Imbibe

Legend has it that the cocktail was invented in New Orleans. Whether or not that’s 100% true, there is no denying that many a cocktail has been birthed in the Crescent City, undoubtedly the lodestar of American drinking culture.

In recent years, a new generation of innovative bartenders is mixing up venerable cocktail traditions, farm to bar ingredients, hand-squeezed juices, and homemade syrups and tinctures. Raising the bar means that New Orleans cocktail culture has never been more robust, thanks to these creative stirrers and shakers.

SoBou -- 310 Chartres St.

Coming in on the wings of gentle breezes, sunny skies, and budding flowers, the sweet song of spring follows winter, bringing with it a brighter, lighter season in so many ways. Store those leather jackets and heavy wool coats– blankets, too--away and pull out the shorts and more cheery, lightweight cotton clothing.

With Latino food as one of the most popular cuisine cultures in the U.S., it’s no wonder that corresponding Latino spirits and cocktails have become so appealing nationwide. As the Nuevo Latino trend continues, with restaurants popping up and the cuisine more and more familiar to diners, Latin American beverages are also becoming more accessible, even in non-Latino bars and restaurants.

Libations are for socializing and celebrating, and then there’s the other side of the coin-- when there’s loneliness and sadness.

Maybe these two opposites joined by a familiar thread, drinking (!) is one reason the classic bar song, “One More for My Baby, and One More for the Road,” has been so popular for more than 75 years. Perhaps many have been on both sides of that situation, or that it’s just an emotionally charged song that once you hear it– stays with you for a while.