image via manahattan inn

Life

drink up!

and chill out with the best summer cocktails.

A couple weekends ago I spent an entire day eating. Granted, not super unusual... but this was way beyond hot dogs and cereal, I'm talking Legit. Fine. Dining. For. An. Entire. Day.

This was thanks to the Bon Appetit Greenpoint Grub Crawl -- it was epic. If there's one thing it taught me (aside from the importance of sunscreen and having a purse big enough to hold free cookies), it's that the only thing better than fresh delicious food, is fresh delicious food with a fresh delicious drink.

After all, 'tis the season of BBQ-ing and day drinking! Whether you're brunching, spending a warm night out on the town, or just straight chillin, we've got a drink for you. I'm not much of a mixologist myself (what are bitters, anyway?) but these drinks are definitely worth the extra effort.

Scroll through the gallery to check out where I got my drank on AND find the perfect cocktail to match your summer '14 vibe.

And in case you need more inspo:

welcome to margaritaville

your ultimate guide to celebrating national vodka day

the ultimate guide to holiday cocktails

editor's pick: whiskey business

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photo by Anthony D'Argenzio

If you're keeping it classic at brunch with mimosas and bloody mary's:

Whichever team you fall on (I play both sides cuz I'm crazy like that) - these classic brunch drinks are great because you can be as basic or creative as you want. And they pretty much taste good no matter what. The kickoff party for the crawl was at Coco and they were on top of their cocktail game with delicious mimosas in pretty glasses and a tricked-out DIY bloody mary bar. The space itself is amazing (as is the food), so you'll have to go for yourself. In the meantime I got the rundown on how to recreate these signature cocktails.

photo via manhattan inn

If you're wearing a summer hat and / or having a classy bbq:

Besides having a grand piano and amazing food, Manhattan Inn just revamped their summer drink menu, which obviously calls for a cheers!

I got the details on my two faves, 'The Casewll' and 'Herbal Remedy'.

photo by Anthony D'Argenzio

If you're keeping it casual with beers and oysters:

There's nothing more summery then sitting outside eating as many oysters as you possibly can. But what to drink?!

I know zero about pairings, luckily Dave at the Diamond filled me in on some good options and now I'm ready to drop some major knowledge on future dining companions.

photo via glasserie

If you're having a picnic with your bffs:

We've discussed how amaaaze Glasserie is before. Let's just say their bartenders are probably wizards. I'm a big tequila fan, especially in the summer -- and "The Amigo" might be my favorite combo yet.