I Was Wondering How to Dress for Halloween

The answer is simple: just like Paula Deen
Blonde Wig
Teased Big
With style and sass like the creamed butter queen

Some courageous dude over at Chow put together a lovely look book and how-to guide on dressing for this year's Halloween. Bravo, my friend, Bravo!

The Mast Brothers with their Roman collared shirts and matching beards (OMG ROFL!)

Alice Waters with her purple hat and rough-hewn gemstone necklace

Molto Mario with Crocs and all that business


Sexy Michael Pollan with an open-front button down and a bald cap

Guy Fieri with that ubiquitous flame motif bowling shirt

And of course, the matronly muse herself, Paula Deen

An Ode to The Frozen Beverage

This barmaid's freezer is primed with a motor

And now I must hereby go forth and quote her:
"Here at the factory

of the world's greatest daquiri
The key to the drink is the tasty rum floater."

This particular floater in question is Ron Zacapa 23, a premium Guatemalan 23-year aged rum, made with concentrated virgin sugar cane honey and barrel aged in the solera method, a complex blending used most traditionally for sherry production. The Zacapa Daquiri is made with a frozen blend of Zacapa 23, fresh lime juice and sugar, and topped with even more Zacapa goodness.

And where, might you ask, were we drinking this nectar of the gods? Last night Tasting Table hosted a summer rum punch get-together at Cienfuegos, the hidden rum sanctuary above a Cuban sandwich shop on the corner of 6th and A in Manhattan's East Village. Here are a few shots care of GuestOfAGuest of all that went down in that airy loft above the sweltering heat.

"Well, Hola, come on in. Go past the bar, under the hanging HVAC, up the stairs, and around the corner, and you'll find a rolicking good time inside. Bienvenido!"

"I know you thought the daquiris were good, but you should try my tasty punch. It will knock your knickers off!"

"Oh, that's what did it!"

Limericker: La Esquina

La Esquina was fun ultima noche
Eating quesedillas con huitalacoche
Los tacos: bonitas
As were the carnitas
Es muy bueno, this Mexican buffet

Welcome to the Iced Coffee Club

Weather.com says it's 52
Skies with cumulus dotting the blue
But now in November
I’m still an Iced Coffee Club member
Even when white after Labor Day has long been taboo


In case your insatiable thirst for iced coffee can actually be reigned in, check "Is It Iced Coffee Weather?", which calibrates your exact location and weather, and takes all the guess work out of the equation for you.

Hot Dog!

You know, we've always said...

Don't drink your martini
With a cocktail weenie
With Hendrick's as gin
Pairing pork is a sin
In truth, it is rather unseemly

But actual dachshunds? Now that's a whole different question. I mean, they're just so CUTE.