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Wine is one of the agreeable & essential ingredients of life.

Julia Child

I was so pleased to hear that the W’s Living Room Bar is featuring a new set of cocktails showcasing pear and other summery flavors.  I was easily pear-suaded to come in and try some of the new options, and made my way into the W with a new friend.  We settled into one of the comfy banquettes next to the small water feature, made friends with our waitress, and began our tasting adventure.

The first drink I tried was the new signature drinks for TLRB, A State of Bliss (Ketel One Citron vodka, cucumber, fresh mint, gimme syrup).  It had a familiar taste to it, and was so incredibly refreshing that I almost wished that we’d decided to sit on the patio … and then I remembered that it was around 102 out.

Next came the Ultimat Summer Blast (Ultimat vodka, fresh kiwi, Asian pear, St. Germain Liqueur, prosecco) was a bit less refreshing, but still is a great summer drink.  I’m not a huge fan of prosecco, so this wasn’t my favorite of the night, but I wouldn’t NOT drink it again.  I really loved the simple garnish — it almost looked like a cupcake with a tiny decoration on top.

Asian “Pear” Suasion (Absolute Pear vodka, Mathilde Pear liqueur, gomme syrup, fresh Asian pear, prosecco) was another cocktail that passed across the table.  The pear puree lent a nice texture to the cocktail and made it a bit interesting.  Since I’ve always been a fan of pear vodka, I enjoyed this little diddy, too. 

To finish the tasting session, I capped the evening off with a few sweet sips of the Nuts About the W (Stoli Vanilla vodka, Godiva White and Godiva Dark liqueurs, Frangelico, walnuts).  Let’s talk about this slice of heaven … if you’re a fan of dessert drinks, this is your new go-to.  It is plenty rich and not too heavy.

In the process of trying all of these great drinks, we opted to try a couple of food options — the mushroom flatbread and the cheese tray.  The flatbread was incredible — I did my best so be a gracious friend and allow my cohort to have the last piece, but unfortunately I wasn’t generous enough to let her have the last piece (sorry, Josie!).  The cheese tray (pictured above), was very simple (no honey or other fanciness), but it came with olives, nuts, and plenty of crackers.  It really hit the spot.

The TLRB’s other new drink features are:

Cucumber Mint Cooler – Belvedere Vodka, fresh cucumber, mint leaves, gomme syrup, sparkling water
Georgia Woodford Peach – Woodford Reserve, peach purée, Orange Bitters, splash of sprite
Hendrick’s Experience – Hendrick’s Gin, St. Germain Liqueur, cucumber, fresh lemon juice
Raspberry Serrano Paloma – Patron Silver Tequila, fresh raspberries, grapefruit juice, Serrano pepper
Strawberry Basil Mojito – Bacardi Rum, fresh strawberries, basil leaves, fresh lime juice, sparkling water
W Peach Martini – Ciroc Peach Vodka, peach purée, topped with Proseco

Things to know:

  • The new drinks are available through September (the State of Bliss is always on the menu)
  • The Living Room bar is open seven days a week
  • The W offers complimentary valet parking if you’re going to TLRB
  • The food is delicious
  • TLRB has live music each Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday
  • Thursdays are Havana Nights (a complimentary hand-rolled cigar when you purchase drink flights of premium Scotch or rum, mojitos are $10)

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!

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