Hey there adoring fans (Gail Hicks)!

Happy 4th of July everyone!  Because the calendar decided to be awesome (it’s hard to type sarcasm…but when I say awesome, I mean not awesome…and rather douche-y) this year and have the 4th of July fall on a Friday,  I’m forced to stay in New York City (because it’s a whole “to do” to get out of New York City when 9 million other people are trying to leave New York City at the same time, and you don’t have a car so you have to smuggle your dog onto a megabus, and could potentially be stuck in traffic for 9 hours with your smuggled dog, and then smuggle her on another bus on Sunday fighting traffic with same 9 million people that are trying to get back into New York City by Monday morning because you have to teach your musical theatre kids camp and the other 8999,999 people have to probably work as well….ps: I don’t know how to write 9 million in numbers…and am assuming 1 less than 9 million is a an 8 followed by a whole bunch of 9’s….I was a dance major in college….).  So to feel a little slice of home today, I’ve decided to have myself a Hilda.

“What the F is a Hilda?” you ask.  Well, keep your F’s to yourselves you hooligans and show some respect because The Hilda is a drink that my late grandma Hilda invented and drank every afternoon on the beach between pills.

 

The Hilda all started because my grandma enjoyed hanging out with her family on the beach, but her family constantly pounded bud lights, and miller lights, or the occasional corona when we were feeling fancy…

and she wanted something for herself to drink that wasn’t a beer.  She loved red wine and told us on more than one occasion (daily) that her doctor insisted red wine was good for her heart.  Being the pioneer woman that she was, she set off to invent her own drink to enjoy on the beach.  Because red wine was a little luke warm for a hot summer day, she started adding ice to her cup (we’ve all done it…well, at least the classiest of us have).  Then one day, she found some of my cousin’s coconut rum in a cabinet, and thought why not?  Now the only thing missing was bubbles.  She wanted a little fizz for her afternoon delight.  So she went back to her go-to and added some diet seven up…

Thus creating…The Hilda

 

 

 

 

 

 

After my grandma past away last June, our family got together at the beach house for the 4th of July and made some Hilda’s to toast the wonderful life of a wonderful woman that we all will continue to miss dearly. And holy s*it!  The Hilda is really effing strong!  After 2 most of us couldn’t walk.  My grandma was a badass!  So in honor of her, and because I can’t be home with everyone on the beach this summer, I decided to go to one of my favorite bars here in New York City, and order myself a Hilda…

The bartender was a little confused (disgusted) at first,

 

But then after telling her the history of The Hilda, she complied…

 

 

 

 

 

I decided to let some friends try it…

 

 

 

 

A big shout out to my family down in Virginia!  I wish I could be there eating crabs and drinking Hida’s with you, but at least know that I’m celebrating up here in the Yankee State!

xoxo,

Sarah