Drinks of the week

Get minty fresh with this mojito

Enjoy your cocktails, without sacrificing your beach bod

Raise a toast to the 'Deathly Hallows'

Bring out the brimstone with the Hellfire

These peachy pops are perfect for poolside partying on the Fourth of July

Embrace the summer season with watermelon

Liven up your morning coffee with peanut butter

Don't underestimate beer for a cocktail

One sip and you'll feel super

Iced tea gets a wild twist at Agua Caliente

The Viceroy's refreshing slice of summer

Slip on your Sunday best and sip like a royal wedding guest

A cocktail to kick off a weekend of concerts

Find peace in a glass of Tranquility

If life hands you lemons make a French Lemonade

Slip on your tennis whites, start sipping

Cool off with this drink from the Ace

What to drink while watching the Academy Awards

This summery cocktail is perfect for outdoor sipping

Sip dessert in a glass

Try this seasonal, citrus beverage

Drink up and an angel gets his wings

Warm up with a cup of Cappy

Winter's warm flavors enliven seasonal cocktails

Warm up with some whiskey this winter

Toast the return of cooler breezes with this refreshing drink.

Try these cocktail recipes on for size

If you're a cocktail lover, and I am, the drink menu at Dink's Restaurant and Ultra Lounge will make you weep with pleasure. The place is trendy, and the food delightful. But these offerings from the bar? Epic. I had a difficult time narrowing it down to just one drink this week, so consider this a two-for-one deal. Both of these martinis are straightforward, classic and elegant. The Basil Martini is made with 42 Below vodka, muddled with fresh basil and a splash of Martini and Rossi sweet vermouth. ($10) The Absinthe Martini is made with Bombay gin, Lucid absinthe and a splash of sweet vermouth. ($12) Beware: At first this martini was actually too intense with the bitter anise flavor of absinthe. Another bartender softened it up with some simple syrup, which made it just right. Dink's Restaurant and Ultra Lounge is located at 2080 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs. Maggie Downs

Try one of these desert-inspired cocktails

The cocktails I make at home taste great, but aren't always so pretty. I ventured out to Bellatrix at the Classic Club in Palm Desert last week, and was instantly mesmerized by the extensive drink menu. The tantalizing Raspberry Lemon Drop ($7), which calls for fresh-squeezed lemon, Absolut Citron, Chambord, tangy raspberries, a splash of triple sec and a bit of sweet and sour is a delectable potable, sure to alleviate the stress of even the most hectic day. The best part? This luscious cocktail is almost too pretty to drink. With a glistening sugar rim, the Raspberry Lemon Drop has the perfect punch of sweet and sour. You can bet I'll be nagging my girlfriends to join me for another round of these in the near future.

Try these fancy drinks on for size

My hometown has a love affair with strawberries, exemplified early each summer by its annual strawberry festival. I was in town visiting last month while the festival was going on, and was reminded of the fruity madness swirling around strawberry donuts, waffles, ice cream, cakes and cookies. I suppose it makes sense, considering the farmland surrounding the area is occupied by miles of strawberry fields. But sometimes it's almost as if festivalgoers have never come in contact with a strawberry. They'll stand in line for hours just to get their fill of the festival's namesake- flavored donuts. While I refuse to wait in the Ohio humidity for something that will only make it more difficult to fit in my jeans, I wholeheartedly appreciate any cocktail that incorporates my hometown's sacred fruit. Bring on the strawberry-flavored margaritas, mojitos and daiquiris. Bombay Sapphire's delicious strawberry-laden Sapphire Silk will also hit the spot. Sapphire Silk 1 part Bombay Sapphire gin 1/2 part strawberry liqueur 1 part half and half Instructions: Combine ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a fresh, sliced strawberry.