Haute Living Hangover Tips for the New Year – Before, During & After

It’s inevitable that after all the over indulgences in all those bottles of Pernod-Ricard Perrier-Jouet during the New Year’s festivities, you’re going to wake up just like everyone else, with a dehumanizing hangover.  Everyone knows the college-ingrained rules of thumb like drink a litre of water before passing out, keeping Gatorade by the bedside or eating a bagel before hand (not going to happen if you want to fit into that Roland Mouret).   But here are some other haute options to either prevent or alleviate those pedestrian problems.

BEFORE:

MERCY is most effective when consumed during or shortly after drinking.  It’s hangover prevention, not a hangover remedy.  MERCY is a caffeine-free, naturally flavored beverage and the only hangover-prevention drink that contains B1, a vitamin proven to help offset alcohol’s negative effects.  Ask the bottle service girl to bring some cans of MERCY along with that bottle of Belvedere and drink with abandon.  If you’re in NYC this NYE, they’re available at many bodegas in case you need one before you head home.

DURING:

Keep it simple.  Simply the best that is.  And try not to mix drinks.  Don’t do shots of Partida Tequila (you’re supposed to sip it anyways), rounds of Macallan 18, a glass of Petrus at dinner and mix in a bottle of Dom Perignon.  Pick a variety of alcohol and stick with it the entire night.  With table service, it’s not hard to keep everything consistent.

AFTER:

Hydrotherapy. A traditional Turkish Hamman is the perfect way to rejuvenate after a night of revelry.  You first relax in a warm room, heated by a continuous flow of hot, dry air.  The sweating releases built up toxins.  Then enter into an  even hotter room (known as the hot room) before splashing themselves with cold water.   After performing a full body wash and receiving a massage, you finally retire to the cooling-room for a period of relaxation.

Sadly, there are no Turkish Spas in San Francisco.  However, Burke Williams Spa in the Westfield Mall has the most generously sized and closest thing with a steam room, a hot hot steam room and cooling misting room.  (While Haute Living loves Remede and Nob Hill Spa, those rooms are just tiny!)  Just add on a massage and return to the world of the productive.

Boozy Brunch:  Eat properly after your evening by including protein and low glycemic index foods (solid fruits, watermelon, etc ) to counteract the sugar depletion caused by alcohol.   The two most likely compounding causes of headaches, jitters, heart palpitations, anxiousness, night sweats, shakiness are 1.  hypoglycemia and 2. alcohol withdrawl.    Hence a protein, sugar and booze filled brunch should pick you up.

The Top of the Mark is doing a gluttonous brunch buffet from 11AM-3PM where for $99 you can eat all the fresh oysters, caviar (great for protein!), suckling pig with apple chutney and a cornucopia of delicious delights.