“Pour out a little liquor” and other thoughts on libation as a cultural practice. — By October 31st you’ll see any number of online posts about spooky cocktails, skull-shaped ice cubes, festive punchbowl presentations involving dry ice — the usual Halloween cocktail fare. This year, let’s go a little deeper. We’re in the season of All Hallow’s Eve, All Saints Day, and the Day of…

Drink if you will, a pitcher… — Some drinks are best enjoyed on a small scale, just one drink made with care for one person. Other drinks are best made in batches, mixed in a cocktail pitcher and served leisurely over the course of an enjoyable evening with friends or family. This is all about the latter…

Wondering what bottle to bring to the event? Here are 14 real and relatable suggestions. — I enjoy drinking it, but I can’t lie — I don’t know as much as I could about wine. I’m always willing to learn, and the more I try, the more varieties I discover that I enjoy. That said, without an expert handy, I’d just be circling the aisles at…

NOLA’s Hurricane cocktail is an enduring symbol of a city that needs our support — In the days of yore, one of the best press trips I ever went on was to the beautiful city of New Orleans. NOLA. The Big Easy. I fell in love with it on a steamy August night, as my husband and I strolled on cobblestone streets as we headed…

There are drinks I make at home, and drinks I order when I’m out. This is the latter kind 🥃 — Picture this — it’s the before times and you’re sandwiched in a loud crowd at a packed bar. The bartender is incredibly busy and keeps moving further away from you. The bartender arches their eyebrow at you. It’s time to order something, anything, and fast. The crowd is surging, the…

Kick off sipping season with a twist on a classic cocktail. — This year has been so weighty, and the sand is trickling quickly through the hourglass. I enjoyed and thoroughly celebrated a Brown Spirit Summer, and guess what? I’m ready to slip into a new season. Call it sipping season. As autumn leaves start to fall and the weather becomes increasingly…

Let’s get into frosé, wine slushies and more 🍦 — Days are getting shorter and the night breeze has taken on a chill. The trees across the street from my window are already beginning to change from vibrant green to yellow. Right now there are days in the 80 degree range in the upcoming week ahead, but I already know…

Mix yourself a drink with the best bar essentials — Bar carts came into their own as essential home décor within the last several years. A well-put together bar cart has become a desirable feature for a cute apartment living room, or for a chic outdoor living space. Maybe a decade ago it would have been more challenging to find…

Mindful drinking after a tough news week — This 5 o’Clock Somewhere column has been so much fun to write and research. The whole concept is an escape, a way towards little light at the end of the week’s tunnel. But what do you do when the light at the end of the tunnel feels like train headlights…