A long time ago, in a city far away I had an attic apartment. One Christmas I decided to get a real tree. I invited my 3 best friends to come and decorate it with me.
And so started a tradition that has been going on now over 25 years. The annual champagne flute.
After all these years, here is my collection of flutes.
Here are my Home Town Best Friends, Martha, Me, Judy and Joan. They have been through it all with me and I love them like sisters. My goodness, are these girls always drinking? (maybe)
Here is another shot. I think there are a couple more stored away, but these I have at hand. They are all different and we've taken turns picking them out.
This is a favorite of mine. It's light pink with polkadots.
Green with a pretty stem.
This one has a peppermint twist of glass in the stem.
Tools of the trade. I use the nut cracker to hold the cork while I gently twisting the bottle. You don't want to spill any of those precious bubbles. The vacuum stopper preserves the bubbles and I can enjoy them for about 3 days.
A reader asked which champagnes I like. This is my "everyday champagne" ha ha. As if you can even say that. It's the one I really like and can get on sale.
This is a real value. It's not champagne but Prosecco is a nice priced alternative.
And this one is the "Big One" a magnum. I found this on sale and I'm saving it for the my 50th Birthday dinner at a local "bring your own" restaurant. I can't wait to share it with my family. This is my #1 pick, but it's pricey so we save it for really special occasions.
And now I've shared everything I know and love about Champagne. Get a bottle and savor it.
Dom Perignon said when he first invented it "Come quickly, I'm drinking the stars". I agree!
BYO bottle to a restaurant?! How fun!!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you and Dom.....and I love champagne, too, but we don't have it near often enough!
ReplyDeleteAnd wonderful to have had friends for that long.....and still enjoy each other! Awesome!
You all look enough alike to be sisters! Great friendship is a blessing for sure!
ReplyDelete:) Carolyn
So wonderful to have long time friends to celebrate life with, isn't it? :) True friends a such a rare blessing.
ReplyDeleteJudy
How fun is that! And how very lucky you are to have such good friends!
ReplyDeleteThat a fun tradition to have with friends. I agree with Carolyn you all look close enough to really be sisters!
ReplyDeleteSuch fun to have different glasses for bubbly. Have you found the smaller bottles of Veuve? I think our next purchase will be that size. No excuse for not embibing when the mood strikes; there are about three glasses worth. Prosecco comes in little bottles, too!
ReplyDeleteI'm a beer gal--but I LOVE your stemware, so very pretty!! Such fun with good friends :-)
ReplyDeleteTruly a girl after my own heart!
ReplyDeleteLove Dom Perignon's quote, I had never read that before, and have yet to have the funds to afford his "stars".
Great tradition, and great collection of fun memories.
Fun, fun, fun! I wish I had thought to collect flutes 25 years ago! I like all your bubbly choices...another favorite is Iron Horse Wedding Cuvee. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteI am one of those friends! And I have to say I am truly blessed to have Barb as my great gal pal for so many years.
ReplyDeleteShe is my bestie :) xoxo Joan
Back much farther than 25 years...lets see 44...eeek I worked in a very nice Italian Restaurant in Algonquin....a bit farther west of your stomping grounds in IL.
ReplyDeleteI learned to untwist the metal wire and then cover bottle with a towel and twist slowly...I didn't believe the older wait staff when they said it would sail..it did to front or restaurant and landed in water pitcher in bussing station which spilled water all over the back of ladies mink coat she didn't feel it...busboys had conniptions they thought they would be blamed....twist slowly Barb! have a good trip! Jane NJ
the flutes are a fabulous collection but the friends, along with the memories that you all share: priceless~!
ReplyDelete:-)
libbyQ
Love bubbles!!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great tradition with your friends.
You have quite a collection of champagne flutes there!
This is my favourite Champagne quote- "I drink champagne when I'm happy and when I'm sad. Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I'm not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it - unless I'm thirsty. ~ Madame Lilly Bollinger". Barb, You really know how to enjoy champagne in style, Your flute collection is mind bogglingly wonderful!! I've never had the need for a vacuum stopper ;). It's lovely to meet your friends, it's so special that you're all still friends. Have a fun time away.
ReplyDeleteI know I will be looking at champagne flutes differently now! I love collections that have memories...
ReplyDeletevery fun.
Kathie
What a great story and flutes to remind you of all the stories! We were gifted with a bottle of Dom one year and it was heavenly!!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great little tutorial on different champagnes!
ReplyDeleteI love the pink polkadot flute the best.
Do you know the story behind the Cupcake brand?
Fun post - have you ever machine quilted after drinking a glass? I hear its quite inspiring!
ReplyDeleteI love your champagne glasses. How wonderful to have a tradition like that to share with friends.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Barb - and happy 50th, whenever it is! I don't have a vacuum stopper, but believe it or not I've used aluminum foil, and it's not bad. Cheers!
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