With the July 4 weekend nearly on top of us, the clock is running down on summer. June is up, but you still have July and August to make the most of it. Complex wants to save you all the time possible, so rather than hesitate about what tour to see, or which summer seasonal to order at the bar, just check our picks out. We've got you covered. Here's our Summer Cheatsheet.
Drink
The 10 Best Summer Seasonal Beers of 2011 - Your summer beer should be refreshing and crisp. Still waiting for your mountains to turn super cold? Still wondering what drinkability means exactly (wouldn't a non-drinkable beverage be poison?)? Order any one of these bangers. You'll earn automatic style points for hoisting an exotic bottle.
Stuntin' 101: Impress Your Friends with 5 Summer Cocktails They've Never Heard Of - The standards have grown boring. Mix something that'll make you appear like you grew up in a bar. And not the sort of bar with peanut shells mashed into the hardwood floors. Instant class with these soon-to-be classics.
Mobile Mixer: Quick Cocktails You Can Make in a Thermos - Or maybe ease of carry is your thing. Throw a couple three ingredients in a thermos, give it a shake, and you've got cocktails to go. The party is wherever you stroll.
Fancy Forties: 10 Malt Liquor Cocktails - But maybe you're outside the bodega with only a few dollars in your pocket but still wanting to drink complex. You can grab all the ingredients for any of these from the corner store, mix in the 40 bottle, and your body becomes a walking, raging party.
Complex Co-Signs: Our Staff's 5 Favorite Summer Bars - You're on our website because you trust us, right? Well, these picks come straight from our regular routines. You might even bump into one of us at one of these bars.
The 25 Best Rooftop Bars in New York City - Far and away the most swaggerific way to drink. You'll feel so good you'll start coining words. Your friends might not get it, but that's only because they weren't sipping vodka cranberries on high.
Food
How to Cook a Lobster - Because nothing is a better look than a well-timed Woody Allen reference with a girl you're trying to impress. Every guy with glasses and a skull full of neuroses owes his lost virginity to Woody. So get your Annie Hall on and cook your girl a lobster.
NYC's 10 Best New Restaurants of 2011 - Some, but not all, of these restaurants might yolk up your pocketbook, but dine knowing you're making the right decision. New restaurants open in Gotham everyday, but these are sure shots. And there's some burger and pizza joints mixed in too, just in case you aren't looking to drop dollars on fancy charcuterie and lobster foam.
Live Music
The 10 Free Concerts to See in New York City This Summer - Raekwon's free show is slated for July 9 at the Prospect Park Bandshell, but that's only one. Peep the list for info on seeing synth-pop act Friendly Fires, hip-hop legend Rakim, and uberwoman Janelle Monae for free this summer.
Weezy, Wiz, Cudi, and More: The 10 Tours to Catch This Summer - Not in NYC? No problem. These shows are all coming to your town (or at least a town you'd be happy to road trip to). From the spectacular (Nicki Minaj and Britney Spears) to the defiantly weird (Tech N9ne), there's a show for every occasion.
Travel
The 50 Best Strip Clubs in America - No explanation necessary.
10 Road Trip Essentials - Whether you're driving to NYC for a free show or doing research on strip clubs via our feature, you want to be sure your road trip goes off without a hitch. Pack these and it'll be smooth driving.
11 New York City Beaches That Will Make You Forget You're in Gotham - Because you're not looking for another summer at the Jersey shore
