Last year we spent Memorial Day weekend in South Carolina with our friends Tina and Michael, and this year we were lucky enough to do the same. Both times, Rob and I have come home completely relaxed, well-rested, and sore from laughing for three straight days. This year there were ten of us at the beach house, and it was a weekend packed with sunny mornings on the water followed by rainy afternoons of endless games of cards, homemade piña coladas, bottomless chips and queso from the grocery store, and our beach tradition of a Saturday early bird hibachi dinner at a Japanese steak house, which had us back at the house well before 6 PM for more cards (and queso). 

I really haven't been to the beach with anyone but Tina in some time--I wrote this post in 2014 after her Dewey Beach bachelorette, when my parents were breaking up and I was wondering what family trips might look and feel like after a divorce. I hadn't thought much about trips with friends before that point--maybe because we hadn't done too many of them, but Tina and Michael's house in Richmond has always been a place that felt a lot more like a second home than a place to spend a weekend away, so until we started vacationing together I hadn't really given any of it a second thought. Regardless, it's been such a gift these past few years to get away and relax with some of your favorite people.

I have always been blessed with friends who feel more like family, and multiple times over the past few days--as her husband and mine stood under the porch grilling burgers together or while Tina and I chopped fruit over glasses of wine and reheated cheese dip and wiped down the coffee pot before heading the the beach to catch whatever sun was left in the forecast--I was once again overwhelmed with gratitude for these rituals we've put in place as we've grown up. And I'm already looking forward to the next long weekend.

I hope you had a beautiful holiday, wherever you were.

Last year, I came up with a delicious cafe miel popsicle recipe and I thought of them this year when Lavazza sent me some of their Gran Selezione roast and asked me to come up with a cold beverage to celebrate summer. So I pulled out the blender and used almost the exact same ingredients--coffee, coconut cream, and honey--to make a Paleo coconut frappé. 

Whoever said "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" was on to something.

Paleo Coconut Café Frappé

Ingredients (serves 2) 

• 12 ounces of coffee--I used Lavazza Gran Selezione
• 1 can of full-fat coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• Unsweetened cocoa powder, for garnish

Instructions 

1. The night before you make this, take a little over half of the coffee and freeze it in an ice cube tray.
2. In a blender, combine coffee ice cubes, the creamy part of the can of coconut milk (about four or five tablespoons), honey, and the liquid coffee.
3. Pour into a chilled glass, top with cocoa powder, and enjoy!

This post is brought to you in partnership with Lavazza.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Pure Leaf via Mode Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Pure Leaf.

My friend Andy and his family always throw the best little backyard barbecue parties in the spring and summer, but I haven't been to one in a long time. I think the last time I was able to attend was on Memorial Day several years back, but I still remember Andy's mom's amazing bourbon slush, which is delicious, easy to make, and very simply dressed up or down (Solo cup? That works. Martini glass? Also fine.)

Now my family makes it every year when the weather gets warmer--you just throw everything into a big pitcher or even a plastic container, pop it in the freezer overnight, and just like that, you're ready to throw a party.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of Pure Leaf Iced Tea (I used sweetened)
• 24 ounces frozen lemonade concentrate
• 12 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate
• 3 cups bourbon whiskey
• Orange and/or lime wedges for garnish

Instructions: 

1. In a large pitcher or another container, combine iced tea, lemonade and orange juice concentrate, and whiskey. Stir until the juice concentrates are melted and well incorporated.
2. Place the mixture in the freezer overnight (at least 10 hours). The whiskey will prevent the entire thing from freezing, which is what creates the "slush!"
3. To serve, scoop into glasses and garnish with a wedge of lime or orange (or both!). 

Pure Leaf is a premium iced tea brewed from real tea leaves picked at their freshest. For recipes, tea tips, and daily inspiration, visit PureLeaf.com.