Mimi’s – evolved

Ode to the electric cowboys of years gone by. 

This exercise has been more than just a look at pubs, colorful characters, and chain restaurants. It’s also been a look at how hotel hospitality has evolved.

Tastes change and themes go in and out of fashion – the hotel in downtown Jackson where I grew up featured a mechanical bull in the 80s, and was considered at the time to be the height of hipness. Then came the Holidomes, with their indoor playgrounds – putt putt courses, video arcades, pool/hot tub/sauna. Then celebrities with their names attached – think Spago, Wolfgang Puck, Michael Jordan, All Star Café, Fashion Café, Planet Hollywood. Then free breakfasts in the lobby with electric fireplaces, Starbucks, and complimentary USA Todays delivered to your door.

And it’s not just based on the hottest locations. Last time I judged a test session in Sault Ste Marie, at the U.S./Canada border, the historic yet sleepy local hotel had shut down a majority of operations in the off season to renovate their landmark dining room. What had once required a suit jacket was now casual attire accepted. International flavor has given way to locally sourced.

The Omni International is still there in downtown Atlanta, and has expanded to take up a little bit more of the block. Since I don’t know what kind of place Mimi’s was, it could have been replaced with the Prime Meridian, Latitude Bistro and Lounge, or Morsel’s.

Mimi’s Peach Daiquiri

• 1 oz. rum
• ¾ oz. sweet and sour mix
• ½ fresh peach, sliced
• 1 peach wedge
• 1 maraschino cherry

Place all but cherry and peach wedge in blender with ½ cup of crushed ice. Blend until smooth. Pour in large glass and garnish with fruit.