#something with alcohol he likes brew pubs and wine bars

[kitkatt0430]

The theater that was hosting a father's day brunch I had tickets to for me and my dad... has abruptly closed. Odds of getting a refund on those tickets?

Probably non existent.

I'm so pissed off.

They were going to have a kids event every day this week and my sister had tickets for herself and my nephew for today's. They arrived to a closed and locked theater.

the people in charge had to know this was coming and instead of warning anyone or, say, stopping ticket sales... just kinda a fuck you there to the clientele they still had. Not surprising exactly because... capitalism, but still.

[devendrasbeard]

Marry me Once, Marry Me twice, Marry Me Six Times

Prompt: Getting Engaged Relationships: Eskel/Jaskier Rating: M Content Warnings: Alcohol, Drunk Sex, Accidental Sugar Daddy Acquisition (through marriage xD) Summary: Five times Jaskier has proposed to Eskel (more or less as a joke) and the one time Eskel has proposed to Jaskier (for real). Coffee shop AU!

Also on ao3!

The first time Jaskier has proposed to Eskel was only a few days after he'd moved to Rivia all the way from Lettenhove.

He reached out to his old college friend, Geralt, who he knew lived in Rivia, and asked him for help with the move. Even though they haven't seen each other in almost ten years, Geralt was more than happy to provide help not only with bringing all of Jaskier's stuff to his new place, but he was also determined to make Jaskier's start in the new city go as smoothly as possible.

And so, he offered Jaskier a job in his coffee shop, so that he didn't have to worry about money right after having moved across the continent. When Jaskier would settle down and think of a plan for his next moves, he'd look for other job opportunities.

It was his third day in "Deja Brew", but Geralt was already convinced he'd made the right decision by hiring his old friend. Jaskier's outgoing personality and clever, witty comments already earned them much higher tips. Little to no customers could withstand Jaskier's charm when he described their cookies and special lattes with flowery words, so their order values also increased immensely.

It was close to lunchtime, so the coffee shop was almost empty. Jaskier was stacking up some paper cups and reorganizing the paper straws by color, with his back to the front door, when he heard the familiar ding of that tiny bell installed just above the door. 

He turned around to greet the new customer but got tongue-tied after seeing the person who entered. It was a very tall man, taller even than Geralt, with shoulders ridiculously broad, gorgeous olive skin and longer dark hair. He was wearing a leather jacket over a red skin-tight t-shirt, and a pair of black jeans. What caught Jaskier's attention were the bits of tattoos poking out of the shirt's v-neck and a piercing on the bridge of the man's nose.

"Fuck me sideways..." Jaskier whispered a tad too loud as the man approached the counter.

"Hey, no swearing in front of the customers!" Geralt shouted from the storage room.

"No worries, I'm no customer," the man smiled softly and winked at Jaskier. "I assume Geralt's around?"

Jaskier pointed to the back door not saying a word, too busy biting his lip and ogling the gorgeous man in front of him.

"Oh, hey, Eskel," Geralt appeared next to Jaskier and greeted the man. "Did something happen? You usually don't come here after work."

"Nah, it's nothing. I left in a rush this morning and forgot my keys. If you could give me yours I'll make dinner tonight," he casually leaned over the counter and Jaskier couldn't help but stare at the chest hair poking out of the shirt and those goddamn tattoos.

"Yeah sure, I'll get them," Geralt replied and patted Jaskier on the shoulder. "By the way, this is my old friend Jaskier, you should remember him from my college stories. Jask, this is my brother Eskel."

Jaskier's eyes widened even more. "Brother?!" He shook his head. "You have a gorgeous, sex-on-legs brother and you never cared to tell me?"

Geralt chuckled. "Of course I told you, back in college. Baby Esk? Little brother did grow up a little in the past ten years."

Jaskier swallowed thickly and eyed Eskel, who was grinning at him with a mysterious spark in his eye. "Gods above," Jaskier sighed. "You're even more perfect than Geralt. I'm sorry, but will you marry me?"

Eskel laughed loudly, a low baritone sound, but so soft on the edges. He patted Jaskier on the shoulder and winked. "I like you, Jaskier. We'll need to get to know each other better if you'd like to marry me, so I'll see you around?"

Eskel left, leaving Jaskier feeling very fuzzy inside, knees wobbly, leaning on the counter to steady himself, and Geralt rolling his eyes at him and asking the gods if it really was a good idea to hire him.

*****

The second time Jaskier has proposed to Eskel was about a month later.

He stayed in "Deja Brew" for a while longer than he and Geralt had planned initially, but they both agreed that Jaskier just fit into that place perfectly. His new ideas for special drinks and clever names for desserts helped Geralt's place make a name for itself. 

Jaskier's newest addition to the menu was the "Unicorn Fart" - a caramel cocoa drink with rainbow colored whipped cream and a ridiculous amount of sprinkles on top. Kids would buy that in bulk and parents would roll their eyes at Jaskier when he'd hand the drinks to the delighted kids while making farting noises.

Eskel was a cook in the vegan diner just across the street and he used to pop in every now and then after work or before his late afternoon shift, grabbing a coffee before he went back to his daily activities.

Jaskier would eye him very carefully and absolutely not as sneakily as he thought. It's been a really long while since Jaskier has been with anyone, and Geralt's brother sparked that long forgotten interest in him. Now and then Jaskier would ask Geralt casually about Eskel - how old he exactly was, what he liked to do in his free time - feeling more comfortable talking to his friend about him, than ask Eskel himself.

One evening Eskel came into the coffee shop right before closing time, carrying two takeaway bags and placing them on the counter. "You need to try this!" he said enthusiastically, crossing his arms on his chest. "I've finally managed to make the perfect dumplings."

Jaskier peeked into the bags with interest and took out two containers with wonton soup and a tray with some kind of stir fry. Eskel grinned at him, his face an example of sheer satisfaction.

Geralt emerged from the storage room and grabbed one soup from Jaskier. "It smells great," he smiled at his brother.

Jaskier eagerly grabbed one wonton with his chopsticks and ate the whole thing at once. It was delicious - hot, juicy, full of tasty vegetables - and his eyes rolled back into his skull as he hummed with contentment. He pointed his chopsticks at Eskel, mouth still full, and let out a few appreciative grunts. "This, my guy, is orgasm in the form of food."

Eskel laughed and scratched the back of his neck. Jaskier didn't miss the way his bicep bulged, his shirt almost bursting at the seams. "I'm glad you like it, I'm really proud of this."

"You should be!" Jaskier put away the soup and reached for the stir fry. "Gods, I would give you foot massages at every occasion if you promised to cook it for me everyday."

"You know where I work, Jaskier, you can come by whenever you like."

"I would much rather marry you and enjoy this orgasmic food in the privacy of our home," Jaskier said lightly, while looking Eskel deep in the eyes at the same time. "Could also use some different kind of orgasms you wouldn't be able to provide me with in your diner."

Geralt choked on his dumpling, looking daggers at Jaskier, while having a coughing fit. "For gods' sake! Can you try being less blunt with your flirting? It's my little brother."

"I don't see any flirting," Eskel laughed, sending Jaskier a wink. "I've only been proposed to twice, that's quite serious, my old guy, don't you think?"

Geralt huffed, rolled his eyes and left for the storage room, hugging the soup container to his chest. "I need to place some orders for tomorrow. Behave, you two."

Jaskier leaned casually on the counter, popping another dumpling in his mouth and grunting with pleasure again. "I've proposed twice, yet I haven't heard an answer from you, Esk."

"I like you, Jaskier, you're more than cute," Eskel winked at him and moved to the door. "Gotta do better than that to get a yes, though. See you around!"

*****

The third time Jaskier has proposed to Eskel was on the night of Belleteyn.

As a promotional stunt, Jaskier offered their coffee shop customers a pair of limited edition coffee drinks - one infused with rose and the other with lavender extract - along with a big heart-shaped cookie. When couples ordered the set he would also give them plastic flower crowns that he'd bought in bulk a few weeks earlier at a super cheap price.

Geralt was amazed at Jaskier's ideas and kept shooting him appreciative looks, as they both worked fast and agile to get all the incoming orders ready. He even gave in and let Jaskier put one of the flower crowns on his silver hair, "for promotional reasons only, of course."

When the last customers for the day left, carrying two coffee cups each and trying not to drop their flower crowns, Eskel walked into the place, his signature grin plastered on his face.

"Ready to get absolutely shitfaced tonight?" he asked, holding up a bottle of red wine. "I like how cute you both look," he smiled pointing at the now crooked flower crowns on their heads.

"You'll get one too," Jaskier chirped, reaching under the counter and placing the wreath on Eskel's head and pursing his lips. "Absolutely gorgeous!"

"Nice!" Eskel smiled. "Are we going to see the parade or do you guys want to get straight down to business?"

"And by 'business' you mean...?" Jaskier leaned forward on the counter, grinning at Eskel, completely disregarding Geralt's exasperated huff. Jaskier was like a horny, hyperactive little puppy that Geralt had absolutely no control over. 

"It's up to you, Jaskier," Eskel smiled, absolutely unfazed by his friend's innuendos. "Geralt and I have seen the parade more than a dozen times, so if you'd rather hit the pubs already, then I'm game."

"Let's hit the pubs then," Jaskier commanded. "But the flower crowns stay on!"

A few hours and three visited pubs later, Geralt has called it a day and went home, leaving Jaskier and Eskel sitting alone at the bar, telling them to not do anything stupid while he's gone. 

"Sigh, Eskel, you're really handsome," Jaskier whispered, propping his chin on his hands.

"Did you just say 'sigh' out loud instead of actually sighing?" Eskel chuckled.

"I might have," Jaskier tried for a seductive smile. "You're still handsome." He reached out to pat Eskel's cheek, but miscalculated the distance and launched forward, his hand landing on Eskel's thigh and his forehead on Eskel's chest.

"Okay, how shitfaced are we?" Eskel asked, helping Jaskier find his balance.

"Well, I'm pretty hammered for sure. Time to go home?"

"Can I walk you home?" Eskel asked, still holding Jaskier's arms in his grip.

"Only if you stay the night," Jaskier went for a wink but ended up closing both his eyes several times. 

"You're absolutely not subtle while flirting," Eskel laughed, leaning forward and almost bumping their foreheads. "But you're incredibly cute and I'm terribly horny, so I'll take it."

"Talk about subtle," Jaskier snickered.

Before he could find another witty comeback in his alcohol-dazed mind, Eskel's lips were on his. They were soft and plush and very wet, and the kiss caught Jaskier off guard. He wrapped his hands around Eskel's neck and leaned into the kiss.

"Hey, no tongue wrestling at the bar!" the bartender swatted them with his towel. They laughed softly, muttering out apologies and left the pub, hips bumping against each other and legs wobbly.

They stumbled into Jaskier's apartment, Jaskier hugging Eskel's waist, Eskel's arm slumped over Jaskier's shoulder, laughing at something they have long forgotten about.

Jaskier pushed Eskel against the wall as soon as he closed the door behind them. "Okay, are we doing this because we're super drunk, super horny, or do you really really reallyyyyy fancy me?" he asked, propping his arm against the wall and looking up at Eskel's face.

"I like you Jaskier," Eskel said firmly, giving him a quick kiss. "And I'm also super horny, so I hope that's enough a reason for you?"

"Your hot-ass... ass is reason enough for me," Jaskier chuckled and pulled Eskel in for a kiss. Eskel was warm on his lips and his hot tongue in Jaskier's mouth was already driving him crazy.

"Bedroom," Eskel panted. "Quick, before we pass out from all the tequila shots we had tonight."

So Jaskier laid back comfortably on the bed, having already dropped his shirt and pants and he watched Eskel undress. Eskel didn't waste any time, pulling his shirt off in one swift motion and sliding his pants off together with his boxer shorts.

"What the fuck? What the... Shit, fuck, Eskel?!" Jaskier sat up on the bed, eyes wide with wonder.

"You okay, Jask?" Eskel turned to him, brows furrowed with worry.

"You walk around carrying this marvel of a dick in your pants and you didn't tell me?!" Jaskier gasped, his voice reaching incredibly high notes.

"When do you think would be the right time to tell you?" Eskel laughed, crawling up the bed and into Jaskier's arms. "'Yo, I'm Eskel, wanna see my marvelous cock?' This doesn't usually work out well."

"I usually don't propose to people immediately after seeing them, so I guess this could've actually worked," Jaskier replied with a seductive wink, his hands already roaming across Eskel's tattooed chest. His eyes, however, were fixed at Eskel's cock. "Gods, dick so bomb I will really have to marry you! I want to feel that between my legs every day for the rest of my life!"

"Watch out what you wish for," Eskel whispered in his ear, causing goosebumps on Jaskier's skin. "Or you might actually get it."

*****

The fourth time Jaskier has proposed to Eskel was when he caught a nasty cold in the middle of summer.

Jaskier was sitting on the couch, watching reruns of "The Great Cintran Bake Off", a cup of now cold tea in his hands. He scolded himself for having worn flip flops to work the other day - a heavy rain had caught him when he was going home in the night and he was soaking wet when he had finally reached his place. The next day he woke up with a throbbing headache and runny nose and had to call in sick.

There was a knock on the door, but Jaskier waved it off. If it was the postman, he'd leave the parcel or letter at the door, and Jaskier didn't expect anyone else.

A moment later there was another, louder knock, followed by Eskel's soft baritone voice. "Jaskier, are you home? It's me."

Jaskier slipped off the couch, wrapped a blanket around his shoulders and shuffled to the door to open it.

"Aww man, you look like shit," Eskel said when Jaskier let him in.

"Good to see you too, Eskel," Jaskier replied weakly and shuffled back to his living room to plop back on the couch.

"Geralt has told me you called in sick and asked me to come over and check up on you," Eskel followed him into the living room, placing takeaway bags on the table next to the couch. He put a hand on Jaskier's forehead, worrying his lip between his teeth. "Good thing I have the whole day off. Someone needs to take care of you."

"I'll be fine," Jaskier mumbled from under the blanket.

"What did you eat today?" Eskel asked, eyeing the half empty tea cup on the table.

"Some Aspirin. Butter toast."

"Yeah, thought so," Eskel shot him a condescending look and grabbed the takeout bags. "That's why I came prepared."

He pulled out a container of hot chicken soup and another one with gyoza dumplings. He helped Jaskier sit up and wrapped the blanket around Jaskier's shoulders, so that he could eat comfortably on the couch.

"The chicken soup is what my grandma used to make whenever we were sick. She taught me how to prepare it," Eskel said with a hint of pride. "Eat it hot, you'll feel better in no time."

Jaskier ate a few spoons of the hot broth - it was deliciously salty, with lots of carrots, onions and noodles. He felt a pleasurable warmth already spreading around his stomach and he hummed softly. "Thank you, it's delicious."

"Now, eat it all up and go to bed. You need sleep," Eskel rubbed his back and Jaskier leaned in to rest his head on Eskel's shoulder. "I'll look after you today."

"You don't have to," Jaskier looked up at him, eyes fogged. "I'll take a nap and will be fine. No need to stay around and waste your day off work on me."

Eskel cleared his throat before placing a quick kiss on Jaskier's forehead. "It's... It's not a waste of time to be around you." He lowered his gaze and fixed his eyes on the floor. "You're my friend."

"... with benefits," Jaskier chuckled, then got a coughing fit. "Sorry."

"Let's get you to bed," Eskel commanded with a light smile. "You need to sleep for the soup to work its wonders."

Jaskier slept for over four hours. He was woken up by a warm hand on his forehead - Eskel checking his temperature. He sat up with a groan, but he was relieved to find that his head didn't hurt anymore.

Eskel put a tray with a bowl of steamy hot dumplings in Jaskier's lap and sat next to him on the edge of the bed. "Time for lunch," he smiled. "I also made you some ginger tea with honey - it's much better for your health than that generic supermarket shit you had earlier."

"I don't know if I should thank you or feel fucking offended," Jaskier narrowed his eyes. He then tried one of the gyozas and let out an appreciative hum. "Okay, I've decided to thank you, cause these are fucking delicious! Did you made them yourself?"

Eskel nodded with a smile.

"Gods, I'm so lucky to have you," Jaskier whispered between bites. "Fucking handsome, so caring, great cook, dick so bomb it leaves me breathless... Eskel, I'm going to-"

"Yes, I know, you will ask me to marry you," Eskel cut him off, letting out a breathy laugh.

"I wanted to offer you a blowjob once I get better," Jaskier retorted with a grin. "But marrying you would come with the same benefits, so I guess I should actually ask you to marry me one day."

"Who knows," Eskel replied, eyes unfocused and looking at the wall with a soft smile. "Maybe one day I will actually accept your crazy proposal. Now finish your food and let me get you some more Aspirin."

*****

The fifth time Jaskier has proposed to Eskel was when Eskel saved his life.

It was a chilly night at the beginning of autumn. Geralt has left earlier to run some errands and Jaskier was closing up the coffee shop by himself. Having worked there for over half a year now, he knew exactly what to do and it didn't bother him to be left alone for the last hour of work every now and then. He closed the front door, swept the floors, counted the money and put it away into the little safe in their back room. He turned off all the lights and went out, closing the back door behind him.

"Your wallet and phone, pretty boy," he heard a hoarse voice behind his back. 

He turned around to see a man, hiding his face under a big hood, both hands kept hidden in the hoodie's vast pockets. Jaskier shook himself out of the initial shock and looked closer at the person - it wasn't a man, more a teenager, sixteen years old at best. He was grinning awfully at Jaskier, eyes mad and darting, probably on drugs.

"Okay, let's take it easy," Jaskier held his hands up, shivering a little. "I don't think you want to do this."

"Shut the fuck up! Wallet." The guy moved closer to Jaskier pulling a small knife out of his pocket. 

Jaskier instinctively scooted back, his back bumping painfully against the cold door of the coffee shop. This was getting serious and he was sure even his wit wouldn't help him get out of the situation. He looked at the knife's blade shining in the weak light of the few street lamps, took a quick glance at the guy's wild eyes and gritted teeth - he was definitely under some substance's influence, so Jaskier convinced himself that arguing with the guy or trying to talk some reason into him would make no sense. He exhaled slowly, trying not to shake too much while still eyeing the sharp blade in the guy's hand. He tried looking around without acting too obvious - but there was nobody in the street.

"Okay, I'm gonna reach into my pocket and take my wallet out," Jaskier said weakly, trying to sound as calm as possible. "No need to use the knife, okay?"

"Don't tell me what to do!" the guy shouted at him, waving the knife around. 

Jaskier looked up and prayed silently to the gods. He hoped that as soon as he'd handed the guy his stuff, he'd be gone and leave him alone. All he heard was the annoying sound of his teeth clicking and his rushed heartbeat ringing in his ears.

"Leave him alone!" Jaskier heard a growl coming from the end of the alleyway. Before Jaskier could recognise Eskel in the dark figure, he rushed at the robber, knocking him down. The guy fell on his back, losing the knife and groaning painfully. He scrambled to his feet and launched at Eskel, clearly going for a fight. Jaskier watched him lose his balance and fall on his back again, after Eskel had punched him straight in the face. "Get the fuck out of here!" Eskel's voice was dark and threatening, nothing alike the soft baritone Jaskier was used to. Eskel kicked the guy once, before Jaskier grabbed his arm and pulled him away.

"It's okay, Esk," he said quietly. "I'm okay. It's okay."

"If I ever see you around here again, I swear to god..." Eskel started, teeth gritted and jaw clenched. He watched as the guy got up as quickly as he could and limped away, leaving him panting and with a very scared Jaskier clinging to his arm.

Jaskier let out a deep breath, steadying himself on Eskel's arm. Eskel turned to him and grabbed him in a tight embrace. "I'm okay, I'm okay," Jaskier kept repeating, even though his legs felt weak and his teeth were still clicking a little.

"Gods, I'm so glad nothing happened to you," Eskel breathed and kissed Jaskier's forehead. Then he kissed his cheeks and left a soft kiss on Jaskier's lips. He was shaking a little too. "If he'd hurt you, I swear to god..."

Jaskier put a finger on his lips to shut him up. "Thank you, Eskel. I'm so glad you were here."

Eskel huffed. "Good thing I came over... Wanted to ask you to go out and grab a beer with me, but now..." he gestured around, while giving Jaskier a worried look.

"Eskel," Jaskier hugged him, hiding his face in Eskel's broad chest. He felt the stress leave him, as Eskel's strong hands rubbed circles on his back. He let out another deep breath, held back the tears prickling at his eyes, smiled faintly. "You saved my life, quite literally. So, since I now owe you my life, will you marry me?"

"Ahh, there it is," Eskel let out a breathy laugh, placing another kiss on Jaskier's forehead. "I will take you out tonight first."

*****

And then Eskel has proposed to Jaskier.

"Hey, Jaskier," Geralt looked up from the delivery boxes and greeted him when he entered their coffee shop. "Before you change into your work clothes, can you go over to Eskel's diner and pick up a parcel for me? He said he grabbed it for me this morning."

"Sure thing," Jaskier replied, putting his jacket back on. "Be back in ten."

"Yeah," Geralt nodded towards him with a soft smile tugging at his lips. "No rush."

When Jaskier entered the diner, Eskel greeted him at the door and took his work apron off, throwing it to a coworker. "Good to see you, Jaskier," he said eagerly.

"Hi, Geralt said I was supposed to pick something from you for him?"

"Uh yeah... I don't have it," Eskel grinned with an apologetic look on his face, rubbing the back of his neck. "But you can come with me, I have something to show you."

"How long is it gonna take?" Jaskier hesitated at the door. "Told Geralt I'll be back in a minute."

"You don't really have to," Eskel smiled at him. "Asked Geralt for a day off for you today, he's already got someone to cover today's shift for you."

Jaskier propped his hands on his hips and eyed Eskel suspiciously. "Okay, what is going on?"

"Can't tell ya," Eskel reached out and grabbed Jaskier's hand. "Come with me."

They strolled slowly through the city's streets. Eskel was holding Jaskier's hand all the time, rubbing small circles on it with his thumb every now and then. Jaskier looked down at their intertwined fingers and smiled. Eskel's hand was strong and warm, his olive skin soft under Jaskier's touch.

"How come your skin and your hair are so much darker than Geralt's?" he wondered aloud.

"Geralt's a weirdo," Eskel blurted out without thinking, causing Jaskier to chuckle. "Also, he's old."

"Mind you, I'm the same age as him," Jaskier stuck his tongue out.

"Technically, yes. But you're different," Eskel smiled. "When I'm around you, I feel like you're more my age, while Geralt is already like our dad."

"I'm really glad he doesn't hear us now," Jaskier laughed, squeezing Eskel's hand tightly. "Okay, where are you taking me and what is going on?"

"Ah, we're here," Eskel stopped them. "You'll find everything out soon enough."

Jaskier took a look at the heavy steel gate they found themselves in front of. Botanical garden. Jaskier has always wanted to go there but never found the time to do so. He smiled fondly at Eskel and squeezed his hand. So it was a surprise date, a nice walk through the narrow paths between colorful flowerbeds. There were little to no people, since it was a weekday before noon - everyone was either at work or in school and they could enjoy their time together in privacy. A fuzzy heat spread through his chest and he gave Eskel a wide smile. "Thank you for bringing me here, I love it."

"You ain't seen nothing yet," Eskel grinned, grabbed Jaskier's hand and led him inside.

After a while of walking around, Eskel sat Jaskier on a secluded bench in front of a weeping willow tree. On both sides of the bench were flowerbeds of blooming autumn flowers - cyclamens, russian sage, and marigolds. Jaskier turned his face to the sun, letting it warm his skin, and inhaled the mix of strong flowery scents. "It's beautiful," he sighed. "But what's the occasion? It's neither my birthday nor yours... So what's the deal here?"

In reply, Eskel grabbed Jaskier's face and pulled him into a passionate kiss. His lips were warm and plush and so soft on Jaskier's and Jaskier immediately sunk into the sensation, slumping in Eskel's arms. Eskel was holding Jaskier's face firmly, kissing Jaskier so deeply, hungrily, as if he was afraid Jaskier would never want to kiss him again. But Jaskier leaned into the kiss, pressing his body flush to Eskel's, wrapping his arms around his broad shoulders, opening his mouth to welcome him.

"Jaskier, listen," Eskel grabbed his hand and exhaled deeply, when they parted their lips. "I know we're not technically together, like we never put the 'boyfriends' label on ourselves, but I feel that we have a strong connection going on between us anyway. And I know that you're much older than me, but I don't really mind, and if you don't mind, then..." He stopped for a moment, worrying his lip between his teeth, trying to find the right words.

Jaskier stared at him with interest and a hint of worry, looking between their intertwined fingers and Eskel's face.

"I've never met anyone like you, Jaskier," Eskel continued, squeezing Jaskier's hand between his strong fingers. "You're funny and smart, you're like sunshine embodied. You're so beautiful and so confident in who you are and I admire you and... I love you."

Jaskier felt tears already brimming at the corners of his eyes and he exhaled deeply, trying not to burst out crying at the very moment. But then Eskel slid down from the bench and got on one knee, causing Jaskier to gasp loudly.

"Marry me, Jaskier," Eskel said, expression serious but eyes hopeful. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small dark blue box, and pressed it into Jaskier's hands. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You might think I'm crazy but I've really thought it through and if you're ready to take that leap of faith with me, then I'll be the happiest person in the world."

"You mean it." Jaskier's voice was as quiet as a whisper, as he looked at the little box in his hands and then at Eskel's face. "You really want this?"

Eskel nodded, his throat too tight to speak. He squeezed Jaskier's hands between his a little bit tighter.

Jaskier opened the box. He found a small simple ring in white gold inside, holding a tiny aquamarine at the top. He let out a whimper, before pulling the ring out and placing it on his finger. He pulled Eskel up from his knees and into a kiss. "I knew from day one we're gonna end up like this!"

-----

@witcher-rarepair-summer-bingo

[jewish-space-laser]

ok i have an idea for a cbl blurb? could u do a blurb from harry’s pov from the night where he got drunk and how he felt when he saw yn and stuff? ik it already happened but i think seeing it from his viewpoint would be interesting!

Could be Lethal - Part Three (Harry’s POV)

“And every time I’ve held a rose, It seems I only felt the thorns, And so it goes, and so it goes, And so will you soon I suppose...”

– And So It Goes, Billie Joel

HELLO EVERYONE! It’s been months since I’ve posted anything on here, but I randomly got the motivation to pick this up last week. I apologize in advance for my rusty writing skills! This ask has literally been sitting in my inbox for 10 months, so posting it actually feels quite cleansing. Anyway, here is a (long) blurb full of angst, angst, and you guessed it, angst! I hope you love Harry’s take of that night as much as I do. I love you all muchly, thank you for your ongoing love and support <3 xoxoxoxoxoxoxooox Tile

(3.8k word)

You and Harry were friends, with a capital ‘F’. Yeah, you’ve been sleeping in his bed for the past two months, and maybe your entire nervous system goes into hyperdrive when you’re in the same room, but that’s normal, right?

or

The one where you and Harry have an arrangement… of the cuddling sort.

 See the CBL masterlist here!

WARNING: Detailed descriptions of heavy drinking

~~~

It was bullshit. It was all bullshit. 

Harry was miserable. He knew it, his friends knew it, his family knew it… it seemed the only person who wasn’t picking up on his desperation was you. 

You were a complete enigma to him. Sometimes, you were the warmest, most open person he’d ever met, indulging him with interesting conversations, stupid jokes, and even the occassional existential discussion. It was always difficult for Harry to truly open up to a person, having been jaded time and time again by people who weren’t able to look past his famous exterior. 

That’s what makes it so much harder, he thinks. Knowing you properly, you knowing him properly. It made the moments where you were closed off harsher, colder, more difficult to read. 

Since you left his house two days prior, he had done just about anything he could to take his mind off of you. He loved thinking about you, but he also hated thinking about you. It was tortuous and circular and he just wanted a brief moment of emotional respite. 

No, he didn’t want respite, he needed it. 

So he watched all three Lord of the Rings movies in a row, tested out a new stir fry recipe, spent way too much money online shopping, and even scrolled through the Humane Society website in a moment of weakness. But none of it mattered, because even if he could distract himself for a moment, you were still there, lingering in the peripherals of his mind like a song stuck in his head. 

It was dizzying and mind-boggling, and Harry was at a loss for what to do. So when Sunday morning rolled around and it still felt like his lungs were being crushed into a ball, he started drinking. 

It was only 8:00AM, but he bypassed the coffee cabinet and went straight to the fridge, pulling out a chilled bottle of champagne. The pop of the cork was as loud as a gunshot, but Harry didn’t even flinch, hardly registering the sound of it hitting the floor across the room as he rushed the bottle to his lips. 

Bubbles fizzed past his tongue and dripped down his chin, sliding down his bare chest before puddling on the floor. He had to squeeze his eyes shut tightly at the burn of the carbonation, but each gulp sent pleasant tingles over his skin. 

For the first time in ages, his mind felt numb. He didn’t necessarily feel good, but he didn’t feel miserable anymore, and that’s what mattered. He could close his eyes without seeing your smile flash in his head, he could listen to music without immediately relating the lyrics to you, and after his second bottle of wine, he was even able to brew a cup of coffee without thinking of you. 

Okay, maybe he thought of you a little. 

At some point, he passed out on the couch, cartons of Vietnamese takeout sitting cold on his coffee table. When his eyes finally blinked open, the sun had already started to set.

“Fuck,” he muttered to himself. There was a familiar ache pulsing behind his eyes, and he groaned loudly into his empty house. It never used to feel empty, but now you’d come and gone, and it was too late. You’d left your mark on his house and his coffee and his heart… so he drank more. 

There was no more wine, so he started in on his collection of hard liquor, expensive bottles lined on top of his cupboards. Normally they were reserved for when he had guests over, but this fell into the realm of desperation. His sunken eyes scanned the glass bottles before settling on the cheapest of them, an unopened Maker’s Mark. It would do. 

He was pouring a healthy sized glass of the whisky, and then suddenly he wasn’t. His heavy eyes blinked in confusion as he stared across the bar at the bartender, who was raising his eyebrows expectantly. 

“That’ll be thirty-five pounds, mate,” the bartender said, “got roped into buying the first round, eh?”

“Yeah,” Harry grunted, glancing over his shoulder to see Thomas and Jessie watching him from a booth. 

He doesn’t remember leaving his house, let alone coming to the pub with his friends. In fact, if he tried to think about it, his memory of the entire day felt fragmented, like pieces of a puzzle that didn’t quite fit together. 

In his mind, this was a success. A full day gone without thinking about you or talking to you or seeing you. The clock behind the bar read 00:43 in red neon numbers. He took one of the shots quickly, signing the bill and taking the remaining five back to his friends. 

“Harry mate, we told you we’re not getting pissed tonight,” Thomas groaned, “what’d you get six shots for?”

“What kind are they?” Jessie asked, wrinkling their nose. 

“I dunno,” Harry shrugged, setting the tray down directly in front of himself. His vision swayed to and fro, but he still managed to down another shot, disregarding the concerned look his friends shared. “It’s rum. If you don’t want any, that’s fine.”

“It’s a Sunday, mate,” Thomas reminded him gently.

“We’re at a pub, aren’t we?” Harry slurred. “Supposed to get drunk here.”

“You asked us to come here,” Jessie said slowly, “said you needed to talk to us about something.”

Harry blinked at them slowly, swaying slightly in his seat. He didn’t remember any of this. 

“Actually, he said he needed a drink,” Thomas corrected, “I didn’t realize he meant twenty drinks.”

Another shot burned down his throat, and then everything was cold. 

“Harry.”

His head was pounding. Every limb felt heavy. He couldn’t bear to open his eyes, already overwhelmed by the echo of Thomas’s voice reverberating off of the tile floors. 

“Harry.”

He knew that somebody was trying to get his attention, but he just couldn’t. The alcohol had done its job for most of the day, keeping his brain muddled down and diluted just to spare him the pain of remembering. But now, it backfired, trapping him inside his own head with no way out, with nothing to do but remember. He could hear people talking in the background, but couldn’t make out what they were saying. It was as if he was underwater, slipping further and further down with each painful clench of his heart.

He felt a hand press against his arm, and jerked away, causing his stomach to twist. He didn’t want to be here anymore, and he certainly didn’t want to be bothered. 

“G’way, Thomas,” he managed to grunt. 

“It’s me.”

Your voice was clear as crystal to him, but he knew it couldn’t be real. You had left him, after all.

The image of you driving away from his house was burned into his memory, playing over and over again in slow motion. If he thought hard enough, he could even remember the way your body had felt beneath his, whining and squirming and gasping, just like he’d always dreamed about. He could remember the sunken expression on your face the next morning, the heavy silence of the car ride to the coffee shop. He could remember how he’d hoped, so badly, that you’d finally talk about it, this unspoken connection that could no longer be denied. Most of all, he remembers the way his heart dropped when you told him that you didn’t remember any of it.

Another gentle brush, this time along his hairline, and he managed to open his eyes just a sliver. 

You looked amazing. Well, there were circles under your eyes, you were wearing your pajamas and slippers, and you were frowning in concern, but to Harry, you were the most beautiful thing. 

 “You’re here… y’really here….” he sighed. 

You were crouched in front of him, holding a plastic cup of water, and all he wanted to do was pull you into his chest. You looked sleepy and cosy, just like you always did when you stayed over. Before he could reach out to pull you close, you were putting the rim of the cup against his bottom lip.

He took it, grateful for the relief it provided his dry mouth. For the first time since he came to, he took in his surroundings. He was in a single stall bathroom, curled on the floor next to the toilet. The walls were an ugly pale yellow, while the floors were white, making the streaks of dirt and grime more noticeable than ever. Thomas was leaning against the sink across the room, watching you as you tried to get him to finish the cup. 

“Y’look so pretty, always look so good,” Harry slurred, “just wanna snuggle, like we always do.”

He loved the way your mouth dropped open. Everything about you was endearing, really. He watched as you twisted your head to say something to Thomas, water sloshing around in the cup when you nodded your head quickly. Thomas left immediately after, but Harry hardly even noticed. 

When you turned back around to face him, he felt blinded. Despite the dark circles under your eyes, they’re bright and they pierce through him just like always. He loves the color of your skin and the shape of your nose and the little crease that forms between your eyebrows when you’re anxious. He thinks he could probably paint you with his eyes closed. 

Warmth licked across his skin when you brushed your fingertips against his forehead, tucking a stray lock of hair back into place. Harry leaned into your touch, unwilling to let the moment pass too quickly. 

“Can you try taking a sip of water, H?” You tilted your head. “For me?”

He could have laughed, had he not been so nauseated. He would do anything for you normally, but he really did feel awful. “G’na make me sick,” he insisted, wrinkling his nose at the cup in your hand. Even though he could hardly focus, his eyes zeroed in on the faded X scrawled in sharpie on the back of your hand, a souvenir from your night out at TAVERN. He had a matching mark on his hand, and he dreaded the moment the ink would wash off fully. Just another thing forgotten.

He just wanted you.  

He hadn’t meant to say it out loud, but the look on your face told him that it had slipped out. There was no way he regretted it though, not with you right in front of him. Not in this state of mind. 

“It’s gonna make you feel better, and then we can go home,” you urged softly, scooting a tiny bit closer to him.

Home. When he thought of home, he thought about mornings in his house, sunlight filtering in through the blinds and leaving shadowed stripes across your skin. Home was the way you squinted your eyes tighter together right before waking up. Home was you at his kitchen table, going off at him about not doing his dishes. 

“Y’coming home w’me?” He managed to say. Your eyes softened.

“Only if you drink this whole cup,” you lifted it up to him once again, gingerly tilting his head up with a finger on his chin. Even though he felt like his stomach would combust if tried to swallow anything, he allowed you to help him drink some water. Some sloshed messily onto his shirt, but it felt sobering. You met his eyes for a moment, “is that good?”

“I’d do anything for you.”

If you asked him to drink water, he would drink water. He would drink an entire ocean of water. It was achingly clear to literally everybody but you. He could tattoo your name over his heart and you still wouldn’t see.

You gulped loudly, but didn’t say a word, simply prompting him to take another sip of water. He wished more than anything that you’d say something. Make some kind of facial expression. He just wanted a signal, a sign, that you felt anything towards him; disgust, affection, pity. 

He was sure you must pity him. 

Harry drank the rest of the water, cheeks burning as he asked you for a refill. He was still drunk, but the fog had cleared enough for him to sit up straight without feeling like he was going to hurl. He watched you refill the cup in the sink that looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in decades, but that was honestly the least of his concerns. 

“Y’must think I’m pathetic,” he grumbled, squeezing his eyes shut and tilting his head back against the wall. “Can’t lose you.”

“You haven’t lost me,” he heard you say quietly.

But it felt like he had. Because even though you were friends, it wouldn’t be the same if he couldn’t fall asleep to the sound of your soft exhales. It wouldn’t be the same if he couldn’t feel that rush of excitement when you sneakily texted him under the table on nights out. Having you at a distance could never be enough. 

“Harry…” you sighed, rubbing your eyes, “why did you drink so much tonight?”

If your obliviousness hadn’t been so devastating, he would have laughed. How could you sit here with him, look into his eyes, and not see that his heart was entirely in your hands? How could he explain anything to you if you hadn’t already seen it?

So he wouldn’t try. Not right now. 

He mustered up the strength to push up onto his knees, managing to stand up fully with your steady grip on his arms. He took one shaky step as his head spun, and felt your arms snake around his waist to keep him balanced. Without even thinking about it, he wrapped his arm over your shoulder, reveling in the feeling of having you so close as you helped him out of the toilet. 

You brought him to a stop in the main room by the bar, and he couldn’t help but bury his nose into the top of your head. You smelled just like you always did. It had only been a few nights, but your scent was already fading on his bedsheets. 

“Y’smell like lavender,” he hummed, squeezing your arm lightly, “s’like you’re tryin; t’torture me…. So pretty.”

It really was torture, having you hold onto him as you both walked out of the pub. You were distracting, with your warm skin and soft hands. Each step was difficult; his feet were heavy as anvils and he just wanted to curl up right here on the sidewalk. 

Just as he was considering plopping down on the pavement, he heard the familiar beep of your car opening. He closed his eyes once he was sat in the passenger seat, feeling you fuss over his seatbelt. He flinched slightly when you slid a cold water bottle between his knees.

Harry blinked, and then suddenly you were buckled in behind the steering wheel, poking his arm and peering at him with tired eyes. “Can you stay awake for me, H? Just till we get to your house, okay?”

“Y’coming to my house?”

You were so good to him, all the time. By the looks of your attire, you were ready to be in bed hours ago, yet here you were, patient as ever.

“Yes, I’m taking you home,” you said through a yawn. 

“Miss having you at my house,” Harry exhaled. He didn’t even know what he was saying really, just the same thoughts and memories circling through his mind like planets around the sun, all them centered on you. “My sheets don’t smell like you anymore.”

Suddenly, he felt hot all over. His trousers were too scratchy against his skin, his palms felt clammy, and the longer you stayed silent on the other side of the car, his stomach started turning. In an effort to cool off and calm down, he let his head fall against the window, the cool glass soothing his skin. 

Drunk or not, he was trying to tell you how he feels, he was constantly trying to tell you how he feels… and you didn’t say a word. You never did. It was so frustrating that he found himself biting back tears. 

Finally, after what felt like hours, you cleared your throat. “You can’t…” your voice cracked, “you can’t say things like that, Harry. It hurts me when you say things like that.”

“I don’t wanna hurt you,” Harry managed to say. “But it’s the truth.”

He was so confused. How on earth could you be hurting when he was sitting here with his arms wide open? Was he so repulsive that the mere thought of being with him caused you pain, somehow?

He was too drunk for this. 

Luckily, you seemed to be on the wavelength. “Let’s just… not talk,” you said, shoulders slumped. 

Harry was feeling awfully dejected himself. He’d spent the last few days trying to cope with his complicated feelings, and now he was back at square one. Every time he thought he knew where the two of you stood, you would say something vague and he would start all over. Your relationship was like a house of cards; delicate, fragile, and knocked to the ground with the slightest shift, the tiniest gust of wind. 

The headache started out small, but by the time you pulled your car into Harry’s driveway, he was feeling like he might keel over. Somehow, he was simultaneously drunk and hungover. If he was going to make it up the stairs to his room, he was going to need something in his stomach, and water that wasn’t from a pub bathroom.

It was humiliating enough that he’d needed you to help him from the car, but upon entering his house, he nearly kicked his shoe through the living room window, grumbling about toast. He knew he’d been less than impressive tonight, but perhaps this was what you needed -- seeing him at rock bottom -- to finally open up and have a real conversation about what you could be. 

When he woke up in the morning, he would be sober, and he would be ready. He would make you coffee like he always does, and maybe he’d even run out and pick up fresh pastries.

“Want some toast,” he said, though he was fairly certain he’d said it once already. 

You were standing in front of him, toes just inches apart, and it felt instinctive to place his hands on your waist and pull you in. The silk pajama top you were wearing was cool against his hands, but he could feel the heat of your skin underneath, the frantic thumping of your heart against your ribcage tickling his fingertips.

Your hands were on his shoulders to keep him steady, but he was suddenly feeling more sober than he had all night. All day, really. 

Harry slid his hands further behind you, locking together behind your back. Having you close felt incredible. It hadn’t even been three days since he last saw you, yet every atom in his body was craving your touch.

“You, um,” he felt your shaky whale against his collar bone, “you have to let go of me if you want me to make you toast.”

Letting go of you felt physically impossible, so instead, Harry dipped his head down and rested his forehead against yours. The anticipation was excruciating as he waited for you to do what you always did: sink into his arms, wrap yourself around him, soothe him to sleep with the weight of your head on his chest.

Fissures cracked through his heart when you pushed him back, taking a single step back that may as well have been a mile. Suddenly, the air all around him felt cold, the room felt darker, the silence felt louder. He took a deep breath in, but still felt like he was suffocating.

“Do you really not remember?”

He needed to know. He had done everything in his power to think about anything else, but had somehow ended up here, standing face to face with you. He wonders if this is how it was supposed to be, if throwing you together over and over again was the universe’s ultimate plan, if all of this misery would be worth it in the end. 

He’d experienced heartbreak before, but this was something else. And when you choked out, “Harry, please don’t make me say it,” in the smallest voice he’d ever heard you use, he knew that he could write millions of records about the pain of this moment, and still never do it justice.

“You remember, don’t you?”

All you did was nod your head once, but he suddenly felt drained. Maybe it was the full day of heavy, reckless drinking… or maybe it was the realization that things really might not work out. He still wanted to try, though. Even though you’d left the other day, there were countless other times you had stayed. For months you’d been coming over in secret, coming out of your shell and showing him how amazing you really were. That had to count for something; there had to be a reason. 

Coffee. He would make coffee in the morning and the two of you would fix everything. 

“Should we head to bed? ‘S getting kind of late, y’must be exhausted.”

You really did look tired, your eyes rimmed with red from yawning over and over, back hunched and shoulders slumped. He was feeling knackered himself, and was more than ready for this night to be over.

“Actually… I think I’m gonna head back home,” you gulped. Harry felt like he’d been slapped, but he couldn’t move. He couldn’t speak. It’s as if you’d turned to sand; there one moment and slipping through his fingers the next.

“You don’t want to stay?” Harry tried to keep his voice even, but even he could hear how it wavered. He clenched his jaw to keep from crying.

“I just… have to go home,” you said, looking everywhere but at him. 

He waited for you to say something else, but instead watched as you hoisted your purse further up onto your shoulder and walked out the door. Shell shocked, he stood there frozen, even as your headlights disappeared down the street. 

A long breath blew past his lips as he finally moved to lock his front door, any hope of you walking back through it dashed by the way you’d walked out for a second time. 

Harry likely would have benefited from a glass of water and pain medication, but with a buzzing brain and a shattered heart, all he could manage was to pass out on the couch fully clothed, dreaming about what might have been if you had just stayed.  

~~~

As always, let me know what you think! I love talking to you <3 xoxoxoxox Tile

[brajeshupadhyay]

Homebrew isn’t as horrid as it used to be and it can cost you less than 50p a pint but would you make your own beer?  A starter 40-pint kit that includes liquid malt extract with yeast costs from £12 The basic ingredients required for making your own beer from scratch – rather than relying on a kit – are hops, grain, water and yeast An all-grain brewing equipment will cost around £200 By Toby Walne for The Mail on Sunday Published: 17:31 EDT, 23 May 2020 | Updated: 18:40 EDT, 24 May 2020 The closure of pubs, combined with stressed household finances, has caused demand for homebrew kits to soar. And I am among those who have taken to brewing their own beer while in lockdown. The result is a home bar well stocked with a mix of India pale ale, stout and cider – plus a few adventurous tipples that include mead and nettle beer. All for less than 50p a pint. Of course, home brewing is not always plain sailing. While the quality can be superior to anything available from a pub or supermarket – a result of fresh aromas and fruity hop kicks – brewing disasters can happen. The result is drinks occasionally infused with hints of soil and mould. But ‘brewing your own’ is always fun. Homebrew: The basic ingredients required for making your own beer from scratch – rather than relying on a kit – are hops, grain, water and yeast You can start with a basic 40-pint kit that includes liquid malt extract with yeast from £12 that can be picked up in stores such as Wilko. You heat the malt extract in a pan and then mix in sugar and water. The brew is then poured into a £10 plastic fermentation bucket with an airlock. Once cooled to about 20ºC, you add the yeast and leave everything to ferment for about a fortnight. While left alone, the yeast busily gobbles up any sugar it can find – and turns it into alcohol and carbon dioxide. It is then time to bottle. You might have spare screw top bottles lying around or old beer bottles. It might be worth investing £10 in a beer bottle capper plus £5 on a pack of 100 crown caps. Add extra sugar just before bottling to ensure that when you drink the contents there is a reassuring fizz that will provide a foaming head to the beer. Leave for two more weeks for final fermentation. Rob Neale is owner of online brewery store Malt Miller. He says: ‘Those with memories of old-fashioned budget kits that would give off a faintly recognisable homebrew tang will be pleasantly surprised by how much better today’s kits are. Companies such as Mango Jacks sell £20 kits that provide a great introduction to this fantastic hobby.’ The basic ingredients required for making your own beer from scratch – rather than relying on a kit – are hops, grain, water and yeast. But it is the process of putting them all together, known as all-grain brewing, that is the hard part. Books such as Craft Beer For The People by Richard Taylor and Home Brew Beer by Greg Hughes offer guidance as well as recipes – as do websites including Brewer’s Friend and BeerSmith.  A good starting point is to brew a favourite beer – a ‘clone’ – so as to replicate the taste of a top ale, such as Timothy Taylor’s Landlord or Brewdog Punk IPA. You start with a ‘mash’ – the term used for stirring germinating barley seed (known as malt) into hot water. For this you need a large preserving pan. Once this has been done, you move on to the ‘sparge’ – rinsing out the mash by adding hot water and separating off the grain. The process requires a bucket with a special rotating arm added to enable water to freely flow through this ‘wort’ liquid. You will then need to boil the wort for at least an hour, during which time hops can be added. Once cooled, the wort is put into a fermenting bin and the yeast added – just like with a basic kit. You should leave it alone to ferment into beer for a couple of weeks before bottling the ale for storage. You can spend from £20 for all the ingredients but the biggest investment will be the all-grain brewing equipment, which will cost around £200. If you invest in something fancy, such as a £700 all-in-one Grainfather, you not only get all the required equipment but also can be connected to a phone app that guides you through the process. Homebrew online traders such as Malt Miller, Brew UK and The Homebrew Shop, sell all the ingredients needed – as well as extras such as sterilisation additives so no germs get into a brew, and a hydrometer to find out the alcohol-strength.  Nettle beer’s not for fainthearts Rather than going down the traditional homebrew route, you can also turn to Mother Nature and forage for ingredients. Fruit, vegetables and even garden weeds can make a brew. To whet your appetite, consider looking at foraging recipe books, such as Booze by John Wright and Food For Free by Richard Mabey. At this time of year, stinging nettles are everywhere. You can pick a kilogram of nettle tops and throw them into a preserving pan with water and cream of tartar. Upon boiling, straining and adding sugar and lemon, the liquid is cooled and yeast is added.  For free: At this time of year, stinging nettles are everywhere The concoction is put into a five-litre glass demijohn with an airlock that can be purchased for about £10. You then sit back for a few weeks and wait in the hope the yeast will turn it into a glorious beer. Peapod burgundy was the tipple of choice for Tom and Barbara Good in 1970s TV sitcom The Good Life, but you might try something a little less potent to begin with – perhaps rhubarb wine. There is a huge range of recipes to explore online – all part of the adventure. They involve chopping up rhubarb, adding ginger and lemon – then pouring on boiling water and leaving covered in a bucket. You then decant the liquid into a demijohn. Fermentation comes from the natural yeast in the air. Patience is required. Wait a year for Mother Nature to run her course before it can be drunk. Advertisement Share or comment on this article: Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence. The post How to make your own beer for less than 50p a pint appeared first on Sansaar Times.

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[recalibr8]

The mEtOHd in my madness

I’d been out with my teen lads on a Friday. We got off the train and there was a young, crumpled woman sat on the platform, fat tears splashing into a puddle of sick on her trench coated lap. I offered her some tissues; I’m a mum, it come with the membership card. After a few sorries she asked “where did you stop?”. It took us a while to realise she meant, ‘where are we?’ She was out by 2 stations which on the face of it wasn’t bad. We pointed her onto the next train, gave her a mint (gold membership benefits) and my youngest shouted “take care of yourself” as we trudged up the platform. We agreed it was probably work drinks getting out of bounds and she’d be ok now she had tissues. But I kept thinking, “where did you stop?”. Where did I stop? Because I’m now AF af.

AF af. That’s alcohol free and doing pretty darn ruddy brilliant. Three months ago I upgraded my BrewDog to NannyState, went Becks Blue and am thinking in an offhand way about brewing Kombucha. I’ve teamed this up with going plasticlite, veganish and kimchi curious. So far, so middle class virtual signalling. But where did I stop?

I’ve been drinking since I was 5. I’d adorably finish up the beer in my parents’ guests glasses and well, kept going. Not in a Drew, Carrie or Liza rehab by 13 sense but I think I’ve probably had my fair share. I’m well aware that I knew, know and don’t know but suspect people who I love who have significant alcohol use problems and this is blog is in no way trying to say my needs are greater than theirs. I know a lot of highly creative endeavours and friendships were found in a gin bottle but also unforgivable abuses. And I know friends whose acts are based around the camaraderie of drinking. And I’d never tell anyone what they *should* do. But like all ex anybodies, I’m annoying about my sobriety journey right now. Bear with me.

But it’s not just me though. I see booze everywhere. For a dose related lethal toxin that’s very effective marketing. There’s a giant ad on Toots Broadway station entreating me to Go Bottomless and every other Facebook ad is for a spirit that promises to make evenings round the back of Catford Lidl magical. And many of these are aimed at women. A recent industry survey found ‘only’ 17% of women drank beer and this needed sorting out. Look out for more lady drinking adverts, they’re coming.

But I wasn’t alcoholic. Was I? Are you? You’re only an alcoholic if you have one more drink than you doctor. I’m

a doctor ... so let’s take a look.

*I’m really low on the alcoholic check list*

I’ve never drank alcohol in the morning, blacked out, been told by others I have a problem, had to apologise...

Ah, I have had to apologise once or twice. Nothing major, just ‘sorry, I was a bit wobbly/silly/rude/loud/insulting/gave you my shoes as a gift’. I once lost my credit and oyster card at the bar of a immersive theatre event though. I don’t know how I got home. I had to find the site manager the next day and he definitely had other things to do. Not long after my bag was stolen in SoHo because I was distracted. Not sure how I got home then either. Friends put me in an Uber after my MA showcase because I wasn’t walking very straight. Or being very nice. So I definitely remember getting home then.

These were all Thursdays or weekends. I’ve always been careful not to have any chance of affecting my work. But yeah, how clear headed was I for my family, myself? And much of this was stress drinking after a week of being a clever doctor. Just loosened up the joints a bit. Particularly if your slightly socially awkward. But I wasn’t a drunk, no. Maybe just a binge drinker. And that’s ok, isn’t it?

*Hangovers are just a thing*.

With only drinking at the end of the week, I was careful not to be hungover at work. But I had a Friday at home hangover where I didn’t get out of bed for the day. I claimed I’d been poisoned. I’d just had one too many Jaegerbombs. I vomited in the taxi. I’ve vomited in several taxis. That’s not a good look at any age. Hangovers are a funny meme, a cartoon of a dog in sunglasses, office banter. It’s your liver crying and your brain folding it’s arms in judgment. It’s not bad wine, it’s bad choices.

*Get kids used to drinking. Like the French. Then they won’t binge*.

My 13 year old buys old vodka bottles from charity shops. Wearing a furry hat, his comedy drunk Russian is not bad I used to have the deepest voice of my friends at 14 so it was my job to buy the booze for house parties. My mother always told me drink a pint of milk before you go out to soak up the booze. At 14. I had a few sexual assaults along the way but if I blame myself that’s victim blaming and I don’t want to be a bad feminist on top of everything. Med school in the 80’s/90’s was all over the drink. Freshers’ week was a booze insurance test. The circle line pub crawl, the Clint Eastwood Appreciation Society, the Med School pub crawl...end at Barts because Smithfield’s liscence meant you’d keep going all night.

*Booze always cheers you up*.

I’ve got to confess, my life has got a lot quieter. I’m going out much less, I leave early, I’m not champagne Charlie any more. I’m always, well, me. My dad was a depressed alcoholic, so was his dad (he ran a tobacconist and offie so that didn’t help) and his dad before him. And I have depression and PTSD. My moods are now not so high, but they are also not so low. This is very strange. I’m hoping this is a good thing. I’ve heard it is. This, this is the mEtOHd in my madness. The mood stabilisation. That’s the plan.

*Being a doctor is just one of those boozey jobs*

Fun quiz! Who do you think drinks the most? Enough to have a problem. Oooh, were good at guessing this in ED. Writers must be bad, farmers, journalists! yes, they’re always drunk, private invsestigators (?), airline pilots (like my dad, I saw what those guys put away). Ok...it’s.

Lawyers - reporting 33% with problematic drinking

Construction workers- 16.5%

Miners -17.5%

Then it’s Healthcare workers, especially doctors (oh no). A. 2012 study of American surgeons published in JAMA Surgery found 15.4 percent had an alcohol use disorder. Female surgeons (25.6 percent) were more likely than male surgeons (13.9 percent) to exhibit symptoms of alcohol addiction. Healthcare professionals in general it’s 10%

https://www.drugrehab.com/addiction/common-professions/

Performing artists and writers - 11.5%

Catering/hospitality -11%

So no pilots then? I think there’s something they’re not telling us or things are much better since the 80’s. 


 A 1998 study of junior doctors in Newcastle-upon-Tyne reported that:

* 60% exceeded the recommended safe limits for alcohol consumption

* 36% of males and 20% of females used cannabis 

The Sick Doctors Trust says “Since our working lives are spent helping others, it is easy to push aside our own problems, in addition to which, denial is quite common in medical staff. This is not deliberate, but a part of the whole illness of addiction. That addiction is a chronic illness which therefore requires treatment as for any other condition, is now well-established but there is still a tendency to feel that it is a sign of weakness, and that maybe things aren't 'that bad'.’

That some individuals are more prone to developing addiction is generally agreed. There is no single determining factor, but usually a combination of biological, psychosocial and environmental factors - a mixture of nature and nurture. There is now much evidence implicating dysfunction in the Dopamine transmitter system & it’s involvement in craving. There is also evidence to suggest that the effect alcohol has on an individual’s brain is genetically determined. A family history is present in many alcoholics- those having direct family affected being more at risk...

*Its a family affair*

I went to Adult Children of Alcoholics once. It wasn’t for me but what they said made total sense. I take responsibility for everyone, I’m primed for betrayal and disaster and I totally thrive in emotional drama. My dad wasn’t a nice drunk. He made my mum drink when pregnant ‘to keep him company’. She in turn gave babies a tot of brandy to keep them quiet as a stewardess and I can’t imagine my permanently shouting parents wouldn’t have liked us to be quiet babies too. So I’ve got pre and postnatal form. But I don’t have to fix them now. Particularly dad. It’s quite hard to fix dead people.

https://adultchildren.org/

*Booze: the solution AND cause of all of life’s difficulties*

Sick Doctors again “ Alcohol is the commonest substance of abuse in all doctors. Drinking will surprisingly continue despite negative consequences such as job difficulties, relationship breakdowns, financial problems, loss of driving licence; the alcoholic is driven by an irrational compulsion to continue, and frequently results in despair to the point of suicide. Fortunately, the depression associated with active alcoholism often abates when sober.”

http://sick-doctors-trust.co.uk/page/addiction

*I’m not an alcoholic*

and you probably aren’t either. But you might have problematic drinking. I did a survey as part of an UCLH research project. You can too. I lied a bit on it and still came out drinking more than 97% of women my age. Now an icon opens up on my phone every day to that says ‘DRINK LESS’. I stopped leaving my phone on meetings tables.

Drink Less. by Robert West

https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/drink-less/id1020579244

If you are thinking about getting help for problematic drinking or any other addictions including workaholism or have any burnout symptoms for more than 3 weeks, you can of course get staff support and occupational health. But/And there is the amazing NHS Practitioner Health Programme where doctors with any addictions are supported https://php.nhs.uk/ DocHealth is another equally good programme https://www.dochealth.org.uk/. I used the latter when it was MedNet.

So, do I feel amazing? Had I got amazing skin, lost weight, feel energised and hopeful. Urg, not really. I feel a bit scared actually. I’ve lost my social crutch and I’ve stopped going out. I’m worried I’m boring and people will think I’m weird. But....I can get up earlier to walk the dog, I’m moderately less tired and although I’m not skipping down the road happy, the depressive moment I had in spring could have been a lot worse. I think that’s actually amazing. And that’s why I’m doing this. I want to face the world honestly and openly. I want to enjoy my kids before they leave home which is frighteningly soon and weirdly, I want to know my liver replaced itself in a year so I’m literally a new person (don’t google Theseus’ Boat Paradox, life is complicated enough). Oddly compelling, that. So where did I stop? I stopped here. In a weird waiting room in my head. But with the promise of a new adventure through the next door.

But don’t stop doing you, babes. Keep telling me your booze bantz. They are hilarious. Any story that starts or ends with Baileys is only going one way. This clearly isn’t a lecture. Most people can do moderation. And do could I, mostly. And it’s the mostly that’s not good enough. Not for me. Not any more.

Online support - https://www.facebook.com/groups/joinclubsoda/?ref=share

Samaritans- https://www.samaritans.org/

BMA wellbeing including 24 hour support - https://www.bma.org.uk/advice/work-life-support/your-wellbeing

Tea and Empathy for doctors’ online support - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1215686978446877/?ref=share

Al Anon for children of alcoholics https://adultchildren.org/

https://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/

Dedicated to my husband who gave up the wine w*nker 6 years ago without any of this mid life crisis fuss. But I gave up meat and caffeine first so I still win.

[travelita]

Your Guide to Making Friends on the Road

Guest article by Jen Nilsson

As you plan for your solo trip, you may feel a nagging worry. One that you try to suppress while you focus on the excitement of what’s to come, but a worry that needles at you none the less. That worry is loneliness.

It’s an understandable concern. When I packed my bags for my first solo adventure, I also packed a whole lot of worries with me. I was newly alone after my partner died of a swift and brutal cancer and, though I was looking forward to escaping my life for a while, I was also fretting about being lonely.

One of the most surprising lessons that I learned on the road was that solo travel does not necessarily mean traveling alone. You will meet many other like-minded travelers and welcoming locals.

Here are some of the ways that I learned to leave my concerns about loneliness behind while making friends on the road:

Embrace Communal Space

I don’t mean staying in a hostel, necessarily. Hostels were certainly a great option for me for a while, but as an introverted extrovert who enjoys alone time and does not enjoy bunk beds, I usually don’t do the hostel thing.

However, there are so many other ways to enjoy communal space!

Consider renting a room with a local host using Airbnb. This provides you with your own space but allows for an opportunity to make a new friend of your local host.

Another option that I love is TrustedHousesitters. Using this arrangement, no money is exchanged between house sitter and homeowner, and you will have your own space. However, you will be responsible for caring for the home and, often, the homeowner’s animals. I love this option because it is very budget friendly in that there is no cost for the accommodation, but you will also meet and spend time with the homeowner. I have made many new friends (both human and puppy!) this way.

Using TrustedHousesitters also necessitates trips to another communal space: dog parks!

If you do not want to walk a dog, look for restaurants with communal tables. While it can be a little intimidating to sit down alone at a communal table, you will get over this quickly as the people next to you will often include you in their conversation immediately.

Choose a Neighborhood to Love

When searching for accommodations, research neighborhood with a vibe that you love. I’m a writer, so I often search for neighborhoods with a writing or artist community. Then I really get to know the neighborhood using some of these methods:

Spend your first night at the local pub and sit at the bar. Ask the bartender about places to visit in the neighborhood. Since this is a local pub, everyone seated at the bar will have an opinion and will likely chime in. I made many new friends this way while traveling solo.

Pro tip: Don’t want to drink? Order a non-alcoholic ginger beer in a pint glass.

Do your grocery shopping at the local farmers market.

Look for a neighborhood website or a neighborhood blog that features upcoming events in the area.

Find a local coffee shop and read the local paper there every morning of your trip. You will get to know the locals and the local news this way.

Entertain Spontaneity

You’ve heard of the old throw the dart at the map trick, right? Personally, I’m too Type-A to randomly pick my next travel destination from a tossed dart, but why not pick an event for one night randomly?

That same local coffee shop that you’ve been visiting will likely have a community board with upcoming events. Randomly select one that catches your eye and go to that local book reading, poetry slam or volunteer opportunity.

Checkout Groups and Local Meetups

You’ve probably already scanned your social media contacts for anybody who might live in the area, but what about posting a message to your favorite groups to see if anybody lives nearby?

Girls Love Travel is a huge network for female travelers.

Meetup.com features local events within specific categories like “outdoors & adventure” or “arts” or “sports”.

Travelita’s Travel Community is also a great way for solo female travelers to connect.

Go on a Group Food Tour with a Local

Booking a group food tour is one of the things that I love to do immediately upon arriving in a new destination. Getting to know the way that people eat in any given destination is getting to know the culture of the place. Doing a group tour also allows you to meet new people, including the local guide.

Go on a Multi-Day Group Trip

I like to stay in a place for an extended period of time, really getting to know the neighborhood. But, when I’m not housesitting, I also book overnight group trips during my extended stay, so that I can explore the surrounding area with a group of people and a local guide. This makes for a good balance between group time and alone time, and provides an opportunity to meet other like-minded travelers.

Take a Class

Cooking, wine tasting, painting, coffee brewing, the list goes on and on. Look at Airbnb Experiences for group classes that will have you learning and laughing in no time.

Travel for a Specific Reason & Stay a Bit Longer

Into books or music or yoga? Travel for a festival or event but stay on longer after the event is over. You will meet new friends at the event who live in the area or who are traveling in the area.

I discovered this guaranteed way to make like-minded friends after attending the Bali Spirit Festival in Ubud. I only attended the festival for one day, but I stayed in Ubud for a month, meeting many fellow yogis like me.

Use an App

I don’t mean dating apps, necessarily, though both Bumble and Tinder have the ability to filter for a friend search.

Travello is an app for meeting other travelers, Tourlina is an app for female travelers seeking to meet other female travelers, and Travel Buddies is an app for meeting travelers with similar itineraries or even local guides.

Also, check out Reddit and your destination’s subreddit to discover events or attractions in the area that locals are talking about. 

Travel with a Small Offering

I learned this tip while walking the Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage across Spain. One of the women that I walked with brought stickers that read “no vino, no Camino”. She gave these stickers out to fellow pilgrims and, more often than not, those pilgrims asked us where we would be having a drink that evening. We met so many people just by giving away something small that represented who we were and what we liked to do.

I saw another traveler who brought a portable printer with him. He then immediately printed out the pictures that he took and handed his new friends the small, but precious gift of a photograph. Small gifts are excellent ways to meet people and to maintain an ongoing friendship.

Many times, people, especially travelers, are craving that kind of contact.

A fellow solo traveler – who is now a friend – taught me a very simple lesson when I met him on a rooftop in Kuala Lumpur. He said that meeting another traveler on the road is just like the moment when two children meet. There are no expectations. There is only an authentic curiosity about the soul of another.

About the Lens of Jen (lensofjen.org)

Jen Nilsson is a full-time travel blogger who changed everything about her life when her fiancé died of cancer at the age of 40.

After learning the hard way that life is too short to delay our dreams, Jen quit her corporate job, ditched high-heels for a backpack, and set out to see the world.

She now believes that life-changing moments exist outside the comfort zone. She has walked 500 miles across Spain on the Camino de Santiago, learned to surf in Bali, tried (and failed) to learn to scuba dive on a Thailand island, and finally, at the age of 37,  learned to ride a bike while cycling through the vineyards of France.

The Lens of Jen is all about embracing a new “lens” on life when things don’t shake out quite the way you planned.

YouTube: youtube.com/thelensofjen

Instagram/Twitter/Medium – @lensofjen

Free your travels, be a Travelita! #travelita #iamatravelita

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[aussiboris]

The Rugby World Cup

A Road Trip, The Brave Blossoms arrive, a Sake Tour and the Tartan army 

September 28th 2019

So the second weekend of the tournament arrived! Excitedly, we joined our relatively new rugby friends Glen and Debbie on a road trip to Kobe. This weekend we were going to see the Scots, so we filled the few hours journey with a Scottish playlist of classics including the Pretenders, Primal Scream, Franz Ferdinand and of course, The Proclaimers. In hindsight this was good preparation for meeting the tartan army who we would find in excellent (loud) voice. 

We found that there was an ‘English Pub’ called The Harbour Tavern in central Kobe that was already open at 1pm showing the Tonga and Argentina game. 

The Harbour Tavern is somewhat hidden away in a tall building on the 7th floor but we found it. It definitely has the rustic feel and sticky carpet of a traditional English pub. We were quick to install ourselves in front of a big TV as we were particularly keen to see the next match which was the hosts vs Ireland.

After eating some dubiously microwaved ‘beef pies’ we were ready for the main event - Japan’s first proper test. Our Irish friends had travelled to Shizouka with the intention to see their team conquer the Blossoms, but they had not reckoned on the impact of Yu Tamura’s deadly accurate boot. The Irish were vastly outnumbered by the home crowd who went suitably nuts (very unjapanese) when Kotaro Matsushima very nearly scored a try within the first three minutes. 

After that wake up call Ireland looked to regain their composure with Garry Ringrose carrying a try over at 13 minutes. However Jack Carty was unable to convert it so Ireland were ahead by 5 points. 4 minutes later Yu Tamura scored his first penalty.  Ireland replied with a converted try putting them firmly ahead 12 points to 3. Our friends were delighted and we saw them celebrate on TV several times in their bright green wigs. But the Irish team made mistakes and by half time Tamura had kicked Japan back to touching distance  9 points to 12. 

The second half carried on the excitement for the Japanese crowd when the backs put together an attack off the back of a scrum- Lameki charged through the Irish lines only just being stopped before Tanaka was able to feed the ball out to Nakamura who then threw a long pass to Lafaele who popped it to the newly arrived wing replacement Kenki Fukuoka who charged over the try line. At this point The Harbour Tavern erupted as Japan took the lead 14 - 12. 10 minutes later Tamura added a 5th successful kick adding to his large collection of points. The Japanese started to believe this was winnable. Then with 3 minutes to go the try scorer Kenki Fukuoka intercepted a pass and very almost scored a try at the other end of the pitch. The noise was insane. When the whistle blew Japan had won the contest 16-12. There were a lot of very happy Japanese supporters. 

After celebrating Japan’s stunning win in the Harbour Tavern we went to look for some dinner. This was the point that it became apparent that the Japanese had become aware of the World Cup. There had been curiosity from the host country’s citizens - now there was enthusiastic interest. 

As we walked through the streets of Kobe, Rob and Glen were getting stopped by Japanese who wanted to high five them for wearing the Brave Blossoms strip. This enthusiasm was echoed the next morning when we went in search of a Japan rugby top the next morning, overnight they had disappeared. Rob also decided to wear his Japan top on our sake tour where he got mildly harrassed (stroked) by female cashiers. There was definitely a new level of excitement around the city, it finally felt like the World Cup had properly begun.

The next day was Sunday, we made our way over to Kobe’s Nada District, which is home to Japan’s top Sake producers.

Its location allows it access to high quality rice, good water, and favourable weather. Being close to the ports of Kobe and Osaka was also key for distribution.

We started early and enjoyed the beautiful sunshine as we toured the many breweries and museums with our Sake connoisseur friend, Ruth. We got the Rokko liner train line to Uozaki. This is near the lovely walk by the river. 

We then made our way down to our first stop -  Hamafukutsuru. The Brewery has won awards for its “Ginjo” sake. It was a good one to start with as they have an excellent museum on the second floor explaining the Sake brewing process in English with plenty of diagrams. Here we had a small tasting with one of the brewers. He was somewhat of a celebrity as he had clippings of a newspaper article that had featured him. He gave us plenty of different sakes to try as well as sherry and plum wine. Ruth invested in some sake ice cream and we were ready for round two. 

We headed to our second brewery with slight trepidation - if we consumed the same amount as the first in all the stops on the tour we’d be in trouble. Our next stop was Sakuramasamune. This was a smaller set up with a few traditional tools and equipment to see. It did have an attractive looking restaurant so that is where we stopped for lunch for motsunabe. 

After a suitably filling lunch our tour continued to three other breweries.   Kikumasamune Sake Museum, Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum and Kobe Shushinkan Brewery. These all had excellent museums which showed off the huge casks used in the brewing process. Some had photos of past techniques whilst in a slightly creepy approach one had life sized models recreating images from the past. 

As the afternoon wore on we hurried back to the city centre to watch the Wales v Australia game - a game that would potentially decide who would top group D. One we wanted Wales to win as we were hoping to see both Northern hemisphere teams in separate quarter finals in Oita. 

We headed for the “Aussie” pub, the Rock. Maybe a questionable choice. It was rammed mostly with Scots. As we squeezed ourselves into the place Rob and Glen went in search of beer. It was not the most comfortable place but the game proved a healthy distraction from our cramped situation. 

It was a close game with Wales taking the lead within the first minute with a cheeky drop goal. They continued to lead throughout but the six nations champions had to dig deep to stop the resilient Wallabies. The big number 12 Samu Kerevi proved very hard to stop. Dan Biggar ended up with concussion after an attempted tackle. Reece Patchell was mown down by the massive unit and somehow got rewarded with a penalty for his efforts. A brutal physical game that was close right to the end. Only the accuracy of the Welsh number tens boots kept the Australians at bay. To our relief the Welsh won 29-25.

We celebrated with a few drinks in some nice and not so nice bars and some Kobe Beef.

Game day

It was a bright sunny morning. We made our way over to Kobe’s China Town. After some tasty walking snacks, we had a sit down lunch to give us a solid basis for the drinking that was about to occur. So we were ready, off to the Fanzone. 

The Fanzone was located on the edge of the port area with views of the sea. There was a stage with scheduled entertainment that ranged from BMX stunt riding (not sure what that has to do with rugby, but was not the only time we saw this), to a Scottish pipers band, made up of expats and Japanese enthusiasts. There was a large covered seated area where most of the Scots gathered in their festive clobber. A few porter cabins provided food and soft drinks and then there was the bar with its complicated queuing system that kept the rest of the Scots busy. A small merchandise booth offered a small selection of souvenirs, a big screen which switched between showing highlights of the tournaments earlier games and the history of rugby in Japan. Lastly there was a skills area where people could join in some very sweaty touch rugby and a tacking skills area where small children could hurl themselves at a tackle bag and rebound onto a crash mat. Here we spotted an English guy we had met in one of the bars the night before. He was pretty hard to miss as he had a long red cape attached from his shoulders and flip flops. He was throwing himself into the touch game. We chatted to him after and his feet were caked is dust and dirt. 

After we had “absorbed” the atmosphere (alcohol) we decided to make our way to the stadium. This was a few kms away but there were plenty of World Cup Volunteers grasping flags marking our route. We just followed the singing really. 

It got a bit more tricky when getting on the train. We all squeezed in and got acquainted pretty quickly. With our faces practically pressed against the windows, we made it to the next station where the doors opened and let in some vital fresh air. However as the train progressed through the stations more people wanted to board the train. At this point a particularly massive young scot decided he would help make room for the new arrivals by grasping the top of the door and pushing backwards with his arse. Somehow we survived and found space for the new passengers. On arrival at the destination station we all exploded out of the carriage and followed the crowds to the stadium. 

We managed to find our friends at the stadium and made our way inside. We found our seats which happened to be near the front. 

The Japanese embraced the Scots as they touched down in Nagasaki, and their favourite player - Greig Laidlaw or Mr Greig as he is known. He has become something of a poster boy for the World Cup and is currently the most famous Scot in Japan. His popularity has eclipsed the usual stars of Hogg and Russell but his team mates love the game of the attention Greig gets. Apparently when walking through shopping malls they will quite regularly shout out ‘Mr Greig’ and watch delightedly as the mob descends on the scrum half. 

Greig puts the popularity down to the 2015 World Cup where a sizeable Japanese TV audience watched Scotland beat Japan. Greig had a great game scoring 20 points and the Japanese has remembered this.

The warm up started and sat with friends Justin and Mary, we could actually identify the different players faces. After the anthems it was time to experience our first live Haka of the World Cup and it did not disappoint! 

Samoa are a renowned physical side but Scotland had the discipline and the flair. 

Within eight minutes Mr Greig had delighted his fans by drawing first blood with a penalty.  This was followed up later with an impressive cross pitch kick by Finn Russell to Maitland to place a try in the corner. Laidlaw then scored near the posts after being fed by Richie, the no 7.

Ten minutes into the second half, Scotland had a driving maul which was collapsed by Samoa resulting in a penalty try (27-0). 

Maitland then was on for a try in the corner which was denied by Samoa but with a two-knee tackle. Another penalty try was awarded to Scotland. Final sore was 34-0 to Scotland.

The route back to the hotel was pretty eventful. Kobe had put on a lot of party opportunities for the kilt wearing jocks- one place with a covered shopping area putting on food and selling cold beers until the wee hours. But with the prospect of an early shinkansen and work the next day, we didn’t make it too late. Oh to be on holiday and at the world cup! Nonetheless, an excellent weekend in Kobe.

[oselatra]

Central Arkansas Bar Guide

Our guide to the drinking life.

Dive, watering hole, saloon, tavern, speakeasy, roadhouse, pub, ultralounge or plain ol' bar — however you say it, there's a good chance you've spent a memorable evening or two at a fine purveyor of liquid courage. Bars are spaces unlike any other, existing not for the sustenance of our bodies or the sale of material goods, but only for recreation, relaxation and the unique sensation caused by fermentation, that holy, microscopic intercourse of sugar and yeast that turns wheat, fruit, grapes, hops or barley into alcohol and questionable decisions. They say America was planned in a bar, the Founding Fathers diving deep enough into their cups that they came up with liberty in their teeth. If so, it's fitting. We're a nation that loves a drink, our dalliance with Prohibition and longer affair with Baptist teetotalling notwithstanding.

What follows is our survey of many of the bars, pubs and taverns in Central Arkansas, resulting from the Arkansas Times staff doing the hard work of boozing it up on the company dime during work hours. We made that sacrifice for you, Dear Reader. From the dimmest dive to the swankiest lounge, if you're into public drinking in service of a good time, there's something here for you.

109 & Co It's been several years, but some of our friends still haven't gotten the memo: 109 & Co., on the first block of Main Street and formerly known as Maduro, isn't a cigar bar anymore. It's a comfy, nonsmoking lounge with a broad list of classic cocktails. (Bonus points: It's right around the corner from Arkansas Times HQ.) If you like mezcal like we like mezcal, try the El Cantante ($11), made with Del Maguey Vida Mezcal, D'Aristi and Damiana liqueurs, fresh lime juice and Angostura orange bitters, and served neat in a martini glass. 109 Main St., 374-3710, 109andcompany.com.

610 Center Hospitality is the watchword at this downtown spot — and that's not only because it's a bar with a predominately LGBTQ patronage that extends an attitude of inclusiveness to all. The first time you go, you're likely to leave knowing at least one of the owners by name; the second time you go, chances are good one of the tremendously handsome bartenders will remember exactly what you ordered the first time. Monday night is trivia night (friendly, not cutthroat), smoking is allowed, and the full menu offers hearty snacks, like the Mac & Cheese Bites. A wide wine selection, too. 610 Center St., 374-4678, 610center.com.

Baja Grill Opened in May 2014, Baja Grill is a fave for those looking to take a day trip to Jimmy Buffett's favorite place. It features big house margaritas and 10 different specialty versions of the beachy drink, all available either frozen or on the rocks. They're especially a steal during Baja Grill's Margarita Mondays special, with house margaritas setting you back only 4 bucks (!) all day, while specialty margaritas are $2 off. Five beers on tap and tons of cans and bottles for those who aren't into that frozen concoction that helps you hang on. 5923 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock, 722-8920, eatbajagrill.com

Bar Louie Tucked in the corner of a shopping center, Bar Louie is adorned with big-screen TVs and serves plenty of martinis. The go-to is the Diva — 10 bucks normally, but bumped down to $5.25 during happy hours 4-7 p.m. weekdays. It's made of SKYY Pineapple, PAMA liqueur and a pomegranate syrup and topped with fresh cut pineapple. 11525 Cantrell Road, 228-0444, barlouie.com.

Bear's Den Pizza Fondly nicknamed the "Dirty Den," Bear's Den Pizza sits across the street from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. Server Chynna Stipe says, sure, they get their fair share of college students, "but also UCA professors, parents visiting the school and Conway residents. We have a ton of regulars." Stipe says the recent of arrival of Flyway Brewery's Bluewing Berry Wheat has been a smash hit and, predictably, happy hour prices — well drinks for $2 and domestic beers for $1 from 9-11 p.m. nightly — lure in budget-constrained collegians. Favorite drink: The "Bear Bomb," a potent mix of R&R Canadian Whiskey, peach schnapps and Red Bull. 235 Farris Road, Conway, 328-5556, bearsdenpizza.net.

Big Orange You surely know all about the food at this burger-and-fry stalwart, but don't sleep on Big O's bar program. In addition to keeping a diverse and always changing lineup of beers on tap, the cocktail crews at the Midtowne and Promenade locations are always whipping up inventive and delicious creations. The latest specialty, created by bartenders Jacob Jones and Luiggi Uzcategui, is called Devil's Advocate and features Plantation O.F.T.D. Rum, Lunazul Blanco Tequila, Madeira fortified wine, Creme de Cacao, pineapple and lemon juice, Angostura bitters and Copper & Kings Absinthe. Naturally, it comes in a tiki mug with an umbrella. Try it during happy hour from 4-7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and during reverse happy hour from 9 p.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday. 307 N. University Ave., Suite 100, 379-8715; 17809 Chenal Parkway, 821-1515. bigorangeburgers.com.

Big Whiskey's The signature drink here is the Big Coconut: Parrot Bay rum, Cathead Vodka, pineapple, orange and cranberry juice. That'll cost you $7.50, just short of those Eight Pieces, as the parrot says. But beer is more popular. Get a buck off draft beers and $2 off well drinks and wine between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. 225 E. Markham St., 324-2449, http://ift.tt/2sSuNEO.

Boulevard Bistro A casual, comfortable, family-oriented spot with an excellent menu, Boulevard Bistro has a full bar. There are eight beers on tap, with several local craft brews represented, and wine in pretty much every variety your vino-loving heart could desire, as well as specialty drinks. 1920 N. Grant St., Little Rock, 663-5949.

Brewster's 2 Out front, Brewster's 2 cafe lauds its catfish — as it should— but the drinks are a lure, too. In a family-friendly atmosphere, you can cool off with a Heat Wave — grenadine, gin, vodka and tequila — for $8. On the nonalcoholic side, the frozen lemonades are just about as refreshing as a drink can be. 2725 S. Arch St., 301-7728.

Bruno's Little Italy This Italian eatery's home in the Creative Corridor may be new, but the mostaccioli and the merriment within can be traced back to the early 20th century arrival of Giovanni Bruno on American shores. Thanks, Old Country! The grandson who carries his namesake, known to most as Gio, is carrying the torch, and directed us to bartender Jeff Jackson for a tour of the family business' booze offerings. Jackson notes that the handcrafted methods in the kitchen extend to the bar, too — Bruno's offers a house-made limoncello, which you can enjoy chilled in a brandy snifter after dinner ($6) or in one of the restaurant's popular warm weather drinks, the lemon drop martini ($10). There's Peroni beer, of course ($5.69), and an Italian margarita, a mixture of tequila, amaretto, triple sec and house-made sweet and sour syrup. For sweltering summer days, there are peach and strawberry Bellinis, a blend of fruit puree and Prosecco. 310 Main St., No. 101, 372-7866, brunoslittleitaly.com.

Buffalo Wild Wings You know the drill: Wangs! Zillions of TVs tuned to all the sports contests! Booze! You will perhaps be unsurprised to learn that Buffalo Wild Wings, at least at the Cantrell Road location (there are BWWs in Bryant and Sherwood, too) sells more domestic beer than anything else, but it's got cocktails, too. They include the Buffalo Zoo ('cuz it's wild!) made with rum, vodka, bourbon, peach schnapps and orange and pineapple juice. 14800 Cantrell Road, 868-5279, buffalowildwings.com.

By the Glass The vinous-oriented can choose from between 60 to 70 wines on the By the Glass board. Favorites change by season; in summer, New Zealand sauvignon blancs and pinot noirs are favorites. The tapas, such as the smoked salmon appetizer, pair well with any wine, proprietor Susan Crosby says, and all the wines are good: "If it's on our board, we like it." 5713 Kavanaugh Blvd., 663-9463, btgbar.com.

Cache Restaurant and Lounge Robby Wellborn, one of the first employees at the high-class watering hole Cache, has spent half his life as a bartender, working from Texas to Florida, where he's seen it all and done half of it. Still, Wellborn was momentarily stumped when a woman came in just after the restaurant opened and told the tale of a spicy/sweet version of the ubiquitous margarita she'd had while on vacation. "I don't know if it was in Mexico, but it was definitely [at] a salsa bar. I was like, 'I've got all that here.' I put it together." Thus the Cache-exclusive cocktail that has come to be known as The Roberita was born. Featuring top-shelf tequila, fresh jalapenos and juice, minced cilantro, fresh-squeezed lime juice, house-made simple syrup and other primo ingredients, word of mouth has transformed the unique drink from a one-off experiment to a sort of secret menu item that Wellborn can whip up on demand. For those who don't mind a little heat, it could easily become addictive, the bite of the jalapeno marrying perfectly with the tart lime, the earthy cilantro, the tequila burn and the sweet base to produce a drink that's muy caliente. 425 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock, 850-0265, cachelittlerock.com.

Capital Bar & Grill Since it reopened in 2007 after the Capital Hotel's $24 million renovation, the Capital Bar has been the standard by which other cocktail bars in Central Arkansas are measured. Head bartender Tim Stramel has been on staff since just before the relaunch. The bar's philosophy is straightforward, Stramel says: "We try to do the classics. We always use fresh juice and premium spirits and try to do 'em right." The Debutante (vodka, St-Germain, lime juice, grapefruit bitters and basil) and the Seersucker (CBG's spin on the Sazerac), have been among the bar's best sellers for years, but Stramel reports that on an average weekend night, nearly every table will have at least one brass mug carrying a Moscow Mule (vodka, ginger beer and lime juice) or one of the CBG's many variations. When the weather is nice, take your drink to the hotel's veranda and watch the downtown revelers go by. The state's finest jazz trio, the Ted Ludwig Trio, plays from 7-10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. It's also hard to go wrong with food here. 111 W. Markham St., 370-7013, capitalbarandgrill.com.

Cajun's Served in a large mason jar you can keep (with the Cajun's logo etched into it), Cajun's Play De Do is a twist on New Orleans' Hurricane. There's light rum, dark rum, pineapple juice, orange juice and grenadine for only $8.50 with an orange and lime wedge to boot. If you go weekdays during happy hour (4:30-7 p.m.) you can knock a dollar off the price. 2400 Cantrell Road, 375-5351, cajunswharf.com.

Cañon Grill This Kavanaugh mainstay's been serving up standard Mexican fare in Hillcrest since 1998: cold beer and margaritas. It's got Dos Equis and Flyway Brewery's Bluewing Berry Wheat on tap, as well as the usual domestic suspects. For something with a higher ABV, there's the classic lime margarita or a blue margarita, which manager Krista Belote calls "a little less tart, but a lot stronger," or the Margarita Meltdown, a classic lime with a shot of raspberry, melon, peach, amaretto or orange liqueur poured on top. Happy hour lasts all day Saturday and Sunday. 2811 Kavanaugh Blvd., 664-2068, canongrill.net.

Club Sway Club Sway owner/operator Jason Wiest didn't hesitate when asked what the most popular drink at this vibrant downtown drag mecca was. "Red Bull and vodka, far and away," he said. After all, you'll need the energy; Sway's bombastic monthly parties and drag shows are high-energy affairs, and that Red Bull may well be what keeps you shaking your ass on Sway's multi-tiered dance floor far into the night. If energy drinks aren't your style, try the "Sway Me" ($8), which Wiest says is "kind of our answer when people say, 'Make me something fruity!' " Or try the bright green "Liquid Marijuana," a dizzying blend of Midori, spiced rum, blue curacao and pineapple juice. If you make it to Sway on Saturday's Latin nights, you can pick up a creamy shot of Rum Chata, a spiced rum liqueur that's well on its way to becoming the new Fireball. 412 S. Louisiana St., 777-5428, clubsway.com.

Copper Grill A rosé sangria on Copper Grill's spacious patio, camped out in the sort of luxurious patio furniture your rich friends have out by their pool, on the outskirts of the River Market district? We'll take it. Or if the sun is still blazing, Copper has comfy chairs and a sleek bar inside, too. Plus, a wine list that's gotten acclaim from Wine Spectator. 300 E. Third St., 375-3333, coppergrilllr.com

Ciao Baci A casual fine dining restaurant in a converted Craftsman-style house in Hillcrest, Ciao Baci's wraparound porch is one of the finest places to drink a cocktail in the summer months. Grab a Naughty Lemonade and some tasty bar snacks on a Wednesday, when it's happy hour all day. Excellent wine list, too. 605 Beechwood St., 603-0238, ciaobaci.org.

Core Public House Core brews its own up in Springdale, so that's what this little storefront bar in Argenta — with its ping pong table and foosball table and low-light, old-fashioned ambiance — serves. Most popular beer: Arkansas Red Ale. The hard cider is a good seller, too. FYI: The walls are hung with art by members of the Latino Art Project. 411 Main St., NLR, 372-1390, @corepubargenta.

Crazee's Cafe On Cantrell since 1997, Crazee's is another of the blink-and-you'll-miss-it places that have cultivated a loyal clientele as a quiet spot to catch a meal with a drink after a long workday. It has a full bar, but mostly serves wine and suds, with four brews on tap. The regulars keep coming back to what owner Linda Houff calls "the kind of place where everybody blends in." Her motto: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. 7626 Cantrell Road, Little Rock, 221-9696.

Cregeen's For the heat of summer, the Irish pub is going South Seas with the Bikini Bottom: a layered beer with Ace pineapple cider on the bottom and Guinness up top. No coddin'! 301 Main St., 376-7468, cregeens.com.

Crush Wine Bar On a hot Friday night, the proprietor of this friendly, low-lit little hole in the wall will offer you a "cold glass of Argenta's best tap water," help you select a wine from his broad menu and suggest the best tapas to go with. There is great variety in labels and prices; you might enjoy a glass of Cline Old Vines Zinfandel from California or a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc for a reasonable $7 or order a bottle of Silver Oak Cabernet for $120. The back garden, planted in grape vines, will set the mood. 318 N. Main St., NLR, 374-9463, @crushwinelr.

Damgoode River Market Try one of the local mini-pizza empire's three Damgoode Brews staples — Red Ribbon Golden Ale, Arkansas Amber and Damgoode Pale Ale — along with a rotation of specials at the River Market brewpub (and the other Damgoode locations). The deck is highly coveted during concerts at the First Security Amphitheatre. 500 President Clinton Ave., 664-2239, damgoodepies.

Del Frisco's Grille This national chain can seat 30 at its bar and there are "quite a few regulars," bartender Shannon Newcomb says. Those who imbibe split between beer and booze; a favorite of the latter is the VIP, which is a vodka infused [with] pineapple martini. Here's the recipe: Cut up a gold pineapple and soak in Clementine vodka for 14 days, strain through cheesecloth, serve. "I tell people it is dangerously delicious," Newcomb says. Showoffs can order an ounce and a half of Macallan 25 single malt whiskey for $155. Promenade at Chenal, 448-2631, delfriscosgrille.com.

Discovery Little Rock's legendary, 40-plus-year-old LGBT club — known affectionately as simply "Disco" — has trended toward an inclusive "alternative club" clientele in recent years, with drink specials, dancing and drag shows in three big rooms in a cavernous warehouse space in Riverdale. With one of the city's vanishingly rare 5 a.m. club permits, it's great for drinking with friends until the dawn's early light. 1021 Jessie Road, Little Rock, 664-4784, latenightdisco.com.

Dizzy's Gypsy Bistro One of the friendliest restaurants in the River Market district, Dizzy's has quirky decor and carefully constructed dishes that pair well with their equally quirky slate of signature cocktails: For example, limoncello martinis, basil and orange mojitos, and a drink called the "Big Menage a Trois Chill," made with red wine, blueberries and Bing cherries. Two dozen beers, a 30-label slate of owner Darla Huie's favorite wines (available by the bottle or glass), plus a small selection of sherries and ports mean there's something for anyone in the mood to drink. There's covered street-side dining for people-watching, too. 200 River Market Ave., 375-3500, dizzysgypsybistro.net.

Dugan's Pub Part of the area's three-leaf clover of Irish bars — along with Cregeen's and Hibernia — Dugan's understandably sells a lot of Guinness and Jameson's, but is no slouch on the craft beer, wine and mixed-drink front. Try its Irish Mule, an Emerald Isle take on the more familiar Moscow variety, with Irish whiskey instead of vodka. The people-watching at Third and Rock ain't bad, either, and the large street-corner patio is dog friendly, so you can get sloshed with your best friend. 401 E. Third St., 244-0542, duganspublr.com.

Electric Cowboy Electric Cowboy sounds like a fantasy invented by a middle-school boy, but it's real. It's open until about 5 a.m. Beer can be pretty cheap: It's usually between $1 and $2, depending on the night's special. The main thing is to know what to do after you've had a few: dance, dance, dance. 9515 I-30, 562-6000, http://ift.tt/2snLfco.

Envy Nightclub The name changed several years back, but the nightclub formerly known as Elevations maintained a longtime formula: big dance floor, Saturday night "sexy dress" contests and hours that stretch to the early morning. 7200 Col. Glenn Road, 569-9113, @envy.littlerock

Ernie Biggs Sing along to songs you know with people from near and far. 327 President Clinton Ave., 372-4782, erniebiggs.com.

The Faded Rose I asked a guy at The Faded Rose bar about how long he'd been drinking there and he laughed a bit. "I've been a regular so long I can't remember," he said. This isn't the type of bar where you come for a specialty drink; it's for folks who know what they want and trust the longtime bartenders to make it right. It's also a place where it won't be long before it's your regular haunt: "You can become a regular after two visits," said Jay Jennings, an editor at Oxford American magazine who was helping a reporter get to know the place. Jennings used to come here with Charles Portis, the legendary writer based in Little Rock, and chat about mostly anything but writing. He pointed out an Englishman's towel behind the bar that a patron used to stretch out as if he were in a pub. On the bar are two small gold plaques to commemorate where two former regulars used to sit (you'd get up if you saw them coming). There are $7-$8 drinks, like rye whiskey (for the "refined palate," the manager told me) and a good wine selection. During happy hour on Monday, most folks were drinking bottled domestics for about $3. 1619 Rebsamen Park Road, 663-9734, thefadedrose.com

Flying Saucer Draught Emporium The River Market's longest wall o' beer boasts 75 beers on tap and around 150 more brews in bottles, general manager Jason Davenport told us. We asked him if there was anything on tap that might be hard to find elsewhere. "That's probably half the wall," he answered. He should know, too — Davenport's been working there for nine years, enough time to have accrued three wall saucers with his name on them, designating that he's tasted over 600 beers there as part of the Emporium's "UFO Club." So what are people drinking this summer? "A lot of people are drinking seasonally, so that means wheat beers, Berliner Weisses, Gose." The chain, with locations in Missouri, Tennessee, Texas and the Carolinas, has been in Little Rock since 1998. 323 President Clinton Ave., 372-8032, beerknurd.com.

Flyway Brewing This popular North Little Rock brewery and tasting room does all sorts of styles right, but it's increasingly known for its Bluewing Berry Wheat, an American wheat with blueberries added after fermentation. Since Flyway introduced it as a seasonal, it's been far and away the brewery's biggest seller. Now it's being canned and widely distributed in Central Arkansas. 314 Maple St., NLR, 812-3192, flywaybrewing.com

The Fold Botanas & Bar The bar at The Fold is meant to conjure up a relaxing day on a Caribbean beach: Sun, sand, blue ocean, bay scallops and a watermelon mojito or a strawberry-infused margarita. Another cocktail tips its hat to international waters: The Francophone, which is a combination of cucumber sake, gin, lime juice and agave, served in a glass gift-wrapped in the funny papers and garnished with a flower and a lime. That's not all! The Fold also has a drink named after a bartender's three-legged dog: The Three Paws Tippin. The TPT — vodka, lemon juice, agave and Aperol — is served in a tulip glass and topped with gummy bears. "We try not to take ourselves too seriously," bartender Rob Armstrong says. There are beers on tap here, of course, including local brews, "but we're a tequila/mezcal bar at heart," Armstrong said. 3501 Old Cantrell Road, 916-9706, thefoldlr.com

Four Quarter Bar The still newish Argenta watering hole hits all the right notes, with an understated but classic decor, scads of local beers on tap (plus Pabst and other commercial faves), shuffleboard, dominos, a copper-topped bar that looks like it's been there since Hector was a pup and a cozy patio out back that seats 25. Four Quarter has become a fixture of the Argenta live music scene, with an eclectic mix of bands appearing Thursday through Saturday nights. Bar manager Jimmy Young said the place is also a favorite for those seeking late-night eats, with both booze and food served until last call at 1:30 a.m. 415 Main St., North Little Rock, 313-4704, fourquarterbar.com.

Fox and Hound With 27 draft beers between $3.75 and $7, Fox and Hound is a solid place for lubricated game-watching. If it's on a Tuesday, you're in for a real treat: Drafts are just $2 and there's karaoke. If you're looking for something more, consider the Kryptonite Margarita, served in a giant martini glass for $5 during happy hour. It's Cuervo Gold tequila, triple sec, pineapple juice, sweet and sour mix and Midori liqueur. 2800 Lakewood Village Drive, 753-8300, foxandhound.com.

Grumpy's Too A classic neighborhood bar and grill hidden off the well-trod path, Grumpy's Too features pool, darts and shuffleboard, plus a nice selection of one-of-a-kind cocktails, including the Little Rock Old Fashioned, made with Rock Town rye; the Beggar's Market, made with Maker's Mark, pale ale and maple syrup; and a Bloody Mary made of hot-pepper-infused-vodka with Jamaican jerk spice on the rim. Old faves like the Moscow Mule and rum swizzle are here, too. Dine on salads, appetizers, burgers, sandwiches and flatbreads. 801 Green Mountain Drive, 225-3768, grumpystoo.com.

Gusano's A popular River Market district pizza place that does big bar business, too, especially when there's a big game or UFC fight on. Its big sellers are local brews like Lost Forty and Diamond Bear. 313 President Clinton Ave., 374-1441, gusanospizza.net.

Heights Taco and Tamale Co. Get some chips and Ark-Mex-style cheese dip and a frozen margarita or mojito and watch the Kavanaugh crowd from the patio bar. Or mix it up with a new spin on an old favorite: The HT&TEA features bourbon mixed with the restaurant's house-made tesote, a blend of black tea, juice, mint and honey. It's like a boozy sweet tea. 5805 Kavanaugh Blvd., 313-4848, http://ift.tt/2sSBczO.

Heritage Grille Steak and Fin This bar next to the lobby restaurant (not to be confused with the private lounge for Marriott Silver Elite members) gets its customers mostly from hotel guests in the evening, but the general public stops in around lunch. The specialty drinks include the popular Heritage Mule (Crown Royal, orange bitters, ginger beer and fresh lime) and the aptly named La Petite Roche, which, thanks to its mixture of Bacardi, Capt. Morgan and Myers rums with a splash of pineapple juice and grenadine, may get you a little stoned. You can nosh at the bar. Little Rock Marriott, 3 Statehouse Plaza, 399-8000, heritagegrillelittle rock.com.

Hibernia Irish Tavern Buried in a nondescript strip mall alongside a Goodwill outlet and an adult toy and lingerie store, Hibernia Irish Tavern is a dive-bar gem of a place. Dark, cozy and quiet, it is reportedly the only Irish tavern in the state run by a born-and-bred Irishman: Gerry Ward, who came to Arkansas via New York after bidding the Emerald Isle goodbye in search of greener pastures. Not just a place to get a Guinness, Hibernia has distinguished itself over the last three years as one of the primary incubators for new standup comics in the area, with its weekly Thursday night comedy open mic night. Started by the late Little Rock comic Billy the Pirate and now hosted by comedian Paul Hodge, Hibernia's open mic draws over a dozen would-be comedians to the stage every week, with skill levels ranging from the outright terrible to ready-for-prime time. Longtime Hibernia waitress Sarah Garber says, "One of the comedians calls us the 'Comic Gym.' It's a place where you can work out, try new material, and then maybe move on to The Loony Bin and some of the other, bigger venues." Signup is promptly at 7:45 p.m., with the show starting at 8 and running until the last rimshot. If comedy isn't your thing, the bar also hosts a weekly singer/songwriter open mic night on Tuesday nights. 9700 N. Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock, 246-4340, hiberniairishtavern.com.

Hillcrest Fountain Drinking at the Fountain — whether in the fresh breeze of the outdoor porch with its patented view of the Kroger parking lot or in the smoky pool hall up front — is not about special drinks. It's mostly about good people, behind and in front of the bar, bartender Richard Dean says. But, the beer and wine can be sneakily enjoyable. Consider a $7 glass of Calcu Rosé or a $5 SweetWater Blueberry Wheat. Or, just kick back with those friends and grab a Miller Lite for $3.50. 2809 Kavanaugh Blvd., @thehillcrestfountain.

Jimmy Doyle's Country Club At the bar, a reporter turned down a cigarette offered by a truck driver from Austin who, smiling, said he was not a longtime patron — this was his first time at Jimmy Doyle's — but he wished he were. There's a truck stop next to the bar, so this could be a common sentiment of visitors to one of the last real honky tonks. "In the peak years, some 20 years ago," wrote former Times reporter Will Stephenson in his profile of the place and its owner, Jimmy Doyle, "they say you had to show up early to even get in the door." But, a group walked in on a Saturday with ease and went to one of quite a few empty tables right at the edge of the dance floor. The wood-paneled dance floor was almost empty; a few couples were spinning together. The men in cowboy hats moved with a controlled grace. "Friday nights are for karaoke, Saturdays are for the house band. There are no other nights," as Stephenson wrote. The specialty, the bartender Dwight says, is the OH MY GOD shot: Parrot Bay, Bacardi 151, grenadine and cranberry and pineapple juices. It's pink, smooth and fun. He made it by accident, served it, and a woman liked it so much she shouted, "OH MY GOD, that's good!" 11800 Maybelline Road, 945-9042, cash only.

Joubert's Guinness is on tap at Joubert's, $4 at night and $3.50 with the sun out. While you drink, you can admire the mural of bears in love (really, really in love). Folks are friendly and there are usually some sports on the TV, making it a nice spot for a beer after a long day. 7303 Kanis Road, 664-9953.

Khalil's It's the near-picture perfect corner bar where everybody knows your name, smack in the heart of West Little Rock, featuring cozy pub decor, flaming hearths in the winter, high-backed chairs and a well-attended karaoke scene on the weekends. Don't forget to throw a leg over the handlebar-mustache-shaped teeter-totter, which has likely given more drunk folks a ride over the years than that ex you hate. 110 S. Shackleford Road, 224-0224, khalilspub.com

Kings Live Music Kings has become known for its diverse music lineup and emphasis on local bands and songwriters, and the booze selection stays close to home, too. Kings keeps a stash of Rocktown Distillery goods on the shelf — the Rocktown basil, mandarin orange and grapefruit vodkas, as well as the Apple Pie Moonshine, which you can get for $4 a shot. Kings employee Brittany Labat reports the bar has been selling a lot of Flyway's Bluewing Berry Wheat these days, with the Diamond Bear Pale Ale and Lost Forty Love Honey Bock as close runners-up. 1020 Front St., Conway, 205-8512, kingslivemusic.com.

La Terraza Rum and Lounge The perfect spot for those who love them some rum, La Terraza features 20 different types of the sugarcane-based spirit, with different varieties available for tastings in flights of three or five. Befitting its signature liquor, La Terraza is best known for standout mojitos, offering several variations on the sweet and minty cocktail. 3000 Kavanaugh Blvd., Suite No. 202, 251-8261.

Local Lime If you've tried the house margarita, regularly heralded by Arkansas Times readers in our annual Toast of the Town poll, and run through mezcal and tequila flights, and sipped a Mexican Mule or Pisco Sour (all on separate visits, of course), the brain trust at Local Lime recommends the Gin in Bloom, made with Uncle Val's Botanical Gin, elderflower liqueur, house-made lavender simple syrup and lemon. 17809 Chenal Parkway, 448-2226, locallimetaco.com.

Lost Forty Brewing Look for the state's largest brewery to continue to expand its year-round and seasonal offerings as it keeps growing. We've got our fingers crossed that its Snake Party Double IPA makes the jump to year-round rotation soon. In the meantime, stock up: It was just rereleased this week. It's double dry hopped, double IPA brewed and dry hopped with citrusy Azacca hops. Pick some up after you grab a beer and some tasty pub-grub in the cavernous East Village taproom. 501 Byrd St., 319-7275, lostfortybrewing.com.

Maxine's The former brothel on Hot Springs' Bathhouse Row that's become known for its killer live music lineup, red-light vibe and enormous menu, is essentially a "bourbon bar," bartender Tercero Munoz says: "We have about four times as much bourbon as anything else." Locals also come in for the craft beer selection, much of which comes from Spa City locals Bubba Brews and Superior Bathhouse Brewery. Maxine's offers a special Sunday brunch from noon to 5 p.m., and the Bloody Marys are a mere $5. If you'd rather drink your Sunday dinner, fork over an extra 3 bucks and get the Bloody Mary "loaded." "There's literally a garden on it," Munoz said: A skewer balanced along the two ends of the glass rim comes stacked with olives, cheese, pepperoni, pickled okra, pickles, pearl onions, a piece of bacon and a small slice of pizza on the end. 700 Central Ave., Hot Springs, 321-0909, maxineslive.com.

Mellow Mushroom With 40 beers on draft and another 35 bottled, including most all of the local and regional brews you'd want, this pizza chain is a reliable West Little Rock watering hole, with great pizza, too. 16103 Chenal Parkway, 379-9157, mellowmushroom.com.

Mike's Cafe Enter Mike's Cafe and you might think you're in a nightclub. The foyer's got everything a club entrance usually does: a little window where you'd show some beefed-up bruiser your ID, a liquor license taped to the wall. But don't stop and wait to be seated. Push on and enter the full glory of Mike's, with its white-curtained stage, where after 8 p.m. there will be a full-on light show and maybe someone singing karaoke. A neon-yellow board lists menu items and says "Well Come to Mike's Cafe." You've arrived: It's not a nightclub or a surrealist painting or even a hipster dive bar. It's just a solid Vietnamese restaurant with $3 Singha Gold and Tsingtao beers. Drink away, enter the void. 5501 Asher Ave., 562-1515.

North Bar Snee Dismang will mix you North Bar's favorite drink: a combo of Grey Goose vodka and mango and pomegranate juice, a.k.a. the Park Hill martini. That's the favorite; No. 2 is the Blueberry Lemon Drop, a blueberry-muddled vodka martini. The bar, which opened five months ago, has just added eight beer taps, bringing the total to 16. North Bar is proud of its culinary abilities, too: Check out the very tall fried chicken sandwich. 3812 John F. Kennedy Blvd., NLR, 420-1117, @501northbar.

The Ohio Club On Hot Springs' famous Bathhouse Row since 1905, the building that houses The Ohio Club has been many things over the years — including, reportedly, a casino and brothel. But most enduringly, it's been a bar. Even during Prohibition, says Ohio Club owner Mike Pettey, the joint housed a semi-clandestine speakeasy frequented by mafiosi and baseball greats come down for spring training. The place still has that classic speakeasy feel today. Its 15 sorts of suds on tap are heavy on Arkansas-made offerings, including a brew called Madden's No. 1 from the Superior Bathhouse Brewery and named after famous mob boss Owney Madden. Nightly music year-round encourages Ohio Club patrons to rouge their knees and roll their stockings down, and all that jazz. Bonus: Pettey says try the Reuben sandwich, which he claims is the best in the nation. A bold claim, but then again, Hot Springs is built on 'em. 336 Central Ave., Hot Springs, 627-0702, theohioclub.com.

Old Chicago Pizza and Taproom An anomaly in once-dry-as-a-powderhouse Conway, Old Chicago is a temple of beers, with one of the broadest selections of liquid bread between Little Rock and Fayetteville. It brings in artisan craft brews from as far away as Memphis, and rotates in at least a dozen new varieties at least twice a month to keep things interesting. 1010 Main St., Conway, 329-6262, http://ift.tt/2sSJYOj.

One Eleven The Capital Hotel's fine dining restaurant just unveiled a new cocktail menu. Head bartender Loic Lautredou predicts the new Thyme Basil Martini will be the big seller. "It's very floral for the summer, very refreshing, with a not-too-sweet finish," he reports. 111 W. Markham St., 370-7011, onelevenatthecapital.com.

The Oyster Bar This downhome eatery serves up just enough beer and wine to whet a whistle otherwise employed in lapping up gumbo or chowing down on a po'boy: On the beer side, it's Lost Forty and Diamond Bear local brews, beers on draft and bottled ales. The black and tan — Bass Pale Ale and Guinness stout — is a favorite. There are six wines: three whites, three reds. 3003 W. Markham St., 666-7100, lroysterbar.com.

The Pantry (11401 N. Rodney Parham Road) and The Pantry Crest (722 N. Palm St.) David Timberlake (no relation to Justin, he says), who bartends at both of Tomas Bohm's successful Czech/German restaurants, sees a difference in the West Little Rock crowd and the Hillcrest crowd. "Honestly, people are a bit apt to drink and stay longer," consuming spirits, in Hillcrest; he thinks that's because Hillcrest is a walking neighborhood, so folks can just stagger home on foot. The West Little Rock customers, an older group, drink more wine. The favored drink is the Old Fashioned; folks in Hillcrest also really like the mules: The Moscow made with vodka, the Tennessee with bourbon and the Mexican with tequila. Another popular drink is the Negroni (equal parts gin, Campari and sweet vermouth) and the Boulevardier variation, which uses whiskey. Both restaurants have a separate bar area; Timberlake said, "We keep food and drink prices reasonable." Happy hours are 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. to close. 353-1875 in WLR; 725-4945 in Hillcrest. littlerockpantry.com.

Petit & Keet The gourmand who enjoys a great meal at Petit & Keet will be tempted by the specialty cocktails from the huge bar, like the Smoking Gun, a blend of mezcal, pineapple juice and agave simple syrup. For Sonic soft drink aficianados, there is the surprising Cherry Limeade Mule, a blend of sweet, pucker and fizz. Enjoy on the patio or in the sleek dining room. 1620 Market St., 319-7676, @petitandkeet.

Pizza D'Action PBR is $1.50. At this point, you should have put down the paper and headed over to the lovingly smoked-filled and above-ground cavern for a drink and a random conversation. If it's Wednesday, grab a $3 Fireball shot with new friends or old. 2915 W. Markham St., 666-5403.

The Pizzeria General manager and bartender Dillon Garcia is obsessed with craft cocktails, and he's got a tattoo of a martini on his arm to prove it. At only 25, he's also got a handful of mixology awards and a side business, Arkansas Mixology Associates, where he consults with bars around the state. But most nights you'll find him at this Heights hotspot, mixing up classic cocktails — his Old Fashioned was excellent last time we were in — and dreaming up his own creations. Late night, 10-11 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 11 p.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday, is a particularly good time to drop in. It's reverse happy hour and cocktails, featuring a high-end well (Jim Beam Black, Bombay Sapphire Gin, etc.), for only $5. 4910 Kavanaugh Blvd., 551-1388, http://ift.tt/2snSscM.

Prost The calmer, loungy cousin to Willy D's and Deep, two bars that are connected to Prost via a hallway and stairs. With a strong beer menu and plenty of TVs. 322 President Clinton Blvd.

The RAB While the bar side of things at The RAB doesn't sound like it's going to set the world on fire, with the standard foreign and domestic beers on tap and bartenders willing to whip up a cocktail or mixed drink, there is a draw: pool. A classic bar/pool hall that draws everyone from college kids to retirees, The RAB features eight competition-grade Diamond Billiard pool tables, and hosts both league nights and a weekly 8-ball tournament on Friday that attracts up to 40 competitors, according to bartender Flip Tindall. If pool isn't your thing, there are 12 TVs, and you can always spend your time drinkin' if you feel behind the eight ball. 408 Hwy. 65 N, Conway, 336-8484

Raduno Is there a better Little Rock bar — like the actual bar top — than Raduno's marble counter? We haven't found it. Like the cool stone, the SoMa spot's new cocktail menu is a summertime dream. We were particularly taken by the Hummingbird (vodka, honey, lavender syrup and lemon juice) and will be back for Summer in SoMa (gin, grapefruit liqueur and watermelon juice) and a spin on the Pimm's Cup. 1318 Main St., 374-7476, radunolr.com.

Rebel Kettle Complimentary popcorn, a new outdoor stage, tasty Cajun-tinged pub grub and 16 beers on tap — what more could you want from your local brewpub? The blonde ale Working Glass Hero is a good starting place for newbies; it's long been the brewery's best seller. The week of the Fourth of July, look out for the rerelease of the hugely popular Summer Jam, a raspberry sour saison. Every week, head brewer and co-owner John Lee is cooking up something new. 822 E. Sixth St., 374-2791, rebelkettle.com.

Revolution Rev Room knows how to name drinks: The bar menu includes a "Latin Kiss," a "Fuzzy Thing" and something called "Dirty Juan Pedro's Bloody Buddy." There are over a dozen types of tequila, and you can supercharge your drinks with a "fruit fusion" puree — lemon basil, blackberry tangerine, pineapple vanilla bean, watermelon mint or mango chili Sriracha. 823-0090, 300 President Clinton Ave., revroom.com.

Ristorante Capeo To match its top-notch fine dining menu, Ristorante Capeo's wine list features over 125 labels, most by the bottle or glass, with prices ranging from cheap enough for Thursday night dinner to once-a-year special occasion rare. There's beer and a full bar, too. 425 Main St., North Little Rock, 376-3463, capeo.us.

Rocky's Corner A good place to drink off the sting of a losing streak at Oaklawn Racing & Gaming across the street — or buy a round if your horse comes in — Rocky's Corner bills itself as a family-friendly joint that's not afraid to have some fun. On tap are over a dozen beers and signature mixed drinks, including the Cannella ($7.50), featuring spiced rum, butterscotch schnapps, Kahlua and half and half, which bartender Andrew Carney swears tastes like "a cinnamon roll in a glass." 2600 Central Ave., Hot Springs, 624-0199, rockyscornerhotsprings.com

Samantha's Tap Room & Wood Grill As the name implies, Samantha's is tap happy, with at least 10 wines and 23 beers on tap, including Arkansas craft brews from Core, Bubba Brews, Diamond Bear, Flyway, Lost Forty, Ozark, Rebel Kettle and Stone's Throw. The fanciest wine: Witchery Reserve blend ($65 a bottle). The strongest brew: Rebel Kettle's Alphaholic (8.5 percent alcohol). Favorite mixed drinks: The blood orange and basil margarita and the White Linen (cucumber-infused vodka and St-Germain elderflower liqueur). 322 Main St., 379-8019, samstap.com.

Silk's at Oaklawn At Silk's you can order beer by the yard. That is, you can order a 96-ounce draft beer — advertised as two yards worth — for $21. Or you can go for the more tame 20-ounce drafts, domestics at $4.25 and crafts at $5.50. All are a good bet. 2705 Central Ave., Hot Springs, 623-4411, oaklawn.com.

So Restaurant-Bar What is so special about So? The Hillcrest stalwart "definitely has the best wine list in town," bartender Justin Butler boasts. It's also got Butler's colleague Veo Tyson, perennial winner or finalist as the best bartender in Little Rock in the Arkansas Times' annual Toast of the Town. Killer bar menu, too: BBQ chicharrones; a bacon, egg and cheese; Alaskan King Crab? Yes, please. 3610 Kavanaugh Blvd. 663-1464. sorestaurantbar.com

South on Main Bar manager Sarah Harrington, who spent a good amount of time working closely with former bar manager David Burnette before he took off for Ciao Baci, has mixed up some sparkling summer cocktail offerings: The Evening in Missoula — a blend of vodka, herbal tea, honey, orange, lemon, lime and mint — is a crowd favorite. 1304 Main St., 244-9660, southonmain.com.

Southern Table In July, when winemaker Margie Raimondo opens her "board and bites" restaurant in the space where cheesemaker Kent Walker once held forth, she'll be serving her own and other small farm wines and local beers, including brews from Lost Forty and Flyway. She'll also offer a Brewed Mary (a Bloody Mary made with beer instead of vodka), a seasonal sangria and sparkling wine cocktails. If you want to stay virgin, try Raimondo's special tea. All will pair with her boards of cheese and charcuterie and various tapas supplied by local farmer's markets. Think "shared menu type of environment," Raimondo said, for shared fun among friends. 323 Cross St., 379-9111, southerntablefoods.com.

Spectators Spectators wears the neighborhood vibe with ease. But unlike many neighborhood joints, it does so without being too small to fit in even a block's worth of friends. Over spacious tables and among a mid-life-crisis-level garage sale of items on the wall, enjoy an Arkansas-based beer on tap for only $5. This is a place to come after work and stay like you're home. 1012 W. 34th St., NLR, 791-0990, spectatorsgrillandpub.com.

Stickyz Rock 'n' Roll Chicken Shack This River Market district staple makes chicken its bread and butter, so the standout cocktail here is the Frozen Motherclucker, sort of like an adult Orange Julius. It'll run you $5 during happy hour and $6 regularly. July's Beer of the Month selection ($3.50 per pint) is the Lagunitas Pilsner, and you'll also find the Lagunitas IPA, Fat Tire, Diamond Bear Pale Ale, SweetWater 420, Lost Forty Honey Bock, Stella Artois and Flyway Brewery Bluewing Berry Wheat on tap. 107 River Market Ave., 372-7707, stickyz.com.

Stone's Throw Brewing Amadeus Vienna Lager is the beloved Ninth Street brewery's best seller, and you'll find it, along with Common Sense California Common and Shamus Oatmeal Stout, on tap year-round along with a rotating cider selection and three seasonals that change every three months. 4402 E. Ninth St., 501-244-9154, stonesthrowbeer.com.

Table 28 Table 28 has the elevated feel without the price. During happy hour (4-6:30 p.m. weekdays), swing by for $5 wine, $2 domestic beers and the well-known cucumber martini for $9. The cucumber gin is made in-house and mixed with elderflower liqueur, a little lemon juice and champagne. 1501 Merrill Drive. (attached to the Burgundy Hotel), 224-2828, theburgundyhotel.com.

Taco Mama The house margarita is definitely the ticket at Taco Mama, head bartender Holli Faulknor reports. Why? "There's not a bottle of sweet and sour in the house. All of our margaritas are made with fresh-squeezed juices," Faulknor says. Get 'em on the rocks or frozen. We can vouch for Faulknor's estimation; Taco Mama's margarita was an obvious fan favorite at the Arkansas Times Margarita Festival. From 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, all drinks and appetizers are a dollar off. 1209 Malvern Ave., Hot Springs, 624-6262, tacomama.net.

The Tavern Sports Grill A craft-beer oasis in far West Little Rock, The Tavern features 16 beers on tap. Most of the biggest names in local craft brewing are represented, including Core, Flyway, Lost Forty and others. Try a few with the applewood-smoked chicken wings, which owner Ryan Brown said have won national awards, including a spot on USA Today's list of the best wings in the nation. 17815 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock, 830-2100, thetavernsportsgrill.com

TC's Midtown Grill There aren't many bars where you might be served by Alfred, Lord Tennyson's sixth great-grandson, but TC's is one. Or at least that's what barkeep Nathan Tennyson says. TC's Tennyson creates a different kind of poetry, like his "Sex with the Bartender" and "Loudmouth Bitch" drinks. Seems like he's aiming for the female market with his concoctions of Watermelon Pucker plus a banana liqueur, orange juice and a Tropical Red Bull ("Sex") and coconut rum, peach schnapps, pineapple and orange juices and grenadine ("Bitch"). More patrons of this smoking bar are going for beers, Tennyson said, including locals Lost Forty, Rebel Kettle, Flyway and Diamond Bear. Restaurant servers get a special membership that reduces the prices of drinks at this private club. TC's is also known for its hamburgers. 1611 E. Oak St., Conway, 205-0576, tcsmidtown.com.

Thirst N' Howl Let yourself relax with an Absolute Stress Reliever for $8 at Thirst N' Howl. It's got Absolut vodka, Peachtree liqueur, Malibu and Myers rum, and orange, pineapple and cranberry juices. Drink it and bob your head to the local live music — a West Little Rock version of transcendental meditation. 14710 Cantrell Road, 379-8189, thirst-n-howl.com.

Town Pump About 10 minutes before the doors opened for lunch at 11 a.m. on a Friday morning, regulars were leaning on the wall outside waiting to get into this Riverdale dive. Bartender and server Sydney Daniels, who's been there four years, knew them all by name, and feigned surprise when one of them asked to see a menu. "You don't know it already?" she chided. Daniels pointed out some patron favorites from the beer list, which boasts over 37 brews in cans or bottles and Lagunitas IPA, Angry Orchard, Lost Forty Honey Bock, Shiner Bock, Dos Equis and, of course, Bud Light, on tap. "Tuesday is karaoke night," she said, "so our $3 well drinks are popular. And the SweetWater beers are popular right now. They're out of Atlanta." She produced two plastic containers from under the bar. "$2 Jello shots all the time. Right now, we have lemon and strawberry." In summer months, she said, people turn to cocktails with Tito's and Deep Eddy vodkas with grapefruit juice or lemonade. She mixed a small sample of something called "Red Tea," a bright pink blend of Jameson, peach schnapps and cranberry juice. "It tastes like Kool-Aid," she said, and it does. It's dangerously easy to drink, and even as a sip, probably a bad idea before noon. The regulars seemed to agree; they paired their burgers with a sensible Pabst Blue Ribbon. 663-9802. 1321 Rebsamen Park Road.

U.S. Pizza If you enjoy sitting on a patio and drinking, you probably already know this: U.S. Pizza has some of the best happy hour specials around. At all locations, select drafts are $2 on Tuesday and $2.50 on Thursday. On Saturday and Sunday, Bloody Marys are $3, mimosas are $2 and champagne buckets with a carafe of orange juice are just $7.49. Brunch runs 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Many locations all over Central Arkansas. uspizzaco.net.

Vino's Brewpub What do you get at a brewpub? Brew, of course. Vino's four mainstays are Firehouse Pale Ale, Pinnacle IPA, Six Bridges Cream Ale and Lazy Boy Stout, but brewer Hunter Tackett has got a batch of Rainbow Wheat coming on for the summer. Vino's also sells beer by the growler. Oh, yes, you can get a glass of wine here, too. 823 W. Seventh St., 375-8466, vinosbrewpub.com.

The Water Buffalo Taproom While many homebrewers long to see the name of their beloved custom suds on a tap handle in a real bar somewhere, it's rare for those dreams to come true: It's a costly leap from stovetop to commercial brewing. Rare doesn't mean never, however, as proven by the offerings at The Water Buffalo's taproom. The Water Buffalo, which started out as a beer and winemaking supplies store, opened a taproom in October 2016, allowing customers to both buy craft beer and the goodies to make their own in one stop. Among the 16 beers (and one root beer) on offer, there are also brews by what he calls the cooperative: a unique-in-the-region arrangement in which four former Water Buffalo customers have, through an agreement with Buffalo Brewing Co., effectively gone pro. Since he sells the supplies, Nolen Buffalo knows who is making good homebrew and winning brewing contests. The four homebrewers are now distributing commercially under the Buffalo Brewing Co. name. But don't go rushing down to the Water Buffalo with a growler of your favorite sure-fire recipe under your arm, hoping to make the team. Buffalo said the cooperative's roster is full right now, though he's likely to extend invitations to more homebrewers in the future. 106 S. Rodney Parham Road, 725-5296, thewaterbuffalo.com.

West End Smokehouse & Tavern A relaxed and comfortable place to meet and greet in West Little Rock — or to catch a game on one of its 50 televisions — West End features a big (and cheap) selection of over 50 beers, heavy on well-known foreigns and domestics. Rounding out the menu are 10 wines by the bottle or glass, plus a half-dozen signature cocktails (none over $7.50) and another half-dozen cocktails built around the Red Bull energy drink, for when you want both up and down in the same glass. 215 N. Shackleford Road, 224-7665, westendsmokehouse.net.

White Water Tavern The best damn bar anywhere does not do cocktails more complicated than whiskey and Coke. There's no blender and, as far as anyone can remember, there never has been. After Matt White and Sean Hughes and others bought the bar 10 years ago, the bar sold something like 400 percent more Jameson than it had before they took over. "Maybe because we're getting old," White, 34, says of his cohort. "But people don't drink Jameson like they used to." Fireball has become a go-to. Go figure. But forever and ever, the best-selling drink and the one we always turn to when we're stomping along to live music is Pabst Blue Ribbon: It's only $1.50 — among the best regular beer deals in town. 2500 W. Seventh St., 375-8400, whitewatertavern.com.

Willy D's Another longtime River Market piano bar (the other is Ernie Biggs), where locals and tourists congregate to get sloppy and sing. Bonus points: The nightclub Deep is in the basement. 322 President Clinton Ave., 244-9550, willydspianobar.com.

Zin Urban Wine flights, three half-glasses providing a few tastes of this specialty spot for between $12-$16, are the trick at Zin Urban. The Call Me a Cab — a trio of Cabernets — is a favorite, but ask the bartender, who should be full of good suggestions. 300 River Market Ave., 246-4876, zinlr.com.

Zack's Place Another local haunt whose bar side caters to those looking for a classic neighborhood feel, Zack's has been open since 1988, and features a full bar plus 14 beers on tap, heavy on domestic brews like Bud and Bud Light, plus a nice selection of dark beers. Drink up while watching any of 25 TVs, going Minnesota Fats on one of the three pool tables or throwing bullseyes on one of the five dartboards. 1400 S. University Ave., 664-6444, @zacksplace.

ZAZA We've long made stops at ZAZA just to get a scoop of impossibly creamy gelato on a hot summer night. Now there's a new attraction: the F'Rosé (frozen rosé wine). The grown-up slushy will be available at the Conway and Heights locations through the summer. Beer and wine and margaritas are here, too. 5600 Kavanaugh Blvd., 661-9292; 1050 Ellis Ave., Conway. zazapizzaandsalad.com.

It doesn't have to be a bar

Chipotle At Little Rock's watering holes, everybody may know your name, but no one cares that you're drinking, unless you are on the floor. But order an overpriced Patron tequila margarita at Chipotle for $7 and watch, in awe, as the clientele judges you (bonus points if you get one in the afternoon). As St. Augustine said of his infatuation with pears, "[It] pleased us all the more because it was forbidden." Sweet transgression; oh sin, for sin's sake. 100 S. University Ave, 404-2557.

Dickey-Stephens Park Some folks go for the baseball, others because they like to drink outdoors. But to most of us, the call of "cold beer" and the sound of cracking bats is music to our ears. The beer garden has draft beer; local brews are available on the concourse as well. 400 W. Broadway St., NLR, 664-1555.

Leo's Greek Castle It's rare you get to report cost in the range of cents, but here goes: 75-cent PBR's are served at Leo's. This tiny Greek eatery is not a typical place to drink, but why not? Maybe you'll be like Socrates, said to be able to "drink any quantity of wine and not be at all nearer being drunk." Or if the Pabst catches up with you, maybe folks will say: "Will you have a very drunken man as a companion of your revels?" Either way works at Leo's. 2925 Kavanaugh Blvd, 666-7414.

Professor Bowl If it's been a minute since you hit the lanes, here's an extra incentive to step back out: Professor Bowl has a list of craft beers to rival any in town. That'll help all those gutter balls go down easier. 901 Towne Oaks Drive, 224-9040, home.professorbowlwest.com.

Riverdale 10 In an age of movies on your phone, going to the cinema can be a dip into pure luxury. Especially around Little Rock, where the Riverdale 10 and other movie houses have tried to attract customers with big reclining leather seats. So, really go for it and get a beer or some wine. You'll pay $7 for a 12-ounce beer ($10.75 for a 22-ounce). The wines are $7.50. Is that overpriced? Yes; it's a movie theater. Honestly, it will help to be a little tipsy to get through the new "Transformers" movie. 2600 Cantrell Road, 296-9955, riverdale10.com

Taqueria Guadalajara The micheladas at Taqueria Guadalajara — Clamato juice mixed with your beer of choice and spices — come in giant steins with Tajín seasoning around the rim. The micheladas are strong and the stein's size is no joke: I've never been able to finish an entire drink in less than an hour's meal. Best to enjoy this refreshing gulp with the cheap, cheap eats of the taqueria, on a long summer afternoon. 3813 Camp Robinson Road, 753-9991.

Central Arkansas Bar Guide

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A Foodie’s Guide of Where to Eat in Edinburgh

Edinburgh is blessed with a multitude of great places to eat and drink as well as local Scottish produce of the highest quality. We were recently invited to discover the region’s culinary delights on a foodie exploration of Edinburgh, Fife and St. Andrew’s by Visit Scotland.  We’ll be sharing more about our adventures along the picturesque coastline soon, but for now let’s head to Scotland’s capital for our guide of where to eat in Edinburgh.

Coffee and doughnuts at Baba Budan

If you’re a fan of doughnuts then don’t miss the delicious ones on offer at Baba Budan, Located in the new Waverley Arches development, they also have plans to bring their artisan coffee and doughnuts to markets across the city. The doughnut fillings change regularly – we were tempted by the chocolate one, after a tasty mushroom and poached eggs on toast. Coffee is equally flavourful, with Square Mile and Coffee Collective being their preferred suppliers.

Contemporary Indian dining at Dishoom

For Indian dining with a contemporary twist, you can’t beat Dishoom, one of our favourite places to eat in Edinburgh. Located in a handsome stone building on St Andrew Square, the restaurant is an homage to Sir Patrick Geddes, a Scottish botanist and town planner born in 1854. After improving living conditions in the Old Town in Edinburgh, he travelled to Bombay where he became a confidant of Gandhi and helped to plan many Indian cities.

Whilst Dishoom is new to Edinburgh, they’re very well established in London thanks to their succulent vegetable, fish and meat dishes. The atmosphere in their Edinburgh restaurant is vibrant with knowledgeable staff who will talk you through the many specialties on offer.

Try a lassi to go with your meal – these yoghurt based drinks are truly refreshing. Finish with kulfi on a stick, this Indian ice cream makes a perfect dessert.

Deli delights at Valvona and Crolla

Valvona & Crolla is well known as the oldest deli and Italian wine merchant in Scotland. From their foodhall situated on Elm Row to their new café on luxurious Multrees Walk and their outposts in Jenners department store and online delivery, they’ve been serving the UK since 1934. A family run business, they’re a great source for freshly baked bread, cheese, wine and much more. There’s even a book store that becomes a theatre during the Fringe Festival. We had the chance to sample their delicious produce, thanks to an innovative agreement with The Old Town Chambers. Our home from home in Edinburgh was a great base from which to explore the city and we’ll be writing about it in detail soon. Guests staying at these luxury serviced apartments can choose to receive a fantastic breakfast box with a lovely selection of food. The gold box decorated with green ribbon is a work of art in itself.

Inside you’ll find an array of cold meats, specialty cheeses, fresh fruit, bread, pastries and organic fruit juice. A great way to start your day in style!

Foraged food at Forage and Chatter

Forage & Chatter is a dining experience like no other, tucked away in Edinburgh’s West End. They focus on locally sourced Scottish cuisine, with much of the menu having been sourced by an expert licensed forager. Owner and manager Cameron McNeil called on his family to assist with the restaurant, and his mother has overseen the interior design. There are cosy booths decorated with Balmoral tweed and an airy conservatory to the rear with tables designed by Cameron’s brother, Nicholas.

They’re currently ranked number 2 on TripAdvisor, and aiming to be number 1. We can certainly see why they’re so popular – this is the first time that we’ve been asked if the temperature suited us in a restaurant, and that’s just one example of their attentiveness. As for the food, it comes from within a 25 mile radius with some ingredients having been foraged, such as the mushrooms in this mouthwatering carpaccio of goats cheese and herbs.

A starter of BBQ pork shoulder with crispy squid, radish and cauliflower was equally good, as was a main course of West Coast hake with onion, dill, courgettes and wild leeks. We enjoyed it with a tasty side of garlic and ginger broccoli. The wine list is made up of interesting wines that tell a story. They’re great value, like the set lunches at 2 courses for £14.95 and 3 courses for £17.95. For dessert, we recommend the Vahlrona Chocolate with malt and peanuts or the local Scottish cheese platter.

Italian small plates at Contini

You can’t help but be impressed by the beautiful exterior of Contini George Street. Formerly a bank, it’s now a cool restaurant that successfully combines Italian flare with the very best Scottish ingredients. Victor and Carina Contini run several popular eateries, including Cannonball near Edinburgh Castle and The Scottish Café and Restaurant within The Scottish National Gallery.

The interior is equally impressive, with an elegant bar where you can enjoy an aperitivo. They have a an excellent aperitivo menu with any 3 dishes of your choice served with a glass of Prosecco for £15 from Monday to Friday between 3 and 7 pm.

We were here though to sample the a la carte menu, with a lovely selection of dishes. Highlights included crispy risotto balls with mozzarella di bufala, stracchino cow’s milk cheese and wild garlic pesto, as well as the raw fennel salad with Tarocco orange, green olives and acacia honey. The pasta here is cooked al dente to retain flavour and our dish of fresh recchiette with Italian piccante sausage, cremini and dried porcini mushrooms with rocket, fresh cream and Parmigiano Reggiano was a real treat.

Quirky cafe at Roseleaf

Roseleaf Café is located in Leith near the port and Royal Yacht Britannia, so handy if you’re planning a visit there. Established in 2007, they’re family run and a cross between a gastro pub, cafe and bistro. Decorated with vintage furniture, hats from around the world and other quirky finds, they’re open from 10 am to 10 pm every day. Everything is cooked from scratch, using the best sustainable and seasonal produce.

Try a burger with Scottish mature cheddar and tomato relish, served in a homemade toasted sesame seed bun. The hand cut double dipped chips are pretty tasty too! Wash it down with a real ale or a Pot-Tail aka a cocktail in a teapot!

For dessert, the triple chocolate cake with Scottish raspberries and ice cream is a good pick, and their cakes are available to take home too. By the way, if you happen to be visiting Royal Yacht Britannia, make sure to try some of their delicious fudge which is made onboard.

Secret bar at Panda and Sons

Hidden in plain sight on Queen Street, you’ll find Panda & Sons speakeasy.

It’s disguised as a barber shop, but if you head down the stairs you’ll find a bookcase that’s a secret entrance to the bar behind. There are many eccentric touches inside, like hairdressing chairs, a vintage phone booth and cocktails served up in unusual containers. They also do a good line in craft beers and wine too.

Tea and chocolate tasting at Eteaket

Eteaket is making a name for itself as one of Scotland’s most successful food producers. Their high quality teas are in demand with restaurants and hotels worldwide. Members of the public can sample them in their Tea Room on Frederick Street and Concept Store on Rose Street. In the award winning Tea Room you’ll find a charming cafe open seven days a week as well as a range of eteaket teas to take away. Depending on the time of day, you might prefer a lunch dish like this succulent burger served on vintage crockery, or their renowned afternoon tea. The friendly staff bring you a timer with your cuppa, so that your tea is infused for just the right duration. If you fancy something different, there are tea cocktails, iced teas and tea lattes.

Over on Rose Street, eteaket’s Concept Store has a fantastic array of tea ware and gifts. We recommend the Tea Flight, a pairing of 5 different teas and tea-infused chocolate – it’s a real eye opener. Founder Erica Moore or one of her friendly colleagues will take you on a journey through the world of tea, starting with the tea plant itself. They adapt the tea tasting to your preferences and there are some interesting creations to try such as their Isle of Harris Gin Tea. Rest assured that it’s non-alcoholic and caffeine free!

Watch as the tea is brewed before your eyes in a Syphon machine and enjoy the innovative flavours of eteaket’s loose leaf teas and chocolate.

Other Places to Eat in Edinburgh

We didn’t get time to visit these culinary hotspots also recommended to us:

• The Kitchin – Tom Kitchin’s canalside restaurant in Leith

• Le Roi Fou – Jerome Henry’s French restaurant on Forth Street

• Martin Wishart – Michelin starred dining in Leith

• The Wee Restaurant – Scottish cuisine on Frederick Street

• Timberyard – locally sourced food in a warehouse space

However, we’d love to hear your recommendations of where to eat in Edinburgh, as we’ll definitely be back!

The post A Foodie’s Guide of Where to Eat in Edinburgh appeared first on Luxury Columnist.

A Foodie’s Guide of Where to Eat in Edinburgh published first on http://ift.tt/2pewpEF

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How to make your own beer for less than 50p a pint

Homebrew isn’t as horrid as it used to be and it can cost you less than 50p a pint but would you make your own beer?

 A starter 40-pint kit that includes liquid malt extract with yeast costs from £12

The basic ingredients required for making your own beer from scratch – rather than relying on a kit – are hops, grain, water and yeast

An all-grain brewing equipment will cost around £200

By Toby Walne for The Mail on Sunday

Published: 17:31 EDT, 23 May 2020 | Updated: 18:40 EDT, 24 May 2020

The closure of pubs, combined with stressed household finances, has caused demand for homebrew kits to soar. And I am among those who have taken to brewing their own beer while in lockdown.

The result is a home bar well stocked with a mix of India pale ale, stout and cider – plus a few adventurous tipples that include mead and nettle beer. All for less than 50p a pint.

Of course, home brewing is not always plain sailing. While the quality can be superior to anything available from a pub or supermarket – a result of fresh aromas and fruity hop kicks – brewing disasters can happen. The result is drinks occasionally infused with hints of soil and mould. But ‘brewing your own’ is always fun.

Homebrew: The basic ingredients required for making your own beer from scratch – rather than relying on a kit – are hops, grain, water and yeast

You can start with a basic 40-pint kit that includes liquid malt extract with yeast from £12 that can be picked up in stores such as Wilko.

You heat the malt extract in a pan and then mix in sugar and water. The brew is then poured into a £10 plastic fermentation bucket with an airlock.

Once cooled to about 20ºC, you add the yeast and leave everything to ferment for about a fortnight. While left alone, the yeast busily gobbles up any sugar it can find – and turns it into alcohol and carbon dioxide.

It is then time to bottle. You might have spare screw top bottles lying around or old beer bottles. It might be worth investing £10 in a beer bottle capper plus £5 on a pack of 100 crown caps. Add extra sugar just before bottling to ensure that when you drink the contents there is a reassuring fizz that will provide a foaming head to the beer.

Leave for two more weeks for final fermentation.

Rob Neale is owner of online brewery store Malt Miller. He says: ‘Those with memories of old-fashioned budget kits that would give off a faintly recognisable homebrew tang will be pleasantly surprised by how much better today’s kits are. Companies such as Mango Jacks sell £20 kits that provide a great introduction to this fantastic hobby.’

The basic ingredients required for making your own beer from scratch – rather than relying on a kit – are hops, grain, water and yeast. But it is the process of putting them all together, known as all-grain brewing, that is the hard part.

Books such as Craft Beer For The People by Richard Taylor and Home Brew Beer by Greg Hughes offer guidance as well as recipes – as do websites including Brewer’s Friend and BeerSmith. 

A good starting point is to brew a favourite beer – a ‘clone’ – so as to replicate the taste of a top ale, such as Timothy Taylor’s Landlord or Brewdog Punk IPA.

You start with a ‘mash’ – the term used for stirring germinating barley seed (known as malt) into hot water. For this you need a large preserving pan. Once this has been done, you move on to the ‘sparge’ – rinsing out the mash by adding hot water and separating off the grain.

The process requires a bucket with a special rotating arm added to enable water to freely flow through this ‘wort’ liquid. You will then need to boil the wort for at least an hour, during which time hops can be added.

Once cooled, the wort is put into a fermenting bin and the yeast added – just like with a basic kit. You should leave it alone to ferment into beer for a couple of weeks before bottling the ale for storage.

You can spend from £20 for all the ingredients but the biggest investment will be the all-grain brewing equipment, which will cost around £200.

If you invest in something fancy, such as a £700 all-in-one Grainfather, you not only get all the required equipment but also can be connected to a phone app that guides you through the process.

Homebrew online traders such as Malt Miller, Brew UK and The Homebrew Shop, sell all the ingredients needed – as well as extras such as sterilisation additives so no germs get into a brew, and a hydrometer to find out the alcohol-strength. 

Nettle beer’s not for fainthearts

Rather than going down the traditional homebrew route, you can also turn to Mother Nature and forage for ingredients.

Fruit, vegetables and even garden weeds can make a brew. To whet your appetite, consider looking at foraging recipe books, such as Booze by John Wright and Food For Free by Richard Mabey.

At this time of year, stinging nettles are everywhere. You can pick a kilogram of nettle tops and throw them into a preserving pan with water and cream of tartar. Upon boiling, straining and adding sugar and lemon, the liquid is cooled and yeast is added. 

For free: At this time of year, stinging nettles are everywhere

The concoction is put into a five-litre glass demijohn with an airlock that can be purchased for about £10. You then sit back for a few weeks and wait in the hope the yeast will turn it into a glorious beer.

Peapod burgundy was the tipple of choice for Tom and Barbara Good in 1970s TV sitcom The Good Life, but you might try something a little less potent to begin with – perhaps rhubarb wine.

There is a huge range of recipes to explore online – all part of the adventure. They involve chopping up rhubarb, adding ginger and lemon – then pouring on boiling water and leaving covered in a bucket.

You then decant the liquid into a demijohn. Fermentation comes from the natural yeast in the air. Patience is required. Wait a year for Mother Nature to run her course before it can be drunk.

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[lifespacepittsburgh]

Homestead’s Eighth & Hays: It’s Lit

If you haven’t been paying attention, or don’t care to, you probably haven’t noticed Homestead’s redeveloping communities; its many long-standing, family-owned businesses; or any of the newest establishments to grace Eighth Avenue. After all, just beyond city limits, the borough lacks the convenience — and until recently, the draw — of Pittsburgh’s most frequented neighborhoods. Surrounded by retired steel mills and dilapidated properties, Homestead’s the kind of place you’d never expect to find a contemporary, effortlessly inviting wine bar.

Enter: Eighth & Hays — a contemporary, effortlessly inviting wine bar. It opened in early November 2016 (on the corner of Hays Street and aforementioned hot-spot Eighth Avenue), but it’s got the panache of a place decades older. Inside, warm lighting and earthy tones complement an ideal balance of brick walls and wooden furniture. The vibe’s casual, the servers are actual rays of sunshine, and the menu is filled with all of our favorite weekend things: cocktails, wine, cheese.

Founded by Karen and Joe Ducar — whose names sound familiar because they’ve owned Duke’s Upper Deck Cafe, the sports pub next door, since 1988 — and operated by their daughter, Pamela Wantland, Eighth & Hays isn’t just a family affair. It’s the vibrancy this part of Homestead has been craving. Believe us: The local buzz is real. But we’d also drive hours for one of these wood-fired pies. (Definitely more on that later.)

Wielding a bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, Wantland traded a corporate career for a stake in her parents’ business. “I started to teach myself about wine, read as much as I could, and started working with suppliers to develop our wine list,” she says of the transition. Today, the general manager and self-taught sommelier has everything to do with everything alcoholic on these menus.

Particularly extensive: the vino selection of “premium” and “high quality house wines” that took her “about a year” to finalize. “You don’t have to spend a ton of money to get a great bottle of wine,” she advises. “It just takes some research.” OK — this girl gets us. And not just on the wine front, either.

Using homemade simple syrup and fresh juices and herbs, Eighth & Hays’ cocktails are boss. We’d describe most as “modified classics,” like the Mexican Mule, made with either mescal or tequila; and the Cosmopolitan, featuring fig-infused vodka and elderflower liqueur. As a nightcap, give the Tiramisu Martini a shot. Freshly brewed espresso, tiramisu liqueur, vanilla vodka. YOLO, right?

But seriously. Back to the pizza. We all ordered one; we all experienced that super-awkward group thing where there’s no talking, only eating, for a good five minutes. To clarify, that brick oven isn’t here for show. Those slices came to us from the heavens, wood-fired and charred in all the right ways.

The guy behind the pie is executive chef Kevin Harris, and he’s been part of this crew since day one. His speciality is pizza, obviously. But he’s also developed a fine selection of equally enticing grub: paninis, cured meats, even homemade desserts.

“We’re so lucky to have found such an amazing staff,” Wantland tells us, though we’ve got a feeling her employees knew the place would take off from the start. It’s homey, sophisticated, and walkable from the Waterfront, for starters. But it’s also one of few eateries in the neighborhood that’s owned independently.

“I think that a lot of people are sick of the same old chains,” says Wantland. “They want something new, fresh, locally owned. And Eighth Avenue is starting to become just that.”

If its growing business landscape is any indication, Homestead seems to be morphing into a place that feels more like a destination than a wrong turn. Realistically, it might not ever be as family-oriented as Highland Park or as polished as Shadyside. It probably won’t be able to offer the Strip District’s walkability, or the South Side’s sheer number of storefronts. But Homestead has always done things its own way — and that’s exactly what we love about it.

Eighth & Hays is open Wednesday and Thursday, 4-10pm; and Friday and Saturday, 4pm-12am.

Eighth & Hays / 130 W Eighth Avenue, Homestead / 412.326.0009

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Party Time: Welcome to America’s Top 10 Booziest—and Soberest—Cities

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It isn’t a stretch to say that alcohol helped build our nation. From bathtub gin to the Old-Fashioneds of the “Mad Men” era, kegerators to craft beer, the Boston Tea Party to Long Island iced teas, boozy beverages have played a prominent role in American history and culture. Legend even has it that dwindling beer rations are what prompted the pilgrims to land on Plymouth Rock.

“We could not now take time for further search or consideration, our victuals being much spent, especially our beer,” one settler wrote of the voyage.

And it wasn’t Homer Simpson who said, “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” It was founding father Ben Franklin, a gentleman who famously enjoyed his tipple. 

We’re a nation of drinkers, and our love affair continues unabated. You got a problem with that?

Sure, tastes and preferences change over the years. Whiskey is gaining fast on vodka. Beer’s still the drink of choice for the majority of Americans—about 43% in 2016, according to Gallup—but not as popular as in ’92, when 47% of folks regularly enjoyed a can or bottle of suds. Meanwhile, wine lovers may make up only about a third of all drinkers, but those regularly savoring delicious glasses of pinot noir or sauvignon blanc have risen 5% over the same period.

For those looking for an excuse to imbibe, Saint Patrick’s Day is as fine a time as any to throw on a leprechaun sweater, belt out some Pogues tunes, and savor a few dark pints of Guinness or some Irish whiskey.

“Drinking is entertainment,” says Wayne Curtis, author of “And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails.” It’s other things, too. A time-proven social lubricant. A salve for the endless stressors of modern life. And, sometimes, a crutch.

Some cities, for better and worse, clearly enjoy drinking more than others. So in honor of one of the two great alcohol-fueled holidays, we decided to rank the 300 largest U.S. cities based on these criteria:

Rate of binge drinking (five drinks over a two-hour stretch for a man, or four for a woman, at least once a month)

Number of bars, wineries, breweries, distilleries, and liquor stores per capita

Percentage of homes with a wet bar

Number of drug and alcohol rehab centers per capita

Percentage of traffic fatalities that are related to alcohol

The region where you live can have a big influence on how much you pound down at the bar, says William Kerr, director of the Alcohol Research Center in Emeryville, CA. For example, alcohol consumption is high in the chilly states of the northern Midwest and New England. (Hot toddy, anyone?) Meanwhile, the drinking rate tends to be lowest in the Bible Belt and in heavily Mormon Utah.

Your salary plays a role, too.

“We generally see that as income goes up, people are more likely to be drinkers,” Kerr says. Something to strive for, fellow Americans!

Of course, as you can tell by some of the criteria above, heavy drinking can have serious consequences. So designate a driver in case the fumes coming off our list of booziest cities intoxicate you, and read on. Here are some of the things we learned:

Boozy Trend No. 1: The Rust Belt loves its alcohol

What could possibly be better than a bottle of ice-cold beer at a Packers game? Three bottles.

Green Bay, WI, is the nation’s booziest city, boasting more than 150 years of suds-making history. Evidence is everywhere you look: couples in wedding gowns posing for photos next to brewing tanks, tourists and locals strolling through exhibitions in the National Railroad Museum, more likely than not with sweaty brown bottles in hand.

Perhaps there’s too much evidence. Green Bay has the highest binge drinking rate in our study. A staggering 24% of adults confess to railroading several drinks at least once a month, compared with 17% nationally.

“There [are] bars everywhere. It’s just part of the culture,” says Kevin Revolinski, author of “Wisconsin’s Best Beer Guide.” “We joke about it: that people will maybe go to the pub after church, put their kid on the bar in a diaper, and have a beer for lunch.”

Nearly 150 miles away from Green Bay, Madison (No. 4) residents also enjoy kicking back with a few brewskis. It’s a college town, after all: The University of Wisconsin–Madison has more than 43,000 students. We’d like to think at least a few are hard at work studying, but let’s just say they help keep the downtown bars and clubs in business.

Some attribute the drinking culture to Wisconsin’s heavy German heritage—and it was the Germans who popularized hopped beer and those sprawling beer gardens that populate the state.

The cultural affinity for beer is also reflected in the state’s lax liquor laws. Underage drinkers can consume alcohol in a bar as long as they’re accompanied by a parent, guardian, or spouse of legal drinking age.

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh (No. 10) has its own long love affair with beer. Almost as soon as people settled in the region, the brewing began. The city’s first brewery opened in 1765, 11 years before the United States became a nation. Priorities are priorities.

Boozy Trend No. 2: Hipster cities dig craft beer and cocktails Attendees at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver love beer so much, they even love fictional beers.

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Both Denver (No. 2) and Portland, OR (No. 9), are young, hip, and ready to party. It’s common to see movie theaters pairing popcorn with beer (delicious, really), and food trucks with separate stations for cocktails.

From Williams & Graham, which was a speakeasy disguised as a corner bookstore during Prohibition, to City O’City, a coffee shop by day and pub by night, Denver has a head-spinning 650 bars listed on Yelp.

Denver is also the birthplace of Modern Drunkard Magazine, dedicated to the art and culture of drinking. It gained national attention in 2004, when publisher Frank Kelly Rich wrote an impassioned editorial protesting the reduced alcohol content of Jack Daniel’s Black Label, which had gone from 86 proof to 80 proof. The outrage!

Colorado is renowned for its craft breweries, and Denver is overflowing with them, says Cody Gabbard, a beer writer for Denver’s 303 Magazine and advocate for all things fermentable. Some of the best can be found in the River North Art District, Denver’s new “it” neighborhood near downtown.

“About eight breweries opened in the last two years” in River North, he says.

Many of the city’s young residents see no contradiction between heavy drinking and the famously outdoorsy Colorado lifestyle, says Robert Sickler, owner of Finn’s Manor, a Denver craft cocktail bar.

“They want to go out and about, meet people, make their acquaintance, and enjoy their time after a hike or a bike ride”—preferably with a beer, he says.

Portlanders also enjoy a refreshing alcoholic beverage, or four. But bars in the city are required to serve food with alcohol to promote “healthier drinking.”

“The drinking culture really goes hand in hand with the dining culture,” says bartender Jeffrey Morgenthaler, who manages two bars at the Portland Ace Hotel. “It’s not a city full of people who are just getting drunk all the time; it’s a real social atmosphere.”

And taverns are just about everywhere in this hipster mecca. Be prepared to walk into a random store and realize, “Oh, it’s also a bar.” There’s a bike repair shop that has 12 taps, a video arcade that names cocktails after video games, and a leather goods store that tucks a bar in the back patio.

Boozy Trend No. 3: Cold weather drives people to drink Spokane, WA: Wanna keep shoveling, or just go grab a beer?

Jan Stromme/Getty Images

File this one under “obvious”: Researchers have pointed out a link between heavy drinking and latitude. As it turns out, the farther people are from the equator, the more likely it is that they drink. When winter days get long, dark, and freezing, locals tend to turn to alcohol to combat boredom and depression. Guess what the heaviest-drinking country in the world is? Russia.

In the U.S., cities in the snowy north—Billings, MT (No. 3), Spokane, WA (No. 7), and Fargo, ND (No. 8)—have a strong penchant for booze.

Downtown Billings offers as diverse and welcoming a drinking scene as most big cities, but at a much lovelier price. Happy hours offer $2 beers, $3 margaritas, and $3 fireball shots. (Don’t ask.)

Driving under the influence accounted for 14.3% of all arrests in Montana, among the highest rate in the country, according to 2015 FBI data.

Meanwhile, college football tailgating—and all the booze that goes along with it—is huge in Fargo. Tailgater Magazine (it’s real!) named North Dakota State University the 14th-best place for parking-lot partying.

Boozy Trend No. 4: Cities dominated by young guys imbibe more

“States like North Dakota and Wyoming generally have a higher percentage of male and generally younger people,” says Kerr from the Alcohol Research Center. Simply put: “Those groups drink more, regardless of where they are.”

The preponderance of men is at least somewhat due to the oil industries in both of the states, and Wyoming’s coal business.

And younger, unmarried people often aren’t saddled with the same responsibilities as those who are raising families—meaning that they may have way more time and money to buy a few rounds at the bar.

Sober Trend No. 1: Religion and benders don’t mix

Apparently, every month is #Dryanuary in Utah—many residents take a pass on alcohol all year long. That’s due to the state’s large population of devout Mormons, who abstain from drinking alcohol as well as caffeine, aided (no coincidence) by the state’s stringent liquor laws.

In restaurants opened after 2009, Utah bartenders are required to mix drinks out of view behind the so-called “Zion Curtain,” or to have a 10-foot buffer zone, prohibited to minors, between the alcohol-serving area and the rest of the eatery.

Any beer that exceeds 4% by volume is considered “liquor,” and is therefore banned from groceries and convenience stores. And remember, you can have more than one drink in front of you, but you can’t order a “double.” Got it? (Us neither,)

In Provo (No. 1), only 7.1% of adults engage in binge drinking, by far the lowest percentage in our study. West Jordan (No. 3), south of Salt Lake City, has only five bars on Yelp, including Applebee’s (which tells you a lot in itself).

As for Salt Lake City, it missed the top list because of the growing number of bars. Sometimes called “Silicon Slopes,” the city’s tech industry and proximity to world-class skiing have attracted young transplants from all over the country. That increases the demand for real, honest-to-gosh drinking establishments. But the binge drinking rate still remains low, at 11.6%.

Religion is also part of the reason why Memphis, TN (No. 6), made the list. Even though it’s hard to imagine scores of musicians without a drink in hand, the city has a large Baptist population, many of whom abstain. Only 9.6% of the adults there are heavy drinkers.

Sober Trend No. 2: Suburbanites don’t party where they sleep Daly City may be on the coast, but as far as alcohol consumption goes, it’s pretty dry.

MarkHatfield/iStock

Several of the most sober cities, including Daly City, CA (No. 2), El Monte, CA (No. 5), and Hialeah, FL (No. 8), are family-oriented bedroom communities located just outside bigger metros. So they often don’t have quite so many bars.

That means that if you live in Daly City, you need only to travel less than 10 miles into that bar mecca San Francisco. Residents of El Monte are only about a half-hour away from Los Angeles. And Hialeah residents can hop on the train to get to Miami, only about a dozen miles away.

Even if you’re traveling for your tipple, just be sure not to drink and drive, OK?

“At the end of the day, [drinking] comes down to a sense of moderation,” says Ted Haigh, aka Dr. Cocktail, author of “Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails.”

Data: realtor.com®, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Census Bureau County Business Pattern, Yelp.com, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, County Health Rankings, RehabCenter.net

The post Party Time: Welcome to America’s Top 10 Booziest—and Soberest—Cities appeared first on Real Estate News & Advice | realtor.com®.

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[travelita]

Your Guide to Making Friends on the Road

Guest article by Jen Nilsson

As you plan for your solo trip, you may feel a nagging worry. One that you try to suppress while you focus on the excitement of what’s to come, but a worry that needles at you none the less. That worry is loneliness.

It’s an understandable concern. When I packed my bags for my first solo adventure, I also packed a whole lot of worries with me. I was newly alone after my partner died of a swift and brutal cancer and, though I was looking forward to escaping my life for a while, I was also fretting about being lonely.

One of the most surprising lessons that I learned on the road was that solo travel does not necessarily mean traveling alone. You will meet many other like-minded travelers and welcoming locals.

Here are some of the ways that I learned to leave my concerns about loneliness behind while making friends on the road:

Embrace Communal Space

I don’t mean staying in a hostel, necessarily. Hostels were certainly a great option for me for a while, but as an introverted extrovert who enjoys alone time and does not enjoy bunk beds, I usually don’t do the hostel thing.

However, there are so many other ways to enjoy communal space!

Consider renting a room with a local host using Airbnb. This provides you with your own space but allows for an opportunity to make a new friend of your local host.

Another option that I love is TrustedHousesitters. Using this arrangement, no money is exchanged between house sitter and homeowner, and you will have your own space. However, you will be responsible for caring for the home and, often, the homeowner’s animals. I love this option because it is very budget friendly in that there is no cost for the accommodation, but you will also meet and spend time with the homeowner. I have made many new friends (both human and puppy!) this way.

Using TrustedHousesitters also necessitates trips to another communal space: dog parks!

If you do not want to walk a dog, look for restaurants with communal tables. While it can be a little intimidating to sit down alone at a communal table, you will get over this quickly as the people next to you will often include you in their conversation immediately.

Choose a Neighborhood to Love

When searching for accommodations, research neighborhood with a vibe that you love. I’m a writer, so I often search for neighborhoods with a writing or artist community. Then I really get to know the neighborhood using some of these methods:

Spend your first night at the local pub and sit at the bar. Ask the bartender about places to visit in the neighborhood. Since this is a local pub, everyone seated at the bar will have an opinion and will likely chime in. I made many new friends this way while traveling solo.

Pro tip: Don’t want to drink? Order a non-alcoholic ginger beer in a pint glass.

Do your grocery shopping at the local farmers market.

Look for a neighborhood website or a neighborhood blog that features upcoming events in the area.

Find a local coffee shop and read the local paper there every morning of your trip. You will get to know the locals and the local news this way.

Entertain Spontaneity

You’ve heard of the old throw the dart at the map trick, right? Personally, I’m too Type-A to randomly pick my next travel destination from a tossed dart, but why not pick an event for one night randomly?

That same local coffee shop that you’ve been visiting will likely have a community board with upcoming events. Randomly select one that catches your eye and go to that local book reading, poetry slam or volunteer opportunity.

Checkout Groups and Local Meetups

You’ve probably already scanned your social media contacts for anybody who might live in the area, but what about posting a message to your favorite groups to see if anybody lives nearby?

Girls Love Travel is a huge network for female travelers.

Meetup.com features local events within specific categories like “outdoors & adventure” or “arts” or “sports”.

Travelita’s Travel Community is also a great way for solo female travelers to connect.

Go on a Group Food Tour with a Local

Booking a group food tour is one of the things that I love to do immediately upon arriving in a new destination. Getting to know the way that people eat in any given destination is getting to know the culture of the place. Doing a group tour also allows you to meet new people, including the local guide.

Go on a Multi-Day Group Trip

I like to stay in a place for an extended period of time, really getting to know the neighborhood. But, when I’m not housesitting, I also book overnight group trips during my extended stay, so that I can explore the surrounding area with a group of people and a local guide. This makes for a good balance between group time and alone time, and provides an opportunity to meet other like-minded travelers.

Take a Class

Cooking, wine tasting, painting, coffee brewing, the list goes on and on. Look at Airbnb Experiences for group classes that will have you learning and laughing in no time.

Travel for a Specific Reason & Stay a Bit Longer

Into books or music or yoga? Travel for a festival or event but stay on longer after the event is over. You will meet new friends at the event who live in the area or who are traveling in the area.

I discovered this guaranteed way to make like-minded friends after attending the Bali Spirit Festival in Ubud. I only attended the festival for one day, but I stayed in Ubud for a month, meeting many fellow yogis like me.

Use an App

I don’t mean dating apps, necessarily, though both Bumble and Tinder have the ability to filter for a friend search.

Travello is an app for meeting other travelers, Tourlina is an app for female travelers seeking to meet other female travelers, and Travel Buddies is an app for meeting travelers with similar itineraries or even local guides.

Also, check out Reddit and your destination’s subreddit to discover events or attractions in the area that locals are talking about. 

Travel with a Small Offering

I learned this tip while walking the Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage across Spain. One of the women that I walked with brought stickers that read “no vino, no Camino”. She gave these stickers out to fellow pilgrims and, more often than not, those pilgrims asked us where we would be having a drink that evening. We met so many people just by giving away something small that represented who we were and what we liked to do.

I saw another traveler who brought a portable printer with him. He then immediately printed out the pictures that he took and handed his new friends the small, but precious gift of a photograph. Small gifts are excellent ways to meet people and to maintain an ongoing friendship.

Many times, people, especially travelers, are craving that kind of contact.

A fellow solo traveler – who is now a friend – taught me a very simple lesson when I met him on a rooftop in Kuala Lumpur. He said that meeting another traveler on the road is just like the moment when two children meet. There are no expectations. There is only an authentic curiosity about the soul of another.

About the Lens of Jen (lensofjen.org)

Jen Nilsson is a full-time travel blogger who changed everything about her life when her fiancé died of cancer at the age of 40.

After learning the hard way that life is too short to delay our dreams, Jen quit her corporate job, ditched high-heels for a backpack, and set out to see the world.

She now believes that life-changing moments exist outside the comfort zone. She has walked 500 miles across Spain on the Camino de Santiago, learned to surf in Bali, tried (and failed) to learn to scuba dive on a Thailand island, and finally, at the age of 37,  learned to ride a bike while cycling through the vineyards of France.

The Lens of Jen is all about embracing a new “lens” on life when things don’t shake out quite the way you planned.

YouTube: youtube.com/thelensofjen

Instagram/Twitter/Medium – @lensofjen

Free your travels, be a Travelita! #travelita #iamatravelita

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[zillowcondo]

A Foodie’s Guide of Where to Eat in Edinburgh

Edinburgh is blessed with a multitude of great places to eat and drink as well as local Scottish produce of the highest quality. We were recently invited to discover the region’s culinary delights on a foodie exploration of Edinburgh, Fife and St. Andrew’s by Visit Scotland.  We’ll be sharing more about our adventures along the picturesque coastline soon, but for now let’s head to Scotland’s capital for our guide of where to eat in Edinburgh.

Coffee and doughnuts at Baba Budan

If you’re a fan of doughnuts then don’t miss the delicious ones on offer at Baba Budan, Located in the new Waverley Arches development, they also have plans to bring their artisan coffee and doughnuts to markets across the city. The doughnut fillings change regularly – we were tempted by the chocolate one, after a tasty mushroom and poached eggs on toast. Coffee is equally flavourful, with Square Mile and Coffee Collective being their preferred suppliers.

Contemporary Indian dining at Dishoom

For Indian dining with a contemporary twist, you can’t beat Dishoom, one of our favourite places to eat in Edinburgh. Located in a handsome stone building on St Andrew Square, the restaurant is an homage to Sir Patrick Geddes, a Scottish botanist and town planner born in 1854. After improving living conditions in the Old Town in Edinburgh, he travelled to Bombay where he became a confidant of Gandhi and helped to plan many Indian cities.

Whilst Dishoom is new to Edinburgh, they’re very well established in London thanks to their succulent vegetable, fish and meat dishes. The atmosphere in their Edinburgh restaurant is vibrant with knowledgeable staff who will talk you through the many specialties on offer.

Try a lassi to go with your meal – these yoghurt based drinks are truly refreshing. Finish with kulfi on a stick, this Indian ice cream makes a perfect dessert.

Deli delights at Valvona and Crolla

Valvona & Crolla is well known as the oldest deli and Italian wine merchant in Scotland. From their foodhall situated on Elm Row to their new café on luxurious Multrees Walk and their outposts in Jenners department store and online delivery, they’ve been serving the UK since 1934. A family run business, they’re a great source for freshly baked bread, cheese, wine and much more. There’s even a book store that becomes a theatre during the Fringe Festival. We had the chance to sample their delicious produce, thanks to an innovative agreement with The Old Town Chambers. Our home from home in Edinburgh was a great base from which to explore the city and we’ll be writing about it in detail soon. Guests staying at these luxury serviced apartments can choose to receive a fantastic breakfast box with a lovely selection of food. The gold box decorated with green ribbon is a work of art in itself.

Inside you’ll find an array of cold meats, specialty cheeses, fresh fruit, bread, pastries and organic fruit juice. A great way to start your day in style!

Foraged food at Forage and Chatter

Forage & Chatter is a dining experience like no other, tucked away in Edinburgh’s West End. They focus on locally sourced Scottish cuisine, with much of the menu having been sourced by an expert licensed forager. Owner and manager Cameron McNeil called on his family to assist with the restaurant, and his mother has overseen the interior design. There are cosy booths decorated with Balmoral tweed and an airy conservatory to the rear with tables designed by Cameron’s brother, Nicholas.

They’re currently ranked number 2 on TripAdvisor, and aiming to be number 1. We can certainly see why they’re so popular – this is the first time that we’ve been asked if the temperature suited us in a restaurant, and that’s just one example of their attentiveness. As for the food, it comes from within a 25 mile radius with some ingredients having been foraged, such as the mushrooms in this mouthwatering carpaccio of goats cheese and herbs.

A starter of BBQ pork shoulder with crispy squid, radish and cauliflower was equally good, as was a main course of West Coast hake with onion, dill, courgettes and wild leeks. We enjoyed it with a tasty side of garlic and ginger broccoli. The wine list is made up of interesting wines that tell a story. They’re great value, like the set lunches at 2 courses for £14.95 and 3 courses for £17.95. For dessert, we recommend the Vahlrona Chocolate with malt and peanuts or the local Scottish cheese platter.

Italian small plates at Contini

You can’t help but be impressed by the beautiful exterior of Contini George Street. Formerly a bank, it’s now a cool restaurant that successfully combines Italian flare with the very best Scottish ingredients. Victor and Carina Contini run several popular eateries, including Cannonball near Edinburgh Castle and The Scottish Café and Restaurant within The Scottish National Gallery.

The interior is equally impressive, with an elegant bar where you can enjoy an aperitivo. They have a an excellent aperitivo menu with any 3 dishes of your choice served with a glass of Prosecco for £15 from Monday to Friday between 3 and 7 pm.

We were here though to sample the a la carte menu, with a lovely selection of dishes. Highlights included crispy risotto balls with mozzarella di bufala, stracchino cow’s milk cheese and wild garlic pesto, as well as the raw fennel salad with Tarocco orange, green olives and acacia honey. The pasta here is cooked al dente to retain flavour and our dish of fresh recchiette with Italian piccante sausage, cremini and dried porcini mushrooms with rocket, fresh cream and Parmigiano Reggiano was a real treat.

Quirky cafe at Roseleaf

Roseleaf Café is located in Leith near the port and Royal Yacht Britannia, so handy if you’re planning a visit there. Established in 2007, they’re family run and a cross between a gastro pub, cafe and bistro. Decorated with vintage furniture, hats from around the world and other quirky finds, they’re open from 10 am to 10 pm every day. Everything is cooked from scratch, using the best sustainable and seasonal produce.

Try a burger with Scottish mature cheddar and tomato relish, served in a homemade toasted sesame seed bun. The hand cut double dipped chips are pretty tasty too! Wash it down with a real ale or a Pot-Tail aka a cocktail in a teapot!

For dessert, the triple chocolate cake with Scottish raspberries and ice cream is a good pick, and their cakes are available to take home too. By the way, if you happen to be visiting Royal Yacht Britannia, make sure to try some of their delicious fudge which is made onboard.

Secret bar at Panda and Sons

Hidden in plain sight on Queen Street, you’ll find Panda & Sons speakeasy.

It’s disguised as a barber shop, but if you head down the stairs you’ll find a bookcase that’s a secret entrance to the bar behind. There are many eccentric touches inside, like hairdressing chairs, a vintage phone booth and cocktails served up in unusual containers. They also do a good line in craft beers and wine too.

Tea and chocolate tasting at Eteaket

Eteaket is making a name for itself as one of Scotland’s most successful food producers. Their high quality teas are in demand with restaurants and hotels worldwide. Members of the public can sample them in their Tea Room on Frederick Street and Concept Store on Rose Street. In the award winning Tea Room you’ll find a charming cafe open seven days a week as well as a range of eteaket teas to take away. Depending on the time of day, you might prefer a lunch dish like this succulent burger served on vintage crockery, or their renowned afternoon tea. The friendly staff bring you a timer with your cuppa, so that your tea is infused for just the right duration. If you fancy something different, there are tea cocktails, iced teas and tea lattes.

Over on Rose Street, eteaket’s Concept Store has a fantastic array of tea ware and gifts. We recommend the Tea Flight, a pairing of 5 different teas and tea-infused chocolate – it’s a real eye opener. Founder Erica Moore or one of her friendly colleagues will take you on a journey through the world of tea, starting with the tea plant itself. They adapt the tea tasting to your preferences and there are some interesting creations to try such as their Isle of Harris Gin Tea. Rest assured that it’s non-alcoholic and caffeine free!

Watch as the tea is brewed before your eyes in a Syphon machine and enjoy the innovative flavours of eteaket’s loose leaf teas and chocolate.

Other Places to Eat in Edinburgh

We didn’t get time to visit these culinary hotspots also recommended to us:

• The Kitchin – Tom Kitchin’s canalside restaurant in Leith

• Le Roi Fou – Jerome Henry’s French restaurant on Forth Street

• Martin Wishart – Michelin starred dining in Leith

• The Wee Restaurant – Scottish cuisine on Frederick Street

• Timberyard – locally sourced food in a warehouse space

However, we’d love to hear your recommendations of where to eat in Edinburgh, as we’ll definitely be back!

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