Here we are, as we are every year, in the famous “false spring” of Long Island. I fall for it every time, but this year I knew I needed a game plan. The end of February into March is always a tricky time for locals in this area because many of our favorite haunts are closed, the weather isn’t giving, and the lack of sunshine has us all moving…slowly. Some of us are lucky enough to take a trip somewhere warm to recharge, but it’s hard not to fall right back into the winter doldrums the second you land. 

So what am I obsessing over? My plan to not fall for it again. Here it is:

– Make yourself go out! (To places you’ve neglected.)

I have been known to spend my entire weekend at home in the same sweatsuit and at first it’s like “this is cozy and chill” but then come February that sweatsuit is pilling and I feel like I’m losing my ability to function at a normal social outing?? Enough is enough. The North Fork has so many great spots to enjoy a bev with friends- but so many of them are closed or taking breaks (womp womp). HOWEVER, this becomes an opportunity to spend some time at the local mainstays. Some of the places that I admittedly neglect in the summer have become my favorite cozy spots to grab a drink: the bar room at Legends in New Suffolk, the bar room at A Mano in Mattituck, and the Piano Bar at the Halyard. So plan a drink with a friend you haven’t seen in a while- and ACTUALLY follow through.

– De-potato yourself!

New Year’s resolutions, dry January, Whole30, I have done them all and let me tell ya, they made me feel…terrible. A few years ago I took every notion of “quick fix” and threw them right into the garbaggio. There is no quick fix to the stretch of time between Halloween and New Years where time was a flat circle, I slept more than anyone should, and googled “are Reese’s a good source of protein?”. However, what does work (for me, anyway) is more of a “check yourself before you wreck yourself” approach. Once February hits I know that it’s time to do some…healing. It’s healing. Walking more, eating less (overall), cooling it with the sugar and boozing, and trying to buy more groceries in shades of green. The way I see it, I have two and a half months to shake off the fun size bars and get into a good flow – and hey look at that! A reasonable timeline! Highly recommend the following: Good Food in Mattituck, Fit Foods in Southold, and honestly…Costco. If you’re trying to eat healthy and stick to it there’s nothing like fully stocking your pantry like a baller on a budget.

– CBD Spritzers made with Lieb Riesling

So look. I don’t know if CBD is legit. What I have learned is that CBD is only activated when THC is present as in, they work in tandem. These CBD seltzers that are coming out have been piquing my curiosity because of their eye-catching branding (what can I say? I’m a sucker for a cute label) and unique flavoring choices. I’ve been getting Oh Hi, Recess, and Cloud 8 and mixing them with our Lieb Cellars Riesling and it’s DELIGHTFUL. Was there THC present? Maybe. Sometimes. (Yes.)

– Get off instagram (and onto TikTok)

Many of us millennials are still clinging to Instagram (or even worse, Facebook) like a toxic relationship. Instagram is now flooded with ingenuine advertising, washed-up influencers, and posts that make us feel poor, ugly, or both. This precious, curated form of social media can be such a deterrent in our ability to thrive and feel good about who we are, where we are, and what we are (or aren’t) doing. Curious to see what the fuss was about, I dipped a toe into TikTok back in 2020 and never looked back. And I admit I still poke around Instagram to see how my far-away friends are doing, or to post a story if I’m doing something remotely interesting like trying new places to eat. However I can’t say Instagram has even come close to giving me the joy of TikTok. I learn so much every day about other cultures around the world, cooking, simple house chores. I watch people make handmade ceramics in Burma, teens put on a fashion show in Tokyo, grandmothers in Israel share recipes with their grandkids. I also watch cats do dumb things, babies do cute things, and I watch people be absolutely hilarious. It’s not polished- it’s messy, uncurated (mostly), and it can be chaotic. I wouldn’t want it any other way. The only downside? You will *absolutely* get the viral sound of the week in your head. (That sentence will make sense if and when you take that leap.)

Alicia Ekeler-Valle
Director of Tasting Rooms