Happy Safe New Year!

Dec. 29, 2014 – We love wine, spirits and beer and we have a good time tasting them and writing about them. But we also respect them. Sometimes wisdom really does come with age! We want our readers to have a great New Year so here are a few tips for staying out of trouble. We know you’ve heard them all before but a refresher course isn’t a bad idea.

Don’t go to a New Year’s Eve party on an empty stomach. We saw something the other day about young women not eating and saving up their calories for cocktails. How stupid is that? EAT! You can diet all next year if you have to.

Alternate each drink with something non-alcoholic. Water is a good alternative (especially for calorie counters) or else sip a soda.

If you are hosting a New Year’s Eve bash, offer non-alcoholic drinks such as sparkling water with a dash of Angostura bitters and a slice of lemon or lime.

Be thoughtful if someone doesn’t drink. Holiday parties can be really difficult for anyone struggling to stay sober. Don’t make cracks like “Oh, you’re not drinking?” or something similar. It’s none of your business when you come right down to it. Offer to get them a refill instead.

Try to keep track of how much you’ve had to drink. This is especially difficult with cocktails that involve a mix of spirits or are topped off with sparkling wine. This is where alternating with non-alcoholic drinks can be useful.

Eat! As we said, you’ve got all of 2015 to diet.

Have a designated driver or be prepared to call a cab. Don’t get behind the wheel of a car. If you are the host, start serving coffee as the party winds down and don’t be afraid to insist on an inebriated driver taking a cab or crashing on the couch. If he or she is offended, too bad. We all make mistakes and they will live to thank you.

As for New Year resolutions, we have just one that we’ve kept for years: Drink Champagne as often as possible for no reason whatsoever!

Have a happy, healthy and safe 2015!