Medical update: Just finished my full course of antibiotics and things are looking up. My congestion, wheezing and general malaise have all calmed down and now I only sound moderately like a cat purring when I breathe. While I'm not ready to claim full victory over pneumonia, I feel as if I've turned the corner and got this infection on the run. Let's hope my re-visit next week confirms my amateur prognosis. I figure who needs years and years of medical school when you have watched as many House episodes as I have, right? Love that show. Love Hugh Laurie, but I digress.
When one is faced with the prospect of battling illness, the most immediate and logical step to take is celebration with cocktails and zombies -- not necessarily in that exact order. The best place, and perhaps only place, in Minnesota for said festivities is Donny Dirks Zombie Den in NE Mpls. This place used to be Stand Up Franks. No chairs or stools. People stood and drank their stiff drinks and they liked 'em that way, dammit. In the past year, the joint has been transformed into a hipster style palace to all things undead. The walls are covered in a smoky glass tile with the occasional zombie head sticking out for artistic effect. The dark scene stands punctuated with animal print carpet, flashy chandeliers and televisions playing re-runs of old (and not so old) zombie flicks. 28 Weeks Later happened to be on when we were there. The drink menu boasts such lovelies as The Dark and Stormy, a fine looking rum concoction, and the Voodoo Zombie. What is a Voodoo Zombie, you might ask? Well, according to our server "it is really a typical voodoo drink." What that means, I'm not really sure. It does have a lot of booze and an assortment of random fruit juices so I guess that is what voodoo drinks are all about.
It's a pretty cool place if you like to stare at zombie faces whilst you sip your libations. Who doesn't?
For a slightly different vibe, I would recommend La Belle Vie lounge or LBVL as the cool kids like to call it. I met my good friends Poodle and ALO there for an after work cocktail and man was it terrific. It feels very posh -- like upper West Side Manhattan townhome with a doorman kinda sophisticated. I was immediately taken with the interior and then I took a look at the drink menu. Their ubber mixologist, Johnny, laid down some delightful concoctions. My first was the Tangerine Sidecar. Yummy. Then I put myself in the capable hands of Johnny and asked for his recommendation. He poured up something called the Ides of Spring (I think that is what it was called) all mystifyingly good with some citrus and fresh ginger. Johnny, you had me at sidecar. If you are interested in reading more, check out this blog documenting the taste-by-taste trip through the LBVL drink menu. Funny!
I will certainly be visiting La Bell Vie again soon. It ranks as one of My Bests to be sure.
So, there you have it. My adventures in liquor are in no way an indication of a problem. I don't NEED to drink, I choose to drink. It's all medicinal really. Whatever the marvels of modern pharmacology don't kill, the bourbon and vodka, vermouth, cava and bitters are sure to take care of. That which does not kill me, only makes me stronger.
You can get the tasting menu at LBVL for something like $40. Mark and I went to the restaurant side for our 1st anniversary and we still talk about how amazing the food was. Best in Minneapolis by far.
ReplyDeleteRemember Sweets, I am the one who has weapons stashed away and an evacuation plan for when the zombies attack. Alright?
ReplyDeletethat is fine but all of the pictures are about doogs
ReplyDelete