With all the madness that goes into working from home full time, it's easy to find yourself trapped in a somewhat rigid routine. These early spring months, in particular, can produce a certain kind of melancholy in us as we patiently await warmer weather and more social freedom. One social practice we find ourselves longing for more than ever, especially with summer in sight, is having a good old fashioned happy hour. With St. Patrick's Day fast approaching and the timely launch of our newest and coziest set ever, the Calm Club Sweatsuit, we felt it would be appropriate to incorporate a little more fun into our weekly routines. This week, we're putting our own spin on post-work happy hour, in order to wind us down after a busy day at the (home)office.
The Journal
A Guide To: Post-WFH Happy Hour
Get Cozy
There's something about changing out of your work clothes and into your favourite loungewear that mentally shifts you from work mode to chill mode. Over the winter, we found ourselves reaching for our Calm Club Varsity Sweatshirts more often than not and are beyond ecstatic to have just launched the matching sweatpants to add our loungewear rotation, completing the set. We are totally obsessed with how high-quality and plush this set is, it's truly a match made in heaven.
Pour it Up
Nothing says happy hour like a stiff cocktail shaken vigorously by a handsome bartender in suspenders. As it doesn't look like we'll be going bar-hopping any time soon, we're taking a slightly more tame approach to cocktail hour, without the hangover. We reached out to Seedlip, one of our favorite non-alcoholic spirit companies to give us some ideas for a delicious and exciting non-alcoholic cocktail recipe that we could turn to time after time. Seedlip's sophisticated and citrusy Grove 42 non-alcoholic spirit blend shines bright in this take on a classic cosmopolitan - minus the alcohol and sugar! Give this a recipe a try during happy hour for a refreshing yet bold treat that'll make you feel as good as it tastes!
Grove 42
Seedlip
$32
Photo courtesy of Seedlip
COSNOPOLITAN
INGREDIENTS
Seedlip Grove 42: 2 oz
Organic Cranberry Juice: 1 oz
Lime Juice: 1⁄2 oz
Simple Syrup*: 1⁄2 oz
GLASS & GARNISH
Coupe
Orange peel
METHOD
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker w/ ice.
Shake & strain into a coupe glass.
Garnish w/ an Orange peel.
Simple syrup: combine equal parts warm water & sugar. Stir to dissolve. Let cool.
Set the Mood
Before you settle down on the sofa for your much needed chill time, take a minute to reset the ambience in your living space. Did you know Director of Ambience is a real job title? You can emulate the mood/vibe of your favourite cocktail bar at home by adjusting the lighting to low, lighting up a few scented candles around the room, and playing a relaxing lounge playlist will surely amp up the happy hour energy at your place. Pro tip: adjustable light fixtures or lamp dimmer attachments are a small investment that can have a major impact on the mood of a room. Keeping the lighting low relaxes the eyes, helping you focus more on feeling good.
Soy Sleep Candle
KIP.
$35
Good Company
What would happy hour be without friends, laughs, and good conversation? Setting up a video call happy hour with friends is always fun, but it can sometimes be a hassle to find a time that works for everyone or can induce connection-related irritation. A great alternative is to simply call or FaceTime a friend or family member for a quick catch-up one on one style. Better yet, invite your roommates or significant other to join you for happy hour, pour them a drink and debrief about your work week together.
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