ESL Podcast 369 - Going to Happy Hour
happy hour - a period of time, usually for a few hours after work, when bars have lower prices and/or free food to attract customers
There's a little bar downtown that offers $2 beers during happy hour every day from 4:00-7:00.
regular - a person who is a frequent customer at a restaurant, bar, or store so that the people who work there know him or her
My mother loves to shop. She's such a regular at this store that the salespeople know her name!
to stop by - to go to a place for a short period of time because one was going to pass by it anyway on one's way to another place
Could you please stop by the supermarket on your way home and buy some milk and bread?
now and then - sometimes; occasionally; every once in a while, but not on a regular schedule
Now and then they enjoy going out for fancy coffee drinks instead of making coffee at home.
to wind down - to relax, especially at the end of a long day or week
Julie likes to wind down by listening to music and taking a long, hot bath.
barstool - a tall seat that has a cushion for one's bottom, but nowhere to rest one's back or arms
Jeremiah leaned back in his barstool and almost fell off of it! I guess he forgot that there was no backrest.
straight up - without ice or any other liquids mixed into an alcoholic beverage
Do you drink vodka straight up, or do you prefer to mix it with cranberry juice?
to loosen up - to relax; to become less stressed and more comfortable; to stop worrying about something
A good back massage is a great way to loosen up after a long week at work.
coming up - to be served very soon in the future; to be on its way
The waitress said, "Two orders of strawberry pancakes, coming up."
to not drink - to not drink alcohol
Ollie's mother was an alcoholic, so he doesn't drink because he is scared that the same thing might happen to him.
to agree with (someone) - for a food or drink to settle properly in one's stomach so that one does not feel sick after eating or drinking it
Spicy food doesn't agree with him, so he rarely goes to Indian or Mexican restaurants.
draft - beer that comes from a large container behind the bar, not from a bottle or can
Do you prefer draft beer or beer in a can?
pitcher - a large container that is used to hold liquids and has a handle and spout for easily pouring the liquid into glasses that people can drink from
Wynona makes a pitcher of delicious, sweet lemonade on hot summer days.
all-you-can-eat - as much as one wants to eat; an offer at some restaurants and bars where customers can pay a single price and eat as much of something as they want to without paying more
Troy went to an $8.99 all-you-can-eat pizza restaurant, but then he got sick from eating too much.
special - a lower-than-usual price on something; a special offer from a restaurant or store; a sale
Our store is having a special where you can buy one sweater and get a second sweater for free.
to steer (someone) wrong - to mislead someone; to take someone to a place that he or she won't like, or to tell someone to do something that he or she won't like
Keith has never steered us wrong in the past, so if he thinks that the investment is a good idea, I think we should listen to him.
grub - an informal word for food; things that can be eaten
Earl was very hungry when he came home from work, so he quickly opened the refrigerator, looking for some grub.