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 there are city guides you can upload to your iPod? It sounds like a good idea in theory. Anyone who has an iPod, which means everyone, can have bar, restaurant, event, etc. information at their fingertips. WCities offers free Pod CityGuides to 300 cities around the world. Besides popular destinations, you can…
One of my first posts was about the Tropicana Bar. I had heard about it when Amanda Scheer Demme was still in charge of things. And now, even after her very public ousting, it hasn’t lost any luster. Last night, it was the setting for Xbox’s E3 party; and the place was swarming with gamers…
After drunk girl central, Andrea and I were craving some after-hours grub. Looking for something other than Swingers–which basically lost its luster about two years ago–and wanting something more substanstial than drive-thru, we opted for Toi on Wilshire. Like its sister location, Toi on Sunset, this rock n’ roll Thai restaurant offers vegetarian Asian cuisine…
Flickr Shot by GirlyChimp I’ve only eaten at a Filipino restaurant in L.A. once. And it was only one time because, of course, the food paled in comparison to my mom’s home cooking. But then when I think about it, I don’t know of any Filipino restaurants in the area. And I didn’t even know…
Last night I checked out Lounge 217 in Santa Monica for the very first time. Yes, even though it’s apparently been around since the ’90s (eons in club years) I’ve never been so inclined to go. I guess it was all the bad reviews about extraordinarily rude doormen and bar staff that kept me away….
Taqueria Chihuahua, the little “taco stand” that I initially feared because of its name but grew to love for its $2 crispy tacos, is closing its doors after 30 years in the same Santa Monica location. With only a “Dear John” letter posted on its walls saying that the family who owns the joint sold…
An hour late and a gazillion wardrobe changes later, my friends and I made it to Shag, formerly Concorde, for LA.com’s launch party for the club. “Go to the front velvet rope and say you’re on the LA.com/Avant Garde list” were the instructions on my RSVP. But nothing doing. There was already a long, slow-moving…
Flickr Shot by dotsara (detail) I went to El Cholo in Santa Monica last night and all I really walked away with afterwards was the beginnings of a hangover and a “What’s all the fuss about?” I can appreciate how it’s an L.A. institution since it’s been around since 1923 and L.A. doesn’t keep anything around for…
For Cinco de Mayo, Sprinkles Cupcakes is celebrating with its specialty dessert. No, not tequila-flavored cupcakes. Choco Loco, a dark chocolate cupcake with Mexican cinnamon frosting and decorated with the patriotic red and green of Mexico. Although it looks kinda like a big cartoon olive atop this thing, it still sounds yummy. Get some for…
Flickr Shot by dotsara Want to celebrate this alcoholiday by sipping and savoring high-end cervezas rather than pounding house mixes one after the other til you reach self-oblivion? Forget the usual Cinco de Mayo sports bar mayhem and get serious about your tequila drinking by checking out the following tequila bars/cantinas for some quality and…
