What better way to celebrate liberty than by letting someone ring your bell? So, this 4th of July, you should assert your independence. Your bikini line is already in tip-top summer form. You have the next day off, so no worries about kicking him out. Plus, you owe birthday sex to your country. Here’s how to fly your flag and get a man to salute you.

Beer may be a great American product, but maybe this 4th of July, you want something a little classier to accompany your cookout. Try this champagne cocktail, which gets it’s pink hue from a dash of crème de cassis, and a fruity kick from triple sec infused berries.
Ingredients
- 2 cups mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries)
- Juice of one lemon
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup triple sec or Cointreau

- Champagne
- Crème de cassis (a blackcurrent liqueur)

1. In a medium-sized bowl, mix berries with lemon, sugar, and triple sec. Cover and let sit in the fridge for at least two hours; the longer, the more flavorful the berry.
2. After berries have marinated, strain the juice (you can save it to add a splash to your drink if you like), and spread berries on a baking sheet. Freeze until hard, usually one hour.
3. Fill glass with champagne, then add a dash of cassis. Don’t mix the beverage, but let the liqueur settle in the bottom of the glass. Add a handful of the frozen berries to keep cold.
4. Feel patriotic, if you must.

The 4th of July is one of the times men really make themselves useful. I mean, think about it, this holiday has two main components: fireworks and grilling. Lighting things on fire and cooking with fire are some of the only things men can generally actually do better than us gals. So you can imagine my disappointment when I found a slew of videos that involve men messing up this holiday. It’s okay though, because these vids are hilarious. Revel in their stupidity with me, above and after the jump. 

Sure, sure, the Founding Fathers saved us from tyranny and taxation without representation blah, blah, blah. I doubt good old George Washington or jolly Jefferson realized the danger they were placing the future of American women in. Obama is protecting us from aliens attempting to enslave the human race, but who is going to protect us from the hidden dangers that lurk in the shadows of every 4th of July party? Well, unless you invite me I can’t stop you from attempting to line dance when you have no coordination, but I can forewarn you of the most common dangers you are likely to encounter in your red, white, and blue nautical shorts. 

Get A Drink (Or Six)
Call your two best friends. It doesn’t matter if they’ve never met each other. Tonight, they’ll sit on either side of you at a bar around the corner from your apartment. You will get drunk. Very drunk. Your friends will intercept and rebuff any dudes who try to hit on you, because tonight, it’s about you, Jack Daniel’s, and your pals reassuring you that it’s gonna be okay. When you can’t hold your head up any longer, your two friends will carry you to your place and deposit you directly into your bed.

Did you just go through a horrible breakup? Is your heart in a million little pieces? Whether you got dumped or did the dumping, splitting up with someone sucks. But have no fear, The Frisky’s 30-Day Breakup Guide is here! Once you’ve a good cry over the loss of your relationship, spend the next month working on yourself. We’ll be posting detailed instructions for the next 30 days to help you get over he-who-shall-not-be-named. There’s even a handy-dandy calendar to help you keep track of your progress. Now get to work!

The French seem to do everything better. They’ve got awesome healthcare, don’t get fat, and have closets full of Chanel. Apparently, they also know how party on the 4th of July—with a city-wide treasure hunt in Paris, called Les Trésors de Paris (the treasures of Paris). The day-long experience leads groups through sets of riddles that take them to destinations that even Paris natives might not know about like secret gardens and historical buildings. Along the way, you get to meet shopkeepers and other participating business owners. If you make it to the secret final location in time, you’re entered into a ballot from which you get the chance to win rad prizes like swank dinners, hotel stays, or special Paris walking tours. The grand prize gains the winner entrée into an annual secret cabaret that’s one of those invite-only events Parisians clamor to get into. Two other awesome things of note: the hunt was organized in part by the city itself (props to the French government), and in part by a company that specializes in making treasure hunts, which might possibly be the raddest job ever. Except of course, working for TheFrisky. [Tresorsdeparis.fr, English translation available by clicking the U.K. flag item at the bottom of the page]

With the beautiful weather these days, I’ve been keeping cool by wearing cute summer dresses and staying barefoot as long as possible. I’ve also been making use of my ice maker and blender to stay cool. Smoothies, iced tea, you name it and I’ve made it (or plan to!). Nothing beats sitting down with a cold drink, a fun book, and the afternoon passing by. But wait, don’t forget the coaster! Nobody likes excess moisture, especially your wood furniture. Whether you have a valuable antique or a cheap Craigslist find, your furniture is supposed to last. Quite unlike the fast fashion scene we’ve been experiencing, it’s hard to buy and then throw away your furniture after a season or two. So that’s why we’ve got to take care of it to keep it in shipshape. Take a look at the set of slate coasters from Crate and Barrel. You can keep track of the owners of each drink by writing your name on the coaster with a piece of chalk. Another favorite are the pinecone shaped coasters made out of durable vinyl. Take a look at the slideshow for more!

The 4th of July is rapidly approaching and I’ve been busy figuring out how I’m going to go to all the barbecue parties and picnics I said I’d go to! (I mean, how could I say no to juicy burgers, grilled veggies and cold drinks with all my friends and family?) Anyway, I know I have plenty of capable people who can work the grill as well as Bobby Flay so I can definitely count on a delicious meal. They’ve got the grill and the charcoal ready, but the last time I went to an outdoor grilling party, I noticed that all their tools have seen better days. I’m looking to replace their ratty and singed oven mitts with a suede bbq grilling mitt instead. There are some things that they didn’t know they need too like the magic seasoning sheets that lay on the perfect flavor. For more outdoor entertaining tools that will make your 4th of July (and beyond!) tastier, check out the slideshow!

• Rihanna could be fined for illegally inking three tattoo artists. [Starpulse]
• Michael Jackson was reportedly working on two albums at the time of his death. [Entertainment Weekly]—If Tupac can release albums after his death, so can Michael.
• Amber Rose is rocking a turquoise hair now. [Dlisted]—We wouldn’t pull this off, but it looks superb on her.

Or as she put it, “I’m not retreating, so much as advancing in another direction.” May I be so bold as to commend the Governor for this extraordinary act of patriotism? Surely this has nothing to do with that little Vanity Fair story does it? [CNN]