Whenever I go to Jamba Juice, I usually gravitate towards either the Matcha Green Tea or Caribbean Passion smoothies. But when I learned about their secret menu a few years ago, I felt like a little kid all over again—especially with flavors like Pink Gummy Bear and Orange Dream Machine.
Three smart devices shown at CES 2016 are making it easier for you to make stupid decisions. PicoBrew, Somabar, and 10-Vins demonstrated their systems for beer, mixed cocktails, and wine, respectively, and each one is attempting to change the way we enjoy our favorite potent potables at home.
Tonic water, seltzer water, club soda, and mineral water: these 4 types of "bubbly water" are often, erroneously, used interchangeably. But the truth is that each possesses unique qualities and uses that set them apart from each other.
When summer rolls around, I think of two things: grilling and ice-cold beverages. To me, nothing beats loading up the grill with charcoal, letting the smell of smoke get stuck to your clothing, and imbibing the most refreshing drink you can find.
You know what's in your folders, so it's not always necessary to label them and ruin that clean look you're going for on your iPhone's home screen. I mean, how many folders am I going to have to title "Stuff" or "Junk"?
A long time ago I was reading an issue of Saveur and saw an article about a trendsetting bar in Portland. The bartender at the joint had started making enormous blocks of smoked ice for his cocktails. When a patron ordered a drink that called for the smoked ice, the bartender would chip off a large chunk and place it in a glass with the booze. Then, as the ice slowly melted, the drink would take on more and more smoky notes, and the flavor profile of the beverage would change with every passi...
I've always had an affinity for pretty wine bottles. When I was younger, my parents and my siblings would give me their empty wine bottles so I could collect them, and I loved every single one.
What's not to love about a glass of wine? It tastes delicious. It takes the edge off your day. It helps you and your guests unwind and lets the conversation flow. All in all, it's a beautiful thing. What's not so beautiful is having someone knock over a giant glass of red and leave an indelible stain on your carpets or furniture.
When I was younger, my family would go to fancy restaurants and I would invariably order a Shirley Temple. (Ironically, the real Shirley Temple actually didn't like it much.) But it's hard to really find anything offensive in this kiddie cocktail: It's ginger ale with a splash of grenadine. There's also the less famous Roy Rogers, which is Coca-Cola with grenadine. The grenadine, red and sumptuous, always made its drinks look and taste much cooler.
You know how you can go to those little Mexican restaurants that have the refreshing drink machines full of that sweet rice drink, horchata? Did it ever seem like some kind of arcane powdered mix or a secret recipe you would never know? If you've ever found a recipe, did you imagine it needing all these crazy ingredients that you can't find for cheap at your local supermarket?
A couple months ago, I attended a Pokémon-themed party. Everyone dressed as their favorite Pokémon or trainer, Poké balls flew around the backyard, and more importantly, there was a lot of Poké booze. My friend who created the colorful drinks you see below informed me that they were infused with Skittles. This, my humble readers, was a defining moment in my life.
Parties are a great way to celebrate and have fun with your good friends, so to make sure your next party rocks, I've assembled some of the biggest life-hackers on YouTube to bring you 10 outrageous party tricks your guests will not forget.
Buying and drinking wine can be intimidating. There's so much to know, and so many ways to reveal your ignorance. If you're completely befuddled by wine and how to describe it, don't worry, you're not alone.
An open bottle of wine can be dangerous. You intend to enjoy—nay, savor—a single glass, but then two episodes of Top Chef later, that sucker is empty. Now you have to go to work the next day with a wine hangover. What happened? Turns out there are some unconscious reasons you might be chugging more wine than you wanted. Never fear. Along with clenching your fists to make better food choices, there are some tricks you can use to moderate your wine intake. Researchers at Cornell University disc...
Hey, coffee drinkers—your morning cup of joe is killing your metabolism.
About ten years ago, Western research figured out that green tea was a nutritional powerhouse. After all, in Asian countries where green tea is consumed throughout the day, cancer rates tend to be much lower, although there are probably other factors contributing to that fact, like less processed food and red meat in the standard Asian diet.
I don't drink a lot of milk, so when I do, it's always whole milk. I'll drink two-percent if it's the only kind available, but skim? I'd rather have none at all. Tons of people buy reduced fat milk because they're trying to eat healthier, but to me, the extra calories are totally worth it. And, contrary to popular belief, whole milk is actually better for you anyway. Just like diet soda, the downsides of reducing the number of calories in milk outweigh the benefits. Studies have found that co...
Finding the formula to the perfect cup of coffee for your taste can take a while. I finally got around to buying a French press a few weeks ago and I'm still tweaking the right ratio and brewing time to get it just right (though I am drinking it at the right times each day).
Living in Los Angeles has given me the opportunity to attend a bunch of really cool events. I've been to Dodgers, Lakers, and Clippers games, a few concerts at the Staples Center, and a plethora of smaller joints.
A flat soda tastes awful. It's almost as bad as drinking a room temperature milkshake. Of course, you can always opt to buy single-serving cans or 20 ounce bottles, but that's always going to be more expensive than 2-liters.
Last week, the whole world ushered in the new year, celebrating the start of 2013 with family and friends, and of course, that little thing we like to call alcohol. But just because New Years Day is over doesn't mean the party is. And surely, there will be some assholes out there that will drink and drive this year. It happens. So, how can you make sure you're not one of those assholes?
Whether you want to use it to keep your guests safe or just to see who's the most drunk, it's always fun to have your own breathalyzer at a party. We've seen DIY breathalyzers before, like this one by Craig Smith, but how about an Arduino breathalyzer?
Who needs to go to bartending school when you've got the Inebriator to mix your favorite drinks for you? Want a cosmopolitan? No problem. Press a button. Want a tequila sunrise? Sure thing. Press a button. As long as you've got a good supply of liquor and mixers, the Inebriator is at your command. So, what exactly is this Inebriator thing? Well, it's a robotic bartender that can automatically pour 15 different pre-programmed cocktails. With 9 different liquors and 7 mixers on board, it's got ...
While it's easy to make fun of water with "electrolytes," there's actually some science behind it. Despite the name, electrolyte-enhanced water isn't all that high-tech, it mostly means that it's been infused with vitamins and minerals such as potassium and sodium, which are very helpful in preventing dehydration. Unfortunately, electrolyte water isn't especially cheap, and compared to the tap, it's downright expensive. Luckily, there's a few recipes out there that can help you mix your own e...
Assuming that you are living north of the equator, ‘tis the summer season for brewing your own sun tea. Unlike the conventional method of dunking tea bags in boiling hot water for several minutes, sun tea is brewed over the course of several hours through the natural heat of direct sunlight.
In this tutorial, we learn how to cut open a coconut. Coconuts in nature look different than they do when you buy them at the grocery store. They come in green, orange, and yellow. The white ones you see are shaved off before you buy them at the store. To open up a coconut, you are going to need a machete, which is a very large knife. Make sure the knife is sharpened, then hold the coconut on the handle and slice it at an angle using the machete. Use force when cutting so the coconut comes op...
Don't spend your hard earned money purchasing popsicles at the grocery store this summer; make your own! While we wouldn't turn down a Creamsicle, making popsicles at home means you'll be using all natural ingredients and no harsh chemicals and food dyes, meaning your kids will enjoy a healthy treat.
The Wing Girls teach us how to flirt in class, in bars, and other situations. If you're in any kind of school, it's a great place to meet girls. The girl has to stay in class, so you will have a certain amount of time to interact with her during class. Make sure to borrow something from her so you can forget to return it, then get her number. If you are in a bar, ask to buy her friend a drink and be nice to both of them. Make it obvious which one you are interested as well. Girls like to feel...
Tic-tac-toe is one of the easiest games to play and most difficult to win. Most games end in a tie, boredom, and frustration. But do they have to? This video will show you how to predict the winner of a tic-tac-toe game by forcing it to go the way you want with strategic moves. Try using this prank to win you free drinks the next time you're out at the bar.
Kiss-proof lipstick sounds like an oxymoron. Lipstick that stays for more than an hour after drinks, kissing, and eating is the expected route for most of us, but what if there is a way to make your lipstick last through all of that without losing too much color?
Want to brew a caffè (or cafe) mocha like a champion barista? This clip will show you how it's done. There are few skills as sure to win you friends as being able to make a really excellent cup of coffee. And all it takes to make a really great cup of coffee is knowledge of the proper technique, knowledge that can be won by watching free video coffee making lessons like this one. For more information, and to get started making this coffee drink yourself, watch this video guide.
Want to make a chai latte like a champion barista? There are few skills as sure to win you friends as being able to make a really excellent cup of coffee. And all it takes to make a really great cup of coffee is knowledge of the proper technique, knowledge that can be won by watching free video coffee making lessons like this one. For more information, and to get started making this coffee drink yourself, watch this video guide.
In order to stump drunk people with a cork trick, you will need the following: 2 corks per person. Tuck the cork between the thumbs and forefingers. The rules are that you have to switch out the corks without using any other fingers, besides the thumbs and forefingers, and the exchange must be simultaneous.
Don't know much about the dinner table? You know the basics: you eat from a plate, you use silverware to shovel it in and you drink from glassware. But what about if you're at a fancy dinner? Would you be able to distinguish a juice cup from a champagne glass? A white wine glass from a martini glass? If not, these two videos will show you which ones are which.
In this tutorial, we learn how to tap a keg with various pumpers. There are around 5 different types of pumps you can use. Make sure your pump matches the keg that you have, to make your beer come out easiest. Also, make sure your keg is completely full when you purchase it, so the beer comes out easier. There are many different types of kegs, but no matter what type you have, place it inside of a large plastic bin with ice to keep the bottom as cold as possible. To use the pump, set it insid...
Ponytails are often hairstyles associated with summer because they're super easy to do, take care of, and wipe all the pesky hairs off your face so you can focus on more important things like swimming and sipping your margarita and looking cute doing it in front of the cabana boy without all your locks humiliatingly dunking into your drink.
Here is another way to win some free drinks or cash at a bar or party. In this tutorial, learn how to bet your friend and win - every time!
This video shows how to make a Jalisco Fresca, a cocktail from the Merk Bistro in San Diego. It is made with simple syrup, strawberries, an egg white, lemon juice, tequila and Campari.
In this video from ScienceOnTheBrain we learn how to isolate the sugar in a can of soda. To find out how much sugar is in soda, pour a can into a pot and boil it until all the water is gone. You will be left with the sugar, and then you can weigh it. First weigh your pot before pouring the soda in. Now boil the soda on the stovetop. When the water evaporates, you'll be left with a syrupy sugar. A can of soda has 39 grams of sugar in it. That equates to about 7 1/2 teaspoons. Fruit juice conta...
Christmas is supposed to be a time of peace and joy. Where others gather together to enjoy the holidays by singing songs, drinking hot cocoa, and watching old Christmas cartoon movies. But the holidays are also a great time to whip out your arts and crafts skills to not only make others' gifts but make cool things as well. An example: Christmas stockings! Find out how to make cool looking stockings in this quick tutorial. Enjoy!
