by Meredith Kay

I don’t remember whose idea it was to take that third shot of Aylesbury Duck Vodka with the espresso and sugar laced lemon wedge chaser. Nor can I recall why I imagined that drinking one more ounce of yet another newly discovered craft whiskey would have no adverse effects whatsoever. In any case, I had to forgive myself, and I hope that my liver will do the same, because that’s just what you do at the much-anticipated Third Annual San Antonio Cocktail Conference.

This year’s conference, once again, brought together a wide variety of characters from some of the hottest bars around the country, along with liquor industry experts, brand ambassadors and healthy drinkers. The Cocktail Conference offered hardcore party animals four days of revelry, educational seminars and lively events in January, while also raising money for two amazing charities here in San Antonio.

HeartGift is dedicated to providing lifesaving heart surgeries to disadvantaged children from developing countries, where specialized medical treatment is either scarce or nonexistent. The San Antonio chapter of HeartGift reported past years’ events have helped save the lives of four children by providing them with needed heart surgeries.

In fact, last year’s event was so successful that conference creator, Mark Bohanan of Bohanan’s Restaurant, decided to include another beneficiary for this year’s event. ChildSafe is a local child advocacy center that works with law enforcement, Child Protective Services, prosecution and mental health professionals to create a unique plan for each individual and family affected by abuse. It’s comforting to know that by abusing our livers, we may actually be helping children in need save their hearts and, ultimately, their lives.

Read more in the March 2014 issue of S.A. Scene.