Hankerings for anything of the warm, caloric, and hot-buttered variety can only mean one thing: winter is finally here. Luckily for New Yorkers, those hankerings can be satisfied by  some trend-setting hot toddies crafted at the East Village cocktail bar and restaurant, the Beagle, selected by Florence Fabricant for  The New York Times Dining Journal.

Beagle owner Matthew Piacentini and head bartender Dan Greenbaum’s pre-prohibition-inspired drinks are worthy of the honorable mention. To keep the flavors intense, Greenbaum steams them through an espresso steamer rather than adding the traditional hot water. And, while we trust anything the innovative cocktail pair creates, you can personalize your own toddies by choosing from a variety of belly-warming whiskeys.

The Beagle offers four toddy varieties: hot toddy, whiskey skin, brick and hot buttered rum—all served with a plate of deliciously caloric savory shortbread cookies in flavors like bacon fat. I guess we know where our New York team member Helen Baldus will be spending her cold winter evenings.

Every Wednesday, House Spirits Distillery brightens our week by serving up $5 cocktails at various restaurants and bars around town.

This Wednesday, they’re off to The Country Cat Dinnerhouse & Bar in Montavilla – one of my favorite spots! Check it out.

RPM @ The Country Cat from 5 – 7 p.m.
The Country Cat / 7937 SE Stark St, Portland, OR / 503.408.1414

Looking for an after work activity tonight? Check this out…it’s too good to pass up!

From drink guru & friend Kelley Swenson at Ten 01 —

Tonight, Wednesday @ Ten 01 between 5 & 7 pm I am proud to announce a special cocktail happy hour in collaboration with House Spirits Distillery called Recession Proof Mixology or RPM.

This evening Kelley, Kara, and Colleen will be joined by Ryan Magarian of Aviation Gin & House Spirits to mix happy hour cocktails from a special menu designed for the evening.

Ryan is a Portland native and an accomplished bartender nation wide. It has been some time since he has been behind the bar in PDX and Ten 01 is excited to welcome him back for an evening of quality affordable drinks!

The RPM special menu will feature $5 drinks from 5 – 7 pm. Please stop by to say hello!

Downtown Drinking on a Dime

Our mission: To seek out downtown happy hour destinations where we can fill our bellies for $10 or less. The good news is that there are a ton of hot, hip fantastic options. That’s right, a table for two can enjoy cocktails and hearty appetizers and drop a $20.00 plus tip. So come along the LAD happy hour trail and drink up!

Red Star Happy Hour Beer and Food Pairings Under $10!

Places we went:

• 23 Hoyt
• Basta’s
• Carafe
• Clyde Common
• Masu
• Red Star
• Rock Bottom
• Silk
• Southpark
• Ten 01

23 Hoyt:

Here’s the great thing about 23 Hoyt’s happy hour menu: it runs until 7:00. Although I really like a good happy hour, I rarely make it out of the office in time to get somewhere by 6:00 p.m., so a later happy hour always makes me, well, happy. When I first went to 23 Hoyt’s happy hour I was seriously questioning whether it would pass the $10 happy hour challenge. I was expecting small portions and large prices, mostly given the location, atmosphere and clientele. I was pleasantly surprised on all fronts.

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