Et cetera

Tales of the Cocktail is just around the bend, with boozy shenanigans beginning Wednesday, July 16th. Whether or not you dedicate some time to the cocktail extravaganza a visit (you should), we have an etceteras round-up of other ways for you to get your cocktail on beyond or in-between Tales events:

See: The Art of the Cocktail. Guest Curator Claudia Lynch has assembled a libation-themed exhibition, The Art of the Cocktail, at the Ariodante Contemporary Craft Gallery (535 Julia Street) that will run through the end of July. The show will feature varied mediums of cocktail-inspired works from 20-plus local artists — from painters to glassblowers, furniture makers to jewelers. And in celebration of Tales of the Cocktail, the gallery will host a special reception on Friday, July 18, from 5 – 6:30 PM, at which guests can sample complimentary “Art-inis” and two other specialty cocktails as they puruse the display.

Stretch: At a yoga happy hour. Nola Brewery and yoga clothier Lululemon have launched a “Hot Yoga, Cold Beer” summer mini-series that will run each Monday, starting at 6:30 PM, through August 11. The part-fitness part–happy hour events, held at Nola Brewery’s warehouse (3001 Tchoupitoulas) will feature one-hour hot yoga sessions, led by a different guest yoga intrsuctor each week, followed by a 2-for-1 beer happy hour. The series (21 and up) is free and open to the public.

Drink: Taqueria Del Fuegos’ margaritas. New Orleans Margaritas: been there, drunk that, had the horrendous hangover in the morning to prove it. Recently opened Garden District restaurant Taqueria Del Fuego, which, unlike its Tex Mex counterparts, offers less cumbersome Mexican cuisine that doesn’t require a post-meal cat nap. Similarly, the restaurant’s Margarita is a refreshing alternative to many of the lackluster local alternatives; drinkers can throw in a refreshing splash to the Margarita de la Casa ($8)– comprised of the standard: tequila (Sauza Blue Silver), triple sec, lime juice and salt — with a selection of add-on house-made agua frescas ($1): tamarind, strawberry, watermelon-cucumber, and grapefruit ginger.

Eat: Beer-battered poutine fries from Foodie Call food truck. Referring to this basket of cheesy, meaty, beer-battery deliciousness as “fries” is like pejoratively calling Bloody Marys “V8s.” The golden-brown, beer-battered potato wedges are smothered in a roasted flank and skirt steak debris as well as melted Rocking R Dairy cheddar cheese. And though the boozy component of this concoction will doubtfully give you the kind of buzz a frosty pitcher will, it may just save you the agony of a Sunday morning headache, soaking up the remnants of more potent iterations of brewskis and cocktails you’ve consumed earlier in the night. You can keep dibs on their whereabouts by following them on Twitter.

Meet: Snoball go-cups. In New Orleans the go-cup is, near I say, invaluable. But just because you can carry open containers doesn’t mean you have to wander the streets with red solo cups, like you belong at a fraternity party with your 30-pack, neon tank, and beer bong in tow (unless you actually are in college, which, in that case, carry on). Uptown home-wear shop, Miss Smarty Pants, is selling a seasonally appropriate set of go-cups embellished with images of colorful snoballs resting inside fleur de lis tumblers (yes, it’s very meta) that will keep you from looking like you’re auditioning for the next installment of American Pie. The cups are sold online and in-store in packs of 10 for $12.95.