A Taste of La Primavera at Drago Centro

Since his arrival in Los Angeles as the award-winning sommelier from Guy Savoy in Las Vegas, Michael Shearin has helped establish Drago Centro as a foodie destination for those seeking high end Italian cuisine, a formidable wine list, and a handsome, urban setting. But Michael has also sought to make Drago as well known for…

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April 8: Caña Grand Opening Party

After a few weeks in soft open mode, Caña Rum Bar is ready for its close-up this Thursday, April 8th. The former Doheny has been reimagined as a 1930’s Caribbean lounge, featuring over 140 small-batch rums, a rum-based cocktail menu, and seasonal wines and beers from the world’s rum producing capitals. 213 in-house spirits consultant…

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Caña Rum Bar Soft Opens Tonight

A week after Las Perlas made its long-awaited debut, cocktail enthusiasts will have another new 213 Downtown destination to visit when Caña Rum Bar soft opens tonight. The latest from Cedd Moses is a reboot of the exclusive Doheny members-only bar, which became as well-known for its high roller membership fees as it did for…

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La Descarga: A Postcard from Old Havana

“My mojito in La Bodeguita, My daiquiri in El Floridita.” ~ Ernest Hemingway Hemingway’s handwritten tribute to his favorite cocktails can be found at La Bodeguita del Medio, one of his regular haunts in Havana. Papa would no doubt feel right at home at La Descarga, the East Hollywood bar that opened last Tuesday to…

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2010: So Far, So Good

So far, 2010 is off to a great start: got up early this morning, made brunch with my brother, had a nice Chinese seafood dinner with the family, then topped off the evening with a Manhattan at home on a quiet Friday night. Day One may be winding down, but a look at the calendar…

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So Long Aughts, and Thanks for All the Fish!

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

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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All the Booze That’s Fit to Print – Fall 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

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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