Summer is finally here, and that means strong yet light cocktails are the way to go! And while I was dog sitting for my friend, I happened to cook up one heck of an early summer delight!

Weekend at Michelle's

Served over ice.

*2 shots of Triple Sec
*1 shot of Gin (if you don't like gin, just use three shots of triple sec, or otherwise just do a splash of gin!)
*Fresh lime juice
*Watermelon Cucumber Juice (if you think the cucumber is too much, feel free to use watermelon juice! But the cucumber gets washed out by the stronger flavors but manages to leave behind quite the refreshing aftertaste.

Garnish with a lime, no need to mix or shake! 

I'm not a huge gin fan, but I think this is a perfect drink! The orange, watermelon and lime (and even a little bit of the cucumber) blend very well. Enjoy this drink on the porch and drink quickly so the ice doesn't melt! 

Janelle came out as pansexual, and the album and visual accompaniment displays her sexuality. But it is not Janelle’s sexual orientation which is spellbinding. It is the intimacy, the desire, the action of her sexual soul which is the most intense. ‘Make Me Feel’, ‘I Got That Juice’, ‘Crazy, Classic Life’, ‘Screwed’, ‘Pynk’ and ‘I Like That’ all detail intense affection, sexual confidence, sexual craving, animalistic desire, soft sensuality and sexual pride. These are all traits that are empowering, no matter the sexuality of who is behind  them.
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On ‘Crazy Classic Life’, Janelle paints out her desire to, well, have a ‘crazy, classic life’ (I know, kill me for being obvious). But the outro paints a picture of how as a black woman, she will be viewed at differently for her experiences versus a white boy. Me and you was friends, but to them, we the opposite/ the same mistake, I’m in jail, you on top of s—-. It reminds me of ‘kids being kids’, yet black kids are systematically blamed more for their crimes. And in these moments, you find yourself thinking more of the present then of Janelle’s future.
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Released as a double single with 'The Days", The Nights brings me back to my days in college, specifically with my fraternity. This song is quick but gets to the point rather fast with poignant lyrics, folktroncia and buttery beat drops.

It's hard to rank the songs off of True, Avicii's debut album which came in 2013. But this stands out for three reasons: the beautiful piano / screechy synth line in the chorus, the delicious binaries of the verses and chorus, and that epic bridge melody (lyrically: Well, we are, who we are, when we're all going under/ When the past with the last and will last until we're under)

The chorus on this number really gets me going! The falsetto which comes in over a building crescendo of plucks...it's like Wake Me Up but on steroids, with 20% less guitar and 20% more EDM. I also love the ambiguity of the lyrics. You make me... what? You make me something, anything, this, that? Kind of beautiful if you think about it. 

An eight minute banger with Mø which comes off grandiose but really delivers smart lyrics revolving around a married couple who are looking to find the spark which ignited them in the first place. The lyrics are on point, Mø serves the perfect vocals and the breakdown is beautiful.

Talk about the song of a century regarding the 'grind' to get money! While Dear Boy is a mega-long dance number, this track is trap and hip, with pitch and small crystalline-like beats. I fell in love with this song when I first heard it, and can't deny it's my number one song now.