A Mule Named Honey @ChapelTavern

I've wanted to go to Chapel for a really long time now.  Maybe too long, because I built it up a little too much in my head.  I was happy that they had a menu of craft cocktails that seemed varied, but pricey at $10 a drink.  My throat was feeling a little icky, so I decided some honey might do it some good.  Your (should be) pick for the Best of Reno's stand up comedian Amanda Alvey and I have been on a mule-kick as of late.  No pun intended (Mule, kick...get it?  No?  Well okay then.)

She and I usually get something different so we can get a taste of two different kinds of drinks, but that night we both got the Mule Named Honey. 

In the end, it didn't have enough honey to make my throat feel better, but it did taste a little like cold medication, so there's that.  I actually tried someone elses drink and it tasted the same, just a different flavor of cold medication.  Later someone said that it's always sort of been that way there, which is why it took so long for everyone to go out to it again.

Despite that, the space is nice, and it has a pool table you can see in the picture, which I'm always down to play.  If a place has pool or bocce ball I'm down to stay for awhile.  Horseshoes, not so much.  I digress, the staff seemed friendly and the patio was cute, although the whole place felt a little small.  Unless I start making way more money, I don't think I'll be back to Chapel anytime soon, although I still had a good time.

 

Chapel Tavern

1099 S Virginia St, Reno, NV 89502

 (775) 324-2244

Monday	2:00 pm – 4:00 am
Tuesday	2:00 pm – 4:00 am
Wednesday	2:00 pm – 4:00 am
Thursday	2:00 pm – 4:00 am
Friday	2:00 pm – 4:00 am
Saturday	10:00 am – 4:00 am
Sunday	10:00 am – 4:00 am

 

"Tray Chic" in Partnership with One Kings Lane

A basic bar tray on our basic prop table

Most of the time I'm a bit of a homebody.  I like being able to drink more than two drinks and then stumble up to bed and sleep it all off.  Then when my major became theatre, things changed a bit.  The time of rehearsal and performance is sacred; you know you are living on borrowed time.  That cast and crew will never be all together except for during that time, and you have to make the most of it.  In college none of us had great homes to hang out in, so we frequented bars whenever we left a performance or rehearsal.  If we got really lucky, we got to do a play about a bar.  There is no better in-between from a bar and home than a theater.

Since returning to Reno, I took advantage of the opportunity to jump back into the theatre scene, and was lucky enough to get one about a bar.  At "Last Call at the Old Southwest" we have exactly one tray acting as the bar for our show.  You won't see me onstage, I'm the Stage Manager.  Since the show is currently running, I'm more the prop master right now.  Since I'm staying with family, the show has sort of turned into my home away from home.  The cast and I frequent bars after work since Good Luck Macbeth is in the Midtown District, and there is lots to choose from.

Still, when I was approached for this post about making a tray your own, I thought of our little tray in the show.  This little tray is basically a symbol for the bar area happening backstage.  When (not if) you come see the show, it might slip by you completely.  But it means a lot to me, I've spent lots of time with it.  Sometimes all you need is a basic, no frills tray to get the job done.  I'm sure I'm the only one who is doing a post on a basic silver tray...but maybe you'll remember it more that way.

Of course, if you are looking for a nice tray for your home, then heading over to One Kings Lane for something that will actually impress someone when they come to your home.

Happy Hour Cosmopolitan @BJsRestaurants

I really dig happy hours that are more than one hour, at more than one time.  Usually I'm not in for that kind of rule breaking, but when it is more of a good thing how can you not allow it?

So when I was just getting into my PJ's and the BFF texted that she needed a drink, I got into my fancy sports bra and headed over to BJ's for their Happy Hour.  We split some SpinArt dip and some Avocado eggrolls, and I stepped out of my comfort zone for a Cosmopolitan.  

I could go off on a HUGE rant about Sex and the City right now.  How it was an important show for human sexuality, but the characters were stereotypical and the most terrible humans you could find.  I could also go off for hours about how Carrie was a writer but she NEVER carried around a pen.  I've got at least 4 pens in my purse at all times.  Terrible, terrible characters.  However, this is not about Sex and the City, but rather the drink they made famous.

Let me tell you right now, the drink is just as terrible as the show.  Maybe it was because they were an hour from closing, maybe it's just because a Cosmo is a horrible drink.  Either way, the mix of vodka, cranberry juice (which I couldn't taste at all), and triple sec, it just tasted like a watered down vodka.  I took that lime and squeezed the living live out of it.  Then it tasted like vodka lime juice.  Blech.

I'm not going to blame this drink on anyone but Darren Starr though.  BJ's is an amazing restaurant with fantastic food that I'll for sure be going back to.  Next time maybe a lemon drop.

BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse

425 Sparks Blvd, Sparks, NV 89434

(775) 398-3550

11am-12am Monday-Thursday
11am-1am Friday
10am-1am Saturday
10am-12am Sunday  

Rekorderlig Hard Cider @CraftReno

While at The Foxy Olive the other week, I met an awesome guy named Riley who works at Craft.  I honestly thought that place was abandoned due to the blackout windows.  I was pleasantly surprised to go inside and find nice wood tables and an amazing walk in fridge that felt amazing after walking 20 minutes down midtown.

They have some amazing stuff to choose from, but the BFF and I decided to grab a couple of Rekorderlig Hard Ciders to cool off.  I'm really getting into hard ciders lately, and I really feel that this is one of the best ones.  We tried the Pear and the Passion Fruit, and I was equally impressed with both.  The Passion Fruit was clear as water, which was seriously impressive.  It was so tasty I could have hung out there all day drinking them.

I'll for sure be back to check out what else they have to offer.

Craft
Monday-Saturday 11:00 AM-9:00 PM
Sunday 12:00 PM-6:00 PM

22 Martin Street 

Reno, NV 89509

775-622-4333

Home Made White Russian (The Big Lebowski)

After giving my liver a few weeks off, I decided to get back into drinking mode after watching The Big Lebowski for the first time.

Okay, okay...I know this was your face when you read that I haven't seen The Big Lebowski before:

I understand, I totally get it.  For someone who started her career working at a video store, this was a huge oversight on my part.  In the end I think I didn't watch it because I knew it wasn't really my kind of movie.  I was right, but I did find a lot more of it amusing than I thought.

My favorite, of course, was the way that The Dude always seems to have a White Russian in his hand.  In fact, my favorite scene was the "Hey, careful, man, there's a beverage here!" because I'm always careful about spilling my own drinks.

I also do love a White Russian, especially since my Amaretto ran out so I can't make Toasted Almonds anymore.  Since a WR is made from Vodka, Kahlua, and Milk, I went to our home bar to get out the ingredients.  I found an ancient bottle of Smirnoff that had literally evaporated into nothing under the bar.

White Russian, Antique Smirnoff bottle

I threw it into our recycling bin, but my mother was worried about our neighbors judging her for having a "full bottle of vodka."  I told her that they will know by the label that she took at least two decades to get through that bottle, and no one will judge her.

There is something about this drink that makes me feel warm and comfortable, which I'm sure is why The Dude abides so willingly.  I was ready to put this up as a potential drink, then I realized that this movie wasn't actually filmed at the Bowling Stadium, and I was mixing it up with Kingpin, another movie I've yet to see.  I don't think that one has as much drinking in it, so it might be awhile before it pops up on my Netflix queue.

Also, after writing this I found a great Cracked video about how The Big Lebowski is pretty much Alice in Wonderland.  I approve.