Don’t miss the yearly haven of food and drink, luckily scheduled before the REAL Texas heat begins.  Lucky for you (and thanks to Taste Addison), I’m giving away two packages for you to get into Taste Addison with three of your besties.  Then, you can pick one of those besties to take to brunch for some hair of the dog the next day (of course you can take more than one, but that’s all you’ll get in fo’ free).

• Blue Mesa brunch for two
• Four passes to Taste Addison

So, do you want some free awesomeness?  There are three ways to enter to win one of the two packages (must be done by noon on 5/15):

1. Comment on this post
2. Tweet me (@drinkdallas) with the hashtag #TasteAddison2012
3. Post on my Facebook wall and tell me which concert you want to hear or  restaurant you want to try at Taste Addison

The winners will be chosen randomly, so you don’t have to write me a poem or do anything ridiculous.  One “entry” per platform will count.
FOOD

Obviously, you’ll have to eat something in order to Taste Addison, so they’ve set up 60+ vendors to give you a taste of Addison’s best fare.  Complete with cooking demos, cook-offs between football players including Jason Witten (see Albertsons’ Cookin’ with the Gridiron Greats), and more.

To see the lineup of food-related activities, go ahead and click your little mouse here.

MUSIC/Entertainment

Last year, they brought you Third Eye Blind.  This year, they’ll feature music from Mat Kearney, Wade Bowen, Rhett Mill, The Dirty Guv’nahs, Carolina Liar, and the Casey Donahew Band.

They’re also featuring bartending exhibitions (think Tom Cruise in “Cocktail”), a carnival, family fun zone, and plenty of other kid-friendly stuff.  However, I’d recommend hiring a sitter, buying some extra beer tickets, and taking a cab home.
Website for more information:  www.addisontexas.net/events/TasteAddison

Where: Addison Circle Park

When: May 18-20

Time: Friday 6pm-midnight, Saturday 12pm-midnight, Sunday 12-5pm

Need to know: tickets here or at area Albertsons stores, $5-15

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/227717663911619/

HEY, YOU!  Yes, you. Come happy hour with me tomorrow (Thursday) at On the Border.  Margaritas, queso, and burrrrritos … what more could you want from a Thursday?

On the Border is celebrating its upcoming 30th birthday (damn, OTB is old!) and wants you to join for the last “installment” of their Thursday Patio Parties.  SO – they’re kicking off their Cinco de Mayo celebration a little early.

DEETS
Location: OTB on Knox Street (Dallas)
Date: Thursday, May 3
Time: 6-8 p.m.
Perks: The first 20 guests get a $10 OTB gift card, free dessert (with a the coupon from here), and $8 deliciousness (aka  Mercedes Margaritas made with 1800 Reposado Tequila, fresh agave sour, and Grand Marnier)

So, shall we margarita?

FACEBOOK EVENT

Is one party not enough for you?  You insatiable, little nugget!  Party with OTB in Addison on May 5 for the mother of all Cinco parties.  Details from OTB below:

On Cinco de Mayo, On The Border is inviting the neighborhood to Cinco like they’ve never Cinco’ed before, while celebrating the 150th year of the holiday and our upcoming 30th anniversary (in June) with a party that makes the fiesta last all day — guests can come in, enjoy our signature margaritas and Mexican beer, freshly made dishes and festive atmosphere, and are free to stay until we close. The Addison location will have live music/deejays.

What: On the Border Happy Hour hosted by ME!
When: 6-8 p.m.
Where:On the Border (location TBD)
Perks: $10 gift cards for attendees, drink specials

May 5

What: Frankie’s Cinco de Mayo
When: 
Where:Frankie’s Sports Bar (all locations)
Perks: 1/2 price quesadillas, $3 Mexican beers, the ticket broadcasting live (FW location only)

What:Rucas Cinco de Drinko
When: 11 a.m. – 2 a.m.
Where:Rucas Sports Cantina (10319 Finnell Street, Dallas)
Perks:  Margarita machine, Irish meltdowns, live music,
Biggest Sombrero & Best Moustache Contest, Mexican beer specials

What:  The Dallas Wine & Food Festival 
When: 11 a.m.
Where: Mockingbird Station (Midtown)
Perks: Free wine seminars, happy hour events, samplings, “swag”, etc.
RSVP/Tickets: Mockingbirdstation.com/events

What: Los Ringos Cinco de Drinko Fiesta
When: 3 p.m. – 2 a.m.
Where: Ringo’s Pub (The Shops at Legacy)
Perks:  Margarita machine, Irish meltdowns, live music, 
Biggest Sombrero & Best Moustache Contest, Mexican beer specials

What: 3rd Annual Boil for the Brave
When: 12-6 p.m.
Where:The Foundry Bar (2303 Pittman, Dallas)
Perks: All-you-can-eat crawfish and fixins, live music, silent auction
Price: $20 at the door

What: Sissy’s First Annual Jockeys & Juleps Derby Watching Party
When: 4-7 p.m.
Where:Sissy’s Southern Kitchen (Henderson)
Perks: $5 select drinks (juleps, Kentucky Punch, Presbyterian Bourbon Press, and Alabama Sunset), the Derby on big screens, and best outfit award
RSVP: Reservations are encouraged - call 214.827.9900

What: Wild Salsa Cinco de Mayo Celebration
Where:Wild Salsa (Downtown)
Perks: Live music, $4 El Jimador margaritas, Brugal mojitos, and Terradura tequila shots, $10 bucket of Coronitas, $10 bottomless mojitos (11am-3pm)

May 6

What: YELP Hangover Helper Elite Event @ Club Dada
When: 2-4 p.m.
Where:Club Dada (Deep Ellum)
Price: Suggested $5 donation for Deep Ellum Mural Project**
Perks: Complimentary Mimosas, Tito’s sponsored Bloody Mary bar, Spicy bites, some mitigating mantras and exercises, Henna tattoo artist, tweet Booth, Day of the Dead Face paint, Live music by Datahowler, Raffle for Homegrown Arts & Music Festival Tickets, And much more!
RSVP/Tickets: For the newbs, here’s how to RSVP to any events posted to the Elite-only Calendar:
1. Click on your ‘12 Elite badge which will take you to the private Elite Event Calendar
2. Click “view full calendar” to the far upper right hand corner of the page
3. Read all the juicy deets
4. RSVP by clicking on the yellow with red text “RSVP” button
5. Await your official RSVP confirmation

Get brownie points with the ladies by taking them on a proper date that isn’t just another bland dinner and movie. Check out Defending the Caveman while you still can (and reap the benefits after the show).

Now through – May 19, 2012
Thursday through Saturday at 8pm
Sundays at 2p.m. & Some Additional performances on Saturday at 5pm
Fridays & Saturdays only in May

Contemporarytheatreofdallas.com for more information.

Match your music with what you should be drinking.  And listen.

St. Patrick’s Day will be here in T minus seven hours, and so will your loss of ability to operate machinery and/or man your vehicle. Dallas celebrates this holiday the way NOLA natives celebrate Mardis Gras – legendary style. Here’s a very green drink recipe to ensure pinchers vacate your premises on this glorious holiday.

Ingredients

½ part Midori

¾ part golden rum

½ part fresh orange juice

Garnish with a lemon or lime
wedge

Directions

Pour into a tall glass over ice. (Easy enough.)

Recipe courtesy of TheNibble.com

I don’t cook a lot, so I’m not quite sure what a “part” is…just pour enough of everything to make the drink a festive shade of green, and make your buzz last well into the evening. Happy St. Patty’s, y’all.

– Humphrey Bogart

In five hours, I want to be drinking one of these. Well, if I’m being honest, I want a personal bartender to follow me around the city, crafting cocktails just for me each time I feel a pang of dehydration. Which, as the weekend approaches, happens quite frequently.

It has been porch weather all this week in Dallas; as such, I’m craving a bourbon-based drink with splashes of citrus and ginger. Enter the Front Porch Cocktail, born from the insights of a calm summer’s day. Not that it’s summer, but it feels like it is, so, roll with it.

Front Porch Lemonade

Yields: One Cocktail

Ingredients:

4-5 mint leaves

1 1/2 oz. bourbon

3 oz. lemonade

1 oz. ginger syrup

Mint sprigs, for garnish

Directions:

Muddle mint leaves in the bottom of a cocktail shaker

Fill cocktail shaker halfway with ice

Add bourbon, lemonade and ginger syrup to cocktail shaker. Shake.

Strain into cocktail glasses with ice; garnish with mint sprig

Now, you can make your own ginger syrup, but I suggest purchasing a bottle and keeping it on hand. Let’s be serious, if I want a cocktail that badly, I want it now, and I want to not be staring at ginger (that I chopped myself) slowly simmering on my stove for ninety minutes, tickling my nasal passage, taunting me with the delicious proposition of how it will treat my tummy. Also, I’m lazy. So, you can buy it here. Happy Friday!

Recipe courtesy of Bowen Appetit