In celebration of the 15th anniversary of The Big Lebowski today (I feel so old), I thought I’d share some of my favorite White Russians available in L.A. Now, I was never a hard-core fan of the movie featuring everyone’s favorite bathrobed anti-hero but count me the number-one fan of this creamy, coffee concoction. In…
You probably heard by now that after two years restaurant Playa in Mid-City will be hosting its last service tomorrow. Tomorrow! Bill Chait and Chef John Sedlar will close the restaurant and then retool it in the hopes of reopening it all refreshed and new in a few weeks. But tomorrow night, they’re inviting everyone…
After having taken two of Bar Centro lead bartender Rob Floyd‘s monthly “Cocktail Fundamentals” classes* at SLS Hotel’s SAAM, I’m convinced he’s the John Keating of cocktail schooling. For those who don’t remember that 1989 movie Dead Poets Society, John Keating, played brilliantly by Robin Williams, was the professor whose infectious love of poetry inspired…
Leave it to Venice to have a bar/restaurant with an organic cocktail program. But not only are the drinks organic but they don’t have any refined sugars. Those healthnutty Venice Beachians! It’s true, new restaurant Feed Body + Soul won the liquor license lottery so had to find a way to create a liquor program…
When one thinks of Hawaii, craft cocktails don’t come to mind. Nope, you think quickly thrown-together “tiki” cocktails with all kinds of pineapple wedges and tiny umbrellas cocktail-blocking your way to a diabetic coma. When you don’t explore outside of the resorts and touristy areas, that’s what you’ll get. But Hawaii Cocktail Week* (February 16-23)…
It’s been about 10 years since I’ve been to Oahu, Hawaii, so I still think of it as the land of tourist-grade cocktails. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve had my share of Lava Flows and Mai Tais and I enjoyed every sip. They are just awesome while taking in a view of Diamond Head. But…
If you’re like me, Valentine’s Day usually drives you to drink. Singles are basically made to feel like pariahs thanks to its inescapable PDA-filled commercialism and couples are stressed out over the prospect of overpriced dinners and boxes of chocolates. Well, I say, KISS. Keep it simple, stupid (I don’t really think you’re stupid), and…
This past December, my LA Magazine Digest blog editor Randy Clemens threw down a gauntlet: Come up with 10 classic cocktails that every cocktail noob should know how to make at home and write a post for each one including the cocktail recipe and where to get a great example of one in L.A. So…
I don’t know if rich folk ever deign to go on barhops but if they do I have no doubt theirs would resemble Blogger Barhop 3 (BBH3): Stoli Elit High-Roller Edition aka “The Whale Tour” last Tuesday. Unlike the previous blogger barhops — 2011 and 2012 — this one wasn’t sponsored by Plymouth Gin but…
Playa cocktail duo Julian Cox and Jeremy Lake teamed up to create “Mexi-China” cocktails to pair with Chef John Sedlar’s new menu which focuses on a fusion of Baja and Cantonese cooking. Said Jeremy Lake of his menu, “Whether it be the fresh, tart juices in the Chinese 5 Spice sangrita…or the bubbly effervescence and…
