Christian Gutierrez
From Chula Vista (Marketing)
I was probably 14 or 15. I went down to Tijuana — because I grew up in San Diego. I’m not a big beer guy, so I went into a bar and got a rum and Coke.
Karen Lane
From Point Loma (Healthcare Executive)
I think I was about 14. My father used to always order a Tom Collins. We were out to dinner at a nice restaurant and he said, “Would you like to taste this?” I said, “Sure!” He slid it over. I thought it was kind of nasty! Forever I tried to drink that drink and turn it into something healthier. I would have gin and diet tonic with a lot of lime. I had that drink for a lot of years until I realized it wouldn’t be the gin that would kill me — it would be the diet soda. So I stopped drinking it.
Susan Buckley
From Rancho Bernardo (Retired)
I don’t remember the exact first drink, but two things come to mind. My girlfriend and I were at my step-grandmother’s and she gave us beer — I think we might have been 14 or 15. The other one was when my girlfriend would spend the night at my house and we’d get into my dad’s liquor cabinet. We’d try to drink whiskey and it just tasted so horrible! I thought, How could anyone drink that? It’s just awful! Then we’d put a little water in the bottle.
Lester O'Connor
From Hillcrest (Student)
I was a late bloomer. I was probably, like, 16 or 17. I remember exactly what it was: Zima, with Skittles inside to make it more colorful. It dyes the drink. I don’t remember liking it. I didn’t start drinking regularly until about three years ago, and I’m 28 now.