Beer in the friendly skies

Wow! I never thought the day would come where I would be blogging on a flight about beer. But, here we sit on a flight to Nashville with wi-fi and I get to talk about it-Cool!!

This is a quick flight-already crossing over Arkansas-crazy!

Well, I had to order a beer- and sad to say- it's not that cold. Shocker! With the airlines the way they are these days-I'm surprised it's cold at all. Oh well, at least I can blog about it from 35,000 feet in the air.

"Mecca of Awesomeness"

Last night we went out to dinner with our friends Jeff and Katie for Jeff's birthday. We started at Michael's Restaurant where we ate shrimp, pork tenderloin, and Katie and I listened to stories of golf tournaments and Holiday Inn gambling. Dinner was great fun, with good food, good atmosphere, good stories, and good wine. But the fun was just beginning. Jeff loves whiskey. That is his favorite drink- and the best place in Fort Worth- or maybe all of the metroplex for a good Old Fashioned is a bar known as "The Usual". This hidden gem is tucked away on Magnolia (the hottest up and coming street in Fort Worth) with a dark brick exterior and minimal lighting. The inside is posh and modern, with a 30's feel. The 30's feel comes from the theme of the bar and most important the theme of the drinks- Classic Prohibition Era. Don't come here expecting a crown and coke or a vodka/tonic- as this bar provides a more sophisticated style of drinking and serves a more sophisticated style of Drinker. An example of this is the drink that John ordered- a Moscow Mule. This drink includes vodka, sugar syrup, ginger beer, fresh lime juice, mint, and is garnished with a slice of lime.

So, you might have guessed- bud light won't be found here either. They offer a tons of beers- but they are all either mirco brews or imports- a little slice of heaven for John. So, I ventured out and had a Pacifico- not too shabby, and was rather cold as well.

"The Usual" is a step back in time- and even though they don't offer the stream line domestic beers I am used to- it was well worth the trip. Happy Birthday Jeff!!

Major Danger

My friend Katie, lives in these awesome condos in downtown Fort Worth. They are the T & P lofts and are a train station that has been converted. I love this place- its super close to downtown and has a total industrial 30's feel. I went over there for dinner and T.V. and we decided to check out the T & P bar downstairs. Hence, the title- a bar down the stairs from where you live. We went down and to my surprise they have tons of beers on tap. And they were sooo cold. The best part about this place is that you can totally come down for a social drink in comfy clothes. Well, that and the cold beer. There is a reason we don't live there.....

No Happy Trails...

Over the past few weeks I have heard nothing but compliments over the new Ice House- the Katy Trail Ice House in Dallas. This bar is supposed to be everything Dallas isn't- but in Dallas (which is an oxymoron in itself). It is supposed to have this Austin- feel- laid back, easy going, casual- all nice things- all things people love about Austin. However, this bar is located in the uptown area of Dallas, the building is steel and cold, the inside was stinky of mildew, and the concrete floors in the bathroom were covered in water and felt like an upscale outhouse. I am not sure this is the "look and feel" it was going for. The outside was spacious with picnic tables galore, and lights to set the backyard tone. However, the view was of the porsches and maseratis that were parked out front. Of course- only in Dallas are these luxury vehicles parked outside an ICE House. The beer was lukewarm- not something that tasted good in 100 degree weather. I was totally disappointed- the only thing that was worth going for was to see the girls in heels walk in the gravel. I will give this place another go- but will make sure it's in a cooler season.

Dirk knows Good Mexican!

Desperados Mexican Restaurant in Dallas, Texas off Greenville Avenue was requested to be the caterer of choice by the Mavs "World Champions" for the celebration feast!! Could not be prouder of the best Mexican food there is! Way to go Desperados Restaurant!!!!

Good People Drink Good Beer

Now that's a motto that just sticks with you!

The other night I joined my friend Eric for a beer after a long day. He lives off Knox/Henderson and is a regular at the local neighborhood bar, Vickery Park. This is a great neighborhood bar and has become so popular- they have opened one in Frisco. The place is always packed with people- young, old, hippies, businessman- this place draws all crowds. And, there's a reason for this. The food is great, the beer is cold, and the people watching- unbeatable- especially on a weekend. Plus, they have the words to live by:

"Good People Drink Good Beer". DUH!

BYOB's really aren't made for a 6 pack

Well, I guess I knew the time would come when beer wasn't the only thing I would write about. I love cold beer, but I must admit it doesn't work for every occasion. (although I can't think of many where its not a perfect fit). However, when I am grabbing dinner with a friend at a local Italian restaurant, and its BYOB, a 6 pack of beer just doesn't seem appropriate.

Note: I have gone to this restaurant with beer before- when it was a group, a Saturday night, and we had a stroller to carry it in. Don't ask about the stroller- however, you can store a lot in that thing! :)

So, I choose to take wine tonight for my dinner. My favorite wine. John and I vacation quite a bit and always try to find a place to do a wine tasting- I mean, why not? So, a few years ago when we were in Virginia we did a wine tour at the Jefferson Vineyard and found one of our favorites- a nice Cabernet Franc by the name of Jefferson. Totally delish. Great with steak, fish, or no food at all. And, the price is right- only about $17.00 per bottle. I guess Virginia isn't just another pretty state- it has great wine too!

A Family Tradition

Desperado's Mexican Restaurant has been a part of my family's life since it opened 35 years ago! Actually, when my mom attended SMU, she waited tables and her manager was Jorge Levy- the owner of this amazing restaurant. The menu is full of fabulous things- the salsa is always fresh and spicy, the cerviche is one of the best I have EVER had, and the Desperado Tacos are the signature dish- serving them not only at the restaurant- but at the fair and Cowboy games as well.
So, when John and I decided to venture over for some shopping at North Park- we had to include lunch at one of our favorite Dallas establishments. And it didn't disappoint- well, maybe a little. Since this Beer Blog is sooo important to me- I, of course, had to check out the temperature of the beer.



And, I must say, not very cold. Bummer! Maybe that's why they sell so many margaritas! Oh well, it was well worth the trip for the tacos themselves and always good for a fond memory.

Win, Win, Win

Last night, we had our dear friend Whitney over for a dinner, drinks, and the Mavs WIN in Forth Worth. La Familia is one of our favorite Mexican places where the salsa is fresh and homemade (think almost pico) and every entree comes with a choice of soup (bean or chicken) and a tamale (which was wonderful).We wanted to share this special place with Whitney because it is a true staple of Fort Worth. In the past 6 months (we DO LOVE it- but we try not to eat Mexican too often) they have had some amazing additions. They have never been known for their beer- well, folks, that has changed.
They have added a whole new wing that includes a brand new bar! This means that there is a place to store and keep beer cold. And let me tell you- what a pleasant surprise! Guess it won't be 6 months before we venture back there- great food and cold beer! Now that is a winning combination!

A hop, skip, and a jump

There is a place on Bluebonnet Circle that we have began to frequent more and more since its less than a mile from our house. The restaurant/bar was closed for almost a year and when it reopened- the neighborhood came running. Rock Bottom actually saved John and I during the snow storm this year. We had the worst cabin fever and couldn't drive- so we walked to this bar- it was the perfect escape! The other night we went there with our friend Brian to watch the Mavs win and all the neighborhood was there. Almost like the Cheers Bar of Westcliff. We made friends left and right that all live blocks from us. (look for a BBQ beer blog in a few weeks). The food is pretty good, the people are friendly, the beer is cold, and they have TVs on the patio. No wonder they know us by name.

"Eat Me"

I love Fuzzy's Tacos!!! They are the best and tonight I had the pleasure of eating dinner there with John. I was so excited to blog about their draft beer- its always SUPER cold. However, on this evening- of all evening- camera with me and everything- the cooler where the kegs are stored- broken down! What are the chances!?!? So, I went with Plan B- a bottle. And guess what, just as cold. Fuzzy's- you're OK in my book. Thanks for another great meal!

"Beer- Because one doesn't solve the world's problems over white wine"
-Anonymous