Friday Cocktails: The Castaway

I am in love with New York, but sometimes the noise, crowded subways, and roller coaster-like weather can get me down; only by occasionally escaping can I keep the love affair going. Recently, I took my respite at southern California's Terranea Resort. For 4 days, I was granted sunny blue skies, rejuvenating hiking, exceptional cuisine, and a cocktail that became a nightly ritual—the Castaway. This smooth, easy-drinking potion, a take on the piña colada, owes its silky texture to Coco Lopéz, a creamy mixture of sugarcane and coconut cream. Once shaken, the cream binds with amaretto liqueur to form a refreshing, emulsified drink spiked with rum and sweetened with fresh pineapple juice, punctuated by a couple dashes of Angostura bitters. Shaken with precision at the resort's cozy Lobby Bar, the drink is topped with a ripe wedge of pineapple, garnished with a cherry, and enhanced with a relaxing ocean view. With one in hand, I wouldn't mind being stranded here.