I love trying new drinks around the neighborhood, but with summer in full swing I’m increasingly likely to make a drink at home, put on a bathing suit, and camp out in front of my window unit. With thoughts of steamy summer days on the brain, we decided to compile easy and delicious summer cocktail recipes from bartenders around the neighborhood. I asked Rina Haverly, co-owner of Ridgewood’s The Bad Old Days, to kick off the project.

The Bad Old Days is owned by two badass women, Rina Haverly and Sonja Lutnicki. They met as bartenders at Rockwood Music Hall where they first began talking about opening a place of their own. The Bad Old Days is a neighborhood institution. I fell in love with the eclectic, throwback décor and cozy did-I-just-walk-into-Cheers vibe on my first visit, but the cherry on top is the unpretentious but always on-point mixology.

Their menu changes regularly, reflecting the sensibility of the season. This is not the type of place where the jiggers go unused—you can count on getting a drink made with the exact same proportions from any of their bartenders.