The Bar Temptress

Detox

2009-06-18T12:19:00.001-07:00

Hey Guys,
I should be up and running again shortly. I've scheduled a blog makeover that's taking place (because we all know how bad we look when we get too drunk!)

I'm also taking this time to work on a new blog that should be up and running Monday. Stay tuned for the launch!

Thanks for your patience :)

The Summer’s New Happy Hour Drink

2009-06-03T09:46:00.000-07:00

Sweet Tea is an old southern favorite but like any good drinker, they too have alcoholized this staple. Just in time for the impending hot summer.

Make your own drink by simply adding vodka to your own sweet tea, or pick up a bottle of already made vodka like Jeremiah Weed Southern Style Sweet Tea Vodka or Firefly Vodka and try these recipes.

Citrus Sweet Tea

1 part Sweet Tea Vodka

1 part lemonade

Touch of lime.

Served over ice.

Southern Fly

1 Part Sweet Tea Vodka

1 Part Spring Water

Lemon Twist

Fuzzy Fly

1 Part Sweet Tea Vodka

1 Part Orange Juice

Splash Peach Schnapps

Ginger Glow

1 Part Sweet Tea Vodka

1 Part Ginger ale

Lemon twist

For these recipes and more check out fireflyvodka.com.

Play Bar Games, Not Mind Games

2009-06-02T12:28:00.001-07:00

Of course flirting your way to free drinks always comes with a certain satisfactory ego boost, but when you’re feeling competitive or even unattractive, head towards the nearest dart board.

I recently left my bubble of well known bars and headed into uncharted drinking territory in another state. My first strike against me. As we entered the bar we noticed there were two female bartenders slinging drinks. Strike two. Another glance around revealed there was no guys suitable for long term flirting anywhere in this bar. I should have been done for, but there is one card a girl must always keep up the sleeve of her low cut attention grabbing shirt: the bar game.

The majority of bars will have a dart board on one of their walls, and if you’re lucky, house darts. Other bars prefer video games. Your winning hand to a free drink lies here.

Know your basic dart game. Google cricket. Learn it, practice and you shall receive. If there is a group of guys at the dart board, grab one of your girl friends and ask to play a doubles game. Most likely you’ll score points for being brave enough to approach the guys first. Darts will get you talking to each other, making new friends, and hopefully scoring a drink or two along the way. Just be willing to pay up at the end if you lose too badly.

Video games are tricky to find action on, but knowing your games can keep your winning streak going. Many bars have male dominate games, like Golden Tee or Buck Hunter. Animated moving things always confuse me when I’m drunk so I try to stay away from those. However, naked photo hunt always gets a crowd randy, especially if you’re playing the babe category. Guys can’t resist coming over to oogle goodies and touching on screen boobs. Eventually it’ll get you talking, him picturing your face on the birthday suite clad babes, and the free drinks will be rolling in.

Always bring your game face and always know your games.

Off the Vegan Path

2009-05-11T16:27:00.000-07:00

I am the proud owner of another blog. Unfortunately while it has (yet) nothing to do with cocktails, I'm pretty excited about it and hope you'll check it out and become a follower.

Thanks alchies :)

Mother's Day Spirits

2009-05-09T14:30:00.000-07:00

If your Mother’s Day turns out to be anything like mine, you’ll need a cocktail to get you through the day.

Or the entire bottle.

After mom gets over the joy and thankfulness of motherhood, the conversation inevitably turns to why I’m not married, my life is too easy, and why I think writing about alcohol is a ‘real job’. So raise your glasses to mom and enjoy these, but please remember not to over indulge, the last thing you need is for mom to think she raised an alcoholic.

Strawberry Bellini

Ingredients:
1 bottle prosecco (Italian sparkling wine)
2 cups pureed and strained fresh strawberries

1. Place 8 Champagne flutes in the freezer for 20 minutes.

2. Open the prosecco and let it stand in an ice bucket for 5 minutes.

3. Into a pitcher, pour the 2 cups pureed strawberries. Gently pour in the bottle of prosecco and stir gently to combine.

4. Divide among Champagne flutes and serve.

(courtesy http://www.yumsugar.com/247617)

O Fizz Drink Recipe

Ingredients:
3 teaspoon(s) sugar (or simple syrup)
12 fresh mint sprigs, plus extra for garnish
3 ounce(s) fresh lime juice
Ice
8 ounce(s) vodka
Cranberry juice
Champagne or sparkling wine
Fresh raspberries, for garnish

For each fizz, add 3/4 teaspoon sugar, 3 mint sprigs, and 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice to a cocktail shaker. Muddle content with a longhandled muddler or bar spoon; add ice to shaker, along with 2 ounces vodka and a splash of cranberry juice. Shake vigorously and strain into a flute. Top the glass with champagne; garnish with a few fresh raspberries and a sprig of mint.

(courtesy delish.com)

Mumtini

1 1/2 parts Beefeater Gin
1/2 part Campari
1 part fresh squeezed ruby grapefruit juice
2 tsp simple syrup
2 dash orange bitters

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a wide strip of grapefruit peel.

(courtesy http://www.drinkoftheweek.com/blog/mothers-day-cocktails/)

Vodka Made Me Do It

2009-05-07T16:26:00.001-07:00

I just wanted to give a shout out to one of my new favorite blogs "(Dear Diary) Vodka Made Me Do It".

The title describes the blog perfectly, but if you still need convincing, this blog combines humor with drunken shenanigans. In times when words don't do the situation justice, there are plenty of pictures to give you more insight.

I posted the link below to click and start following!

(Dear Diary) Vodka Made Me Do It

The Swine Flu Cocktail

2009-05-06T11:08:00.000-07:00

With the epidemic sweeping the country, it’s only fair we raise our glasses because if you don’t have the flu you might as well drink the cocktail that bares its name.

If your immune system can handle it that is.

Robert Haynes-Peterson of the Examiner.com, came up with this recipe , an ode to the ailment.

1 shot bacon-infused bourbon (recipe here)

1/2 shot Reposado or anejo tequila

Juice of 1/4 muddled lemon

Splash of Limoncello (up to 1/2 shot)

Shake with ice (or stir), strain and pour over ice. Garnish with superfruit (blueberries, blackberries or mango slice)

Five Drinks To Order on Cinco de Mayo

2009-05-04T18:12:00.000-07:00

1 . Margarita

M The Mexican holiday wouldn’t complete without this staple. Try it straight up, frozen or with salt, but if ordinary isn’t your style, check out some of these variations.

Skinny Girl Margarita- the brain child of one of the Real Housewives of New York, this low cal drink combines Patron Silver on the rocks with four limes and a splash of triple sec.

Mango Margarita- a personal favorite, simply add mango rum and a splash of orange juice to the standard recipe.

2. Bloody Maria's

2. Start the day off right by ordering this version of the Bloody Mary. Instead of vodka substitute tequila and mix with tomato juice, splash of lime juice, Tabasco sauce, Worchester sauce, salt and pepper. Garnish with a slice of lemon, lime and a stalk of celery. Also try using Tabasco Spicy Tequila from the Tabasco makers for an extra kick.

3. Sangria

3. This wine based drink is fun to make yourself as well as a step up on the class ladder from the margarita. Mix red wine with two tablespoons of sugar, a shot of brandy, and 2 cups of ginger ale or club soda. Then add fruit of your choice: lemons, limes, blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, oranges, etc. and let sit for at least an hour to allow the wine to soak up the fruit juices.

4. Mexican Beer

4. Corona, Dos Equis, Tecate, Sol are all bar favorites, but if you’re at a more Mexican establishment than your everyday haunt try some of these:

Negra Modelo- Caramel in color, it gives off a caramel and vanilla aroma and goes down sweet with just a hint of hops.

Nochebuena- a winter seasonal, so if you find it in May straddle up to the bar and order it up. This beer has a rich nutty flavor.

5. Tequila Poppers

5. Reminiscent of my college spring break trip to Mexico, these shots are the perfect for those who can’t stomach an entire shot of pure tequila. Pour 3/4ths of a shot glass with tequila, add 7-up or Sprite, and cover the top with your hand. Wack the shot glass on the bar or table so that the soda fizzes up, and take the shot.

computer PROBLEMS!

2009-04-27T21:41:00.000-07:00

Hey!
It's going to be another day before I can get another post up because my computer is down while DELL fixes it. They've been awesome though and I hope to get writing as soon as possible. thanks for hanging in there...shout out to Dell.

Drink Like A Boy, Act Like A Girl

2009-04-24T18:51:00.001-07:00

It’s a fact that males have a higher alcohol tolerance than females. I’m pretty sure I read that somewhere, but I’ve also lived it. So what’s a girl to do when you want to hang with the boys all night?

There have been many nights that I’ve been out that a bartender has been hitting on me and thinks he has a better chance if I’m drunk so he keeps those drinks coming. Other nights I’ve been out with my group of drinking buddies who can finish off any drink in minutes and are ready to move onto shots. It’s taken me years to perfect my not drinking but drinking techniques that allow me to drink with the boys while still acting classy like a girl.

1. Purchase a beer bottle, take a small sip and excuse yourself to go to the bathroom. Although I never condone wasting alcohol sometimes it’s necessary. Pour half or all of it down the drain and fill it with water. Just don’t get your bottle mixed up with your friends. Gigs up.

2. The bomb. Jager bomb, cherry bomb, any bomb that requires red bull as a base is clutch. It slows down the immediate feeling of drunk wooziness.

3. Diet coke is a girl’s best friend. Switch between one with alcohol and one without. Just remember to keep the garnish consistent so that nobody questions that fake drink.

4. Start the Coors Light with ice trend. Make the excuse you like to keep your beer always cold. What you’re really doing is watering down already watered down beer.

5. Wine spritzers keep the alcohol content low as well as the calorie count. Pair wine with sprite or club soda.

6. Mocktails. Cranberry and orange juice looks like a fabulous mixed drink but note there is no vodka or rum added to it. Be careful you don’t go into a fruit juice coma with this one.

7. Diet coke/regular coke and Malibu. My guy friends call this my ultimate girly drink. I drink it when I’m working so I’m drinking but just enough to get the party started and let someone take over from there.

8. Keep a water bottle in your purse. It allows you to hydrate often throughout the night.

Coolest Bar Trend #3: Van Gogh Vodkas

2009-04-23T00:14:00.000-07:00

I’ve never met a vodka I didn’t like, but as is always the case, there is only one I can never stray from: Van Gogh Espresso Vodka. The espresso infused drink is the new cosmopolitan, a must have accessory for every girl in the bar.

Not a coffee kinda gal? Their other flavors are just as rich in taste and go down just as nicely. From Acai-Blueberry to Dutch Chocolate to Mojito Mint these vodkas are meant for a variety of uses: think mixers, shots and straight up on the rocks.

The Van Gogh website, http://vangoghvodka.com/index.html , wills the inner bartender in all of us to come out and play by offering a wide array of recipes that are consistent with their flavors. Forgo a calorie rich dessert and shake up a Godiva Covered Blueberry martini instead. Tickle your liver with over 2,000 drink recipes courtesy of their website, but let this be the first bottle you look for on the shelf of any bar.

Score a Free Drink…or Five

2009-04-22T09:07:00.000-07:00

Times are tough and the weak economy has forced many to tighten their oh so cute purse strings. But booze should not be the first thing that gets cut from the budget. So here is a list of places to score some free cocktails.

Casinos: Offer up free cocktails to get people to gamble more. So sit at the penny slots and take advantage of the casino offerings.

Local Open Bars: http://nyc.myopenbar.com offers a guide to New York City bars giving away free drinks and where exactly you can find them. Don’t live in NYC? Google your hometown.

MetroMix Websites: Find your location on this website and they give you a listing of everything from free events to ladies night. Many of which offer free drinks to us girls if we show up on a certain night.

The Buy Back Rule: Many bars have a buy back rule… usually you buy three drinks and get the third for free.

Be Friends With You Bartender: Have a local bar? Go often, get to know the bartender, friends give friends free drinks.

Be An Event Whore: Many events offer free cocktails. Is there a new art gallery opening up in your city? Hit it up and check out the bar.

Pick Up This Line...

2009-04-21T13:37:00.000-07:00

The word "toast," meaning a wish of good health, started in ancient Rome, where a piece of toasted bread was dropped into wine.

Bourbon, which by act of Congress is the official spirit of the United States, takes its name from Bourbon County in Kentucky, where it was first produced in 1789 by a Baptist minister.

In ancient Babylon, a bride’s father supplied his son-in-law with all the mead (a drink made of fermented honey) he could drink for a month after the wedding. This period was called the “honey month,” or what we now call the “honeymoon.”

The national anthem of the US, the "Star-Spangled Banner," was written to the tune of a drinking song.

Before thermometers were invented, brewers would dip a thumb or finger into the liquid to determine the ideal temperature,, for adding yeast. From this we get the phrase "rule of thumb."

A popular drink in Cambodia is a Tarantula Brandy. You guessed it - the concoction includes rice liquor and freshly dead tarantulas.

There is a cloud of alcohol in the outer space which is enough to make four trillion-trillion drinks.

Sources:
http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/FunFacts/index.html
http://www.alcoholalert.com/fun-facts-about-alcohol.html
http://www.yaerd.org/funfacts.htm
http://www.alcoholcontents.com/fun_facts/fun_facts.htm

http://cognac.com/35-interesting-and-fun-alcohol-facts/

Done With Detox

2009-04-21T13:11:00.000-07:00

To All My Followers:
I need to apologize for the lack of post lately... I've been doing a little cleanup and detox (along with moving), but the blog is back, and hopefully better than ever... so enjoy!

From New Orleans: The Hurricane

2009-03-25T12:50:00.000-07:00

If drinking a Hurricane doesn't get you laid, nothing will. The infamous drink of New Orleans combines white rum, Jamaican rum, 151 proof rum, orange juice, pineapple juice and grenadine. Or so I'm told.

About half way through the drink I started to summarize how the name originated. Perhaps it is because just one can cause you to become a category three drunk. Or maybe it was because as calm as it is before just one sip, disaster is sure to strike. It's crazy what 151 can make you think about.

The origin of the Hurricane can be traced to a little ol' bar called Pat O'Briens in the 1940's. Go figure the Irish had a hand in making one of the strongest drinks in the area.

From New Orleans: Lafitte's Blacksmith Bar

2009-03-24T13:58:00.000-07:00

If debauchery had a home, it would be down here in the French Quarter. While pirates and smugglers are now replaces by tourist and college students, Lafitte's Blacksmith Bar is still standing.

This particular bar was built before 1772 and has withstood the fires and hurricanes that have swept through the city. To keep the ambiance of the old establishment the owners have kept to a strict no electric lighting policy. Candles illuminate table tops and shelves while an old blacksmith fireplace decorates the middle of the bar.

The place was once owned by the pirate Jean Lafitte and his brother. One tour guide has claimed that their treasure is buried in the chimney and according to legend only the purest of heart can get to it. Considering it's hidden in a bar, you should be able to appreciate the irony.

Down in New Orleans!

2009-03-23T21:21:00.000-07:00

Dear Drinkers,
Sorry it's been so long since the last post! I'm down in New Orleans getting out of the extreme cold that is New York for uncharted drinking territories. Starting tomorrow I'll be posting from the bars here, so if you live in the area any drinking suggestions are more then welcome!

2009-03-17T20:48:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

A Girly Girl’s Guide to Beer

2009-03-10T10:36:00.001-07:00

Ever taken a break from sipping your vodka cranberry and looked around all at the guys in the bar drinking pints of their favorite ales, and wondered what the appeal is? Beer, normally drank in conjunction with males, seemingly offers nothing but ‘beer goggles’, ‘beer muscles’ and stale breath. Why convert? Because beer is slowly becoming a woman’s drink of choice, guys just gave it its reputation first.

According a ‘Wall Street Journal’ article, the Molson Coors Brewing Company set up a special project codenamed Eve, to come up with suitable beers for women in an attempt to tap into a different sector of drinkers. Other brewing companies have accepted the same challenge.

So straddle up to a bar stool and order one of these cold ones.

Blue Moon. This Belgian White beer is brewed with white wheat, oats, coriander, and orange peel to give it a citrusy edge. It’s generally served with an orange to help bring out the orange citrus flavor. Just like your wardrobe, Blue Moon has seasonal beers as well. In addition to its staple, Blue Moon also offers Rising Moon Spring Ale (substitute lime flavor for orange), Honey Moon Summer Ale (the sweetest of the seasons), Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale (any beer with a pumpkin undertone can do no wrong in my opinion), and Full Moon Winter Ale (perhaps the least girly due to its richness).

Hoegaarden. As the prefix to the name suggest, this is a good beer for all girl beer haters (kidding!). Like Blue Moon, this Belgian beer is made with wheat, coriander, and orange peels. Also like the Blue Moon it is traditionally served with an orange to bring out those citrusy flavors women are so fond of. If you can find it also try, Hoegaarden Forbidden Fruit, a sweeter beer but don’t be fooled the 8.8% alcohol content isn’t for the weak. Said to originally be brewed for a local town festival, this beer gained overnight popularity.

Pete’s Strawberry Blonde. A recent favorite of mine, this beer is made with wheat malts, cluster hops, and a hint of strawberry. Another fav from this company is Pete’s Wicked Mardi Gras, which should be drank with caution since it has basically the same effect as the actual event.

Apricot Pyramid Ale. Brewed with barley, wheat, hops, and a balance of apricot, this brew has won numerous awards for being the best of the fruit beers.

Blue Point Blueberry Ale. Even if you don’t like blueberries (because I don’t), this particular beer has always been the hands down favorite of mine and yes, even my guy friends. The Blue Point Brewing Company out of Long Island guarantees that each batch is made with 132 pounds of fresh blueberries.

Captain Lawrence Pumpkin Ale. Although you have to wait until the fall to taste this little gem the wait is definitely worth it. With a distinct pumpkin flavor, and sugar and cinnamon to garnish the rim this may be the ultimate girly beer. Guys don’t get discouraged away; the sugar and cinnamon are optional. Brewed out of Pleasantville, New York, the light combination of hops and spice make it exactly what the town’s name itself suggest: pleasant.

Stuck at a bar that caters to its male clientele? Consider these: Bud Light Lime, Miller Lite, and Michelob Ultra, all calorie cautious.

Beer, Wings and… Hockey?

2009-03-09T13:33:00.000-07:00

Setting the clocks ahead one hour over the weekend seemed to send my drinking habits into a downward spiral. The spring equinox had called upon me to sit outside with a corona at noon on a Sunday. It wasn’t baseball or football that had drinkers cheering in their bar stools, but rather the sport that was most foreign to me: hockey. Since it’s never too late to learn a few bar tricks, I grabbed my beer and made the best of the afternoon and a few hockey fans.

Hockey fans are like football fans, but with ice and during the winter, which astrologically speaking sparks desire. So freshen up on your hockey terms, and win more than a few hearts.

Early hockey games allowed as many as 30 players a side on the ice, and the goals were two stones, each frozen into one end of the ice. The first use of a puck, instead of a ball, was recorded at Kingston Harbour, Ont., in 1860.

The Montreal Canadians have captured 23 Stanley Cups, the most in history.

The National Hockey League originated in 1917 with four teams, and through a sequence of team expansions, reductions, and relocations currently consists of 30 teams, 24 of which are based in the United States and six in Canada.

When The Anaheim Mighty Ducks were added as an expansion team to the National Hockey League they were named after the movie because the team was owned by Disney.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Hockey_League

http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=1431

http://www.imdb.com/find?q=The+Mighty+Ducks;s=tt

Coolest Bar Trend #2: The Green and Greener Beer

2009-03-04T21:33:00.001-08:00

The drunks got creative one St. Patrick's Day when they invented The Green Beer. If your looking to go the green route this holiday, simply add green food coloring (or blue and yellow for that perfect shade of green) to a light colored beer. I've had the Bud Light version, trust me it takes nothing away from the taste.

This season however, many are opting for the true green beer: the ones that are eco-friendly in the making. The Brooklyn Brewery in New York is among those that are making the choice to use wind power as an energy provider to brew the gallons of beer is sells annually.

To all the drinkers out there: there's no reason not to go green this season.

Whiskey, Guinness, and Kilts

2009-03-03T12:44:00.000-08:00

The first parade of the St. Patrick’s Day season is among us. Officers have been seen polishing their marching shoes, bagpipers practicing those Celtic notes, and the Irish, real and faux mentally preparing for weeks of whiskey, Guinness and kilts.

One major mistake my inner Italian learned the hard way during my first season was not to wear your liver out on the first parade. Chose your drinks wisely and in this case, it’s ok to only accept shots from the good looking guys.

Here’s the rundown:

1. 1.Start your early morning pre-game with a cup of joe…Irish to be specific. Add a shot of Jameson, or Tullamore Dew and learn to love the taste.

2. 2.The catch phrase, “beer before liquor, never been sicker” does not apply to St. Patrick’s events. You can chase whiskey with Guinness or pair the two for a car bomb.

3. 3. Stay away from guys in big green hats. They are either parade amateurs or not wise enough to know the cat and the hat look will never be in. Ever.

4. 4. On a budget? You might want to keep a small bottle of something in your purse or beer cans in your jacket. Bars know they can get away with raising the prices, and they will.

5. 5. Denounce class. When the girl’s bathroom lines have gotten too long, terraces and alley ways are acceptable bathrooms.

6. 6. Beads are cool. They can be trades for drinks, shots or phone numbers.

St. Patrick's Day Season is Among Us

2009-02-28T20:42:00.000-08:00

Any good drinker knows that St. Patrick’s Day is simply not confined to one day, but spans an entire half month cumulating on March 17^th. It’s like the Christmas of bar holidays, and in essence the grandeur is just as spectacular. America’s finest: police and firemen march in parades on weekends, vendors sell beads and other assortments of green goodies (I bought a thong once), and there is joy and merriment in the streets as we bounce from one bar to the next. Joy to the world, the Irish have come.

Here is your simple guide to the basics. There will be more post to survive the season.

1. March Brings Parades. Every weekend leading up to St. Patty’s day, your town or surrounding ones usually have an annual St. Patrick’s Day parade. Men in uniform, men with accents, men wearing skirts and bagpipes, all march through the streets, what could be more tempting?

22 2. The Bar. Usually along the parade route are at least a couple Irish bars. That’s where everyone will be. Forego the martini lounge, this is not the time.

3.2 3. You are what you wear. If you aren’t wearing green you shouldn’t even be out.

4.3 4. Strapped on cash? Make your own luck, pregame. Or you can hide a bottle of a little something something in your purse, just don’t get caught.

5.5 5. Learn to love the drinks of the Irish. That means whiskey and Guinness. Don’t like either? Chase whiskey shots with coke, the Guinness you’re on your own.

Weekend Bar Crawl: Buffalo Wild Wings

2009-02-28T04:06:00.000-08:00

And on the seventh day, I go out. It’s been an entire week since I wrote and I know many are wondering if I’ve been sick, I know I have. But with the rapidly approaching St. Patrick’s Day Season, I feel the need to give my liver what will become known as ‘the calm before the storm’.

This is why I’ve chosen this restaurant for the next weekend stop on the bar crawl.
Half restaurant, half bar, it is the bar half that actually makes Buffalo Wild Wings a true hot spot. Known for, duh, their assortment of wings, they also offer awesome cheapo bar food with just enough grease to coat your stomach in order to choose between many, many of the beers they offer up on tap.

Brace your inner child for the big screen television sets above the bar as well as electronic poker games and trivia games that you can play against other bar contestants which are also broadcast on televisions above the bar.

Beer Adventures: Day Drinking

2009-02-21T12:21:00.000-08:00

The winters are colder, the days are shorter, and sometimes our cute bar outfits can’t withstand the bitter weather that comes with going out at night. So grab those cute heels, some good drinking buddies, and head out for an afternoon of day drinking to spice up an average weekend.

To Plan or Not to Plan… That is the Question.

Every once in awhile my girlfriends and I will head to the bar for lunch and a beer, which eventually ends up in shots, beer pong, darts and ensuing debauchery. Colorful locals are usually out in abundance ready to buy you a beer in return for your attention for a story or two, and getting the bartender’s attention is a lot simpler without thirsty drinkers demanding their attention immediately. At the end of the day we feel out of our bar rut that typically ensues after too many nights out and proud of ourselves for giving into our elusive spontaneity that’s starting to come with an older age.

Other times, I’ve been all about planning the adventure.

Drinking Around the World: Find a bar that offers a variety of international beers. It’s the perfect way to head to Mexico for a bit before exploring the taste of England.

The Beer Crawl: If you live in an area that has more than a couple bars in it, beer crawl. Try a beer you wouldn’t normally have ordered at each bar.

Train Crawl: Since there is a train station right in my backyard that will take me anywhere from New York City to Connecticut, why not try a new bar in every town along the tracks? It eliminates the element of drunk driving and exposes you to new haunts and new crowds.

Tap Race: Have a bar near you that has more than five beers on tap? Compete with your friends to see who can drink each beer starting at one end and usually ending with the side with Guiness on it.

Bar Scavenger Hunt: Make a list of things to find at each bar or a drink that has to be drunk, and then head out.

Weekend Bar Crawl: Black Bear Saloon

2009-02-20T20:05:00.000-08:00

Slap on those heels, grab your drinking dollars, and head to the Black Bear Saloon. It’s a regular haunt of mine in White Plains, New York, however yesterday I hit up the one in Stamford, Connecticut for a little Happy Hour action.

These Are a Few Of My Favorite Things:

1. Small table top keggers. I have no idea how much beer each one holds, but each pour was always cold and I didn’t have to wait around at the crowded bar trying to get the bartender’s attention when I wanted another drink.

2. Electronic Darts. Beating guys in a simple game of cricket was mundane until I came across this little gem of a bar game. Play cricket, 01, battleship, the list goes on. It’s a challenge and seems to be the ultimate guy magnet.

3. Bear Bites. In a bar, eating anything other than bar food is a major faux pas. These little boneless wing bites give you all the satisfaction of buffalo wings without the mess. So you can talk to the hottie next to you without having to worry if there is hot sauce all over your face.

Bar Friends With the Enemy

2009-02-16T21:17:00.000-08:00

Think beer muscles don’t exist for girls? Think again. I’ve never been the ‘I’m going to punch you in the face’ kind of gal, but I’ve definitely gotten my bitchy side on during a night of drinking. As a frequent visitor of the same bar, the odds are better for me that I’m going to run into that one girl that makes me want to throw a shiny bar dart at her head. But since I don’t want to be on Page Six the next morning I figured there are a few things I could do, and some advice from my favorite readers, on how to handle this certain girl on girl action.

So as this certain post is a work in progress, here’s the good and the best in beer muscle advice.

Anok (http://identitycheck-anok.blogspot.com/) -“I drink my beer, laugh with my friends, and have a good time. Living well is the best revenge”

Inmyredhead (http://sassynsappy.blogspot.com/)- “If you are alone, (and don't want the enemy to see you in that pathetic state) touch the arm of the person next to you and say 'I'm terribly sorry, though I have enjoyed your company immensely, I suddenly feel ill and I must go.’ But if you can't leave then like Anok said, continue to enjoy yourself and don't even look over at them to make sure they see you doing so... SO obvious, lol”

~*mb*~ (http://vodkamademedoit.blogspot.com/) – “Head to the bathroom to double check you still look more fabulous than she does, and then head back out to hang out with your friends. You’re better anyways.”

timethief (http://thistimethisspace.com/) - "In situations where people I dislike are around I choose not to trigger them. I have found that "failure to engage" when someone is being an a$$ works very well. It frustrates them so much that they cannot get a rise out of you that they leave and I remain."

KaiteeThePirate (http://www.kaiteesquill.com/) - "Just act as though I'm having the best time in the world and if the dislike is mutual it's irritating as all hell for them"

csiunatc (http://www.weakestlinkconsulting.com/) "If punching isn't an option.. What about kicking?"

How to Actually Heart Valentine’s Day at the Bar

2009-02-12T22:35:00.000-08:00

I’ve always felt like Valentine’s Day is followed shortly by St. Patrick’s Day to cure the increasing rate of depression that follows the one day of the year people feel bad about being single. But every fluffy cloud should have a shimmering pink lining. So channel cupid, grab your arrows, and head to the bar for the hunt.

Somehow, even when I had a boyfriend I always got shafted on Valentine’s Day (no pun intended) for one reason or another. I always end up at the bar with a couple of my girl friends and we would notice that the guys seemed sweeter, more attentive, and eyeing our red outfits like they could easily fall off. In a sense I realized, they were right. Here we were downing martini’s trying to erase that neglected feeling while standing before us, were beer guzzling men ready to pretend, at least for the night, that they care.

So here is how to navigate the bar for just the right person. At least for this night.

1. You’ve gotten your drink from the bar and you’ve begun to shimmy on the dance floor with the other ladies. You look over and see the bars creepy locals leering at you, don’t make eye contact and keep your moves PG. For now.

2. The cute guy at the D.J booth is requesting a song. Now’s a good time to request the Journey song you’ve been dying to hear since you got to the bar. Bat your eyelashes, flip your hair over your shoulder, and ask cute guy what song he requested. Steer clear of if he mentions any songs with “Hate My Ex” or “Miserable” in the title.

3. You met the guy you want to spend the rest of the night with. You can’t stop staring at his eyes…okay, dimples, muscles, butt… but he keeps mentioning his recent ex. It’s time to reconsider your options and excuse yourself to the bathroom. Powdering your nose is more exciting than this.

4. Waiting to order your next drink, you spot Mr. Hottie Pototie chatting with the bartender. When you finally get the bartender’s attention ask if you can buy his friend a drink. It’s brave and charming.

Coolest Bar Trend #1: Late Night Happy Hour

2009-02-11T22:00:00.000-08:00

With the economy taking its toll on our drinking dollars, a little penny pinching can go a long way at the bars. That’s why on a blogger’s salary the late night happy hour is probably the best thing next to espresso vodka.

I only just discovered that this phenomenon actually existed. Shame on me. On a semi recent trip down to Orlando, Florida my hotel was conveniently located next to a ‘Friday’s’, where we ended up as a last stop before bed. When we realized we had stumbled upon half priced drinks and half priced appetizers our liver was rejuvenated and we drank into the night.

Since then, coming across a bar with a late night happy hour has been a like finding extra gold flakes in a bottle of Goldschlager at the end of a rainbow.

Drink Like A Boy, Act Like A Girl

2009-02-09T12:42:00.000-08:00

2. The bomb. Jager bomb, cherry bomb, any bomb that requires red bull as a base is clutch. It slows down the immediate feeling of drunk wooziness.

3. Diet coke is a girl’s best friend. Switch between one with alcohol and one without. Just remember to keep the garnish consistent so that nobody questions that fake drink.

4. Start the Coors Light with ice trend. Make the excuse you like to keep your beer always cold. What you’re really doing is watering down already watered down beer.

5. Wine spritzers keep the alcohol content low as well as the calorie count. Pair wine with sprite or club soda.

6. Mocktails. Cranberry and orange juice looks like a fabulous mixed drink but note there is no vodka or rum added to it. Be careful you don’t go into a fruit juice coma with this one.

8. Keep a water bottle in your purse. It allows you to hydrate often throughout the night.

Play Bar Games Not Mind Games

2009-02-07T21:12:00.000-08:00

Of course flirting your way to free drinks always comes with a certain satisfactory ego boost, but when you’re feeling competitive or even unattractive, head towards the nearest dart board.

The majority of bars will have a dart board on one of their walls, and if you’re lucky, house darts. Other bars prefer video games. Your winning hand to a free drink lies here.

Always bring your game face and always know your games.

Vodka Is A Girl's Best Friend

2009-02-07T13:03:00.002-08:00

Bring on the Happy Hour. These classy (and pink) vodkas will do to girl's nights out what Cosmo's did to 'Sex and the City'.

Pinky: A Scandinavian vodka distilled with violets and rose petals. Boast itself as the 'worlds most beautiful vodka'.

Nuvo: Pure vodka that has been distilled to become a bubbly drink with a pink color and a fruity taste.

p.i.n.k: Definitely not a guy drink, this alcohol is the new red bull and vodka. It's infused with caffeine and guarana to keep you dancing till the wee hours of the morning.

X-Rated Fusion Liquor: A French vodka mingled with oranges, mangos and passion fruit.

Lichido: Another French gift, this vodka combines lychees and guavas with a touch of white peach juice.

Alize Rose: The "romantic" vodka, a mix of passion fruit, strawberry and roses.

He's Just Not That Into You... At the Bar

2009-02-07T13:03:00.001-08:00

So while you were standing at the bar ordering a drink, the not so bad looking guy to your right pulled a quirky one liner while both of you tried to get the bartender’s attention. Through your diet and Bacardi eyes you’re somewhat intrigued. You both get your drinks and with a smile he returns to his group of friends. Now you can’t stop glancing over at Bar Charming. Here’s how to know if he was a hit and run.

1.The group of “friends” he returned to were all girls. He’s either gay, confused, or has too many boobs around him to care about yours.

2.You and your gossipy group of girls move over to where he’s standing, so he’ll notice you again. He’s finding the horse races on the television much more fascinating.

3.You’re cool, you’re confident, you walk right up to him and offer to buy him a shot. He agrees and asks if his other five friends can take one with you.

4. He plays any slow song on the jukebox.

5.You “accidently” bump into him and he’s looking at his glass to figure out how much beer is missing rather than your low cut shirt/cute smile/alluring eyes.

6. You try to give him a quirky one liner of your own. He looks confused.

7. You challenge him in a game of darts. He loses quickly and leaves.

8. You stroll up to him and introduce yourself and your friend. He’s staring at the friend.

9. You’ve finally engaged him in some deep conversation. He’s downing shots to numb the pain.

10. He doesn’t offer any contact information.

11. You mention you’re single and he tells you that you’ll never meet the right guy at a bar.

12. He’s making out with the blonde in the corner.

A Girl’s Guide to Scoring on Super Bowl

2009-02-07T13:02:00.002-08:00

Super Bowl Sunday can be a guy goldmine for single ladies if you can learn how to play the field correctly. It’s a day guys plan for weeks: the best location to watch the big game, if the beer will be continuously flowing, and if there will be a gorge of munchies readily available. All the details that go into planning this one day, and all we have to do is show up and well, score.

Do a Little Planning of Your Own. Find out which bars in your area have the most big screen T.V’s, which ones have the best football deals (think cheap pitchers of beer and wings), which bars are most popular. Guys subconsciously head for where bigger is better and they can still be as cheap as they like.

Game Gear. Know a lot about football already? Wear your jersey and support your team. Know nothing? Pull out that push up bra and go for the jeans and wife beater look. You never know, you might actually learn something for next year.

Rule #1: Don’t Talk During the Game. It’s the cardinal sin on game day to be talking to a hot guy while he’s watching the game. If you do those, ‘uh huhs’ and nods mean you can be 99% sure he’s not even listening. Wait until the commercials to make a cute comment, ask a question, or show off your football knowledge.

Buy Beer, or Buy Him a Beer. It’s a man’s world on Super Bowl so you might as well enjoy it. Grab a beer, take a shot of whiskey just don’t go for any pink drinks. Score more points by buying him a beer, it’s a sure fire attention getter, and if he returns the favor you’ll be ready for half time.

Dos and Don’ts. Do look like you’re having fun. Don’t look like your just waiting to watch the commercials (even though they ARE the best part). Do talk to guys, that is of course why you came. Don’t expect them to come talk to you, that is not why they came. Do wear the appropriate team jersey if the team you’re rooting for is in the Super Bowl. Don’t wear his brother’s who is on another team completely (I really had a friend do this). Do give and get phone numbers. Don’t drunk text later on.

Football Tidbits to Use in Casual Conversation.

The Giants won last year in the last couple minutes over the undefeated Patriots.

Budweiser has been the beer for the Super Bowl for the past 13 years.

9 of the 10 most watched television shows have been Super Bowls.

Dallas, San Francisco, and Pittsburg have won the most Super Bowls at 5 times.

A Girly Girl’s Guide to Beer

2009-02-07T13:02:00.001-08:00

So straddle up to a bar stool and order one of these cold ones.

Apricot Pyramid Ale. Brewed with barley, wheat, hops, and a balance of apricot, this brew has won numerous awards for being the best of the fruit beers.

Stuck at a bar that caters to its male clientele? Consider these: Bud Light Lime, Miller Lite, and Michelob Ultra, all calorie cautious.

It's (sigh) Relationship Season

2009-02-07T13:01:00.000-08:00

It’s in the celeb gossip headlines and all over your Facebook updates. 2009 has changed ‘that guy’ into boyfriends, and boyfriends into fiancés. It’s a phenomenon that starts right before Christmas and ends after Valentine’s Day, it’s called

Relationship Season.

Heidi and Spencer eloped in Mexico, Maksim Chmerkovskiy popped the question to fellow ‘Dancing with the Stars’ professional Karina Smirnoff over the holidays, and my friend Stephanie received her engagement gem after only a couple months of dating a plumber looking fellow I saw in pictures of all over Facebook.

Coupling up could be due to the increased socializing for this time of year. Christmas and New Year’s parties put everyone in the spirit, and the mood. Perhaps the New Year brings a new start for some people to change and become more committed, or it could be because guys think asking the age old ‘will you marry me’ question during the holidays is the ultimate romantic move.

So what’s a girl to do if you’re single or your relationship is in a slow period?

You could be like Neenah Pickett, a 42-year-old media consultant who for her New Year’s resolution decided she was getting married this year. In an

article on About.com, Neenah explains how she’s determined to find her husband using the website she started, 52Weeks2FindHim.com.

If you aren’t

ready to be that brave, or outspoken about your relationship status try a few other helpful hints. You don’t have to change your routine, just change your location. Instead of ordering coffee from the same Starbuck bistro every morning, try the one down the street. Go to happy hour with new colleagues or just a different bar on a different night for a new scene. Another alternative is simply change up your gym time, or take new classes to get your heart rate pumping for a new set of muscles. Feeling a little more adventurous? Check out this article: 9 Unusual Places to Meet Men, by About.com.

Not looking to meet a new guy since you’re already taken? Surrounded by friends who are getting married it’s easy to look at your relationship a little hesitantly right now. Put your relationship insecurities aside and focus on the obvious: you and

him. Maybe renew your relationship by stepping out of your same old date song and dance routine and do something you wouldn’t normally do. Take a vacation and get away from your clique and just spend some couple time, or just simply revel in the fact that your friends are going through the painstaking details of putting together a wedding and in the end you can learn from them (and make your wedding better of course).

Survival in this time is hopeful and if anything remember, break up season is right around the corner.