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 »Hearst Castle docents. J/K Hearst’s party guests. See Greta in the middle? I remember the last time I visited Hearst Castle was when I was 8 and I was bored out of my mind. Sure, it’s pretty, but so what? It’s not like you can swim in that pretty pool. But now that I’m all…
Homemade concessions stand. I like to throw parties for no particular reason, well, if only to collide worlds by getting all my friends together in one place. These parties usually range from singles mixers at a cool bar to board game night at my place. Tonight I decided to throw a “Really Bad Movie Night”…
After Sideways, it seems like everyone has a wine tasting these days. The Echo in Echo Park has their Irregular Wine Tasting during the summer and wine shops like the Wine House in West L.A. host their self-proclaimed “hottest ticket in town” Friday nights. But when I read that the Buffalo Club, the supper club/nightclub…
I’m going to be away from the computer for the next three days (I know! I have a life after all) so I won’t be able to post anything, but I just wanted to take this opportunity to find out what you guys thought of this site. We’ve only been up for over a month…
When I first read about this series about dining in the dark, I was skeptical. Most of the time, I really enjoy the presentation and going “Oooh! Mmmmm!” when the food arrives. But then I remembered how much I like the effect that smelling good food has on my saliva glands and how then savoring…
For a city that’s always on the move with an eye on the next hottest thing, we really have no sense of history here. Things are built up, neglected, fall into disrepair and then are torn down and built over. Thank goodness for conservancy groups that restore and renovate so that we can hold onto…
After 20 years of being a gay landmark, the oddly placed Friendship on West Channel Road off PCH is now a martini lounge, and a happening one at that. At first I wasn’t too excited about it. It seems like an unlikely spot for a nice bar. The outside is a black ship and I…
So I thought it would be a cool idea to come up with a list of some places in L.A. where Angelenos, specifically Westsiders, can get out of their comfortable bubble of wide streets and pristine malls and get a taste of the other cultures out there.
Bored with the same old bar scene? Same old cocktails…same old setup. Inject some fun in your drinking experience. And I’m not talking ordering a drink with an umbrella in it. Check out a theme bar.
What first drew me to Luna Park on La Brea was CitySearch‘s review of their food: The menu spotlights simply prepared comfort cuisine with a creative edge. Smooth goat-cheese fondue with grilled bread and crisp green apples for dipping is wildly popular. A light, lemony vinaigrette spruces up the sweet and savory salad of spinach,…
