Video Attempt: The Vivianne Moves

The Vivianne has had quite a run on Bon Appétempt. We first introduced you to her here. Then she showed up with an explanation as to her origins here. There she goes again here; once more here, and now, we give you our most recent tribute. Yes, she’s moved with us to the new house. Will there be more Vivianne-centric posts? That’s a clown question, bro!

Also featured in this video is one of the most perfect summertime drinks I’ve had the honor of sipping on a sunny Los Angeles afternoon: an herb-infused clara con limón, which I discovered via Sarah at The Yellow House—one of my favorite sites to check in on. Her beautiful photography coupled with this sentence: "We walked down to the creek, claras in hand." stayed with me this past month and all the way to to my post-move trip to the grocery store, which I carried out in a zombie-like state because, I don’t know if you know this, but moving is exhausting. And if you’re at the age where your parents have downsized from the house you grew up in and have thus mailed back to you everything that might have been yours between the ages of zero and eighteen, and your grandma is beginning to go through her many items and has decided to send you your grandpa’s lifelong penny collection, your move may also include boxes full of individually-wrapped pennies (from the 80's!) and diplomas, which now seem like framed, mean-spirited jokes.

Speaking of everything you’ve ever held in your possession, here are a few highlights:

1. You know how in high school on Valentine's Day you could send crushes carnations with a little message attached, and then on the morning of Valentine's Day, if you were lucky, one would be waiting for you in homeroom? Well, here's one Matt sent me:

2. The movers cleared things out faster than I’d anticipated, so all of these weird items I didn’t immediately know what to do with ended up on this one table, until the movers were ready to take that table and had to ask: “Uhm, what do you guys want to do with these things?” Naturally, I responded by taking a photo.

3. This book, A Place in the Sun, is super rad. Totally forgot about it.

4. Remember, friends?

If any of the above has a message, I think it may be to embrace the stranger things in life. (Particularly if one of the things is a faux-gilt-framed oil painting of a little rosy-cheeked boy/girl with—possibly, probably—no hands.)

Herb-infused clara con limón (a.k.a. shandies) via The Yellow House
For the simple syrup:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 cup loosely packed herbs (Sarah used thyme, so I used thyme. And honestly, it was perfect!)

For the lemonade:
3 lemons, juiced
4 cups water

For assembly:
Lightly flavored beers, such as a pilsner or lager (Sarah gave the go-ahead here for low-end beers like Amstel or PBR, and I totally took her up on it. That 6-pack of Simpler Times cost $3.29!)
Ice
Herbs for garnish

Directions
In a saucepan or pot with a lid, bring simple syrup ingredients (sugar, water, herbs) to a boil, stirring. Immediately remove from heat, cover, and allow to steep for 10-30 minutes, depending on how strongly herb-flavored you want your drink. Strain out the herbs if you like (I didn't!).

In a pitcher, dispenser, or something from which you can easily pour, mix the lemon juice, 4 cups of water, and 3/4 to 1 cup simple syrup. Taste for sweetness. Keeping in mind that the drink will be diluted with beer when you mix it. Sarah says she tends to go a bit sweeter than she normally would with lemonade, and I totally agree with that call.

Add ice to the lemonade if you’re serving to many people right away; or add ice glass-by-glass for more all-day-long consumption.

Fill a tall glass (with or without ice) halfway with the lemonade. Top up the rest of the glass with beer. Garnish with an herb sprig.

If you have leftover simple syrup, it will keep, in a sealed container in the fridge, for a week.