Want to talk about the best tequilas, tequila culture and watering holes with like-minded imbibers? Join our new Taste Tequila Facebook group! We’ve got two discussion topics already waiting for…
The tequila Americans prefer? Blancos, baby!
As you can tell from the post below, Grover and I drink mainly añejo and super añejo at home, but I don’t think a lot of folks do. In fact,…
Our ever-growing collection of tequila

I was in my image archive today, looking for something totally unrelated to tequila when I spotted a picture of our tequila collection taken in July 2008, right after we moved into our current apartment.
I didn’t actually realize how different it looks today – and how much money we must be spending on this stuff. Our collection is constantly growing, and when we get down to the bottom of a bottle, we tend to hold off on drinking any more of it because we don’t want to be “out” of anything.
A sangrita recipe: Try this at home
**UPDATE: A new, and even better (in our opinion) sangrita recipe has been discovered. We even made a video of us following the recipe! We’ve already mentioned sangrita in previous…
Visting Tequila, Cuervo style

The first time I visited Tequila, Mexico was years ago when I was working as a reporter at a newspaper in Mexico City. Every once in a while our editor, Dan Dial, would hand out a press junket as a reward for work well done, and I was lucky enough to get the all expenses paid trip to the Jose Cuervo distillery.
Our first trip to Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico
Our plane touched down at the Guadalajara airport in January, 2008. After a few days of fun in a hectic Mexico City, we were ready to wind down and, hopefully, tour some tequila distilleries and listen to a whole lot of mariachi music. Happily, we did both.
I was in non-stop picture-taking mode, and went especially crazy while we toured the tequila distilleries.
San Francisco’s secret tequila stash
Just a few days after we moved into our new apartment in San Francisco’s Mission District, we took one of our leisurely strolls. The entire area was new to us, so vigorous exploring needed to be done.
This particular walk took us to the “other” side of Mission Street, a part of the neighborhood we don’t often visit. We were in search of a bar that had both tequila and food, but didn’t really find one.
Round two at Cava 22
We live in the Mission district of San Francisco, and if you’ve never been it’s the part of town known for its Mexican culture, taquerias, bars and Latin markets. How could we live anywhere else?
Not too long ago a “tequila lounge” opened a few blocks away. We walked by with peaked curiosity as they were preparing to open, our faces plastered against the windows, trying to spy their tequila collection. Finally, Cava 22 opened its doors and we rushed to check it out. First, Cava 22 isn’t really a lounge. It’s more of a large Mexican-themed restaurant with a tequila bar. We saddled up to the bar and assessed the collection.
Volver, Volver …
The tickets are booked and the trip is (partially) planned! That’s right, Grover and I are returning to Tequila, Mexico in April and we’re muy entusiasmado. We’re hooked up with a Tequila Expert & Consultant for two full-day tours, which will take us through the Tequila Valley and the Arandas Highlands. Included are stop at the Los Abuelos/Forteleza distillery, Partida, Herradura and Don Julio.
Hit me with your best shot
As my credit card company can tell you, I am no stranger to buying high-priced shots in restaurants, but sometimes the bill creeps up and surprises me.
The first time this happened was in a Mexican food restaurant in Pleasanton, California. My friend Brad (another photographer) and I used to frequent a place called “Alberto’s Cantina.” It’s a restaurant with typical Mexican food – not necessarily authentic, but in the U.S., what is?

