HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO 2021

This is only the third year (out of a dozen) that I’m celebrating this really fun (if you do it right) holiday here on INAM. I must have been too busy mariachi-ing to honor it the other years.

My main reason for writing about Cinco de Mayo this year is that I wanted to remind everyone that now that many of us are out and about again, please, please, please do not drink and drive! Under any circumstances! Last year, I suggested that everyone could enjoy having several celebratory drinks because we were all stuck in our houses. But since Covid restrictions on bars and eateries have been lifted recently, it seems that there’s a plethora of bar fights, including shootings at several establishments! Heavy drinking and socializing are a worse mix than usual right now. I live in a pretty respectable area, yet just the other night, a gunfight erupted right over the hill from my house, in a usually very safe neighborhood. People seem to be more insane than usual these days. So please be extra-vigilant.

Now on to happier Cinco de Mayo thoughts. There are so many festive ways to celebrate today. If you’re still into staying home, (which is great!,) and you’re an imbiber, how about whipping-up a pitcherful of some nice cold margaritas? Since I don’t drink, I’m actually planning to splurge with…a Mexican coke! I can’t tell you how much I love those drinks in the little glass bottles. However, I haven’t had one in five and a half years, (since I stopped drinking soda.) And I decided that today will be the day for one! (Or two. What the heck. Vida a la soda!)

And then you can augment your margaritas with a taco bar for you and your fam or housemate(s). I’ve created one for Mr. X and me for a few years now, and when we see those colorful foods come together, it really puts us in a good mood. Not to mention how delicious it all is! (Yes, it is a bit of work, but it’s sooo worth it.) If you’re alone, but want to have at least a taste of Cinco de Mayo in your home, you can always just get cozy with a bag of tortilla chips and some chunky guacamole. (And perhaps a mini-bar-size bottle of tequila?)

Even though my picture of our taco bar last year (above) was tempting us to do it all again, we’ve decided to go out to eat for the first time in well over a year, to a famous LA Mexican restaurant to feast on…green corn tamales; we haven’t had them in about two years!!! And the season for them just began, so that’s truly a reason to celebrate, right?!

I’m hoping that particular eatery will be featuring a mariachi band for at least a little while today. I know that Sky’s Tacos, another pre-Covid favorite of mine, is doing that this afternoon, so we’ll try to make it over there, as well.

And all that will be the most fun I’ve had on Cinco de Mayo since my clubbing days, when my fellow promoters and I always threw a big party.

To keep the festivities going, when Mr. X and I get home, I think we’ll collapse on the couch and watch one of the famous Mexican films, such as Desperado, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, or the original installment of that renowned trilogy, El Mariachi. Other choices are Viva Zapata and any of the Zorro movies. And, of course, just about anything Danny Trejo is in!

My last thought on Cinco de Mayo is that if you want to bet your friends as to the purpose of this holiday, I’m here to help you make some dinero. Contrary to some people’s erroneous thinking, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s Independence Day. It’s to celebrate that the Mexicans beat the French at the Battle of Puebla. Kind-of boring, and nothing whatsoever to do with the United States, but any excuse to have a good time is appreciated, especially in 2021!

So go ahead and have a great, and safe, non-drunken time today and tonight.

Y feliz Cinco de Mayo a todos!