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 »OK, one of my NYE party girls mentioned Xenii (“Ex-ee-nee”) in passing as a countdown option, and having never heard of it before, it just went over my head like a mathematical formula. It wasn’t until I checked out Daily Candy’s New Year’s Eve guide that it sunk in. “A private members-only society, not open…
A friend was throwing an impromptu gettogether at Wilshire Restaurant. I had never been and quickly researched it, cuz, you know, that’s my thing. Hmm, organic food. That doesn’t sound like the usual sort of place where her and her friends like to hang. They like Hollywood “hot spots” i.e. the Cabana Club, LAX and…
With another year ending and a new one around the corner, I’m filled with trepidation about my future. Fortunately, there’s MASH to show me how everything is going to turn out for me. Remember, Mansion Apartment Shack House? Where you come up with three options of whom you’re going to marry, what kind of car…
It’s only three days until NYE and plans are STILL not finalized. I’ve got the dinner plans down but where to countdown? My friends can’t make up their minds about where they want to go. And looking at all the “hottest” NYE events in L.A. I’m feeling overwhelmed myself and am this close to signing…
What: “The Sunshine Underground” by The Chemical Brothers Who: Stay-at-home NYE revellers. When: At 11:56 pm, a little before the countdown begins. Where: Wherever there’s a broadcast of that big Waterford crystal ball dropping in Times Square. Why: Hit “Play” at about 11:56:07 pm and you have a great soundtrack to the ball dropping. Trippy….
After Christmas, I usually feel like I was run over by a truck. After the stress of holiday shopping, the grueling roundtrip in holiday traffic to NorCal, and family visits galore, I just want to do nothing but hit snooze well into the new year. Fortunately, friends told me about the little piece of heaven…
If you light it up, they will come. I keep hearing about this living sculpture in the middle of L.A.: a cornfield located on a 32-acre stretch of land north of Chinatown and south of Lincoln Heights. L.A. artist Lauren Bon created Not a Cornfield to “challenge notions of urban public space and inspire community…
Not BevMo, Dad’s liquor cabinet. I wouldn’t be a procrastinator if I didn’t save my Christmas shopping for Christmas Eve now would I? At this point, I don’t have time to scramble around the mall looking for the gift that says “I knew you’d love this” rather than “This is all I could find.” That’s…
“Cigars are the perfect complement to an elegant lifestyle” – George Sand I don’t smoke and even if I did, I wouldn’t smoke cigars–so ’90s, so Ah-nold–but my friend, whose birthday is coming up, loves those big, fat smelly stogies and wants to celebrate old-gentlemen style. So she asked me to find an appropriate venue…
Like many other Angelenos, I have to make the dreaded trek up north via car for Christmas. Living in L.A. all these years and having to do this every year, I’ve experimented with different routes–all to avoid the hassle of holiday traffic or at least minimize it. Interstate 5: This is the straight shot to…
