August 29, 2010

TONIGHT: All-Star Bartenders Night at First & Hope

Written by Caroline on Crack in Cocktails, Los Angeles, Nightlife
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Mixologist Misty having fun at First & Hope's last Red Rover event by Caroline on Crack

Guest mixologist Misty Kalkofen having fun at First & Hope's last Red Rover event

OK, L.A. you’ve shown you love having all your favorite bartenders in one space, as is proven in the popular guest bartender nights at The Edison’s Radio Room and First & Hope’s Red Rover, Red Rover (both by Tello/Demarest cocktail consultants). So tonight in celebration of the success of these events as well as their appearance in the upcoming September issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine (a photo I took is in there!), Tello/Demarest is throwing an all-stars night at First & Hope!

Bartenders Julian Cox (Rivera), Brent Falco (First & Hope), Aidan Demarest (Tello/Demarest), Naomi Shimek (Tar Pit) and Daniel Long (STK/First & Hope) will be behind the stick!

Here are what each all-star is fixing tonight:

  • Julian Cox: Dealer’s Choice
  • Aidan Demarest: The Enlightenment — Bourbon, pomegranate, citrus and Edison beer
  • Brent Falco: Pancho Villa’s Smoking Gun — tequila, mezcal, bitters and sweetness
  • Dan Long: Horchata Versailles — Remy VSOP Cognac, orange blossom water and handmade horchata
  • Naomi Schimek: Jimi Hendrix — Chocolate-infused Remy V.S.O.P., Green Chartreuse, demerara, bitters, Heidsieck Champagne and No Troubles Bubbles — Organic California lavender, hibiscus, lemon, gin, Heidsieck Champagne

Aidan promises that there will also be door prizes and drink specials.

EVENT: TONIGHT from 6pm to 11pm

First & Hope Supper Club
710 W. 1st Street
Los Angeles, California 90012 (map)
(213) 617-8555
Facebook: First & Hope Supper Club
Twitter: @FirstandHope

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August 27, 2010

Blog Bite: Mix & Match Beer and Shot at Villains Tavern

Written by Caroline on Crack in Blog Bites, Cocktails, Los Angeles, Nightlife
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Villains Tavern's Mix & Match Beer and Shot by Caroline on Crack

Villains Tavern's Mix & Match Beer and Shot

At the new downtown LA Villains Tavern, which opened just last month, it’s not about the cocktails for me, rather it’s all about that groovy outdoor bar where they only serve beer and mix-and-match beer and shots! Yes, if you don’t feel like waiting in line at the indoor bar for a cocktail, just step outside to the bar on the side patio.

You can flashback to those college years of pounding shots or create your own premium version of a Boilmaker.

For $8 you have your choice of 20 beers and 20 shots. Hmm, PBR with Wild Turkey Rye? Racer 5 IPA with Fernet Branca? Tecate with Camarena Reposado? The possibilities are deliciously endless, unless, of course, you misjudge a match like I did with the Fernet and Woodchuck Apple Cider. Blech! What was I thinking? That herbaliness did not go well with the apple as I had thought it would. Oh well, you live, you learn.

Big spenders may want to opt for the “premium” beer like Maredsous 10, Chimay and Affligem. That’ll set you back $14.

I feel compelled to go back and see if I can come up with. What do you think would be a good mix?

Villains Tavern's outdoor bar by Caroline on Crack

Outdoor bar

Villains Tavern's front patio by Caroline on Crack

Front patio

Villains Tavern
1356 Palmetto
Los Angeles, California 91003 (map)
(213) 613-0766

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August 26, 2010

This Weekend: Beer Class, $5 Sake Tasting, Fancy Happy Hour

Written by Caroline on Crack in Cocktails, Lists, Los Angeles, Nightlife
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Blah, unpacking. Lots of booze-focused events for you though.

Thursday, August 26

Cocktail Hour for Taste of Beverly Hills
At this fancy happy hour, score half off wine, beer and cocktails! There will also be free appetizers and a glass of sparkling wine to toast the Taste of Beverly Hills. If you still haven’t bought your ToBH tickets yet, they’re offering a buy one, get one free deal at this event! And all-weekend passes will be discounted $350 (regularly $500).

  • 5-7pm. The Roof Garden at The Peninsula Beverly Hills, 9882 S. Santa Monica Boulevard, Beverly Hills (map).

Friday, August 27

Open House and Happy Hour Live at Central in Santa Monica
Ooh! Happy hour til 9pm on a Friday night with live music, FREE pizza from Joe’s Pizza and special happy hour priced booze — $3 draft, bottles and PBR tall boys as well as $4 micro draft, $5 well. If you stay til 10, you can moonwalk to your heart’s content during the Michael Jackson tribute party. To get on the guest list for Happy Hour Live, email kim [at] spinprgroup.com. Tell ‘er, Caroline on Crack sent you.

  • 5-9:30pm. Central, 1348 14th Street, Santa Monica (map).

Saturday, August 28

$5 Sake Tasting at The Wine House
Sake Sommelier Toshio Ueno and sake specialist Kenji Tateishi will be pouring six sakes for you to taste for only $5! It’s in the middle of the afternoon, just stop by for a tipple and check out the premium white tag sake which will be 10% off. No ressies needed.

  • 1-4pm. $5. The Wine House, 2311 Cotner Avenue, Los Angeles (map).

Sunday, August 29

The Chemical Brothers at the Hollywood Bowl
Man, I am long overdue for the Bowl this summer. And this groovy concert may be enticing enough to get me out from under my moving boxes. Dance in the aisles to The Brothers as well as electro-funk Chromeo and synth-y YACHT. Jason Bentley will be hosting. Amazingly tickets are still available!

  • 7pm. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Avenue, Hollywood (map).

Tuesday, August 31

Beer Chicks’ Beer and Bites Pairing 101 Class at Library Alehouse
Those cute beer girls are at it again, educating beer newbies all over. This class which will guide you through different beer styles takes place at one of my fave beer bars, Library Alehouse. Beers include Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella Pils, The Bruery Tradewinds Tripel, Chimay Blue and more, while the seven-course event will include the likes of fish tacos with mango salsa and beef carbonade with French fries. Proceeds from the event will go to benefit breast cancer research via the charity What a Pair. RSVP asap as this is a hot ticket.

  • 6:30-8pm. $59 (included processing fee). Library Alehouse, 2911 Main Street, Santa Monica (map). Reservations (310) 314-4855.
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August 26, 2010

And the Winner of the LA Times Celebration of Food and Wine Tickets Is

Written by Caroline on Crack in Los Angeles
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Congrats to @_jenalee for winning the two general admission tickets I gave away on my blog! These giveaways are always so much fun (and hard work!) and I’m always glad to offer something to you darling crackheads. So if you didn’t win this time, don’t fret, there will be more giveaways in the future I’m sure!

And if you would still like to go to LA Times’ Celebration of Food and Wine you can buy discounted tickets through Goldstar where it’s $20-$75 versus the regular price of $40-$125!

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August 25, 2010

Food Fight: Taste of Beverly Hills vs. LA Times’ Celebration of Food and Wine Discount Tickets

Written by Caroline on Crack in Dining, Featured, Los Angeles
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Taste of Beverly HillsLA Times Celebration of Food and Wine

Just got the heads-up about this from Goldstar: discounts off a couple of the hottest food festival tickets! Only problem? They’re both for the same day, Sunday, September 5! Oh, the humanity! So to help you decide, here’s a quick breakdown of each event’s discount offer.

Food & Wine’s Taste of Beverly Hills’ Art of the Brunch

  • Free-flowing Bloody Marys, Bellinis and Mimosas!
  • Wine sessions as well as beer and cocktail tastings.
  • Brunch from the best restaurants in LA, including Comme Ca, Huckleberry and Craft.
  • Live chef demos by Ray Garcia of The Fig, Scott Conant of Scarpetta and more.
  • KCRW pie contest with Evan Kleiman.
  • “LA’s best DJs” and Jason Bentley is the event’s musical director.

Tickets: $62.50 (regular $125). Sunday 10am-3pm. Behind the Beverly Hilton Hotel, 9900 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills (map).

Los Angeles Times’ Celebration of Food and Wine

  • Food Network Lounge surrounded by  food trucks from The Great Food Truck Race, like Nom Nom Truck and Crepes Bonaparte.
  • More food trucks, including Coolhaus, Ahn Joo and Buttermilk Truck.
  • Mixologist demonstrations, panel discussions and book signings.
  • Concert by indie pop duo, She & Him, which is awesome if you like them. If you don’t, well, you can skip this.
  • All day (8 hours) versus ToBH’s five-hour event. LAT’s general admission $33/VIP $75 vs. ToBH’s $62.50.
  • You can buy VIP or general (or just for the concert). But I’d go with the VIP ticket which is $50 less than the regular price of $125. This way you get unlimited tastings as opposed to just 8, AND you have access to the VIP tasting area.

Tickets: $20-$75, not including fees (regular $40-$125). Sunday 12-8pm. Paramount Studios, 5555 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles (map).

So which is it going to be? ToBH or LATCFW? Speaking of which, you still have til 3pm today to get your entries in for a chance to win tickets to the LA Times’ event.

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August 23, 2010

Grey Goose Vodka Dinner at Checkers Downtown

Written by Caroline on Crack in Cocktails, Dining, Los Angeles, Nightlife
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Le Temps des Cerises cocktail by Guillaume Jubien

Le Temps des Cerises cocktail by Guillaume Jubien

You’ve heard of beer-paired dinners and even Kahlua-paired dinners but rarely the dinner with vodka, I bet. I guess it sounds like it would be too easy. I consider vodka the tofu of the spirits, it can mix with pretty much anything. But at the Grey Goose Vodka dinner at Checkers Downtown this Wednesday, the cocktails they’re pairing with the food sound, well, complex and savory. Consider their use of ingredients like cardamom bitters, lemongrass and crème de griotte. Hmmm and mmm.

And the five courses created by their Chef de Cuisine Dave Baker are just as exotic with flavors like chili oil, red curry risotto, ginger bbq glaze. Sounds like they had fun coming up with the dishes and drinks.

So a seat at this special dinner will cost you $80, and the price is not too shabby considering most downtown cocktails nowadays cost about $12. So it’s basically like you’re spending about $72 on cocktails and $8 on five courses!

Check out the menu:

  • Reception cocktail is Motown Cocktail with Grey Goose Le Citron, peach liqueur, passion fruit syrup and apple juice
  • Seared Japanese Hamachi with chili oil and mango sashimi paired with Yukuzu with Grey Goose Le Citron, Yuzu juice, orange curacao, agave syrup, mango puree
  • Tempura Caledonian Prawns with grilled tofu and green bean salad, lemongrass vinaigrette paired with India Summer with Grey Goose L’Orange, blood orange puree, egg white, cardamom bitters, curry syrup
  • Crisp Confit Jidori Chicken with red curry risotto paired with Cloud Nine with Grey Goose La Poire, sake, lychee fresh juice, lime juice, lemongrass
  • Braised Natural Beef Shortribs with Napa cabbage slaw, ginger bbq glaze paired with Green Eye with Grey Goose La Poire, St Germain Elderflower, pear nectar, lime and cucumber juice, mint, basil, oregano, agave syrup
  • Valhrona Chocolate Panna Cotta with toasted hazelnuts and a cherry-balsamic glaze paired with Le Temps des Cerises with Grey Goose, Morello Cherries, crème de griotte, Licor 43, lemon juice, Frangelico, Dry Sherry, chocolate bitters

I’m not a big vodka drinker but I’m feeling those Yukuzu and India Summer cocktails.

Grey Goose vodka brand ambassador and master mixologist Guillaume Jubien will be on hand to discuss the thinking behind each pairing during the dinner.

EVENT: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25 at 6:30pm

Checkers Downtown
535 S. Grand Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90071 (map)
Reservations: email tylerd at hiltoncheckers.com or call (213) 891-0526
Facebook: CheckersDowntown
Twitter: @checkersdt

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August 20, 2010

Launch of Bigfoot Lodge West’s New 80-Whiskey List

Written by Caroline on Crack in Cocktails, Los Angeles, Nightlife, Recipes
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Bigfoot Lodge West never tasted so good by Caroline on Crack

Bigfoot Lodge West never tasted so good.

This Saturday, Bigfoot Lodge West in Culver City/Palms is launching a brand-new cocktail menu and whiskey list. “But didn’t they just open? What’s with a new list already?” you may ask, and yes they opened just over a year ago. But this new whiskey list boasts to have “the biggest small batch bourbon selection and arguably the best whiskey selection on the Westside.” That’s big talk, right?

Turns out that the former spirits director of bourbon bar Thirsty Crow (1933 Group’s bar in Silver Lake) and “Bourbon Baron,” Brandon Ristaino, relocated to the West for the Lodge’s liquid makeover. He handpicked 80 whiskies, so now instead of just a couple of ryes to choose from for a Manhattan, there are 10 – Papy Van Winkle 13-Year, Rittenhouse 25-Year and Sazerac to name a few. Yesh! To show how serious they are about the brown spirit, they even brought over the ice ball-pressing machine like the one they’ve been using at Thirsty Crow to cool your whiskey without watering it down too much.

And now their Whiskey Lovers Night every Monday will be even more of a draw for whiskey lovers as well as whisky lovers. That’s $4 Buffalo Trace Bourbon, $5 rye specials and a rotating whisk(e)y flight list.

Thankfully, the Bourbon Baron also redid the cocktail menu. Sure, the Toasted Marshmallow cocktail is still there if you want it but now to match this more grown-up Bigfoot Lodge, there are about 19 cocktails ($10-$12), including five “for whiskey lovers” and some champagne cocktails. The Thirsty Crow’s house cocktail even makes an appearance. For a recipe of one of their signature cocktails, hit the jump.

I’m just happy that they have classics, too, like The Aviation, Side Car, Old Fashioned and Sazerac!

So when does this new-fangled menu launch? This Saturday at 9pm. Since this is going to be a big move day for me and my new place is within stumbling distance, you bet your sweet fanny that I’m going to be there. Hope to see you!

EVENT: SATURDAY, AUGUST 21 at 9pm

Bigfoot West
10939 Venice Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90034 (map)
(310) 287-2200
Twitter: @bigfootwest

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