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…
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Who isn’t on the hunt for the perfect Manhattan? Last night I attended the hosted cocktail tasting for the winter cocktail menu at Ray’s and Stark Bar in Miracle Mile. Since mixology consultant Michel Dozois is no longer in the picture sommelier/mixologist Paul Sanguinetti took over the cocktail program. For the season he created nine…
Nobody panic. The Tom Bergin’s shamrocks aren’t going anywhere. Mixologist Marcos Tello assures me that if anything they will only suffer a light dusting. And Marcos would know. He’s the one who has been brought on by Tom Bergin’s Tavern‘s new owners, Warner Ebbink and Executive Chef Brendan Boudet (Little Dom’s, Dominick’s), to do the…
Update 1/11/12: Blue Palms got a 2-3-week reprieve! Discussing long-term solution with landlord right now. L.A. beer lovers, Blue Palms Brewhouse in Hollywood needs your help. With the closing of Music Box and the venue’s landlord losing their lease, everyone’s favorite beer bar is in danger. On Blue Palms Brewhouse Facebook page: To all our…
The Roof on Wilshire atop the eighth floor of a Mid-Wilshire hotel seems an unlikely place to spend a winter evening, but thanks to a few well-placed heaters and a new hot cocktail program, it’s pretty cozy up there. The al fresco bar/restaurant’s new drink menu, created by the Foundry on Melrose’s Mark Blackhart and…
L.A.’s newest brewery, Golden Road Brewing in Atwater Village, has launched its very own brewpub for your drinking and eating convenience. Here you can enjoy GR brews the best way possible, paired with food. That’s right, The Pub at Golden Road features vegan and non-vegan bites, salads, sandwiches and entrees meant to be paired with…
2011 was a great year for drinking in L.A. with a slew of new insta-fave bars popping up, bartenders reconceptualizing bar programs and craft beer thankfully becoming even more accessible. I managed to narrow down my favorite drinking moments to the top 10. Here it is in descending order. Guess what No. 1 is? 10….
Don’t want to worry about keeping track of your bar tab for New Year’s Eve? NYE celebrations featuring open bars is definitely the way to go. And then you won’t have to remember to close out your check at the end of the night! Fortunately there’s a nice selection of parties going off this Saturday,…
Renowned chocolatier Jacques Torres, aka Mr. Chocolate, makes one of the most amazing hot chocolate mixes I’ve ever had: Wicked Chocolate. The spiciness of ancho chili, allspice, cinnamon and chipotle chili peppers with that rich chocolate. The perfect mid-afternoon pick-me-up when mixed with steamed vanilla soy. Um. Yum! When I was visiting New York years…
Last night’s boozy Boxing Day Social charity affair at the Hollywood Roosevelt’s Spare Room raised about $2,000 in addition to collecting blankets and clothes for downtown’s Hospitality Kitchen. For the $10 donation at the door, guests were treated to turkey-on-rye sandwiches, Wild Geese Irish whiskey tastings and a Jenga tournament as well as three free-flowing…
Nothing says cozy winter nights like a hot toddy or Irish coffee. But in L.A. thanks to our industrious and highly skilled bartenders, we’ve got so many new favorite winter cocktails to choose from. Will it be 1886’s spicy hot chocolate, Playa’s mescal nog, the Roof on Wilshire’s Earl Grey hot toddy? Here’s the roundup…
