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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The Los Angeles Food and Wine Festival has always been more about the wine than cocktails. It’s in its name after all. But with cocktails now moving up in the esteem of foodies, restaurants and chefs, the annual festival has made sure to incorporate delicious drinks and bartenders more into its festivities. Yayy! And if…
For this year’s LA Craft Beer Crawl, I tried a different strategy with tackling over 100 beers. Taking Beer Chick Hallie Beaune’s advice I mapped out my crawl route based on the beers I wanted to try instead of the bars’ proximity to each other, like I did last year. The problem with doing it that…
I’ve lived in Los Angeles now for over 20 years. And have learned over time that the L.A. in that Steve Martin ’90s movie L.A. Story is not real. At least for the most part. But occasionally, something pops up here and makes me think, “Seriously, L.A.?” Like this: Next week Ray’s and Stark Bar…
I love summer but, truth be told, am not a huge fan of most summer cocktails. It’s for the simple reason that I don’t like ice in my drinks. Unless it’s a big, slow-melting rock. But pellet ice or cubes in a tall drink? Nah! With iced drinks I just feel compelled to suck them…
Huzzah! Today is my 8th blogiversary. And this post here is a looong time in the making because back on August 2, 2005 I blogged about Beverly Hills Hotel Fountain Coffee Room. My first blog post ever. Back then it was called Soda Fountain Shoppe and had just been restored to its 1950s glory. I…
This Saturday, nonprofit Project by Project‘s food fest Plate by Plate 2013 will be taking over the beautiful Vibiana downtown. From the looks of last year’s photos it’s a fancy affair with folks in suits and evening gowns! The lineup of over 30 restaurants boasts foodie faves like Bestia, Petty Cash and Rivera. But you…
Nothing like enjoying craft beer atop a roof on a warm summer night, right? Caulfield’s Bar and Dining Room feels ya so every Friday at 7pm for the next eight weeks it will feature a different local craft brewery on its roof, which has one of the best views of Beverly Hills. This Rooftop Food…
Angeleno Magazine’s annual Live & Dine L.A. is one of those can’t-miss food fests. Noshing and imbibing at the elegant Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica. Just check out last year’s highlights. This year’s fest, however, was smaller and relocated back under the grand old fig tree. Just as well since the line to get into…
I constantly ask myself this question but it came up again last night while I was checking out the cocktails at iconic L.A. restaurant Spago. Executive Corporate Chef/Managing Partner Lee Hefter is the man behind the cocktail menus at all of Wolfgang Puck’s restaurants. So when the Beverly Hills restaurant reopened last year after its…
The 2013 LA Weekly Web Awards Nominees have been announced and you have til THIS FRIDAY to vote for your favorites! Hopefully that includes me because I actually was lucky enough to be nominated for Best Nightlife Blog! Squee! But once again, the competition is fierce as this year I’m up against 213 Nightlife, WeHo…
