It's always 5 o'clock somewhere.

Unwinding with a quiet drink is one of life's simple pleasures. I'm not talking about getting completely off your face (though that has its time, no doubt) - I'm talking about the civilized, oh-so-genteel cocktail hour.

When I was growing up in Connecticut, my mother and grandparents observed it religiously. Bourbon on the rocks with an orange (my grandmother Nonie's drink), or vodka on the rocks with a twist (Mom and Pops' choice) - either way, come five o'clock, particularly on the weekends and particularly in summer, you could always find them, drink in hand, taking in the sunset.

Now that daylight savings time has gone back into effect, it's time again to watch the sun sink over Manhattan, cocktail in hand. This week I decided to ape Cookshop and create a St. Germain Collins of my own - Plymouth gin, St. Germain, and orange (honeybell, to be exact) juice, shaken and served up in a chilled cocktail glass. Garnished with a tiny slice of honeybell, and enjoyed while looking out through my timeworn windowsill and (truly fugly) orange fire escape onto a twilight-lit, bustling Second Avenue.

Cheers.

Queenie's Springtime Refresher

Chill however many cocktail glassed you need - fill them with a bit of crushed ice and top off with cold water.

Next, in a cocktail shaker filled with a decent amount of ice, mix five parts gin to two parts St. Germain liqueur and one part fresh orange juice. Shake vigorously. Dump the ice and water mixture out of your glasses and strain the cocktail into them.

Garnish with orange slices - or not, you choose - and drink up.