"It's too cold to drink champagne," is a hell of a statement, especially coming from me. But it is exactly what I said to my friend Briana when she suggested we do the champagne and oyster happy hour at Eleven before heading off to the North Side to attend the Science After Dark Body Art event at the Carnegie Science Center.

I love champagne. Usually I will drink it any day, any time, but it is 8 degrees outside right now. The thought of sitting on a barstool in snow boots, heavy socks, thermals, jeans, undershirt, t-shirt, sweater, and scarf while sipping a cold, bubbly beverage makes me cringe. It invokes an unpleasant itchy sensation, makes my shoulders roll and my skin feel tight, and I don’t like it all.

Honestly though, there's not much that I like in the winte...

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