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 »Flickr shot by Aikitherese I’m so mad that I’m just finding out about this now…well, I heard about it before but didn’t really pay attention. The L.A. Cultural Dining Tour is a 20-day feast of L.A. restaurants. But not only do you get prix-fixe menus at some fine SoCal dining establishments but there are fun…
Flickr Shot by Image Zen There’s probably nothing I dislike more than having to do laundry. I’d rather spend my time watching an eye operation on TV than be forced to sit in a room with screaming kids and loud Spanish television having to guard my laundry from sneaky underwear-stealing perverts. Fortunately, there are a…
The hip factor on Pico Boulevard just went up a point with the Air Conditioned Lounge. Hugely popular in San Diego, this swank wine bar just opened up in Santa Monica, giving the city a bar-hopping alternative to played-out Main Street. You can add it to the list of Pico’s overlooked lounge bars–Liquid Kitty, the…
I used to be depressed about Valentine’s Day. So much so that I always felt compelled to throw my own Anti-Valentine’s Day event. Screw this romantic couples BS, I’m going to own this holiday! For a couple of years I planned Anti-Valentine’s Day Girls’ Nights Out where I’d make reservations at a fancy restaurant for…
So I w0ke up this morning to find that the Kids in the Hall tickets for the February 23rd-25th performances already went on sale online at midnight this morning. The Saturday performance is already sold out so get yours while you can. Phone sales don’t start til today at noon. 3 Performances only Thurs, Fri,…
Flickr shot by ° d i ° I was taking stock of my financial situation last night when I realized that on average I spend about $80 a month on Starbucks. That’s right, about $960 a year on grande caramel macchiatos and pastries. I suppose if I’m going to be good I can force myself…
Flickr Shot on GirlsGuide I remember about six years ago when Urth Caffe on Melrose was just a quaint organic coffeehouse. I would duck in for a nice cup of tea and a brownie after visiting the new age store next door, the Bodhi Tree. Back then there weren’t any tables and chairs clogging up…
When you were a kid, did your mom get you to finish every last brussel sprout on your plate by saying something to the effect of, “There are children starving in Africa and you’re going to throw that away?” Well, if you were traumatized and as an adult still feel obligated to finish everything on…
Native Angeleno Beth pays her respects. L.A. bloggers united at this party thrown in honor of the fallen landmark, the Ambassador Hotel. I don’t know why, but I didn’t think it would be that packed. But it was an impressive turnout. Everyone was elbow-to-elbow in the Gaylord Building lobby where the wake was thrown and…
Flickr shot by epmd Last night I revisited the Wilshire Restaurant for a girls’ night out (plus 2 guys) and it was a blast. I know, I already reviewed this place and gave it a lukewarm going-over at that. But with a slightly different group of girls, ones who were more about enjoying each other’s…
