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    Drink Up

    Make spirits bright this year with premium gifts made for festive sipping

    CultureMap Create
    Dec 20, 2021 | 12:30 pm

    'Tis that special time of the year, when you can ensure your loved ones can cheers with the best. And with all the holiday spirit in the air, what better gift to bring to family and friends than a bottle of premium liquor?

    Help make spirits bright this season with these suggestions:

    Bacardi Reserva Ocho | Shop here
    Aged a minimum of eight years under the Caribbean sun, this Puerto Rican rum boasts warming notes of butterscotch, nutmeg, and dried apricots.

    The rum's uncompromising quality rivals that of cognacs and older scotches, and is enjoyable on its own, on the rocks, or in a delicious Old Fashioned.

    Grey Goose vodka | Shop here
    Those who fill your life with joy deserve nothing but the finest: the finest French winter wheat from Picardie and the finest limestone-filtered spring water, all distilled only once to honor the flavors of these exquisite ingredients.

    From the pop of the cork, you can give the gift of Grey Goose vodka knowing that every element is created and crafted in France to the highest standard.

    And what better way to showcase the aroma and flavor than with vodka's most iconic cocktail, the Grey Goose vodka martini?

    Simply add 2.5 oz of Grey Goose vodka, 0.5 oz of extra dry vermouth, and a dash of orange bitters to a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir deliberately, and strain into a chilled martini cocktail glass. Finish by adding a twist of fresh lemon. Vive le Martini!

    Bombay Sapphire | Shop here
    Unwrap the festivities with a Bombay and tonic, the ultimate expression of the quintessentially classic cocktail.

    Orris root and Angelica bring Bombay Sapphire its floral earthiness and enhance the bright, fresh flavors of citrus and juniper. Brilliantly straightforward and satisfying, this drink is always welcome at the party.

    Cazadores tequila | Shop here
    Cazadores Blanco starts in the agave fields, using 100-percent Blue Weber agave from the highland region of Jalisco. The agaves have a minimum maturity of six years to ensure high sugar content and excellent quality.

    After a seven-day double fermentation process and two rounds of distillation, Cazadores Blanco is immediately filtered and bottled. The result? A tequila in its purest form, without aging, for intensity and real flavor of agave.

    Citrus fruits, fragrant herbs, and the customary smooth finish make Cazadores Blanco excellent for cocktails or sipped neat.

    Dewar's 12 year old | Shop here
    Founded in 1846 by John Dewar, Dewar's has grown from a small wine and spirits merchant shop in Scotland to one of the largest Scotch whiskey brands in the world.

    Best known for its iconic Dewar's White Label, it has expanded its family to create a portfolio of premium and super premium whiskies.

    The signature Dewar's 12 is a luxuriously fruity and smooth blend that's perfect for the holidays. An approachable, premium trade-up for curious scotch drinkers, Dewar's 12 offers a richer profile, with fuller and more rounded aromas of honey dried fruits and vanilla.

    This satisfying flavor results in Dewar's 12 being the ideal serve for any occasion: drink it on the rocks, neat, in an Old Fashioned, or an aromatic highball.

    Angel's Envy bourbon | Shop here
    The holidays are all about tradition, and this top-shelf whiskey puts a new spin on a Louisville classic.

    Finished in port wine barrels, Angel's Envy is complex yet approachable and reinvigorates your favorite seasonal sips.

    Aberfeldy 12yo single malt whisky | Shop here
    Nestled within a lush valley in the foothills of the Central Highlands of Scotland, Aberfeldy Distillery is in the quaint village of Aberfeldy, Perthshire.

    Aberfeldy whisky is known as the "Golden Dram." Golden for the distillery’s water source, which is the famous Pitilie Burn, renowned for its water quality and famed for its rich deposits of alluvial gold.

    Golden, for Aberfeldy continues to be awarded gold and double gold medals in international spirits awards. Golden, for every sip laden with honey, spices, citrus, and hints of vanilla.

    Aged for 12 years and scented with spices and honeyed plump fruits, with a taste that's syrupy with lots of vanilla and fudge and a whisper of smoke on the finish, the 12yo Aberfeldy is sure to be a treat for all.

    Swap the snow for sunshine with Bacardi Ocho.

    Bacardi Ocho rum
    Photo courtesy of Bacardi
    Swap the snow for sunshine with Bacardi Ocho.
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    What's Eric Eating Episodes 518 and 519

    Meet the men behind River Oaks' new destination for bowls and broth

    CultureMap Staff
    Dec 19, 2025 | 4:40 pm
    Honest Mary's restaurant exterior
    Photo by Becca Wright
    Find Honest Mary's in the River Oaks Shopping Center.

    On this week’s episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” Honest Mary’s founder Nelson Monteith and COO Andrew Wiseheart joined CultureMap editor Eric Sandler to discuss the Austin-based restaurant that just opened its first Houston location in the River Oaks Shopping Center (2047-A West Gray St).



    Monteith shares that he started the restaurant in 2017 in order to fulfill his vision of a restaurant which could serve food that’s fast, fresh, and affordable. A trained chef who operated pioneering Austin restaurant Contigo, Wiseheart joined the group to bring both culinary expertise and operational acumen to the grouping company.

    Part of what sets Honest Mary’s apart is that diners can add cooked vegetables to the rice and proteins at the heart of every bowl. The “Market Sides” section includes an array of roasted vegetables — including sweet potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, beets, and Brussels sprouts — as well as black beans, maple-glazed carrots, and green lentils. Bowls can be further enhanced with toppings such as Texas pecans, crispy chickpeas, goat cheese, avocado, and apples as well as sauces such as creamy poblano, cashew lime crema, sesame vinaigrette, spicy peanut, chimichurri and apple cider vinaigrette

    Monteith explains that looking at the ingredients on display usually inspires him when he’s deciding what to eat at Honest Mary’s.

    “I will almost always look at the line and see what looks fresh and good,” Monteith says. “Today, I got the salted kale with white rice. Then, I got garlic-pepper steak. I added on lentils — they’re my go-to in the winter. They blend everything together, and I love it Then Brussels sprouts looked green. I got some jalapenos. Avocados, cause that’s healthy. Then I got the chimichurri sauce.”

    Honest Mary’s is also known for its hearty broths, a classic chicken and a vegetarian option made with seaweed and mushroom. Sandler raves about the chicken broth to Wiseheart, who shares how it’s made.

    “We spent six or seven months testing recipes and drinking it ourselves to see if it’s a good idea,” Wiseheart says. “I talk about it as a great complement to the menu. It’s healthy. It’s really simple. Most of the kitchens I came up with were rooted in French cuisine. This is just chicken stock with salt in it.”

    Listen to the full episode to hear more about Honest Mary’s plans for additional locations in Houston and Dallas. Then Monteith asks a Sandler a few questions about the Houston dining scene.



    In this week’s other episode, Sandler and co-host Mary Clarkson discuss the news of the week. Their topics include Home Slice Pizza opening a new location in the Heights; the closures of Brett’s BBQ Shop in Katy and Killen’s Barbecue in The Woodlands; and Esquire including ChòpnBlok on its list of America’s best new restaurants.

    In the restaurant of the week segment, the two friends discuss their recent meal at Hypsi, the Italian restaurant in the newly-opened Hotel Daphne. Listen to the episode to hear their favorite dishes and other thoughts on the meal.

    -----

    Subscribe to "What's Eric Eating" on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Hear it Sunday at 9 am on ESPN 97.5.



    Honest Mary's restaurant exterior

    Photo by Becca Wright

    Find Honest Mary's in the River Oaks Shopping Center.

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