So Long Aughts, and Thanks for All the Fish!

December 26, 2009

To help you ring in a new decade (or bury the old one, depending on your POV), some of the city’s top cocktail destinations are throwing New Year’s Eve parties with a dizzying variety of offerings. To make your search for the perfect NYE bash a little easier, I’ve compiled a list of events below.…

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The Tar Pit is Simply Swellegant

December 18, 2009

It all started with a text message from Rivera‘s Julian Cox: “You, me, Thursday Friends and Family, Tar Pit. You down?” Hmm…go to a sneak preview of the most talked-about bar in town? Gosh, tough call! After carefully pulling my car over to text my reply, plans were arranged and we headed out to a…

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A Knockout of a Punch Contest

December 14, 2009

photos by Lena Watanabe Last Thursday, cocktail enthusiasts braved the rain to attend ‘Twas the Punch Before Christmas, a punch contest presented by Matt Robold (RumDood) and sponsored by Kraken Rum. It all took place in the upstairs area at Malo. The contest entries were whittled down to five (initially six) finalists, a formidable lineup…

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All the Booze That’s Fit to Print – Fall 2009

December 11, 2009

An occasional roundup of L.A. cocktail culture in various media. LA Times Magazine The monthly Los Angeles Times insert continues its excellent series of articles on the L.A. cocktail scene. Mezcal was the focus in the November issue, which featured an in-depth look at Ron Cooper, the man behind Del Maguey. There are also several…

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Dec. 6-8: Cole's 101st Birthday Celebration

December 6, 2009

Anniversaries are always special occasions, but in Los Angeles, locations that celebrate triple digit birthdays are a rare breed indeed. This Tuesday, December 8 is the one year anniversary of the $1.6M restoration and reopening of Cole’s, L.A.’s oldest public house and 101-year-old landmark saloon. To mark the occasion, 213 is establishing the Jimmy Barela…

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It's Your Patriotic Duty: Celebrate Repeal Day December 5th

December 2, 2009

~ “What America needs now is a drink.” ~ President Franklin D. Roosevelt While the quote above may be more appropriate than ever, FDR said those words back in 1933, after 13 years of Prohibition were finally ended. From repealday.org: “On December 5th, 1933, Utah, the final state needed for a three quarters majority, ratified…

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Finishing Strong: The Balvenie Madeira Cask 17 Year Old

November 29, 2009

images courtesy The Balvenie To coincide with the U.S. release of its Madeira Cask 17 Year Old, Scotland’s renowned Speyside distillery The Balvenie held a series of launch events in key cities across the country. The Madeira Cask is the latest release in the Balvenie 17 Year Old Limited Edition Range. Each year, Malt Master…

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In Bed Together: Opening Night at Royal/T Cafe

November 28, 2009

On November 20th, Royal/T Cafe debuted In Bed Together, a new exhibition curated by Jane Glassman that showcases the full circle of professionals that comprise the 21st Century arts community. Glassman is the founder of ARTeamLA, a consulting company that provides resources to the art world. An art exhibit typically showcases the work of one…

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"You Can Really Taste the Ant": Gettin' Horny at Bigfoot Lodge West

November 20, 2009

It’s always great to play host to friends visiting from out of town, especially if those friends happen to be Lindsey Johnson and Dave Harrison of Lush Life Productions, on a West Coast swing to promote Happy Houred, their recently-launched iPhone app. With busy work days and stops at Copa d’Oro, Roger Room, and the…

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Sampling Nuovi Classici at Drago Centro

November 14, 2009

photos by Lena Watanabe To promote the debut of its latest Nuovi Classici (“new classics”) cocktail menu, Drago Centro recently offered the entire list at $8 per drink (compared to the usual $12 price) for one day only. Never one to pass up a great deal, I met the crew at Drago on a crisp…

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