Practice Management

I am originally from North East Texas, but I love the South Texas culture, if not the lack of pine trees.  My wife (a/k/a my girlfriend) is from South Texas.  I went to college at St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas.  I love The Woodlands, Texas because it is in Southeast Texas on the cusp of what is deep South Texas, but still in the piney woods.

One of the wonderful celebrations that I first experienced in San Antonio was Cinco de Mayo - Spanish for the 5th of May.  Cinco de Mayo is primarily a regional and not an obligatory federal holiday in Mexico.  Many people think that Cinco de Mayo represents Mexico's Independence Day, but this is not true.  That celebration falls on September 16th, and is the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico.

But, we are not Mexico, and Cinco de Mayo commemorates an initial victory of Mexican forces led by General Ignacio Zaragoza Sequin over the France in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.  Now defeating France apparently is something with which we can all get behind.  As it has developed in the United States, Cinco de Mayo has developed into a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride.  Take that fence builders!

As pointed out by HuffPo, we should all be able to get behind a holiday "with observances that include avocadoes, tequila and piñatas".  It is an opportunity for us to celebrate with the food, music and culture of of Mexico.  It is time for fiesta, and you cannot do this without these Cinco de Mayo tips from Jodi Lipper and Cerina Vincent, authors of How to Eat Like a Hote Chick:

Uno - Crack Corona Lights.  As the weather is getting warmer, we are craving less red wine and more thirst-quenching beer. And our favorite is Corona Light, which is perfect for Cinco de Mayo because it is actually made in Mexico. Each Corona Light has about 40 fewer calories than a regular Corona, which translates to about four extra tortilla chips with salsa per beer. Buy a case and a few limes and say cheers to that.

      Dos - Make Margaritas.  Here is our awesome recipe for Hot Chick margaritas that are completely delicious without any of that poisonous bottled margarita mix that has hundreds of calories and tastes like pure corn syrup for a very good reason:  Shake over ice: Two shots of tequila, one shot of fresh lime juice (none of that Rose's crap, which is sweetened and concentrated), and one shot of triple sec or Grand Marnier. If you really need it sweet, add a splash of diet lemon lime soda - we recommend the all natural Hansen's.

      Tres - Fresh Guacamole.  Guacamole is easy, delicious, and very healthy in moderation. Here is our secret recipe for the best guacamole ever: Mash up one avocado, then add a teaspoon of fresh lime juice, a big pinch of salt, two cloves of minced garlic, and a quarter cup of chopped cilantro. Now here's the great part - scoop out three spoonfuls of your favorite jarred salsa. This gives your guacamole onions, tomatoes and countless spices but saves you the trouble of actually buying and cleaning and chopping any of them.

      Quatro - Make it Fun.  Don't wait for your best friend's bachelorette party to buy a penis piñata - go ahead and get a piñata for your Cinco de Mayo party. (Not a penis one, though.) You can't have a bad time while your friends are beating a candy-stuffed animal with a stick. Turn up the festive music, light some candles, and put out bowls of red and green M&M's. Oh, and you should also get a cake. Any time there's an excuse to get a cake, you should do it. You don't have to bake it yourself; just order a cheap sheet cake from Costco with Mexico's colors on it and your friends will love you extra.

      Cinco - Nosh on Nachos.  You don't have to try to make homemade tamales or anything hard like that, and you don't have to spend a fortune having your party catered. Like the hilarious Jim Gaffigan says, all Mexican food is just tortillas, meat and cheese anyway, so just buy tortillas, meat and cheese, add some salsa, beans, sour cream and guacamole, and create a make your own taco or nacho or burrito bar. It'll be simple, fun, and delicious for everyone.