For those who absolutely cannot wait til Christmas — eff Thanksgiving, you say — Melrose Umbrella Co. is already all decked out for the holidays. And I mean, ALL. DECKED. OUT. The Miracle on Melrose Avenue bar is only one of about 100 of the Miracle Pop-Up Bars around the world: 94 in the U.S….
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I refuse to put up Christmas decorations when Thanksgiving hasn’t even come and gone yet. But one thing I will allow in anticipation of the holidays are the cocktails. Beautiful, rich, cozy, festive-inspired holiday cocktails. And Big Bar in Los Feliz just kicked off their new holiday menu, which includes three hot cocktails and a…
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Quick, what’s your favorite L.A. movie and which cocktail would you pair with it? If it’s Amy Heckerling’s Clueless then you’re in luck! On August 19, as part of its summer pop-up series, ArcLight Hollywood is hosting swank West Hollywood cocktail bar, Bibo Ergo Sum, in its Balcony Bar. And the talented bar crew crafted…
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Nowadays, a cocktail bar has to do more than simply follow a classic cocktail template to turn heads. Housemade ingredients and a strong garnish game aren’t going to cut it anymore. Besides, there are so many great bars with new ones practically opening every day, not to mention the breadth of talented bartenders in L.A….
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Looking for something fun and different — with a touch of nerdiness — to serve at your holiday party? Lucky for you barman Christopher Day (Bar Tribute, Redbird) created this recipe for a boozy butterbeer. Your Harry Potter-loving guests will squeal. It’s no coincidence that this recipe uses a butter-washed Black Cow Vodka as Chris…
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The iconic Chateau Marmont on Sunset Boulevard always feels as if it’s out of my league. Just like Ryan Gosling, the beautiful Chateau could never be my regular hang. And last year when word got out that the hotel had a new bar that only those in the know could get into, it made sense…
If you missed last night’s Food & Wine/Food GPS Best New Chefs dinner at hot, new Marina Del Rey restaurant Paiche, not to worry. There’s another one tonight. And where cocktail geeks went crazy over last night‘s crafty cocktails by mixmasters Steve Livigni and Pablo Moix (La Descarga, Pour Vous), tonight they’ll be thrilled by…
With regards to Miracle Mile Bitters Co. Clusterfuck Bitters, there IS such a thing as a happy accident. Miracle Mile Bitters owner Louis Anderman was doing up batches of his Toasted Pecan Bitters and his Orange Bitters when he accidentally poured half a finished batch of the orange bitters into the just strained Toasted Pecan…
So, folks, Friday’s Bloody Mary recipe on LA Magazine’s Digest blog was the last one of my Essential Cocktails series, making that 10 classic cocktail recipes everyone should have at their disposal. Hope you found the posts helpful and that they serve you well when you find yourself entertaining last-minute guests. “Anyone want a Prescription…
Angelenos have traded their cupcake and fro-yo addictions for something wayy healthier: cold-pressed juices. More and more juice bars are popping up around town — Pressed Juicery, Blueprint, Kreation, Moon Juice. Even new guy Clover Juice, who just opened up its first location in January, already launched yet another one in Mid-City West on Third…
Celebrating an alcoholiday like St. Patrick’s Day in Los Angeles requires a bit of planning ahead. Thanks to the nature of the sprawl and the limited subway system Angelenos have had to come up with other ways to get home safely and quickly after a night of drinking. Well I found something better than having…
If you’re like me and detest green-tinged beer or frat drinks named after a terrorist act (yeah, I’m old), then perhaps you’ll appreciate this roundup of where to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day for some quality boozing. I’m talking craft cocktails, craft beer and beer floats. Just because it’s an alcoholiday doesn’t mean you gotta drink…
When I first read about the Samsung Galaxy Camera, I knew I had to have it. Or at least get on the list to test it out. Verizon has asked me to test out a few products for them and I tried the Samsung Galaxy S3 for several months but just wasn’t crazy about its…
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…
