While recently traveling to New York City, I made it a mission to explore a mix of tried-and-true favorites and new happy hour spots. The lineup included some repeat visits and a few first-timers...some good, a couple great, and all worth sharing. I’ll also sprinkle in a few standout dining experiences from the trip. 🍸Happy Hour #1: Paris Bar This was easily one of the highlights. From the moment we walked in, the hospitality stood out...friendly staff, comfortable seating,

Light, bubbly, and made for slow, sun-soaked sips There’s something about watermelon and bubbles that just feels like a vibe. The Sparkling Watermelon Daydream is exactly what it sounds like...bright, refreshing, slightly floral, and effortlessly elegant. It’s the kind of cocktail you pour when brunch turns into afternoon lounging, when the music is just right, and nobody’s in a hurry to leave. This one leans into juicy watermelon notes, a crisp cranberry twist, and a delica

There are two kinds of Easter people: the ones hunting eggs...and the ones hunting cocktails. This year, we’re doing both, but with a glass in hand. The Peep Show Martini: Easter Edition is exactly what spring should taste like. Bright, playful, a little nostalgic, and just indulgent enough to feel like you’re sneaking candy before brunch. It’s inspired by those colorful Easter baskets...juicy strawberries, soft citrus, a hint of peach sweetness, and finished with a refreshi

Sometimes the best cocktails aren’t planned...they just happen. The Mile High Mixer is exactly that: a simple, refreshing in-flight creation that proves you don’t need a full bar to make something worth sipping. After a little time away on vacation, inspiration decided to show up somewhere unexpected...mid-flight, 35,000 feet in the air. With limited options from the drink cart, it became a fun challenge to turn a few basic ingredients into something elevated. This cocktail i

Sometimes the best cocktails taste like a celebration in a glass. The Orchard Party Spritz is exactly that...a refreshing, fruit-forward drink that combines vibrant citrus, juicy peach, tart cranberry, and sparkling bubbles. It’s colorful, easy to make, and perfect for casual sipping or entertaining friends. This cocktail is built around Cathead Distillery Satsuma Mandarin Vodka , which longtime fans may recognize by its former name: Bitter Orange Vodka. The spirit hasn’t cha

Bright, Floral, and Just a Little Dangerous Spring is right around the corner, and you can feel it in the air...longer days, golden sunsets, and that subtle shift from heavy winter pours to something lighter, fresher, and a bit more playful. Enter: The Mandarin Mischief Martini. This cocktail is sunshine with a wink. It’s vibrant citrus layered with tart cranberry, softened by delicate elderflower, and finished with a crisp squeeze of lemon. It looks flirty, drinks smooth, an

The Valentine’s Cocktail That’s Sweet, Sophisticated, and a Little Flirty If Flirtini Blush is the classic pink flirt, then Love You Lychee is the sophisticated wink. 🍸💘 This Valentine’s Day, I wanted a cocktail that felt connected to Flirtini Blush...same pink, same flirty energy...but with a twist: exotic lychee, bright raspberry, and a little citrus zing. The result? A cocktail that’s romantic, refreshing, and impossible not to adore. Start with a shaker full of ice 2o

A Valentine’s Cocktail That Knows How to Flirt Some cocktails whisper. Flirtini Blush winks. This gorgeous pink stunner was created for Valentine’s Day, but honestly? It’s too good to be limited to just one holiday. With soft berry notes, a touch of peachy-cranberry brightness, and a bubbly finish, this martini-style cocktail is sweet, flirty, and dangerously easy to fall in love with. Whether you’re celebrating with a special someone, hosting a Galentine’s party, or just tr

(Serve it Hot or Cold) Some cocktails are born from careful planning.Others come together because it’s cold outside, the juice aisle delivers a surprise, and the rum shelf is calling your name. This one is the latter, and honestly, that’s where the best drinks live. Cayman Carolinas Apple Rum Punch brings together the warming spice of BetterGoods Cinnamon Apple & Ginger Juice with two standout rums from very different places: a rich dark rum from Grand Cayman and a spiced ru

When winter storms roll into the Southeast, we all know the drill: panic grocery runs, dramatic forecasts, and a collective realization that bread and milk alone won’t get us through it. Enter the Cold Front Refresher ...a fruity, aromatic cocktail designed to take the edge off the cold while keeping things bright, balanced, and dangerously sippable. This is not a heavy, fireplace-only winter drink. Instead, it’s a reminder that even during freezing temps and icy forecasts, y

There’s a very specific kind of weekend energy that lives at the intersection of Canadian cottage country, unresolved tension, and Heated Rivalry ’s most infamous turning point. If you know, you know. Episode six energy. The kind where the chirping softens, the air goes quiet, and suddenly their hand lands on your inner thigh. Cottage Puck Weekend is the drink you pour when the bags are dropped by the door, skates are metaphorically hung up, and the lake is glassy enough to

A Light, Citrus Spritz for a New Day, New Sip The confetti has settled, the countdown has passed, and the calendar has officially turned. New Year’s Day calls for something different...less loud, more refreshing. Enter The Reset Refresher , a bright, easygoing cocktail designed for slow mornings, fresh starts, and a gentle return to sipping. This isn’t a drink for staying up late. It’s a drink for easing back in. With crisp orange vodka as the base, a splash of cranberry juic

There’s something magical about that moment when the season slows just enough to savor it, twinkling lights, cozy gatherings, and a cocktail that feels like a warm holiday hug with a bright, festive twist. The Mulled Berry Sleigh Ride is exactly that kind of drink: fruit-forward, gently spiced, and unapologetically merry. This cocktail blends juicy raspberry vodka with warming ginger liqueur, mulled blackberry pear juice, and fresh lemon for balance. The result is rich yet...

Because the holidays are magical…and exhausting. There’s a very specific look that appears sometime between your third holiday party, the fifth gift exchange, and the moment someone says, “Can we do one more Secret Santa?” That look is Resting Grinch Face , and this drink is the cure. The Resting Grinch Face Remedy is a strong, silky, unapologetically boozy cocktail designed for seasoned holiday survivors. No juice-heavy distractions, no sugar overload, just crisp botanicals

A Silky Fig & Cider Martini for the Final Days of Fall There’s a moment every year, right between Thanksgiving plates and the first hint of winter frost, when the world feels suspended. The colors are muted, the trees are bare, and fall seems to hang on by a whisper. That moment is what inspired today’s drink: The Orchard Fade. This cocktail is built around fig vodka and apple cider, two flavors that feel like the last treasures of the season. They meet in a clean, elegant ma

In one short day , we'll be revisiting the Emerald City with the second installment of Wicked: For Good . So, why not have a drink while we wait? I think this one's going to be popular . You may be thinking, " I'm not that girl ", but this drink is a scandalacious play on the traditional cosmopolitan that has been changed for good with a magical green apple finish. Start with a shaker full of ice 2oz of Gin Our pick: Mermaid Pink gin with the Isle of Wight Distillery 1.5oz

The Cocktail That Reminds You to Slow Down This Holiday Season The holidays are marketed as the “most wonderful time of the year,” but let’s be real... somewhere between travel plans, gift lists, family expectations, and trying to make everything look effortlessly magical, it can start to feel less like festive cheer and more like seasonal performance review. That’s where Pear Pressure steps in - the fizzy reminder that you don’t have to do it all. This cocktail is light, war

The Perfect Pick-Me-Up for Early Sunsets As the clocks roll back and the days grow shorter, there’s something magical about that golden hour glow sneaking in a little earlier each evening. But with those cozy early sunsets comes a familiar challenge...keeping your spirits bright when darkness hits before dinner. That’s where the Perky Pecan Martini comes in. This creamy, nutty espresso martini twist is the perfect way to warm up your fall evenings and perk up your mood when

A Halloween Hit That’s Frightfully Good Every Halloween deserves a signature sip, and this year, it’s all about the Purple People Eater Martini . Inspired by the classic 1958 novelty tune, this drink is as playful as it is sophisticated, mixing a haunting violet hue with bright citrus notes and a smooth, slightly floral finish. It may sound spooky, but don’t worry, no people were harmed in the making of this martini. 🎃 The Inspiration We wanted something that screamed Hallow

Your Perfect Fall & Halloween Cocktail 🍎 Fall is in the air, the leaves are turning and the evenings are crisp. If you’re looking for something that’s both cozy and a little spooky, meet the Spiced Honeycrypt Martini . This drink is the ultimate blend of autumn flavors with just a hint of Halloween mischief. What Makes It Special The Spiced Honeycrypt Martini balances warmth, sweetness, citrus brightness, and effervescence. Here’s what’s inside: Spiced rum : brings cozy warm