On Tuesday, February 14th, The Edison is hosting the Queen of Hearts Valentine’s Ball, a Valentine’s Day soiree that features a special punch, an optional prix fixe dinner and the Queen of Hearts All-Star Band. Individual tickets are on sale now for $25 and include a cup of the Queen’s Punch: gin, Perrier Jouet and strawberries. For $100, couples can enjoy cups of the Queen’s Punch and dessert: Valentine’s Cupcakes (Red Velvet and Chocolate) with a glass of Port Wine.

Table reservations are $185 per couple and include cups of the Queen’s Punch and dinner for two. This special prix fixe menu offers guests the following:

• Reserved table for two
• A bud vase for the lady with a long stem rose
• Choice of Appetizer: Shrimp Cocktail, Angel Egg or Edison Meatballs
• Dinner Salad
• Choice of: Flatiron Steak with Garlic Fries; Short Ribs with Mashed Potatoes and Creamed Leeks; Salmon with Cous Cous; or Deconstructed Vegetarian Sandwich
• Dessert

TICKET GIVEAWAY
To help get you in the loving mood, The Edison is giving away five pairs of $25 tickets to the Queen of Hearts Ball! It couldn’t be easier to enter the contest. First, “Like” the Facebook pages for Thirsty in LA and The Edison. Then, leave a comment in this post that describes the most romantic thing that you’ve ever experienced or done for your sweetheart. (Try to keep it clean, kids.) Comments must be posted by 6pm on Monday, February 13th. The randomizer will pick five lucky winners, who will be notified by email. Good luck!

Queen of Hearts Valentine’s Ball
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Doors at 7pm
$25 online tickets: www.edisondowntown.com/tickets/index.php?eventid=1003

Featuring:

• Queen’s Punch
• Optional prix fixe dinner with table reservation
• Queen of Hearts Band – singers, musicians and dancers
• DJ Jonny

The Edison
108 W. 2nd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 613-0000
www.edisondowntown.com

Image courtesy The Edison

Related posts:

1. November 30: The Edison Launches Toy Drive to Benefit Midnight Mission
2. July 13: Radio Room at the Edison Celebrates Manhattan
3. February 23: Radio Room at the Edison

For a comprehensive list of dining options on December 31st, be sure to visit our friends at dineLA for the Mother of All New Year’s Eve Restaurant Round Ups.

Wherever you end up on New Year’s Eve, please celebrate responsibly. You can Go Metro with special overnight 24-hour rail service on December 31st and January 1st, and of course a taxi is just a phone call away.

Cheers to a fantastic 2012!

Photo by Bar | Kitchen via Facebook

Bar | Kitchen
Located in the lobby of the O Hotel in Downtown LA, Bar | Kitchen is offering a three-course New Year’s Eve dinner menu for $45. To pair with Chef Vahan Tokmadjian’s seared sea scallops, beef short rib pot roast, and almond & pear upside down cake, B|K is featuring a unique selection of small production bubbly and craft champagne cocktails. Reservations: 213.784.3048.

Big Bar – Countdown Across the World
At Big Bar, nine is your lucky number for the second annual New Year’s Eve Countdown Across the World: nine time zones, nine countdowns, nine cocktails and nine playlists. The countdowns start at 3pm with the Hüsker Dü (Kanon Organic Vodka, Aperol, lemon, bitters) and travels all the way across the map every hour until midnight, when Los Angeles welcomes 2012 with a champagne toast and the Historic Core: Rittenhouse 100, Lairds Bonded Applejack, Green Chartreuse, Dolin Rouge, Angostura. To tempt thirsty Angelenos, Big Bar is posting pics of the NYE cocktails on its Facebook page every day until New Year’s Eve.

• Special cocktail menu featuring house favorites from Don Q, Leblon, and Zaya
• DJ Phys-Ed; DJ kill-devil kicks things off with dancehall vibes at 8pm and hosts an East Coast Toast at 9pm
• Breakfast for the surviving revelers
• “We only ask that you bring your best spirits and finest evening attire or favorite party pants.”

Photo by The Edison

The Edison – Bootlegger’s Ball
On New Year’s Eve, The Edison presents the Bootlegger’s Ball, featuring Lyndsay and the All-Nighters, aerialists, dancers and “a host of gifted eccentriques to accompany you on a unique and unforgettable journey into 2012.” Tickets include The Edison’s legendary Midnight Toast. Tables include desserts and special New Years favors. Tickets start at $75. Doors at 7pm. Table reservations and pricing: 213.613.0000.

Eveleigh – Roaring 20s Soirée
The Wayback Machine will be in effect at Eveleigh, which is not only presenting a Roaring Twenties Soirée, but is also thoughtfully serving an all-day brunch on January 1, 2012. Both dinner options include a 5-course Prix Fixe Menu; the Late Seating includes a champagne toast at midnight and access to The Uptown Five jazz quintet and NYE festivities starting at 9:30pm.
Early Bird Seating: $75. Late Seating: $95. Reservations at OpenTable or call 424.239.1630.

The Cocktail Party features a 1920s-inspired cocktail menu created by head barman Dave Kupchinsky, an open bar from 10-11pm, live jazz quintet entertainment and piano, countdown to 2012 and complimentary champagne toast. 1920′s cocktail attire suggested.
$50 per person. 9:30pm-2am. Tickets: www.eventbrite.com/event/2669132447?ref=ebtn

On New Year’s Day, Eveleigh is serving an All Day Brunch with classics from the dinner menu to help with recovery from the night before, as well as REHAB with the best hangover remedies from the bar.
11am-10pm. Reservations at OpenTable or call 424.239.1630.

The Golden Stag
Take the Wayback Machine to the historic Park Plaza Hotel, where LACMA Muse and Sypher Art Studios present The Golden Stag, a Roaring Twenties style party.
Featuring:

• Performances by Brent Canter, Elliot Deutsch Big Band, Astra Dance Company, Alice Underground, and more
• Midnight champagne toast and fireworks display
• Absinthe bar
• 18-piece orchestra

Fellas and Flappers: $50 (includes champagne toast); Big Daddies and Leading Ladies: $150 (includes reserved table service with hosted bar). 8pm. Tickets: 323.857.6010.

Harvard & Stone
Harvard & Stone is throwing its first New Year’s Eve party with special performances by Lil’ Jenny and Molly D’Amour, accompanied by the H&S band and DJ Aaron Castle’s rock’n'roll oldies. Your all-inclusive ticket features an all-night open bar with craft cocktails, punches, American microbrews and bottomless champagne. Tickets $100 per person. 8pm-2am. Use promo code “harvardandstone” and get a 20% discount: www.eventbrite.com/event/2650177753?discount=harvardandstone

La Descarga – Havana Nocturne
Four words: gangsters, dames, booze and gambling. That’s what La Descarga has in store for guests at its Havana Nocturne, a 1920’s-themed night that includes premium open bar, Latin orchestra, burlesque dancers, passed apps, and a Havana-inspired casino. The three biggest chip holders at the end of the night will receive some great prizes. The dress code is formal and the theme is gangsters and dames of the 20′s. Tickets are $200 per person, includes gratuity, and are limited to 150 guests. To purchase tickets, email nye@ladescargala.com.

Neat – New York New Year’s Eve
On New Year’s Eve, Aidan Demarest is keeping it simple at his Glendale bar Neat: no cover or reservations, live music, champagne toasts at 9pm and midnight, and Chinese takeout to soak up all the spirits (served neat, of course). What’s the over-under on how many times Don’t Stop Believin’ gets played that night?

Next Door Lounge
Looks like the Wayback Machine will be in overdrive this New Year’s Eve as Next Door Lounge transports guests to a glamorous Masquerade Party set in 1920’s Hollywood. Live jazz and classic black and white films provide the backdrop as you enjoy cocktails by Joseph Brooke and bites from the Next Door staff kitchen. Tickets are $75 per person and include a welcome drink, masquerade mask, party favors, and a midnight champagne toast. Ticket reservations: reserve@nextdoorhollywood.com.

From 10:30pm to 1:30am, Picca is hosting a Late Night Industry Party with open bar (beer, wine, pisco shots, punch) and bites for friends, family and industry patrons for just $40 per person. Space is limited and pre-paid reservations are required.

Providence
At Providence, Chef Michael Cimarusti ushers in 2012 with a sumptuous Market Menu that rings in the new year with delicious style. Market Menu items include wild Japanese buri, wild New Zealand John Dory, and American Wagyu style beef. Early seating is 5:30 and 6pm, late seating at 8:30 and 9pm. $195 per person, $260 with wine pairing. 323.460.4170.

• Luxury Tequila Flight ($100) – John Rivera Sedlar’s 6 Year Aged Anejo, Milagro Romance & Herradura Suprema
• Mezcal Flight ($25) – Vida, Chichicapa, Joven Ilegal

Other NYE specialty flights include single malt Scotch, rum and American whiskey. Reservations after 9pm will receive a complimentary glass of cava. Reservations suggested, walk-ins are welcome: 323.933.5300.

Seven Grand – World Whiskey Flight
Like Big Bar, Seven Grand is also going global on NYE with its World Whiskey Flight, a private tasting featuring eight of the best whiskies in the world as chosen by members of the Seven Grand bar staff:

• Parker’s Heritage Collection Kentucky Straight Bourbon ’Barrel Finished’ (10 Years Old)
• Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Kentucky Straight Rye
• Hakushu 12 Year Old Japanese Whisky
• Scott’s Selection Littlemill 1984 (distillery closed)
• Connemara Peated Cask Strength
• Lark Single Cask
• Talisker Distiller’s Edition (11 Years Old)
• Scott’s Selection North of Scotland 1964 (45 Years Old)

Punch reception at 5:30pm, World Whiskey Flight at 6pm, event opens to the public at 8pm. Tickets are $120, includes gratuity and appetizers: http://7grandnye.eventbrite.com.

Photo by Tasting Kitchen via Facebook

The Tasting Kitchen
At The Tasting Kitchen on Abbot Kinney, Chef Casey Lane is offering three five-course menu options with French, Italian, Moroccan, and Spanish inspired flavors that will appeal to meat lovers, seafood fans, and vegetarians alike. The “All” Menu features Apicius Duck Confit with kumquat preserve, and puntarella; the Pescatarian Menu features Tagliarini Nero with squid and serrano chile; and the Vegetarian Menu features Truffled Egg with polenta and fall vegetable salad. Wine pairings for each menu are also available. $90 per person, $45 for wine pairings. 310.392.6644.

Click to view.

The Varnish – Soul Shakedown Party
From its location in the back of Cole’s, The Varnish will be dancing to its singular beat on New Year’s Eve with a Soul Shakedown Party that features unlimited craft cocktails, bottomless Bols Genever punch and the 2nd Annual Varnish Twist Contest, hosted by Varnish GM Chris Bostick. Rare groove and soul classics will provide the imbibing soundtrack to the event, which will take place from 9pm-2am. Tables in the intimate venue are available for parties of two, four and six. Seating for New Year’s Eve is limited, reservations are a must.
$125 per person (gratuity included). For reservations contact Chris Bostick at 213.622.9999, or email thevarnish@thevarnishbar.com.

Photo by Wood & Vine

Wood & Vine
Wood & Vine is presenting a five-course or seven-course prix fixe and two seating options for its New Year’s Eve menu. First seating is 6-7pm and includes a Celery Root Shooter, Dungeness Crab Salad, House-Made Spaghetti, Seared Branzino, Paso Prime Rib Eye, and Butterscotch Pot de Crème. The second seating is 9-10pm and includes the previous plus Roasted Scallop, Roasted Venison Saddle, and a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. First seating $55; second seating $75. 323.334.3360.

Related posts:

1. So Long 2010, and Thanks for All the Fish!
2. So Long Aughts, and Thanks for All the Fish!
3. Food & Wine Cocktails 2011: Twelve Los Angeles Bars in the Top 100 American Bars

The Edison recently introduced a new cocktail to its winter menu, the Edison 77. Created by The Edison’s own Andrew Smith, the Edison 77 is named in honor of Thomas Edison’s invention of the phonograph in 1877. Ingredients for The Edison 77 include Applejack, Prosecco, Fresh Lemon and Honey Syrup.

Each year during the holidays, The Edison participates in a toy drive to benefit the Midnight Mission in Downtown LA. This year, to encourage Angelenos to get into the spirit of the season, The Edison will give a complementary Edison 77 to each customer who brings a new, unwrapped toy to The Edison between Wednesday, November 30th and Thursday, December 22nd.

Last year, The Edison toy drive helped provide Christmas gifts for 6,000 children who would otherwise not have had a new toy to open on Christmas day. The Edison hopes to reach its goal of collecting 3,000 toys this year.

The Edison
108 W. 2nd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 613-0000
www.edisondowntown.com

Photo by The Edison.

Related posts:

1. November 10: Radio Room at the Edison
2. Queen of Hearts Valentine’s Ball at The Edison
3. July 13: Radio Room at the Edison Celebrates Manhattan

Radio Room September 2011 Menu
Cocktails ($15)

• Blind Samurai: Yamazaki 12-Year-Old, Amaro Nonino, Angostura and Orange Bitters
• Black Daiquiri: Pampero Aniversario, Averna, lime, coffee tincture
• Green Betty: Tanqueray 10, Green Chartreuse, Cocchi Americano, Manzanilla Sherry, grapefruit bitters
• Telenovela: Tequila Ocho Reposado 2009 Rancho Las Pomez, Amontillado Sherry, mango, lime, red Fresno, spiced coconut foam
• Big Six: George Dickel No. 12, Gran Classico Bitter, homemade toasted corn root beer, lime
• Idiot Savant: Gran Sierpe, Leopold Bros. New York Sour Apple, Benedictine, lemon, carbonated picked grape

Small Bites

• Michael Mina’s Signature Caviar Parfait: California Select Caviar, Applewood Smoked Salmon, Kendall Farms Creme Fraiche ($15)
• Hudson Valley Foie Gras Terrine: Ham Hock, Brioche Melba, Pluot Preserve ($13)
• Fava Bean Falafel: Braised Lamb, Cucumber Riata, Persian Mint ($11)
• K&J Farm Mission Fig: Liberty Valley Duck Prosciutto, Brentwood Corn Foam, Anson Mills Corn Bread ($10)
• Marinated Hamachi Crudo: Local Valencia Orange, Sea Beans, Jalapeño Vinaigrette ($13)

The Edison will also present an exclusive sneak preview of Alchemy & Absinthe, featuring aerial contortionists and interactive characters by Kinetic Theory.

Radio Room at the Edison
Alchemy & Absinthe
Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Featuring:

• Special guests Scott Baird, Josh Harris, Alex Straus, Neyah White
• Small bites by guest chef Chris L’Hommedieu
• Hourly performances and interactive characters by Kinetic Theory
• Music by DJ Jonny Abrahams

Doors at 8pm
21 and over
Presale tickets available online
$10.00 tickets at the door on event night

The Edison
108 W. 2nd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 613-0000
www.edisondowntown.com

Related posts:

1. September 29: Radio Room at the Edison
2. July 13: Radio Room at the Edison Celebrates Manhattan
3. February 23: Radio Room at the Edison

Photo: Kara van Malssen

For aficionados, sipping a fine tequila is an elevated experience, worlds away from the shot-lime-salt ritual that has been the bane of many an undergrad’s night (and morning). Sangrita (“little blood”) is a traditional Jaliscan accompaniment to tequila, meant to complement the crisp, peppery spirit and cleanse the palate between sips. Though its variations are many, sangrita is typically made with tomato juice, orange juice, lime juice, and a spicy element (e.g. hot sauce or chilis, fresh or dried).

To generate awareness and expand the possibilities of this spirited ritual, Tequila Ocho and The Bon Vivants (Josh Harris, Scott Baird and L.A. Ambassador Alex Straus) teamed up to launch ¡Viva Sangrita!, a nationwide competition that challenged bartenders to create original sangritas to pair with one of the three current Tequila Ocho releases: the 2009 Las Pomez Plata, 2009 Las Pomez Reposado or the 2010 San Augustin Añejo. Innovation was encouraged, and other than the flavor profiles of tart, sweet, spicy and savory, there were no restrictions on the sangrita creative process.

Recipes from around the country were submitted in April, and now The Bon Vivants are hitting the road to judge a series of events taking place in cities representing five regions: San Francisco, Miami, New York, Austin and Los Angeles. Entries weren’t limited to residents of the host cities; Texas has an entry from Milwaukee, while sangritas from Boston and Washington D.C. will be competing in New York.

Sangrita Sorbet by Morgan Schick. | Photo: The Bon Vivants

One winner will be selected per region to compete in the ¡Viva Sangrita! National Finals, taking place in New Orleans in July. The National Champion will win a trip to visit the Tequila Ocho distillery in the highlands of Jalisco and “experience all this amazing spirit has to offer, in the place of its birth.” Last week, Morgan Schick (Nopa) was chosen to represent San Francisco at the National Finals. Schick’s winning Sangrita Sorbet is paired with the 2009 Las Pomez Plata.

The Los Angeles semi-final event will take place on Wednesday, June 15th at The Edison. The contestants will take over the main horseshoe bar and guests can sample the sangritas paired with Tequila Ocho. Passed apps and music will add to the festivities.

Following are the five Los Angeles bartenders and their respective sangrita entries:

• Rich Andreoli (Harvard & Stone) – El Cantante
• Joseph Brooke (The Edison) – Singhrita
• Kate Grutman (Sotto) – Leche Materna
• Naomi Schimek (The Spare Room) – Ritual de lo Habitual
• Doug Williams (Liquid Alchemy) – Smoked Sour Cherry Gel Sangrita

Guests will have something more to do than sip tequila and sangritas: The Bon Vivants are inviting everyone at the event to vote for their favorite sangrita. The popular vote will be factored in with the judges’ scores to determine the winner. So there’s a possibility that the judges will choose one sangrita, but the crowd influences the final outcome by throwing its weight behind a different entry.

I spoke with Harris before he, Baird and Straus embarked on their ¡Viva Sangrita! tour. While all the sangrita entries are impressive, Harris thought that L.A. and S.F. in particular “came on really strong.” Harris hopes the tasting events will appeal to everyone and not just the cocktail geeks. No problem there: ¡Viva Sangrita! at The Edison promises to be a fun, educational and interactive night of excellent tequila and delicious sangritas created by some of the city’s best bartenders.

¡VIVA SANGRITA! ¡VIVA TEQUILA OCHO!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
6pm-9pm
Featuring:

• Sangritas paired with Tequila Ocho
• Passed appetizers
• Music
• No cover

RSVP: kaitlin@bonvivants-sf.com

The Edison
108 W. 2nd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 613-0000
www.edisondowntown.com

“Tequila y Sangrita” photo by kara_vanmalssen, used with permission through CC BY-NC 2.0.

Related posts:

1. September 6: Radio Room Returns to The Edison with The Bon Vivants
2. April 5: Why Wait Till Mayo? Tequila Tasting at Malo
3. June 27-28: The Pátron Tequila Epicurean Express Arrives in LA

Food & Wine Cocktails 2011

The cocktail recipes are once again organized into chapters focused on a particular spirit. John Coltharp (The Tasting Kitchen) heads the Whiskey chapter, dipping into a few recipes from his Seven Grand repertoire as well as more recent creations. Standouts include the Scotch-based August Collins, the Presbyterian’s Aversion (with rye, Averna amaro and ginger syrup), and the Descanso Beach Smash, inspired by a 2008 trip to Catalina Island.

The book opens with a “Cocktail Clinic,” which includes how-to’s, a list of Essential Spirits, a glassware and bar tools guide, and new features like the Beginner’s Cocktail Guide and Cocktail Trends (in: salted cocktails, vinegar; out: housemade bitters and meaty drinks). Also new for 2011 is a collection of Chef’s Cocktails, a nod to the increasingly blurry line between chefs and bartenders in high end restaurants. David Lentz (The Hungry Cat Hollywood) and mixologist Jeremy Allen contribute the Four on the Floor, so named for its four equally-proportioned ingredients and the duo’s love of muscle cars.

As always, F&W features Party Food recipes to serve with the cocktails. Look for the Sichuan chile-fueled Numb Nuts by Lukshon chef Sang Yoon, and the Creamy Onion Dip from Vinny Dotolo and Jon Shook of Animal.

In the book’s directory of the Top 100 American Bars, New York leads the way with seventeen bars, followed by Los Angeles and San Francisco with twelve bars each. Unlike some of the L.A. bars listed in Esquire magazine’s latest compilation of the Best Bars in America, I can recommend all of F&W’s picks:

• 1886
• Copa d’Oro
• The Edison
• La Descarga
• Las Perlas
• Musso & Frank Grill
• Rivera
• Roger Room
• Seven Grand
• The Tasting Kitchen
• Tiki-Ti
• The Varnish

To its credit, Cocktails 2011 travels down the 5 to include a few bars from San Diego: Craft & Commerce, El Dorado and Noble Experiment. On the downside, F&W (like Esquire) neglected to list Seal Beach’s beloved 320 Main. It’s time to start the campaign for 2012 right now, who’s with me?

Food & Wine Cocktails 2011

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Food & Wine
• Retail price: $14.95
• www.foodandwine.com

Related posts:

1. 10 Los Angeles Bars in Food & Wine's Top 100
2. Los Angeles Magazine – Best New Bars 2009
3. So Long 2011, and Thanks for All the Fish!

Wherever you go on New Year’s Eve, please celebrate responsibly: Metro is offering free fares on all Metro Buses and Metro Rail Lines on Dec. 31st, and Y Drive or a taxi is just a phone call away.

Cheers to a fantastic 2011!

NEW YEAR’S EVE 2010: Friday, Dec. 31, 2010 to Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011

Click to view

213 Nightlife – New Year’s Eve Downtown LA

• 8pm-2am
• General Admission ticket: $119
• VIP ticket: $250
• Tickets and info: www.nyedowntownla.com

213 Nightlife is going all-out with a New Year’s Eve Downtown LA crawl that takes place at eight of its bars. (See below for what’s happening at The Varnish.) For $119 General Admission, New Year’s Eve revelers can enjoy a plethora of unlimited drink offerings, midnight champagne toasts, and live music at Broadway Bar, Caña, Casey’s, Cole’s, Golden Gopher, Las Perlas, Seven Grand and Tony’s Saloon.

213 is offering a special $99 early bird price to the first 200 guests to purchase tickets online.

Featuring:

• Casey’s Irish Pub – Open bar well spirits, 11 craft beers and wine. Gram Rabbit live, Special Guest DJs.
• Caña Rum Bar – Daiquiri Bar and fresh handcrafted cocktails served all night. The Icy Hot Club of California serves up “vintage gypsy jazz with a modern twist.”
• Broadway Bar – Open bar on all wells, all night. DJs B-Mix and J-Cru spin 80′s, Disco and Funk.
• Cole’s French Dip – Open Champagne Cocktail Bar with house-made and branded bitters, plus Cole’s classic cocktails all night.
• Golden Gopher – Open bar on wells, beer and wine all night. DJ Mike Turski spins rock ‘n’ roll til 2am.
• Las Perlas – Open bar features the Las Perlas House Margarita, Spiced Daisy, El Jimador Tequila and cerveza. “Indie Big Sonic Heaven” with DJ Darren Revell and Kapsoul.
• Seven Grand – Vieux Carre, Manhattan, and Bourbon Fix cocktails featuring Jim Beam Rye, Wild Turkey Rye, and Buffalo Trace Bourbon well spirits. Or call for Maker’s Mark. Music by Deacon Jones All-Star Blues Revue, with Artwalk Jamal and Special Guests.
• Tony’s Saloon – Open well bar with select premium cocktails all night. “Rock and twang” with Paul Chesne and Guest DJs.

The General Admission ticket allows entry to the eight bars included in the event. However, the ticket does not guarantee entry; for obvious safety reasons each venue must observe its respective capacity limit. With that in mind, 213 Nightlife is also offering a limited number of $250 VIP tickets. These no-wait line passes guarantee entry and ups the ante to premium pours at all eight bars throughout the night. Needless to say, whichever ticket you buy, early arrival is strongly suggested.

The Varnish – Rare Groove New Year’s Eve Soul Revue

• 9pm-2am
• $125 per person (gratuity included)
• Unlimited craft cocktails
• Bottomless Bols Genever punch
• Midnight champagne toast
• Countdown to 2010 by the Apple Sisters
• Reservations: (213) 622-9999 or email thevarnish@varnishbar.com

The Varnish will be dancing to its own beat on New Year’s Eve, with an all-inclusive $125 ticket that features unlimited craft cocktails, bottomless punch, a “Served with a Twist” contest, and more.

Tables in the intimate venue are available for parties of two, four and six. Seating for New Year’s Eve is very limited; for reservations contact Varnish GM Chris Bostick at (213) 622-9999, or email thevarnish@varnishbar.com.

Click to view

1886 Bar / The Raymond – Good Old Days Are Back Again!
Nothing like a new year to start fresh, and with that in mind, Pasadena’s 1886 Bar and The Raymond welcome 2011 with the optimism and nostalgia of Good Old Days Are Back Again! For a $20 cover, guests at the recently-opened 1886 will enjoy entertainment, champagne toast and special bar menu.

The Raymond will offer guests two dinner seatings on New Year’s Eve. The early and late seatings will each have prix fixe menus that feature Chef Tim Guiltinan’s innovative, contemporary cuisine. Guests who opt for the late seating will also enjoy party favors, entertainment and a midnight toast.

Dinner reservations can be made at (626) 441-3136.

1886 Bar

• 9pm-2am
• $20 Cover
• Party Favors
• Entertainment (TBA)
• Champagne Toast at Midnight
• Limited Bar Food Menu will be offered with special items

The Raymond – Early Seating

• 5pm-7pm
• 5-Course Prix Fixe Menu
• $90

The Raymond – Late Seating*

• 7pm-9:30pm
• 6-Course Prix Fixe Menu
• $105

*Also includes Party Favors, Entertainment & Champagne Toast at Midnight

Bar | Kitchen
Since taking over Bar | Kitchen in October, Alex Day and David Kaplan (Proprietors LLC) have revitalized the O Hotel’s restaurant and lounge with new menus and an understated interior that more closely matches the boutique hotel’s classy vibe. For New Year’s Eve, Bar | Kitchen offers its mix of high quality and affordability with two options: a Prix Fixe Dinner and Booze & Bites.

The Prix Fixe Dinner features a 3-course menu of seasonal American cuisine from Executive Chef Vahan Tokmadjian, which includes a glass of sparkling cava with dessert. (The chocolate pot du crème with whipped cream and fleur de sel is superb.)

The Booze & Bites Menu offers an open bar with specialty cocktails, beer and wine, plus a midnight toast. To go with the libations, passed trays of bites will be served until midnight, including bruschetta, flatbreads and chorizo skewers. Booze & Bites drinks will be served until last call.

Prix Fixe Dinner

• 6pm-11pm
• $55
• 3-course menu (includes glass of sparkling cava with dessert)

Booze & Bites

• 8pm-2am
• $35 plus tax & tip
• Unlimited cocktails, beer and wine
• Sparkling midnight toast
• Passed bites

Reservations for the prix fixe dinner are required and can be made by calling the O Hotel at (213) 623-9904, or emailing Azzi Kashani at azzi@ohotelgroup.com.

Photo: Big Bar

Big Bar – NYE x 9

• 4pm to 12am
• Different internationally-inspired cocktail every hour
• Complimentary champagne toast at midnight
• Open until 1am

Big Bar is living up to its name by celebrating New Year’s Eve nine times on Friday. Starting at 4pm, Big Bar will feature a different internationally-inspired cocktail every hour, so guests can welcome 2011 with friends around the globe. Add in a free champagne toast at midnight, and you’ve got the makings of a world-class New Year’s Eve.

4PM GMT (London, Lisbon, Reykjavik, Casablanca, Dublin)

• Sugar Rose: vodka, orange bitters, rose water, sugar

5PM EGT (Scoresby Sund – Greenland)

• Scoresby Sund Buck: spiced rum, apricot liqueur, lime, ginger

6PM BRST (Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paolo)

• Carioca Velha: Sagatiba Velha Cachaça, lime, Angostura bitters, mint, sparkling wine

7PM ART (Buenos Aires, Santiago)

• Pisco Sour: gran serape Pisco, lemon, egg white

8PM AST (Halifax, La Paz, San Juan)

• El Cantante: Bacardi 8, lime, elderflower, rhubarb bitters

9PM EST (New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Havana, Lima)

• Manhattan: Woodford Reserve Bourbon, sweet vermouth, Angostura bitters

10PM CST (Chicago, Houston, New Orleans, Mexico City)

• Grito Suave: añejo tequila, amaretto, lime

11PM MST (Phoenix, Denver, El Paso, Edmonton)

• Canadian Maple: Woodford Reserve Bourbon, maple syrup, Angostura bitters, lemon

12AM PST (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver)

• Los Angeles Cocktail: Woodford Reserve Bourbon, vermouth, lemon, egg white, nutmeg

Copa d’Oro

• $20 cover
• Complimentary bottles of champagne and party favors for all reservations
• Entertainment: Special Surprise Guest DJ & Expanded Dance Floor

Reservations

• Available for parties of six or more
• Phone: (310) 567-3030
• Email: info@copadoro.com

Copa d’Oro is already jammed on weekends, so on New Year’s Eve expect the volume at the Santa Monica nightspot to go to 11. Head bartender Vincenzo Marianella is bringing in reinforcements for the big night: according to a Huffington Post Q&A, Zahra Bates (Providence) will be joining Marianella behind the bar on Friday.

The Edison

• Doors 8pm
• General Admission: $75
• Premium Table Reservations: $300 per table and up
• Entertainment by The Yard Dogs Road Show
• Tickets: edisondowntown.com/tickets/index.php?eventid=744

Venues don’t get more stunning than The Edison, which is ringing in the new year with its mix of cocktails, champagne and music. General Admission Tickets ($75) include a champagne toast and passed desserts at midnight. Premium Table Reservations start at $300 per table and include a bottle of copper-clad Beau Joie Champagne and a dessert plate.

Entertainment will be provided by The Yard Dogs Road Show, a “hobo cabaret” that fuses Vaudeville with modern rock.

Click to view

First & Hope – A New York New Years

• Prix Fixe Seatings starting at 4:30pm
• Live Music in Fedora All Night
• Party Favors & Giveaways
• Best Cocktail Dress & Sharp Dressed Man Contest
• Champagne Toast
• East Coast and West Coast Countdowns at 9pm & 12am
• Reservations: (213) 617-8555 or visit FirstAndHope.com

First & Hope is doing the bi-coastal thing with its New York New Years celebration, featuring East and West Coast countdowns, champagne toast, live music, and a Best Cocktail Dress & Sharp Dressed Man contest.

On New Year’s Eve, First & Hope is offering several prix fixe dinner seatings, with the earliest one beginning at 4:30pm.

Update 12/22: First & Hope has announced that Alain Giraud will be the guest chef on New Year’s Eve. Pricing and details for the prix fixe dinner options have also been revealed, with seating available in the main dining room or in Fedora, featuring Brenna Whitaker.

Pre-Theatre Seating (4:30 & 5pm)

• $85: 3-course in main dining room
• $110: 3-course in Fedora (live music)

Premiere Seating (7:30 & 8pm)

• $120: 4-course in main dining room
• $140: 4-course in Fedora (live music)

Late Seating (10:15pm)

• $95: 3-course in main dining room
• Fedora opens to everyone

First & Hope is giving away a New Year’s Eve prize package (valued at over $500) that includes a pair of tickets to see New Year’s Eve with Kristen Chenoweth at Walt Disney Concert Hall, plus dinner for two at First & Hope. Tickets are for the 7pm concert, and a gift card to First & Hope is for $200. The contest ends at noon on Dec. 29, and the winner will be notified that day. To enter, visit www.firstandhope.com/nye/.

Click to view

La Descarga – Havana 1909

• 9pm-2am
• All-inclusive ticket: $150
• Black Tie required
• Premium Open Bar all night
• Complimentary Hand Rolled Cigars
• Midnight Toast
• 7 Courses of passed appetizers and desserts
• 8-Piece Band and dancing
• Reservations: nye@ladescargala.com

For its first New Year’s Eve celebration, La Descarga is using the Wayback Machine to transport guests to an elegant black tie affair set in Havana, circa 1909. Included in the $150 ticket is an all-night open bar, champagne toast, multi-course apps and desserts, live music and dancing. And to ensure you have plenty of room to shake your money maker, attendance for Havana 1909 will be limited to 150 guests.

Photo: Rivera

Rivera

• Prix Fixe Dinner – First Seating: $70
• Prix Fixe Dinner – Second Seating: $100
• Champagne toast (Second Seating)
• Reservations: (213) 749-1460

Unlike the open bar frenzy of last year, Rivera mixologist Julian Cox will be mixing a couple of New Year’s Eve cocktails to pair with the Prix Fixe Dinner menus. The First Seating will be five courses for $70 per person, and the Second Seating will be seven courses for $100 (includes champagne toast).

Photo: The Tar Pit

The Tar Pit – A Revival, Happening.

• Doors 8pm
• $95 per person
• 10-course passed appetizers
• 2 specialty cocktails
• Midnight champagne toast
• Music by Vintage Trouble
• Reservations: info@tarpitbar.com

For a swellegant New Year’s Eve, The Tar Pit is offering cocktails, champagne and passed apps for an all-inclusive $95 admission. Vintage Trouble performs “live-wired, straight-shootin, dirty-mouth’d pelvis-pushin’ juke music” starting at 10:30pm.

Related posts:

1. So Long 2011, and Thanks for All the Fish!
2. So Long Aughts, and Thanks for All the Fish!
3. 213 Nightlife and The Beer Chicks Present LA Craft Beer Crawl, Launch 8th Street Bottle Shop

"Snap-Apple Night" by Daniel Maclise. | Wikimedia Commons

Halloween Weekend is upon us, and thirsty Angelenos have nothing to fear if they’re looking for great cocktails to go with a plethora of scary shenanigans. Whether it’s the bars of 213, the steampunk atmosphere of Villains Tavern and The Edison, or the Hollywood glam of Les Deux, there’s no shortage of temptations to indulge in this sinful weekend.

Expect a more ghoulish crowd this weekend at Villains Tavern.

Villains Tavern – A Dark Carnival
It all starts in downtown’s Arts District, where Villains Tavern is hosting A Dark Carnival, two nights of “freakish entertainment” taking place on Friday and Saturday throughout Villains’ indoor-outdoor space, as well as a “Red Light” tent in the adjacent parking lot. Bars inside Villains and the Red Light tent will be serving an array of handcrafted signature and seasonal cocktails, as well as Oktoberfest beers. The infamous Villains ‘Mix and Match’ beer and shot combo will be available at all bars for $9, or if you’re feeling like a vagabond, grab a $3 brown bag of Schlitz, Tecate or Bud Light. Guests can soak up the libations with offerings from several food trucks and Villains’ own menu.

Imbibing won’t be the only thing happening in the Red Light tent. Once inside, guests will find themselves in the midst of a circus-like atmosphere of stunts performed by Circus Insidious, including fire, music, and magic shows. The Freak Show will shock and titillate all who enter and Tarot card readers and face painters will entertain the more faint of heart.

Entry to A Dark Carnival is free, including all live music events. A portion of proceeds from food and beverage sales will be donated to local non-profit organizations.

A Dark Carnival
Friday and Saturday, October 29-30, 2010
Doors at 7pm
Free entry
Featuring:

• Handcrafted signature and seasonal cocktails
• Oktoberfest beers, $9 “Mix and Match” beer-shot combos, $3 “Brown Bags” of beer
• Live music on two stages
• Performances by Circus Insidious, The Freak Show and more
• Food trucks
• Costume contest with cash prizes

Villains Tavern
1356 Palmetto St.
Los Angeles, CA 91003
(213) 613-0766
www.villainstavern.com

213 – Seven Deadly Spirits
On Saturday, October 30th, seven is your lucky number when 213 presents Seven Deadly Spirits, a drink promotion taking place at Caña, Casey’s Irish Pub, Cole’s Red Car Bar, Las Perlas, Seven Grand, Tony’s Saloon and Golden Gopher. For guests in costume, each bar will offer a $7 Halloween cocktail celebrating one of Seven Deadly Spirits: rum, Irish whiskey, gin, tequila, rye, bourbon and vodka.

• Caña: The Indiscretion, “an exotic rum daiquiri with a blood red mist. Alibis aren’t included.”
• Casey’s will quench your thirst for Bloody Molly’s and Irish whiskey while you rock to Adam West The Bat and Satellite Sky in the Jameson room.
• Cole’s Red Car Bar will offer the Corpse Reviver No. 2, a classic gin cocktail.
• Las Perlas: the tequila laced, “hell-hot” Diablo’s Paloma.
• Seven Grand: The Horse’s Neck, “tempered with rye.”
• Bourbon and vodka cocktails will be served at Tony’s Saloon and Golden Gopher, respectively. Tony’s and Golden Gopher will have open bar on their specials from 9-10pm, so early arrival is suggested.

The Seven Deadly Spirits Halloween festivities and $7 cocktail specials continue on Sunday, October 31st at all the above bars except Caña and Las Perlas, which will be closed.

213 Presents Seven Deadly Spirits
Saturday, October 30, 2010
8pm-2am
Sunday, October 31, 2010

• Casey’s and Cole’s: 11:30am til close
• Seven Grand: 7pm-2am
• Golden Gopher & Tony’s: 8pm-2am
• Caña & Las Perlas: CLOSED

Featuring: Seven bars with $7 cocktail specials for guests in costume, “ghoulish rock n’ roll,” Old School Halloween candy
For more information, visit 213downtown.la.

UPDATE 10/28: 213 has announced a Deadliest Drinker Contest to go with its Seven Deadly Spirits weekend! The prize package includes poker chips redeemable for free drinks at 213 bars, and a rare bourbon bottled exclusively for Seven Grand, handpicked by 213 Proprietor Cedd Moses. Details at the 213 Facebook Page.

Les Deux – Night of Rising Spirits
Also on Saturday is Night of Rising Spirits, taking place at Les Deux in Hollywood. The Host with the Most, Aidan Demarest welcomes guest mixologists Erick Castro (SF), Jennifer Contraveos (Chicago), Simon Ford (London), Grady Purtle (LA), Naomi Schimek (LA) and Damian Windsor (LA). To get your cocktail treats, you must RSVP and come in costume. Note that it will be a cash bar for this event.

A portion of the door proceeds will benefit the International Rescue Committee, which offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster.

To RSVP and for information and VIP table requests, visit nightofspirits2010.com.

Night of Rising Spirits
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Doors at 8pm
$10 cover
Cash bar
RSVP and costume required
Featuring:

• Cocktails by Aidan Demarest, Erick Castro, Jennifer Contraveos, Simon Ford, Grady Purtle, Naomi Schimek and Damian Windsor
• Costume contest with prizes
• Live performances
• VIP Hour from 8-9pm, with complimentary punch and hors d’oeuvres

Les Deux
1638 N. Las Palmas Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90028

The Edison – All Hallows Eve
After closing for a private event on October 30th, The Edison will be back in action on Halloween Night, when it hosts All Hallows Eve on Sunday, October 31st. Descend into the subterranean venue and experience the Edison’s signature blend of crafted cocktails, live music and performances, and a steampunk setting that’s perfectly suited for a costume bacchanal.

All Hallows Eve
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Doors at 8pm
Featuring:

• Helios Jive, The Stilt Circus and “a host of Dancers, Contortionists and Gifted Eccentriques”
• Prizes for Best Costume
• Table reservations include Crystal Head Vodka and “Surprise Sweets.”

Tickets:

• $20 pre-sale
• $25 at the door (in costume) or $35 (without costume)

Buy tickets online: edisondowntown.com/tickets
Call for table reservations and pricing.

The Edison
108 W. 2nd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 613-0000
www.edisondowntown.com

Related posts:

1. Villains Tavern Opening Soon in Downtown LA’s Arts District
2. Sinful Spring Cocktails and Fiendish Fun at Villains Tavern
3. Radio Room Preview Event and Announcing the Edison New York

The Edison, the "largest and most impressive" bar on GQ's list. | Photo: The Edison

File this under Jobs We Really, Really Want: “We traveled 34,462 miles and sipped 400 gin fizzes, Manhattans, and Gibsons with one goal—to compile the first ranking of the nation’s best cocktail bars.” So writes Kevin Sintumuang in the October issue of GQ, describing what it took to create the magazine’s list of the 25 Best Cocktail Bars in America.

Sintumuang and the GQ team spent a year visiting 102 bars in twenty one cities, and after the last cocktail had been sipped, Seattle’s Zig Zag Café was named the Best Cocktail Bar in America. With Zig Zag’s “bartender superhero” Murray Stenson winning a Spirited Award for American Bartender of the Year, Seattleites are sure to see more cocktail enthusiasts make pilgrimages to the Emerald City than ever before.

Three Los Angeles bars (Tiki-Ti, Cole’s, The Edison) made the list, while a fourth (La Descarga) was named one of the country’s Best Spirit-Specific Cocktail Bars. Other sidebars in the article include Anatomy of a $15 Cocktail and Best Restaurant Cocktail Bars.

GQ’s 25 Best Cocktail Bars in America

1. Zig Zag Café – Seattle
2. Angel’s Share – New York
3. The Violet Hour – Chicago
4. Clover Club – Brooklyn
5. The Alembic – San Francisco
6. Death & Co – New York
7. PDT – New York
8. PX – Alexandria, VA
9. Comstock Saloon – San Francisco
10. Holeman & Finch – Atlanta
11. Tiki-Ti – Los Angeles
12. The Patterson House – Nashville
13. Eastern Standard – Boston
14. Rickhouse – San Francisco
15. Anvil – Houston
16. Arnaud’s French 75 – New Orleans
17. Elixir – San Francisco
18. Columbia Room – Washington, D.C.
19. Cole’s – Los Angeles
20. The Whistler – Chicago
21. Drink – Boston
22. Pegu Club – New York
23. The Edison – Los Angeles
24. The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co. – Philadelphia
25. Needle and Thread (Tavern Law) – Seattle

Any “best of” list will inevitably inspire debate, and GQ’s list is no different. As much as I enjoy Cole’s, placing it at #19 and leaving The Varnish off the list is puzzling, especially if one of the reasons is because Cole’s has “small TV screens for Lakers games.” Grub Street San Francisco detects an anti-Sasha Petraske streak running through GQ’s list, which could explain the omission of The Varnish (which he co-owns), as well as Petraske’s seminal New York bars Milk & Honey and Little Branch. And speaking of omissions, how could the list not have one bar from Portland?

I had the pleasure of visiting Angels’ Share and Pegu Club on the same night a few months ago, but naming Angel’s Share as the second best bar in the country seems awfully generous. That said, props to the GQ team for even listing Angel’s Share, an often-overlooked bar considered by many to be the progenitor of New York’s current generation of craft cocktail bars.

I would love to see the spirit-specific sidebar expanded to a few lists that include more bars and spirits, even if that has to be featured online rather than in print. Agave dens like Las Perlas and Mayahuel could then be featured in the same tequila/mezcal bar list, rather than being lumped in with rum-centric venues like La Descarga and Smuggler’s Cove.

And any list of America’s great restaurant cocktail bars has to include Rivera. Mixologist Julian Cox has cut an unbeaten swath through cocktail competitions across the country, and his inventive drinks are among the city’s best, restaurant bar or otherwise.

The upside of GQ’s list is that it reminds me of bars around the country that I’ve been to and have yet to visit. I am really overdue for another trip to San Francisco, especially when Sintumuang mentions “our favorite whiskey drink in the country,” the Alembic’s Vasco de Gama: Buffalo Trace bourbon, masala-spiced apple syrup and Islay scotch.

Sintumuang puts it best in his introduction: “[Cocktails] are the great American invention. And there has never been a better time to drink them than now.” Cheers to all the bars in this year’s list, and here’s hoping that I’ll have a few more checked off by the time the 2011 edition is released!

The October issue of GQ is on newsstands now.

Related posts:

1. Esquire's Best Bars in America
2. Food & Wine Cocktails 2011: Twelve Los Angeles Bars in the Top 100 American Bars
3. Los Angeles Magazine – Best New Bars 2009

The boys from New York City. | Photo: Ward III

Every edition of the Radio Room has a special cocktail menu that features signature cocktails from each guest, a great way to sample drinks from the best bars in the country. Following is the cocktail list for this month’s Radio Room, including each drink’s creator in parentheses.

Radio Room – July 2010 Cocktail Menu

• Baby Eveline (Michael Neff) – Vodka of your choice, muddled strawberries, lemon juice, Peychaud’s bitters, Martini & Rossi Prosecco.
• Four Stars (Neff) – Herradura silver tequila, lime juice, muddled rosemary and cilantro, dab of Sriracha hot sauce.
• Hell Bent for Leather (Kenneth McCoy) – Woodford Reserve bourbon (Edison’s private bottling), Irish whiskey, orange and lemon peel, muddled cardamom seed.
• The Collective (McCoy) – Dewar’s 12-Year, Martini & Rossi Sweet Vermouth, clover honey, lemon juice, orange bitters, egg whites.
• Angel Zakir (Abdul Tabini) – Martin Miller’s gin, muddled cucumber, basil and lime juice, Aperol.
• Tortuga (Tabini) – Bacardi 8 rum, muddled lime, orange and lemon, dusting of shaved cinnamon.

Radio Room at the Edison
“Celebrating Manhattan”
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
108 W. 2nd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 613-0000
www.edisondowntown.com

Guest mixologists: Michael Neff, Kenneth McCoy and Abdul Tabini

Featuring: Paulie Cerra and his Jazz Orchestra

• Doors at 8pm
• 21 and over
• Presale tickets available online
• $10.00 tickets at the door on event night

WIN VIP PACKAGES TO THE RADIO ROOM
The Edison is giving you two chances to win tickets and free drinks for the Radio Room, courtesy of Caroline on Crack and Vixen’s L.A. Happy Hours! Details are on their respective blogs, but don’t be a slacker; both contests end on Sunday, July 11. Good luck!

Related posts:

1. July 28: Radio Room at the Edison
2. September 6: Radio Room Returns to The Edison with The Bon Vivants
3. September 29: Radio Room at the Edison