It may not matter much in a frozen margarita or other blender drink, but when it comes to sipping neat, a fine tequila is essential.

Stealing drugs, selling drugs, buying clothes, renting luxury cars, taking clothes back, ordering blender drinks, this isn't what I'd call Real Life, not by a long shot.

It is a modern multigenerational tavern built around family notions, commuting police officers and firefighters in for a fast one, sports leagues and coaches, and youthful hard-driven socializing at night when the exotic blender drinks are seen.

Although most students are too young to drink alcohol legally, many do anyway and pack in lots of empty calories: 140 in a 12-ounce beer; 120 in 5 ounces of wine; 485 in an eight-ounce blender drink.

Smoothies, thick blender drinks, are made with fresh fruits and vegetables and nonfat frozen yogurt or sorbet.

There are certain things Stephanie Novotny will not tolerate in Dave's Tavern: demands for blender drinks, fights over cue sticks, customers who try to punch each other out.

I want more blender drinks.

I shredded vegetables into meatloaf and pasta sauces, and I made blender drinks with a variety of fruits.

The finest tequilas, meant for brandy snifters, not blender drinks, are listed along with single-malt Scotches and rare Cognacs in top restaurants.

These books include recipes for blender drinks spiked with spirits.