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 »Did you know that New York banned sous vide preparation and that Chicago has an impending law against foie gras? Yeah, I didn’t either and I have to say that until this very second when I googled those food terms, I didn’t even know what any of that meant. But apparently foie gras involves the…
Flickr Shot by Imtrendywendy The other day I ventured further into the oven by traveling east to Rowland Heights. It was 110 degrees out and hellishly dry. My friend Julie and I were driving around blasting on the A/C and trying to decide what to have for a snack. It felt too hot to ingest…
OK, I’ve never done this before (repost something) but when I had originally posted this, the heat wave only lasted a couple of days. But now that it’s friggin’ hot out there with no end in sight, I figure it’s the best time to revisit how we, Angelenos, can stay cool. Take a Plunge: Don’t…
Even after all these years, Monty Python and the Holy Grail can still make me guffaw with tears and belly aches. I dare you to even just read memorable quotes from the movie and not giggle. Heh, “I fart in your general direction.” Now see the comedy classic with fresh eyes as the Nuart Theatre…
Flickr Shot by LilyLord I’ve always wanted to check out these Cinespia events where they screen old movies at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, home of many dead celebrities, like Jayne Mansfield and Rudolph Valentino. And it doesn’t seem as creepy as it sounds because there’s a dj who spins before and after the movie and…
As many know by now, Ford’s Filling Station is owned by Harrison Ford’s son and former owner of Chadwick, Ben Ford. The Culver City restaurant, and L.A.’s first “gastropub” opened earlier this year to much fanfare, and because of that I decided to beg off until things died down a bit. But when I went there…
The last time I went to North Hollywood’s Tokyo Delve’s was eons ago (when I was just crack-free “Caroline”) and in all honesty I hated it. It was frat-boy obnoxious and the servers made me stand up on my chair and do the chicken dance when all I really wanted to do was eat my…
I was never into team sports, which is a shame since I really could use some team-building skills. Fortunately, I have a bunch of girlfriends who can show me a thing or two about how to kick ass and make friends while doing it. From roller derby to kickball, take your pick of which…
Big: I can tell you one thing, I sure did miss you, officially. Carrie: Did you cry? Big: No, but I did listen to a hellava lot of Sinatra. ~ Sex & the City And ain’t that the truth? When you’re down in the dumps, Frankie does the trick. Maybe it’s because he delivers the lyrics…
“Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?” “La plume de ma tante!” “Vous etes une super nana.” OK, even after five years of high school French, that’s pretty much all the French I know. But I can still appreciate a good time en francais. This Bastille Day weekend, Santa Barbara is throwing the largest French celebration…
