Drink of the Week

For most of us drinkers, January 1 isn’t a particularly pretty day. When I’m hung over, I want a Coke, greasy bar food and a Bloody Mary — in that order, please. And that kind of misery loves company, so on the first day of 2004, you might want to throw on a hat and sunglasses and head directly to Govnr’s Park Restaurant & Tavern, where you can partake in some serious “hair of the dog” therapy with all of the other retching revelers. With TVs hanging in every possible nook and cranny, Govnr’s Park has a sports-bar atmosphere that makes it the perfect place to waste away New Year’s Day watching bowl games, playing pool and trying hard not to recall your actions of the night before. A Bloody Mary ($3.75) will help you forget. Govnr’s Park packs a long list of ingredients into its version of this classic: tomato juice, lemon juice, pickle juice, horseradish, Tabasco, A-1 sauce, jalapeños, celery salt, black pepper and vodka, all mixed together in a pint glass and topped off with an olive, a banana pepper and a lime wedge. Downing the spicy, thick concoction might push you dangerously close to the porcelain edge, but trust me — you’ll be well on your way to sweet relief in no time.