“Went to a really cool wine & beer place 2nite. We should go,” was all my bf texted me. He’s more frugal with his praise of restaurants and bars than I am so when he said that I knew it must be something special. 4th Street Vine in Long Beach, yes the LBC, is actually only four months old and it already has gotten 4 1/2 stars (out of 5) on Yelp. The only complaint by reviewers being that it doesn’t have enough couches. Not too bad of a complaint considering how harsh some Yelpers can be.
But what really got me interested in this new wine bar is that you can get a tasting of four wines for only $10! For the “super tasting,” which is $2 more, you can get a tasting of a dessert wine. Awesome deal.
We went on a Saturday night and sure enough all the seats in the small seating area were taken. Boo. Even though this was a tasting I still like to enjoy my vino whilst seated. Beer, I’ll stand up for but cocktails and wine are best enjoyed sitting down since you’ve got to savor them.
Fortunately, the man behind the bar, Evan, was sooo nice and accommodating and brought out a couple of leather arm chairs from the back room, which I think is a storage room as it wasn’t prettied up.
The TravelZoo newsdesk just published this special from Qantas Airlines where you can book a flight to Australia — Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Auckland, New Zealand — for only $598 roundtrip! That’s 60% off its usual price. And with the U.S. dollar holding its strength against the Oz/NZ dollar, this is a considerably more economical vacation than a European one.
Just so you know, Qantas doesn’t charge extra for its food and wine and that’s for all travel classes. You also get your own personal comfort kit with warm socks and eye shades plus a toothbrush and toothpaste so that you arrive at your destination all refreshed.
This sale ends on March 20 and is valid for travel between March 15 and October 24, 2009.
Who knew that downtown spa event Pamper Me Fabulous last week could be so chock-full of valuable information. Well, at least for me it was. Before you dismiss this spa event as merely a place where women go to pamper themselves at the various local high-end salons here, know that you can take away so much more from it than a shiny, new you. OK, nothing deep but still interesting.
What I learned:
Plastic can be recycled only three times before it is no longer usable. That’s why Nettie Davis of NettieScrub uses tin containers for her products, plus it’s lighter to transport than glass.
There are two kinds of people: short hair and long hair. Short hair people are sassy and outgoing while long hair people are more reserved and sophisticated. “You’re definitely a long hair person,” Aimee, hairstylist of Crowned Studio, told me as she cut me some blunt bangs. Aaaaah! Don’t worry, I’ve come to terms with it. And I’m definitely not a sassy person. Oh and FYI, Crowned Studio teaches finishing school where you can learn what’s the right shampoo for you as well as how to style your hair without that handy-dandy hairstylist.
Chanel, although the brand responsible for many hot-selling It colors, actually doesn’t have many to choose from. The company only develops colors to go with its makeup lines. But OPI not only has a vast variety of colors but its nail polish only requires two coats. On a side note, my new fave is OPI’s Overexposed in South Beach, a shimmery purple color that complements my olive skin nicely.
In any case the event itself was sooo much better than last year’s not only for its bigger space at Vibiana, a gorgeous reconverted church, but the ample cabanas out back and the new marketplace area where girls could go shopping for purses, jewelry and beauty products between their beauty treatment. Found an awesome vintage rings vendor.
BTW, the swag bag that you get with the VIP ticket price is awesome. Definitely pays for the price of the ticket and then some. I got a 30-day supply of Glowelle, a dietary supplement beauty drink sold at Neiman Marcus, that usually sells for $112 as well as a bunch of great OPI nail polishes and product from Philosophy, Murad and Lierac to name a few.
Even though I came to the event alone and would have had a ton more fun with some girlfriends in tow, I still enjoyed myself. But looking around at the gaggles of bffs enjoying the tables of chocolate, cupcakes and pink Nuvo sparkling liqueur and laughing over their manicures, I did feel kind of jealous. I’ll definitely have to organize a girls’ day out at Pamper Me Fabulous 2010. Who’s in?
Yay! My new favorite bar, Copa d’Oro in Santa Monica, has kicked off its new happy hour featuring a “happy depression menu.” So now you can enjoy some of their fabulous market-fresh cocktails for only $5! And we’re not talking the sort of drinks you usually find at happy hours around the city. No apple martinis or mixed well cocktails, but actual vintage favorites.
Just some of the cocktails on the 12-drink happy hour menu:
Aviation: Gin, maraschino liqueur, fresh lemon juice
Dark & Stormy: Matusalem dark rum, fresh lime juice, homemade ginger beer
Gold Rush: Bourbon, homemade honey syrup, fresh lemon juice
Jack Rose: Applejack, fresh lime juice, homemade grenadine
Pisco Sour: Pisco, fresh lime juice, pasteurized egg white
You can also enjoy the yummy Bread Bar paninis (ham and cheese, turkey, tuna, PB&J, Nutella) at happy hour prices of $4-$6 instead of the usual $6-$9. If for some reason cocktails don’t do it for you, you crazy person, Dos Equis and Amstel Light are $4 while wine is $5.
Copa d’Oro
217 Broadway
Santa Monica, California 90401 (map)
(310) 576-3030
Hours: All day Mondays, Tuesdays-Saturdays 6-8pm
I heard all this hype about Silver Lake’s new bar Barbarella Bar. Whodidn’twriteaboutit? Well, besides me? So when I got an invite to “experience Silver Lake’s newest neighborhood hang,” I naturally rsvp’d. Plus the promise of free specialty martinis, 24 beers on tap and food helped a bit.
When I got there and walked into the low lit bar for the first time I couldn’t help but think that it seems out of place in Silver Lake. Hot women bartenders and servers sporting black bustiers (not that there aren’t hot women in SL), a flavored-vodka heavy menu, valet parking? Seems like it would have fit in better on Sunset Strip in WeHo.
Of course, though, there’s none of the velvet rope attitude and they do have a happy hour where you can get cocktails and appetizers for $6 as well as $4 draft beer and that’s for seven days a week from 4 to 7pm. And the locals seem to like the new bar lots.
When some of the best bartenders in Los Angeles tell you to check out a certain bar, it’s best that you listen. That’s why I had to stop byRivera, located near L.A. Live downtown, with some blogger friends in tow. Actually we were there for a hosted dinner to try the restaurant’s food but, to be honest, I was more interested in the cocktails.
Pablo Moix, bartender of West Hollywood’s STK, highly recommended the Blood Sugar Sex Magic ($12), a concoction of rye whiskey, red pepper, agave nectar and basil over a big block of Neve gourmet ice. And apparently I made Rivera’s master mixologist Julian Cox a happy man when I ordered it. He didn’t say why but who am I to question a happy bartender?
The drink was soo delicious, a spicy and yet refreshing cocktail. I sucked that baby down. And the other bloggers — LAOCFoodie (H.C.), RumDood (Matt) and Gourmet Pigs (Fiona) — seemed to like it better than the cocktails they ordered. But I also love the cocktail H.C. ordered, Donaji ($14), which is an unusual mix of mezcal, citrus, pomegranate, agave nectar and Chapulin salt. So aromatic with a lot of kick. I’ve never tasted anything like it and it won’t be the last time as this will be my drink of choice.
I don’t watch The Bachelor but this douchebaggery pervaded my entertainment news.
This weekend is going to be crazy fun with the Pamper Me Fabulous and Gold Standard events. But if, for some reason, you aren’t going to those maybe the following will tickle your fancy.
Thursday, March 5
Corkbar Opens Downtown
New wine bar, Corkbar, opens today. Choose from over 40 varieties of California wine while enjoying small plates, sandwiches or entrees. Beer drinkers will find pleasure in the Cali beer in bottles and on tap or with a flight of five samples.
Opens daily 11:30am. Corkbar, 403 W. 12th Street, Downtown (map).
Friday, March 6
Wine Tasting: Cowineco Comprehensive Stimulus Plan
Yes, another stimulus plan to get you out there and spending. But you’ll want to check this one out. For $15 you get to sample five wines while munching on gourmet cheeses provided by Auntie Em’s Marketplace. I’m really curious about the jug o’ wine on the list, Sherman & Hooker’s Shebang! Red, Sonoma, California. It’s an actual jug of red, a mix of Syrah, Petite Sirah and Zin!
Free Beer & Great Comedians – The 12 Shiny Nickels Show
I don’t know what got me first: the free beer or the 12 comedians in one hour. Yes, at the beginning of the night the theater supplies a free case of beer but if you miss out on that you are invited to BYOB whatever type of booze you want and even your own food. And no, you don’t have to share. Get liquored up and take in 60 minutes of hilarity, where each comedian will do the best five minutes of their material.
Doors open at 10:45pm. $10. The Garner Stages, 1501 N Gardner Street, West Hollywood (map).
Saturday, March 7
Much Love for Dogs & Wine
Dog owners, sample the finest selections from 20 wineries and local restaurants with other dog lovers while your puppy cavorts around with other dogs in The Lofty Dog’s 12,000-square-foot indoor dog park. A silent auction will feature luxury prizes and will raise much-needed funds for Much Love’s placement programs for homeless animals.
2-5pm. $49 advance, $60 at the door. The Lofty Dog, 525 S. Hewitt Street, Los Angeles (map).
BCBG, Splendid, & Ella Moss Sample Sale
An Ella Moss sale, of course I had to include it in this roundup. Over 2,000 purty dresses, cocktail dresses, tops, cashmere, handbags at 70% off. Sizes available range from 0 to 12. And if you pay with cash you get an additional 10% off! A reason to stop off at the ATM machine fer sure.
10am-5pm. Marriott Residence Inn, 1177 S Beverly Drive, Los Angeles (map).
But what really got me interested in this new wine bar is that you can get a tasting of four wines for only $10! For the “super tasting,” which is $2 more, you can get a tasting of a dessert wine. Awesome deal.
