What I’m Drinking

The Darlini

Hotel Casa Del Mar, 1910 Ocean Way,

Santa Monica, $11.50

Call it a “sunset” drink. The subtle golden and orange hues of the Darlini call to mind the colors of the sky as the sun descends into the ocean just outside the windows of the Veranda at the Hotel Casa Del Mar. A bartender at the hotel created -- and named -- the drink for Darlene, a fellow employee who liked mimosas and bellinis. He substituted peach schnapps for the white peach puree in the latter, and combined it with fresh-squeezed orange juice and Domaine Chandon Blanc de Noirs sparkling wine, tossing in a few raspberries for color. It’s a fizzy, fruity libation, light and easy to drink any time of the day or night.