Nostalgic for the sickly sweet taste of Children's Tylenol but worried you're too sick to go out? Pssh -- genius mixologists are here to save the day. Boston's Tamo bar just launched the Baby Tylenoltini -- a blend of Absolut Pears, ginger, lemon, honey, Grenadine and pink lemonade made to taste like the childhood curative. They also have cocktail that tastes like a cough drop.
Yes, cold and flu season is in full swing, even among barflies, and health experts say that that the usual go-to cure, Tamiflu, is no match for this year's strains of the virus.
Fortunately, we've uncovered a slew of libations made with good-for-you ingredients (besides NyQuil). They may just cure what ails you -- and if not, at least you'll forget about your sniffles for a while.
Golden Daze: Angel's Share, in NYC's East Village, offers the Golden Daze, a head-clouding, cold-clearing cocktail made with warm water, sherry, brandy, honey (which is good for coughs), cloves, cinnamon and ground ginger. Just the thought of warm sherry and cinnamon makes us feel better.
Acai-Blueberry Martini: Several Atlanta-based bars, including Whiskey Park, offer this citrusy blend of Van Gogh Acai-Blueberry Vodka and lemonade. Dr. Perricone, a frequent guest on Oprah, lists acai as his top super-food for its richness in antioxidants, amino acids and fatty acids, which boost your energy and bolster your immune system.
Click here to read about four more drinks, including one made with Emergen-C!
Bizarre Spa Treatments
10. Arctic Ice Room
The Qua Spa at Caesar's Palace Las Vegas offers an "Arctic Ice" treatment room, where "snow" falls from a domed ceiling through mint-infused air chilled to 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
Jae C. Hong, AP
9. Golf Ball Massage
After hitting the links at Scottsdale's Four Seasons Resort at Troon North, you can have a "therapist" warm up some golf balls, and roll them along the large muscles of your spine and neck.
Jupiter Images
8. Doctor Fish Pedicure
A type of carp called garra rufa, or "doctor fish," are used during pedicures at Yvonne Hair and Nails salon in Alexandria, Va. The fish eat dead areas of the skin, leaving just healthy new flesh behind.
Jacquelyn Martin, AP
7. Doctor Fish Pool
In case you want more than your toes nibbled, you can bail to Chongqing Municipality, China and hop in a Doctor Fish therapy spa.
China Photos / Getty Images
6. Gold Facial Treatment
Japan's Umo Inc. claims that covering the face with sheets of 24-carat gold is an effective (if not cost effective) method of fighting off wrinkles.
Junko Kimura, Getty Images
5. Snake Massage
In the Israeli village of Talmey El'Azar, where reptile farmer/aesthetician Ada Barak uses tangles of king, corn and milk snakes in her massage treatments. Barak claims that find the creatures to be soothing.
Yonathan Weitzman, Reuters
4. Nightingale Droppings
If snakes aren't cuttin' it, you can always rely on ol' fashioned bird poo. Spas such as Shizuku in NYC offer facials with nightingale droppings, which contain an enzyme that supposedly brightens the skin.
Jewel Samad, AFP / Getty Images
3. Leeches
Demi Moore may be using these bloodsuckers for detox treatments, but in the Himalayan region of Jammu And Kashmir, leeches are used to treat a variety of ailments including blood disorders and immunity problems.
Awar Nazir, Scoopt / Getty Images
2. Bull Semen Hair Conditioning
Bull semen conditioner is one of the new offerings of Hari's Salon in London. Hari's claims that the substance, when combined with a protein rich plant root, Katera, strengthens and adds shine to hair.
Morry Gash, AP
1. Knife Therapy
A man cringes as he receives a "knife therapy" massage during a free procedure in Taipei. Local practitioners in this ancient form of massage claim it can cure sinus infections and headaches.
Steven Wang, AP
Siren: San Diego's Odysea bar serves up the Siren (shown), a sizzling hot combination of Fortaleza Tequila, Gabriel Boudier Crème de Cassis, red jalapeños, lime and ginger beer. Red jalapeños stimulate blood flow, while ginger beer calms the stomach. Maca-tini: At the green-certified Aroma Thyme Bistro in Ellenville, N. Y., patrons can enjoy a potent combination of apple and maca: the Macai-tini. Chef Marcus Guiliano tells us that maca, a Peruvian root vegetable, is a fat burner as well as an aphrodisiac. That sounds good for us!
C-creature: In Walnut Creek, Calif., the Spoontonic Lounge makes Emergen-C cocktails by request. The C-creature is a combination of Absolute Mandarin, a packet of Emergen-C (citrus flavor), soda water, fresh orange wedge and a splash of OJ. Add a shot of vodka to the Emergen-C and you've got yourself a B-12 Bomber.
Low-Carb Wheatgrass Martini: The Oliver Lounge at the SPORTS CLUB/LA-Beverly Hills has concocted a low-carb martini with soy vodka, fresh wheatgrass (which has, like, six tons of vitamin C per ounce) and ginger reductions. Sounds exactly like what the doctor would order.
Also on Lemondrop: Once you're feeling better, indulge in one of the sumptuous desserts below.
1,600 Calories...and Worth It?
Cosi Double Trouble Brownie Sundae, Calories: 1,594, Total Fat: 95 g
"One warm chocolate brownie & one blondie topped with two scoops of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream & a cherry." Seven nights on the treadmill, alternating between self-loathing and considering eating another one when you get home.
Laura Gilbert
Chili's Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie, Calories: 1,600, Total Fat: 78 g
Why have dessert when you can have novelty dessert?! It comes to your table fajita-style, sizzling in a cast iron skillet. And it's soaking in a vat of cinnamon butter. (Kind of like your heart.)
Southeast Star, Flickr
Romano's Macaroni Grill's Dessert Ravioli, Calories: 1,630, Total Fat: 74 g
This Italian-inspired concoction consists of peanuts, caramel and chocolate in fried pastries served with vanilla ice cream and, uh, more caramel. Don't worry, their New York Cheesecake only has 1,610 calories.
Watori Goro, Flickr
P.F. Chang's Great Wall of Chocolate with Raspberry Sauce, Calories: 2,240, Total Fat: 89 g
Well, it does have 20g of protein and we can write off the raspberry sauce as being in the fruit group, so it's sort of like salad, right?
tresposhepreppy.blogspot.com
Applebee's Sizzling Apple Pie with Ice Cream, Calories: 1,086, Total Fat: 56 g
There's nothing more American than warm apple pie -- that has over a thousand calories. The ice cream melts over the sizzling sugary crust, creating a hot-and-cold classic for your piehole.
Applebees.com
Baskin-Robbins Heath Bar Shake, Calories: 2,310, Total Fat: 108 g
We like our coffee like we like our men: blended with Heath ice cream and caramel and tastefully garnished with whipped cream and pieces of candy bars.
BaskinRobbins.com
Mimi's Café Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie, Calories: 1,879, Total Fat: 111 g
Why choose between pecan pie and a chocolate dessert when you can jam them both onto one plate? Plus, pecans = heart-healthy fats, right? Right? Come back here, we're having chest pains.
MimisCafe.com
Friendly's Caramel Fudge Brownie Sundae, Calories: 1,530, Total fat: 70 g
An Oreo brownie with five scoops of ice cream, hot fudge, caramel and whipped cream. Who could have guessed those ingredients would add up to such high digits? We blame new math.
Friendlys.com
Don Pablo's Chocolate Volcano Cake, Calories: 1,380, Total Fat: 77g
(Not to be confused with the 1997 film.) Take one chocolate cinnamon cake, drop it in a pool of molten chocolate butter sauce, scoop ice cream on top and shovel into maw. Burp.
Amazon
On the Border Chocolate Turtle Empanadas, Calories: 1,280, Fat: 729 g
Really, how better to wash down a meal of fried flour, refried beans and guac than a pile of pastries filled with chocolate, caramel and pecans. With ice cream. Delicioso!
ontheborder.com












Comments:
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Saturday 17 January
By mike
I lived in Miami in the 1960's and caught the Hong Kong flu. An old Puerto Rican lady cured me with a mix of rum, anisette, and lime juice.
Mike
Reply
Monday 19 January
By Carlton A Proute
In the west indies, we have used rum, lime juice and hot coffee as a flu shot for years, I!m oversixty now, and have had the old hot shot from teenage years. Sure seemed to work for grandma.....and for me
Saturday 17 January
By Mike
Have a Manhattan and everything will be fine as far as health goes etc.....
Reply
Saturday 17 January
By Laura
Two different remedies, and depending on your age, they both work.
In a large jar, put in one cup Jack Daniels, one cup lemon juice, one cup sugar, cap, and shake like crazy until mixed. Take by two tablespoon doses.
For kids (or those who can't drink) take a glass of grapefruit juice, put in a 1/4 c. sugar, heat... drink down as hot as you can stand it.
The Vitamin C in the grapefruit juice will clear the phlegm out of your throat, the sugar makes it palatable...
I always used just blackberry brandy when i would have bronchitis, at least it would calm the cough so I could sleep... if I drank too much, it made me snore, but i would still get sleep...
Reply
Saturday 17 January
By Jim Sweeney
Ms Johston,
when I was living in New York one winter,I went to a club-and I was
getting over a head cold.I asked the bartender what I should drink
to help-he recommended Rock'N'Rye-a liquer made from Rock Candy
Most liquor stores carry it................
Reply
Sunday 18 January
By ZAK
This article is 100% B.S. It is simply an advertisement to selll exotic, over-priced drinks. If you don't believe me...ask any MD.
Reply
Sunday 18 January
By Mimsy in Tampa
When I was a kid (many many years ago) whenever I had a bad chest cold or bronchitis - my grandma would mixup a combo of Rye and RockCandy - after shaking it up vigorously it was doled out in shot glass size doses. It really helped - soothed sore throats, relieved coughing and induced sleep. Our parents loved that part I'm sure! I continued the tradition with my son...and hope that he and his future wife continue the tradition.
Another remedy for a bad cold - glass of lemonade sweetened with sugar and a shot of whisky.
Final remedy for those monthly cramps - a glass of blackberry brandy and bed.
Nice nap and cramps were always gone when I awoke.
Some of these are folk remedies just updated - try them and see what works for you!
Reply
Sunday 18 January
By Carol
When we were kids, my mom used to give us 2 aspirin, a shot of rye whiskey, and a cup of hot tea with lemon in it which we drank right down, and then put us to bed. It worked every time. The next morning we were fine.
Reply
Sunday 18 January
By Jack
JAGERMEISTER
Reply
Sunday 18 January
By redsoxloverswb
Feel a really bad cold coming on? Try this (no alcohol! Safe for anyone): 50/50 mixture of honey and vinegar. Adjust percentages to taste - it really doesn't matter, as long as you get some of each. Take a teaspoon to a couple of tablespoons (or a good swig!) every once in a while, to ease sinus pressure, cough, and all-around "blah" feeling. Ususally, my cold is completely gone by morning, before it even has a chance to get going. Try it! It really works! And thank the late Dr. Jarvis.
Reply
Thursday 14 May
By BBenamara
remedies always work something natural like TIzan or herbal tea with lemon.
Acai Berry Research
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