If tequila has no fans, then I am dead.

February 22nd was Margarita Day and it’s a holiday I’ll admit I’ve never celebrated before. Echoes, a restaurant and bar, hosted a tequila tasting last weekend sponsored by Carabuena Tequila. Earlier I had just checked out the House and Coffee event at The Podium at Porsche River Oaks, an event so well attended it was nearly impossible to get a drink even on a cold and wet day. A different kind of thirst. Here, at least, the expectation was clear: three small pours arranged on a worksheet-like placemat, a pen, a handful of quality stickers. Tequila as curriculum. Call me a student.

Our guide Adam Scott, casual yet informed, lead us through the tasting of Carabuena’s blanco, reposado, and añejo. Tequila, in my early experience, had always (unfortunately) been about shots—something inflicted at the end of the night rather than appreciated in the middle of it. I noticed a shift happened over the last five years amongst my friends. In Southern California where I used to live, tequila was suddenly the drink of choice, a marker of taste rather than recklessness. People ordered it by name: Solento, Cazadores, Casamigos, 1800 Tequila. Clase, on rare occasions, as if to signal something about themselves. At a wedding recently, I noticed the groomsmen stocked their rooms with Kirkland Añejo. Costco’s private label, a quiet nod to both quality and economy. Even a new friend gave me Tequila Ocho for my birthday this week. A gift that suggested they had been paying attention.

Founded in Austin, Texas, what sets Carabuena apart from the competition is that it’s Mexican owned and bartender owned. Owner Victor Diaz grew up “immersed in a rich tapestry of family, tradition, and the mesmerizing agave fields” in Jalisco, Mexico where the spirit is crafted. He began bartending in Austin in 2012 and ended up staying, still proudly calling it his home. The brand’s artwork, by artist Pistachie, references the nahuales which are mythical beings, shapeshifters, cultural guardians. Carabuena’s tagline: Live Your Best Side is a play on duality, spirituality, and identity.

After the tasting, Echoes bartender Jamal Williams took over. He handed us everything we needed for a margarita: steel shaker, cocktail ice, house-made mix. “I just wanted y’all to see how easy it is,” he said as we shook, poured, and held our Carabuena-branded cups like proof. It was, in fact, easy! A Daisy margarita, pale and bright. The night continued on with a $9 margarita menu—Bidi Bidi Bom Bom, Como Le Fleur—fries on the side, a band called Latin Rock Explorations sound filled the room.

I thought about Adam’s closing words: “There would be no anything without Mexican heritage and the Mexican people.” A statement both obvious and necessary. If we consume their products, the least we can do is acknowledge the hands that make them. Happy Margarita Day!

WEEKEND EVENTS

Friday, 2/28

12-7pm, Jazz | Black Jazz Day in celebration of Black History Month featuring $30 vintage from Weekday Arbiter at Tadaima.

3pm-7pm, Rodeo | Rodeo activation at Hotel Zaza Museum District. “AB.LINO crafted hat, luggage tag and bandana branding, and torched creme brûlée.”

5pm-8:30pm, Dancing | Tango Night at Museum of Fine Arts Houston. “Tango Night returns with a fresh twist to align with Happy Hour Friday. Enjoy drinks with the local tango community, learn new moves, and join in the dance.” Takes place in the Arrival Hall on the lower level of the Kinder Building and is free with Museum admission.

7pm, Poetry | Poetry reading at Basket Books & Art. “Please join us for an exceptional Friday evening reading with poets Paul Tran and Tarifa Faizullah.”

Saturday, 3/1

11am-4pm, Market | Rodeo Kickoff event with Space City Market x Her Market at The Esplanade. “First 20 attendees get a free tote with sponsored goodies.”

11am-5pm, Festival | Houston Holi 2025. Join over 15,000 at one of the Biggest Festival of Colors celebrations in the US ...MASALA 98.7 FM's HOUSTON HOLI ... at a real Texan ranch in Southwest Houston.” Buy tickets.

11am-5pm, Market | Artist market at Reeves Art + Design gallery. Join them “for an amazing artist market featuring jewelry, ceramics, woven goods, flower, and all sorts of other handmade goods! Plus, live painting by Owo Arts & bites and refreshments by Cuchara!”

2pm-4pm, Poetry | Public Poetry Reading Series with Marie Brown, Lucas Fang, Angelique Jamail, and Soren Rivero. At Free-Montrose Neighborhood Library. Register here.

7pm-9pm, Live Music | Spring Fling 2025 event with Madison McFerrin with DJ Doubledutch. “Celebrate the spring season with the genre-bending sounds of singer-songwriter Madison McFerrin at Spring Fling, the Moody's annual outdoor concert. Free to the public with complimentary drinks and after-hours access to the galleries (from 5 - 7 pm).” Get tickets.

8pm, Game Night | RnB Game Night with SuperJay, the DJ at Neighbors HTX

Sunday, 3/2

10am, Yoga | Free yoga session at Space Cowboy with Casita coffee pop up afterwards from 11am-2pm.

10am-2pm, House DJ & Coffee | Sundaze & Soundwaves Vol 1 at Tenfold Coffee. RSVP.

12pm-3:30pm, House DJ & Coffee | House Music and matcha at Matcha Mia Vol 3 is rodeo themed! “Dust off those boots, and meet us at Matcha Mia for the ultimate Disco Rodeo experience!”

Monday, 3/3

7pm, Live Music | “Step into a world of music and ambiance as Adrian Michael & The Green Band take center stage for an unforgettable evening at Eden Plant Co.” General admission $15. VIP $45. Buy tickets.

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