A bit of fun for this hot and sunny (at least where I am) Friday afternoon.

This recipe comes to us from SodaStream fan Cherice Allen, who likes to kick-back and cool down with this part fizzy, part frozen drink: The Purple Chiller.

Ingredients

• 1 part vodka
• 1 part SodaStream Grape Soda (when you make the soda it’s better if it’s not super fizzy- two-three pumps should be fine)

Directions

Combine ingredients and pour resulting blend into a SodaStream plastic bottle (don’t fill it up all the way). Put the bottle in the freezer. Depending on the coldness of your freezer this might take up to an hour. Be careful because you don’t want it to freeze all the way.

[Ms. Fizz Freezing Tip: I would strongly suggest having a dedicated "freeze bottle" just for freezing things in. Unfortunately, the bottle might not be safe for carbonating things

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Summer is here and with it comes all the annual family traditions that make this sizzling season so fun and memorable – outdoor barbeques, sleepaway camp, family road trips…

But wait, have you ever considered how all these summertime activities could negatively affect the environment? Sadly, in the summer some of our worst environmental habits are on display: the trash build up from cookouts and camping, all that extra traveling for family vacations, not to mention the AC is on more often than not.

As we ease into these lazy days of summer, it’s easy to let our eco-awareness fall by the wayside (much like how I would like to let myself fall by the beachside right about now).

So while you and yours begin to make your plans, here are some tips in order to ensure the most eco-friendly summer possible. After all, no one wants to play outside…

In this week’s TIME, writer Janet Morrissey reports that soda sales are up for the first time in five years, while sales of designer drinks (think those bottled smoothies you see at Kroger) and sports drinks are down.

From the article:

“Soda’s sales pop — up 2.5% in 2009, the first annual gain in five years — added fizz to an otherwise flat market. During the same 12-month period, sales of milk and yogurt drinks declined nearly 15%, while fruit and vegetable juices, bottled water and sport drinks also fell. “

Not surprisingly, as the recession rolls on consumers are looking for more affordable roads to refreshment- and soda is definitely the less expensive option for consumers. In fact according to the New York Times, the cost of soda has fallen more since the late 1970s than almost any other food or beverage group.

That’s good news, but…

To celebrate our latest adventure in the blogosphere SodaStream is offering a giveaway to two lucky readers.

Leave a comment below telling us how you think  having a SodaStream could change your life. The more creative the entry, the better your chance to win. At the end of the month we’ll select the two best comments and the winners will receive a Genesis Soda Value Kit valued at $160.

To enter:

1. Leave a comment below letting us know how having a SodaStream would change your life
2. Follow us on Twitter @SodaStreamUSA
3. Tweet about this contest/giveaway and be sure to mention @SodaStreamUSA

Good Luck!

The fine print: Winners must reside within the continental USA (Sorry AK and HI – it’s not that we don’t love you…it’s just that we can’t ship to you!) Winners must provide a street address for shipping; SodaStream cannot…

Just in time for summer, a new MyWater essence flavor will be available at our online store on June 15. MyWater Mint joins MyWater Orange, Berry and Lemon-Lime as the fourth in our lineup of all natural, unsweetened, calorie-free flavors for people who just want to add a hint of flavor to their sparkling water. They will be sold in packs of three for just $9.99. Each 40 ml bottle flavors 20 liters of water or seltzer, and with that much bubbly goodness available from just one bottle I couldn’t resist posting a few recipe suggestions to help you maximize the mintiness.

Choco-Mint Egg Cream Soda

• 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup (Fox’s U-Bet Chocolate Flavor Syrup preferred)
• 5 oz milk
• 3 oz MyWater Mint flavored seltzer water

Pour milk into a 16-ounce glass and place a long-handled spoon in glass. Pour seltzer…