The Wayback Machine: Bloody Marys for 36 Cents

May 27, 2009

To  celebrate the 73rd anniversary of its maiden voyage from Southampton, England to New York City, the Queen Mary is serving its signature Bloody Mary for just 36 cents (the price in 1936, natch) in the Observation Bar. According to the Queen Mary’s official site, the gorgeous, Art Deco Observation Bar “is original to the…

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June 3: Malo Ultra Premium Tequila Tasting

May 26, 2009

Coming up on Wednesday, June 3: Malo hosts its 1st Ultra Premium Tequila Tasting Show, featuring DJ Endo & complimentary food. Some of the tequilas available for tasting will include 4 Copas 100% Organic, Partida, Maestro Dobel, Comisario, Casa Noble, Hacienda de Chihuahua Sotel and Tequila Ocho. But wait, there’s more: Gran Centenario’s new release…

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A Toast to 75 Years of The Thin Man

May 25, 2009

The Thin Man was released 75 years ago today, on May 25, 1934. Besides being a great cocktail movie, it’s simply a great movie period. If you’ve seen it, you know what I mean. If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend adding it to your Netflix queue, or catching it on TCM the…

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The Peninsula Cocktail Hour – Princely Potables, Pauper's Prices

May 22, 2009

It’s not every day one gets to spend a couple of hours enjoying the perks of a AAA Five Diamond, Mobil Five Star hotel. This summer, that day happens to be Thursday, at the acclaimed Peninsula Beverly Hills. From May 7 through Labor Day, the renowned luxury hotel hosts a weekly Happy Hour from 5-7pm…

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10 Los Angeles Bars in Food & Wine's Top 100

May 20, 2009

Food & Wine has just published Cocktails 2009, a handy little book featuring 130+ cocktails, 25 party food recipes, must-haves for the home bar, and more. One of the book’s key sections is its list of Top 100 Bars, a guide to the country’s top bars, lounges, and restaurants. Los Angeles has 10 bars listed,…

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Whiskey & Ping Pong at Tony's

May 17, 2009

“This is the kind of day when you want to be belly-to-belly with a good woman, in a warm bed under a tin roof with the rain beating down and a bottle of good whiskey right next to the bed.” ~ Hunter S. Thompson, The Great Shark Hunt Friday night saw the soft opening of…

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Living La Dolce Vita at Drago Centro

May 17, 2009

Critics have sung the praises of Drago Centro since its opening: Jonathan Gold says it’s a “Perino’s for 2010 and beyond,” with the “most glamorous urban view in the city;” the L.A. Times says the Italian menu is “inspired” and the restaurant is downtown’s “best kept secret.” Last Friday I had the pleasure of dining…

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TGIF: Pagoda Bar and Tony's Open Tonight

May 15, 2009

It really is TGIF for LA cocktail enthusiasts, with two bars opening in Hollywood and downtown. First up, Daily Candy notes that the Pagoda Bar is reopening tonight. Nestled just below Hollywood’s venerable Yamashiro restaurant, the outdoor Pagoda Bar overlooks the pool, the 600 year old pagoda (California’s oldest structure, according to Yamashiro), and the…

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Esquire's Best Bars in America

May 14, 2009

The June 2009 issue of Esquire (which hit the stands on May 10) features another round of the annual Best Bars in America list. The list is part of a nifty ten page section titled “The Esquire Bible of Drinking,” or “The Collected Wisdom of Esquire as it Relates to Drinking.” (The issue also features…

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World Cocktail Day

May 13, 2009

Today is World Cocktail Day, the culmination of World Cocktail Week and its celebration of the American Cocktail. The date coincides with the earliest uses of the term “Cocktail” in the May 1806 editions of “The Balance and Columbian Repository.” Imbibe recently uploaded a scan of these historic documents, which you can read on the…

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