Hot Cocoa Brandy Alexander (with Lewis Road Creamery Chocolate Milk)
Makes one drink

1.5 oz brandy
1 oz creme de cacao
1 cup Lewis Road Creamery chocolate milk (or other high-quality chocolate milk)*
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 cup cream
Optional: fresh grated nutmeg and/or chocolate shavings

Combine brandy and creme de cacao in a mug or other heat-resistant glass. In a small saucepan over low heat, whisk chocolate milk with the cinnamon stick for 5-7 minutes, until just boiling and fragrant. Pour warm chocolate milk in the mug with the liquor and stir to combine. Using the steam wand on an espresso machine or other frothing device, stretch the cream until achieving a velvety texture and a temperature of 70 degrees celcius (about 150 fahrenheit).** Pour this over the boozy hot chocolate and garnish with grated nutmeg and chocolate shavings.

*See below to understand why Lewis Road Creamery is at the sweet pinnacle of chocolate milk production.
**Alternatively, whip the cream using a hand mixer.

I think it’s fair to say the classic Brandy Alexander is mine and Christy's “friendship cocktail.” In the earliest days of our fraternization, we would meet up at one of our little college apartments and cook elaborate French Moroccan fusion dishes while listening to Corinne Bailey Rae and drinking endless Brandy Alexanders. I’m not sure how we first discovered the recipe, but I blame Feist’s doozie of a song by the same name. We were both at university then, in our early 20s, and it was an era marked by the discovery of alcohol, our independence, and ourselves. The song, with those snapping fingers and catchy lyrics—“he’s my Brandy Alexander, always gets me into trouble… goes down easy”—drew us in to a hazy, jazzy world where it made sense to relate that not-right-for-you, but irresistible guy with 3 ounces of smooth, boozy chocolate. We’ve long since dropped the guys of that era but we kept the cocktail as a continuing souvenir of the saucy women we saw ourselves as back then.

Drinking it now, in an expensive martini glass with that spicy dusting of nutmeg on top, I’m always brought back to the nights Christy and I spent drinking, laughing, and building the foundation of our friendship together. So last week, when we were hanging out in my cozy, New Zealand home in the middle of winter, it made sense to revive the tradition… with a little twist.

Enter Lewis Road Creamery’s cult-favorite chocolate milk, made with Whittaker’s real chocolate. New Zealand readers, you’re all nodding your head right now thinking, “oh girl, I KNOW where this is going. I knowwwww.” And you’re so freaking excited. Hold that thought.

For the rest of the world: I’m sorry. I’m sorry you don’t live in New Zealand for so many reasons. But the number one reason for my purposes today is that you don’t have access to the greatest chocolate milk ever produced. In the world. Ever. This chocolate milk is so good, and the demand for it is so high, that trucks transporting this manna direct from heaven have to be GUARDED. Because this is New Zealand, where police officers do not carry firearms, but the chocolate milk has to be escorted by burly men to grocery stores around the country.
 (The NZ Herald later reported this was a myth, but I believe all good fables are partially grounded in truth.)

Basically, Lewis Road Creamery, the producers of some of the freshest dairy in the world, had the brilliant idea to create organically rich chocolate milk by injecting their dairy with real Whittaker’s chocolate (the Kiwi favorite). Their goal was to make the finished product taste as close to “liquid chocolate” as possible. It worked. And the people went mad.

When Christy and I decided to winterize our favorite Brandy Alexander recipe, the chance to incorporate this golden chocolate milk into a boozy hot cocoa concoction was too good to pass up. The end result is magic. Just like all the New Zealand readers knew it would be as soon as I said “Lewis Road Creamery chocolate milk.” It tastes like the coziest night of your life, in liquid form. My god, this is the greatest recipe we’ve ever invented. Of course, you can make yours with any high-quality or even homemade chocolate milk, but if you live in New Zealand, do not settle for less than cult classic. These kinds of things are legend for a reason.

If you're on the other side of the world, and looking to escape from the summer heat, try Christy's frozen twist on the Brandy Alexander.

Either way, our Brandy Alexanders certainly do go down easy.

VEGAN BRANDY ALEXANDER FLOAT

Vegan Brandy Alexander Float
Makes one drink

1.5 oz (3 tablespoons) brandy
1.5 oz (3 tablespoons) creme de cacao
3 oz (6 tablespoon) almond milk
1/4 cup almond milk vanilla ice cream
Optional: vegan whipped cream and fresh grated nutmeg

Scoop ice cream into a glass by rounded tablespoons (you should end up with roughly 3-4 scoops). In a measuring cup, mix together brandy, creme de cacao, and almond milk. Pour over ice cream and top with vegan whipped cream and freshly grated nutmeg.

A few notes about this recipe:

Traditionally, a Brandy Alexander is composed of equal parts brandy, creme de cacao, and half and half. However, I upped the milk quantity because almond milk is obviously significantly less creamy than half and half. Also because I’m a bit of a baby when it comes to how strong my alcoholic beverages taste.

You can use any milk/ice cream you prefer, of course. I generally use almond milk/ice cream because I find, when you’re veganizing a recipe, it doesn’t alter the flavor the way other milks (looking at you soy and coconut) do. American readers--So Delicious makes excellent vegan ice cream (cashew, coconut, soy, or almond) but if you can’t find that near you or if you live in a country where there’s not every product imaginable available to you *coughNewZealandcough*, you can always try making your own (and then let me know how it goes! I just added making my own ice cream to my list of veganizing challenges).

I’ve made this with both chocolate and vanilla ice cream. I prefer the vanilla but if you’re a massive chocolate fan, you can definitely try it that way instead!

For the love of your tastebuds, ONLY use freshly grated nutmeg. I cannot tell you how much better it tastes than packaged ground nutmeg. Not kidding, I always hated nutmeg until I was making a recipe with a friend that called for it and, because we were in France and you can’t find pre-ground nutmeg in grocery stores there, THANK GOD, our only option was to grate it ourselves. ROCKED MY WORLD. Also, you know if the French are doing it to their food, it’s gotta be better. Do yourself a favor and go buy the real thing.

And finally, I would be remiss if I told you how to make a Brandy Alexander but didn’t tell you to listen to Feist’s song Brandy Alexander. Especially since that was essentially mine and Kaitlin’s theme song for the summer of 2010. Kaitlin describes the significance that the drink/song has played in our friendship with her usual eloquence in her Brandy Alexander post and also gives you a killer recipe for a Brandy Alexander hot cocoa. Seriously, what can that girl NOT do?

Anyway, read her post and then fly to New Zealand to make said drink with Whittaker’s chocolate milk because she is not hyperbolizing when she said it’s the best chocolate milk in the world. How an alcoholic drink recipe turned into a pitch for a trip to New Zealand, I don’t know. But, in all fairness, I think I could make anything in my life a pitch for going to New Zealand.

Sorry, I digress. To sum up this post, always use freshly grated nutmeg, move to New Zealand, and make yourself Brandy Alexanders because Feist describes them with perfect accuracy when she sings they "go down easy."

36 HOURS ON THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD

We made our last turn on to the Great Ocean Road as the sunset was exploding over barren Australian landscape in a wash of fire orange, sea coral and bruised violet. Wild ocean raged just 200 meters beyond the edge of land to the south. We drank the view in for the last time and then settled back for the 2-hour return drive to our hotel. Fidgeting with our music and maps, we both looked up at the same exact moment to see an adult kangaroo pounce across the highway just yards in front of our car, backlit by the glorious sunset. Through squeals and screams of delight, we high-fived each other and shouted “best year ever!!!”

One highway-hopping kangaroo, five sleepy koalas, a slew of kamikaze cockatoos, and one sweet, Aussie hitchhiker were among the highlights of our exciting wildlife encounters. The chance to discover Australia’s unique flora and fauna was one of the major draws for our Australian road trip adventure. And the Road delivered.

The GOR winds along the southeastern tip of Australia through 150 miles of stunning ocean views, wild surf beaches, quaint seaside villages, clumps of koala-dotted eucalyptus trees, waterfall hikes, and stretches of barren, rugged Australia. Just an 80-minute drive from the Melbourne Airport, you can hire (that's "rent" for you North Americans) a car and be at the unofficial start of the GOR in the time it takes to nurse a large coffee and listen to one Florence + The Machine extended album.

Driving the Great Ocean Road along Australia’s southern coast with my best friend will go down as legend in my life’s Epic. And it only took a day and a half.

Traditionally those visiting the Great Ocean Road stay overnight at different towns along the drive. However, we decided to bunker down for both nights of our journey in Lorne. Logistically, this meant arriving at our accommodation for both nights late afternoon on the first day, and then on the second day driving out to Port Campbell and back to Lorne. We both felt this was a totally feasible way to see the hits of the GOR in what amounts to about 36 hours, or two nights on the road. You can, of course, pack up and stay at the next town on your journey. Some people take two weeks to do the Great Ocean Road, but the way we did it is an easy and convenient way to see the main sights under a time restraint.

Our Itinerary

DAY 1 AFTERNOON: MELBOURNE AIRPORT TO LORNE 

We flew into Australia the morning of our GOR adventure and so began our journey at the Melbourne Airport. Below are the notable places we stopped (or wished we didn't stop *coughTorquaycough*) on the drive to our accommodation. 2-hour drive, plus 30 minutes for sightseeing and coffee

• Torquay - This surf town sits 30 minutes north of the start of the Great Ocean Road. As we discovered after making a quick stop here for coffee and pastries, surf towns apparently don’t know how to make croissants or decent coffee. They DO, however, know how to sell bathing suits. Home to international apparel icons like Quiksilver and Ripcurl, this town plays gleefully to the surfer crowd with an entire shopping mall called the Surf Coast Plaza, and for the truly enthusiastic, a Surf World Museum. So if you’re in the market for a wetsuit, stop here to mosey around the unending surf shops and grab a mediocre coffee. Otherwise, take the 6-8 minute detour to snap a photo at Bells Beach and then continue on to what you actually came here to see.

• Anglesea - So long, mediocre pastries and uninspiring views! Hello, Anglesea. This town is the official start of the Great Ocean Road. Therefore, be prepared to start the exciting cycle of pulling over onto the purpose-built shoulders every 5-10 minutes for photos of the ever-increasing splendor of the Great Ocean Road.

• Great Ocean Road Memorial Arch - This Arch serves as a memorial for the soldiers who built the Great Ocean Road (the whole road is a war memorial for the soldiers who died in WWI -- making it the largest war memorial in the world). The arch is 15-20 minutes past the town of Anglesea, and, obviously, stopping at this arch to take a string of selfies was a must. Plan to do the same.

• Lorne - This sweet, picturesque town is where we decided to stay while traveling the Great Ocean Road. In my pre-trip research, I discovered that this is the favorite GOR town for good eats with lovely restaurants and cafés. There are also plenty of stunning sights located near the town (such as Erskine Falls or Teddy's Lookout) for your sight-seeing pleasure.

• Erskine Falls - Located 10km from our Lorne hotel, we visited the waterfall after check-in. We were happy to hike down to the waterfall at dusk because we stood in complete, blissful silence surrounded only by the sound of water meeting earth and the feel of dense fog on our skin.

DAY 2 MORNING: LORNE TO APOLLO BAY

The stretch from Lorne to Apollo Bay offers some of the most photo-worthy views on the drive and we stopped frequently during this one-hour leg of the journey (it helped that the sun was out in its full, glorious force on that winter day.) 1-hour drive,  2.5 hours for stops (including lunch)

• Skene’s Creek - We managed to find a beachside spot near Skene's Creek to attempt some acro yoga photos. The patch of beach where we stopped was absolutely stunning (at this point, are you surprised?), and in the summer, I suggest planning a picnic for the midday meal and maybe even a swim. But in the chilly winter weather, acro was all we could manage before moving on to the next spot. 

• Kennett River Koala Walk - Yes, you read that right--a koala walk. There is a lovely walking path near the Kennett River seaside village that is also a happening koala hangout. Be prepared when you drive through Kennett River-- there's no “koala-sighting” sign and not much around the unassuming turn-off that would let you know that you're in the right place for spotting adorable, little fur balls (as well as heaps of cockatoos and parrots who will fly up and eat out of your hand!). But any well-researched tourist knows Grey River Road is the turn-off for koala-spotting. Park the car by the general store (conveniently named Kafe Koala) and then follow the road up a hill to the left of the store (if it's not busy, you can also drive up). If you’re there alone, keep your koala eyes on. If there are other tourists on the path, just find a group who is stopped and looking up at the trees and then follow their gaze. They’ve most likely found a koala or two high in the eucalypts. We found three koalas here. 

The "Koala Walk" at Kennet River

Wildlife of the Kennett River Koala Walk

We had only set off from the Koala walk for 5 minutes when Kaitlin said, “now that I know how high those fluffy suckers hang out in the trees, I highly doubt we would ever just see one while we’re driving along the Great Ocean Road.” Not 4 seconds later, she said “OMG! There’s a koala!”

The little guy was hanging out on a low branch in a leafless eucalyptus tree, right next to a shoulder on the road, so we pulled over and took a series of excited “koala in the wild!” photos. Being passed by honking tour buses with disappointed-looking tourists envious of our great koala find was perhaps the most grateful I was to have the freedom of a car and our own schedule on the GOR.



DAY 2 AFTERNOON: APOLLO BAY TO PORT CAMPBELL

By the time we reached Apollo Bay and had a leisurely lunch at a creperie, we needed to get going to fit in the most spectacular and famous sights of the Great Ocean Road: The Gibson Steps, The Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, London Bridge, The Grotto, and The Arch. All are located around Port Campbell National Park about 5-15 minutes from each other along the GOR. And all deserve as much of your time and attention as you can afford. They’re magnificent and awe-inspiring and will make you believe in the God of big and small things (or the scope of time and science, if that’s your thing). 75-minute drive, 3+ hours for stops

• The Gibson Steps - The first of the famous Great Ocean Road sights, we missed it looking for signs for Twelve Apostles. Womp womp. Don’t make the same mistake.

• The Twelve Apostles - We'll let the photos below be an example of why this is the most famous spot on the Great Ocean Road. It’s a right turn-off for the heavily crowded carpark and then an easy 5-minute walk down to platforms where you can view the incredible limestone formations standing proud in the ocean from a few different angles. Even in winter, we had to jostle the masses of tourists to get a spot where we could take a photo. Like most over-touristed sights, the crowds of unending selfie-takers ruined some of the magic of the place. If this isn’t your jam, I suggest taking extra time on the GOR and plan to be at this spot early in the morning before the tourist buses arrive and unload. Even still, we found the sight truly spectacular—a gorgeous view like none other. 

 

• Loch Ard Gorge - Another lovely spot for photos (are we being redundant yet?). We met an Aussie in Melbourne who said whenever he visited Loch Ard Gorge, he would walk to the bottom and write things in the sand and climb back up to take photos of what I'm sure were very lovely and appropriate words. You could do the same. Or just take acro photos like we did.

• London Bridge, The Arch, and The Grotto - By the time we made it to these spots, the crowds had thinned out to a whisper of couples and small families who we met at each location, smiling in passing with a “see you at the next spot!” This was much more peaceful and in the thinning of the masses, we were able to enjoy the views with more serenity. Do not underestimate how crowds will affect your experience if you’re the type who likes to breathe in the wonders of the world in silence. We much preferred the sights we saw later in the day and most likely, you will too.

When we finished up at the Grotto, the aforementioned glorious sunset sung us sweetly home. We pulled out from the Grotto carpark onto the GOR for the last time, and then headed towards the A1 highway to take an alternative and faster route back to Lorne for the night.

You can head back to Melbourne the following morning. Or, as we did, journey on to the gorgeous Yarra Valley (more on that soon!).

Ultimately, the Great Ocean Road is one of the most stunning drives in the world, and can be done at a leisurely pace over several days (or weeks) to incorporate the host of amazing hikes and sights along the way, but can also be fully experienced in the most gorgeous 36 hours of your life.

Logistics

Transportation - We absolutely recommend renting a car for your journey. You can, of course, travel the road in a crowed tour bus. But not only would you then be on a crowded tour bus (really, need we say more?), you would also be tied into stopping and going with the tour group--obviously that makes for a much less leisurely and enjoyable experience.

Phone/GPS - We purchased a SIM card from Optus, a store in the Melbourne Airport right outside the exit for customs. If you have an American cellphone, you're going to need to get it unlocked in order to use this SIM (grrr freaking America). Obviously, this is also what we used as our GPS -- you might be able to go without cellphone service or the ability to post to Instagram immediately, but the GOR will be infinitely easier to navigate with a GPS. Do yourself a favor and just get an Australian SIM card.

Accommodation - We found a great Groupon deal in Lorne for an apartment-style accommodation nestled among the cockatoos and eucalyptus trees. The two-night stay included a room-delivered continental breakfast on both mornings as well as a bottle of wine (if you haven't used groupon for booking accommodation, do so starting NOW). We were very happy with our decision to stay in Lorne for it's convenient location on the GOR and our cozy accommodation.

Food

Dinner - For our first night, we stopped by the grocery store (“Foodworks,” located directly on the GOR in Lorne) and grabbed what we needed to make a meal in our apartment. We were also able to grab some fruit for snacks on the road the following day.

Breakfast - Fortunately, we didn't have to worry about getting breakfast because our accommodation provided a continental breakfast (delivered to our room!). But we did stop for a caffeine fix before hitting the road. FYI, The Bottle of Milk makes a divine flat white…and it’s an adorable seaside café to boot.

Lunch - We stopped in Apollo Bay for lunch and happened upon Waves, a creperie where we were able to get affordable and delicious vegetarian fare. We definitely recommend it if you're passing through Apollo Bay for lunch!

Dinner - We ordered a pizza on our way back to Lorne (calling 15 minutes before closing because we have awesome timing) at the aptly named restaurant Pizza Pizza. Their pizza was exceedingly delicious--perhaps Christy's favorite part of the GOR trip! Ok, not really, but she did go on her own pizza tour while backpacking through 16 European countries so she knows a thing or two about good pizza, and particularly how necessary a damn good pizza can be after a long day of traveling. Lorne did not disappoint.

Tips

• Australia drives on the LEFT. Don’t be a dumdum about this. 
• Petrol stations are scarce. Don’t be a dumdum about this. We left Melbourne on a full tank and filled up at a station near the end of the GOR in Port Campbell. The road back to Lorne winds through backcountry No Man’s Land of Australia and you’ll see little-to-no signs of life at night until you reach the town of Colac, more than an hour’s drive away. So, please do fill up before you head back so you don't wind up stranded in middle-of-nowhere Australia.
• If driving the GOR in one direction only, drive East to West (Anglesea to Port Campbell). The ocean views and the shoulders will be on the left, along your side of the road.
• As we took our journey mid-winter, we had very limited sunlight hours to work with—the sun sets at about 5:00 pm in July. Taking the road trip in summer (December-February) will buy you hours of sunlight and guaranteed fair weather, but you’ll be fighting the crowds and the tour buses along the way.
• There are fewer crowds at the highlights during early morning and early evening. Most one-day tour buses drive in from Melbourne in the morning and head back after seeing the 12 Apostles around 3:00 or 4:00 pm. If you’re hoping to have a certain spot all to yourself for photos, plan accordingly.
• The sunset is absolutely stunning over London Bridge and the Grotto. Budget your day to finish at these spots for sunset.

• Falling rock is common along the west-east, cliff-hugging side of the Great Ocean Road. Be warned.
• Keep your koala and kangaroo eyes on at all times. Koalas hang out high in the eucalyptus trees that line the GOR in the rainforest areas. You can spot them by finding V-shaped nooks in the trees that have a grey ball of fluff in the middle. Kangaroos, on the other hand, are unpredictable and great care should be taken when driving on any of the highways around the GOR. Like deer in the States, they can hop out in front of you at any time. Stay alert, and in control, and hopefully you’ll get the privilege of sharing the road with a springy roo. At night, drive slower with your brights on and don’t be a kangaroo-killer. The only low point of our journey was finding a dead kangaroo on the side of the road at night.
• There are festivals and surf events throughout the year in many of the GOR towns. Check to see what you may be interested in to get even more bang for your traveling buck. For my money, I’ll go back in the next couple years to catch the Port Fairy Folk Festival (annually in March)!

Cost 

Car rental: We kept the car three days, but for two days with full insurance coverage (and you want the full insurance coverage, because didn’t you hear me about those kangaroos?) it was roughly $175 AUD

Accommodation: For two nights (room-delivered breakfast included for both mornings and a bottle of wine for the first night) it was $189 AUD

Petrol: Roughly one tank at about $60 AUD

Food/coffee: $95

Australian SIM card and data for 7 days: $15 AUD

Total Cost: $534 AUD ($267 per person)




Websites for Further Reading:

Visit Melbourne- Great Ocean Road

Highlights of the Great Ocean Road

Visit Lorne 

Lonely Planet- Great Ocean Road

TULLE SKIRT - AUTUMN

Military Jacket: Decjuba (similar)
Tulle Dress: American Rag

Shirt: Cotton On

Shoes: Pulp Noir

Purse: Badgley Mischka

Christy is very forgiving: she's had her tulle skirt post ready to go for about six weeks. You know, back when it was actually her springtime. God love her, she's been so patient with me while I struggled to keep up my end of the blog deal last month. But here we are! Tulle skirts! In spring, in autumn! Kind of.

Here in New Zealand, we had a pretty rough autumn. Freezing rainstorms galore. I've not been very impressed. But you know what makes god awful weather bearable? Tulle skirts and gloriously fleece-lined tights. That's how you make your tulle work in cold weather: cozy tights and military jackets.

The tulle skirt is actually a tulle dress, which I often disguise by layering blouses and sweaters over the top, because-- versatility.

Thanks to my mother, I also now have a grown-up, autumn-appropriate handbag. She gifted me this Badgley Mischka gem when I (finally) finished my Master's degree earlier this year. It's smooth and wine-colored in a way that makes me want to be constantly holding a glass of Pinot Noir in the other hand while I'm out and about with it. The gold and quilt details are the stuff of handbag dreams.

I honestly can't wait for the earth to move on its axis and give us the sun back. Until then, tulle and wine-colored everything, and prayers for a gentle winter ahead.

TULLE SKIRT - SPRING

Dress: Forever 21

Top: H&M

Blazer: J. Crew Factory

Shoes: Just Fab

Clutch: Target 

Rings: Etsy (France, Oui)

There’s something frivolous and fun about tulle skirts that always make me feel so indulgently adorable when I wear them. I think that’s why I became so attached to the tutu I packed when I backpacked through Europe for a summer. Without fail (regardless of when the last time I showered was, or if I had just wasted a whole day hitchhiking without getting a lift), putting on a tulle skirt made me feel like I was killin’ it. And they still have that effect on me.

This tulle dress in particular though…buying it was a serious win for my closet. It is the perfect mix of feminine, fancy, and fun while being deceptively comfortable. And, until it’s socially acceptable to sloppily wrap yourself in your bedsheets and call that getting dressed for the day (a girl can dream), I will always be on the hunt for pretty dresses that make me feel like that's what I'm doing. This tulle dress ranks high in that category.

Obviously, a tulle skirt was also the best way to break in my new blazer. (Pinterest trend for the win!) I bought this blazer this past winter when the $3 Goodwill blazer I bought in college literally began to fall apart at the seams. Not much makes me feel more like a grown-ass woman than discarding my thrift store blazer for a brand new J. Crew one. Also, using the phrase grown-ass woman--that’s right, I curse when I want and buy overpriced clothes. Grown-up world, I have arrived! Albeit in the most girly and whimsical way possible.