Booze News: Welcome WSU moms with wine, cocktails

Enjoy alcohol-themed activities this weekend; ‘Game of Thrones’ beverages pair nicely with newest season

Spenser+Peery%2C+member+of+Sigma+Iota+and+bartender+at+the+ZZU+Club+%2B+Grub%2C+discusses+the+upcoming+Mom%E2%80%99s+Weekend+Winefest+on+Tuesday+in+Valhalla+Bar+and+Grill.+The+event+will+include+wine+tasting%2C+live+music%2C+a+silent+auction+and+a+commemorative+wine+glass.+

JOSEPH GARDNER | THE DAILY EVERGREEN

Spenser Peery, member of Sigma Iota and bartender at the ZZU Club + Grub, discusses the upcoming Mom’s Weekend Winefest on Tuesday in Valhalla Bar and Grill. The event will include wine tasting, live music, a silent auction and a commemorative wine glass.

CHRIS WEST, Evergreen columnist

The gods, both old and new, clearly had a plan in mind when it came to aligning the heavens for the year 2019. After eight years of dragons, a blonde woman and the drunken musings of Tyrion, winter has finally come. It’s about damn time.

The series finale of “Game of Thrones” brings with it not only the frozen army of the dead, and (spoiler alert) a zombie dragon, but also, another, more nurturing, army into our lives. Much like winter, mother is coming. Hold fast, because Mom’s Weekend is here.

Having mom come to town is the perfect time to “bend the knee” and thank her for sending you care packages, encouraging thoughts, a place to do laundry and of course, money, which may or may not be used to expand your alcoholic spectrum. I’m not here to judge. I encourage it in most cases. Just own it and say, “Gee, thanks ma!”

Carissa Maier, a junior zoology major here at WSU, plans on doing just that, through the wonderful gift of pub food.

“I definitely want to take her to dinner,” Maier said. “Probably to South Fork.”

But the fun shouldn’t stop there. For those of you beautiful bastards who can now take your mothers to one — or six — of our many houses of booze, buy your mom a drink. She fed you for 21 years. You owe her.

When asked, Maier was ready with an answer, as if she had been planning for some time. Blue Moon is her mom’s drink of choice at The Coug, Maier said.

Good choice if, I do say so myself.

Also, fun fact: Maier is in the Shark Conservation Club, which I just learned we have.

If you want a fun event to stretch your Bob Ross muscle, the club is hosting a Mocktails and Paintfest event on Saturday from 1-3 p.m. in the CUB Junior Ballroom. Pay $25 and you can make some mocktails and paint sharks. Because sharks are badass.

While sharks are awesome, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention places and events to take mom to get her drink on. Because that’s why mothers come here. Not to express her love and pride for you. She was required to do that by law for 18 years. She came to revisit her college days and take part in a level of bonding that is not usually expressed the rest of the year, all with a great “Let Me Show You How It’s Done” vigor. And why shouldn’t she? Your mom works hard. Let her enjoy herself.

Case in point, I got to talk with Spenser Peery, bartender extraordinaire at the ZZU and a senior strategic communication major. “There’s a spirit here that gets people to drink,” Peery said, and she’s right.

There’s a certain magic among Cougs that motivates us to work hard and play harder. Mothers are no exceptions. Students may have to be the responsible ones this year.

“I stayed a lot more sober than I wanted to, because I was like, babysitting my mom,” Peery said.

While all this boujee sh-t is going on on campus, be sure to close out the night by taking mom down to some bars.

I would recommend Valhalla’s. It’s hosting Winefest from 5-7 p.m. on Saturday. For only $37, you get a glass, some food, a rose for Mother Dearest and a hell of a lot of wine. Then, after the event, stay and buy a hell of a lot of beer or tequila shots. You can’t go wrong.

For those of you who will be watching the beginning of the end this weekend on HBO, I would like to recommend some excellent libations to help get you through it. For those of you who always pay your debts and side with Cersei, I would recommend the Lioness. To make this delightful whiskey cocktail, simply mix two ounces whiskey, one ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice and one-ounce simple syrup. Shake it up and float some red wine on top with a spoon. It’s sexy-looking and worthy of the baddest lady in Westeros.

For those of you who prefer platinum blondes and dragons, go Targaryen with the Milk of the Dragon. This fancy drink consists of half a dragon fruit (of course), half an ounce fresh lime juice, half an ounce simple syrup and one and a half ounce of gin. Muddle down the dragon fruit and lime juice and then add everything else. Shake the hell out of it and strain it into a fancy glass.

Be it the battle for a continent or the last glass of wine, this weekend will be one for the ages. I’m glad to be a part of it. That said, no matter what you do, please stay safe out there, and as always, bottoms up.

This column has been updated to clarify Maier’s quotes.