Out of the 14 teams in the Lottery, the Kings have the third-best odds of receiving the number one pick in the Draft. Last year, the Kings received the fourth pick in the Draft and selected Tyreke Evans, who went on to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award and finished the season as only the fourth player in NBA history to average at least 20 points, five rebounds and five assists per game in a rookie season, joining Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan and LeBron James.

        

Come try brands like Don Julio, Herradura, Patron and the boutiques brands like Herencia Mexicana, 7Leguas, Fortaleza and Clase Azul.

We will also have local brands like Azcona Azul and Mejor.

Tickets are $20 and are limited. Must be 21 years of age to attend.

Don’t miss out. Come and experience the tradition of Mexico, and the fastest growing spirit.

        

Now, the shows on The Travel Channel and Food Network have really brought restaurants from all over the world right to your home. So, I see a Chef named Ferran Adria, from a restaurant in Spain called El Bulli on a killer show called No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain.  Adria was doing amazing things with Molecular Gastronomy, and put I on my list of “Big Things I Gotta Do.” Unfortunately, the restaurant books the first week in January for the entire year. That’s why I was so surprised to find out that he was closing El Bulli indefinitely.

He says he was losing a half million Euros a year with his restaurant and would rather have that money go to his new academic studies. So in 2012, he will close his doors and focus on a cooking school.  You might say I have two years but since I didn’t nab my reservation this January, my next chance will be January 2011.  Trying to get one then should be fun… or should I say impossible.

My dreams, for now,  shattered. My thoughts of running around Spain drinking Albarino, Sherry, and going to El Bulli will have to be limited to the just the drinking part. Maybe it will just be sangria or some mediocre paella…who knows.  What I have learned since the days of The Vintage Press is that it’s not the restaurant, wine, or scenery. It’s the person sitting across the table from you that makes the experience–it’s the other stuff that just adds to it.

        

With so many new brands of tequila coming out, you may find yourself scratching your head (as I do myself) from time to time.  Fortaleza is a true artisan-style,  boutique tequila that is a game changer in the fastest growing spirit category today. It is something you must try.

Please come and celebrate with Guillermo,  a 5th generation Sauza, as he will make you forget about that bad tequila  hangover you had your sophomore year in college.

Already a fan of the tequila and have some swag? Bring it in and Guillermo will autograph it for your collection!

Mariachi and Taco Bar will be available with Fortaleza drink specials.

Tuesday, February 23rd 7pm

        

Come celebrate a great brewery in  Cervecería Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma, and learn all the great beers that they produce in Mexico. $3 bottles and drafts and a  fresh taco bar will be just what you need to forget about work and the rainy weather. We almost forgot …we can‘t have a good party without a good Mariachi.

Tuesday, February 23rd 6-9 pm

        

Mixologist and Professional Tequila Drinker Erick Castro will teach you the ropes with Don Julio Tequila.

Class starts at 6PM and space is extremely limited to get your Margarita Station. Come by to sample some of Don Julio’s great tequila in the perfect ambience….Zocalo.

RSVP to Joe Anthony at: joeanthony@zocalosacramento.com

        

ZOCALO

Monday, February 1st 8pm

Mingle with your peers, drink Don Julio cocktails prepared by former Zocalo Mixologist Erick Castro (now of  the world famous Rickhouse SF) and toast to the new 1942 bottle.

Tequila Ambassador, Gina Castillo will conduct a brief Don Julio education and answer brand questions.

RSVP to Joe Anthony at: joeanthony@zocalosacramento.com

        

A couple of weeks ago I was fortunate to get a call from Julio Bermejo (tequila ambassador to the United States and owner of Tommy’s restaurant in SF) and was asked to help judge some extra anejo’s with NYC writer/mixologist Naren Young. I couldn’t pass up this opportunity. A  new category as recent as 2005, XA is aged 3 years and longer. Not too many people know what happens to tequila when it sits in a barrel longer than 3 years and is a category we are still learning a lot about. Yeah, Herradura Seleccion Suprema has been has been producing for almost fifteen years, and Jose Cuervo has done the Reserva de la Familia but it’s just recently we have seen an explosion of XA’s.
Michael Feil and Rebecca Chapa joined Julio, Naren and myself to blind taste 20 XA’s in a Riedel tequila glass.  A Riedel glass is the only way to tackle this assignment.  I was a little nervous that some of my favorites that I usually dabble in weren’t going to be my top rated but I had to trust my palate. It was truly enlightening to be tasting with these spirit professionals and found the education priceless.
Three hours later we had our scores and scored the tequilas very similar to the San Francisco Spirits Competition and gave medals, gold, silver, bronze, and “no medal”. There was a lot of discussion a comments but we all knew which ones were ”gold”  and which ones needed some work.

Here are our top 5:

1. El Tesoro Paradiso  ($125)
2. Don Julio Real  ($365)
3. Fortaleza 5 year  (Not Released yet)
4. Clase Azul Ultra  ($1,5000)
5. Chinaco Negro lot 71  ($200)

There were a lot of tequilas, some of them a lot more expensive than others, but it’s not always the most priciest bottles that have the best stuff in it.