TAKE ME DRUNK, I'M HOME
So I'm the lucky duck who picked the short straw and has to try to come up with something interesting to write about the week after Pride and Independence Day have both packed it in and air-kissed us goodbye before tottering off to the jitney.

Not that I'm bitter.

Right now it's about 90 degrees and humid here in NYC (or "hot as a crotch", as I have been known to say) and it's hard for me to concentrate on much of anything.

Even the family cat is more "over it" than usual:

Our cat, Humbert Humbert, in repose

So, since I've been pretty much pickled from the last two holiday weekends anyway (NYC is a drinkin' town, folks!) I thought that I'd kick off the BEST.GAY.WEEK.EVER. with a drink. No, I'm not going to knock one back while I'm on the clock (though one look at my As the World Turns liveblogs would make pretty much anyone wonder what the heck I'm on half the time), I'm going to share my favorite drink of the summer.

I figure there must be some gays out there who, like us, enjoy entertaining (read: getting loaded with friends in the comfort of their own home), so here we go...

The first ever BGWE recipe-share!

La Paloma

2 oz. Tequila

1/2 oz. lime juice (FRESH, people...)

Grapefruit Soda (Jarritos is the best, if you can find, but Fresca works fiiine)

Pinch of salt

Sort of a lighter, fizzier, all-in-one margarita, this drink is the best way to fight off the heat, I guarantee. Just throw the tequila and lime juice in a tall glass over some ice, toss in the salt, and fill with the grapefruit soda. Garnish with a lime or a mint sprig and you're on your way to happy-land! Wheeeeeee!

Wait, what? Sorry, getting something through my AfterElton.com transponder ....

Oh. Okay.

Well, it seems like the PTB want me to quit boozing and get on to the gay pop culture bit of my act, so my recipe for lemon meringue cupcakes is going to have to wait. (And here I really wanted to show off my creme brulée torch!)

Um, here ... check out this fresh new pick of out actor Luke MacFarlane doing press in Rome!

(PS - If you have your own favorite summer beverage, share it in the comments!)

Next page! Lance to shake his Bass on "Stars"?