So This Is Something Different -

OK. Something wayy-yy-y different than my usual posts but stay with me, it'll be fun too!

As a special request from my very best friend, (who also happens to be a great bartender), I am soliciting ideas from my readers far and wide.
I need ideas for the BEST Bloody Mary EVER (including fabulous garnishes!).

Where is your favorite Mary served? What makes it amazing? Anything unique or special? Do you like it spicy? With horseradish or Tabasco or something else? And how is it garnished? Is there anything integral that MUST be included? (I am always upset if they include a lemon instead of a lime, for instance, but that's just me)

This isn't really my area of expertise, but I thought I'd give it a go, as the whole idea of spicy-tomato-juice-in-a-glass-with-a-bunch-of-pickled-vegetables-on-top actually appeals to me.
Even without the alcohol (called a Virgin Mary - try it - it's pretty good AND you get all those pickle-y garnishes without the alcohol if that's not your thing!) It's like a salad in a glass! The ones from Hungry Tiger Too and Florida Room in Portland are MY personal favorites.

Anyway I know a lot of my readers drink these things, I follow your Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter accounts. (Not in a stalker-ish way, I promise!)
And as a side note, I found THESE earrings on Pinterest and I MUST have them if anyone needs Christmas ideas for me?

But back to the drink: Why post about it in a vegan blog? First, to solicit ideas from you good folk, and second, a couple tips about this drink:
They are NOT always vegan.
Yes, it's true, Vegan Bloody Marys can be tricky to find, because (as you may or may not know) Worcestershire sauce (which contains anchovies) is usually an integral part of the recipe.
Ask your local bartender what they use.
Go to a vegan bar (What? Yes, they exist!)
Or order it without the Worchestershire. (This will only work if they make them from scratch rather than use a mix.)
Or just ask for tomato juice with a celery-salt rim and all those olives and pickles and stuff. (Can you see I like that part?)

    And for those venturing out on making their own, my friend and food writer for the Oregonian, Grant Butler, wrote a GREAT article a few years back that pretty much covers everything you need to know!

So. That said, my bartender friend needs ideas from you!! She's reading over my shoulder, so let your creativity run wild.
What (where or who) makes a "perfect" Bloody Mary? Or what WOULD be the perfect Bloody Mary in a perfect world? And how should it be served? (Big glass, small glass? Crushed ice or cubes? What sort of garnishes or add-ins make it PERFECT?)

Comment away! I'm even throwing in a little swag for one of my lucky commenters - nothing much, just a fun little shot glass from Blue Flame Spirits, a local distillery.
 (They did not promote this post, but hey, people send me random stuff - and I figured it went along with the theme, right?)
Leave a comment and I'll randomly pick one lucky winner on Monday, 12/10.

Stay tuned, more vegan goodness coming soon, I promise!