Face impending hurricane with a party
BY ELLA NAYOR enayor@florida-weekly.com

Mother Nature is getting ready to give people a reason to party.

With hurricane season here, stress and tensions tend to rise a bit for residents.

So with this in mind it might be time to start thinking of ways to reduce stress levels in the event of a monster storm.

Along with a cache of emergency supplies residents, you might want to try squirreling away a few treats for a hurricane party.

And for those not sure of what a hurricane party is - think New Year's Eve without the glitter and champagne.

All that's typically needed and wanted is libations and food from the fridge that would spoil if the power goes out.

Think the three B's - beer, bread and of course batteries. And toss in a few jugs of water while you're at it.

And there is no better time to use up those boxes of Hot Pockets and other assorted frozen foods since their going to spoil anyway if the power goes out.

But if frozen pizza is not your forte and you want to upscale your hurricane party a bit more, then perhaps a stock of canned caviar, Italian Tuna, mini bottles of your favorite wine and buttery crackers will get things moving in the right direction.

And before the meteorologists are kicking out alerts every other second about the storm's projected path folks should plan out their invitation list.

Not sure who to invite?

A good start is neighbors. They live close and are likely to be experiencing what you do. Plus they can rush home if need be without having to drive through a life-threatening storm.

This bonding can be important since hurricanes can wipe out a neighborhood and having each other to lean on might become vital for your well being and sanity.

Of course if you do not have neighbors or if you do and they don't like you or you're not particularly fond of them well then their always family and friends - the people you're used to partying with.

And, if neither of the above applies to you well then you can make a hurricane party for one or two. You can take advantage of this time to eat, drink and streak around your house decrying the storm like a raving lunatic.

But whichever way you choose to usher in an impending hurricane, have fun but keep safety in the forefront.

There is a persistent legend that when Hurricane Camille struck the Mississippi area in 1969, a group of residents were partying on the third floor of a coastal apartment complex.

According to the story, a high storm surge swelled and struck the building. There was supposedly one survivor.

So just keep the Weather Channel on and know what's happening around you and your area. And keep the party indoors so you don't become a storm statistic on the evening news.

Here's Pat O'Brien's famous hurricane drink recipe to get the party started..

Ingredients: 1 ounce Dark rum 1 ounce Light rum 1/2 ounce Galliano 2 ounces Passion fruit syrup 1/2 ounce Orange juice 1 Splash Rose's lime juice 1 Splash Pineapple juice

Directions:

Fill a mixing glass with cracked ice. Add rum, Galliano, passion fruit syrup, and orange juice. Shake and strain into highball or Collins glass filled with ice cubes. Top with a splash of Rose's lime juice and a splash of pineapple juice.