Hard as it is to imagine, there are people out there who actually need an excuse to party. Luckily for them, the calendar has enough festivals and commemorative days to keep even the most inveterate reveler's party-stat perpetually in the "on" position.
One of those days is Cinco de Mayo, which is this Wednesday. Apart from being the day after "cinco de cuatro" on the Obaman calendar, Cinco de Mayo, at least in Mexico, commemorates the Mexican army's David-against-Goliath victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla. Here, it is celebrated with pub crawls, eating, and carousing.
At Smith and Vine, a wine and spirits shop in Carroll Gardens (268 Smith Street, betweet Degraw and Hackett Sts., Brooklyn, 718-243-2864), wines and ingredients for concocting Paloma cocktails are 20 percent off the
regular price throughout the day. Stop by at 6 p.m., when free house-made Palomas and wines will be offered to customers. Michele Pravda and Patrick Watson, the husband and wife team who opened the shop six years ago, have renamed May 5 "Cinco de Vino" (which I think is also a day on the Obaman calendar).
What better day than Cinco de Mayo to perfect your guacamole-making skills with a class at SideBAR (120 E 15th Street, 212-677-2900), in Union Square? Through an offer at The Dealist, you can shave $8 off the normal $25 cost of attending. The Dealist is also featuring a pub crawl at half price ($10, ordinarily $20) and a tequila and margarita tasting at Hudson Terrace, priced at $25. The pub crawl, which begins at 5:30 p.m., includes stops at ten bars: Village Pourhouse, The Yard, SideBAR, Taj Lounge, Still, Bar 13, Mercury Bar, Twelve Bar, Copper Door Tavern, and Dukes. The tasting at Hudson Terrace (621 W 46th Street, 212-315-9400) will feature samplings of more than 10 tequilas, specialty tequila cocktails, margaritas, as well as a wide selection of Mexican beers.
At Hill Country (30 W 26th Street, 212-255-4544), where it seems a party is always in progress, Mexican boiler makers (a Tecate or Corona chased by a shot of tequila) will be on hand for Cinco de Mayo at $5 a pop. A pitcher of margaritas will run $20, as will a bucket of 6 Mexican beers: choose from Corona, Tecate, and Negra Modelo. Menu specials will include pit-smoked lamb barbacoa, a side of drunken beans, and, for dessert, margarita cupcakes.
| Click Subscribe at the top of the page to have my articles sent directly to your e-mail inbox. Follow me on Twitter or join me at Facebook. You can also reach me at howard.portnoy@gmail.com or by posting a comment below. |
Comments
HP,
You had me at Vino de Mayo!
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!