Happy Hour: Baby, It's Cold Outside
Dec 3, 2010
Since it’s December, I knew the cold weather was on its way, but I still wasn’t ready for it. And clearly, neither was the woman walking down 7th Street this evening in a cocktail dress and no coat. What is it about going out attire that makes women think that they can brave the cold in a Pashmina shawl?
Instead, I recommend a fur stole for your evenings out. Sure, it’s not a coat, but it will do a much better job of keeping you cozy than that paper-thin wrap you’ve been using. And while fur typically does nothing for me, I just love this piece. Maybe it’s the fact that when I look at it, all I see is Ava Gardner strolling down a Manhattan sidewalk on Frank Sinatra’s arm.
Yep, that’s it.
Vintage Simply Forever silver-mink demi-jacket (Etsy, $248)
If the stole isn’t enough, you should sip a hot beverage. The denizens of my hometown are huge fans of a drink called theTom & Jerry. Similar to eggnog, this cozy cocktail is best made in large batches, so you might want to save it for a gathering of friends.
Ingredients
12 eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound butter, room temperature
3 pounds confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
Directions
Beat egg whites and salt until foamy in a large glass or metal mixing bowl until stiff peaks form. Lift your beater or whisk straight up: the egg whites should form a sharp peak that holds its shape.
Beat the egg yolks to soft peaks in a separate bowl. Beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and vanilla to the butter mixture; mix. Stir in the nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and the egg whites; beat until well blended.
To make a Tom and Jerry, fill a mug of hot water with Presidente brandy or hot cocoa and stir in 1 heaping tablespoon of batter. Whip cream is optional, but festive.
The batter will last in the fridge for several weeks. My neighbor used to freeze it in muffin liners to use year round.
Oh, and did I mention that it’s not low-fat or did the high butter content give it away?
You had me at a pound of butter.
The drink sounds amazing; the dead animal for the sake of “fashion,” less so.
My mom gifted me a mink stole (brown though). I am kind of obsessed with it. I don't buy fur, but I accept hand me downs. 🙂 Suburban sweetheart, there are lots of high quality faux options too!
I'm not usually into fur, I find it gaudy. And I don't love the idea of killing little animals. But this demi-jacket is gorgeous. If I tried hard enough, I could easily convince myself that this jacket falls into some kind of vintage exclusion. Like ivory harvested before the ban.
LOVE the wrap – I dislike the look of gigantic fur coats (and pretty much everything Rachel Zoe throws on as outerwear), but this has such an air of elegance and an lovely, understated quality to it. On another note, I recently convinced a party-girl friend that a cape was the way to go on frigid nights out (though, I like this even better)
The good part about a fur stole, besides is current Mad Men credentials, is that you can wear it over a simple coat. Even warmer :-).
I'm amazed also at this urging the drunks to cover up: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-11912067 duh!
As to the dead animal comments: wake up, acrylic is just fine for the same purpose (and will resist the spilled beers better).
Suburban sweetheart, there are dead animals in that drink as well….