Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Monday Night Out

When one thinks of "date night," Monday is not the first day you think of. Surprisingly though, Jacob and I had plenty of food and drink options and ultimately, had a wonderful time. Last night was "date night" because we went to the Jimmy Eat World concert at La Zona Rosa -- more on my thoughts of this place later. For now let's go in chronological order.

We were downtown by 6:15 pm and we struggled to find parking then. It seems no matter what time or day you attempt to search for free street parking anywhere downtown, it's very rare to be successful. Finally, we were fortunate enough to find a descent parking spot within walking distance of our destinations. The weather was perfect and made for a great night of taking walks, so even if we'd parked far away, it would have been ok. Our first stop of the night was 219 West....

I really like the vibe at 219 West and it has happy hour all day Monday! This means $5-$8 drinks and 1/2 price appetizers. It's definitely a great deal. They offer a wide variety of drinks that cater to many different taste buds. I like to get the Georgia Peach, a delicious, not too sweet specialty martini. Last night, however, I decided to try something new and went with the Elixir - Stoli Strasberi, lime, and Red Bull. I like Red Bull but even for someone who might not, I would still recommend it. None of the tastes are overpowering -- a very balanced drink. As for an appetizer, we ordered tilapia nachos and sweet & sour chicken lettuce wraps. Both were great but I preferred the nachos, I will definitely get them again. Another suggestion is to get the calamari, it my favorite appetizer there!

Our next stop was La Zona Rosa but when we got there we realized JEW was not performing until 10, and it was only 8 pm. So as anyone would do, we got our hands stamped by the VERY NICE AND COURTEOUS door men (I was honestly impressed), and headed to another favorite bar, Peche. Peche is located off 4th and Lavaca and is a place I really like mainly because of the decor, knowledgable & nice bartenders, and killer drinks. Best part about Peche was that they also have happy hour all day Monday AND Sunday. This is a great place for anyone who likes absinthe, it's their specialty to work with it and offer a great variety of cocktails. I've had it there and the presentation of preparing your drink is really fun but abstinthe isn't necessarily my cup of tea. At Peche, I like to get either the French 75 or 77. Last time there we ordered an appetizer and we were completely unimpressed. It was the tiniest thing ever and not very good. But for drinks, this place is wonderful!

Finally we made it back to La Zona Rosa just in time for Jimmy Eat World. They were great and honestly, I had forgotten how much I like them. It took me back to middle school/high school. I'm usually hestitant of indoor concert venues because sometime the acoustics of the place can really ruin a good musical experience. But this place was great! It felt like a concert but I didn't leave feeling like I should go see an audiologist. The crowd was great, the place not too messy, and it was a quick efficient exit process after the show.

Very content with my Monday. Great drinks, food, and music all within a few blocks of each other. I wish every Monday was like last night!

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