Tag: drinks

A Drink Break

J told me a couple of weeks back that he wanted to try taking a couple of weeks off from drinking to see how it’d effect his workouts and his weight. I told him I’d join him in this fast because maybe it’d effect my weight, too. When I drink, I don’t drink many drinks but I’ve found that because of social engagements, I drink what could be called often. 

The break will have been just under two weeks and it’s been easy. My bar and restaurant tabs are cheaper ($$$$!) which is mostly what I’m excited about because I’m the cheapest person alive and drinking at brunch or while out at dinner is pricey, it adds an extra $20 to a tab if each person has just one drink.

We ended our prohibition slightly early because we had to go to a party on Saturday. We each had a couple of drinks and it was fine. But I kept a mental tally of the times that I had to decline a beverage over the last two or so weeks:

  • Started on Wednesday (I mean, unofficially, I hadn’t had a drink since the Sunday before.)
  • Friday: My office does a weekly rye tasting every Friday so I had to decline the last two weeks. Totally fine. Rye tastes like shit.
  • Friday, later: I went to The Hamilton with Ben and didn’t drink. My tab was so cheap. Amazing.
  • Sunday brunch: No booze = cheap bill
  • Friday: No rye for me!

Part of me wanted to have a beer last Friday at The Hamilton, but it was OK.

Given that I have 3-4 drinks per week, this wasn’t really challenging. I do like to have a beer one night a week when I’m hanging out at home, but I didn’t miss it that much and I don’t really want to drink by myself, so it was all for the better.

Conclusion: I didn’t miss it and I really enjoyed spending less at restaurants and bars. I also don’t think it effects my weight that much because I don’t actually drink enough for it to make a difference. I realized I can easily have a social life when not drinking. All good things. 

Related: Why You Should Take a Booze Break This Summer, via MindBodyGreen

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Excuse My French (Lower East Side, NYC)

After my friend’s husband’s concert on Saturday night, J and I headed over to Excuse My French. I had decided I absolutely had to try the little French cocktail and tapas place on Elderidge Street that I’d seen in Time Out New York a couple of days before. The drink was purple. I wanted to see it in person.

We took seats at the bar, ordered a cheese and baguette platter, and some drinks. I had the L’Antonieta and I was given a history lesson as it was poured by an extremely friendly bartender, too. The L’Antonieta “pays homage to 20th-century Mexican intellectual Antonieta Rivas Mercado, who shot herself on the alter of Notre Dame in the name of unrequited love.” The drink itself is made of mescal, Cointreau, and a syrup of butterfly pea flowers. It was smokey and sweet at the same time. 

We ended the night with glasses of rose colored hibiscus champagne. Mine had an actual hibiscus in it which was edible and I totally ate it. The cheese platter was also delicious.

I’d give this place five stars for a lovely atmosphere, well-crafted drinks, and unexpected history lessons.