And a happy Friendsgiving to YOU! I invited a few friends over for a little Friendsgiving celebration last weekend. It was super chill and super casual, which are my favorite types of parties to throw in Austin.

On Friday night, I invited my friends Grace and Kiera over for a bonfire. I ordered my favorite pizza in Austin, turned on some tunes, and made a quick batch of hot toddies with Cascade Blonde American Whiskey. This stuff is my jam. It’s a blonde whiskey, so it’s laid-back, approachable, and easy.

Exactly the type of Friendsgiving I wanted to have. 😉

I’m gonna start by giving a shout out to FRIENDS, because they are what make this life worth living! Grace is my friend from grad school (we did our masters in violin performance together at UT), and she and I were roommates before I met Nate and got married. I’m so glad that she stuck around in Austin after grad school, because so many people move around the country after school! She’s that friend who is always honestly real…no BS with her, and I love that. She’s also a a foodie friend and will often show up to rehearsals with plates of brown butter cupcake brownies and other fun things. (Seriously, go follow #gracebakesthings on instagram, and you will immediately start craving dessert.)

Kiera is a friend I met through blog world! She’s a wedding photographer, and we started following each other on instagram and eventually met IRL, and now she takes some of the photos that you see on this blog. She’s one of the sweetest people I know…everyone loves her. She’s also incredibly artistic (I mean, her profession is art, so that makes sense!) and recently took up sewing as a hobby. If you look on her instagram page, you can see some of the clothes she’s sewed for herself. I love having creative, inspiring friends in my life!

Hot Toddy Recipe with Cascade Blonde American Whiskey

1 oz of Cascade Blonde American Whiskey

About a tablespoon of honey (more if you like your drinks sweet!)

2 tsp of fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup of boiling water

Put the Cascade Blonde, honey, and lemon juice in a mug, then top it off with boiling water and stir until the honey is dissolved. Add a cinnamon stick, cloves, and lemon slice if you wish!

Cheers to the good life! I hope you enjoy this whiskey, y’all. I think it’s such a fun brand, and a really good bang for your buck! You can find it at Spec’s and Total Wine in Austin, and it’s really not too expensive at all. I enjoyed it during a nighttime autumn party, but since it’s a blonde whiskey, Cascade Blonde would also be great during the hot Texas summers. I definitely plan on making some cold, fruity cocktails with it when summer rolls around.

Oh, and one more thing that I have to point out, because I think it’s so cool: Cascade Blonde partners with American Rivers to help clean and restore our nation’s rivers. They’ve hosted events to clean Lady Bird Lake right here in Austin, and they’re planning another one soon! I love brands that give back.

This post is sponsored by Cascade Blonde American Whiskey, but all opinions are my own. I hope you love this whiskey as much as I do!