Hangin’ Out #7
Cheers to St. Paddy’s Day and The Beginning Of Spring!
It’s the season of green! The budding of new flowers, the planting of new gardens, and of course: St. Patrick’s Day! Let’s welcome Spring together with friends by breaking bread (homemade, of course), and raising our cocktail glasses to good ol’ Saint Patrick. Then we’ll follow that up with a plan on how to get over a hangover – which we may very well need after a fun night.
Cool Fact:
Spring starts on the Vernal Equinox – when the hours of day and night are equal. In 2021, this date is March 20th.
Eats & Beats
Finger foods are a great way to feed a social crowd. They are easy to prepare and share. Plus nobody feels obligated to sit down to eat a full meal since they’d rather be mingling, talking, and hanging out. We had previously shown how you can bake your own bread at home. Check out the video below, and click the link for the full recipe. We suggest using the fresh bread as a staple for your snack buffet. It makes a great base for an assortment of dainty delights to allow friends to feed as they feel the need.
*For a St. Patrick’s day twist, add a few drops of food coloring while mixing the dough for green loaves!*
And now comes the fun… provide a variety of other goodies to eat with the bread. Some of our favorites are:
- An assortment of cheeses (hard, soft, herbed) – You can’t go wrong with Manchego!
- Jam (chili pepper, onion, fig, or even just strawberry)
- Avocado with a dash of lemon
- A dip of Olive Oil, Balsamic, Sea Salt & Pepper
- Baked garlic with Rosemary
- Some light charcuterie
- Parmesan Cheese and Balsamic Glaze
- Olives or Olive Tapenade with sun-dried tomatoes
- Or even just dip it into your glass of red wine
- The list could go on forever.
In addition to your food, you’ll want to provide some flavorful sounds. Here’s a tasty playlist to get you started:
Cool Fact:
Green is the color used for night vision goggles because the human eye is most sensitive and able to distinguish the most shades in that color.
The Irish Maid Cocktail
The earliest known official Irish celebration of St. Patrick’s Day was held on March 17, 1631, marking the anniversary of the 5th century death of the patron saint of Ireland. However, the first St. Patrick’s Day parade was back in 1601 in a Spanish colony in what is now St. Augustine, Florida! The most fabled of his legends is that Saint Patrick banished all snakes from the Emerald isle. Interestingly, there is actually no evidence of snakes EVER having lived there. Regardless, today we’ll celebrate the Irish spirit in all of us with a tasty toast!
Ingredients
Irish Whiskey (such as Jameson) – 2 oz.
St. Germain (elderflower liqueur) – 1/2 oz.
Lemon or Lime Juice – 3/4 oz.
Simple Syrup – 3/4 oz.
Cucumber Slices
Fresh Mint
Directions
- Muddle two slices of cucumber and a mint leaf in a shaker.
- Add Irish Whiskey, St. Germain, lemon juice, and simple syrup to the shaker along with ice.
- Shake until well chilled.
- Strain into a glass with fresh ice.
- Garnish with a fresh slice of cucumber and mint.
Cheers!
Cool Fact:
The shamrock (three-leafed clover) was a sacred plant to the ancient Irish Celts, to whom it symbolized the arrival of spring.
How to Get Over A Hangover
Anybody who’s had a “good night drinking” with friends has very likely experienced a “bad next morning”. The nausea, the headache, the desire to die… we’ve been there. After a fun night hanging out -especially following St. Patrick’s Day- there’s a chance we all may need to get over a hangover. Since your brain will be fried, here’s a “hangover remedy plan” we’ve put together to help you get back on track.
1 – Get Up
You may feel like just staying in bed for the next 24 hours, but come on… you don’t want the entire day to go to waste! Go ahead and hit the snooze button once or twice, but make it a point to get up and get going. And don’t worry, we’ve got you. Once you get past this hardest step, just go on cruise control with the following suggestions.
2 – Water Water Water
Alcohol is a diuretic that causes your body to remove fluids from your system at a much quicker rate than other liquids. If you don’t drink enough water with alcohol you can become dehydrated quickly, so… Because you knew you were going on a bender, you planned ahead and put a tall bottle (a minimum of 1 liter) of water on your nightstand. Smart thinking! Now you can chug it before you even have to leave the comfort of your bed in the morning. So start sipping and start the hydration process.
3 – Cold Shower
You may feel like taking a hot shower, but all that heat may actually increase your nausea. To avoid that, take a cold shower. The shock to the system will actually kick up a bit of an adrenaline rush, which will help you wake up and feel fresh(er). The cold water also increases circulation which improves recovery.
4 – Food Food Food
Some carbs will do you good. Since drinking alcohol can lower blood sugar, a quick boost of simple carbs may help get your head straight again.
No left overs in the fridge? No way would we try to cook when the kitchen is spinning, but no problem… just hit this link and place an order for delivery. If you like a coffee while you wait, check out this recipe, which will give your brain and body an additional boost:
5 – Binge on the Couch
Now that you’re done with the hardest part, plop yourself down on the couch with your favorite cuddly blanket, apply an ice pack to your eyes, and begin the tv binge… Here are a few shows to keep you entertained for a few hours:
- Master of None (on Netflix) – Because laughing always makes us feel better.
- Ugly Delicious (on Netflix) – A docu-series about different foods and view points.
- The Travelers (on Netflix) – For the sci-fi fans.
- Money Heist (on Netflix) – An international crime drama series.
- Schitts Creek (on Netflix) – A hit sitcom with guffaws galore.
- The Barrier (on Netflix) – An intriguing Spanish sci-fi drama.
- WandaVision (Disney+) – If you like Marvel movies but haven’t seen this yet, catch up!
- Soul (Disney+) – A modern animated movie that hits deep and uplifts at the same time.
**Now is also a good time to take some CBD. And if your state allows it, maybe even a bit of THC.**
6 – Supplements
Some additional supplements can help you feel better sooner than later.
- Ginseng – shown in studies to reduce hangover symptoms after drinking.
- High Dose B Vitamins – Essential for maintaining normal metabolic function.
- Milk Thistle – Used traditionally to boost liver function.
- Ginger – Used traditionally to ease nausea.
- Energybits – Algae for antioxidant support.
7 – Keep Up the Hydration!
Keep sipping on those fluids. Water is great, of course. But you may want to mix in some antacid, like Alka-Seltzer, to help settle your stomach. And/or a ‘sports beverage’ like BCAA mix, Gatorade, or even Pedialyte to replace lost electrolytes. Coconut water would do the trick, too.
If you had time to pre-plan and purchase before hand, using a Liquid IV will also work wonders. As the name suggests, it’s designed to support rapid rehydration with CTT technology. Essentially, this utilizes an optimal ratio of nutrients that deliver hydration rapidly into your bloodstream. The nutrients include sodium, potassium, and glucose. Alongside these, Liquid IV contains a selection of B vitamins as well as vitamin C.
8 – Walk the Dog
Or let the dog walk you! You just enjoy the fresh air and outdoors. Oh, and definitely wear sunglasses! Not just to hide your hungover face, but to protect you. You need that boost from the sunlight, but not more of a headache.
9 – Something Productive
Let’s get at least a little something done. Doing laundry is a great chore to do while hungover, because you can just let the washing machine & dryer do the real work while you watch your shows. And folding may not be everyone’s favorite thing to do, but at this point you’re probably moving on autopilot so the task becomes that much easier.
Finally, doing a bit more for yourself, you can try to do some stretching or rolling out. A great way to relax the body and mind for a successful recovery.
So hopefully you’ve had a relaxing, restful and recuperative day. And feel a billion times better than when you woke up. You even took care of some chores and a component of your fitness. Way to go!
Cool Fact:
Hangovers cost the global economy nearly $150 billion per year, due to missed work and poor performance, as well as increased accidents and injuries!
Every night should be a memorable night! So shake up some smiles with those close to you.
Let us know your favorite way to hang out! We’d love to hear and share all the fun ways to stay connected with friends and family. Drop a note in comments below, or email us at contact@kaldzar.com.
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