Americans are increasingly staying at home amid the “shelter in place” orders and business closures as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. City streets are emptying, stores are shuttering, and Americans are embracing new ways of socializing. In a time of social distancing, it’s still possible to have a social life — it just requires a little ingenuity. Catching up with friends over cocktails has gone digital as “virtual happy hours” are on the rise.

During virtual happy hours, farflung friends and family log onto their video chatting platform of choice, whether that’s FaceTime, Zoom, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Hangouts, or Skype. They virtually cheers, assembling food and drinks in front of them to mimic the feel of being in a restaurant or bar.

Virtual happy hours range in levels of formality, from sipping spiked seltzer to popping bottles of champagne. Some groups like to make a production out of it, mixing cocktails like Moscow mules, margaritas, mojitos, and cosmopolitans at home. Wine and cheese pairings are also popular, and there are many online wine stores so you can shop from the comfort of your couch.

Some even create “quarantinis” — a miscellaneous blend of alcohol enjoyed in quarantine. You can go all out with your quarantini, rimming your glass with vitamin C powder and fortifying your drink with immunity boosters like honey and lemon. Check out this recipe for a honey lemon quarantini to enjoy Friday night (or any night of the week, we won’t tell!).

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Stay inside, wash your hands, make a QUARANTINI and stop stock piling all the dang toilet paper, people!!! Meet the Quarantini! The most delicious way to boost your immunity and survive being quarantined in your home for weeks because of the corona virus! NGREDIENTS: 3 oz vodka (or gin) 2 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice 1 tablespoon honey optional 1 packet powdered vitamin c INSTRUCTIONS: Add 2 cups ice to a cocktail shaker. Add vodka, lemon juice and honey to shaker. Shake, and then strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist if desired. ADDING VITAMIN C: If you want to add vitamin c, you can add it directly to the shaker when you add the rest of the ingredients or you can rim the chilled martini glass with vitamin c. RECIPE: https://thenovicechefblog.com/quarantini/ #quarantini #quarantine #corona #coronamemes #covid #covid_19 #covıd19 #washyourhands #stayhealthy #toiletpaper #thenovicechefrecipes

A post shared by jessica | the novice chef (@thenovicechef) on Mar 13, 2020 at 6:43pm PDT

If you don’t drink, you can create a refreshing mocktail, like a Blueberry Ginger Cooler or an Hibiscus Iced Tea Sparkler. These 17 summer mocktails will get you inspired as you blend and brew delicious refreshments. To impress your family and friends, garnish your drink with mint, strawberries, lime slices, or decorative straws. These special touches will make it seem like you’re a mixology pro even if you’re a beginner bartender.

We recommend keeping your virtual happy hour small by capping the digital gathering at eight people so things don’t become too chaotic as people speak over each other. Smaller groups tend to work best because everyone gets a chance to talk. Find an area of your home that’s cozy, with flattering lighting and a nice backdrop. Make sure there’s minimal background sound from noisy neighbors or meowing cats.

Finally, a word from the wise: Find a steady surface to rest your laptop on (or pick up a portable laptop desk) . I’ve destroyed multiple laptops by spilling beverages on them, and it’s such a frustrating feeling. Avoid getting your cocktail all over your keyboard to keep the mood light.

Trying to impress someone on the other end of the line? There’s a filter for that. Zoom has a box marked “Touch Up My Appearance” that smoothes your skin and gives you a natural-looking glow. If your apartment is in shambles, you can also use Zoom to add a virtual background, like the Golden Gate Bridge or the Austin skyline. (Shoutout to Zoom for letting us pretend our lives are more together than they actually are.) With virtual dating also on the rise, these features can come in handy.

If you love entertaining, you can still keep the fun rolling by hosting your very own virtual happy hour. Here’s everything you need to take the party digital, including drinks you can get delivered right to your door.

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