We finally did it! Actually, we did it over a year ago and have been sitting on the finished product for four months now. It may be a little on the nose, but Cinco de Mayo seems like a pretty appropriate day to wrap it all up.

This project was a lot of things for us. It started out as a random “we should…” that for some reason we actually did. Sometimes it was a party, and sometimes it was a chore. Some of the food was really good and some was practically inedible. We brought friends along; we made new friends. We laughed a lot and ate a lot and fought a little and almost quit, and then magically, miraculously, we finished it one night in a room full of people who love us while being serenaded by a mariachi band.

88 Nights never blew up into a viral hit. Either we weren’t the video food blog the world needed, or maybe we weren’t the one it deserved, but a few people, mostly family and friends, watched. For that we say thanks. Thanks for watching the “video journal of our friendship” as Dave cornily (but accurately) put it.

We don’t see each other quite as often as we did when we were eating together a few times a week, but we haven’t quite lost touch yet. For now, we all still live in LA and Orange County. Someday I’m sure one or all of us will move on, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of our lives. Then what about us? Fortunately, as long as the internet is up and running, we’ll always have Cinco. Here’s looking at you, kids.

Tonight’s menu: the number 88 – mexican nachos.

For a few seconds there we thought we might lose Todd to some neurotoxin found in improperly prepared ceviche. But it turned out he just doesn’t handle too much lime juice very well.

What unfolds later in the episode needs a bit of explanation. We first hatched this idea back in October 2012, and we even did all the prep work at that time. Then Todd moved to Orange County, and it took us almost five months to get together again to eat at Cinco. So tonight you see five months of careful planning finally come to fruition. We are pretty sure the results didn’t even last a week. Haha.

Tonight’s menu: the number 87 – ceviche tostada.

Sometimes a TV character or actor has to be replaced. This happens even on the most popular shows. Charlie Sheen was replaced by Ashton Kutcher. Winning! Going back a little further, B. J. Hunnicutt replaced Trapper John McIntyre as Hawkeye Pierce’s bestie on M*A*S*H. Going back even further, Dick Sargent replaced Dick York as Darrin on Bewitched, and nobody even noticed!

Tonight we replace Devin. It only took us 86 episodes to realize he was dead weight. Better late than never, I suppose.

Tonight’s menu: the number 86 – chili cheese fries.

88 Nights is drawing to a close. In fact, we will be eating our 88th and final item and filming our 88th and final episode this coming Friday evening, and we want all of you to join us!

The party kicks off at 8pm, and we will be there for at least an hour. You are free to order whatever you like, but we will all be eating “the 88” aka Mexican Nachos. Bring cash. Cinco doesn’t take cards (although they do have an ATM).

So please come and shower us with praise for our mighty achievement. You might even realize your fondest dream by making it into the episode. You’re welcome in advance.

Un fuerte abrazo,

The Cinco Four

• Who: You (and us)
• What: Finale party and 88th episode filming
• When: Friday, March 29 at 8 p.m.
• Where: Cinco de Mayo, 11204 Washington Pl, Culver City, CA 90230
• Why: Because we like you

I’m pretty sure we figured out who left the mess in the bathroom. Exactly how the mess was made remains a mystery, I’m afraid. But that didn’t stop Todd from theorizing. Lucky us.

Tonight’s menu: the number 85 – chicken quesadilla.

This video explains itself pretty well: we had four friends visiting us, so we decided to film their Cinco de Mayo experience. Simple.

Because the camera was set up on a tripod, and we were all sitting at a different table eating our own magical quesadillas, we didn’t know what they were talking about until now. In fact, Dave is probably the only one who really knows since he actually watches all the footage in order to create each episode. I can only assume the parts where they talk about how much work this project is despite our making it look effortless ended up somewhere on the cutting room floor.

Tonight’s menu: the number 84 – quesadilla.

My junior high lunchtime experience consisted of playing a card game called “tunk” for money, gambling with Now and Laters by seeing who could throw them closest to a wall in the courtyard, and eating nothing but Jolly Rancher Stix and Hot Fries. Not hot fries like Cinco’s asada fries. These Hot Fries.

It was a pretty dark time.

Tonight’s menu: the number 83 – asada fries.

All of us in the Cinco Four have played in bands before, and as everybody knows, the most fun part of playing in a band is coming up with the name. The Hollywood equivalent is coming up with the name of your production company. How about “Pearl Jam 2”, Devin?

Tonight’s menu: the number 82 – chicken burrito.

Devin hates the flute. Devin HATES the flute. And flautists, or flutists, if you prefer. Here is a partial list of things that have been ruined for Devin by the flute:

• Anchorman
• Burger King
• Jethro Tull
• Stairway to Heaven
• his future children’s musical endeavors
• attractive women who have the misfortune of having learned the flute

So tell us, friends. What do you hate to the point of denying yourself the otherwise good things in life?

Tonight’s menu: the number 81 – milanesa.

As American as apple pie. Johnny Appleseed. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. You get the idea. What could be as pure and wholesome as the good, old fashioned apple? Nothing. That’s what. Apples are so wonderful, in fact, that we manage to pack almost an entire 4 minute episode chock full of appley goodness. Enjoy.

Tonight’s menu: the number 80 – tortas de milanesa.