Lessons in moderation: What drinking means to Cocktail

In Cocktail, you'll often come across polite and delicate reminders not to overindulge in drinking. After seeing the film Leaving Las Vegas, I think a stronger statement is due.

Walking out of the theater after this one was a sobering experience. Even a year later, the memory of this film is still powerful. I won't pretend to be a movie critic, but I applaud Nicolas Cage for his brilliant performance as Ben Sanderson, a man who drives to Las Vegas to die: "I came here to drink myself to death."

This portrayal of alcohol abuse was definitely Hollywood: alcoholic male meets virtuous hooker. But the film steers clear of a 12-step ending, instead showing the ugly effects of alcohol on the body (even a body like Cage's).

When we celebrate cocktails and other drinks, we're suggesting accents to a life well lived. We invite you to revel in those times when you've worked hard, succeeded, or maybe even failed. The drinks we feature are not meant to be used as a crutch for limping through life.

Think of a cocktail as part of the transition at day's end, when you finally stop thinking about the tribulations of the day, and concentrate on the things in your life that have lasting value. Enjoyed in moderation, carefully made cocktails can help you relax, while not clouding your head too much for the next challenge.

Although I could point to scientific data that indicate that a glass or two of cabernet a day is good for you, I won't. Actuarial tables about the low rate of heart disease in France, and how that may be linked to drinking red wine, are not the crux of the issue. For me, French enjoyment of superb wine symbolizes how the French choose to live. Their willingness to freely enjoy a glass of vin ordinaire is as much a demonstration of a well-balanced diet as a well-balanced life.

At Cocktail, we assume that you're responsible enough, and old enough, to know when to say that you've had enough - enough for one sitting, one day, or one lifetime. Sometimes it's difficult to keep things in perspective when we've isolated ourselves. That's why Cocktail promotes the social aspect of drinking. Style, conviviality, kindred spirits delectating life's fleeting sweetness in each other's company - that's what cocktails are about for us.