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SHAKE IT UP
Nightlife isn’t dead—cocktail hour is just moving home
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Ten dollar drinks may be one of the first things to go when making personal budget cuts, but many are opting to hone their own mixology skills in lieu of hitting the bar scene. We'll probably be sticking to water for the next few days as we recover from the holiday weekend, but check out these three drinks we've been spotting everywhere on the party circuit:
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Pimm's Cup: The grassy Brooklyn waterfront offers a scenic vista of the Manhattan skyline, the occasional seaplane sighting, and a veritable runway of Facehunter material, but it still doesn't exactly offer the pastoral pedigree of an English polo match. Regardless, this traditional Brit beverage is increasingly finding a home alongside smuggled six-packs during picnicking festivities. Made with Pimm's No. 1, a unique gin-based spiced citrusy liquor, the cocktail typically relies on ginger ale and/or lemon soda as a mixer, garnished with mint and cucumber slices (and sometimes lemon, apple, orange, and/or strawberry slices, too). Of course, there are a number of variations on the drink, with debates abounding about what the "proper" recipe is. As the alcohol content of Pimm's is relatively low, some like to add a little extra kick to the drink, typically in the form of a shot of gin.
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Elderflower Spirits: While it's not deeply steeped in tradition like Pimm's - it's only been on the market for the past couple years - St-Germaine has its own (recent) storied history. As the "legend" of St-Germaine goes, the French elderflower liqueur is the product of a small army of men who diligently pluck the flowers from the foothills of the Alps before mounting their bikes and taking the blossoms of their labor to market. Whether this tale is true or just imaginative copywriting is irrelevant though, because the stuff makes incomparably refreshing cocktails that go down perhaps a little too easily judging by the photo documentation of the last time we imbibed a few. (Sorry, we're keeping those pix private.) Try mixing it with prosecco and a little soda water for a delicately flavored delight that packs a deceptively potent punch.
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Agave Margaritas: Despite what a certain cast member of The Real Housewives of New York may have some viewers thinking, the "Skinny Girl" margarita is not exactly a trademarked drink. While health-conscious boozehounds have been making low cal tequila drinks for years, this summer we've been seeing a lot more people trading in syrupy margarita mix for a simple blend of agave nectar and fresh squeezed lime juice. With this natural version, you can feel at ease putting your calorie quotient towards a side of guac instead of whatever they put in that sour mix that tastes like liquid Gobstoppers. (Plus, without all that sugar, your hangover won't be as bad.)
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