Recently, I took a road trip to California. When I signed up for this deal, I pictured catnaps in the backseat, pit stops at Buc-ee’s and fast food binges at every Dairy Queen and In-N-Out Burger along the way.

What I got instead was carsick before we hit San Antonio, a voyage through the blistering inferno also known as the Arizona desert (where signs advised turning off the AC so the car didn’t overheat) and a quick, anxious dining experience in El Paso, a short distance away from Ciudad Juarez — often cited as "the most violent zone in the world outside of declared war zones.”

If not for my hunger pains and the need for more Dramamine, I may have hidden in the trunk.

Sixteen hours later when we finally reached our destination, I felt like I’d been on an episode of Survivor: the Great Southwest. I crawled my way up to the bar at my hotel and pointed to the first cocktail on the menu. It. Was. Paradise.

I liked it so much that I decided to adopt a theme for the trip of trying a new cocktail every time I saw a bartender. Suffice it to say, I tried quite a few. I was impressed enough with a few of them to bring the recipes back to Texas with me. So, cheers to a few fun new drinks … and to a plane ticket back home.

At Market Restaurant in Del Mar, Calif., Jaime Hoerig has concocted her own version of the margarita: The Spicy Don. It's a clean combination of orange flavored-margarita with a jalapeño twist. The trick to getting the jalapeño flavor right? Strain the juice through a cheesecloth and add water.

Spicy Don Margarita:

• Muddle fresh cilantro, lime, and orange; add
• 1 ½ ounces Don Julio Anejo Tequila
• 1 ounce Sweet & Sour
• ½ ounce Triple Sec
• ½ ounce fresh jalapeño juice
• Splash of Sprite

Serve over ice in a low ball glass.

The Amor Dulce Amor was one of the first cocktails I tried upon arrival at The Grand Del Mar, and the inspiration for my mission to try new cocktails every chance I got. This one takes a little pre-planning, since you have to infuse the tequila for a few weeks before you actually serve the drink, but it's worth it.

Amor Dulce Amor:

• 1.5 ounces of strawberry infused Patron Silver Tequila (see below)
• 0.5 ounce of Cointreau
• Fresh lime juice from 1 lime
• 1 dash of simple syrup
• Muddle strawberries

Pour infused tequila over ice in a shaker. Add lime juice, simple syrup, Cointreau and muddled strawberries. Shake well and pour in martini glass.

Strawberry infused tequila:

• 2 one-quart mason jars
• 1 (750 ml) bottle of silver tequila
• 3-4 cups ripe strawberries, sliced with the green cut off.

Place equal amounts of strawberries into mason jars and divide the bottle of tequila equally into each jar. Screw lids on tightly. Let it sit for 2-3 weeks and strain through a cheesecloth.

Next time you’re in the San Diego area, stop by the bar at the Park Hyatt Aviara and ask for Roy. His specialty is a martini that tastes like hot cocoa, minus the heat. In the meantime, try the recipe at home — but be forewarned, it's hard to stop at just one.

Martini in Black:

• 1 ounce Kahlua
• 1 ounce vodka
• 1 ounce espresso

Shake in a cocktail shaker and serve chilled in a martini glass.