Guest post by Meghan Muth
Looking for some alternatives to the cheap green beer at your usual bar? Check out these fun activities planned around town for St. Patrick’s Day:

Start your engines for a night of fun at The Artichoke, an Irish sandwich bar and pub at 811 N. Broadway. Be sure to kiss the Blarney stone that greets you as you enter; it will bring you luck for the evening. Once inside, order the corned beef sandwich and a pint of Guinness, and sit under the poster of Irish leader …

You may already know that I reside in the ‘burbs, or, perhaps more succinctly, the middle of nowhere. But what you might not know is that it hasn’t always been this way. I lived in Wichita for many years, and bought my first home in the booming metropolis of Derby, Kansas. And though I do love my rural life, sometimes I miss the relatively urban existence I once lived. I think that Derby is a very happy medium; it is outside the “big city”, but still …

Last week, I wrote a post lamenting the loss of Red Mesa Grill and their excellent white cheese dip. Reader Josh left a particularly eloquent comment on this article, simply stating, “Super strong margaritas + great queso – huge bill = Los Cocos!” Coincidentally, I already had dinner plans at Los Cocos (1335 N. Tyler Rd.) for Sunday, and I was excited to put Josh’s proclamation to the test. The restaurant did not disappoint.
We started our evening at the bar, where I ordered a margarita the size of my head …

Basil, mint, peanuts, limes, lemongrass, chiles, cilantro – these are a few of my favorite things. They are also elements that play a starring role in Thai cuisine. Elements of Thai cuisine include a blend of salty, sweet, sour, bitter and spicy-hot, all of which create an amazing dining experience. Thai food is more than just spring rolls and pad thai, not that there is anything wrong with these delights. Thai cuisine is quite inventive and offers a range of flavors with textural variety. Soups, salads with papaya, and curry …

Even though I took a short hiatus from trying to make my way around Tanya Tandoc’s favorite Wichita restaurants, I’m back on the horse again and decided for something light this week.
Watermark Books & Cafe, 4701 E. Douglas, is apparently a Wichita institution that I have never experienced to its full potential. Up until researching for this post, I had set foot in Watermark only once. I blame this on my boyfriend. We all have our “places” where we each love to go and feel that it’s our home away …