| How to Open a Champagne Bottle Posted: 31 Dec 2019 12:00 AM PST Opening a champagne bottle is a powerful celebration ritual. The effect is grand, but the act of opening the bottle can be tricky if you haven't done it before. You'll need to twist the bottle, hold the cork, and gently push the cork out of the bottle. Make sure to keep a firm grip on the cork unless you want a champagne shower! Aim for a "sigh," not a "pop."[1] [Edit]Opening the Bottle - Remove the foil and the metal cage. First, tear off the foil wrap that covers the cork. Then, untwist the wire loop to loosen the wire cage that protects the cork. Be gentle and take your time. Keep a thumb on the cork to head off an accidental pop.[2]
- Do not remove the wire cage until you are about to open the bottle! Otherwise, you may risk the bottle uncorking before you are ready. The cage is there to protect the cork.
- Hold the bottle properly. Grip the body of the bottle in your dominant hand. Wedge the bulbous end of the cork deep into the palm of your non-dominant hand.[3]
- Support the base of the bottle against your hip. If you're holding the bottle in your right hand, use your right hip or the right side of your torso.[4]
- Consider holding the cork with a kitchen towel. This can help you apply friction, making it easier to catch and contain the cork as it pops out of the bottle. The towel may also protect against a spill.[5]
- Twist the bottle and hold the cork. Slowly rotate the bottle back and forth with your dominant hand. Keep holding the cork steady with your non-dominant hand. As the cork turns, gradually increase the distance between your hands until your dominant hand is midway down the bottle.
- Pop the bottle. Decide what effect you're trying to achieve. If you're indoors or around a lot of people, make sure to take out the cork gently to avoid damage. If you want the dramatic effect of a champagne shower, then you can open the bottle with a mighty pop and send the cork flying high through the air. If you are opening champagne for a classy occasion: aim for a "sigh," not a "pop."
- Opening gently: Slow down your twisting toward the end, once the cork is almost out. Grasp the cork firmly. Press your thumb up from beneath the lip of the cork until it slides smoothly out of the bottle. Keep your grip on the cork, and "catch it" so that it doesn't fly away. Try to do it so gently that the cork doesn't make a popping sound.[6]
- Popping dramatically: Use your thumb to push the cork out from beneath the lip. Shake the bottle to stir up the carbonation, if you want a bit of a mess and a lot of added effect. Aim the bottle away from yourself, your friends, and any breakable items in the near vicinity. Avoid trying this method until you're comfortable opening a champagne bottle gently!
[Edit]Following Champagne Etiquette - Chill the bottle before opening. Store in the refrigerator, a cooler, or an ice bucket. Give it at least a few hours to ensure that the contents are completely chilled. Not only will this improve the taste, but it will make the bottle less likely to spray champagne everywhere.[7]
- Open carefully in formal settings. Keep a firm grip on the cork so that it doesn't fly away unexpectedly. Slowly twist the bottle—not the cork—until the cork is almost out of the bottle. Listen for the almost inaudible "sigh" of the cork coming loose.[8] Then, pull it out delicately using entire palm of your hand. Hold the cork over the opened bottle for a few seconds to make sure that the foam doesn't bubble over.[9]
- If you are serving champagne as a waiter or a caterer, it is usually considered proper etiquette to open the bottle as unobtrusively as possible. Do not spray, and do not let the cork fly. Practice until you can do it without so much as a "pop."
- Avoid shaking the bottle. Champagne is a carbonated beverage stored under pressure. When you shake the bottle, you build up that pressure to dangerous levels. Opening a highly-pressurized champagne bottle will unleash a mighty spout of champagne and send the cork flying forward at high velocity.[10]
- If you do accidentally shake the bottle, let it sit still for an hour or two so that the contents have time to settle. The CO2 will absorb back into the drink more quickly if the champagne is cold.[11]
- Pour slowly. Champagne is carbonated, and the bubbly liquid rises quickly when poured into a glass. Don't spill and waste champagne – especially if you are serving someone else![12]
- Hold the glass upright. Do not slant it to pour.
- Fill a third of each glass with champagne. Then, top up the servings once you've poured a bit for everybody.[13]
- Do not touch the spout onto the rim of anyone's glass. Champagne is often stored in cellars, and in some circles it is considered poor etiquette to risk dirtying someone's glass.
- The less sound the better. Ideally, a small hiss is all you'll hear. This means your wine was adequately chilled, and that you are not risking your precious beverage overflowing all over the ground!
[Edit]Warnings - Do not let go of the cork as you pull it out. It can shoot out at high velocity. If the cork is aimed in the wrong direction, it might break a valuable object or seriously hurt somebody. Do not point the bottle at yourself or others while opening.
- Do not let go of the body of the bottle as the cork is coming out. The bottle can shoot off towards the ground and break.
- Do not pry the cork or use a corkscrew to open the bottle.
- Do NOT attempt to open a bottle which is not completely chilled. A warm or room-temperature bottle is more likely to pop and spray all over the place. Make sure you chill your champagne bottle before opening it.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Chilled champagne
- Kitchen towel
- Champagne glasses
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Stay Awake Until Midnight on New Year's Eve Posted: 30 Dec 2019 04:00 PM PST If you're used to going to bed early, it can be tough to stay awake until midnight on New Year's Day. No one wants to fall asleep too early to see the ball drop. This year, keep your eyes open long enough to countdown to the New Year! [Edit]Staying Active - Talk to people. If you're around friends or family for New Year's, make conversation with them to stay awake. Keep your mind entertained by being social.
- Listen to their stories.
- Laugh at their jokes.
- Talk to them about their interests.
- Stay on your feet. Dance, walk around the house or even challenge your friends to a push up contest. Whatever you do, just make sure not to sit or lay down. You don't want to get too comfortable or you might end up drifting off to sleep.
- Do fun things. Play games with your friends and family. Play pranks on people. Take turns making New Year's resolutions with everyone. Do anything that entertains your mind and keeps you up.[1]
- If it's legal in your city, shooting off fireworks can be really exciting. Just be very careful around fire and supervise little kids.
- Taking pictures of everyone in funny poses can make for a really great time.
- Help out. If you're at a party, you can help the cook prepare food for everyone. You can even play bartender and make cocktails for everyone. Volunteer to clean up a bit as well. Not only will helping out ingratiate you with the host, it will keep your mind focused and awake.
[Edit]Fighting the Sleepiness - Use caffeine. Caffeine blocks sleep inducing neurotransmitters in your brain to keep you awake.[2] When you start to feel yourself getting sleepy, drink a cup of coffee or something else with caffeine. Avoid caffeine in the days leading up to New Year's Eve as it becomes less effective with overuse.
- Most sodas have caffeine.
- Energy drinks like Redbull and Monster have a lot of caffeine.
- Some dark chocolates contain caffeine.
- Change your body temperature. Vary your body temperature from hot to cold to jolt yourself into alertness. The shock will give your body and mind an instant burst of energy.
- Splash some cold water on your face.[3]
- Take a quick shower. Switch the water from cold to hot and then back again to wake your body up and improve your circulation.
- You can get a similar effect by chewing ice or drinking a cold beverage.
- Flip on the light switch. It will be harder for you to fall asleep with all the lights on. Make your environment is as bright as possible.
- You may want to move to a different room and turn the lights on there to avoid bothering other people.
- Listen to music. Put on your favorite upbeat tune and let it energize your spirit. Turn up the volume as loud as you can.[4]
- Use headphones if there's other people around
- Avoid slow songs that could relax you to sleep.
- Get some fresh air. If you're with a lot of people on New Year's Eve, the atmosphere may be very crowded. This can make the air very hot and humid which can make you very sleepy.[5] Go outside to get some fresh oxygen to rejuvenate yourself.
- Enjoy a film. Watch a really fun film to engage your senses. A good action film will wipe away your sleepiness and keep you on the edge of your seat.
- Avoid films that are too long or slow. Keeping up with a long, complicated plot can leave you feeling drained.
- Use peppermint oil. The smell of peppermint can wake up your senses. Rub some oil on your hands, temples and upper lip. The smell may be very strong, so you might have to keep your distance from people for a while.[6]
- Strong citrus scents can also do the trick.
- Don't use lavender, it can be too relaxing.
[Edit]Preparing to Stay Awake - Eat nutritious foods throughout the day. Eat vitamin rich foods that will give you energy. You'll need plenty of Vitamin C and B and omega-3 fatty acids to give yourself the energy to stay awake. Avoid foods with tryptophan like turkey that can make you feel tired and sluggish.[7]
- Salmon and walnuts are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and will boost your metabolism.
- Oranges and other citrus fruits are a great source of Vitamin C.
- Eggs and beans are very B vitamin rich.
- Eat small meals often to keep your metabolism running. Larger meals can make you sluggish.
- Get a full eight hours of sleep the night before. Make sure your body has enough sleep to operate. It will be really hard to have enough energy to stay awake on New Year's Eve if you're sleep deprived from the night before.
- Don't over do it. Sleeping too much can make you feel groggy.
- Take a walk. Low-impact exercise can give you extra energy. Take a thirty minute walk on New Year's Eve to get your blood pumping and help you stay awake.[8] The sunlight you get from outside will also help your body absorb Vitamin D.
- Keep it light. Heavy exercise can burn you out and make you feel tired.
- Take a nap. If you're worried you still won't be able to make it to midnight, take a nap in the middle of the day. Set an alarm to make sure you don't oversleep. A short nap of forty-five minutes or less will leave you feeling energized. If you go longer, it could make you more tired.
- If you have time, a ninety minute nap will allow your body to get through a rem sleep cycle which can make up for some sleep you'll be losing on New Year's.
- Always keep your mind occupied to stay awake.
- Ask a friend to wake you up in advance just in case you do fall asleep.
- Chew gum or put a mint in your mouth to engage your senses and wake your body up.
- Get up and move around. Try not to sit or lay down because you might get too comfortable and accidentally fall asleep.
[Edit]Warnings - Don't start drinking caffeine too early, or your energy level will crash.
- Try not to eat turkey, there is a chemical which will make you drowsy.
- Don't drink too much alcohol. It will make you extremely drowsy.
[Edit]References |
| How to Find Out if Your Ex Still Likes You Posted: 30 Dec 2019 08:00 AM PST Crushing on your ex can be a painful experience, and you probably want to know if there's a chance you'll get back together. To figure out if your ex still likes you, watch their behavior to see how they're acting toward you. Additionally, notice how often they communicate with you and the types of communication you have. As another option, talk to your family and friends to find out if they think your ex is still interested. [Edit]Watching Their Behavior - Notice if your ex always seems to be around. Your ex will probably try to find reasons to be around you if they're still interested. They might pop up at your job, hang out at your favorite places, and attend events they know you enjoy. Track how often you see your ex to figure out if they might be trying to run into you.[1]
- If you and your ex both like the same local coffee shop, they might not be there to see you. However, if your ex never had an interest in art before your breakup but shows up at every art opening, they're probably coming in the hopes of running into you.
- Look at what they're posting on social media. If you're still following them on social media, scroll through their recent postings to see what's going on in their life. Notice if they seem happy or sad. Additionally, see if they appear to have moved on or might be stuck in the past.[2]
- For instance, a post like, "Really miss the good times I used to have with a certain someone" or "The last few days have been hard" might mean they're thinking about you. On the other hand, if they're posting pics of them with a new partner, they might be moving on.
- Check if they're liking your social media posts and pics. It's normal for your ex to occasionally react to 1 of your posts. However, your ex might still be interested if they're liking most of your posts or going back to like old posts. Track how often they interact with your social media account to see if they might still care about you.[3]
- For instance, it might not mean anything if your ex likes a post about you getting a new car. However, they probably still like you if they like every photo you post of yourself.
- If your ex likes old photos of you together, it's very likely that they still like you.
- Watch how your ex reacts when they see you. When you run into your ex, watch their reaction to see if it's positive, neutral, or negative. Look at their facial expressions and their body language to help you figure out how they feel.[4]
- For instance, let's say your ex smiles really big and comes over to say, "Hi! How's it going?" This might be a sign they still like you.
- If they give you a slight wave and say, "Oh, hey," they might feel neutral toward you. In this case, they might just want to be friends.
- On the other hand, they might have moved on if they frown, move away, or fold their arms in front of their body.
- Notice if your ex touches you a lot. When you like someone, it's really hard to resist casually touching them. In fact, this is a common way to flirt! Consider if your ex touches you on your arm, shoulder, back, or legs. This could be a sign that they like you.[5]
- You might also notice that your ex goes in for a hug whenever you run into each other or after you have a conversation. This might mean they like you.
- See if they're willing to do you a favor. Your ex might be willing to help you out with something if they're still into you. Tell them about a problem that you're having and see if they volunteer to help. Alternatively, ask them to help you with something you know they're good at doing. If they say yes, they might still like you.[6]
- For example, ask them to help you with a homework assignment or ask them to help you host a party for a mutual friend.
- If your ex is super friendly and helpful, they might do you the favor even if they don't like you.
- Pay attention if they're hanging onto some of your things. Normally, you give each other back your personal belongings after a break up. If your ex keeps some of your stuff, it might be a sign they still like you. Check to see if you got all of your things back from them.[7]
- For instance, your ex might keep 1 of your shirts so they can smell your scent. Similarly, they might keep an old DVD of a movie you watched together a lot.
- If the item is valuable, your ex might just be trying to keep it for its value. As an example, don't let them keep your mp3 player.
- Find out if they've gone on any dates or hooked up with someone. Check your ex's social media accounts to see if they're posting about a new relationship or if they've posted photos with a new partner. Additionally, check with your mutual friends to find out if there's someone new in their life. If they're dating someone else, they're probably focused on the future and their new relationship.[8]
- In some cases, your ex might post photos of themself with someone else to make you jealous. However, they've likely moved on if they're in another relationship.
[Edit]Examining Your Communications - Track how often your ex reaches out to talk or text. Your ex will probably find reasons to contact you if they're still interested. Check how often they call, text, or talk to you in person. Similarly, consider if they start the conversation back up after it has ended. This might be a sign they like you.[9]
- For example, your ex might text you to ask questions they probably know the answer to. They might ask, "Do we have an assignment due tomorrow?" "Do you know if Candy's party is still on Saturday?" or "I hope it's okay that we're both going to mini golf tomorrow."
- Notice if your ex brings up nostalgic moments in your relationship. If they start telling happy stories about your relationship, it means they're thinking about good times. This is a sign that they might still like you. Listen when your ex starts talking about old times to see if they're focusing on the good parts of your relationship.[10]
- They might say, "Remember that time we had a candlelight picnic under the stars. That was such a good night," or "I still remember how much we laughed at the improv theater. We had such good times together."
- See if they check on you when you're going through hard times. When you're feeling upset, it's natural for a person who cares about you to make sure you're okay. Notice if your ex always seems to be there for you when you need someone. Additionally, consider if they're willing to listen to you talk about your problems.[11]
- As an example, let's say you post on social media that your relative is in the hospital. Your ex might immediately text, "Are you okay?"
- Keep in mind that this might not mean they like you in a romantic way. They might check up on you because they still care about you as a friend.
- Notice if they come to you for advice. Typically, you go to someone you trust when you need advice. Consider how often your ex relies on you for advice about their problems. If your ex consistently comes to you, this means they probably still feel close to you. It might even mean they still like you.[12]
- For example, they might tell you about problems they're having at work or school. Then, they might ask what you think they should do.
- Pay attention if they start talking about their past mistakes. Bringing up their mistakes means that they're thinking about what they could have done differently. This may mean they're trying to figure out how to fix your relationship. Listen closely if they start talking about what they did wrong, what they could've done differently, or how they've changed.[13]
- They might say, "I realize now that I should've listened more," "I really regret talking to that other girl. I'll never make that mistake again," or "Since we broke up, I've really changed. You made me a better person."
[Edit]Asking Your Support System - Ask your friends if they think your ex is still into you. Your friends have a different perspective on your relationship with your ex. They're likely able to see things that you don't notice. Talk to them to find out how they think your ex feels. Get several opinions to help you figure out if your ex might still like you.[14]
- You might ask, "What did you think about my relationship with my ex?" "Do you think we might get back together?" "Do you think they've moved on?" and "Could they still like me?"
- Find out if your ex still talks to your family. While there are several reasons your ex might stay connected with your family, this can be a sign that they haven't totally moved on. Ask your family members if they're still in communication with your ex. If they are, ask them if your ex still talks about you, which is a sign they still like you.[15]
- It's normal for your ex to stay close with your family if you share kids together. They may be talking to your family because it's important for the kids.
- If your ex had a friendship with a family member prior to your relationship, they'll probably stay friends with that person after the breakup. Don't count these types of relationships when trying to figure out if they still like you.
- Talk to mutual friends to find out how often your ex talks about you. If your ex still likes you, they're probably looking for reasons to talk about you. This means their friends will probably have heard them talking about you. Check with the mutual friends you share with them to find out what your ex is saying.[16]
- Ask, "Does Alex still talk about me?"
- If you don't have any mutual friends, you might try reaching out to their friend group. If you're nervous, get one of your friends to ask one of your ex's friends.
[Edit]Signs Your Ex Still Likes You and Help Talking About Getting Back Together - Be really careful if you have children with your ex. Children sometimes hope that their parents will get back together, and the last thing that you want to do is to get their hopes up and disappoint them again. Be very discreet until you know you're back together for sure.
[Edit]Warnings - Avoid having post-breakup make-out sessions or sex with your ex unless you're sure that both of you want to get back together. Don't let your ex take advantage of your heartbreak and just use you for the physical connection.
- Don't be too quick to jump back into the relationship. Sometimes, you idealize the things you no longer have. Don't forget why you broke up. If you're only going to jump back into the same problems, then steer clear of your ex.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
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