With all the egg-hunting and feasting on spring preps, it is but average to have a thirst. Easter drinking will end up to be a part of all the fasting (or feasting!). Some prefer to just get a drink or two but other prefer to make an egg-hunting drinking game. Find and egg and get a drinking challenge in it for example – a Jager shot, a sip of vodka.

Do you have  a favorite Easter drink during the Lenten season? If you are having a hard time figuring out what to prepare with your friends, fret not. We have prepared a list of stuff you can drink during the season. Of  course, we expect you to be responsible adults – drink moderately and of course, book a ride at www.getsaferide.com if  you ever plan on going out.

Jessica has listed out some Easter drinks and we want to share it again with you.

Blue Cottontail

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Vodka
• .5 oz Triple Sec
• 1/4 oz Blue Curacao

Combine ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake until mixed thoroughly. Strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with a twist of orange.

Easter Egg

Ingredients:

• 1 oz Blue Curacao
• 1 oz White Creme De Cacao
• Half & Half

Pour Blue Curacao and Creme de Cacao over ice in an Old Fashioned glass. Float the half & half over the top.

The Pink Peep

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Vodka
• 1.5 oz Pink Grapefruit Vodka
• a splash of Triple Sec
• 1 oz Cranberry Juice

Combine the ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake until mixed thoroughly. Strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with Marshmallow Peep of your choice.

Easter Bunny

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Dark Creme De Cacao
• .5 oz Vodka
• 1 tsp Chocolate Syrup
• 1 tsp Cherry Brandy

Combine Creme de Cacao and vodka in a shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain over ice in an Old Fashioned glass. Float chocolate syrup & cherry brandy over the top.

Jelly Bean (shot)

Ingredients:

• .5 oz Blackberry Brandy
• .5 oz Sambuca
• .5 oz Southern Comfort

In a shot glass, pour the blackberry brandy. Layer the Sambuca over the brandy. Float the Southern Comfort over the top. Serve.

Some more recipes:

Pear-Lemon Fizz

Ingredients

• Ice cubes
• 1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) pear vodka
• 3/4 ounce (4 1/2 teaspoons) Lemon Verbena Simple Syrup
• 1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) fresh lemon juice
• Champagne, for topping off (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 fresh lemon verbena leaf, for garnish

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add vodka, syrup, and lemon juice. Shake, and then strain into a glass. Top off with Champagne. Garnish with lemon verbena.

Cucumber Mint Gimlet

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 cups Cucumber Gin (or 2 oz.), how-to follows
• 2 1/4 cups fresh lime juice (or 1 oz.)
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Mint Simple Syrup (or 1/2 oz.), how-to follows
• Cucumber peels, for garnish
• Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish
• Cucumber Gin
• Steep 2 1/2 cups diced, peeled cucumber in 4 1/2 cups gin, covered and chilled, 8 hours to 4 days (or 1/2 cup cucumber in 1 cup gin). Strain; store indefinitely in the refrigerator.
• Mint Simple Syrup

Heat 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water over medium-high heat, stirring until dissolved. Add 1 cup mint leaves; remove from heat. Cover; steep 30 minutes to 1 hour. Strain; discard mint. Refrigerate up to 2 months.

In a 2-quart pitcher, stir gin, lime juice, and syrup. Refrigerate. To serve, pour into a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake vigorously, and divide among ice-filled 10-ounce glasses. (For a single drink, mix in a cocktail shaker filled with ice, and shake.) Garnish each with cucumber peel and mint.

Remember: Contact us at www.getsaferide.com and prevent your peers from drunk driving while celebrating Easter. It’s the best thing you can do for friends.

Partying has never been exciting without the availability what the party-goers long for: “the drinks.”

Socializing will be well facilitated when one drinks a glass of alcohol because of its boosting effect in a person’s confidence. Dancing and other party activities will become more vibrant as the alcohol adds more strength and ecstatic feeling to everyone present in the party.

Ever wonder what drinks to prepare for your guests?

Make your party as colorful as ever with these New Tips in Planning Party Drinks.

• Qualify the guests you invited. Ladies and gents may drink similar alcohol but others prefer to take lady’s drink so to speak because of the varying flavor and alcohol content. Knowing your guests is a basic step so you will have a clearer idea what to prepare for your visitors.
• Decide on the theme of the party. The core concept of the party suggests the types of drinks you will offer. If you want to have a cocktail party, your drinks will appear captivating and exciting because it reflects various colors and even the use of fruits will make it truly inviting. Sure your guest would love it.
• Set up a home bar. This serves as the area where drinks will be displayed. Make sure that it will be accessible for the guests so that they won’t have a hard time getting a glass of alcohol and the replenishment. You can actually use a table if you don’t have a sophisticated bar; so long as it is spacious enough for the various drinks you will prepare. And don’t forget to cover it with cloth for a better look.
• Hire or assign a bartender. The bartender will make the preparation and serving a lot easier. As an expert in mixing flavors, your guests will be amazed with the entire party and will even commend you for a well-organized party. As the party progresses, more and more attendees will have their glasses replenished and with the bartender, you won’t be worried how to serve your guests better.
• Accommodate your guests for a good rest. With your drinks prepared, party will surely end till dawn. Be able to have some spaces in your home for instance that your visitors can sleep to ensure that everyone will be safe. You can also hire a cab or an organization that fosters safer transportation. This way, you are safe from accident that maybe caused by drunk driving.

What are you waiting for? Apply these new tips and make your party more exciting than ever. Invite guests and share happiness with them.

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Boredom is experienced by all individuals. It is an emotional condition where a person has nothing to work with or is indifferent in the surroundings. This feeling may be associated with work-related stress or personal disappointment. If you know some friends who are bored, do something to make them happy at the very least. For instance, you can invite them for a party. Here are some of the exciting tips for the bored party-goers.

• Get to know the real reason why he/she is bored. Try to know this by asking questions or observing how your friend behaves if he does not directly says the reason. There must be previous instances when acts that way. Then, you can use some strategies such as introducing him/her to other party goers. He might find the other person interesting to talk with.
• Offer some drinks. Give your friend a glass of alcohol. This allows him to be more comfortable during the party. There is that amazing effect of alcohol that let the person enjoy the event. Getting him over drunk is a no-no, you might get in trouble managing his behavior due to the effects of alcohol. Moderation is key.
• Arrange a safe transportation heading to and leaving the venue. Your friend might be meticulous with a safe ride going to the party. This is also for everyone’s welfare especially that there is a tendency that most of you will get drunk. A comfortable and safe ride would remove all the worries the group feels. For the fall season, Safe Rides Unlimited has posted its specials.
• Lead him to the dance floor. With confidence enhanced with the effect of alcohol, join everyone on the dance floor. This is an exciting way to enjoy and combat boredom. Groove into the music and feel every dance steps you make.
• Facilitate a game during the party. Other than social dancing, you can also hype up the attendees by encouraging them to join the games you prepared. This will heighten their excitement and they too will be sharing fun and laughter to their groupmates. Do this and you will have your friend forget the boredom. You can even give a reward to the winners of the game.
• Make some announcements for future gatherings. As an expression of gratitude to all those who joined, you can keep your friends excited for the next party.

Apply these tips and you will be acknowledged for being so generous in making bored party-goers enjoy the moment.

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Ever been rushing to go out to a party only to find yourself unprepared for it?

You start cramming and claw your closet for the outfit that you were sure would fit only to realize it has that horrible ugly stain that you forgot to take care of last week?

If only someone gave you a reminder or two about the party right? Don’t fret! We’ll dish it out to you right now.

Everyone gets excited to go out for a party. It’s an opportune time to unwind and mingle with friends and get acquainted with new faces. This excitement continues during preparation one makes. For experienced party-goers, this seems a routine while for the newbies, it may seem challenging. Regardless of experience, forgetfulness strikes your way and here are the Top 7 Reminders Before Going Out to Party.

Time’s ticking so let’s get started!

Recheck the date. If you receive an invitation from a friend, be sure to cross check the date specially if the day draws near. This keeps you reminded in cases you will forget the date or mislook it. Moreover, you can keep yourself updated with the organizer because there might be changes on the schedule.

Prepare your outfit. Some parties have defined themes. These pretty well suggest the appropriate outfit you should wear. Is it a wedding, birthday, engagement, Halloween or disco party? Whatever that is, wear costume that jives with the occasion.
Know the exact location. Be very certain that you know where the location of the party is. If you need a map, have it. You can also ride a cab if you are not familiar of the place or even, go along with your friends so you would not be lost.

Have someone safekeep your home. It would be good to have someone stay in your home, say, your helper or a security guard so you wouldn’t be worried what might happen while you are attending a party. Turn off electric stove, gas burner or any devices which may cause fire.

Drink moderately. Take note that joining party doesn’t only mean you will drink more liquor just to unwind. A good advice is to divert your attention by chit chatting or participating in the party activities so you would not plunge into alcohol that much. Well, unless you really intended to. Then, follow the next reminder.

Don’t drive drunk. Drunk driving has always been unpleasant. You become vulnerable to accident if you do this. As advised, you can hire a cab driver to send you home. There are also organizations that foster safe ride. They are responsible enough to provide the transportation facility to deliver you home safely.

Enjoy the party. This must be you main objective. Put in mind that you are going out to unwind and meet new people. Think of happy thoughts as you go towards the venue. For sure, you will enjoy the party the way you wanted it to be or even better.

With these reminders, you are now ready to enjoy the party. You can actually make these as a checklist to be sure you don’t miss a thing. Share this article to your friends and have a great party ahead.

Image Credits to Dalo_Pix2

Recently a study was conducted to see if people who use a FREE safe ride drank more.  We at safe rides believe that offereing FREE safe rides is not the answer since it leave people with more money and a greater incentive to start abusing alcohol.  The key is to find the right balance between making the rides as cost effective as possible, while still allowing people to enjoy the night out. below is the article that was found on ScienceDirect.com

Wayne M. Harding^{, , a, b}, Barry D. Caudill^c, Brent A. Moore^c and Kevin C. Frissell^c 

by Jim O’Neill/The Star-Ledger

A 23-year-old Colonia man wept uncontrollably in court this afternoon as his attorney told a judge the young man was not guilty of causing the alleged drunk-driving crash that killed a Perth Amboy police officer and injured two passengers last week. Tears streamed down Sean McGuirk’s cheeks as he stood before a judge in the Middlesex County Courthouse to face charges including vehicular homicide in the death of Officer Thomas Raji, 31.

McGuirk dabbed at his eyes, his face twisted in anguish, as Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Nicholas Sewitch recounted the criminal charges. Raji’s widow, Marisol ”Mimi” Raji, a Perth Amboy police officer who is several months pregnant with the couple’s first child, watched intently from the front row of the fifth-floor courtroom. More than 30 Perth Amboy police officers accompanied the widow to the brief hearing, packing one side of the courtroom.

Superior Court Judge Bradley Ferencz continued McGuirk’s bail at $100,000, but suspended his driving privileges until the charges are resolved. After the hearing, McGuirk, the brother of a Woodbridge police officer, slumped in a seat and tried to compose himself. His attorney, David Shivas, declined to comment.  If convicted, McGuirk faces as much as 20 years in prison. He was released on bail after being charged with killing Raji and injuring Officer Matthew Mercurio and their passenger, Gregory Efford, a prisoner who was being held on a warrant from Rahway. Raji, a police officer for 10 years, and Mercurio were transporting Efford to the Middlesex County jail in North Brunswick about 3:45 a.m. Friday when their cruiser, a 2005 Crown Victoria, was broadsided by a Nissan Altima crossing Route 1 at Green Street in Woodbridge. The crash site is about a half-mile from the Woodbridge Center mall.  Raji, who was driving, was pronounced dead at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. Mercurio, 42, suffered broken ribs. The prisoner suffered minor injuries, authorities said.  In addition to homicide and assault, McGuirk was charged with drunk-driving, reckless driving, and running two red lights at the intersection. The charges were filed after blood-alcohol testing gave a reading of 0.107 percent, authorities said. The legal limit is 0.08.  Raji was the first Perth Amboy officer to be killed in the line of duty, city officials said. A Perth Amboy native, he joined the force in 1999. He was the second police officer to die in a traffic accident in Middlesex County in 10 days. North Brunswick Lt. Christopher Zerby, 41, was killed on Route 130 in the township on Aug. 12. Zerby had been a passenger in a rented Dodge Viper sports car driven by a fellow officer. The vehicle veered off the highway just south of Route 1.

By KEN SERRANO • STAFF WRITER • June 23, 2009

MIDDLESEX COUNTY — A Colonia man pleaded guilty Tuesday to killing a Perth Amboy police officer in August in an alcohol-fueled crash after he ran two red lights on Route 1 in Woodbridge.

Sean McGuirk, 24, will face eight years in prison, under a plea agreement struck with the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
He pleaded guilty in Superior Court, New Brunswick, to vehicular homicide in the death of Officer Thomas Raji, two counts of assault by auto for injuring another officer and a man being taken to Middlesex County jail and driving while intoxicated. Charges of aggravated manslaughter and two counts of aggravated assault will be dropped at sentencing, under the agreement.  McGuirk wiped his reddened eyes with a tissue through the proceeding in Judge Frederick DeVesa’s courtroom and fought emotion throughout the proceeding. The courtroom was packed, mostly with the family members of Raji’s and other city police officers.

The accident occurred early Aug. 22, 2008, after McGuirk spent four hours drinking at Big Shots on Route 1. “When I left Big Shots, I made a poor decision to get in the car,” McGuirk told DeVesa. “I struck a vehicle that I later found out was a police vehicle.” McGuirk will have to serve about six years and nine months before becoming eligible for parole. He remains free on bail. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 17.
McGuirk admitted he had five or six drinks and was drinking inside Big Shots after the Route 1 bar was suppose to close. He drove a 2008 Nissan Altima through two red traffic lights at the intersection of Route 1 and Green Street in Woodbridge about 3:30 a.m. and broadsided Raji’s marked patrol car, he acknowledged.Raji, who was at the wheel, was pronounced dead at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick about an hour later. The early-morning accident also injured Perth Amboy patrolman Matthew Mercurio, 43, and a man being taken to Middlesex County Jail, Gregory Efford, 37. McGuirk had a blood-alcohol content of .107 percent when checked after the accident, but was presumed to be .139 at the time of the crash, Assistant Middlesex County Prosecutor Nicholas Sewitch said in court. Raji, 31, a 10-year veteran of the Perth Amboy police force, was the first city officer to die in the line of duty. He was the brother-in-law of Superior Court Judge Pedro Jimenez Jr. and the son-in-law of Pedro Jimenez, president of the Perth Amboy city council.
Raji’s wife, Marisol, who was 12 weeks pregnant when her husband died, expressed dissatisfaction with the plea deal. “I would like to see him get life,” she said. “”He took my husband’s life and he should get the same. When he gets out of jail he’ll be younger than my husband when he took his life. I can’t get Tommy back.” Also a Perth Amboy police officer, she said she would retire from the force so she can care for her child, Mikayla, who was born March 8. “She looks just like her father, which is what I prayed for,” she said.

 
Ken Serrano: 732-565-7212; kserrano@MyCentralJersey.com

On October 25th 2008, SRU Founder Amanat Moe Sattar announced a partnership between Bliss Lounge and Safe Rides to offer people even more incentives to party smart.  This partnership was put together with the help of NY, NJ’s premier night life promoter Sergio Tiggs (a long time SRU adviser).  Bliss will offer a black card to its customers that provides discounts not just from bliss but from Safe Rides Unlimited.

Safe Rides Unlimited and Bliss have had a long partnership even before the launch of the black card to prevent people from drinking and driving.  Bliss formerly known as Joeys in clifton was the first venue to join Safe Rides over 5 years ago.  Since then bliss management and SRU have worked together to come up with new and effective ways to offer safe rides to people.  This Black Card offer is just another proof that Bliss and SRU are dedicated to achieving a goal of transforming the way people enjoy night life.

All Bliss Black Card holders will receive an additional 5% off their donation to safe rides when they utilize a safe ride.  All the card holders need to do is mention at time of reserving a safe ride that they are a card holder and show the card to the driver at time of pickup to receive the discount.

For more details please call us @ 888.656.SAFE

That’s the new catch phrase in the Kahlua advertisements.  They could not have been more correct.   Drunk driving does start with an excuse “I’m not going to drink too much therefore its ok if I drive” “I’ll have one of my friends drive on the way back” “I’m not that drunk” “I’ve driven when I was in much worse shape so I’ll be ok”, the list can go on forever.  However the most important excuse has become embedded into our psyche “I don’t have any other way of getting to and from the club”.  In a survey conducted by SRU over 90% of people going out claimed how else would they get to and from the club.  These individuals claimed they didn’t think any drunk driving incident could happen to them. Worse yet all of the individuals claimed campaigns that instruct us to be responsible drinkers never even became a thought when going out. Lately alcohol industry has been placing messages at the end of their commercials such as “Drink Responsibly” etc.  When we asked, students remembered the ad but surprisingly said they didn’t remember the drink responsibility part or they didn’t really pay attention to it.  They all remembered the rest of the ad.  It seems that these drink responsibly ads have become more of a formality than to have an actual effect and therefore are being ignored.

Moe Sattar Founder of Safe Rides Unlimited said “All the messaging campaigns are great but they don’t really give us an actual alternative.”  He also stated that “college students and general public are more than accepting of a real solutions.  The proof of such a statement is in the phone calls that come in by the hundreds from people praising our services and making safe ride reservations.”

The bottom line in this whole thing is this.  Drunk driving can be reduced to nearly non existent if advertisers realize that instead of wasting money on messages, lets provide people with a choice.  A choice that would allow people to make the right decision.  A choice that will be a lot more effective in reducing alcohol industry liabilities.  A choice that will be profitable to all parties involved from the users to the providers. A choice that will make people responsible for their actions instead of blaming them on lack of alternatives. Safe Rides Unlimited is a testament to such a choice.

Lets allow our minds to become creative so we can get away from talking and start taking action.  Lets explore options and with that we will have made the greatest change in the old mentality.  A Mentality that did not allow you to even think about any available alternatives to a mentality that knows that we can be safe and have fun by simply using Safe Rides Unlimited.