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…
Continue Reading »I was so excited to check out the Alibi Room, the dive bar turned gastropub in Culver City. It kinda sucked that it came to be after I moved out of the neighborhood because it would have been cool to have a bar within walking distance. But here it was now, baby Beechwood, created by…
With Thanksgiving in a couple weeks, admit it, you’re already on autopilot. You need something to look forward to before then. How’s about a beer social? Huzzah! 3 on Fourth in Santa Monica is presenting a Unibroue Beer Social featuring the talents of beer sommelier Christina Perozzi and 3 on Fourth’s Chef Daniel Snukal. The…
What’s heaven? I’m pretty sure it’s all the tamales you can eat, all the hip clothes you can buy and all the beer and wine you can drink. And don’t forget to throw chocolates and Jason Bentley in there as well. Friday, November 9 3rd Annual Los Angeles International Tamale Festival Mmmm, tamales. If you…
To online date or to not online date, that is the question during the Dewar’s Debates at the Cha Cha Lounge tomorrow night. Personally I’ve always found that what may look good on virtual paper may not necessarily translate to “good chemistry” in real life but at least I made many, many…many friends thanks to…
After being turned away from Hidden — apparently they were having a private grand opening…after being open for nearly two months now, go figure — Nancy and I decided to fall back on Plan B: check out Valentino‘s newish wine bar, V-vin bar. Touted as the casual, more affordable section of the very formal and…
Flickr Shot by catduck It’s that time of year again, when the chill of autumn is in the air, the days are shorter and the holidays are just around the corner. Just something about it makes me want to knit and/or crochet. And I know, knitting is so 1999 and crocheting is “for little old…
Photo from Curbed LA Eastsiders get all the cool stuff. Case in point, the biggest Whole Foods store west of the Rockies at 76,770 square feet of organic food goodness. This Wednesday the chain’s flagship store will open up in Pasadena. Essentially a foodie’s (and my) heaven, the emporium will have an in-house fresh jam…
Today the parking ban at Griffith Observatory was lifted! Yay for a return to impromptu star gazing and city light viewing! The ban was lifted after a 60% drop in visitors since the observatory’s reopening last November. Along with the return to the tradition of free parking and park entry comes the long unmoving lines…
Last night was quite possibly the craziest L.A. experience I’ve ever had in the 15 or so years that I’ve lived here: Lucha VaVoom‘s Halloween/Day of the Dead show at the Mayan Theatre. Midget wrestlers, fighting chickens and burlesque — how could I stay away? The show was sold-out so not many could either as…
I was a bit overly ambitious with my Halloween plans last night. The agenda was to start off at Metromix’s party at the Standard, drop by Seven Grand for a Halloween cocktail, head over to the Blue Goose Lounge for the Yelpoween party and then cap off the night at the Absolut 100/UrbanDaddy party at…
