Everybody stresses the importance of doing something new in the new year, represented by our New Year’s Resolutions. With all this emphasis on change, it can seem that a new year is only defined by novelty and ephemeral pleasures. For me, the best things about a new year is revisiting all of the good things of the year before. A choice and a pleasure that sticks with you for some time tends to increase exponentially over time. Even though novelty is a constant dopamine inducer, familiarity and warmth is where the true happiness lies. I stepped myself into the moving sands and risked being redundant to present you with my five favorite cocktails of 2013 that will give me familiarity and warmth for the new year.

#1 Shaky Pete from The Rookery (425 Troutman St)

I met the Shaky Pete one sunny day of November along with my good friend Van Gould. Ever since then, me and Shaky Pete have moved our relationship to the level that whenever I walk into The Rookery, Max and Sergio know that all I need in my right good drinking hand is the pint of deliciousness and invigorating inebriation that only the Shaky Pete delivers.