Quarter Bar Popsicles

106°. It was 106° in Dallas today. That’s f**king hot. Wanna know how to make it bearable (at least temporarily)? Quarter Bar’s frozen deliciousness. Frozen booze may not be the answer … but it’s a damn good guess.

Quarter’s master drinker, Seth, has created seven flavors of booze popsicles for just $6 a pop. (The pun had to be made.) Most booze-cicles have too strong a taste of alcohol, but these are perfect … a bit messy … but perfect. (Make sure you have plenty of napkins and don’t wear white jeans).

Booze pop flavors include:

Filthy Monkey (Chocolate Banana): 360 Double Chocolate Vodka, Malibu Banana Rum, and chocolate milk.
Pirate Booty (Root Beer Float): Kahlua Coffee Liquor, Bailey’s Irish Cream, and Abita Root Beer.
Berry Pucker (Strawberry Lemonade): Three Olives Berry Vodka, lemonade, and fresh strawberries.
Kokomo (Pineapple): Bacardi Pineapple infused Rum with pineapple juice and orange juice.
Laffy Taffy (Strawberry Banana): Three Olives Berry Vodka, Malibu Banana Rum, and pineapple juice.
The Dreamsicle (Think Orange Julius): Stoli Vanilla Vodka, Pinnacle Whipped Cream Vodka, and orange juice.
Blemonade (Blackberry Lemonade): Deep Eddy Vodka, lemonade, and fresh blackberries.

Booze pops aren’t the only new-ish thing hitting Dallas’s Big Easy-sque hangout. Other new offerings from The Quarter Bar include seven new French Quarter-inspired cocktails, including a traditional Hurricane. I enjoyed the French Quarter Float, and it’s quite sweet, but would be the perfect drink for the end of the night. I’d dying to try the SoCo Sazerac … anyone wanna treat me?

VooDoo Queen: Vodka, Blue Curacao, Razz Berry, & Sweet and Sour
French Quarter Float: Coffee Liquor, Irish Cream, & Root Beer
Blue Bayou: Captain Morgan, Blue Curacao, & Pineapple Juice
Quarter Curse: Southern Comfort, Razz Berry, & Pineapple Juice
Hurricane: Light Rum, Meyers Dark Rum, Malibu, Pineapple & Orange Juice, & Cherry
Hand Grenade: Light Rum, Melon Liquor, & Pineapple Juice
Soco Sazerac: Made with Southern Comfort, Lemon, Sugar, & Bitters

Quarter gets it (pricewise) and have priced everything* I’ve mentioned at $6 … and that’s not even during happy hour! Even better? They offer half price food night on Wednesdays until midnight. Make sure you try the wings and the bacon fries.

Stop in and sip on a Louisiana-style drink or lick on a booze pop, and let me know which was your favorite!

*the Hurricane is $8, all other cocktails and booze pops are $6

Kidd’s Kids Charity Opportunities

After the unexpected passing of Kidd Kraddick this past weekend, so many Dallas residents who grew up listening to him are mourning the loss. Please find some great options to help his charity, Kidd’s Kids, below.

Bread Winners | August 6 (5pm – close) | 15% of sales donated
Katydid Collections | August 2-4 | 30% of all sales will be donated to KK (details)
Chili’s | August 1 (all day) | 15% of your purchase donated (must print and present THIS EMAIL)
Twisted Root | 7/31-8/6 | $1 for each shake sold donated to KK
Old Navy at The Shops at Park Lane | August 8-11 | Donate $5 to Kidd’s Kids and get an additional 10% off your purchase
KiddsKids.com | donate to KK
OverstockArt.com | 20% of your purchase will be donated to KK
Mockingbird Station’s Savor the Station | a portion of proceeds will go to Kidd’s Kids
Pokey O’s Cookies and Ice Cream | Date TBD | Mention Kidd’s Kids and 20% of your purchase will be donated to KK
El Fenix/Meso Maya/La Ventana | TBD
More to come …

Concert for Kidd’s Kids (featuring Jonas Brothers, Jason Derulo, Andy Grammer, Cimorelli, Tim Halperin and more TBA!)

National Tequila Day – July 24

Looking to celebrate National Tequila Day on July 24? Check out some great deals below!

Blue Mesa | FREE quesadilla bar, 4-6:30 pm.
4-7:30pm: $4 Large Blue Margaritas, Sangria Blue Swirls, and Sangria
Cantina Laredo | $5 shots of Patron Silver (normally $9.75)
Chuys | 4-7pm, $3.95 house margaritas
Desperados | 11am-7pm, $3.50 margaritas
Hacienda on Henderson | FREE tequila tastings and open mic night
El Fenix | $3.50 award-winning house margaritas (rocks or frozen), $2 Jose Cuervo floaters
LA Fitness Signature Club in Uptown | free week pass to anyone that mentions SusieDrinksDallas & National Tequila Day recovery from 7/25-7/28
Luna de Noche | 5 pm to close, $4 house margaritas
Meso Maya | stop by Meso Maya for the chance to win a football signed by Emmitt Smith
Primo’s | 3-7pm, $4 margaritas
Pozo Mercado | $3 Margaritas, $3 guacamole & queso, $3 tacos
Sundown at the Granada | 4-7pm & 10 pm to close, $4 frozen margaritas
MORE TO COME!

(specials are offered all day unless otherwise indicated)

MUSIC

RECIPES

Azoteas Verdes Margarita
2 parts Milagro Reposado Tequila
1 part Fresh Lime Juice
0.75 parts A ave Nectar
2 strips of green Bell Peppers
1 D’Avignon Radish
1/5 Kale Leaf

Combine the pepper, radish and kale leaf in the mixing glass of a Boston shaker and muddle. Add remaining ingredients and ice and shake vigorously. Strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass and garnish with a kale leaf and lime wheel.

Getting Figgy with It

1.5 parts Milagro Anejo
2 parts Lemon Sour
2 teaspoons Fig Jam
.5 parts Apple Juice
5 parts Egg Whites

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into rocks glass. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

Blood Orange and Mint Cocktail

2 oz. Herradura Silver
2 oz. blood orange juice
½ oz. lime juice
½ oz. agave syrup
6-8 mint leaves

Place all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake vigorously. Strain into a high ball over cubed ice. Garnish with a mint sprig and a lime disc.

The Freshest Sangrita

4 parts Milagro Silver Tequila
4 parts fresh lime juice
4 parts grapefruit juice
8 parts grenadine
3 red Serrano peppers

In four shooter glasses, pour Milagro Silver neat. Cut serrano peppers in half and remove and veins, seeds or stems. Blend the halves with remaining ingredients and allow pepper infusion to steep for 2-3 hours. Strain and pour into four separate shooter glasses.

Tequila Sunrise

3 oz. silver tequila
orange juice
1½ oz. grenadine
orange slice and cocktail cherry, to decorate

Put 4–6 cracked ice cubes into a chilled highball glass. Pour the tequila over the ice. Fll up with orange juice. Stir well to mix. Slowly pour the grenadine over the orange juice mixture. Decorate with the orange slice and cocktail cherry. Serve immediately.

Perfect Paloma

2 Parts Maestro Dobel Tequila
4 Parts Grapefruit Soda
Splash Lime Juice

Shake and strain into a rocks glass. Lime Wedge garnish

Black Diamond

2 oz. Maestro Dobel Tequila
1/2 oz. agave nectar
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice

Pour into an iced mixing glass. Shake and strain. Black salt rimmed cocktail glass, chilled. Lime wedge garnish.

Before it gets hot, you should know where you can cool down (in a major way) and get some liquor in you at the same time.

The Quarter Bar (top left) | $6 each

The Filthy Monkey (Chocolate Banana): 360 Double Chocolate Vodka, Malibu Banana Rum, and chocolate milk.
Pirate Booty (Root Beer Float): Kahlua Coffee Liquor, Bailey’s Irish Cream, and Abita Root Beer.
Berry Pucker (Strawberry Lemonade): Three Olives Berry Vodka, lemonade, and fresh strawberries.
The Kokomo (Pineapple): Bacardi Pineapple infused Rum with pineapple juice and orange juice.
Laffy Taffy (Strawberry Banana): Three Olives Berry Vodka, Malibu Banana Rum, and pineapple juice.
The Dreamsicle (Think Orange Julius): Stoli Vanilla Vodka, Pinnacle Whipped Cream Vodka, and orange juice.
Blemonade (Blackberry Lemonade): Deep Eddy Vodka, lemonade, and fresh blackberries.

Revive Uptown (right)

Boxwood Tavern | frozen rum & coke

Make your own with Poptails! (bottom left)

Can you think of another place that has booze pops? Email me at [email protected]!

“If you drink, don’t drive … don’t even putt.” – Dean Martin

Summer’s here. No question. Coppola has a few snow cone recipes for you to try out to attempt to cool yourself down in this weather. Cheers!

Chardonnay Pink Grapefruit
2 ounces Gold Label Diamond Chardonnay
0.5 ounce Skylite Pink Grapefruit Syrup
8 ounces crushed ice

Merlot Raspberry Lime
2 ounces Blue Label Diamond Merlot
0.75 ounce Skylite Raspberry Lime
8 ounces crushed ice

Pinot Grigio Meyer Lemon Shiso
2 ounces Emerald Label Diamond Pinot Grigio
0.5 ounce Skylite Meyer Lemon Shiso
8 ounces crushed ice

In English, “Mi Piaci” is literally translated to, “it pleases me”. I think that’s a very fitting name for this restaurant, as everything about my evening there was pleasing, from the cocktails to the food to the service. I first ate at Mi Piaci for my high school graduation celebration dinner with my family… and I remember loving it. It looks like, while the decor has changed a little over the years, the rest of the experience is still top-notch.

We were seated at a table right by the window on my most recent trip, and that’s something you should always request when visiting. Mi Piaci is situated on a small pond, complete with a lit water feature; needless to say, it’s a pretty great place to watch a fiery Dallas sunset.

Our meal started with a greeting from both of our servers, and the offering of two of my favorite things … alcohol and bread. I started with a drink recommended by our server, an Italian Sparkling Pear (Grey Goose Poire, prosecco, St. Germaine, and lime juice), which was so deliciously refreshing that I had to make sure to pace myself and not down the whole thing in one gulp (pictured below). My hot date and I agreed that the drinks were pretty damn strong. You’ll want to be prepared to call a cab if you plan to stay for multiple drinks here!

MP’s wine list is extensive enough to offer a pairing for each dish, and definitely offers wines from all across Italy. If you need any direction on which wine to order with you meal, the wait staff is knowledgeable and can help you do so.

Our meal consisted of a few rounds of fantastic food, starting out with their to-die-for olive bread and longer-than-my-arm breadsticks. We perused the menu and tried with great consternation to make a decision on our entrees and agreed on the Arancini Aurora (breaded risotto croquettes with Italian sausage) as an appetizer (pictured bottom, left). The balls of heaven were a great way to start the meal and really packed a lot of flavor in such a small package. Get these.

Dinner for me was Fonduta di Tortelloni con Granchino (fontina cheese-filled tortellini with crab, vegetables, and truffle butter) and it broke my heart that I couldn’t make room to finish the dish (pictured left, 2nd from bottom). The tortellini was plump and the crab was rich. Our waiter made sure to give me tips on how to prepare the leftovers … what a mench. My date ordered the Pollo Alla Marsala (roasted chicken with sweet pepper risotto in marsala wine sauce) and told me, “I liked it … and it was a good portion.” He’s quite eloquent, no?

We didn’t have room for dessert (DAMN!), so I opted for another drink. I left my drink decisions in the waiter’s hands once again, and he made another great choice by bringing me an off-the-menu orange martini that tasted like gourmet Sunkist spiked with prosecco. My inner 12-year-old was delighted. (pictured right)

Stop into Mi Piaci for lunch or dinner in the dining room or a few drinks in the Luna Lounge, which serves Italian-inspired tapas and appetizers (along with their dangerous drinks, of course). The Luna Lounge offers sumptuous velvet couches and inviting leather chairs under chandeliers, and what Texas lounge would be complete without a cowhide rug?

Mi Piaci
www.mipiaci-dallas.com | @mipiaci_dallas
14854 Montfort Drive (Addison)
972-934-8424

***Please note: this meal was on the house.***