SURVIVAL TACTICS

Summer in the city sucks. Too much asphalt and too few trees make warm days uncomfortable and hot days positively hellish. That’s until you descend into the subway and discover what Hell really feels like. There's nothing to make a body wilt like a blast of that heavy, overheated subway air. And as much as I love to romanticize New York’s gritty character, I can do without the intensified smells of the summertime—the rotting garbage heaped at the curb, the urine scenting an alley, the sweaty guy on the train whose armpit is two inches from my face.

Sadly, unless you’re a certain species of New Yorker that I will never be (the species that migrates to the Hamptons for the season), there is little in the way of escape. Swimming pools accessible to people like myself tend to be overchlorinated “Y” affairs that are more slimy than refreshing. Packed beaches are anything but relaxing. Most of us can’t even cool off in a kiddie pool or with a run through the sprinkler (no yards).

So we sit in our too-small apartments, bask in the frigid blast of our window-unit air conditioners, tell ourselves that a grill pan is as good as a Weber, and fantasize about the suburban lifestyle many of us rejected. But not for long. Because with the perfect cocktail in hand, summer—even in the city—rocks.

Our Limoncello Lush is a super-refreshing treat featuring Limoncello, a sweetened, lemon-infused vodka, and Prosecco, an Italian sparkling wine. The mint is subtle, more of a supporting player than a star.



LIMONCELLO LUSH

1 shot vodka
5 mint leaves, plus a sprig for garnish
1 shot Limoncello
Juice of 1 lemon
Prosecco

Muddle vodka with mint leaves in a cocktail shaker. Add Limoncello, lemon juice, and ice to shaker and shake well. Strain over ice into an old-fashioned glass. Top with Prosecco and garnish with a mint sprig.