Did you guys know that The Lyrid meteor shower is this week? The annual meteor shower peaks tonight + tomorrow night (in the early morning hours to be exact), where you can see 10-20 meteors littering the night sky per hour. To celebrate this incredible show, Bramble Workshop arranged a little celestial fête for friends to gather, eat, sip, and stargaze. Pretty cool, right? Celeste Noche has the pics and don’t forget to try the recipe too.
Just the night for a creative cocktail. Navy Skies by Mint and Mirth:
Our stargazing cocktail features Oregon’s finest Crater Lake Rye, a smooth whiskey crafted from 95% rye grain and pure Cascade Mountain water. Its flavor is rich with deep toffee notes and a peppery spice that defines true American rye whiskey. The amethyst color and intense flavor make the perfect sipping cocktail with which to watch the night sky.
Now for the recipe…
Ingredients
2 oz. Crater Lake Rye Whiskey
¼ oz. simple syrup
¼ oz. Sage & Sea Farms Blueberry Shrub
dash of bitters
orange peel
Instructions
In an Old Fashioned glass, add the syrup, bitters and orange peel. Use a muddler to gently press the orange peel to release the citrus oils. Pour in whiskey, shrub, and syrup, then stir. Add a dash of bitters (we used Hella Bitters) and voila!
And how to make blueberry shrub (adapted from “Porch Parties: Cocktail Recipes and Easy Ideas for Outdoor Entertaining” by Denise Gee)
Ingredients
4 cups blueberries
2 cups cider vinegar
2 cups cane sugar
Instructions
Cover blueberries and vinegar in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3 days. Strain the mixture into a bowl and press berries to release all the juice. Discard the solids. Next, pour the liquid into a saucepan with sugar and bring to a boil, stirring for 3 minutes. Set aside and cool. Keeps in the fridge for 10 days.
Loopy and luscious night-sky inspired calligraphy on navy invites, menus, and escort cards by A Luxe Contraband.
We wanted to create an atmosphere of elegance and allure that was reminiscent of the night sky with dark blues and soft white accents. Jessica from Bramble Workshop created the DIY batik runner that eventually became the centerpiece of our vision. With the strong wave of navy on the table, it was only natural for the blooms to be white and plentiful, just like the night sky.
The menu for the evening tied everything together so that the stargazing theme didn’t end with the tablescape but continued on with Ariela’s organic, vegan menu and Mint and Mirth’s “Navy Skies” cocktail to enjoy just before heading out to stargaze at the end of the evening.
A spectacular excuse for a festive evening, if you ask us. Sure to inspire dinner parties on many a spring eve, too!
Thanks to the guys below for pulling together this lovely dinner party:
Photographer: Celeste Noche / Design: Bramble Workshop / Florist: Old Town Florist / Paper Goods: A Luxe Contraband / Cocktails: Mint and Mirth / Catering: Ariela Rose / Aprons: Portland Apron Company