It's Five O'Clock Somewhere...

It's five o'clock somewhere in the world. In other words, time for a stiff drink. It may be more socially acceptable to don workout gear on your way to spin class following a tough day at the office. But there will always be a crowd at the local watering hole, toasting the end of day whistle. Whenever I watch "Mad Men" on AMC, I find myself craving one of those cool retro cocktails, evocative of simpler, drunken times. (I also find myself wondering how these folks could possibly have gotten any work done, given their proclivity for midday scotch and groping with secretaries.) I have been considering a trip to Crate & Barrel to purchase highball and double old fashioned glasses. Maybe I will even make some rumaki! So, let's don a skinny tie or little black dress with pearls and clink our glasses. In a virtual sense. I leave you with a collection of classic cocktail recipes in hope you'll invite me over for a swank evening of drinking. We'll leave the cigarettes at home!

Old Fashioned Manhattan

1 oz. whiskey

1/2 oz. sweet vermouth

3 dashes bitters

1 t. sugar

1 splash club soda

Pour the whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters and sugar into a cocktail glass over crushed ice. Stir well. Top with club soda, and stir again gently. Garnish with a maraschino cherry, and serve.

Tom Collins

2 oz. gin

1 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 t. superfine sugar

3 oz. club soda

1 maraschino cherry

1 slice orange

In a shaker half-filled with ice cubes, combine the gin, lemon juice, and sugar. Shake well. Strain into a collins glass almost filled with ice cubes. Add the club soda. Stir and garnish with the cherry and the orange slice.

Gimlet

4 parts gin or vodka

1 part Rose's lime juice

Serve straight or on the rocks in an old fashioned glass. Garnish with lime


Whiskey Sour

2 oz. blended whiskey
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 t. powdered sugar
1 Maraschino cherry
1/2 slice lemon
Shake blended whiskey, juice of lemon, and powdered sugar with ice and strain into a whiskey sour glass. Decorate with the half-slice of lemon, top with the cherry, and serve.

Champagne Cocktail

2 dashes bitters
1 tsp sugar
chilled Champagne
1 twist lemon peel
Place one lump of sugar with bitters in a chilled champagne flute. Fill with chilled champagne. Add the twist of lemon peel and serve.

Cheers!

An Adolescent Guide to Romance

The chauffer role exposes moms (and presumably dads) to the wisdom of preteens and adolescents, as well as a few chuckles. Toting my seventh grade daughter and her friend to a local fro yo hot spot, I listened without comment as my daughter recounted a tale of middle school romance. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. I had to add the Hollywood disclaimer. My starry-eyed offspring described how a classmate had asked a boy for a kiss in the drizzling rain. "Isn't that romantic?" she sighed. Without skipping a beat, her friend replied, "It isn't romantic if the girl has to ask the boy."

A girl after my own heart! My daughter's friend was clearly raised on a steady diet of Turner Classic Movies and AMC. Cary Grant, Bogart, and William Holden set the bar for desired male behavior and are a tough act to follow.

Since my coming of age in the late 1970s, girls have been encouraged to compete in the marketplace. We can break the glass ceiling and pursue just about any career, barring NFL linebacker and a few other jobs most women wouldn't wish to pursue. I applaud the legwork of the trailblazers who cleared this path.

However, in romance, I must agree with the 13 year old sage. When Fred twirled Ginger around the dance floor, who was leading? The resurging popularity of ballroom dancing and such shows as "Dancing with the Stars" is no coincidence. We have become so accustomed to unisex clothing, sensible shoes, and fear of sexual harassment in the workplace that we miss la difference.

When Cary Grant held the door open for his leading lady, helped her with her coat, or lit her now politically incorrect cigarette, I would swoon. I spent most of my single days searching for men confident enough to wear aftershave, at home in a tuxedo, and who would send a dozen roses along with a hand-written note, just because. Do these men exist outside of their celluloid counterparts in black and white film?

The absence of witty banter and harmless flirting has turned our world into a gender neutral, boring place. The revival of ballroom dancing and four inch heels is symbolic of our need to return to more romantic times. I, for one, have never given up the power of red lipstick, stilettos, and a little black dress. Vive la difference!

While watching tivo'ed episodes of AMC's "Mad Men," I am often disappointed I didn't have the chance to work on early 60's era Madison Avenue. Sure, I appreciate today's innovations and increased opportunities for women. But, what fun to be wearing a pencil skirt and heels while being chased around the couch by a cocktail swilling boss. Well, maybe only if the boss remembled Don Draper and would fete me at Le Cirque or some other swanky boite.