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Cocktail Junkie Getaways have been in the planning for a couple of years, but the inspiration is more than a decade (almost two) in the making.

In the six months before I turned thirty (a long time ago), I started having regular “meetings” with two of my best friends to plan our getaway to Palm Cove to celebrate my big birthday. We started out at some fairly standard restaurants that served very average cocktails, but were quite happy – blissfully unaware of what we were missing out on. All that changed on the night we caught the lift up to the lobby of the Hilton Brisbane, on a mission to find some clean ladies toilets.

While waiting for our slightly slower friend, the two of us took a look at the lobby bar & were intrigued… especially when we got a look at the menu. We had stumbled upon an extensive list of cocktails – not just any cocktails. The talented mixologist behind the bar appeared to have created a cocktail version of all of our favourite desserts. It seemed too good to be true.

We were very tempted, so grabbed our friend, nabbed a table, ordered our drinks & waited. We were treated to a fabulous show of bartending flair (just like Tom Cruise & Bryan Brown in Cocktail) & waited. Let me tell you, those cocktails were worth the wait. They tasted exactly like the dessert originals, only in alcoholic form. I was in love – and my obsession with amazing cocktails had begun!

Turkish Delight & Sticky Date Pudding quickly became my favourites – with my friends having their go-to faves too (not pictured below).

We unsurprisingly went back time & time again, long past our fabulous trip to Palm Cove – until one day… disaster struck! We caught the lift up to the Hilton lobby as usual, grabbed a table & were about to order our favourite drinks, when we noticed something horrific… the menu had changed completely! Gone were the cocktail desserts, replaced by a fresh & fruity lineup that was of no appeal whatsoever. When we asked the waiter, we were told that the mixologist had moved on & taken all their creations with them. I would love to have seen our faces at the time – we must have looked completely devastated.

We didn’t know quite what to do with ourselves. What were we to do without these magnificent cocktails to finish a night out in the city? I was so desperate that I even floated the idea of telling the other bar staff that I needed the contact details of the previous mixologist, as I may be carrying his baby. As we actually weren’t sure who the actual genius behind the drinks was, and whether they were male or female… we resisted that extreme tactic, and just ordered some fruity cocktails.

My thirst for quality, unique cocktails didn’t “dessert” me though, and the search began for a replacement on our next night out. Although we were never able to find the missing mixologist or any creations that were comparable, I was well on my way to becoming a cocktail junkie – something I am very proud to be today!

At this point, I have to confess that even after all these years, I don’t actually know much about what I am drinking – I’m definitely not a connoisseur!  I also think I would struggle to mix a good cocktail for myself – or anyone else. I definitely know what I like & am pretty confident that I can select one of the tastiest concoctions off any menu. Whenever choosing a place to eat or to share a drink with family & friends, my always check the cocktail menu first. If nothing grabs me, I look for another venue.

That’s why I am proud to call myself a cocktail junkie. I’m slightly (AKA very) obsessed with quality cocktails & will always order one really good cocktail with a meal out, instead of a couple of classes of wine.

“What makes great cocktails even better?” you may ask. Sharing them with friends is a very important factor – and doing so somewhere exotic is the best! And therein lies a bit of a problem, as I tend to do most of my travel on my own.

While solo travel has always been my thing – there are two minor issues:

1. I can’t always muster the courage to sit in a fabulous bar or restaurant sipping on a fabulous cocktail on my own,… and more importantly, I don’t actually want to drink alone!
2. If I do take myself somewhere with an amazing cocktail list to enjoy, there’s nobody to share those memories with… and friends & family already feel like they already know all the details thanks to my social media posts.

I can’t be the only one in the same situation? There must be hundreds, if not thousands who travel alone, but would appreciate the occasional opportunity to travel with a small group of like-minded people to some incredible destinations – to enjoy cocktails & great food – along with a few unique experiences.

And there you have the inspiration for Cocktail Junkie Getaways: A small group of fabulous people who get together to savour incredible cocktails in amazing destinations – both close to home & around the world.

Cocktail Junkie Getaways will always include:

• An evening of cocktails somewhere unforgettable
• A food tour to get to know the sights & tastes of the destination
• An indulgent meal somewhere special
• A unique experience specific to the region
• A luxurious place to lay your head at night
• Everything else will depend on where we’re going, who is travelling with us & what’s inspiring us at the time.

Choose to have a room to yourself, bring a friend, or share with a “friend you haven’t met yet”.

To find out more, follow Cocktail Junkie Getaways on Instagram & Facebook… or sign up to receive updates by email

The inaugural getaway is almost ready to release, so keep an eye out & share with your friends! 🍸 Christie