Let’s make a night of it!

As you may already know (and if you don’t, you should stalk me better), I am hosting Art & Wine at the Station this Thursday, August 16 in Mockingbird Station.  The event will feature pieces by local artists Michael Cross and David McCullough, wine from Times Ten Cellars, and food from Cafe Momentum.

Why not come to the station right after work and take advantage of some of the great things that MS has to offer?

You can start by enjoying one of Urban Taco’s new Snowritas (pictured to the right), then shop around a bit (almost everyone is having a sale), and then come to the event and enjoy a few FREE glasses of wine from Times Ten Cellars with me and see some beautiful art.  Even better, after the event, you can wrap the night up with one of the new drink features at People’s Last Stand (I recommend the Great White Jail).  That sounds like a perfect night to me!

I hope to see y’all on Thursday!

Product Review: Pisco Portón

WAAAAAY back in February, Pisco Porton sent me a bottle to try out.  I have been an uber bum and am just now writing my thoughts on it (Susie loses three points).  Don’t take my lack of enthusiasm for writing this review as an indication of how it is — I just have been busy for the last 5 months (no kidding).

So, onto my thoughts.  I was really confused when I received it in the mail as I’d never heard of it.  So, I did some light reading and found that PP is a Peruvian white liquor made from grapes.  It has a fruity smell to it and the bottle was incredibly heavy (I just thought I’d add that).  Apparently, it’s kind of like Champagne in that only pisco made from certain grapes and in a certain way can be legally called “pisco”.

We tried four of their suggested recipes, and we enjoyed a couple enough to keep them in our cocktail repertoire.  I’ve listed the recipes for these cocktails below.

Let me know if you try this slightly unconventional liquor. I really enjoyed my foray into Peruvian spirits!

PORTONERO

  • 2 oz. Pisco Portón®
  • 1 tsp. fresh lime juice
  • 1 tsp. simple syrup
  • 1 slice of fresh ginger
  • 1 dash of Angostura™ bitters
  • Top off with ginger ale
  • Fresh lime wedge

Pour Pisco Portón®, lime juice, simple syrup, ginger and bitters into a tall glass with ice. Top off with ginger ale. Stir ingredients and garnish with a lime wedge.

Pisco Sour

  • 1 ½ oz. Pisco Portón®
  • ½ oz. fresh lime juice
  • ½ oz. simple syrup
  • ¼ oz. egg white
  • 1 dash Angostura™ bitters

Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake. Strain contents into a chilled glass. Add a dash of bitters.

Breadwinners New Cocktails

Breadwinners recently debuted its new cocktail menu … and let me tell you, they’re worth trying.  From the skinny to spicy to sweet, they have something for everyone.

They are featuring what they’ve dubbed “Hangover Elixers”, their traditional mimosa, Bloody Diablo, Tito’s Texas Sunrise, and the peach bellini.  Of the drinks at the event, I have to say that BW’s Bloody Mary was one of my favorites.  It had just the right spice-factor and, of course, was adorned with bacon — which, let’s face it, makes everything better.

They included some new signature drinks in their new menu including an unexpected herby drink, the Basil Berry Cooler with vodka, fresh basil, and blackberries.  It was one of my favorites from the evening and it’s a definite recommendation.  Other new signature cocktails include:

  • Texas Bluebonnet Mojito: Texas rum, fresh mint, berries, lime
  • Prickly Pear Lemonade: vodka, lemonade, prickly pear nectar)
  • Big Easy: Southern Comfort, Chambord, lime
  • Frozen Cherry Limeade: 3 Olives cherry vodka, cherry juice, lime)
  • Ultimate Chocolate: Godiva, Stoli Vanil, Baileys
  • Orange Julius: Pinnacles whipped cream vodka, orange juice
  • Superfruit: Absolut Citron, berries

I really enjoyed the Frozen Cherry Limeade; it wasn’t too sweet and definitely had a nice amount of vodka for a frozen drink.  Remember: drink slowly and press your tongue to the roof of your mouth to avoid brain freeze.

The crowning glory of the new cocktail menu is their skinny options of which all of the cocktails are 125 calories or less.  SAWEEEET.  Breadwinners is now offering skinny versions of the cosmo, margarita, and lemon drop.

Overall, their new options are tasty and pack enough of a punch to merit the $8-10 price tag.  The new drinks are available at all three locations and some will be available at sister bar, Quarter Bar.

Aug. 16, 6 p.m., The Lofts, Condo 711

Join the Station and host Susie Oszustowicz, of Susie Drinks Dallas, for an evening of Art & Wine in the elegant setting of condo 711 at The Lofts.

The event will feature pieces by local artists Michael Cross and David McCullough, a complimentary wine tasting by Times Ten Cellars and excellent gourmet fare courtesy of Café Momentum. Guests will have the opportunity to enter a $5 raffle for a fabulous gift bag with all proceeds going to Café Momentum.

https://www.facebook.com/events/415613348475768/

The Solerno & Sparkling

Every once-in-a-while, I get to do some pretty freaking awesome stuff.  Case in point: Craft Cocktail Texas.  Of all the badass events that CCTX brought to our fair city, I was only able to make it to the opening party at the Stoneleigh Hotel (womb), but that was enough fun to make up for the fact that I wasn’t able to enjoy more of the CCTX festivities.

The party was a multi-level mecca of all-things-booze at the historic hotel starting in the yard and making its way up to the penthouse and (yes, there’s more), then onto the gigantic balcony.  I remember the balcony most of all because it was the location of my favorite drink of the evening, the Solerno & Sparkling.  Blood orange liqueur and champagne?  Yup.  

The last time I had a similarly lethal (read: delicious) combination, was that the opening of Q de Cheval in Addison’s Intercontinental Hotel.  Yeah … after a few tequilas and champys, I told my boyfriend that I loved him for the first time (can’t say it was a bad move in retrospect).  Alas, my more recent encounter with a potent champagne mixture didn’t end with bold statements of love, though I was close to confessing my love to the drink slinger who kept serving them up.

See the recipe below of the Solerno & Sparking — enjoy, and try not to stutter when you say, “I love you, man.”

Solerno & Sparkling
1oz Solerno
4.5oz Prosecco
Orange slice (blood orange if available)

Build ingredients in a tall glass over ice.  Stir to incorporate and chill.  Garnish with an orange slice and a long straw.

Always remember that I have taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me.

Sir Winston Churchill

Revive(d)

If you’re anything like me, the mere mention of “rooftop” anything piques your interest.  I present to you: Revive, a rooftop ”club” with a full bar, waitresses in bikinis à la Vegas, food options, cabanas (complete with private mini-fridges and 42” flat screen TVs), frozen grapes, and a pool.  The “club” by Greg See (of Miami-based Opium Group) and Taylor Nguyen (of The Ronin Group) is located above Glass (a more conventional club) in Uptown and was opened April 15, 2012.

My visit to Revive was quite surprising.  The biggest surprise had to have been that their pool is only 2 feet deep.  No one ventured in while I was there, but that could also have been due to the fact that I was there during a private party and people were in, well, suits.  It seems more of a place to lounge in your Vilebrequin swim trunks and flex your muscles (at least for the dudes) — ladies, just stand there and look pretty with a frozen drink in your hand in your Tory Burch kaftan.

The drinks at Revive were good once they finally got to our table — they are in the process of redesigning their cocktail menu right now, so an update should be soon to follow this review.  If you get tired of waiting for the scantily-clad wait staff, reach into YOUR (I repeat, your) cabana’s fridge which has water, energy drinks, chilled towels, and even sunscreen (make sure you warm it up before slathering it on your party-going pals) — just like at a hotel, they’ll take inventory and charge you at the end.

Definitely try the Cocojito (a frozen coconut mojito) or any of the frozen drinks (currently featured: watermelon margarita, Red Bull and vodka, peach bellini, and the Cocojito).  As for their mixed drinks, I greatly enjoyed the Cucumber Lemonade Chiller; if you order it, make sure you ask that they strain it.  The Transatlantic sounds like a winner, but they were out of Hendricks Gin the night I was there — try it for me when you go!  All frozen drinks and specialty cocktails are offered by the glass, carafe, and pitcher.

The best offering at Revive?  Well of course, it’s the booze-sicles.  Different colors, flavors, and liquors are offered and you should try, well, all of them.  Greg See himself created them and he’s apparently no popsicle-making slouch.

The menu is by no other than Samir Dhurandhar (of Nick & Sam’s and Coal Vines fame) and includes crispy flatbreads (I recommend the buffalo chicken), skewers, sandwiches, bacon-wrapped jalapeno goodness, and more.  To end the meal, ask if your waitress can scam you some frozen fruit — it really hits the spot in the humid Dallas afternoons.

Things to know:

  • Don’t even try to find a parking space, just valet — $6
  • No running or horseplay
  • Entry is $20 and each of the 12 cabanas has a $750 minimum and requires reservations (each seats about 8 people)
  • It’s 21+ … duh
  • No diving
  • Revive is open Thursday/Friday from 4pm and Saturday/Sunday starting at noon
  • Towels and pool toys are provided

Revive Uptown
www.Facebook.com/ReviveUptown
1899 McKinney Ave
(214) 740-1899

Patrizio’s Bellini Fest is here!  They’re serving Bellinis for just $1 at all locations all month long!