The ideal place to swing by for happy hour or before a show at the State Theatre: Mesa Verde, Portland

It's hard for me to drop in to a Mexican restaurant and not have a margarita. But a standard house margarita can also become boring.

So when I stopped by Mesa Verde in Portland, I asked how I could shake the classic drink up a bit. I could have gone with a fruity option -- they offer strawberry, raspberry, peach, mango and banana variations -- but those are all frozen. I'm more of an on-the-rocks kind of girl.

"We also have a tequila infused with strawberry and serrano peppers," the bartender informed me.

Skeptical of the pepper-infused tequila since my last experience with a margarita like that left me begging for mercy, I hesitated.

"Want to try it?" she asked.

So she handed me about a sip's worth in a glass. I sniffed, then sipped. It was this interesting mix of sweet, then spicy, that I thought I'd be remiss for not trying in a margarita mix.

Throw an original lime mix into that sweet-then-spicy tequila, plus an evenly salted rim -- we're talking yum. The full-size version was served in a medium glass, not your standard margarita glass, and for $6, I thought it was a great drink.

My friend splurged a bit and ordered a top-shelf margarita. It set her back $11, but she said it was one of the best margaritas she has had.

Located in Portland's arts district, Mesa Verde would be easy to miss while walking down Congress Street because it blends into the block of buildings. But it's the ideal place to swing by for happy hour or before a show at the State Theatre.

The bar is right there as you walk in. Stretching the length of the restaurant back toward the kitchen, it offers ample seating. There are plenty of tables in the dining area, which is separated from the bar by a half-wall. The decorations are quirky, from the bright teal paint to the spaceships that some local artists hung on the walls.

There were a few people enjoying an afternoon cocktail when I went on a recent Wednesday, some of whom the bartender seemed to know. That gave it the neighborhood bar feel.

A few weeks earlier, however, just before the Matt Nathanson concert at the State, the place was packed. My roommate and I had stopped there for dinner and drinks. Knowing many diners were headed to the concert, the servers were mindful and got us in and out before the opening act started.

Because they're open late with happy-hour specials from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, Mesa Verde also makes a great after-show bar. It continues to serve a limited menu that late, which you can't always get at 11 p.m. at a bar and restaurant.

My one gripe -- it would have been nice to be offered some chips and salsa. Chips and salsa seem to just go hand in hand with margaritas, kind of like wine and cheese.

Emma Bouthillette is a freelance writer who lives in Biddeford.

Two dance floors and "My Drunk Karaoke": Styxx, Portland

Entering Styxx shortly after 9 p.m. on a recent Friday was like walking into an underground world.

The nightclub is in the basement of a building at Spring and Cross streets in Portland. A short, dark hallway lined with event posters leads you inside. The door guy sat at the end of the hall "carding" those who came in and charging a $5 cover. When I turned the corner with my friends, the hall opened up into a lounge area, a decent-sized dance floor and a bar.

Disco lights were already flashing and the DJ had music playing loud, but no one was quite ready to dance. The crowd huddled around the bar or played beer pong in the back room. Staff was still working to get the second bar and dance floor in the back open for the night.

A lit-up Miller Lite board listed the five beers on tap and the dozen offered by the bottle. I looked for an indication of drink specials, but didn't see anything, so I asked the bartender. He said one of the nightclub's popular drinks is a Spree, an interesting concoction that tastes just like the candy.

One of my two companions ordered the Spree. The other ordered a Grape Crush. I went with pomegranate vodka and soda water. All of our drinks were $6 a piece, typical prices for drinks in Portland.

I tried both my friend's drinks, and the Spree did indeed taste like the candy, but the Grape Crush tasted more like grape Dimetapp to me than the soda. I think I've mentioned before that I'm not a huge fan of fruity drinks, so that skews my impression.

For a Friday night, the club wasn't too busy. One regular patron told me that Saturday nights are the busiest. She also wanted to debunk the preconceived notion that Styxx is "only for gay people."

"It's not just a gay bar, it's an everybody bar," she said.

The nightclub's event list proves her right.

On Friday, a DJ was setting up in the back room, so that's two DJs on two dance floors, which is the same deal on Saturdays. It makes sense that they would charge a $5 cover for two DJs, but since the second wasn't set up yet and the first wasn't stellar, I was a little disappointed to dish out cash at the door.

I heard that "My Drunk Karaoke," starting at 9 p.m. Sundays, is a fun time, but if karaoke and DJs aren't your style, there is more.

Mondays feature an "All-Male Revue" starting at 10 p.m. Tuesdays welcome those slightly underage with an 18-plus dance party. There's live music every Wednesday with a special bartender every week. Then the obligatory ladies night is reserved for Thursdays with $2 drafts, $6 Long Island Iced Teas and margarita pitchers.

Styxx has something for everyone, every night of the week.

Emma Bouthillette is a freelance writer who lives in Biddeford.

Oasis lives up to its name when, baby, it's cold outside: Oasis, Portland

It's cold out. The snow has finally arrived in Maine. Sidewalks are slushy.

This Maine winter makes me want to run off to some paradise-like place that would be a pleasant change from the gray skies outside my house. But I don't have the funds to fly somewhere fancy like that, so it's probably not going to happen anytime soon.

However, tucked in the heart of the Old Port is a little taste of tropical at the Oasis. The nightclub has two levels with a bar and dance floor, and is perfect for a night out on the town.

My friend and I navigated our way down slushy cobblestone Wharf Street to the Oasis. Two tall palm trees greeted us just inside. Although fake, these trees set the mood, sending you to a place less like Antarctica and more like the Dominican Republic. Water walls with flowing bubbles and changing lights mesmerize you behind the full bar, where tenders work fast to get drinks to their customers.

It's usually a draw for late-night crowds, and we were the first two customers on a recent Saturday night. We grabbed two seats at the tall granite bar and had the bartender's full attention as he mixed our cocktails.

I had an Absolut Ruby Red mixed with orange juice, which was served nicely in a glass with an orange slice, a colorful straw and a palm tree swizzle stick. It was the perfect concoction to remind me of a tropical paradise.

As more people filtered in, it was clear the crowd consisted mostly 20-somethings. Even though it was getting busy, the bartender didn't rush anyone.

"What would you like?" he asked one girl. "I'm feeling adventurous," she said.

With a few more questions, he decided to create a pink cocktail with a mix of Malibu, pineapple juice and some grenadine for the color. It inspired my friend to order a second drink with a dash of grenadine. All of these snazzy drinks were garnished with fresh fruits, and cost just $7 apiece.

A band was setting up in the corner of the bar space, and people started playing the giant games Oasis has to offer -- two Connect Four boards and oversized wooden blocks stacked up to play Jenga. I knew I'd knock over the tower of Jenga blocks in one move, and my friend agreed, so we opted to stick with sitting and sipping our drinks.

More people came in, and one guy ordered a Pabst Blue Ribbon. I was totally amused that the Oasis serves the 24-ounce can in a custom paper bag. It's apparently one of its signature things, but so is its $9 Rum Pail -- rum punch served in a plastic bucket. What more could you want?

The bar was really filling up by the time we left around 8:30 p.m. as it got ready for a night of spinning tunes. We didn't stick around, but from past experience I know that dance floor gets pretty jam-packed as the night goes on. The Oasis does have an outdoor space to enjoy music during the summer, but as I mentioned before, it's cold out this time of year.

The minute my friend and I stepped outside, it was back to the Maine winter reality. But the Oasis did leave me dreaming of a warm summer night, enjoying drinks on the patio and the sounds of a live band.

Emma Bouthillette is a freelance writer who lives in Biddeford.