Etc. Celebrate Cinco de Mayo.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Some celebration suggestions:

Chilaquiles for breakfast

Lotería at the Farmers Market for lunch

El Carmen, your home bar, or just pick up a bottle of Skinnygirl for a margarita

El Cholo (Western Avenue or Santa Monica locations) or Lares for dinner

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: USPS

Do It. Bethenny Frankel's Skinnygirl Margarita signing.

You may know Bethenny Frankel from The Real Housewives of New York City, or her spinoff show also on Bravo now in its second season, Bethenny Ever After. She's also the inventor of the insanely popular Skinnygirl Margarita, and the author of several books, including New York Times bestseller Naturally Thin.

Tomorrow evening Frankel will be in Huntington Beach to sign bottles of her pre-mixed margarita product. I've made (and ordered) a fair share of Skinnygirl Margaritas, but not yet tried the actual bottled product. It's made with premium blue agave tequila, and sweetened with agave nectar, is all natural, and has just 100 calories for a four ounce serving. I imagine it's quite good, and I usually wouldn't have any interest in "ready to drink" cocktails.

March 15, 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at Stater Bros., 10114 Adams Avenue in Huntington Beach, Calif. Info: (714) 963-0949, bethenny.com

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: bethenny.com

Drink It. National Margarita Day.

It's almost five o'clock, and today is National Margarita Day 2011.

A rundown of our favorites in town:

El Carmen (best blend)

Malo (and now Más Malo too)

Lares (their fruit flavors--like peach--are natural and delicious)

Las Perlas (happy hour 7-8pm Tuesday through Friday)

at home (with the right tools and ingredients)

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: the BEAT

Eat Out. Malo [Sunday Brunch].

Silver Lake's Malo restaurant is well-known for its great margaritas and happy hours, but it just so happens that it's a great place to visit after those margaritas and happy hours too. The Mexican eatery recently began opening up early for weekend brunch, and the hip Eastside crowd is loving it--for good reason.

The brunch menu offers all the regular, great-for-the-hangover brunch favorites, like the breakfast burrito and chilaquiles (both seen above), but with Malo's extra attention to detail in flavor and fresh ingredients. The chilaquiles, though obviously not the healthiest meal, actually wasn't as greasy as I had imagined, and the portion was just right not to make me feel like I'd see it (or the night before) later. There were also fun and unique options like the mango and banana French toast that seem worth trying out.

And of course, with any good hangover brunch, Malo offers drinks--top-notch, of course. Their sangria is always a favorite of mine, and a mojito would probably be nice around noon. We tried the Malo Cafe, which had coffee mixed Kahula and tequila, and it was pretty strong. Made for a good wake-up call, at least.

Malo is located at 4326 Sunset Blvd. in Silver Lake. Brunch is served Saturdays and Sundays, from 9am-3pm.

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: the BEAT

Do It. Cinco de Mayo options.

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Today being May 5, a celebration of Mexican victory over French invasion in 1862, probably means you're wondering where you're going to get a margarita tonight (or before tonight).

Y'all know my favorite margarita in L.A. is at El Carmen.

Silver Lake's Malo has some Cinco de Mayo specials (especials?), including a $25 gourmet margarita pitcher named "The Battle of Puebla" ironically rimmed with French sea salt. Santa Monica's Border Grill has $5 drinks and $3 tacos from 11:30 a.m. till 10:00 p.m. today.

If you feel like staying in this Wednesday night, but still want to celebrate the holiday a bit, make your own martini-style margarita!

Whatever you do, have fun, and be safe. I'm sure there will be a DUI checkpoint or two set up around town this evening.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: yumsugar

Eat Out. El Carmen [Thirsty Thursdays!].

When I'm in the mood for a good margarita, this is where I go. I discovered this West Third Street gem years ago, and have even had a birthday party here. El Carmen is a small well-decorated dark bar on a prime strip of Third (near the Grove). The decor is mostly tequila bottles, and portraits of masked Mexican wrestlers. There's the long bar on one side, and small tables on the other. They have a menu of small bites, which includes a delicious mashed potato taco, which is in a hard shell and topped with fresh salsa and sliced avocado. Delicious.

But what El Carmen is really all about it the margarita. It's not too sweet, not too sour, has just the right strength, and has a pure taste to it that I can best describe as the margarita equivalent of Fiji water, if that makes any sense. Monday through Friday they open at 5:00 p.m. for a happy hour till 7:00 p.m., and the quality of drink you get for the price I'd say is the best deal in town. Unfortunately on weekends, they're not open till 7:00 p.m. and there is no happy hour.

The waitresses are always nice, and the bartenders are knowledgeable. There's fruit-infused tequila for sipping, and a piña colada-margarita sort of hybrid called the Mexican Painkiller, which, if you like coconut, is a good runner up to their stellar margarita.

Blended (oh so blended - you'll be impressed with the chunk-free beauty of it) or on the rocks, you can't go wrong at El Carmen.

El Carmen is located at 8138 W Third Street in Los Angeles.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: thehappyhourtour

Drink It. Martini-style margaritas [Thirsty Thursdays!].

I've been hearing talk for a while now of a so-called "Skinny Girl Margarita", invented by Real Housewives of New York City star Bethenny Frankel. The exact recipe seems to vary--Alexis Bellino on the Real Housewives of Orange County orders hers to be made with some club soda, Frankel makes them in an online video with tequila, orange liquor, and lime, but measurements aren't exact. Margaritas are one of my favorite cocktails (especially when accompanied by a platter of not-exactly-skinnygirl Mexican food!), so I wanted to get it right. Here's a simple and delicious version I decided on. I love that it's very chilled, yet not on the rocks, so it doesn't get watered down if you don't drink it fast.

I hope all the Bravo TV chat hasn't turned you off of this wonderful drink! Give it a try ...

The recipe is as follows:

3 oz. tequila (your call on the brand - Cazadores is a good option)

1 1/2 oz. Cointreau or Patrón Citrónge (or any decent orange liqueur, really)

1 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice

Shake well in a martini mixer filled a little more than halfway with ice. Serve in a frosted martini glass. Enjoy!

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: the BEAT

Eat Out. Musso & Frank Grill.

Musso & Frank Grill on Hollywood Boulevard is Hollywood's oldest restaurant. Since 1919, it's been a popular eatery for movie stars, writers, directors and producers. F. Scott Fitzgerald, Charles Bukowski, Ernest Hemingway, Charlie Chaplin and Rudolph Valentino were all customers. It's still a favorite of Hollywood's current A-List, Sofia Coppola was there on Saturday night.

They are known for their martinis and their steaks, but have a wide menu selection and it's the kind of place that you can't go wrong no matter what you order. They make a tasty sidecar, a refreshing margarita, serve white wine in a big chilled glass, and iced tea on a little saucer with lemon wedges. The martini-style drinks come in small (for today's American standards) glasses, with an additional amount served alongside in a mini carafe--perfect for a top-up when your drink is getting low.

The crab cocktail is delicious (large chunks of crab with classic cocktail sauce served in a little cold metal cocktail bowl with lemons on the side and two cocktail forks on either side), the shrimp cocktail is similar, with de-tailed shrimps which I much prefer to tail-on. We all shared an iceberg lettuce wedge salad that came with thick-sliced juicy red tomatoes. The only complaint was, the blue cheese dressing was on the mild side, it could have had more flavor. The bread is sourdough, made exclusively for Musso's. It's fresh, soft and delicious.

I had the baked halibut, Italienne style, and it was really good. It was flavorful, remarkably hot and a nice size portion. The filet mignon, grilled salmon, roast half chicken and New York steak all looked great too.

We were celebrating a birthday, and two moist rectangles of cake (carrot and chocolate) were brought out with candles for the birthday boy. The waiter was very nice ... it's the kind of place you can sit around for a while in the booth and talk when you're done with your meal. At 10:30, the music went up, retro jazzy music of course. That, and the beautiful warm lighting made it a perfect choice for a special dinner.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: yalumbastories.files.wordpress.com