Stretching Your Dollars This Weekend

"Man," one of my friends said the other day. "Recession's gonna mean some awesome drink and dining specials."

Whether it's because of the economic climate or not, you can make a buck go pretty far this weekend if you take advantage of these two deals.

The nation's top college football teams face off in the SEC championship game on Saturday afternoon, and both the Alabama (#1) and Florida (#2) alumni groups are organizing viewing parties to cheer on their teams. The Tide rolls to the Old Dominion Brewhouse; the Gators chomp on food specials at the Pour House. But the best deals are found at Gin & Tonic in Glover Park, which owner Fritz Brogan says "is a pretty Southern neighborhood" filled with young professionals who went to college down south. No matter who you're rooting for, it's hard to resist $1 draft beers and $2 mixed drinks from 4 to 6. (Prices go up a dollar after that.)

On Sunday, Firefly is unveiling a new, almost impossible-to-believe brunch deal: $1 mimosas and poinsettias with every meal. Mimosas have long been a morning-after staple, so I'm especially looking forward to trying mixologist Alice Gaber's Poinsettia Americana, promised to be made with "Bluecoat American Dry Gin, Absolut vodka, freshly muddled grapefruit, and fresh house-made cranberry and rosemary syrup." Reservations are suggested, because $1 mimosas should lead to lots of groups deciding to head for the Hotel Madera's cozy restaurant.

-- Fritz