April 24 – Frostbite

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Daniel Wilson

Bangers and Mash

Both Mrs. Sip and I have had the privilege to live in England for some time as part of school exchange programs. She lived two hours south of London, at Herstmonceaux Castle, while I spent a term in Preston, in the Northwest… not a castle. Living in England allowed us ample opportunity to explore the country and have numerous adventures!

Beatles Mania

You can’t walk through much of Liverpool without being reminded of the contributions The Beatles made to the realms of music, style, entertainment, politics, and pop culture. Whether walking through Mathew Street to grab a pint at the infamous Cavern Club, visiting The Beatles Story along the Liverpool docks or hell, flying out of the John Lennon Airport (I’ve done them all!) the band and their aura are always around you.

Old Trafford

Home to the perennial contenders, Manchester United, Old Trafford is a haven for fans of the massively popular football club. I was fortunate to get to see a live game at the legendary stadium and also return later with Broski Sip to enjoy the stadium tour, complete with Manchester United Museum. On the subject of football glory, I should also mention that the National Football Museum was located a short walk from my accommodations in Preston, so I was a frequent visitor!

Lake District

Northwest England’s Lake District provides a beautiful and tranquil opportunity to… chase sheep. Okay, so my journey with Mrs. Sip to the Lake District started out as a chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and see all the beautiful landscapes the area had to offer, but it degenerated into a search for crisps, lager, and wildlife harassment!

Stonehenge

No one knows exactly why it’s there and what its purpose was, but that doesn’t mean they won’t charge you to see the wonder of the world. It was an awe inspiring site to see, to be sure, but on the day I visited, by my lonesome, it was a gusty, drizzly day and all I could really do is rush around the entire façade, snapping quick pictures, before taking refuge in the gift shop.

This might be more impressive than the real landmark!

Alton Towers

This theme park had some really neat attractions over its expansive landscape. I remember being impressed by the Duel: The Haunted House Strikes Back ride where you are given a laser gun and have to shoot various haunted targets as you move through a creepy house aboard a vehicle. This park also featured some of the wildest roller coasters I’ve been on including Nemesis and Oblivion.

Canterbury Tales

Most of us have read these harrowing tales sometime throughout our education. My travels to Canterbury were exhaustive, but it was cool to see the Canterbury Cathedral and also embark on the Canterbury Tales interactive tour. It was a little creepy to walk through these story boards with lifelike characters acting out a few of the tales, while being the only person in the entire attraction. I felt as if it was only a matter of time before the cutout came to life and I became the next unwilling member of the stories.

I was pretty sure these models would end up killing me…

Blackpool Pleasure Beach

The really neat thing about Blackpool Pleasure Beach, was how many of its rides were meant to echo famous Disneyland attractions. As an as-regular-as-possible visitor to the California park, Mrs. Sip and I immediately noticed knockoffs of Space Mountain and Alice in Wonderland. There were also some original offerings at the park, such as the intensely wet Valhalla, fast-paced Steeplechase, and bobsled coaster Avalanche.

Cadbury World

Cadbury is the maker of some of the finest chocolate products on the market, so this little landmark was a must hit while Broski Sip and I were in Birmingham to see Ricky Gervais on his stand-up tour. A highlight of the visit was, of course, the chocolate samples, which provided a great picture of your Sip Advisor with chocolate splash across my mouth and a disgustingly sweet grin!

Drink #114: Frostbite

1 oz Gin (I used Tanqueray)
0.5 oz Blue Curacao
0.5 oz Peppermint Schnapps
Top with Lemon-Lime Soda
Garnish with Lemon Wedge

Now before you go off, wildly packing your bags and booking last minute flights to England, I should remind you of the country’s downsides. Um… well, there’s the… no, I actually like that… oh, just go ahead and don’t forget your neck pillow… it’s going to be a looooong flight!

Sip Advisor Bar Notes (4 Sips out of 5):
I’m always cautious when throwing Peppermint Schnapps into any cocktail. It just seems like a liquor that doesn’t necessarily play well with others. On this occasion, though, it made friends for life with all its fellow ingredients and the group could have auditioned for America’s Best Dance Crew with the way they were entertaining my mouth!

February 6 – After Five

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Daniel Wilson

Sloganization

We don’t need any encouragement to crack a bottle of our favourite libation, but these saying can sometimes really get you in the mood:

“It’s five o’clock somewhere”

A favourite saying among the Sip Advisor staff, as we just can’t stand to wait for 5:00pm to hit in our own neck of the woods. Imagine you actually had to wait until 5:00pm in your part of the world to be able to touch alcohol. I can see people with corkscrews and bottle openers at the ready, glasses already filled with ice, as the final seconds tick away from 4:59pm. It would be like New Year’s Eve every single day of the year!

“Sip happens”

You’re damn right it does… every day here at The Sip Advisor! This is the happy version of “shit happens,” which when you’re living downtown and people don’t care where their little pocket dogs poop and walking around is like going through a minefield… shit happens can often lead to sip happens, to restore order to yourself and the world.

“Wine a bit… you’ll feel better”

While I’m not the biggest connoisseur of wine, I can definitely get behind this message. Many of Mr. Sips friends and family sure do wine a lot, but I can’t really blame them with all the liquoring I do. Liquoring, by the way, is a crossbreed between ranting, raging and spitting. They all come together to form this beautiful medley of sound and light.

“Home is where the bar is”

A play off of the phrase, “home is where the heart is,” there’s nothing that warms my heart more than spending time with my home bar. Everything from stocking it, to making drinks for all my little sippers, is a complete joy. It’s the one piece of furniture in our apartment that I have absolutely no qualms about dusting and keeping clean and organized… despite Mrs. Sip’s role as primary dust neutralizer.

“Save water, drink beer” (or replace beer with your bevvy of choice)

An especially important message in places like Mexico, where water should be avoided in almost all situations. I prefer to sub the term ‘anything’ into this slogan: “Save water, drink anything.” On rare occasions, when I’m really feeling it, the motto can even be adapted to read: “Save water, drink EVERYTHING!”

“Have you had your sip today?”

Never heard this one before? That’s cause I just made it up. And soon enough, it will become part of the global lexicon. Together, we can make a difference.

Drink #37: After Five

Rim glass with chocolate sprinkles
1 oz Kahlua
1 oz Irish Crème (I used Carolans)
1 oz Peppermint Schnapps

Do you have your own drinking slogan? Share it with Sip Nation by leaving a comment. The best slogans may appear in a future Sip Advisor post!

Sip Advisor Bar Notes (3.5 Sips out of 5):
This is your prototypical dessert drink. I’m not sure I can get down that often with Irish Crème. It’s just not among my favourite liqueurs. This cocktail is definitely for the after dinner fans of libations.

January 25 – Sarsaparilla Assassin

Posted on January 25, 2013 by Daniel Wilson

The Man with No Name

When I was a young warthog…

When he was a young warthooooooggggg!

As a younger lad, I loved sarsaparillas. I discovered it when my family was on a road trip through the southwestern United States, when I was only seven. In the same vein as ordering a root beer, a kid kind of felt like they were drinking with the big boys… all grown up. Especially on this road trip, it was fun to saddle up to a ghost town bar and ask the tender for a sarsaparilla. Take a big swig of it to show everyone in the joint that you’re a badass and then take your seat at a table for a round of poker.

In reality, my parents probably ordered me the sarsaparilla, in a family establishment, and I likely had chicken fingers for dinner, while colouring one of those kid’s menus. Clint Eastwood I was not, but the imagination can run wild when you’re a little one.

Now, I am that legendary cowboy… well, more of a cow-tender: A slinger of libations sure to knock out my opponents better than any gunshot could. I’m three parts Rango, two parts John Wayne, with a dash of Woody from Toy Story. Damn, that would be one weird looking hombre.

Speaking of root beer, though, I do have a funny story of a family member from Germany – the land of beer and chocolate – coming to visit Canada and when my dad and uncle took him to a local restaurant, he ordered a Root BEER, completely expecting to be on the receiving end of a brew. That must have been one dark looking beer. Still, the relative slammed back the pop and nearly choked on it. I’m pretty sure that’s the last time he ever came to holiday here!

Drink #25: Sarsaparilla Assassin

1 oz Tequila (I used 1800 Reposado)
1 oz Whiskey
1 oz Peppermint Schnapps
Top with Root Beer
Garnish with lemon wheel

I was very curious to see how this mix would come together. I have to admit that it did quite nicely. The peppermint schnapps and root beer tag-team together for a different, but enjoyable taste. I can’t wait for my next trip to the saloon!

Sip Adviosr Bar Notes (4.5 Sips out of 5):
Root Beer offers such a great flavour and I like how it worked with the Peppermint Schnapps and both kind of have a similar aftertaste bite. It’s a strong drink (nothing wrong with that!), so it may have to be enjoyed in moderation.

Sip Advisor

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