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Gibson cocktail and vinyl records

Booze and Vinyl: Don’t Call It a Comeback

By thirstyinla On June 11, 2021 · Add Comment · In Stories
What a difference a year makes. As this post goes live, more than 140 million Americans have received their Fauci Ouchies and are fully vaccinated. Los Angeles is fully reopening on June 15, which means we can finally bend an elbow inside bars and restaurants. Inspired by the excellent Booze and Vinyl cocktail book by [...]
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Jodi Calderon by Eugene Lee

“Liquid Love Letters” From LA’s AAPI Bartenders

By thirstyinla On April 2, 2021 · Add Comment · In Events
Organized by bartender Alyson Iwamoto (Thunderbolt, Death & Co), “Liquid Love Letters” is a fundraising event that highlights 10 AAPI bartenders from the Los Angeles bartending community – each one has contributed an original cocktail available for purchase by donation. The participating bartenders are Cari Hah, Chris Amirault, Eugene Lee, Jodi Calderon, Harry Chin, Jason [...]
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Ryan Wainwright's record collection

Booze and Vinyl at Home During COVID-19

By thirstyinla On April 18, 2020 · 1 Comment · In Stories
Read on for a wildly eclectic mix of music and drinks to enjoy while you're staying at home during COVID-19.
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Cari Hah at Big Bar

Tiger Mom Cari Hah Takes the Helm at Big Bar

By thirstyinla On March 30, 2016 · Add Comment · In Interviews, Stories, Tastings
Tiger Mom Cari Hah talks about becoming the new bar manager at Big Bar, the importance of mentoring, and her exceptional spring cocktail menu.
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Big Bar Barrel

Big Bar Celebrates Five Years of Being “Stupidly Awesome”

By thirstyinla On October 7, 2015 · 1 Comment · In Events, Interviews, Stories
A vital part of L.A.'s bar scene, Big Bar is celebrating its five-year anniversary on Oct. 8, 2015 with two former Bar Managers, Juan Sevilla and Dan Long.
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Tiki Tuesdays at La Descarga

Tiki Nights Times Two in Los Angeles

By thirstyinla On April 21, 2013 · 1 Comment · In Events
La Descarga and The Spare Room are carrying the LA tiki torch by featuring a stellar lineup of guest bartenders throughout the Endless Summer.
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Big Bar Bollywood Prom

Valentine’s Day: Big Bar Bollywood Prom

By thirstyinla On February 8, 2013 · Add Comment · In Events
On Thursday, February 14th, Big Bar at Alcove is pulling out all the stops for what promises to be its most spectacular Valentine’s Day event yet, the Big Bar Bollywood Prom.
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Death of the 18th Amendment by 1933 Group

Party Like It’s 1933: Repeal Day Events in Los Angeles

By thirstyinla On December 2, 2012 · 1 Comment · In Events
Repeal Day is celebrated every December 5th to honor the repeal of the 18th Amendment, which ended Prohibition. Bars across Los Angeles are featuring drink specials and events to help you party like it’s 1933.
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Big Bar Midsummer Cocktail Menu

A Midsummer Night’s Dream of a Cocktail Menu at Big Bar

By thirstyinla On August 30, 2012 · 5 Comments · In Reviews, Tastings
The summer of 2012 may be winding down, but there’s still plenty of time to work through Big Bar’s Midsummer Cocktail Menu, a stellar collection that ranks among the best in the city at the moment.
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Art Beyond the Glass class photo June 2012

Art Beyond the Glass: Thank You Los Angeles!

By thirstyinla On July 1, 2012 · 4 Comments · In Events
Two weeks after Art Beyond the Glass, I share a few belated "thank you"s and rambling thoughts about an extraordinary day.
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  • Booze and Vinyl: Don't Call It a ComebackWhat a difference a year makes. As this post goes [...]
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    • Booze and Vinyl 2022: Electric Boogaloo
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    • “Liquid Love Letters” From LA’s AAPI Bartenders
    • A Few Things That Didn’t Suck in 2020
    • A Tale of Two Zooms
  • INSTAGRAM

    Cheers @makersmark for hosting “Meals That Made Cheers @makersmark for hosting “Meals That Made Us,” a stellar dinner pop-up featuring cocktails by @just_jodi and a three-course tasting menu from @meilin21 💛

Meals That Made Us is a collaboration with Project by Project, a nonprofit leadership development organization that empowers the AAPI community and develops the next generation of leaders through innovative philanthropy 🙏

📸 Jodi and Mei by @pbpla

🍵 Mano Po: Jodi’s welcome cocktail with genmaicha infused Maker's Mark, bay leaves infused manzanilla, amaro, creme de cacao

🍤 Sichuan Shrimp Stuffed Wings: shrimp, Sichuan peppercorn, cilantro, green onion, chiles, caviar
🥃 Maamsir: mango skin infused Maker's Mark, apricot, Campari, bianco vermouth

🍝 Linguine a la Vongole: geoduck, black bean sauce clams, Thai basil
🥥  Sini-Gang: Maker's Mark, Suze, lemongrass-tamarind syrup, lemon, lime, coconut sugar

🍍 Sour Pineapple Ice: passion-coconut sorbet, pomelo, chewy green mango
🍌 Banana Cue Me: Maker's Mark 46, torched plantain amontillado, creme de banana, verjus

🎁 😎 

#thirstyinla #mealsthatmadeus #makersmark #wcw #womenshistorymonth
    Much love @lawhiskeysnob for hosting last month's Much love @lawhiskeysnob for hosting last month's incredible tasting of the @teelingwhiskey 32-Year-Old Purple Muscat Single Malt Irish Whiskey! 🙏

The venue was the stunning La Boucherie, located on the 71st floor of the @intercontinentaldtla 🤩 

Clocking in at 107 proof, the superb first bottling of the Very Rare Casks Collection was distilled in 1990; matured in bourbon barrels for 28 years; and finished in a single Portuguese Purple Muscat French Oak cask for an additional four years.

🥃 Leading up to the 32-year, Lucy tasted us through the Teeling Single Malt and the final release in the Renaissance Single Malt Series, the 18-Year-Old finished in ex-calvados casks.

#thirstyinla #teelingwhiskey #irishwhiskey #stpatricksday #discoverla #dtla
    💚 #thirstyinla #discoverla #repost @schimekstu 💚
#thirstyinla #discoverla

#repost @schimekstudios
All March @soulmateweho we are featuring the Jane Roe cocktail to fundraise money for reproductive rights, thanks to our collaboration with @yolamezcal 
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The vivid green color is to honor the #mareaverde movement in the Americas and beyond.
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Jane Roe: Yola Mezcal, chlorophyll, lemon myrtle, lime, mint
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#soulmateweho #westhollywood 
#yolamezcal #fundraiser #nationalinstituteforreproductivehealth #abortionrights #reproductiverights
    “Oh, good. You’re here too.” 👀 #everythin “Oh, good. You’re here too.” 👀
#everythingeverywhere #eeaao
    There are so many extraordinary women in my life t There are so many extraordinary women in my life that I want to celebrate on #InternationalWomensDay, but first and foremost is my mom 🙏 

After emigrating from Hong Kong to the U.S. with my late father, she eventually became the head RN at Sherman Oaks Community Hospital, which had one of the preeminent burn centers in the country. Richard Pryor and Michael Jackson were just two of the famous patients treated at SO during mom’s tenure.

She and dad co-founded a home healthcare service at the dawn of the ‘80s AIDS epidemic - the majority of their patients were HIV positive or had full-blown AIDS. Her compassion for those who were afflicted - visiting and treating patients at a time when fear, ignorance and hatred prevented so many from receiving the care they desperately needed - was and is awe-inspiring.
    Kang the Conqueror had to start somewhere! 😜 #a Kang the Conqueror had to start somewhere! 😜
#antmanandthewaspquantumania
#thirstyinla
    Yesterday’s service was beautiful, thank you so Yesterday’s service was beautiful, thank you so much to everyone at @forestlawnmemorial Hollywood Hills 🙏

Dad would have been touched to see the many friends and family who attended 🥺
Mom, Andrew @adbruin and I are so grateful for the incredible amount of love and support that we’ve received since dad passed ❤️

Special thanks to our amazing Celebrant @marshamendizza - for her eloquence in sharing dad’s story, for having the most soothing voice ever, and for including quotes from Lao Tzu and Maya Angelou (her selections, not ours)

I legit choked up when the harpist @maggiesharps played dad’s favorite hymn, “In the Garden” 😭 (Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” also sounded lovely as guests paid their respects)

Shout out to Andrew for knocking it out of the park with his remembrance! 👏

The Memorial Video that was shown during the service is at dad’s online obituary, link in profile 👀
    Over the weekend we went through decades of photos Over the weekend we went through decades of photos for the video montage at my dad’s funeral service 🥹
These Hong Kong photos were a revelation - dad looks more like a bartender than a pharmacist (👋 @apothekela) and my mom is luminous, straight out of “In the Mood for Love.”
    Follow @thirstyinla