New Year’s Eve is likely to be the biggest party of the year. How do you make sure it isn’t also followed by the biggest headache of the year? Try our tips for foolproof hangover helpers on New Year’s Day.
1. Spit-fired meats
Everyone knows that a bit of fat and fry go a long way the day after a night out. If you don’t want to bother with silverware and want something to hold onto (it’s okay, we know), grab a spit-fired lamb leg sandwich from Souvla. Go for it Greek-style, with chunky fries in the sandwich, and follow it up with a frozen Greek yogurt with sour cherry syrup—the tart pick-me-up will have you bouncing back in no time.
2. All-day brunch
In short, you need brunch, and you’d like it all day, but many restaurants are closed for the holiday. Precita Park Cafe is open over the generous hours of 9am to 5pm, offering starchy fare like chicken and waffles, and poutine with braised beef. Namu Gaji is also open long enough to avoid stress (from 10:30am to 4pm), and you can pick up comfort there in the form of hangtown eggs benedict with fried oyster and bacon, or okonomiyaki in a sizzling pan with kewpie mayo and topped with an egg.
3. Fresh ocean air
If the thought of food puts you off, some bracing ocean air ought to clear your head. Make a bee-line to Land’s End and stroll along the Coastal Trail among the cypresses and eucalyptus.
4. Hair of the dog
Folk wisdom aside, there are many possible reasons to try this remedy; and Nihon Whisky Lounge has 500 of them. It’s never too early in the year to start testing their claim that they have the largest selection of single malts in the West Coast…
5. Soak
One Russian hangover cure involves sweating it out in a sauna and then being beaten by birch leaves. A less stressful spa experience might be SenSpa’s Migraine Miracle, a holistic treatment using pressure points on the head, cold stone therapy and aromatherapy oils. If that still sounds too intense, just get a day-use pass ($25) and kick back in their eucalyptus steam room.
6. Duvet day
If you really can’t face heading out into the open, then wrap yourself in a comforter for the day. Settle into your sofa with a cup of tea laden with antioxidants. Pick one from Samovar Tea Lounge and see if a Task Rabbit will drop it off.
7. Rehydrate
It’s El Niño season, which means water stocks are slowly replenishing. Drink up.