Anonymous wrote:That is a shame, OP.

I have had a similar problem a few times. I don't drink liquor (I do drink wine and beer, but I have little tolerance for liquor) and occasionally I find myself in a "bottle service" or "liquor bar + mixers only" situation where I have nothing to drink. It kind of sucks - everyone else is getting sloshed and I'm making myself a drink with 95% cranberry or orange juice and a splash of vodka so I won't look lame.

First of all, you do drink liquor if you are having a splash of vodka.

Second, you are one of those annoying people who thinks everyone is observing them/caring about what they do, always. NO ONE GIVES A SHIT. I socialize often, and have no idea whether Jane is drinking a vodka soda or just soda with lime; I have no idea if Tim is having a Stella or an O'Douls; I have no idea if Susie is having plain craberry juice or cranberry with vodka. Don't know, don't CARE. What, do you go around smelling and tasting your friend's drinks? If I'm talking with someone, and they are fun and interesting, I don't notice or care if they are drinking water, wine, Diet Coke or Perrier. What's wrong with you that you feel "lame" for not drinking hard liquor? Are you 12?

Anonymous wrote:OP, I have had the same problem. If I'm offered only alcohol, I ask for water. I just hope that the host notices and feels a little awkward and that the next time they invite people over that they include some iced tea or sodas. But I don't want to make a big deal out of it.

I've been in recovery since 1987, so I'm cool with water. But it's also true that usually if I'm around alcohol, I'd prefer something with flavor like a Coke so the alcohol doesn't distract me. I manage okay without it but I do wonder about people who are recently in recovery. It must be so much harder for them.

You hope your host feels awkward? How is that awkward to get you some water or you get your own. I bet you are never asked back, so no need to worry about "next time"

Anonymous wrote:That is a shame, OP.

I have had a similar problem a few times. I don't drink liquor (I do drink wine and beer, but I have little tolerance for liquor) and occasionally I find myself in a "bottle service" or "liquor bar + mixers only" situation where I have nothing to drink. It kind of sucks - everyone else is getting sloshed and I'm making myself a drink with 95% cranberry or orange juice and a splash of vodka so I won't look lame.

So you won't look lame? Who gives a sh*t?!

Anonymous wrote:That is a shame, OP.

I have had a similar problem a few times. I don't drink liquor (I do drink wine and beer, but I have little tolerance for liquor) and occasionally I find myself in a "bottle service" or "liquor bar + mixers only" situation where I have nothing to drink. It kind of sucks - everyone else is getting sloshed and I'm making myself a drink with 95% cranberry or orange juice and a splash of vodka so I won't look lame.

I think people like you and OP should stash a few boxes of Juicy juice in your purse so you are not caught off guard with only water to drink.

That is a shame, OP.

I have had a similar problem a few times. I don't drink liquor (I do drink wine and beer, but I have little tolerance for liquor) and occasionally I find myself in a "bottle service" or "liquor bar + mixers only" situation where I have nothing to drink. It kind of sucks - everyone else is getting sloshed and I'm making myself a drink with 95% cranberry or orange juice and a splash of vodka so I won't look lame.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, I think it is odd not to have water for everyone, even those drinking wine. But for a dinner, I think it is odd to expect more than water to be offered.

Cocktail hour, happy hour, backyard bbq, sure. I would offer a selection of non-alcoholic drinks. But in general, wine is picked to pair well with the meal and water is to quench your thirst. You can live through a meal without a tasty drink.

Normally I would agree with you but as a recovering alcoholic it helps to have something with flavor in it in order to deal with the smells of alcohol that other people are drinking.

OK, well if you are a recovering alcoholic who truly does "need" a sugary drink to help with your specific problem, you need to bring your own or give your hosts a heads up. Because that is WAY different from an adult like OP who simply "needs" sugary drinks because she's ruined her taste buds by drinking sugary beverages with literally every meal, every single DAY.

Most adults who aren't addicted to soda or recovering from alcohol are just fine with drinking water. Water is what we drink at our dinner tables 95% of the time, and we also enjoy wine on special occasions or when guests are around.

+1

My sister is a recovering alcoholic and she drives around with cans and bottles of sparkling water in her car. If you can't go to dinner parties and such where others are drinking without being tempted, you should probably decline those invitations until you are in a healthier state.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, I think it is odd not to have water for everyone, even those drinking wine. But for a dinner, I think it is odd to expect more than water to be offered.

Cocktail hour, happy hour, backyard bbq, sure. I would offer a selection of non-alcoholic drinks. But in general, wine is picked to pair well with the meal and water is to quench your thirst. You can live through a meal without a tasty drink.

Normally I would agree with you but as a recovering alcoholic it helps to have something with flavor in it in order to deal with the smells of alcohol that other people are drinking.

OK, well if you are a recovering alcoholic who truly does "need" a sugary drink to help with your specific problem, you need to bring your own or give your hosts a heads up. Because that is WAY different from an adult like OP who simply "needs" sugary drinks because she's ruined her taste buds by drinking sugary beverages with literally every meal, every single DAY.

Most adults who aren't addicted to soda or recovering from alcohol are just fine with drinking water. Water is what we drink at our dinner tables 95% of the time, and we also enjoy wine on special occasions or when guests are around.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For a dinner party, I’d certainly offer people water, beer, wine, or coffee/tea, but it’s unlikely that I’ll have something like lemonade on hand unless there are children.

Why not have other drinks? Many people don't drink beer/wine, coffee/tea and would like something more tasty than water.

I mean, if I’m going through the trouble off throwing a nice dinner party with beautiful food, I’m not expecting to have to serve people Code Red Mountain Dew, but there’s probably a 7 Eleven you could stop at on the way home

L
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We don't drink soda or juice, but for dinner parties, we generally pick up some Coca Cola and ginger ale.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For a dinner party, I’d certainly offer people water, beer, wine, or coffee/tea, but it’s unlikely that I’ll have something like lemonade on hand unless there are children.

Why not have other drinks? Many people don't drink beer/wine, coffee/tea and would like something more tasty than water.

I mean, if I’m going through the trouble off throwing a nice dinner party with beautiful food, I’m not expecting to have to serve people Code Red Mountain Dew, but there’s probably a 7 Eleven you could stop at on the way home

L
O
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We don’t drink juice or soda, so I don’t have it. I’m sorry water is boring. I would have offered you ice water - still or sparkling. But lemonade? Ice tea? It’s a dinner party, not a BBQ. I don’t run a restaurant.

I have never seen an adult order iced tea or soda with a nice dinner. Maybe at lunch with a sandwich or a burger. Drinking something other than water or wine/beer at dinner just seems weird to me.

I mean, I drink a lot of diet soda at home, but if someone else only had wine or water, I would literally think nothing of it. It would seem fine.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do the must have only wine with nice day dinner say to Morman or Muslim guests who don't drink? Or do you not invite them?

I offer them still or sparkling water.

Don't Mormons not drink soda? What do Muslims drink with every meal? Soda? Lemonade?

I'm shocked by this thread because I thought most people drank water at dinner (if not drinking alcoholic beverages)

My wife and I (not big drinkers nor teatotalers) usually have water or sparkling water with dinner - coffee with breakfast. Often milk with the foods it matches best with. We seldom drink soda anymore. We used to have more juice around when kids were young.

My sense is that the etiquette for a BBQ, group picnic, informal community dinner, etc is to have at least one non alcoholic drink other than water (personally I get mildly bannoyed at such events when there is either no non sugary offering other than water, or when its an evening event, and there is no offering other than water that is both sugar free and caffeine free)

But for a formal dinner, I think the etiquette is wine, and water, and that's it.

Not serving water seems odd to me though.

I'm shocked at this thread...moreso because you guys say that soda and lemonade are for commoners in trailer parks.

LOL. Good grief some of ya'll need to lighten up. Having a couple of other drinks besides your Perrier and wine is not going to sour your fanciful aura. I promise you.

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but most people in my social circle drink water. Nobody is drinking sugary drinks with their males anymore. Was just at a really classy Easter dinner and the drinks were alcohol and water. You did have to get your own water though. I did not occur to me that the host had to get my water for me.