Night Owls

It was late afternoon when I stumbled into the Proletariat (905 Richmond, 713-525-4499), and let's just say happy hour was not in full swing (read: I was the only person in the joint). Despite slashed drink prices in the early hours, the proletarians apparently don't show up until after 9 p.m. The music was cranked, and the TV was even louder. When a timeless Prince video flashed on the tube, the bartender stopped cutting fruit and stared as if she were seeing the purple-pantsed one for the very first time. "I love this guy," she shouted at me. The mai tai was going down like water, so I ordered another and wished I had something better to do. Thank God my cell phone rang and some friends were meeting down the street. We returned to the Prole later that night to find the place packed. I got clobbered on the foosball table, but having all those happy-go-lucky barflies around me made me feel much better than drinking alone.

The Proletariat's Mai Tai:

1/2 ounce Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
1/2 ounce Bacardi Light Rum
1/2 ounce Malibu Rum
1/2 ounce pineapple juice
1/2 ounce orange juice
1/2 ounce grenadine
2 maraschino cherries

Combine ingredients in a shaker glass filled with ice. Shake vigorously and pour into a Tom Collins glass. Garnish with cherries.