Fantastic Animals Cocktail at Xochi & Zaranda

Through October 18, Xochi and Zaranda are pouring the Happy Alien, a mezcal cocktail created for Fantastic Animals: Alebrijes and Nahuales from México, the sculpture exhibition at Discovery Green.

From September 15 through October 18, eight 20-foot sculptures are standing throughout Discovery Green, free to view, and two of our restaurants sit at the edge of the park.

Fantastic Animals: Alebrijes and Nahuales from México brings eight towering creatures to the 12-acre downtown park, designed and created by Mexican artists and artisans. Each one is an enlarged reproduction of an original work by a celebrated Oaxacan artist, drawing on the legacy of Mexico City artist Pedro Linares, who is credited with popularizing the fantastical creatures known as alebrijes.

Xochi is directly across the park, inside the Marriott Marquis. Zaranda is on the first floor of the Norton Rose Fulbright building at Lamar and La Branch. Both are a short walk from the sculptures, which makes for an easy afternoon or evening: walk the park, then sit down with us.

Among the eight is Happy Alien by the late Constantino Blas, a farmer who became a nationally recognized sculptor. Xochi bartender April Zelaya created a cocktail named for it. Happy Alien brings together blood orange liqueur, Amarás mezcal, pomegranate juice, simple syrup, fresh lime juice and Scrappy's Fire Tincture bitters, and it is served at both Xochi and Zaranda.

$1 from every Happy Alien sold at Xochi and Zaranda goes to Discovery Green Conservancy, the nonprofit that operates and maintains the park and funds more than 600 free events there each year.

Zaranda makes a strong weekend anchor. Saturday and Sunday brunch both run 11:30 AM to 3 PM, à la carte, with live music on Sundays from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM by Trio Media Luna and complimentary valet all day Sunday for guests dining with us. Brunch first, then a walk across to the park.

Fantastic Animals: Alebrijes and Nahuales from México
Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney Street
September 15 through October 18, 2026
Free to view, throughout the park

Happy Alien is available to guests 21 and older.