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 »Twas after a concert at the Wiltern and my friend and I were still revved up to go out. I honestly couldn’t think of anywhere I wanted to go between the Wiltern and West L.A., but then I remembered the HMS Bounty. I had gone years before when I still worked at a bookstore and…
Do malls during the holidays scare you? The following online stores are ones I keep at my fingertips just in case I need ideas for gifts that are cheap, fun, uncommon and even “thoughtful” since many of the sites even categorize the giftee: him, her, kid, host, party girl, etc. for your convenience. If you…
CitySearch listed its roundup for the best Santas in the city and it included Beverly Center’s “Hunky Santa,” the Santa who clocks in after 7pm when the kiddies have gone beddie-bye. And you’d think, “Beverly Center” and “West Hollywood,” this has got to be one hunky Santa since there certainly isn’t a shortage of “hunks”…
A great way to have your work displayed at LACMA. Like building sand castles before the tide comes in, the LACMA Chalk-In presents you with an urban version: chalk-in your pastel “Birth of Venus” on the roof of a parking lot that’s scheduled to be demolished in days, with your community as well as artists…
I’m so excited about this movie. At first I was turned off by its blockbuster proportions but then I remembered the King Kong of 1933 (totally forgot about the horrible 1976 Kong) and how it became the stuff of my childhood nightmares: the battle between King Kong and the T. Rex, King Kong vs. the…
I think this will be my new weekly thing: songs inspired in and around L.A. moments. What: “Ooh La La” by Goldfrapp (Windows Media Player or Real Player) Who: For optimum experience, you have to be a girl in a Pontiac Solstice or a Mazda Miata, maybe even a convertible Mini Cooper. But it can’t…
This just in from “the Travelzoo Newsdesk”: LOS ANGELES–NOVEMBER 21, 2005– Air New Zealand just slashed nonstop fares from Los Angeles to London to $440 roundtrip. You must book by December 2. This sale stands out from the other European airfare sales because you can travel over the December holidays and even New Year’s Eve….
Nothing says autumn like the warm spices of a pumpkin pie, and then after Thanksgiving we make way for cold, sharp pepperminty things. So for the quick week we have left, I offer up some pumpkin pie alternatives for those who just can’t get enough. Cold Stone Creamery’s Pumpkin Pie in the Sky creation: Pumpkin…
Mine! Mine! Mine! I was first turned onto West Elm by my metrosexual boyfriend at the time. For his birthday, I got his friends to chip in on “a coffee table he had his heart set on.” His friends have been razzing him about that ever since. Sorry, dude. But I’ve been getting West Elm…
Walk actors in the roles of rock ‘n’ roll pioneers Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, and Jerry Lee Lewis and Waylon Jennings join Joaquin Phoenix (far left, as Cash) at Sun Studio. Truth be told, I don’t know much about Johnny Cash and I actually wanted to see Walk the Line more for the “Oscar-worthy” performances…
