This week's 10-Minute Happy Hour is inspired purely by the long overdue dose of gorgeous weather here in the Northeast. My hubby had been outside shoveling mulch into our much-neglected gardens for about 5 hours now, so off I went in search of finding him the perfect cold drink to toast his hard day's work. A bright orange box that shouted Perfect Margarita was just too hard to pass up.

Sunshine. That's all I want right now. Bright golden sunshine — enough to justify a pair of flip flops. And if it comes in liquid form, like this seasonal brew from Sam Adams, I'll totally take it. 

I appreciate a good drink at a restaurant, and the same goes for dinner parties or events. It's the little extra something that isn't required but usually appreciated. In the vein of reining things in, there are a few key ingredients needed to pull off a successful one with minimum fuss.

When I decided to throw a weekend brunch for my book club, the one aspect of the party that was a big question mark was the coffee. Ever since I ditched my drip coffee maker for a Chemex, making coffee for more than four people has meant a lot of me standing around in the kitchen slowly pouring hot water over coffee grounds while everyone else is having fun in the other room. I didn't want that to happen at this party.

Instead I experimented with using a coffee concentrate — the same type I had used in the past to make stellar iced coffee — and discovered the process turns out a cup of hot coffee that is just as good: rich, flavorful and mellow. Even better, making a pot of coffee for a crowd of people with this method is literally as easy as boiling water.

Wine of the Week: 2010 Gary Farrell Pinot Noir
Region: Russian River Valley, California
Price: $45

I discovered Gary Farrell’s Pinot Noir wines about eight years ago,  and they made a strong and lasting impression on me.

Take a look at this cup of coffee. It looks like a good little cup of espresso, doesn't it? Looks are deceiving in this case; there isn't a bit of coffee in this photo. Want to know what it is? 

The scenario: you don't drink alcohol, but you're having people over who do. What's a teetotaler to serve? 

I love my Soda Stream and I love having sparkling water on the table at my dinner parties. What I don't love are the plastic Soda Stream bottles plunked down in the middle of my carefully arranged table. Our very own Faith Durand offered me the perfect (and perhaps obvious!) solution.

Corked is a not-very-pleasant wine word, but unfortunately corked wine is still a reality. What exactly is a corked wine? And how does a wine become corked? More

Somehow we survived the year without a dose of Don Draper, and just like a warm spring day, here comes the two-hour season 6 premiere of Mad Men just in time for our happy hour. For those of us who've been patiently filling our Sunday nights with Downton Abbey, Girls, and Walking Dead, it's time to break out your shakers and crack some ice. The guys and gals of Madison Ave are back to drink with us. Are you ready? More importantly is your bar?