How to Drink Alone

Self-quarantine sucks. Parties are cancelled, your social calendar has changed. Restaurants are closing, bars are shut, we have had to adjust our mindset to ‘homebody’, oh yeah, and it’s been raining none stop in California, so it’s pretty much felt like the end is near. 

Under the new trend of ‘social distancing’, ‘self quarantine’, ‘stay-at-home’, what happens to our love and need of good food and wine? One can only binge watch Netflix for so long without feeling the need for a little glass of wine. New York Times writer Eric Asimov recently asked the question, can we still enjoy our wine if we drink alone? ‘Drinking alone is often considered a sign of a serious problem, evidence of depression or even an indication of possible alcoholism.’

Eric Asimov is not alone in asking this question. “Do not, repeat, do not attempt to pluck your eyebrows while drinking alone,” warns one recent article titled “8 Ways to Drink Alone Without It Being Depressing.” Another takes us through “12 Stages of Deciding to Open a Bottle of Wine Alone and Drinking the Entire Thing,” including “resistance,” “denial,” “opening” and inevitably, “shame.”

In these unchartered times, I vote that we rethink our stance on drinking alone. Why can’t we apply ‘I drink as a social lubricant’ when drinking at home, alone?  Now we’re sharing wine with friends over facetime instead of at our local watering hole.

Can’t we classify a glass of wine as medicine for this new found state of anxiety? In that case, we should be treating ourselves more often during these times of insecurity.

Let’s not forget the fact that it tastes great and makes food taste even better. If being home alone is the new normal, we should all be perfectly fine with continuing life’s pleasures in this new landscape- good food, good wine, good music, great conversation.

We’re all in this together, even if we’re encouraged to be alone. Drink Well. Stay Sane. Be kind to each other.