In theory, the concept of summer is like a bottomless mimosa special. Like the season itself, the cocktail boasts the perfect blend of sweet and savory, sparkling and smooth. With each sip and every cork popped off the bottle, we feel as though our bottomless mimosas will last forever – numbing us into a fantasy of never ending refills that keep on pouring until the end of time, as we’re sent off into a sun-kissed daze of oblivion. Yet, soon enough, the refills end, and the bottom of the glass finally becomes visible. The cocktail special inevitably fizzles to a finish – and, ultimately, so does summer.
In the heat of the moment, we never thought about what’s to follow after the refills: In the coming weeks, the sunny shades of orange of our clinking glasses will soon be replaced by the amber of the leaves that fall from the sky. The flaming sunsets that we gazed at all throughout happy hour will soon transition to fireplaces we cozy near with our porcelain mugs. But until then, we can enjoy our almond skin until it fades back to its natural shade, we can sift through our Polaroids that were once covered in sand, and we can savor those last drops of bittersweet orange juice that linger on our tongues as the season finally reaches its close for the year.
This year, it was the season of many things: it was the summer of blazing beach days and sparkling rooftops, the summer of morning hikes and midnight drives with the top down, the summer of stirring romances and cheap thrills, the summer of fresh discoveries and raw confessions, the summer of ambition, the summer of dance, the summer of love, the summer of adventure, and the summer of memories of a time that we’ll never get back, but that will come again in new shape, form, and flavor – just like we do as the time passes.
As we take our final sips of the season, we finally realize that all good things must come to an end. Whether happy hour, friendships, relationships, or the seasons themselves, some changes and conclusions are inescapable. Yet, at the same time, we must remember that life is cyclical; there will be more good things to come again, to toast and look forward to. Whether a fizzy mimosa on a breezy rooftop or hot cocoa beside a fireplace, there will always be another glass to raise, no matter the beverage.
Of course, summer, you will be missed. But as we prepare to welcome the new season, as we layer up and immerse ourselves in all that is autumn, and as we almost forget how a mimosa, (or a few), should taste, summer will approach us soon enough, once again, in all its infinite, bubbling glory.
Le Bain at The Standard, High Line – 848 Washington St, New York, NY 10014
