When we first moved into our house, Alex attend our neighborhood association meeting. I opted to stay home. He came home and announced that he had met a neighborhood realtor who ran the home tour. “We have 2 years to make the house perfect,” he proclaimed when he got home. “Huh?” I asked, “what’s wrong with our house?”

“To be on the home tour… we have two years to prepare,” he explained. Hmmmm… OK, well I guess we’d better figure out how to make it more perfect then. Frankly, we didn’t have to do much. New counter tops in the kitchen (a personal preference over tile), and some new paint and wall paper to personalize the space was all that was needed inside. Outside, a new gate and driveway did the trick. Was it perfect? Were we ready? What would people say about our home?

Ready or not, the Home Tour arrived and we were on the tour. Alex and I, and our friends and family set out to explore the other homes and gardens on the tour, each with its own unique beauty. At lunch time, we sat down at a communal table and started talking with some ladies who were visiting from North Orange County and who enjoyed going to the Home Tour each year. We talked about how each home had its own unique character, and how the owners each did such creative things to modernize these old homes and yet maintain their character. (We did not disclose that we were one of those owners.) “Which ones were your favorite?” I asked the ladies. One responded with “I loved Number 5, I felt like I could just move in and be comfortable.” I beamed with pride. Perfect, I thought to myself.

Home Tour Lemonade

• 2 Tbsp Honey, local preferred
• 2 Tbsp still water
• 4 Tbsp lemon juice (about 2 lemons), a couple slices reserved
• 1 mint sprig, plus more for garnish
• Club soda

In a small glass, combine the honey, still water, and lemon juice and stir until the honey is mixed in. Fill two tumbler glasses with ice, and add ½ mint leaves to each glass. Using a muddler, muddle the leaves and ice a bit. Pour the honey/lemon mixture between the two glasses and top with club soda. Stir to combine, add the lemon slices, and top with extra mint.

Serves 2