Monthly Archives: March 2009

March 31, 2009

Gran Centenario Rosangel Cocktail Event: Female Mixologists, Cocktail Competition, Free Booze

Written by Caroline on Crack in Cocktails, Los Angeles, Nightlife
14 Comments

by Caroline on Crack

Last year Bar Code on Metromix complained how there didn’t seem to be any good women mixologists in L.A. There were plenty of women bartenders, sure, but not those who actually created drinks on the menu. In the dude’s defense (I’m assuming he’s a dude), I can see why he’d think that. Plenty of times I’ve happened in on a bar and only found a boobilicious bartender who seemed to know more about posing than mixing.

But if he just asked around, even star bartenders like Marcos Tello of the Edison and Vincenzo Marianella of Copa d’Oro would have pointed him toward Natalie Bovis-Nelsen (Liquid Muse, cocktail caterer and author) and Christine D’Abrosca at Silver Lake’s Malo just for starters.

In any case, at the Gran Centenario Rosangel Cocktail Event tomorrow night at Malo, the best female mixologists in the city will finally get their deserved place in the spotlight as they create cocktails out of the new award-winning hibiscus-infused tequila.

Featured female mixologists of the night are:

  • Kim Haasarud: Founder of Los Angeles-based beverage consulting company Liquid Architecture.
  • Kylee Van Dillen: Up-and-comer mixologist works at Westside Tavern.
  • Tina Brandelli: Former mixologist at Alembic in San Francisco, but now back in L.A.
  • Marleigh Riggins: Author/publisher of Sloshed! and contributor to Mixoloseum.
  • Natalie Bovis-Nelsen: The Liquid Muse herself.

There will also be a cocktail competition where official judges (which include Marcos Tello in drag!) award the prize of $250 and a Gran Centenario Los Angeles Cocktail Book to the winner. But the crowd will also get to choose the Peoples’ Choice winner who will get $150.

Competitors include the likes of Jason Bran, head bartender of XIV, Matty Eggleston of Hungry Cat and The Varnish and sweet Silamith Weir, cocktail enthusiast and Martin Millers Gin LA market manager.

The cocktails are free upstairs in the newly renovated section of Malo where the event will take place so get there early  early. My hookup Christine D’Abrosca of Malo says I can put my readers on the guest list so just leave a comment here as your rsvp and I’ll get you in.

If there isn’t room upstairs (which holds 150), attendees can always purchase the fab food and specialty cocktails downstairs in the main restaurant.

See you there!

UPDATE: RSVP list is closed and now it’s just first come first serve.

EVENT: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1 from 7 to 11pm

Malo Restaurant
4326 W. Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90029 (map)

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March 31, 2009

I Love LA Cheese: Clementine’s National Grilled Cheese Month 2009 Menu

Written by Caroline on Crack in Dining, Los Angeles
2 Comments

http://www.clementineonline.com/greetings_clementine_postcard.pdf

From Clementine

You know what tomorrow is, don’t you? Yup! The first day of National Grilled Cheese Month 2009! Huzzah! And as always Clementine in Century City knows how to celebrate. This year they’re not doing the very fun Melt the Vote campaign they did for election year ’08 but rather a simple menu of a different grilled cheese sandwich menu every week. And this year’s menu theme is Los Angeles when they will celebrate the city’s ethnic foods as well as offer some contributions from five of L.A.’s top chefs. BTW, Clementine can also prepare meatless versions of the sandwiches and on matzah for Passover if you’d like.

Highlights from the menu:

April 1-4:

  • Oliver’s Grilled Cheese ($9.75) — pepperjack, soppressata and Calabrian peppers on white rye — courtesy of Nancy Silverton of Mozza/La Brea Bakery

April 6-11

  • Chicharron de Queso ($9.25) — crispy fried cheese with black beans, avocado, pickled jalapenos, mayo and pico de gallo — by Jimmy Shaw, Loteria Grill chef/owner
  • Little Armenia ($9.50) – soujouk, melty cheese, herbs and grilled tomato on Armenian bread

April 13-16

  • Provolone and Hot Italian Sausage ($10.50) — with garlicky rapini on ciabatta — by Evan Kleinman, host of KCRW’s Good Food and Angeli Café chef/owner
  • Quesadilla with Havarti ($9.75) — roasted poblanos and ripe mango, served with salsa and black bean salad

April 20-25

  • Chili Dog Grilled Cheese ($9.50) – a salute to Pink’s — meaty chili and hot dog melted together with cheddar cheese
  • Camembert ($10.25) — with mustard greens and mushrooms on country bread — by Amelia Saltsman, author of The Santa Monica Farmers’ Market Cookbook

April 27-30

  • Cobb Sandwich ($9.75) — with havarti, blue cheese, chicken, bacon, avocado, roasted tomato mayo on semolina bread
  • Queso Mahon and Chorizo ($9.75) — with quince paste and romesco — by Suzanne Goin, chef/owner of Lucques, AOC and Tavern

If you want even more cheese, sign up for the grilled cheese and beer tasting at Andrew’s Cheese Shop in Santa Monica and/or keep an eye out for the 1st 7th Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational on April 25 (details TK April 2).

Clementine
1751 Ensley Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90024 (map)
(310) 552-1080

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March 30, 2009

Trader Joe’s Must-Get Item: Perk Up Your Trek Mix

Written by Caroline on Crack in Los Angeles
3 Comments

Trader Joe's Perk Up Your Trek Mix

“Don’t be a drip.”

I saw Trader Joe’s new Perk Up Your Trek mix ($3.99) on one of those display stands at the end of the aisle of my local TJ’s and was instantly taken in by the big orange coffee cup on it. What makes this particular trail mix stand out from all others, besides that coffee cup picture, is that it contains chocolate-covered espresso beans!

A genius addition to a trail mix in that who wouldn’t welcome an extra boost of energy when hiking? The mix is also made up of lots of almonds and pecans. Too many, in fact. And I wish the almonds were a bit more salted. There are also dried cranberries and golden raisins to add a touch of sweetness. The cranberries mix nicely with the espresso beans which totally stand out with that thick dark chocolate shell.

Part of me is tempted to just separate the beans out for later so that I can enjoy them on their own. Reminds me when I was a kid and would separate the chocolate chips from my mint chocolate chip ice cream and spoon all the chocolate into my mouth after I was done with the ice cream. Mmmm!

Anyway, I would have loved less pecans and more beans!

Nutrition facts.

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March 27, 2009

Westside Tavern: Where Everyone Will Know My Name

Written by Caroline on Crack in Cocktails, Dining, Los Angeles, Nightlife, Sweets
9 Comments


Yes, West L.A.’s Westside Tavern is FINALLY open. Last year Chef Warren Schwartz’s California comfort food restaurant was supposed to open in June, then October, and then in time for the holidays. Oy! But after several menu changes and staff hirings, it’s finally here and much to the excitement of the crowd of diners and drinkers there last night.

The restaurant, located on the first floor of Westside Pavilion (the theaters and Barnes & Noble side), opened at 5pm yesterday and was in full force bustling mode by the time I got there around 7pm. All the seats at the beautiful 50-foot-long walnut bar were taken but I found my friend Kylee, who’s a bartender here but used to work at Katsuya Brentwood.

Immediately she found me a seat and presented the menu to me. But I already knew what I wanted since I was able to get my greedy little hands on the pre-Prohibition Era-esque cocktail menu created by mixologist Ryan Magarian earlier in the week. The Anejo Manhattan (all cocktails are $9) called my name, if not for its tequila take on my fave cocktail then for its garnish of a salami-wrapped cherry. The drink itself is comprised of El Tesoro Anejo Tequila, Sweet Vermouth, Licor 43 and Angostura & Regan’s No. 6 orange bitters.

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March 26, 2009

This Weekend: Anejo Manhattans, Free Vodka, Hangover Brunch

Written by Caroline on Crack in Beauty & Fashion, Cocktails, Dining, Lists, Los Angeles, Music, Nightlife, Shopping & Sales
1 Comment


A trailer for Spike Jonze’s Where the Wild Things Are. Looks good!

Lots going on this weekend, most involve drinking. Yay!

Thursday, March 26

Westside Tavern Opens
Finally! This place is open! Remember talk of it opening in time for the holidays last year? Anyhoo, I’ll let that go. I’m just looking forward to the $9 Sazeracs, Sidecars and what’s this? An Anejo Manhattan with a salami-wrapped cherry? There’s also California comfort food for nosh like a burrata mozzarella BLT and baked artichoke and Fontina dip. Craft beer fans will also dig their selection ($5 per pint).

  • Opens today at 5pm. 10850 W. Pico Boulevard, West L.A. (map). (310) 470-1539.

Free Vodka at Puma and FoundTrack’s Thursdays at the R-Bar
DJs, art and a complimentary cocktail hour at your favorite K-Town bar and all for free! Thanks to the fine, fabulous folks at Puma and FoundTrack. However, you do need a password to get in. The German founder of Puma is the key, Rudi Dassler. Free Siku Vodka from 9 to 10pm.

  • 9pm. Free. R-Bar, 3331 W. 8th Street, Koreatown (map). (213) 387-7227.

Friday, March 27

Cocktails in Historic Places: The Kress
Party it up at one of the hottest clubs in L.A. the way it was meant to be done: in Art Deco glitz. The Art Deco Society is celebrating The Kress, which was built in 1934 as a department store but showcases a marble stairway, an ornate Italianate ceiling and a gorgeous Art Deco façade. It’s no host cocktails so no reservations required. Just show up in your Art Deco style before the nightclubbers do. There will also be a tour if you show up on time.

  • 6-8pm. The Kress, Mezzanine level, 6608 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood (map).

Saturday, March 28

New Red Eye Brunch Kicks Off at Rush Street
After that night of drinking you don’t want a stack of fluffy pancakes, you want something hearty for your hangover, right? Rush Street hears you and is kicking off its special weekend brunch for ye of mighty headache. A Beenadick sandwich (hot coppa, fried egg, arugala, roasted tomato, red onion & sambal hollandaise) will cure what ails you and if that doesn’t do it, the Red Eye Cure All (Stella Artois, tomato juice and tabasco) and Bloody Mary Bar certainly will. The best part is that all menu items are under 10 bucks!

  • Saturdays and Sundays. Rush Street, 9546 Washington Boulevard, Culver City (map). (310) 837-9546.

Sunday, March 29

Sassy City Chicks Fashion Bash
Want some shopping fun without the guilt? Check out the Sassy City Chicks Fashion Bash in MDR where you can score 80% off designer goods by Ella Moss, Marc Jacobs and Diane Von Furstenberg to name but a few. VIP tickets are sold 2-for-1 for $20 or you can buy a VIP ticket on Goldstar for $9.50 (including the service fee) and get early entry, a gift bag ($30 value) and spa services.

  • General Admission ($3 cash at door) entry 11:30am, VIP (2-for-1 $20 or $9.50 on Goldstar) entry 10am. Marina Del Rey Marriott, 4100 Admiralty Way, Marina Del Rey (map).

Free Live Music at Pitcher Perfect Sundays at the Viper Room
Another FREE event! This one with live bands! Plus cheap pitchers of beer to keep you well hydrated, er, inebriated, during all that rocking out. This week’s event will feature the musical stylings of The Wingmen, Love and a .38, Her Skeleton, Culture Killers, Against All Will.

  • 8:30pm. Free. The Viper Room, 8852 W. Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood (map). (310)358-1880.

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March 25, 2009

Vegas Trip, Part I: Augustus Tower and Rao’s in Caesars Palace

Written by Caroline on Crack in Cocktails, Dining, Nightlife, Other, Quick Getaways, Sweets
Say what?


I swore off Vegas ever since that extremely annoying bachelorette party I was forced to take part in three years ago. “Vegas is for smokers, gamblers, people who can’t hold their liquor, loose men/women and senior citizens anyway,” I said. What sort of fun could I possibly have in Sin City when I don’t fall into any of the above categories? Well, OK, maybe one.

But then I got invited to be part of a hosted media trip to Caesars Palace. “Too bad I don’t like Vegas,” I Twittered. However friends then proceeded to badger me and call me names and since I cave under peer pressure I cashed in some vacay hours, borrowed a car from work, enlisted Sarah of The Delicious Life/TasteSpotting as my road trip companion and off we went.

And…it was THE best Vegas trip ever. Not only in the history of my life but probably the history of the world. Yeah, it was pretty awesome.

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March 25, 2009

Craft Beer Fest LA: Beer Lover’s Paradise for $30

Written by Caroline on Crack in Dining, Los Angeles, Nightlife
2 Comments

The Los Angeles Craft and Artisanal Beer Appreciation League (created by local beer aficionados Ben Ling of Pure Luck, Alex Macy of Bottle Rock in Downtown, Bob Kunz of Father’s Office, Hot Knives and Kevin Kansy of Artisanal Ales) will be throwing its very first Craft Beer Fest L.A. on May 9 at the Echoplex.

For the $30 price of admission you can partake of 26 hand-crafted beers from a dozen of the best California brewers like Craftsman, Lost Abbey and Telegraph all day. And not only that but that 30 bucks covers everything during the 7-hour beer fest — the burritos from the Burrito Project, vegan food from Pure Luck, beer and cheese pairings, live music and brewery roundtables with renowned brewers.

Wayy more than your money’s worth and it all goes to benefit 826LA, a non-profit tutoring center. But I think the huuugest selling point for me has to be the ale cupcakes and the stout gelato from Scoops. Yummy!

They say that tickets will be available online but I haven’t found out just where yet. Pat at Eating LA, who first posted about the event, said that they will probably announce how to get tix soon so keep an eye out on the Echoplex site or LA CABAL. If anything they will also sell them at the event. I can’t wait I can’t wait I can’t wait!

UPDATE: Tickets can now be purchased on Ticketweb here.

EVENT: SATURDAY, MAY 9 from 2 to 9pm

The Echoplex
1154 Glendale Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90026 (map)

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