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

Etc. Hangover remedies.

The day after Cinco de Mayo ranks somewhere up there with New Year's Day as a national (and I suppose even international) day of being hungover. With tequila-based margaritas being the drink of choice for 'Cinco', there are likely some brutal mornings occurring this seis de Mayo.

Hopefully the fifth of May falling mid-week this year allowed for a more moderate celebration, but if you overdid it yesterday, here are some tips toward recovery:

Hydrate! The photo above is a box of 'Emergen-C' packets, satchels of powder that contain a lot of vitamins, including a lot of Vitamin C, that you add to water. I like to add two satchels worth of powder to a regular sized bottle of water (Arrowhead works well). It tastes great, and has a nice fizziness to it that will taste extra-good to your sad dry hungover mouth.

Eat. I know it sounds awful, and you'd really rather not, but the faster to eat something, the better you'll feel. That said, if you really can't, wait it out, and when you finally feel like you can eat something, you're likely on the fast track to feeling good again. Bagels, toast, crackers, or even a hearty soup are all good options.

Good luck!

Emergen-C is available at most supermarkets. Whole Foods has the best flavor variety I've seen and even sells the packets individually at the counter.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: costco.com

Eat Out. Las Perlas.

Las Perlas Mezcal and Tequila Bar, 213 Downtown LA Nightlife's latest venture, will have its soft opening tonight, Tuesday March 9. The place hasn't opened and already has a Yelp page, so that should tell you something about it's soon-to-be popularity among the downtown crowd.

Las Perlas is located at 107 E. 6th St. (6th and Main) in downtown Los Angeles.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: Las Perlas via Daily Candy

Eat Out. The Tar Pit [Thirsty Thursdays!].

If you've been paying any attention, you may have noticed that I do quite enjoy a fine, well-made drink. Which is why I was excited to try out the latest hip bar to hit the speakeasy scene (and the ever-growing La Brea area): The Tar Pit.

The smallish bar + restaurant is getting hype because Mark Peel--the cuisine auteur behind the beloved Campanile--is one of the backers, but here, the food takes a back seat. This place is all about the drink: from the moment you enter and take in the bar's dark ambiance, to the moment you finish the last drop of your fine-tuned poison and contemplate your next move.