What To Do When Open Bar Rules Your Life But You're Not Basic

Say no to this: Vodka Soda
Get this instead: Moscow Mule OR Vesper 

Step one: ask the bartender if s/he has any ginger beer on hand. If yes, proceed to order yourself a Moscow Mule. If no, bummer, but fret not: you can still save yourself from a bleak near future of basic cocktailry. Does vodka soda really even taste good, anyway? Or have we fooled ourselves into thinking that carbonated water and 80-proof ethanol taste just delicious together? Moving on. In the event that said bartender finds him/herself ginger beer-less, make like Bond and order a Vesper. It's a classic, people, and it's made with 3 parts London dry gin (Beefeater, Bulldog, Tanqueray, Hendricks, etc.), one part vodka, one half part Lillet or Cocchi Americano (Cocchi if you like a little bite to it), shaken or stirred, served up, and garnished with lemon peel. No Lillet/Cocchi? Let 'em know they can improvise with a sweet white wine/vermouth bianco and a dash of something orangey (Cointreau and/or orange bitters should do the trick).

[Photo via @thatgirlmorgs]