Sitting in my office, staring at the large sailing chart on the wall by my desk, makes me want to jump in my car and head to the beach. Since that’s a minimum of a 4-hour drive, I’ll settle for a beach-like respite and a cool margarita a little closer to our office, a/k/a/”World Headquarters.” I’m fortunate that we’re located in a vibrant part of intown Atlanta that is blessed with scores of great restaurants, bars, coffee shops, boutiques, yogurt stores, shops and galleries. There is so much so close to us that it’s a wonder that we get any work done. I head 10 minutes south on North Highland to one of my favorite neighborhood restaurant / bars.

Pure Tacqueria in Atlanta’s Inman Park looks like one of those bars run by American ex-pats along the Mexican coast – maybe someplace like Isla Mujeres off the Gulf Coast. It takes its name from the old Pure gas station signs prominently displayed outside and in. The functional interior, kind of 50s formica meets Ikea, feels light and breezy on this sunny summer afternoon. It helps that the USA vs. Mexico Gold Cup Futbol match is on the flat screen behind the bar, adding to the Mexican beach ambiance – and the Braves day game vs. SanDiego is on the other screen. Sports nirvana!

Pure Tacqueria, Inman Park, Atlanta, GA

It’s 2:30 in the afternoon, a little early for a drink, but a bit late for lunch, so I decide to combine the two. After the requisite chips and salsa are placed before me, seated at the bar, I ordered one of my faves – Texas Margarita on the rocks. It comes in a “rocks” or whiskey glass, much preferred by me. I try to pry the “secret sauce” of the house-made mix recipe from the bartendress, but she’s mum. You can tell from the first sip that the base mix is house made. It doesn’t have that kind of metal after taste that some commercial mixes have. The bartender does share with me that the house tequila is Pepe Lopez, from a Mexican family that has been making tequila since 1857. The ice is cubed, not crushed – I think that this makes a big difference in a drink.

I close my eyes and take the first sip. I let it linger in my mouth before swallowing it. I swear that I can hear the surf and smell cocoanut oil from the tanning loation worn by the couple on the next beach towel… er, at the end of the bar. I can hear seagulls. A few more sips and I’m totally in beach mode. Maybe it’s the old sailing regatta t-shirt, the frayed shorts, the flip flops and The “Foxy’s” cap I’m wearing, but for a moment, I am at the beach!

Maybe it’s a combination of the décor, the vibe or the perfect chips and salsa, but I rate Pure Tacqueria’s Texas Margarita 4 limes!