Happy National Margarita Day. Make sure to pace yourself because in two days it’s Tortilla Chip Day.

It’s a Monday in February and that long weekend feels like it was a month (instead of a mere week) ago. If you need an excuse to perk up your Monday you’re in luck because today is National Margarita Day. Sounds like you need to make plans to visit your favorite Mexican spot tonight. Don’t have a favorite spot? Here are a few suggestions. (BTW we’ll be back with more on Wednesday for Tortilla Chip Day.)

Rosa Mexicana

Rosa Mexicano is a great place to start. With four locations in NYC, this is the establishment that brought elevated Mexican cuisine to NYC three decades ago. But wait – we were talking about beverages. Don’t worry – Rosa Mexicano serves great Margaritas. And since this may be an after work stop, one of the four NYC locations is probably conveniently located to your work place.

Rosa Mexicano locations

1063 1st Avenue

9 East 18th Street

41 Murray Street

61 Columbus Avenue

The mysterious, disputed origins of the margarita

There are probably as many different stories about the origins of the margarita as there are variations of the drink. Just about all of them will name either Mexico or Texas as the home of the Margarita. If only there was a way to pay tribute to both locations while you sip your margarita. Oh wait, there is.

El Rio Grande 160 East 38th Street

El Rio Grande plays with the Tex-Mex approach by dividing its location into a Texas side and a Mexico side. If you’re not ready to cast your vote for where you think the Margarita was first concocted, I guess you’ll just have to have one on each side of the border. (Don’t tell Donald Trump about this spot or he may want to build a bigger wall between the two sides.)

A couple of neighborhood favorites for Margaritas

Sometimes the best drinking spots are those cozy neighborhood joints. Here are three suggestions for enjoying a margarita in the neighborhood.

Rosie’s 29 2nd Ave

An East Village favorite, Rosie’s will not disappoint in the Margarita department.

Vamos 348 First Avenue

Margaritas in StuyTown with quite a kick and some interesting flavors.

Agave 140 7th Avenue South

Village location – Happy Hour from 4-7 with $6 margaritas – I rest my case.

A few unrelated reasons to indulge

Still on the fence as to whether you should indulge on a Monday night?

• Today is the anniversary of the epic victory of the US Olympic Hockey team over the Soviets in the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics. Let’s toast…USA! USA! USA!

• February 22 is also George Washington’s actual birthdate.

• And on this date in history Spain ceded Florida to the US, setting the stage for the establishment of the first successful Margaritaville in Key West, Florida. (Too much of a stretch?)

Okay – you’re not convinced. I guess you can go in a completely different direction and celebrate National Recreational Sports and Fitness Day.

Check out Chelsea Piers, located at 23rd Street and 12th Avenue for any number of interesting options for recreational sport including bowling, rock wall climbing and a golf driving range overlooking the Hudson River.

Or take a brisk stroll or run along the Hudson in Hudson River Park.

Have fun working out – I’m having a Margarita!