Category Archives: Traditions

Hard to believe, but we’re coming up on our one-year anniversary at Verde. (Much more to come on that topic later.) But one holiday we’ve not yet had the opportunity to celebrate since opening is Dia de los Muertos, and this Thursday, we’re throwing a hell of a party.

First, a little history: El Dia de los Muertos, or “Day of the Dead,” is an annual Mexican holiday that celebrates life, rather than death (despite all the skulls everywhere). The holiday actually spans two days: the 1st and 2nd of November, with the first day honoring the lives of lost children, and the second remembering adults. Many celebrants believe that spirits can come back from the dead and communicate with the living. Whether or not that’s your thing, it’s hard not to enjoy the festivities, which include an All Souls Procession, traditional foods, and dressing up in some fantastically morbid costumes. (More on the history here.)

This Thursday evening, Verde comes alive with our own Day of the Dead celebration. There’s a LOT in store:

• LIVE music from guitarist Jon Banuelos from 6-9p!
• COMPLIMENTARY elotes (Mexican street corn)!
• FREE Custom MASK paintings, done tableside by muralist Gabe Felice!
• FANTASTIC food specials from Chef LBEE!
• $4 DRAFTS of Rogue Dead Man’s Ale!
• DISCOUNTED featured Tequila flight: Kah! (the one with the skull bottles, natch)

The Aztecs believed that before death, everything is a dream. We think we’ve dreamt up a fun evening with great food and great entertainment this Thursday. Make your reservation and join us starting at 5pm!

For our NYE event, it just wouldn’t be right for us to offer champagne to our guests. And sparkling wine options from Mexico are quite limited.

The solution? Cava.

Nearly all Cava is made from the Penedès area in Catalonia, Spain, and it has become an important part of Spanish family tradition — especially of the celebratory nature.

Mike over at Dreadnought Wines picked out a good one for us to offer our guests on NYE:

“Parés Baltà Brut is soft yellow-green in color with fine bubbles. It has an enticing nose of white peaches, apples, pears, melon and lime. Crisp and bright, dry with medium body, this sparkling wine has rich flavors of apple, honeydew, peach and mineral notes. It is fruit-forward and nicely balanced, with a clean finish of tropical fruits.”

Everyones gets a complementary glass at our NYE service. And if you like it, be sure to head over to Dreadnought Wines on the strip and check out all the Cavas Mike has to offer.

On our first trip to Mexico many years ago, Erin and I were celebrating a New Year’s Eve dinner and suddenly found a plate of 12 grapes placed in front of us right before midnight.

Noticing our confusion, our camarero explained, “Las doce uvas de la suerte” means “The twelve grapes of luck.” At midnight we were to to eat a grape with each chime of the bell, and that will bring good luck all throughout the next year.

Now, there wasn’t exactly clock tower ringing at midnight where we were; more like the thumping bass of the Latin club song Gasolina. Nevertheless, it was a nice tradition — one with origins in Spain that had made its way to many other Latin American countries over the past century, including Mexico.

We’re happy to offer las doce uvas at our New Year’s Eve service at Verde Mexican Kitchen & Cantina this year and hope you can celebrate with us.