“Real Housewives of New York” star, entrepreneur, and author Bethenny Frankel is no stranger to the East End. This holiday season she, like many of us, has been spending a lot of time at home. Frankel shares with us how she still plans to celebrate — even if the festivities may look a little different this year — including ideas on creating cocktails at home using her recommended Q Mixers.
Frankel’s tips for celebrating the holidays at home:
Deck The Halls
This year we have spent a lot of time at home, but it is the holidays, so make it special. Even if you can’t have a holiday party or if that holiday dinner table is a little smaller, that doesn’t mean you should neglect your space — put up decorations, enjoy the ornaments that sit in a box all year and blast holiday music –- I have cherished these activities even more and it has given my space a whole new feeling from where I have been living for the past few months.
No Mess, Less Stress
There is enough stress during the holidays, and while I love to cook, this is one thing I can take off my plate. I order in from my favorite restaurant and replate the food on holiday themed platters. This is also a way to support local restaurants which is more important than ever.
Cheers to the Holidays!
Some people think making cocktails at home is intimidating, but it is really easy to make a truly spectacular drink when you use high quality ingredients. People tend to focus on the spirit, but it’s especially important to pay attention to the quality of your mixer since that makes up most of the drink. Q Mixers is my go-to because it is made with real ingredients and isn’t full of sugar, so the drinks taste better. For a festive and easy Gin & Tonic, I take gin, add Q Mixers Tonic, and top with cranberries.
Virtual Celebrations
We have all navigated the Zoom get togethers this year, and while there is some fatigue with the virtual gatherings, the holidays are the best time to bring them back. Make it festive with holiday themed playlists, plan out a menu, including this Festive Mule Cocktail, and a fun game to make the evening interactive. In the end, what is most important is connecting with loved ones and celebrating the season, even if it must be through a computer screen.
Ringing in 2021
The start of the New Year is when people take stock in their health and wellness regimes, and though we may not be ready to dive headfirst into Dry January, we can look at ways to switch up our alcohol consumption. When I make a drink, I use Q Mixers because all of the mixers are made with all-natural, non-GMO ingredients like quinine from Peru and real grapefruit. I also love that all the mixers are made with less sugar and higher quality sweeteners like organic agave. For those looking to reset in January, a delicious and low ABV cocktail is the Americano that uses Q Mixers Club Soda.