Remember last year when I admitted to ordering/drinking/enjoying cocktails?

Well, 12 months later, being a cocktail consumer is a key part of my identity.

For twenty years, I was a strict on the rocks girl— makers on the rocks, ketel on the rocks, casamigos on the rocks, hendricks on the rocks, life on the rocks!

I think drinking cocktails has made me more relatable. Hahaha— the bar for that is pretty low, but it’s a start.

Some of my favorite mixed drinks of the current season!

1. This is a complex one because, speaking of my increased ReLAtaBILiTY, I special order SoHo House’s signature spicy margarita at my local bar in Memphis and have now dubbed it the MimiHouse. Wait, maybe cocktails have made me worse! It is a lush combination of zesty cilantro, tequila, fresh Serrano pepper and just a dash of agave and exclusivity. I. Am. Obsessed. With. This. Drink.
2. So there will be multiple cosmopolitans on this list, so let’s start with the best. The Nines was a post-dinner experiment in getting way too drunk on a school night in Manhattan. Our dear sweet bartender, maybe named Jeff, had his hands full as I ordered my cosmo and asked if he thought I was “very pretty.” Well, Jeff spoke through his craft because that drink was so fucking perfect I didn’t even care what his answer was. Note: he confirmed that I am indeed, like, very pretty.
3. The second cosmo is via Porch & Parlor in Memphis (recently named TN’s best steakhouse), and it is equal parts zippy tart and Southern sweet, and I couldn’t get enough. Carrie Bradshaw hits the Mid-South.
4. Dear God, the peach margarita at BurgerUp in Nashville’s 12S is a fucking marvel. Sorry, God 🙂 It is a dream with Peach Truck peaches soaked in tequila, a sugar rim and the perfect combo of citrus flavors. She’s a potent girl, so order one and just laugh and laugh and laugh.
5. Cosmo #3 is from my babydoll Lil’ Frankie’s at 1st/1st and comes to the table icy-cold and barely being contained by the rim. The combo of that v. good cocktail with the greatest Italian-American dish (pasta limone) is what every wonderful moment in your life should embody. 
6. Last but not least is the one that got us started last June— the Aperol spritz. I am still searching for my favorite one, BUT some top contenders are at Eataly Flatiron, B’artusi in the West Village, Ecco in Memphis and my homemade version with a heavy club soda pour and an even heavier Prosecco dose. Viva l’Italia Viva l’Aperol!

In conclusion, cocktails have actually made me far brattier than I was before, but they are quite a bit more fun. I’m sticking with it!

What are you drinking? Tell me below! Xx

**iconic image via SATC (obvi)