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holly & flora
Here at holly & flora, you'll find my entertaining tips, winemaking adventures, vineyard stories, and seasonal drink recipes, all centered around cultivating a garden-inspired life.
While primarily focused on cocktails, this blog is also a space where you'll be inspired, feel connection, and experience a respite from the daily grind. I post a couple of times a month, as the season allows, with a casual, storytelling style, while sharing recipes that are delicious, easy to follow, and inspired by the garden.
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My husband, Steve, and I are avid home cooks, and having a culinary garden has always been a non-negotiable for us. We tore up our lawn and planted herbs, vegetables, flowers, and fruits, resulting in a sanctuary for our city souls and a source of inspiration for our kitchen creations.
the garden
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Working as a full-time sommelier in the Denver restaurant scene was a career highlight for me, but I missed the creative, artistic expression that I had for many years behind the bar. I began the blog as a means to document what we grew and the seasonal drinks we created from the bounty.
the cocktails
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Because of the blog title, my first name often gets confused. No, it's not Holly. I chose the name of my blog from the cross-streets of where we once lived. I documented the joy of what we cultivated there at the corner of Holly Street and Flora Place.
You do bloom, where you are planted, after all.
the namesake
03 / 04
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Although we no longer live at the house we shared together in Denver for nearly 15 years, the name has become synonymous with growing and blossoming wherever you are rooted.
At our new home here in Hotchkiss, we've named our backyard garden, the holly & flora farmette, as we continue to cultivate the traditions we created.
the ongoing story
04 / 04
how it all began
"life begins the day you start a garden."
- chinese proverb
Even if you can't rip up your lawn, one small change will make a lasting impact.
Here at holly & flora, you'll find a diverse spectrum of seasonally centric drinks,
from vibrant non-alcoholic sips to multi-layered, garden-inspired cocktails, made from a vast array of base spirits.
THERE'S A DRINK FOR EVERYONE
Planning and hosting events are an extension of my love of hospitality, and I love sharing all the gorgeous details!
one
gardening might become your life
it's more than
just cocktails
IF you're here until last call
two
5 THINGS YOU SHOULD PROBABLY KNOW
Our dogs, cats, and chickens occupy a lot of our time, so naturally, they make the cut.
three
four
you'd better
like animals
five
we're deep in the weeds together
I couldn't do what I do without the love of my life, Steve, and creating is much more exciting, when we do it together.
Which is what we do.
All the time.
The Kitchn is a website, founded by Apartment Therapy Media, which inspires cooks and nourishes homes through daily recipes, home and garden tips, kitchen design, and shopping guides.
the kitchn
Spoke+Blossom magazine is the premier hub of adventure in Western Colorado and covers hiking and biking trails, local artists and businesses, and food and drink news, focused on the Western Slope.
spoke+blossom
read the archives
explore the drinks
holly & flora
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Creating this blog began a journey into the world of writing and photography, and I've contributed to familiar publications and created recipes, photos, and videos for popular wine and spirits brands.
I am currently the cocktail columnist for the Western Slope's lifestyle magazine, Spoke+Blossom, and I have a syndicated column at the Kitchen, where I've contributed nearly 100 articles on wine education, gardening, and cocktail recipes.
"to plant a garden
is to believe in tomorrow."
- audrey hepburn
ready to share a drink?
follow along
Join me for seasonal recipes,
thoughtful wine recommendations,
entertaining tips,
and a refreshing, joyful sense of life.
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