A week of intense hues

I've had a couple times since last Friday when I've been able to stop and really the moment. All of them have had to do with colors. There has to be something to this.

It all started Friday night at Elisabeth and Ian's house. There was this blue/green punch:



The magic ingredients?

2 cups Dark Rum
8 cups Light Rum
2 cups Blue Caracao
Whole cans of the following kinds of frozen juice concentrate: pineapple, orange, lemonade and limade
Lots of ice - bags and bags

Holy cow.

This punch lead directly to a fantastic night of dancing with an unbelievable group of young swingers and professionals. A colorful moment.

Then this weekend I roasted and then pickled beets. I'm all about the beet. But even if you aren't a fan, it would be impossible to dislike these beets. I got the recipe from Alton Brown's tv show "Good Eats" (He reminds me of my friend Ford).

The beets are sweet, tangy and salty. And magenta. Another colorful moment.

• Roasted Beets, recipe follows
• 1 large red onion, frenched
• 1 cup tarragon wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup water

Directions

Remove the skin from the Roasted Beets and slice thinly. Arrange in 1-quart jars alternating layers with the onion. In a small pot boil the rest of the ingredients and pour over the beets. Tightly lid the jars and place in the refrigerator for 3 to 7 days before serving.

Roasted Beets:

• 6 medium beets, cleaned with 1-inch stem remaining
• 2 large shallots, peeled
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl toss all of the ingredients. Place into a foil pouch and roast in the oven for 40 minutes.

These vivid things were the tonic I needed to get me through this week.

Hats

I've been thinking about hats for years. My theory is that everything cycles and that my parents' generation didn't buy into the idea that men and women had to wear hats in public to be polite. Thus, hats look very fresh to me and people my age. I'm convinced there is more to this hat thing than the generational divide.

There is there is something very whimsical about hats. They are telling about a person's personality.

I've dabbled with a few hats of my own.


But lately, perhaps due in part to watching Mad Men, I've been considering more feminine hats.



I don't really think I can rock cool hats at work. Wacky accessories might not say - "promote me." But I think something like this would jazz up a simple dress or jeans for the weekend or evening.



There are zillions of options on the internet. The selection on eBay alone boggles the mind. The only problem is that people used to be way tinier than we are now. I'm wary of making such purchases without trying them on.

Sigh. I'll just have to go on the hunt to find just the right ladylike hat.