fact or fiction
Is it a fact or is it merely fiction? Exploring the myths surrounding the effects of alcohol beyond the classic 'beer before liquor, never been sicker'.
In Defense of the Solo Drink: Why Drinking Alone Can Be a Form of Self-Care
Beyond the stigma — a quiet cocktail, a moment of presence, and the joy of your own company. There’s a certain kind of silence that falls around a solo drink — not an absence, but a presence. A pause. A private exhale at the end of the day. Yet for all its subtlety, the image of someone drinking alone still carries cultural baggage. It’s often portrayed as lonely, even dangerous — the first sign of a story slipping into tragedy. But what if we flipped the script? What if drinking alone, when done with intention, could be a radical act of care?
By Ethan Chen6 months ago in Proof
Cocktail Cartographies: Mapping Memory Through Taste
A drink is never just a drink. It’s a layered archive, a sensory document of a place, a person, a moment. Long before the first sip, a cocktail holds within it a geography of memory. The bitterness of Campari may recall a summer in Florence. The bright lift of lime might conjure a rooftop party that stretched into stars. Even the scent of crushed mint can pull you back to your grandmother’s garden or your first job behind the bar. Flavors are how we remember, and cocktails — composed, crafted, and consumed with attention — become the cartographies of our lives.
By Sofia Mertinezz6 months ago in Proof
From Bar Cart to Altar: Designing Sacred Space for Nightly Pause
In a world that rarely slows down, the idea of pausing — truly pausing — can feel almost radical. Yet within that pause lies an opportunity: a chance to reclaim your evening, to transition from the noise of the day into the stillness of night. For many, that transition begins with a simple ritual — the mixing of a drink, the lighting of a candle, the creation of space. And at the center of that ritual is the bar cart.
By Ava Mitchell6 months ago in Proof
Shaken or Stirred: What Your Cocktail Style Says About You
When James Bond famously ordered his martini “shaken, not stirred,” he wasn’t just being picky — he was revealing something about himself. Beneath the surface of that iconic line lies a philosophy of personality. Your cocktail preparation preference, whether you lean toward the dynamic shake or the gentle stir, speaks volumes about your temperament, your rituals, and even the way you engage with the world.
By Sofia Mertinezz6 months ago in Proof
Bittersweet: The Emotional Palette of Cocktail Ingredients
Cocktails are more than just beverages — they’re emotional compositions in liquid form. A Negroni’s bite can taste like resilience. A French 75’s sparkle might feel like celebration. The ingredients we choose don’t just combine flavors; they blend states of being. Just as a painter uses color to evoke mood, the mixologist selects ingredients to summon emotional resonance. The bitter, the sweet, the sour, the smoky — each has its place in the emotional spectrum of the cocktail experience.
By Aisha Patel6 months ago in Proof
Sip by Sip: The Slow Art of Drinking in a Fast World
In a world that constantly demands more — more speed, more productivity, more connection — it’s no surprise that we often carry that urgency straight into our evenings. Even the things that are meant to relax us become rushed: we gulp down dinner, we mindlessly scroll during a glass of wine, we multitask our way through moments that could be meaningful. But what if the simple act of drinking — one sip at a time — could become a practice in slowing down?
By Ethan Chen6 months ago in Proof
A Drink to Mark the Moment: Toasting Life’s Tiny Wins
We’re taught to wait for the big moments — the promotions, the birthdays, the milestones — before we raise a glass. But life, in its truest form, is made up of tiny, barely noticeable victories. The email you were dreading that you finally sent. The plant you kept alive for three months. The hard conversation you managed with grace. These aren’t “Instagram-worthy” wins, but they are yours. And they deserve to be toasted.
By Sofia Mertinezz6 months ago in Proof
What Your Ice Says About You: Personality Through Preparation
We often overlook the simplest element in our cocktails — the ice. But ice isn’t just functional; it’s expressive. The way you freeze, crack, or cube your ice can quietly tell the story of your personality. Crystal-clear blocks suggest intention and care. Crushed ice evokes a playful, go-with-the-flow vibe. Hand-chipped spheres? A flair for the dramatic. Like the clothes we wear or the music we play, our ice habits reflect how we move through the world.
By Sofia Mertinezz6 months ago in Proof
"The Day I Met an Alien: A True Story of the Unbelievable"
I’m not the kind of person who sees ghosts in the mirror or believes in every UFO sighting on YouTube. I’ve lived in a small rural town in Colorado my entire life, where the strangest thing you might encounter is a raccoon knocking over a trash can. But something happened on the night of September 13th, 2023, that flipped my world upside down.
By Nizam khan6 months ago in Proof
Creating a Mindful Aperitif Moment Before Dinner
In the blur of modern life, dinner often arrives as a rushed endpoint — something to throw together between obligations or consume in front of a screen. But what if you reclaimed the space before dinner as a moment of presence? Enter the mindful aperitif: a gentle pause, a sip of intention, a way to ease from day into evening with grace.
By Ava Mitchell6 months ago in Proof
Your Emotional Flavor Wheel: Pairing Spirits with Feelings
We’ve all heard of food and wine pairings, but what if we turned inward instead — pairing cocktails not with meals, but with moods? Welcome to the idea of the Emotional Flavor Wheel: a creative, personal way to match how you feel with what you drink. Whether you're basking in joy, moving through melancholy, or simply craving clarity, the right spirit can complement or gently reshape your state of mind.
By Ethan Chen6 months ago in Proof
