EATS

Guide staffer Nancy Moore reports the following:

In response to the phenomenon described in this article from last year, Popolos Cafe at Preston Royal Shopping Center has a new drink this summer called the Purple Martin-i.

I stopped by to try one last Wednesday night. The purple, chilled drink is served in a martini glass. And it really does taste "purple" (one person at the bar described it as tasting like alcoholic Kool-Aid, "...that could get you in trouble - easy to drink"). The purple martin birds, for which the drink was named, have been seen circling the area just before sunset. Popolos happy hour is Mondays through Fridays from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunset is at about 8:30 p.m. Get one for $4 at happy hour; $7 at other times. Twenty percent of the proceeds from sales will be contributed to the new Audubon Center on the Trinity. The ingredients are vodka, Curacao liqueur and raspberry pucker.

Phoenix-based Sunflower Farmers Market has plans for at least two stores in the area -- one in Plano, one in East Dallas. Their formula is to move in near a Whole Foods Market and sell similar stuff, cheaper. Not a bad plan. Maria Halkias has details about Sunflower.

A friend tells me that Frida's Mexican Bistro at Cedar Springs and Throckmorton has closed. I called to confirm and, yep, the phone is disconnected.

Chalk up another one to tough economic times.

'Made a snarf stop at Freebirds World Burrito on Sunday and was reminded how you can save (A) money at places like this and (b) superfluous calories, too.

Save dinero and wasted sugar calories by ordering water instead of a soft drink. Save some calories by forgoing the wrap itself, mostly made of refined flour (more empty calories) and water, the same ingredients in old-fashioned wallpaper paste. You can fill the dish up with beans, veggie-type good-for-you things (tomatoes, salsa, corn. etc.), or cheese (good calcium source), if you're really hungry, or guacamole (good for you in small doses, but costs extra).

If you just gotta have a soda, order water at Freebirds and go around the corner to a grocery store to buy your soft drinks for a fraction of the restaurant drink price.

These are small, common-sense decisions you can make daily that add up to real savings over time and less waist. Of course, if you're a growing adolescent, you probably want that flour tortilla wrapper and everything you can possibly stuff into it. In that case, you're allowed. But still blow off the soft drink, dude.