One week left until my Dry January ends.  But when I spotted this moody-looking cocktail, it looked like the perfect thing for the end of winter.  And just because I can’t enjoy it, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t.

But before we get started, a quick programming note.  Next week, I’ll be posting my annual Valentine’s Day lingerie post.  It’s always one of my favorites, so if you’re looking for a specific kind of lingerie or have another question to ask, leave it in the comments.

This cocktail comes from the fine people at Half Baked Harvest.  The mix of rum, ginger beer, and fig preserves sounds amazing.

The author recommends using a good quality ginger beer to deepen the flavor.  As a Moscow Mule drinker from way back, I know how awful bad ginger beer (or worse, treacly ginger ale) can be for a cocktail.  My favorite ginger beer comes from Fever Tree, it has a really crisp, ginger flavor.

As for the fig preserves, if you have a Trader Joe’s near you, their Fig Butter is what you’re looking for.  There’s no butter in it.  Fruit butters are just preserves that use more fruit than sugar and are processed until completely smooth.  (It’s also good on a bacon and egg sandwich with white cheddar and arugula.)

I started working out before the wedding and quickly realized that getting in shape in your later-30s is a different beast.  After a few weeks of diligence, I had reached a point where I’d lost all the weight that I was prepared to lose.  Meaning that losing any more would just be unsustainable with my lifestyle.  Because once the vows were over, daily workouts and 5-mile morning walks would be a thing of the past.

As a result, it was time to part with all of the smaller size jeans in my closet.  There are just some things that we aren’t meant to hold on to.  And when I started replacing my AG Farrah’s with larger-sized alternatives, I made one critical decision: I wasn’t hemming anything.  Because in a world where ankle length jeans exist, I don’t have to pay to have pants shortened.

There AG Farrah ankle length jeans were my first purchase.  AG makes a number of ankle length styles, which is nice.  Banana Republic also makes a nice ankle length jean (always on sale).  And if you’re looking for a pair that is a little bit unique, these button fly, grey wash Rockstar jeans from Old Navy are fun.

Plus-size?  Kut from the Kloth and Talbot’s both stock a decent selection of ankle length styles.  Tall?  Chico’s and Banana Republic can help.  Petite? Try J.Crew.  Maternity?  1822 Denim stocks a number of a under-$60 styles for expecting Mamas.

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