Every culture has its own way to welcome in the new year. Here in the United States, we have a rich tradition of drinking heavily and dropping things (and people) from great heights. However, the fetish for watching giant objects fall from the sky is not shared worldwide. For example, in Spain and the Philippines, it's customary to eat 12 grapes as the clock announces midnight, one for each stroke of the clock. In Finland, it's tradition to drop molten tin into water, then divine meaning from the shape it takes. Panamanians burn effigies of famous people as a means to drive off evil spirits for the New Year, while Danes will ring in 2009 by jumping off of chairs to symbolize a "leap" into the New Year. In Estonia, the big day is actually January 1, where it's considered good luck to eat seven meals in the same day. Fancy panties are de rigueur for folks in Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Venezuela; red underpants are supposed to bode well for love in the new year, while yellow knickers indicate dreams of money. To see photos and more funky traditions, click here.

Rounding out the New Year's Eve recommendations from our Mixology site -- brought to you by BlackBook and Grey Goose -- is a bonus from our series featuring the hottest bartenders of New York and Los Angeles. In the capper, check out Tatsuya from NYC's Larry Lawrence as he demonstrates the fine art of the Sweet Lawrence. Have a happy.

We tried for a top 10, but settled for 5. After all, we are in recession, people. If Cup O' Noodle and sparkling cider is on your New Year’s Eve menu, may we suggest rolling out a blanket on Ocean Drive and 8th Street for some free-of-charge fireworks viewing. If, however you wanna be a baller, consider the following.

1. The Mondrian Miami hotel is teaming up with Tommy Pooch and Alan Roth to ring in "Recessison," a.k.a. NYE 2009. Two hundred bucks will buy you an entry into the Sunset Lounge, where a 20-piece orchestra will mix with tunes spun by DJ Tavin. Resident eatery Asia de Cuba offers a range of packages depending on your wallet and/or appetite.
2. If you're a reality TV junky, head on up to the Shore Club, where Kristin Cavallari is set to make an appearance. Organized by Skybar and New York’s Tenjune, live performances will include Busta Rhymes, Ron Brownz, and Pras. Mos Def spins while you pay -- $275 to be exact.

Time for your early tipple. Over on the Mixology joint venture from BlackBook and Grey Goose, bartenders at the top of their game in New York and Los Angeles demonstrate top-shelf cocktails appropriate for your New Year's Eve celebrating. Today we'll have two choices to round out the selections; the first is Nick at LA's Saints N' Sinners showing you the secrets of the L'Orange. Check back later today for the finale.

Oh my. It's New Year's again. Time is out somewhere huddled in a corner, cigarette ash at length, feeling sorry for itself. You know the feeling surely. What is it about New Year's that leaves us rushing for our lover, before the Times Square Ball begins to chase down the silvery pole on TV and disco is forever burned into our hearts each year this way (does ABBA receive royalty from this?) and all of a sudden everyone I know is in When Harry Met Sally. God I love that movie. Anyway, this New Year's, I did the impossible. I quit smoking (gross). I always read this thing, this "Quitting Smoking" thing on so many New Years resolution lists, but it seems most don't make it. So I hid under the blankets already and did the harrowing three-day OMFG slumber before New Year's. Why? Because I wanted to be through the worst of it before I went to some parties? Nope.

On occasion, I get a deeply atavistic jones for champagne. New Year's Eve is really no different than any other day except that I will likely consume more of it than normal. For some reason -- recession-related, a glimmer of good times in the darkness of bad? -- there's a lot of chatter about bubbly, more so than I can remember from the recent past. The New York Times alone did three stories on bubbly, and a host of others publications have run their usual seasonal champagne primers. Here's something to get you started.

Five ways to ring in the New Year in Tinseltown.

1. Katy Perry performs at the Gridlock NYE party 2009 at Paramount Studios. $100-$200.
2. The Standard is hosting two "Gold 009" parties, one poolside and one in the Purple Lounge. There will be live music, dancing, DJs, and plenty of champagne. $25 for the poolside party, $40 for the Purple Lounge.
3. The Kress is hosting a party from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m., with an open bar and three floors of dancing. $125.

Sure, you've been following the fun on our Mixology site, where BlackBook and Grey Goose recruited the best bartenders from New York and Los Angeles to whip up their signature drinks on camera, all while relating their own ideal New Year's experience. But perhaps you really just want to see those recipes demonstrated point by point, shake by shake? Then check out the collected bonus clips above, which describe and demonstrate each drinkmaking experience in exacting detail. On tap: Cielo, Campbell Apartment, Hudson Bar, and Larry Lawrence in New York; and Ecco, The Edison, and Saints N' Sinners in Los Angeles. Click the "MENU" button on the video player to access all seven clips. And don't forget to thank the skilled shooters at Two Penguins Productions for making all this holiday cheer possible in the first place. Chin-chin.

We've almost made it to New Year's Eve, and the Mixology site brought to you by BlackBook and Grey Goose keeps rolling out the hits. Today's choice beverage from the prime party venues of New York and Los Angeles is the Hudson Pear, courtesy of "Dr. Mixologist" at NYC's Hudson Bar. Check out what the other Pros are cooking too.

● How come if they gave a rate hike to the cabbies because gas went to five bucks a gallon -- then it hasn't come down now that it’s at a buck and a half?

● How come if there's a cop outside of every club anyway, it isn’t made official that the policeman’s job should be to keep the cabs from honking, the smokers from chatting too loudly, and to regulate tons of other stuff that bouncers without real authority (except unacceptable force) are told to handle now? With the exception of places with liquor licenses, a business in New York can rent a cop.

● Why not create a club czar who can oversee the problems and potentials of clubs? He or she can encourage tourism and community/club cooperation. They can follow that "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" lead with a "wake up in the city that never sleeps" campaign, which can create real tax revenues and real jobs. Hotels, restaurants, Broadway, cabs, delis, shops, and thousands of et ceteras will benefit. The film industry has a film czar making sure television, video, and movie shoots are coddled to, and the film industry generated $5 billion last year -- nightclubs generated $10 billion.