A hostess has many duties, but the most important and often most awkward responsibility is ensuring guests are safe. Drinking and driving is never OK.
With the Victoria Long Weekend mere days away (please, PLEASE stop raining) there will be cottaging, BBQ'ing and partying galore. With this in mind, the LCBO is reminding hosts and party goers to not let drinking and driving be the elephant in the room.
I don’t enjoy telling a friend they’ve had too much to drink or wrestling their keys away from them, but I will do it without hesitation. I was pleased to come across a free iPhone App on the Deflate the Elephant website to add to my hostess bag of tricks. If I need to tell a guest they shouldn't be driving, the "Speak Up!" app will do it for me by sending a voice message directly to their phone. Obviously this tool doesn’t relieve a host of her responsibilities, but it’s yet another tool designed to help stick a pin in that big fat elephant.
The app also provides a great selection of Mocktail recipes. If you find one you love, you can share it with the world by simply e-mailing the recipe, tapping the Facebook icon and posting it to your news feed, or post it to your Twitter account.
Here’s a short video featuring the Ninth Hole Mocktail shaken up by The Cocktail Deeva herself. Refreshing and easy. The Mocktail, not the Deeva.
Life is stressful for all of us, for different reasons. This is why no matter how busy or tired or blue or whatever it is that's preventing you from getting out with your friends...you MUST make a point of letting loose. It feels great. Well, it does unless you over-indulge and spend the entire day-after hung over and begging for mercy and Tylenol. But generally speaking, going out and shaking what your mamma gave ya is always good for the soul.
Here are some of my dos and don'ts for partying like a 22 -year old in a 40-ish year old body.
DO approach any and every social situation with enthusiasm. If you go in expecting a good time, good times will abound. Every experience is what you make of it.
DO enjoy a few cocktails, but remember to keep hydrated. A glass of water between libations will keep drunk disorderly behaviour and a nasty hangover at bay.
DO NOT open bottles with your teeth. Bottle openers or corkscrews are better options.
DO eat a meal before going out on the town. An empty tummy does a drunken fool make. It may also prevent late night poutine binges. Maybe. Possibly.
DO NOT smoke.
DO be responsible. Stay over at a friend's house (if possible choose a friend without loud, up-at-the-crack-of-dawn children) or designate a responsible person to chauffeur you around. Pregnant and nursing friends are a hot commodity.
DO be respectful of other people's homes and belongings.
DO NOT do shots of any kind. They are tasty messengers of Satan that will have you wearing your bra outside your clothing before you can say slippery nipple.
DO enjoy a delicious and sophisticated cocktail with your friends. This is my favourite, a drink always shaken with love by my friend Cougar Barbie (her name has been changed to protect her identity, plus it makes me laugh).
The Classic French Martin
1 ½ oz. vodka
½ oz. Chambord
2 oz. pineapple juice
Shake over ice, strain into a martini glass and serve with attitude.
Party on ladies!
I haven’t been trendy in years. Funky fashion has given way to sourcing out the funky smell in the mini-van. However, while perusing the LCBO Trend Report, I discovered that unlike my current lifestyle, my beverage choices are actually pretty hip. Is hip even a trendy hip saying anymore?
Wheat beer and Pinot Grigio are expected to be popular choices for spring and summer. Um, hello? Giant mugs of Hoegaarden and I go waaaay back. FYI, it’s pronounced “who-garden” not "ho-garden" because duh, we all know a ho-garden is where they grow prostitutes.
I’m also a Pinot Grigio fanatic. Just look in my fridge.
Why yes, that IS a box of wine. Kathy Griffin’s mom and I have a lot in common. We both like to "Tip it!" As a former boxed wine snob, I must say some boxed wines offer both great value and they're tasty.
The LCBO also sees “modern classic cocktails, drinks made with super-premium vodkas, 100% agave tequila and single malt Scotches topping the list at bars. As well, sparkling wine will be a popular choice for Saturday night dinners and movie-night Tuesdays, not only special occasions.”
photo credit: Piña colada via photopin (license)
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