Brightest Young Things

This week we have tequila festivals, H Street Country Club shows some kids a good and non-alcoholic time, Madhatter redux, Ezme is coming soon (hopefully without all the love and squalor) and shots shots shots shots shots shots shots shots shots shots shots shots shots shots shots shots....

• Oyamel is having its annual Tequila and Mezcal Festival March 1-14, making your March just a little bit more tolerable. This festival includes daily tequila tastings, a special cocktail each day and more. Watch this space for updates.

• In case you haven't heard by now, Yelp is having a massive city-wide drinks event. All Yelp criticism aside, this "happy week" looks like it will be a great way to try cocktails at places you might not have considered. And this is a good time to try PS7's new 100-calorie cocktails because three of them will be poured for $5!

• Ezme Wine Bar and Restaurant will be opening up in the old Pesce location on P Street, serving Turkish tapas. Well then.

• Artini is back! The month long city-wide celebration of ARTINI 2010 starts this Monday, March 1! Throughout the month area bars and mixologists will host "Feature Nights" when you the drinker can test drive "artinis" at a lovely discount. Participating restaurants include POV at the W, Wisdom, Tabard Inn, PS7, Rasika, Art and Soul, The Gibson, Farmer's and Fishers, Mie N Yu, Bourbon, J&G Steakhouse and SEI Restaurant and Lounge.  Mark your calendar for the culminating event at the Corcoran Gallery of Art on Saturday, March 27 from 8pm to Midnight. While you're drinking don't forget to vote for your favorite ARTINI. The proceeds from ARTINI go to support ArtReach, the Corcoran’s community outreach program.

• Madhatter opened back up after moving from M to Connecticut, and it looks huge. And legitimate. It's lost my interest now that it looks like a real bar and not a crummy, dimly-lit hole.  From their menu it doesn't look like happy hour exists anymore and who knows if you can still get a free drink if you wear a crazy-ass hat. Probably not. Sad face.

• Next time you have an amazing house-infused liqueur from your favorite DC watering hole, thank your lucky stars you're not in California. "The California Alcoholic Beverage Control is cracking down on people who "adulterate" spirits by making limoncello and infusing spirits with herbs or fruit." You'll pry my homemade limoncello from my cold, sticky hands.

• Higher end liquors are cutting prices in hopes to lure you back to the fold. But really, anyone who is going to substitute Smirnoff for Grey Goose is a lost cause.

• H Street Country Club does some good deeds: From Frozen Tropics, "Saturday, February 27th, H Street Country Club will host an early event rewarding local DC Public Schools (DCPS) elementary students for improvements in the classroom. Children from the Payne and Maury Elementary Schools will enjoy the indoor mini-golf course, games, drinks, and snacks from 11a.m. - 3p.m. Parents will also be recognized for high percentage attendance of parent/teacher conferences prior to an all-night event to collect funds and new books for local schools.""Starting at 5:00 p.m. Saturday, February 27th, all guests visiting the H Street Country Club can donate a new, unused children's book or $10. In return for each donation, patrons will get a free drink ticket and will have a chance to meet local school administrators and register for the many DCPS volunteer opportunities available. All proceeds collected that night will benefit the DC Public Education Fund." (So get your drink on, fight over some mini golf, and feel good about yourself while doing so)

• The owner of Wisdom may or may not have purchased a property next to  Granville Moore’s that may or may not be turned into a bar mirroring Wisdom, but on H Street. So, have another drink and sit tight because I'm sure we'll be hearing something concrete soon.

• Shots x16