Who’s ready for Happy Hour? 

Spring is here, meaning beach nights and BBQ’s are just around the corner. And if I’m being honest, I’m a little sad about missing rosé season pretty much in its entirety this year. When I was pregnant with MM I didn’t think about having a drink once. But this time around, I’ve missed a weekend margarita here and there. Maybe it’s because I will be pregnant for most of the summer? Maybe it’s because I’ll be pregnant for most of the summer with a toddler?  

Either way, I’ve been on the lookout for some great mocktails to satiate my cocktail craving. Hopeless at concocting my own recipes, I brought in the professional: Clare from Cocktails on Clare. I came across her feed through my friend Brooke, of Monogram Mary; and I immediately asked her to send over some summertime recipes for me to try. These three mocktails were super easy to make, so yummy (even Phil loved them) and they’d be great additions to any summertime gathering- just add the strong stuff for your non-preggo friends and you’re good to go.

Here are three mocktails à la Cocktails on Clare: 

Lilies and Lambs Paloma 

You Need

1.5 oz lime juice

1 oz fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
1 oz simple syrup

Pinch of salt.

Sparkling Water 

Make

Add lime juice, grapefruit juice and simple simple syrup into a cocktail shaker and shake. Pour over ice and add sparkling water. Sprinkle salt and garnish with a grapefruit slice.

Short Cut: Use sparkling grapefruit soda! Clare recommends  GUS grapefruit or Izzie grapefruit juice- then you don't need to add any simple syrup or water. Just add just combine the lime juice, fresh grapefruit and the sparkling grapefruit juice in a glass over ice. Garnish same as before.

Watermelon Mamarita - yields 4

You Need

Watermelon Chunks (about the amount from one medium watermelon)

4 tsp agave

.5 cup lime juice

Sparkling water

Make

Mix the watermelon chunks, lime juice, and agave in a blender until smooth. Pour into 4 glasses ( I like mine over ice!) and top with sparkling water. Garnish with lime. Feeling spicy? Add a few pieces of jalapeno into the glass before you add the sparkling water.

Baby Blue

You Need

10 blueberries

1 mint sprig
1 oz lemon juice

1 oz honey
Sparkling water

Make

In a cocktail shaker, muddle blueberries and mint. Add honey and lemon juice and shake! Strain over ice and top with sparkling water. Garnish with a few blueberries and a lemon wheel.

photos by Julia Dags