A Better Cocktail Hour

In case you haven’t heard, last Thursday marked the *official* first day of summer(!!!), so let’s toast to that! Without a doubt, summer is the season when I’m the most social, and, not surprisingly, when I find myself with a cocktail in hand more nights than not. The truth is, I love the ritual of a good drink. Crisp glass, giant ice cube, a little orange twist as garnish or salt on the rim.  Knowing what we know about alcohol, this isn’t the healthiest habit. I’ve come to realize that the ritual I crave isn’t about the booze at all. It’s about exactly that – the ritual. The 6pm gathering of friends after a long, hot, sandy beach day, freshly showered and dressed and toasting to summer, friendship, and life being good. This is a sacred time! On nights when I’m not in the mood to drink the hard stuff, refusing that first cocktail can feel devastating – like you’re missing out on the ritual. These drinks below have totally changed that.