Born between November 23 and December 21 and symbolized by the archer, Sagittarians are the restless and ever-curious adventurers of the zodiac. Although they are driven by a desire to understand the meaning of life, they like to get there in a way that still allows them to be free and easy, rather than bogged down by rules and routines. Sagittarians seek knowledge in other people, and feel that the secrets of the universe can be often unlocked through a conversation with a stranger in a bar more readily than through years of university classes. Sagittarius is symbolized by Chiron, the kindest and gentlest of the half-horse, half-man creatures known as Centaurs. Chiron was incredibly wise and was tutor to the Greek heroes Achilles and Jason. He was accidentally shot by a poisoned arrow, but because he was immortal he could not die, and was destined to remain in absolute agony. The Titan Prometheus took pity on him and made him mortal, thus allowing him to die and take his place in the heavens. Sagittarius is a fire sign ruled by the planet Jupiter, making them seem larger than life at times, and inspiring goals and ambitions that many other signs would not even dare to attempt achieving. When Sagittarians do not quite succeed, they still seem to always land on their feet, remaining optimistic and enthusiastic even when everything around them seems to be going wrong. They are confident beyond measure, and their generous nature prompts them to extend that confidence to others by encouraging them to push forward even when things seem impossible. However, this confidence can also lead to incredible procrastination because they so fully believe their job will get finished even when everyone else has given up hope of them ever getting it done. Sagittarians are jovial and straightforward, making them witty conversationalists who tend to keep their intellectual side hidden. They are really clandestine philosophers always seeking the meaning of life in the most unorthodox of ways. On the downside, Sagittarians’ love of wandering can make them career driven, and their love of gabbing without thinking can sometimes lead to tactless, irresponsible remarks that hurt other people’s feelings. Because they often hide their deep-seated quest for knowledge, they can appear shallow and superficial and don’t really seem to mind when others think of them in that way, making them endlessly frustrating to certain other zodiac signs that value authenticity over everything else. I won’t mention any names here, Virgo.

Sagittarians love travel and adventure of any kind, whether it is found in the great outdoors, through extreme sports, or just in exploring a brand new city. Above all else, they love talking to other people, and knowing that they are thought to be entertaining and funny. For this reason they can make resoundingly bad decisions regarding karaoke. Sagittarians hate to be bored and feel hemmed in by rules, routines, and restrictions of any kind. They like to constantly be on the move; even when talking on the phone they are likely to be pacing the house from room to room. They have an extreme disdain for prejudice of any kind, and have no patience for those who choose to see the glass as half-empty when it is so obviously half-full.

For today’s cocktail I decided to go with something that could be considered an ordinary riff on a margarita recipe, except for the fact that I’ve tried to take it in some new and adventurous directions to appeal to the many Sagittarians in my life, one of whom I know very, very well. Forgoing tequila and beginning instead with a base of Petty’s Island rum from Cooper River Distillers right here in Camden, I then added a blood orange saffron shrub from Element [Shrub], and just a bit of yellow Chartreuse to expand on the saffron flavor even more. A dash of smoked chili bitters from Hella Company in Brooklyn, which are quite hot, matched perfectly with the smoky flavor of the rum, and gave the drink a punch that symbolizes Sagitarrius’ friendly and somewhat garrulous personality. Because they have the tendency to sometimes suffer from foot inserted into mouth disease, I also added a dash of simple syrup to soften up some of the very forward spice in this cocktail. You can definitely add more if you need to; no two Sagittarians will ever be the same!

The Golden Arrow

2 oz Petty’s Island Rum from Cooper River Distillers
¼ oz Yellow Chartreuse
1 oz Element [Shrub] Blood Orange Saffron shrub
1 dash to¼ oz simple syrup

Place all the ingredients in the bottom half of a cocktail shaker and add ice. Shake for 15-20 seconds or until very cold. Strain into a tall Collins glass. Garnish with a fresh or dehydrated blood orange slice. Cheers to Sagittarius!