(posted 01-13-09)

Yesterday I did not drink. I did not smoke. I did not eat out. Or order in. And I did not have sex.

For a hedonist it doesn’t get much worse than this.

I ate vegetables AND fruit. I read. Went for a walk. I even drank four glasses of water and went to bed before midnight. Alone.

“Happy freakin’ January Ryan, this is your new life.”

Okay make this crazy ride of sobriety stop, I need to get off! I think the lack of toxins, stimulants, depressants and hormones coursing through my booze-thinned blood are making me sick. (The sad part is it’s probably true.)

If you read last week’s post about restraint then you know that instead of making a resolution, I’ve chosen restraint as the word that will help guide me though 2009. Choosing a word instead of a specific resolution seemed so broad, so liberating. Little did I realize that it would be so broad. So damn liberating.

It applies to so many things but worst of all it applies to all the many things I love about life.

There’s the angel on my right shoulder telling me not to over eat. To drink more water and swill less booze. To cut down on the smoking and ramp up the physical activity.

Then there’s the devil on my left shoulder saying, “Where’s the fun in that?”.

I hear ya Lucifer. Let’s make cocktail and think about how we might restrain that little angel. Together we can take her.

A frigid day like this calls for something spicy. A piping hot Mayan Coffee will do nicely. This is the signature drink from our “Bookworms and Booze” party in Entertaining with Booze—and perfectly enjoyed during the day.

Combine one ounce Kahlua and half an ounce of Goldschlager in a specialty coffee glass and top with hot coffee. Finish with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkling of cinnamon, if desired.

Sip slowly and enjoy. And think about that gym membership you’re glad you didn’t buy.

Stay afloat this party season with a new cocktail book, filled with more than just recipes, it’s a guide for navigating the sea of life.

As the doors of party season get set to open, every girl should arm herself with a guide or trusted manual should she be caught hosting her own cocktail party. Whether planning a girls’ night in, or just mixing up a few drinks before hitting another seasonal soiree, there’s a fresh new book out that’s more than just shaking up Sex and the City-style cosmos. Combining one part dating manual with one part relationship guide and a splash of everyday musings, Libations of Life-a Girl’s Guide to Life: One Cocktail at a Time, is packed with both girl talk and girly drinks.

Author Dee Brun (who’s ring tone just so happens to be the theme song from Sex and the City) is seasoned both behind the bar and in the game of life. She lays it all out in her first book with a generous dose of wit and a serious glug of humour. You know you’re dealing with a bit of a she-devil with chapters like “The dating pool, and its lack of lifeguards—cocktails meant to help you stay afloat”. And a whole section on “Trolling cocktails” with drinks like “don’t let me go home with him Daiquiri”, the perfect cocktail to keep you out of trouble at the holiday office party.

“This libation must ALWAYS be accompanied by your girlfriend with the clearest judgment. Most importantly, listen to her!” says Brun.

Brun recommends flipping through the “Trim the back fat” chapter, featuring 12 deliciously low-cal, low-carb elixirs, over the holidays as this leaves room for “guilt-free hazing of the buffet.”

Stick to vodka, rum and white wine she suggests, for the most figure-friendly options.

For navigating the cocktail party bonanza Brun dishes some sage advice.

“A girl always needs to look fabulous during this season—from head to toe. Just remember you always look better upright, and not passed out on the “coat bed” at a holiday party,” she quips.

If indeed you find yourself asleep on a pile of leather and faux fur perhaps you were drinking one of Brun’s favourite holiday cocktails.

These recipes and Brun’s book are sure to put you in the festive mood, even if you’re only in it for the alcohol. So, her best advise over the holidays?

“Drink responsibly during any company function. You do not want to be the topic of discussion around the water cooler Monday morning, especially if they are discussing how you ended up on top of, or under that table.”

Libations of Life: a Girl’s Guide to Life, One Cocktail at a Time, $19.95 (Whitecap Books, 2007), available at major retailers.

The right tequila and liqueur can make or break your margaritas. Follow our tips and wow your guests with the perfect margarita cocktail.

To mark the 30th anniversary of Jimmy Buffet’s legendary cocktail song we’ve deconstructed the noble margarita and come up with a couple failsafe recipes — enough to have you “wastin’ away” right through to the fall. NOTE: not responsible for lost or stolen shakers of salt.

Margaritas come in many shapes, sizes and colours but a basic margarita is made with three ingredients — tequila, orange liqueur and lime juice, then shaken with ice. Although, if you insist on blending yours with ice, we’ll let it slide. However, if you have a bottle of “gold” tequila in your cupboard and insist on using that to mix drinks, we’re sorry but that just will not do and you should dispose of it immediately.