cords and finally hit the road with nothing but my husband, my laptop, my camera and my suitcase.

I’m anxious to see where my next steps will take me. I’ll post updates on my goal as time goes on 🙂

Do you want to create a mobile business that you love with the freedom to work from anywhere in the world? I highly suggest you check out The Suitcase Entrepreneur today!

This post contains links to an affiliate. See my disclosure policy for more information.