Parita - My Inner Shakti

Working Mom + Momprenuer – Avani Sarkar from Modi Toys

I’m super excited about today’s post, so I’m just going to get right to it. I connected with Avani Sarkar on Instagram after seeing so many people I follow talk about the Modi Toys Baby Ganesh. I loved this idea and can’t wait to get one for K (currently on the waiting list!).

What intrigued me even more though is the fact that Avani is a working mama AND a momprenuer of TWO companies. After letting this sink in, I definitely thought about how I don’t have room to make any excuses for myself. She has the same number of hours in her day that I do. So inspiring!

With that, here’s Avani to tell her story…

I am fortunate enough to have a job with some flexibility, where I get to work from home twice a week. My daughter goes to daycare for a few hours those days, but my mom and in-laws are the primary caretakers during working hours. Since my mom stays with me a couple of days a week, she’ll meal prep for me. But since my husband isn’t vegetarian like me, I’ll make chicken for him once a week, along with some side veggie dishes. I try to spend as little time in the kitchen as possible because it’s usually for the best! But when I am feeling rather adventurous, my go to is The Chutney Life for easy to follow recipes. My daughter has major FOMO so she usually doesn’t go to sleep until I go to sleep, which either means I fall sleep early sometimes or she’s up way past her bedtime. I try to squeeze in Modi Toys work somewhere in the midst of all of this throughout the day: as I’m commuting to work on the train, as I’m walking home, once my daughter is asleep, etc. If all else fails, I give her an iPad so I can work uninterrupted at times. Mom guilt is at an all time high when I do this, but I try to make up for it by spending time outdoors with her and going on trips (near and far).

Passion doesn’t come with a switch that I can just turn on and of unfortunately. I wish I could say that when I’m at the office, all I think about is work. Or that when I’m with my daughter, all I think about is her. My mind has a million tabs open at any given time so I’m always thinking and being inspired and planning ahead.

My first foray into entrepreneurship was actually with a passion project I started in 2012 called Ever After Proposals. Just as couples hire wedding planners to help them with their wedding, guys would hire me as a Marriage Proposal Planner to help them pop the question. My motto for the company always has been: for the hopeless and the romantic. My goal was to simply help steer guys in the right direction to ensure they “think like a woman, and plan like a boss.” In the past six years, I’ve planned proposals everywhere from Florida, Puerto Rico, San Diego to NYC. I still try to squeeze in proposals, but as you can imagine, this falls to the bottom of the priority list these days.

That said, entrepreneurship always excited me, but Modi Toys happened more organically. My brother and I didn’t sit in a conference room to brainstorm business ideas we could launch. We naturally stumbled on an idea, which happened to check a lot of the boxes that you would want in a product: it’s unique, it provides immense value and it has a mass appeal.

My brother and I both became first time parents at the same time (our daughters are born a week apart). During this time, we were naturally being inundated with toys and other gifts for them. And it was almost like a passing thought: why aren’t there any toys that are inspired by our culture? If there are stuffed animals that can sing the alphabet or random nursery rhymes, why aren’t there toys that are more meaningful? Truth be told, this idea was compounded by our mom, who would always be harping on the fact we shouldn’t lose our “sanskar.” Her point was valid and it became the backbone of our company: if we don’t retain the values/teachings of our culture, then how can we expect our children — and their children — to?

To be perfectly honest, my brother has the “doer” role in our entrepreneurial journey. He was the one that contacted manufacturers and spoke to lawyers and recording artists. He is the operations guy who put the idea into action. If it weren’t for him getting the product into production mode, I wouldn’t have anything to market. But that said, we make a really great team. I manage all of the creative aspects of the brand – from developing the logo, website, social media, partnerships, campaigns, etc. It also helps that my masters and professional background has been in marketing, whereas his has been in consulting. We both just naturally assumed our roles in the company.

Since Ganesh is the symbol of new beginnings, we decided to launch a plush Baby Ganesh first. We figured, we’ll see how it does, if there’s any demand for it, and take it from there. Surprisingly, our daughters weren’t the only ones who loved it once we received the first prototypes from the manufacturer. Hundreds of moms we asked in mommy groups also loved the idea…enough to give us the confidence boost to do an official production run.

Being a “Mom plus anything” is tough – be it a working mom, entrepreneur, athlete, etc. To feel like you’re being the “best” mom you can be requires you to give kids your undivided attention at all times. And when you have other priorities and other passions in your life, it’s hard to feel like you’re giving any of these roles your 100%. But that said, eventually your kids will grow up and become more independent. While they’ll still need you, the capacity in which they do, will be different. I keep telling myself that if I hustle hard now, I can enjoy the fruits of my labor with my family down the road.

So rather than wait until “the time is right until your kids are older,” I encourage people to leverage their skills while they’re still young. I’m in my 30s and I’m younger today than I will be tomorrow so no time to waste! Nothing irritates me more than people who have ideas without a plan. Ideas come easy but you know what else comes easy? Excuses. And frankly, where there’s a will there’s a way.

Thank you for sharing your story, Avani! I’m positive you’ve inspired so many people to take a step towards their dreams…me included!

Energy Management + ‘Not Right Now’

written by Parita 1 Comment

I’ve been thinking a lot about how I manage my energy on a daily basis. Personally, it’s important I have enough fuel in the tank (because we all know it’s not unlimited), so to speak, as my day usually starts at 5 am and ends around 10 pm.

Like so many mamas, I give a bit of my energy to everyone and everything – Kaiden, Vishnu, my extended family, friends, coworkers, work, cooking (and everything that comes with it!), cleaning, laundry, exercise, etc. I’d say about 85% of my energy is spent on these people/things/tasks.

The remaining 15% is reserved for me – blogging/Instagramming, downtime, TV time, journaling, reading, etc.

This isn’t an exact science because I have plenty of days where I feel like I have 0 time for me, but generally speaking, this is what my breakdown looks like.

My breakdown also looks different on the weekdays vs. the weekends, days when Vishnu’s around vs. days when he’s working, etc.

The one thing I realized when thinking about all of this is that I have less control over how I spend my weekday energy, as there are some big things that demand my attention (i.e. work!). And honestly, while I’m bone tired by the end of the day, I thrive with a bit of routine, so I’m happy with how our weekdays run.

The weekends, on the other hand, take a bit more work. There’s so much I want to do, but everything is kind of up in the air depending on Kaiden’s nap schedule (one nap or two, 60 minutes or 90?), Vishnu’s work schedule, our must do commitments, the weather (this impacts everything!), etc.

Over time, I’ve realized I’d like my energy to be more balanced during the weekends. Obviously, Kaiden and Vishnu take up a lot of it (as they should), but I’d like to leave more time for free play and exploration for Kaiden, and I’d love to have some leftover energy for me to do more writing. Things like taking K to the park and the museum are super important to me.

With all of this being said, we recently said ‘not right now’ to K’s swim classes. They were taking way too much of my energy, and to be completely honest, I felt a sense of ‘not this again’ every Friday night and Saturday morning.

For those who haven’t taken a toddler to swim class before, let me tell you – it’s a lot of work. Before, during, and after. And this year, a lot of the work would have fallen on me because of Vishnu’s work/interview/boards studying schedule. While I love taking K on play dates and the museum, swim class left me exhausted and a bit frazzled. By noon every Saturday, I’d find that most of my energy was spent.

When my parents were here in September, my mom came with me to swim. Afterwards, she gently mentioned how we may want to consider pushing this particular activity back a bit. For my sanity! When she said that, I felt this immediate sense of relief because deep down I just needed someone to tell me that saying ‘not right now’ is ok. Thank you, mom!

Initially, we wanted to enroll K in swim because it’s an important life skill to have, something we can do with him, and a fun weekend activity. Well, it turns out that a 15 month can’t just learn how to swim, and this is something that can be deferred to age 3. Also, taking away swim leaves time for lot of different activities versus just one.

Another key point here (for me at least) is that with the winters we get in Chicago, taking K to swim every weekend would be a whole lot harder. Just thinking about lugging our winter gear around was stressing me out!

Vishnu was a little hesitant to quit, but when I explained everything to him, he definitely understood. In fact, his exact response was, “Maybe we can sign him up for soccer instead!” Oy vey!

It’s been a little over a month since our last swim class, and I can’t tell you how much more balanced I feel on the weekends now. This just goes to show that sometimes saying ‘not right now’ is the best answer for everyone because happy mama = happy family.

This is all to say that if the way you’re spending your energy is making you unhappy, change it! Say ‘not right now’ to a couple of things, and reinvest that energy into activities that are fun for you and your baby! As modern mamas, we want to do it all (at least I do!), but that’s not realistic and honestly not important. While swim classes sounded like a good idea at first, we quickly realized it just wasn’t the right time. And that’s ok. Your baby’s not going to remember this time anyways, but you will. And I’m 110% sure the future you will want to see a mama who’s energized and happy!

Outsourcing + Motherhood

written by Parita 1 Comment

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the past 15 months is that I can’t do everything. Surprise surprise! As much as I love tackling extensive to do lists, there’s just not enough time most days. And more importantly, now that we have Kaiden, I’d much rather spend any extra time I do have with him.

So how do I create time for myself? Well, let’s just say the answer didn’t and still doesn’t come easy.

Plain and simple, it’s all about figuring out what you can outsource and finding someone and/or a service that does it well.

Let me give you a little background first so you understand where I’m coming from.

I’ve lived on my own (i.e., not with my parents) for the last 11 years. And in that time, I’ve done my own cleaning and my own grocery shopping. Always. I just couldn’t fathom paying someone else to do those things for me when I could do them myself AND to my exact preferences.

And then came baby!

CLEANING

Not my bathtub btw!

Both last September and this August, I had major revelations that perhaps it’s ok to get a little help with the more time consuming tasks. In September, we made one of the best decisions ever and decided to hire someone to come clean our apartment every three weeks. You see, [deep] cleaning took up a lot of my time (hours…usually on the weekends). Once Kaiden arrived, I realized there’s no way to do what I needed/wanted to all at once. This meant I cleaned throughout the week during nap time instead of resting or doing other important tasks that can’t be outsourced. After the first professional cleaning, I realized how life-changing this was going to be. Obviously some maintenance is required throughout the in between weeks, but I haven’t deep cleaned a bathroom tub in over a year, and it feels so good!

GROCERY SHOPPING

And then in August, I used Instacart for the first time! Now, let me start off by saying that this isn’t going to be a regular thing because I truly LOVE grocery shopping and picking my own produce. But I’m so happy to have tried it now and know that it works for us, especially during the winter, after coming home from vacation, etc. For those who aren’t familiar with Instacart, it’s essentially a grocery delivery service where you pick your products (from produce, to deli meats, to ice cream) online and select when you want them to be delivered [to your door]. That’s it! Personally, I was a concerned about the cost of this service. I didn’t want to pay a fee for something I can easily do in under an hour. But what I found is that I actually end up paying less for groceries when using Instacart because I truly just order what I need versus buying all this extraneous stuff when I physically go into the store. Again, not giving up this little passion of mine but good to know I have this option if I need it.

I don’t know how this works for other people, but my hurdles with outsourcing stem from a place not wanting to invest in something I can do myself. Superwoman mentality at it’s finest. Also, my parents never hired cleaning help, so it was a little uncomfortable at first. And honestly, it took a little back and forth between me and Vishnu to figure out how we would fit this into our budget, but once we committed, all these doors opened up and I wished we had done so pre-baby!

I guess my takeaway thought here is this – take a closer look at what you spend the most amount of time doing and figure out if it can be outsourced. If no, figure out a way to work smarter, but if yes, see if it’s possible to do so (cost, availability in your area, etc.) and try. You can always go back to your old ways, but I promise you that not having to worry about cleaning your toilets and literally getting back hours every week is life changing.

Happy mama = happy family, right?!

*P.S. If you live in the Chicago area and are searching for an amazing cleaning person, shoot me an email (myinnershakti@gmail.com). I love who we use and highly recommend her!

No portion of this post is sponsored. However, affiliate links are included. There is no extra cost to you, but I do receive a small commission on anything you buy through my links. Thank you for reading and supporting My Inner Shakti!

Paperless Post – Customizable Online Stationary

written by Parita 1 Comment

When I was recently contacted about Paperless Post, I almost dismissed the email. But after scrolling through the website and looking at all the cool customizable stationary options they have, I decided to look into the opportunity. So glad I did!

Paperless Post’s products are for everyone. Throwing a party? Pick an invitation card. Saying happy birthday? Pick a birthday card. Thanking a friend? Pick a thank you card. And it’s not just all about greeting cards. You have your pick at cool stationary options too.

Honestly speaking, I find actual paper cards kind of wasteful…and very expensive. I mean, if it’s the only thing you’re getting someone, go all out. Also, speaking of paper cards, as someone who’s had to write over like 300 in past year and a half, I wish I would’ve known about Paperless Post. Like in real life, you pick your card design and write individualized messages to each of your recipients. But unlike real life, you send the card via email. Same sentiments but no waste!

I’m going to use Paperless Post for our holiday card this year, and I’m so excited. Here are a few of the options I’m looking at…

If you’re into the whole digital card trend, you need to check out Paperless Post. I’m positive you’ll love it as much as I do!

While Paperless Post gave me their digital coins in exchange for this review, all opinions shared above are my own!

Recent Happenings + Product Loves + Good Reads

written by Parita Leave a Comment

RECENT HAPPENINGS

Maybe you’ve noticed that I’ve been blogging less lately? I’m trying to figure out how to balance MIS the blog and MIS Instagram page. I love writing long blog posts and really digging deep into a specific topic or idea. But recently, I’ve discovered that I also love microblogging on IG, and I really love the community I’m slowing building there as well! I haven’t figured anything out yet, but don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere on either platform. So much relief, I know! HA!

In terms of life events and recent happenings, we’ve had quite a bit going on (well, more than usual) and more coming soon! Vishnu and I spent this past weekend in Traverse City attending two good friends wedding. Since the wedding festivities were on a Friday, we made Saturday an explore and drink wine day. So much fun! And one of the best parts was that Kaiden had the opportunity to spend time with his grandparents. He had so much fun!

This coming weekend, Vishnu’s cousin and his family will be in town, so we hope to spend some time with them in the city. We’re also going to see Hasan Minaj! A few of our friends who’ve already seen his most recent show said it’s amazing with really on point messaging. Woo hoo!

October includes a few big birthday celebrations – Vishnu, my sister, and Vishnu’s brother! It’s also the month Vishnu leaves us for 4 weeks! I don’t even want to think about it. I will say though that knowing my MIL will be here with us to help is a great relief! Also knowing we’ll be in Atlanta for a little over a week in early November is also giving me something to look forward to.

Other than that, our little family of 3 is doing well! Kaiden is just getting bigger, smarter, funnier, and cuter with every passing day! He’s now imitating faces (it’s hilarious!), running/walking REALLY fast, and starting to talk more. He’s still very much attached to me whenever possible, but it’s not as bad as it once was. And honestly, I miss his CONSTANT need for my attention! Vishnu’s busy with work and fellowship applications. I can’t believe in less than a year we’ll know where we’re headed next (or if we’re staying in Chicago). Crazy! And last but not least, I’m doing well too! I feel so much more motivated and excited about stuff than I did just a few weeks ago. I’ve also been keeping up with my workouts (BBG, treadmill, spin) which makes me feel good and on top of my s***. Overall, all good stuff.

PRODUCT LOVES

Mega Blocks – I got these for Kaiden a while ago, and at first, he was all about throwing the pieces around. But as of late, he’s really been into building AND knocking them down. It’s fun to watch him figure out how to connect the blocks, identify colors (sometimes!), and get excited about whatever we’re building. These are a true pain to clean up but worth the joy they bring!

Pacifier clips – My friend Pankti told me about this genius product, and I wish I would’ve known about it sooner. Kaiden is notorious for throwing his pacifier and then crying about it. Now, even if he tries, it ain’t going anywhere! These are truly a lifesaver, especially when we’re out and about.

Summer Infant 3D Lite Stroller – Vishnu and I needed to invest in a travel stroller and fast. Kaiden’s now in a convertible car seat so we can’t really use the car seat + frame stroller method when we’re out and about. We used Summer Infant stroller for the fist time at the museum, and Kaiden didn’t seem to mind it all. It’s easy to use and is pretty generous in terms of space for things other than your baby.

Amazon Basics Packing Cubes – My sister introduced me to the concept of packing cubes, and I haven’t looked back since. These little guys really do keep everything organized, which is always my biggest problem when travelling. This is a must own product if you ask me. In fact, I literally just bought Vishnu a set in black.

Amazon Basics silicone baking mats – I wanted to get silicone baking mats so that I can steam roast veggies for K, since regular roasting isn’t his favorite (yet!). The name brand one was just too expensive for my liking, so I decided to give the ABs one a try and so far so good! If you want to know more about steam roasting, visit the @calebthefoodie IG page for me. It’s a great resource.

Beartown+ Us Against You – This little book duo is freaking amazing! I can’t recommend it enough. If you’re looking for books that grip you from the beginning and take you on a journey with some incredible characters, these two are for you.

GOOD READS

There’s No Love Like the Love Your Kids Have For Your When They’re Small

Five Positive Parenting Lessons From the World’s Favorite Teddy Bear

Have a great week!

Motherhood and Entrepreneurship with Kulture Khazana

written by Parita Leave a Comment

In the introduction of my post about stay at home mamahood with my friend Jenny, I mentioned wanting to share motherhood experiences that differ from my own. It’s important we support each other regardless of what our days look like because this journey can be very lonely when we don’t. And no mama should have to feel alone!

With that, I’m so happy to welcome Akruti from the Kulture Khazana today. Akruti and I connected on Instagram (where all the best connections are made!), and after reading more about her journey, I asked if she wanted to share her story on MIS. She agreed, and here we are!

Akruti is a MOMtreprenuer who is balancing motherhood with starting her own business and pursuing her passion. And this is one I can definitely get behind because I’m all about figuring out how to preserve our Indian culture for Kaiden. Anyways, I don’t want to steal Akruti’s thunder. Keep reading to learn more about her and her journey to motherhood and entrepreneurship!

Being a mom is the biggest blessing; very gratifying but extremely exhausting. The first year of motherhood fills you with joy, turns you into a zombie and makes you self-aware. The year 2017 was all of the above and some more. We experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.

Our son, Ayaan, was born in January 2017 after an emergency C section. I had post-surgical complications resulting in an eight day inpatient stay. Ayaan was the oldest kid in the nursery and had a great time bossing around other babies while I got plenty of lactation help. This was our silver lining, and we were grateful Ayaan was healthy and thriving. My mother-in-law was battling cancer and had a relapse in India. Unfortunately she passed away in June 2017, which was the same day I had emergency surgery due to post-pregnancy complication. This was the worst day for our family as Ayaan witnessed his parents crying and didn’t see them both for a few days afterwards. I had to be hospitalized for over a week due to a post-surgical abscess. With the husband in India and me in the hospital, our family and friends rallied around for us and Ayaan. My parents and granny live seven minutes away and my sister got on a plane three hours after I called her for help. God is great and has surrounded us with family and friends who help us get through the toughest of times. A follow up surgery was performed in October 2017. After three surgeries and losing my mother-in-law in one year, I hit the lowest of lows. But through all this, we had a healthy, smiling and innocent baby we are so grateful for.

It’s in adversity that you somehow gather immense courage and crystal clarity. In those moments, I decided to make the most of my time with Ayaan and to take a break from the corporate world. My husband and parents were extremely supportive of the decision. As I was spending time with Ayaan and trying to come up with activities, I realized the lack of resources for Indian parents to engage and expose their children to the Indian culture. As a mom, I wanted Ayaan to embrace his culture and appreciate his roots. At the same time, I wanted to share the culture with his friends and people around him so they would also gain a perspective of his familial roots. That’s how Kulture Khazana was born in January 2018. I started putting my mom antenna and MBA to use and haven’t regretted the decision a single day!

Entrepreneurship is a very fulfilling, passionate, flexible and lonely journey. It took me a few months to realize this and to come to terms with the lack of defined structure. As a Project Manager in my past professional life, I thrived on structure and social interactions. This new life was anything like that. It was hard to be mindful during the MOM part of MOMpreneur and I lacked the rhythm for focused work. To add to it, I craved adult company. I started creating a dedicated work schedule during my son’s nap time, and my mom watched Ayaan a few hours a week, but this wasn’t enough. That’s when we decided to start Ayaan at daycare for 2 days a week. He needed the social interaction, and I needed the dedicated work time. For all practical purposes, this was a win-win situation. But then crept in the mom guilt, especially when Ayaan cried while getting adjusted in the beginning. I cried with him and wished I had decided to go slow with work. But deep down I knew that this was temporary and was going to help us both. My husband was a pillar of strength for the family. In a few short weeks, Ayaan loved his friends at daycare, and I got to create a work schedule that served both of our priorities. Every now and then, when I need to work a lot, the mom guilt creeps back in. I tell myself that when Ayaan grows up to realize the goals his mom worked towards, he will not want it any other way.

This whole new life of motherhood and entrepreneurship has come with its own set of challenges and rewards. There are a few tricks that have helped me ride this roller coaster with my sanity intact. My priorities are very clear: Mom first. If my baby is really sick and I feel he absolutely needs MOM, I make that a priority over everything else. At the same time, when work gets busy, I make peace with not being around as much. The house is not always clean or orderly, dishes are not always done before bed and I don’t make elaborate meals a lot. I’ve made it a point to maintain my friendships and make time for them. In order to bring some routine into my life, I wake up around the same time every day and incorporate a small morning ritual. Most importantly, hubby and I go on a date night twice a month where we make every effort to talk about our careers and other things that are important besides Ayaan.

Every time I meet with people to discuss the work and my vision, the most frequent observation they have is my passion. Passion is what keeps me going and it is something that can’t be faked. I can’t wait to create more workshops for schools, libraries and other creative venues to share our culture with families. I can’t wait to acquire more children’s books from India to benefit kids in North America. I can’t wait to finish writing my first book exposing infants and young children to the Indian culture. Above all, I can’t wait for Kulture Khazana to be a place where families turn to for Indian cultural resources. Ayaan is the reason I am a MOM and a MOMpreneur, and I owe it to him to give my 200% to both.

Thank you Akruti for sharing your story on MIS! I can’t wait to see where this journey and Kulture Khazana take you! Also, be sure to follow Akruti on Instagram at @kulture_khazana.

Also, if you or someone you know is interested in sharing her motherhood journey, please email me at myinnershakti@gmail.com. I’m really looking forward to sharing as many people’s stories as possible!

Moscow Muled – The Perfect Copper Mugs

written by Parita Leave a Comment

About four years ago, my best friend introduced me to what would become my favorite drink. A Moscow Mule. The lime + ginger beer combo is perfection!

Believe it or not, I introduced Vishnu to his first Moscow Mule. Months later, he made his dad order one when eating out.

Guess who’s the biggest Moscow Mule lover of us all now? My father-in-law! He went as far as buying his own mugs so he can make his own. GO DAD!

Well, I can now join the ‘make Moscow Mules at home’ club thanks to a company called Moscow Muled based in Vancouver, Canada. When the owner Jessica reached out to see if I was interested in trying her copper mugs, I literally wrote back and asked how she knew it’s my favorite drink!

What I love about these copper mugs, aside from the fact that they’re absolutely beautiful, is that they’re made of 100% pure high-grade and pure-grade copper. And they’re lined with with a layer of high-grade nickle. This is especially important because you don’t want your drink reacting with the copper. Hint hint…it’s not healthy. The nickle plating also protects the mugs from the damage and increases strength and durability.

If you’re like me and want to know how big these copper mugs are (aka how much liquid they can hold), I’m happy to share that they hold approximately 16 ounce and are approximately 3.75 inches in height, 4.75 inches in width, and 3.25 inches in diameter. Trust me, that’s plenty big!

Also, I’m going to throw this idea out there, but I can totally see myself using these mugs for things other than Moscow Mules. La Croix in a copper mug, anyone? What about dessert? The possibilities are endless!

I can’t share a post all about Moscow Mules/Muled and copper mugs without also sharing a couple of delicious recipes.

The first one comes straight from the experts themselves and is called the Ultimate Moscow Mule…

The Ultimate Moscow Mule
Serves 1

1 1/2 ounces premium vodka
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
Ice cubes
1/2 cup ginger beer

Pour vodka and lime juice into a Moscow Muled copper mug. Add ice and ginger beer. Stir to combine. Enjoy!

The second recipe is a twist on a tradition Moscow Mule…with mint and cucumber. This one is super refreshing…and dangerous! Drink slowly and responsibly!

Cucumber Mint Moscow Mule
Serves 1

1 1/2 ounces vodka of choice
1/2 – 3/4 ounce of fresh lime juice
Ice cubes
1/4 of a medium cucumber, fine chopped
4-5 mint leaves
1/2 cup ginger beer

Combine lime juice, cucumber, and mint leaves in a small glass or container. Using the back of a wooden spoon (or whatever you have that’s similar), mash up the mixture and put in refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes to an hour. When ready to serve, strainer the mixture through a fine mesh strainer and into your copper mug. Add vodka, ice, and ginger beer. Stir to combine. Enjoy!

If you’re interested in joining the Moscow Muled fan club, you can follow the company in a few different ways. They are on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest with the handle @moscowmuled and hashtag #moscowmuled.

Your turn – what’s your drink of choice?

While Moscow Muled sent me mugs to review, all opinions shared above are my own!