Happy Halloween!

 So, as you may or may not be aware (and if you’re not get out from under that rock) it is Halloween weekend!  And that means among such traditions as dressing up like your favorite condiment or the skankiest thing you can think of, you need to think about being responsible… I know this is a subject we talked about in my last Holiday Weekend post, but I am going to have to revisit all that stuff again.

I am sure you have heard all of the statistics and you know that drinking and driving is a bad combination. Well in case you don’t know, or you forgot, here are some drinking tips on how to drink responsibly from Drinking.com.

Hints and tips

Spacers:
Soft drink ‘spacers’ between drinks can help  pace an evening.
Top-ups: 
Avoid top-ups so you can keep track of your alcohol intake.
Water, water!: 
Alternate your drinks with water to stay refreshed.

A bite to eat:

Eating before or while drinking slows alcohol absorption.

Be a responsible host: 
Provide food, non-alcoholic drinks or serve pre-made cocktails using standard drinks measures.
Stick to one type of alcohol:

If you are switching between beer, mixed drinks and shots, chances are you are going to have a lot of trouble keeping track of what you have had to drink. Stick to one thing and you will also have less of a hangover the next day if you do have too much to drink.

Drive time: 
Think about how you’re going to get home before you leave home.  Grab a cab or designate a driver.

As for the last part about a cab, I happened to take the initiative of finding the NATIONAL websites for cab companies. If you plan on getting drunk, arrange a cab ahead of time. Yellow Cab and Taxi are both national cab companies and you can navigate their websites to find a local company. You can also type cabs into Google and get the info that way. Any bar you are at should have the number for at least one cab company handy in case you need it.

There is also this nifty thing called a designated driver! Someone who isn't drinking and is still hanging out and having fun. If that is you, that means DON'T drink. If you don't have a designated driver, I have just the thing for you! It is called a rented designated driver. This is a group who has lists of people willing to give you a lift sometimes for free, when you have had too much to drink. What a brilliant thing!

Please keep all of that stuff in mind and have a safe and fun Halloween! Even if you are at a Toga party, it doesn't mean you have to drink like you’re in Animal House!

 If you feel so inclined, I would love to see some pictures of you having fun (and any beers you are trying) this weekend. If you want to share please email them to me at sarah@hoppybeergirl.com.  

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!