I’m a bit selective when it comes to bringing items into our home.  My husband would argue that I’m just paralyzingly picky. I blame it on my tendency toward perfectionism. I spent a year scouring antique shops and flea markets for a painting for our dining room.  Something with a bohemian flare to fit with the rest of the house, in soothing hues of blue and green to match the green walls in the room, which, I should mention are not yet green.  When I finally found it – an antique reproduction of a John Audubon blue heron – I knew intuitively that it was the one.  But about the green walls – that is to say, the walls which are currently just a vision of a painting project we planned three years ago. I can’t seem to find just the right shade. Green, but not too green – more of a silvery-teal, like Tuscan kale after it has just been washed.  I’ve been through dozens of paint swatches, each an infinitesimal variation on the same shade, of which my husband claims to see no difference.  I haven’t settled on the right one. Selective or just picky?  The problem, I think, lies in the curtains. Will they clash with the paint?  I searched for two years to find the fabric – a warm red and olive damask – I don’t think I could bear to start over if they don’t match the new paint.  Perhaps, instead of kale, I should start looking at olive toned paint. “Perfection is the enemy of good,” my husband will say.  In fact, he said those same words last night as I was editing the photos for this post.  He’s right –  I’m paralyzed by perfectionism.    All this to say that when I do find something that is “perfect” for the house – with beautiful design elements of quality construction which satisfies my inner perfectionist and just seems to fit –  I get a tingle of excitement.  And that’s exactly how I felt when I first saw these copper mugs from Moscow Muled.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and there is no arguing that these handcrafted mugs make a beautiful photo, but let me share just a few words about their quality which extends far beyond aesthetics.  They are made from 100% food-grade copper and hammered by hand in the traditional method, making each mug unique.  The interior is lined with nickel, a detail I absolutely love.  Why do copper mugs need to be lined? Copper is a heavy metal which is easily degraded by acidic ingredients.  This can lead to copper toxicity and a slew of other heath issues, especially if you happen to have a habit of drinking Moscow Mules frequently.  Nickel prevents the copper from leaching into the cocktail, extending the life of the mug and possibly the one drinking from it, too.  It’s little details like this that turn a run-of-the-mill copper mug into a timeless investment piece.

But there’s something I love more than anything else about Moscow Muled and why I am proud to be partnering with them this Fourth of July.  For each mug sold they donate 15%  to organizations working to stop impaired driving.  This is a cause that is very close to my heart especially as the Fourth of July approaches.  We lost my aunt on July 4th – a victim of drunk driving.  She was walking home with friends after watching fireworks at a local park when they saw a dog in the road who had been hit by a car.  They did what any one of us would have done and rushed out to help.  That’s when a drunk driver struck the group, killing my aunt and two others.  My aunt was only 21.

Years later, my younger brother was crossing the road when a driver, with a blood alcohol level 3 times the legal limit, ran a red light and hit him in the crosswalk.  That driver, who later received a prison sentence, left the scene of the accident, leaving my brother on the pavement in a coma with nearly every bone in his body broken.  He was only 17.

I am not one get preachy on you, or to spout off facts and throw statistics at you, but this matters.  Impaired driving accounts for 28% of traffic deaths each year, and is the leading cause of traffic fatalities among teenagers.  To put that into perspective, in the US nearly 30 people are killed as a result of drunk driving every single day – that’s one person every 48 minutes.  What that means is that drunk driving will affect all of us at some point or another.  By supporting companies that work to stop impaired driving you make the world a safer place for all of us, but most importantly, for our children.

Not to leave this post on a sad not, let’s talk about my mom’s favourite drink – the Moscow Mule.  She is, you could say, a mule connoisseur.  The best vodka, fresh limes and organic ginger beer (she’s as picky about ginger beer as some people are about, say, paint colours.)  Today I’m sharing her favourite recipe, along with a non-alcoholic version – the Ginger Beer Tonic – for the designated drivers.  It has all the sophisticated flavours of a traditional cocktail and none of the empty sweetness of some other mocktails that are easily mistaken for a kid’s drink.   Because, our designated drivers deserve something more than Kool-Aid or soda.  They are, after all, the real heroes on July 4th.

Please be safe and drink responsibly this Fourth of July.

You can purchase these gorgeous mugs here and feel good about supporting a cause that we all can stand behind.  Read about Moscow Muled’s policy to give back here.

 

Moscow Mule
(makes one drink)

1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
1 – 2 mint leaves
1 1/2 oz. high-quality vodka
3/4 cup organic ginger beer
a slice of lime and a mint sprig, to garnish

Place the lime juice and mint leaves in the bottom of a copper mug.  Muddle gently with the back of a wooden spoon, just to bruise the mint.  Stir in the vodka.  Add ice and top with ginger beer.  Garnish with a mint sprig and a slice of lime.

Ginger Beer Tonic (non-alcoholic)
(makes one drink)

1 oz. lime juice
2 oz. tonic water
3/4 cup organic ginger beer
mint, optional

Mix the lime juice and tonic water in the bottom of a copper mug.  Add ice and ginger beer.  Garnish with mint if desired.

 

A note on sponsored posts:   This post was sponsored by Moscow Muled but the thoughts and opinions are my own. I only partner with brands that I love and trust.  I am honored to be able to share them with you.