My, what a year this month has been! The speed and extent to which the novel coronavirus pandemic has changed our daily lives is unprecedented. As we adapt to our new normal and respect social distancing guidelines, we also look for ways to make our new reality tolerable, if possible even enjoyable. Here are our tips for sheltering in place with your sanity intact:
Shake Things Up With a Quarantini
No bars? No problem! In most cities liquor stores have been deemed “essential” and beer and wine are far from your only at-home adult beverage options. Pick up some delicious sodas from The Great Jamaican on the next grocery run and take your DIY cocktail to the next level. Transport yourself with our Ukulele with Bitter Lemon featuring tequila, kiwis and fresh mint. No fancy bar tools required: an insulated water bottle can double as a cocktail shaker, a sieve can serve as a strainer and a wooden spoon is a perfectly serviceable muddler.
Shop Your Stash
Limiting your trips to the grocery store means you’ll have to make the most of what’s in the refrigerator or pantry when it’s time to prep dinner. Extend that creativity to crafting your evening cocktail. Not sure what to do with that neglected jar of maraschino cherries in your pantry? Kick things up a notch with our Cherry Ginger Cocktail with Spicy Ginger Beer. Need inspiration for the more challenging contents of your cabinet? Some homebound bartenders have taken their extensive knowledge to Twitter. Perplexed amateur mixologists can simply tweet the ingredients they’ve got in stock and an expert will be ready with a bespoke recipe. Check out #QuarantineCocktails for some great ideas to use up what you’ve got!
Boost Office Morale
Bars may be closed but that doesn’t mean the weekly happy hour needs to go on hiatus. Strengthen bonds with colleagues by keeping the tradition alive and unwind together over cocktails via Skype or a conferencing app like Zoom. Spice up your go-to Aperol Spritz at your next virtual 5 à 7 with our spicy pineapple soda (Spicy Spritz with Spicy Pineapple). Ending a stressful work week on a high note with a virtual happy hour can not only provide a much-needed social outlet, it can help create a boundary between weekdays and weekends when it can feel like those concepts have lost all meaning.
Host An Online House Party
Isolation can be a devastating feeling, but it’s important to remember that social distancing really just means physical distancing. Surrounding yourself with friends and family is still possible, it just looks and feels a little different. Invite your friends to join you for drinks with Google Hangouts or the Houseparty app. Dress up, play games or simply laugh and catch up. Raise a glass with extended family and elderly parents over FaceTime.
Buy Local
An excellent way to keep connected to the local community and help the economy is to support local businesses and buy homegrown brands as much as possible. On your next trip to the grocery store, opt for local mixers such as The Great Jamaican, and at your regional Liquor Board explore excellent local spirits like Dirty Devil Vodka, Ungava Gin, Chic Choc Rum, Les Trois Lacs Gin, and many more.
