For those of you who have been around here since the early days, you may recall that we were going to build a bar in what is now my studio area in the house. And if you’re new here, well, that bar never happened. Fast forward almost a decade later and we are now finally ready to start building out what will be our new outdoor entertaining area. And tucked away within will be the home bar we’ve been dreaming about for a long time. But before we even start, we have a lot to figure out, and one of those big decisions has to do with appliances.
The area we are allotting for entertaining space, including the indoor/outdoor bar and alcove is not huge, so we’re looking for small, compact appliances to put in. We’d really like as much bang for our buck if you will… And that’s why I’m loving this 90 Can Outdoor Beer Fridge from NewAir. Last year we worked with NewAir for holiday entertaining and have been using their countertop ice maker ever since (In case you’re wondering, we have yet to run out of ice!!). So now we’re super excited to team up again with them this year to give their new Premier Line Fridges a spin in this blazing hot Southern California sun.
We’ve had this outdoor beer fridge running for over a month now and have some pros and cons for our space. Take a look, and maybe these will help you decide too if this compact, streamlined, weatherproof fridge would work for your bar or entertaining space! (And if you scroll to the end, we’ve got a SWEET discount for you all too!)
PROS:
- Easy to assemble! Took no more than 10 minutes to unbox, attach the handle and plug in. (Optional casters were included but we decided not to add on at this time)
- Adjustable shelves. These are SO convenient since many of the cans we buy don’t come in the standard size. You can see our current configuration above.
- QUIET. So many of the fridges we looked at were loud. And even with outdoor noise were audible. So I love that I’m not hearing the motor kick on and off the whole time while I’m out there with the until.
- Cools thoroughly. It took a few hours for our fridge to fully cool the cans but once it was on and working, it kept them cold. Not slightly cooled, or colder on top or bottom, but ALL of them were nicely cold and ready to drink.
- Compact but holds a lot. Upon first seeing this streamlined fridge, you wonder how much it really can hold. However once you start filling it you’d be surprised at how much 90 cans is.
CONS:
- Smudges. While a stainless steel front looks great, I found that I’m constantly wiping it down from smudges, and ones I don’t see reflect in the sunlight. I’ve also gotten water spots from sprinklers going and then drying on the exterior.
- Price. I wasn’t sure if these would be a con or not, so it’s somewhere in-between. This is a durable, indoor/outdoor fridge and with that comes a higher price tag.
- Not all stainless steel. Because this is made to be built in and is a 15″ counter height, it is not all stainless steel as the sides are black. So, if this will be free-standing in your space, it will be two-toned.
Currently our 90 Can Beer Fridge is hanging out amongst the patio furniture but as we build out the deck and start turning our dirt floor, unfinished ground story space into a usable entertaining area, we are considering bringing the fridge either into the indoor/outdoor counter space, or maybe giving it a home near the grill. Stay tuned this year as we look to YOU with help picking out ideas for this space! And big thanks to NewAir for letting us try out their new premium line fridge.
OH HEY WE’VE GOT A PROMO CODE!!! If you’re interested in getting your own 90 Can Beer Fridge (model #Â NOF090SS00) AND want to get $183.99 OFF the retail price, use code STIR at checkout on NewAir’s site! YAY! Would love to see where you set yours up (and what you put IN it!).
For more information on NewAir’s entire line of products, check them out here!
This post was made in partnership with 
While we may have come together over a shared bond of going out and having fun, now everyone in the group is at various forms of no-abv, low-abv, and mod-abv (a new term I am coining here). Getting together with a bottle of whiskey is just not going to cut it anymore, and as countless statistics now tell us, more people are embracing entertaining with all these facets of alcohol consumption in mind. So, together with 
At our Friendsgiving you won’t find a turkey, you won’t find a formal sit down dinner, but what you will find is laughter, dancing, pigs in a blanket, and since I’m bartending, delicious drinks. Oh and snacks. LOTS of snacks. I like to set out small stations around the house as no one ever stays in one place. One area I’ve got a DIY Your Seltzer bar with berries, herbs, ice, and citrus. And 
Another aspect of entertaining during the holiday season is sometimes people are looking for ways not to overindulge. When one of my friends arrived for the party she announced she was off sugar and carbs this month, usually I would have been scrambling to find something to serve, but lucky for her, the Smirnoff Seltzer Raspberry Rosé and Smirnoff Seltzer Berry Lemonade hard seltzers have zero sugar and just 1 carb per serving. And unlike some drinks you might get claiming no sugar, they aren’t adulterated with a bunch of artificial sweeteners. This announcement was totally unexpected from this friend but I felt super lucky to be able to offer her some tasty drink options (and eat all her dinner rolls! Ha. Sorry F!).
If you’re looking to incorporate some low-abv (and mod-abv) options this year with these Smirnoff hard seltzers, here’s a few ideas…
Well, for one, we’re right in the middle of Day of the Dead celebrations, which go from October 31st to November 2nd. And secondly, Tequila Cazadores has released a special bottle to commemorate the holiday designed by the Mexican artist Victoria Villasana. She “was inspired by the Cazadores Stag and its meaning in indigenous cultures in Mexico. The stag is a messenger, a powerful animal that represents sensitivity and intuition. Just like Día de los Muertos, it represents a connection with our ancestors and the bridge between life and death.”
This year marks the first year that I am making an altar with ofrendas, or offerings, at home. I was introduced to the holiday through my Mesoamerican Art History studies in college years ago, but this year my oldest has started asking some big questions about life and death lately. I feel like this is the perfect way to not only honor our deceased relatives, but to give an honest answer about the cycle of life in a way that is not scary, but rather joyous and celebratory.
If you are thinking about celebrating Día de los Muertos in your home this year for the first time. Here’s a primer on a few of the symbols that would be found on the altar and in the home.
This post was made in partnership with Loire Valley Wines. Recipes and ideas are my own.
So pop open a bottle of wine with me, a bottle of 
Since Loire Valley Wines are fresh and fun, we’re also going to be going that direction with our after Thanksgiving bites with these three options: Tart Turkey Lettuce Cups, Brie Stuffed Pommes Noisettes, and Bite Size Croque Monsieur Tartines. I’m going on the assumption that you’ll have some of the staple dishes at your meal like turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, a cheese plate, bread, green beans, pecans or walnuts, and various refrigerator condiments. If you’re feeling fancy, I’ve even got a few optional ingredients so you can win the day after Thanksgiving meal as well. But no pressure! Friday should be all about relaxing with family, not stressing over food preparation.
Ok, let’s pour ourselves a glass of wine and get cooking!
Turkey Lettuce Cups
Brie Stuffed Pommes Noisettes
Forever on the lookout for ways to decorate my home bar and bar cart, I came across these new cocktail prints from Art & Hue recently and had to share.
I, like many of us (as the Mad Men phenomenon has us believe), am enamored with that mid-60’s Golden Age of flying. The luxury, the glamor, the booze! These colorful prints from Art & Hue highlight bits of architecture from modernist airports (like LAX’s iconic shapes), as well as pop art styled air hostesses and in-flight services.
These prints got the spirit of that era down. And the best part? You can order custom color combos to match your home bar’s decor. Me? I think I’m a big fan of the cobalt and blush.
Maybe it’s my background in the fine arts, or my love of good design that drew me to these hand blown glasses from 
They’re super delicate and very elegant, but that doesn’t have to stop you from making a cocktail with a creature from the black lagoon inside. If you’re looking to get more creative with your cocktail glassware these just might inspire your inner artist.
Our house is a house that loves games. Whether it’s a board game with just my husband and me, or a few rounds of poker with friends, or even puzzle time with the wee one, we always make time for fun (and usually with a cocktail in hand).
I came across these