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.

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]

I’m planning to spend the 4th of July at some friends’ rooftop BBQ in Brooklyn, where, if we’re lucky, we’ll get a view of some fireworks over the Hudson, and if we’re unlucky, we’ll drown our sorrows in lotsa beer. If you haven’t yet figured out what you’re doing tomorrow, Mapquest might be able to help you. Just zoom in to your city, click on their special fireworks icon on the right and see what Independence Day events are going on in your area. It’d be better if they had, like, a “hot guy” icon or “tastiest mini red, white and blue cupcakes” icon, but, whatever, beggars can’t be choosers, I guess. However you decide to celebrate America’s birthday, have a wonderful time and a great holiday weekend! [via Jaunted]

In honor of Independence Day, we asked around for the best things about being single and independent. Here’s the top ten!

10. HOOKING UP
“Kissing total strangers when you’re out at bars or on dance floors. No names, no numbers exchanged, just random frenching.”—Sonia
“Ahh, guiltless, shameless flirting with strangers.”—Jocelyn

Dressing for the Fourth of July doesn’t necessarily have to mean going all out with stars and stripes. Take this French Connection top, for example. There’s pink (which is in the same family as red), white, and blue on it, plus the neckline has navy blue sequins, which will shine beautifully in your sparkler picture. [$63.90, French Connection at Nordstrom.com]