It was one of those spring nights when the rain drums a steady rhythm against the windows, like the Universe tapping its fingers, waiting for you to listen. I was at home, wrapped in my favorite oversized tee, chilling with my husband. The air was still, the kind of still that only a rainy evening in the Hudson Valley can deliver—a cinematic hush, rich with potential.
Arugula in the Sky: A Midnight Cocktail and a Window to the Universe – Mixology with Maxwell Alexander – Wellness Travel – LGBTQ+ Travel – Presented by Alluvion Vacations
We’d dialed our home’s ambient lighting to its signature mood: deep sapphire blues. Our place isn’t just a home—it’s a living, breathing studio set, curated like a dreamscape where light and shadow flirt at every corner. And there, casting its molten glow into the room, stood my newest sculpture, Window to the Universe. A glowing orb with a hollowed heart, it shimmered in gold as if the cosmos had paused to speak.
And oh, did it speak.
It whispered not in words, but in suggestions—craving, creation, curiosity. The jazzy vinyl crooned from the corner, and I suddenly felt the pull of summer despite the persistent drizzle outside. My soul ached for a taste of July. That meant gin. But not just any gin—my herbaceous favorite from a local distillery just a town over. It’s my go-to: smooth, green, and unapologetically alive. The kind of spirit that reminds you plants are magic and time is fluid.
I wandered into the kitchen, fingers grazing the cool metal of the fridge handle. The only green I had on hand? A gorgeous bunch of fresh, organic arugula—peppery, assertive, the same I use in my longevity salads and my rustic, toasty paninis. It was almost too obvious. The arugula wasn’t just there—it was meant to be there.
So I got to work.
I muddled a generous handful of arugula with a squeeze of fresh lemon in my shaker. Already the room started smelling like a sunlit herb garden. Then came the gin, poured with intention. A splash of maple syrup—because sweetness, like love, needs to be balanced—and a top-off of club soda to bring it all to life. Shaken, strained, served in a sleek flute over ice.
And just like that, Arugula in the Sky was born.
We took it to our loungy corner by the vinyl player. The camera lights warmed up, and the drink—luminous in its own right—was ready for its close-up. I watched it gleam under the soft blues and amber tones. The drink wasn’t just a drink—it was a moment. An artwork. A whispered rebellion against the chaos outside.
I sipped, slowly. The peppery arugula hit first, then the brightness of lemon, followed by the grounding sweetness of maple and the botanical echo of that beloved gin. It tasted like nature had a secret it was finally ready to share.
And in that moment, I thought: The good life isn’t something you acquire. It’s something you carve—like stone, like muscle, like legacy. You shape it. You will it into being.
We live in a culture obsessed with spectacle, noise, and violence. But the true art of living—of thriving—is rejecting that toxic theater and crafting something beautiful and quiet instead. Something personal. Something sacred. Like a cocktail born from sculpture, memory, and midnight longing.
That rainy evening reminded me again: I am the sculpture. I am the art. And when I let the Universe flow through me, it always shows me the way. So next time I find myself searching, I’ll look again through that golden Window to the Universe.
And maybe, just maybe, there’ll be another drink waiting on the other side.
// Arugula in the Sky Recipe
Ingredients:
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1 handful fresh organic arugula
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Juice of ½ lemon
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2 oz herbaceous local gin (Hudson Valley represent!)
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½ oz pure maple syrup
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Club soda, to top
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Ice
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Flute glass, for elegance and lift
Instructions:
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In a shaker, muddle arugula with lemon juice.
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Add gin, maple syrup, and a few cubes of ice.
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Shake well until chilled.
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Strain into a flute glass over fresh ice.
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Top with club soda.
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Sip, slow dance, and stare into the cosmos.
Sip Deeper Into the Art of Hudson Valley Mixology
If Arugula in the Sky stirred your spirit (and your cocktail cravings), you're in for a delicious journey. As a Hudson Valley mixologist, artist, and wellness coach, I treat every cocktail as a canvas—blending local ingredients, seasonal inspiration, and a wellness-forward mindset into every pour.
Want more? Explore my full collection of Hudson Valley cocktail recipes and wellness-inspired mixology creations—each crafted to elevate your mood, your vibe, and your evening.
These aren’t your average bar drinks. Each one is a bespoke cocktail experience, rooted in the rhythms of the Hudson Valley—infused with herbaceous spirits, fresh botanicals, and the kind of intention that turns a cocktail into a work of art.
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