A Drink and a New Friend at Datamosh
Of course the drinks would be found in a little nook behind the pharmacy.

I do a lot of things alone. Travel, go to movies, eat out. But going to bars is not usually one of them. All things considered (the bar being inside a ticketed attraction, for one), this seemed a pretty safe bet. 

I hoisted myself onto the tall barstool farthest away from the couple on my left and the table on my right, which placed me squarely next to the short haired brunette.

Clearly, she was there alone too. I was tempted to make conversation a few times but couldn’t figure out how. And lacking the oblivion certain people possess, I decided it best not to do so and just sip on my drink.

Which, by the way, is Happle Juice. A mix of Vodka, Chareau Aloe Vera Liqueur, Apple Liqueur, Apple Juice, Rice Milk, Simple Syrup, Citrus, Apple Blossom Bitters, and Buzz Buttons.

A buzz button is the flower of the Acmella oleraceais plant. It’s that little yellow bud on the far left of the toothpick. Per my bartender’s instructions, I was to chew on that first, then take a sip. 

…

“Being buzzed” is an understatement. It fucked messed up my mouth for a good 10 minutes. I was a bit annoyed because I couldn’t taste the damn drink at all. But something about having my mouth numbed made my tongue loose.

“So, how’s your beer?” 🤦‍♀️

But hey, it worked! Because an hour and a half later-ish, Jo and I were already making plans about where to go from here. I finished the Juice, which was refreshing, not too sweet, and slightly bitter. Vaguely reminiscent of candy apple flavor, the way Happles are only somewhat similar to their namesake. 

We both got one more drink in before heading out, and as would be expected of the drink that honors the Source of the entire Omega Mart mystery, the presentation was quite elaborate. The bartender blew a couple of rosemary bubbles before handing me this:

The Source is made of El Silencio Mezcal, Lillet Blanc, Shiso Cordial, Tarragon Syrup, Citrus, and a Rosemary Bubble. It’s as deep as it is dark, with lots of herbal notes and a pleasant bitterness. Best sipped slowly.

I still have a few things I want to check out in the exhibit, so Jo and I agree to meet out front in about 15 minutes.

Back to the store we go.

Datamosh is located inside the Omega Mart exhibit at 3215 S Rancho Dr, Las Vegas, NV.