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 »In celebration of its 79th anniversary, Silverlake’s Taix French Restaurant (pronounced “Tex”) is offering a roasted chicken dinner for only $7.95. That’s right, every day (except Saturday) 5-7pm through August 31, you get soup du jour, house salad, potato, vegetables, a chicken dinner and dessert sherbet, all for under $8. To give you an idea…
A couple of months ago my friend Beth’s wine class organized a field trip to Gainey and Firestone Wineries in Santa Ynez Valley. Surprisingly, I didn’t like The Bachelor’s winery so much but loved the Gainey wines. After buying many bottles, we found out that Gainey throws a crush party every year to celebrate the harvest and…
Have you ever wanted to drink, eat, dance and gamble the night away but couldn’t bring yourself to make the four-hour trek to Vegas? CozmoCard, LA.com and Open Table join merry-making forces to throw the ultimate Sin City event for Angelenos: Vegas in L.A. On Saturday, August 26 at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, there will be djs…
Living in L.A. Angelenos are used to walking into places previously immortalized in film but Netflix is taking it one step further by throwing a Rolling Roadshow of famous movie spots. They show screenings of movies in the locations where the movies were shot. Their Jaws screening will be held in Martha’s Vineyard, scene of…
Sometimes I just want to stay in for the day and be lazy. But since I only have baking soda and a pitcher of water in my refrigerator, starvation inevitably forces me to go out in search of food. I could order takeout somewhere but I usually throw away the menus that people leave on my…
The last time my sister Sizzler visited (pre-vegetarian years and when she still lived in Japan) we got into a huge knock-down-drag-out fight because I didn’t take her to Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles. “What’s the big deal?” I asked, ducking her dukes, “It’s going to be there forever and…IT’S JUST CHICKEN!” Suffice it to say, that…
I think I’ve found my go-to place for the best Cadillac margarita in L.A. It’s cheap and oh-so potent. Casita del Campo‘s Caddy ‘rita costs only $8! That’s outstanding considering that I always see good ones like this go for over $10 everywhere else. The Cadillac isn’t listed on the menu, but a regular alerted…
As a sci-fi fan, I choose to forget the post-Terminator years of Arnold. Before Twins and his governorship of California, he was Conan the Barbarian and that’s how he’ll forever be etched in my memory — that huge muscle man who knew how to wield a sword and split enemies in two, NOT the flabby…
Remember when I said that I’m not a fan of sample sales? Well, I’m still not but every now and then when I drive past the Santa Monica Airport and I see a “Barney’s Warehouse Sale” sign advertising the bi-annual department store 50-75% sale I feel a small tug at my heart. “Should I go?”…
Upload videos at Bolt. The Groundlings — the birthplace of many famous actor-comedians who’ve gone on to SNL, Mad TV and sitcom fame — actually offers improv classes for non-professionals. That’s right, any unfunny schmo can take a class from the same place where people like Will Ferrell, Phil Hartman, Conan O’Brien and Pee Wee…
