TresSugar

How to Prevent Drunk Dials, Texts, Emails on New Year's Eve

Kristy Korcz — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 06:10:20 PST

New Year's Eve parties are usually accompanied by tasty libations, which are great, until you realize you've had one too many and drunk texted your old flame, exclaiming your everlasting love. How embarrassing. Before you start downing drinks at this weekend's year-end féte, designate a sober driver and check out these apps that will keep your drunken dialing on lockdown. Happy New Year!

Online Shopping During Happy Hour

Kelly Schwarze — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 12:06:27 PST

Coming off the most frenzied shopping season of the year, we know how easy purchasing online is compared to wading through mall crowds. But are there times when it's too easy, say, after happy hour when the evening's web deals begin to land in your email?

Online retailers, it seems, are grateful for a new customer profile - the digital tipsy shopper. Web-based stores are seeing an uptick in late-night purchases, which could just be explained as the time when customers are home and online browsing, but anecdotal evidence from The New York Times suggests there are other factors - like a postwork cocktail - at play. With many customers keeping credit card information on file, shopping is easy as two clicks on a smartphone app while still at the office's favorite wine bar or an "Add to Cart" selection from the comfort of home without the real-life interference of taking out a wallet.

Of course, making purchases not remembered the next day can have dangerous repercussions on finances, so drinking and shopping isn't something retailers are claiming to support. Since it is so easy to shop on the cab ride back from drinks or while watching TV with glass of wine in hand, has your happy hour euphoria ever resulted in online shopping under the influence?

Download of the Day: Hello Vino

Kelly Schwarze — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 07:14:53 PST

Once dinner's been decided on, the hardest part of any special occasion meal may very well be the wine pairing. Does seafood go with reds? What sort of entrée pairs well with champagne? Enter Hello Vino, a free iOS and Android app for your oenological questions.

Hello Vino helps to choose a wine based on a specific dish, occasion, grape flavor, or region. Knowing we can't all be wine connoisseurs, the app is packed with an encyclopedia's worth of wine knowledge, even including the pronunciation of wine varietals.

A feature that's guaranteed to come in handy when faced with an intimidating aisle full of seemingly identical wine bottles is Hello Vino's label recognition technology. Take a photo of a bottle's label within the app, and it will provide all the hidden information needed to make a selection including tasting notes, ratings, and food pairings. Save a note about the particular wine for later if you aren't ready to purchase a bottle. No more choosing a bottle based on the best label!

Website of the Day: Drinkify

Kelly Schwarze — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:52:44 PST

Admit it, you've been looking for a way to spice up happy hour. Instead of finding a new, over-priced and crowded hot spot, keep things at home and let your music preferences drive your beverage choices. Drinkify, a new site developed during Boston's recent Music Hack Day, suggests the best drink pairing for your current musical mood.

Enter the musician or band blasting from the stereo and Drinkify provides an adult drink recipe that best matches the tunes, complete with garnish and how the drink should be served. According to Drinkify, Jay-Z is best with gin on the rocks, while Red Bull is required for Justin Bieber (he is underage, after all). Since the site plugs in to Last.fm's API, there is a nearly limitless database of musicians ready for their libation mate. The question of what to serve at this year's holiday party has now been answered, as long as the playlist is settled.

Tea Me Up, Scotty: 6 Tea Cocktails For the Captain in You

GeekSugar — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 12:24:14 PDT

There's nothing wrong with turning your favorite drink into something a little more adult. Thankfully, tea is not only relaxing but can be a great mixer with some stronger ingredients. Get out your favorite blend ("Earl Grey. Hot."), and check out some of these tea-infused cocktail recipes that are fit for a captain.

Get Your Geek Party On With New Shot Glass Lens Set

Kristy Korcz — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 06:49:25 PDT

A camera lens mug just isn't enough, especially if you're planning to invite a bunch of camera nerds to your next shindig. In these instances, you need the Camera Lens Shot Glass Set ($18 for three), which is made from sturdy ceramic and will hold anything from espresso to sarsaparilla to Svedka. Or, use them as decorative accents to hold your flash drives or toothpicks. The choice is yours. Get a closer look in the gallery!

Prevent Drunk Dialing on International Beer Day

GeekSugar — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 11:51:51 PDT

International Beer Day landing on a Friday is a double-edged sword. No work tomorrow equals plenty of time to discover new and delicious craft beers. However, more hours drinking said beer could result in some unintended technology mishaps. Protect yourself and tech responsibly by activating these apps before picking up a celebratory frosty mug.

What Booze Do You Go to For a Bargain?

Susannah Chen — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 11:49:23 PDT

After bookmarking John Kiely's useful piece on five best bets for cheap spirits, I couldn't help but ponder what other types of booze out there are great bangs for your buck. One of my personal faves is Svedka vodka; for around $12, it's innocuous enough to go down smoothly and not give the vodka drinker a bad hangover the next day. But as someone who's always on a budget, I want to know: what other wine, spirits, and beer brands do you turn to when you've got a tight wallet? Do share in the comments below.

Binge Drinking May Be Tied to Memory Loss, Study Says

Heather Dale — Tue, 17 May 2011 18:04:46 PDT

More often than not, I read about alcohol having detrimental effects on your health, rather than positive effects, so it wasn't shocking to learn that a recent study found a correlation between binge drinking and sharpness of memory.

The study administered memory tests to college students - 62 who were binge drinkers and 60 who were not - and found that the binge drinkers experienced a lowered ability to remember lists of words. But, on a separate test, the binge drinkers did fine, so it's not clear whether alcohol is to blame for the previous results or not. Researchers have noted that there is a link between binge drinking and memory, they just aren't clear if alcohol reduces memory skills, or if there are any long-term effects of binge drinking.

When we polled you on how much you drink, a majority of you said you have about a drink a week - so you're well within the "healthy" range of alcohol consumption. The recommendation for women who are not pregnant is up to one alcoholic beverage per day.

And while researchers weren't able to draw any direct conclusions from this study, it does encourage us to think about the effects binge drinking may have on memory. Do you think there is a connection between the two?

Apps and Sites to Help You Choose Wine Wisely

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 12 May 2011 12:11:23 PDT

I admit it - I have a weakness for vino. Although I may be a wine lover, I'm far from being a wine expert. That's where technology comes in - these apps and websites are here to help you pair food and wine like a pro, give you tips on how to store it, pick the right vintage, and even list the ones you liked best so others can learn from your successes (or mistakes!). Check them out here, and prepare to get your wine on this weekend.