Holiday Hustle

Despite the weather, South Texans know it's winter and better yet, Christmas is just around the corner. This year being 22 and hopefully more mature and wise than years past I plan on making my gifts more thoughtful. However for those who enjoy the hustle and bustle of last minute shopping, might I suggest La Palmera Mall, or for those with a thicker wallet, perhaps Lamar Park.

Gap  has some pretty sweet sales and they are also giving away Christmas jams. Click the link and click "Jam it Up mixtape" off to the left hand side (I know it's strange). Anyway even if you don't buy clothes from there free music is always nice, and the mixtape is surprisingly pretty sweet. (Follow me on twitter to see all the reasons why "free music is better than sex" @Alexisthenexus)

But then I really began to think, was Christmas as an adult really all about glitz and the glam or could this year be the year Christmas would mean something more? Had the magic of believing in Santa died and left me with an empty void? I might have thought that until I realized how silly that was. So many great things had happened this year, enough to vanquish all previous doubts of years past. Lina* (Lee-nA)  studied abroad in Paris, Marbro* was accepted to Princeton University, Conny* and Mechelle* were about to embark on new lives and my parents were happy and healthy, to name a few.  Regardless of what you'll be spending way to much on, remember that most of that spending should be time, and on the people you really love. So maybe this year, walk your dog down town, Cole Park. Hit up your local liquor store, try a new drink and test it out over the annual Chrismukkah Marathon (if you don't have something similar to this or even know what I'm referencing... reevaluate your life, pronto). Or do something as simple as checking out the sweet $2.2 million Harbor Bridge face lift (lights that take your breath away) and hitting up Club What-A-Burger (What-a-burger on the bay). No matter what you do, make sure it's all about peace, happiness and love.

Those last two are my gifts to you. Happy Holidays  XoxO

Oh the places you will go...

I recently took a trip to Mexico for my uncle's birthday. These days it seems you can't turn the news on with out hearing about the new casualties taken along the border. Needless to say, while everyone was worrying I was spending time with family, watching movies, exploring the city and grabbing late night bites at dinky venues along dark streets. My family had several terrifying stories of their own but nothing worth staying out of the country for.

What people don't realize is how disconnected we are from a situation that is being fueled by our own country. The drug cartels are smuggling drugs to this country because they make outrageous profit. Do people ever stop and wonder where anything comes from anymore? I've dedicated myself to ask more questions after this scene...

"Peace begins with a smile"

Swanky Secrets

After catching up on all four seasons of Mad Men, I must say I was in desperate need of an old school classy lounge with a Frank Sinatra vibe. I still haven't found that 50s swinging speakeasy joint but what I did find I was plenty satisfied with.

For a close friend's 21st birthday we decided to partake in the best part about Corpus being small- bar hopping. We started out at Outta Bounds, small bar with decent drink prices, mostly chosen because its on the edge of inland Corpus plus it's familiar and an easy bar to acclimate yourself to night life with. A quick thirty minutes there and it was time to book it. We took sober rides (driven by minors haha) to our next destination Molly's pub. Pretty much exactly what you'd expect in an Irish pub, dark wood, dark atmosphere and loud drunken bar goers. Molly's does however have an excellent beer tap selection and their Irish Car Bombs are very reasonably priced. Also the bartender/owner is one of the cooler bartenders in Corpus, funny attentive and rather charming. eh hem. 

A few car bombs and boogying to live music later, we again hopped into the sober rides to the last and my personal favorite bar/lounge of the evening. HAVANA. A Cuban eden tucked away amidst down town Corpus Christi. Located behind the 500 Club (dining area) on Water Street. At first, thanks to construction, you think you're headed to a back alley where gangsters are sure to be lurking but then behind palm trees so lush you see the glow of bright lights and are drawn in like a moth to the posh promise land. A friend in the group knows one of the bartenders and tells us to walk in like we own the place. I take the lead, sperry's on toe, and make my way to the bar. The place is filled with floor palms and a wall with a waterfall water installation. The surrounding walls are tiled and deep purple, blue and red lights set the mood. To the right of the large oblong shaped, gritty slab bar, there is a stage brightly lit with red and yellow top lights and a DJ spinning modern salsa music with a bit of dub step. Innovative. Booths line the walls, and classy men in suits and sexy women in tight party dresses are cuddled under their arms. This is Corpus' finest getting away from the city for the evening. The bartender graciously makes my Belvedere martini and it is a stiff drink of perfection, the best I've tasted in Corpus thus far. Finally I feel I belong. There are even back rooms specifically for wine drinkers and cigar smokers! By the end of the night we were dancing on stage with other latina beauties, people were smoking cigarettes and we were ordering the best Mojitos in town. (Literally they are known for their superb Mojitos) The place even stays open a bit past 2 but it's our time to leave. Sober rides home and the night ends with birthday banter and stories that will last a life time. 

Bienvenidos a Cuba en Corpus!

The next day another particularly fabulous friend was having another birthday, and this time we decided to hit somewhere close to home and swanky enough for adult fun with a trendy vibe. We arrive at Bombay around 11 pm and make our way to the bar for some dragon bombs (haha haven't drank a bomb I didn't like yet) I order my usual (Martini straight up, 3 olives) and we grab a table with some friends. To the right of us, a live DJ is spinning basically whatever is played on the radio but club mode but apparently another birthday has reserved a few tables in the DJ room. The bar goers here aren't as awesome but the vibe is still up beat and the place begs you to party. I order bottle service for $75, talk about mega affordable (but the bottle of vodka was being promoted) The wait staff was so attentive it was outrageous. By the end of the night we were all dancing under party lights and feeling like ballers with bottle service. 

Wine Stained Lips

Corpus, not always the party city, demands at certain times a more sophisticated mind to enjoy. Like a fine wine, sometimes the beauty of Corpus simply needs to be taken in slowly. So in the spirit of good journalism, I embarked on a mission to take in the serenity of the sparkling city.

Of course I needed a partner in crime and let it be known, there is no better partner than my older brother Marbro*. So we jumped into my hoopty and rushed to the dreaded HEB plus to purchase the creme de la creme of fine wines at a generous 10% off (after the purchase of 6 bottles). The dread that had previously filled my thoughts, burst and vanished instantly the moment Marbro popped the first cork.

We began the evening with a fabulous bottle of 2009 California red wine "Menage a Trois". The flavor was light and almost fruity. We worked the swirl, smell and sip technique like a couple of Ocean drive flossy fellas. As we sipped we also decided a good comedy on the Netflix was necessary. So as we sipped we switched on a little something I like to call Parks and Recreation. Wine really gets lapped up when you're laughing until tears form. Needless to say it was time to pop the second bottle of a 2009 California pinot noir "Robert Mondavi- private selection". Less swirling and sniffing, more sipping. The flavor was a bit crispier, with a drier after taste. As we finished up the Mondavi we decided to expand the party of wine connoisseurs and called over one of my best friends Clarissa (whom you may remember from her concert clothes advice from a blog last year). On to our third bottle a 2010 shiraz [yellow tail].

"If a glass is good, several bottles must be better," Marbro laughed as he poured us up another round. We cheers'd our glasses like the three musketeers, ready to prove Corpus is what you make it. The yellow tail was one of the better bottles of shiraz I've tasted so far. It was the perfect amount of dry and a bit tangy. One of those flavors you have to shiver after you sip. When we had finished the final episode of Parks and Rec. Marbro realized he could use a pack of smokes (has nothing to do with his name) so we piled into Clarissa's whip and drove literally up the street to the local Stripes. We grabbed the goods and decided to take the scenic route back to the Lake's house. As we drove we jabbered, jammed music and took in the beauty of the protected wet lands of the Oso. Craziest thing, as we were driving we passed a couple of creepsters (two boys) walking by Captain Falcon Park shirtless. Now during the day, not so weird, but at midnight with almost zero visibility totally weird. So I convince Clarissa to bust a hard U and as we circled back we see them lurking around in the grass as if they are searching for something (still shirtless). I roll down my window and shout a bunch of hilly billy sounding jibber jabber, enough so to startle the creeps. Once we pass them I roll up my window and we all immediately burst out laughing all the way home.

We arrived at the house still laughing and holding our ribs for relief and then stumbled into the house ready for a fourth bottle. We popped the fourth (and final bottle that evening) cork of a 2008 red wine bottle of "Sangre de Toro". The bottle was cute and the flavor was equally as interesting. A bit thicker and a tad heavier on the tongue, the name really holds true for this wine. We ran outdoors so big brother could take his smoke break and as we sat in the backyard with the moonlight rippling off the lake we let the calm wash over us and finally sipped the sweetness that is Corpus Christi. Then we proceeded to run around the backyard like children giggling at imaginary monsters and conquering the darkness we never had the courage to as kids.

Perhaps if we stopped wishing Corpus was something it wasn't we could appreciate it for what it is. A slow simmering city, that takes time to enjoy like an open fire BBQ on a beach.

* - indicates names have been changed

Turn the swag on

Last night I had the pleasure of attending a (musical) beats show-case, or as I so stupidly called it at first a "beat-off" talk about your wrong choice of words. The show-case took place at Aria, the downtown sky bar and lounge. It was an interesting event to say the least, and my first experience with any form of hip-hop action in Corpus. It was nice to witness so many urban cats in a club other than Toxic (which is not for the faint of heart) The drinks were fantastic as was the company however the production was lacking. I feel I could have put on a better show with my garage band and some actual rapping. This was apparently the second show-case "Unbeatable" has put on, so they are relatively new. Over all the experience was one worth having.

Male Model Monday

The world of menswear is a very drab one indeed. How many times can you see the same tailored suit or button down tee? However the models in their own right are something to be evaluated. I see male modes as a splendid canvas; so much more beautiful then the anorexic female models, with their knees clanging about and their arms blowing in the wind. Now how the designer sells each piece is their true genius. Runway shows have begun to fascinate me. Live theater meets performance art, and the costume design pulls it all into one flowing creation. I took the liberty of picking my favorite shows for this summer's hottest looks in celebration of Male Model Monday

Clavin Klein


Prada

Versace

Gucci

Take a vision, pull a dream into a stream of comprehension and then add music and you too can put on a fashion show. Keep your eyes open for next weeks Male Model Monday.

Sweet Summer Time

The single greatest thing about Corpus Christi, is the fact that you can travel all over the world and when you return the city hasn't changed one bit. It always feels like home. Unfortunately this trait can also be one of the main reason the city seems so boring! The best way to shake of the summer time slump is to TRY SOMETHING NEW.

Forget about what's "cool" or trying to figure out where the most people are trying to go because that usually leads to everyone staying home. Gather up the crew and get out there. Corpus is full of hip spots that most people are too afraid to try out, usually resulting in the shutting down of that establishment. In order for investors to be interested in bringing their businesses here they want to know that people in Corpus are actually going to support them. A few places that seem to fly under the radar and my personal picks include.

BEER:30- This great little ice house just on the outskirts of the south side of Corpus in the Way Out Weber (W.O.W) region. It's a bright yellow warehouse with blue lights and enormous letters (BEER:30) inside they have a few pool tables giant screens with multiple sporting events and a few arcades. Also every Thursday and Saturday they usually have some sort of live music/performance. Beer:30 only sells beer and margaritas but the prices are the lowest on the south side and they allow you to bring your own bottles of alcohol. *AWESOME* they also have a variety of delicious drunk finger food. The bar staff is also the nicest I've met so far.

MORGAN'S SPORTS BAR & GRILL- This sweet almost pub scene smack dab in Corpus' downtown scene. On the corner of North Chaparral Street. Live music is usually always happening here throughout the week and on Tuesdays they have an all day 2$ pint special. So after Executive Surf club kicks you out at 11 you can just venture here and continue the night until 2 a.m. The bar staff also consists of two bartenders that seem to remember everyone and are very attentive. I've also known this place to see a fairly young crowd (under 30)

RECESS BAR & GRILL- One of the most underrated bars is Recess. The only day I notice it packed is usually on Thursdays. Located on South Alameda Street right next to Coffee Waves (also an awesome place with the only gelato in town) most people forget about Recess out there. Inside they have pool tables, shuffle board, big buck hunter and other various games including a giant juke box. The crowd is primarily students from A&M University which makes the atmosphere infectious.

BOMBAY- Located on Yorktown and Cimarron in the new shopping center with a mini treasure trove of sweet shops. This swanky night club is tres chic, very posh and if you're looking to get fancy with your ladies or class it up with the boys Bombay calls to you. Every Thursday special festivities are usually held and live music is booked on the regular. With one of the largest bars I've seen in Corpus and bar furniture you can tell has never been puked on, this place begs you to come in and sip Cristal. The best part is the lack of drunken drivers zooming around this location, so you can take the back roads all the way home at the end of the night.

POLITICS- One of the newest and fastest growing bar on Corpus' south side. Located in the almost vacant shopping center on Yorktown and Staples this place is tucked away from bothersome police, drunkies and teenagers. Inside they have pool tables, big buck hunt and VIP area known as the velvet room. The drink selection is a decent one, with multiple beers on tap and a nice display of liquors and the bar itself is a circle, so you can easily sit at the bar and make eyes at the cute business person in front of you. The prices here are standard if you live in the "Big City" not really for the light of wallet holders. But the drinks are strong and the bartenders are usually willing to keep you engaged.

YOGURT SPOT- haha I figured some people might not be drinkers! Very new to Corpus, this self serve yogurt joint is mega cute and located in the Kohls' shopping center right where my old love Keva Juice used to be. It's the perfect date spot or after dinner treat. The prices are very reasonable and the yogurt is 98% fat free. (forget about marble slab and their fatty ice-cream)

Corpus is the perfect place for mom and pop shops, we just need to get out there and support them. The city needs our help if it's ever going to grow. So try some place new today!