Saturday, January 28

Devil’s Drive-In: Sixteen Candles
Jake Ryan! This was the movie that the teenage me wished happen in real life: Where your high school crush actually likes you back. Le sigh. Since this drive-in is happily BYOB, relive your teen years by toting wine coolers, heh. Or bring the good stuff and make a drinking game out of it. Take a shot every time someone says “Jake,” or pass the bottle every time Anthony Michael Hall’s voice cracks.

• 6pm doors open. $12 at gate. 240 W. 4th Street, 2nd Floor, Downtown (map).

Eagle Rock Brewery’s 2nd Anniversary at Verdugo Bar
Celebrate local Eagle Rock Brewery’s 2nd anniversary with select ERB beers on draft in the outdoor beer garden. Food trucks Grill Em’ All and Mandoline Grill will be on hand for nosh with your brew. And the $12 admission gets you a commemorative taster glass to take home, while supplies last.

• 12-4pm. $12. 3408 Verdugo Road, Los Angeles (map). (323) 257-3408.

Monday, January 30

Duggan McDonnell & Encanto Pisco at Harvard & Stone R&D
Duggan of Cantina in SF is going to be behind the stick at Harvard & Stone’s R&D bar creating Encanto cocktails as well as giving samples of the newly released Distiller’s Reserve Quebranta.

• 9pm. Harvard & Stone, 5221 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood (map). (323) 466-6061

Alie & Georgia Guest Bartend at The Eveleigh
Adorable duo Alie & Georgia of Cooking Channel will be making their fun and crazy concoctions at The Eveleigh as part of the bar’s weekly guest bartending series. These girls are always good for a laugh and unusual cocktail. Love ‘em! By the way, next week’s featured bartender will be Alex Straus of Hemingway’s Lounge followed by the omnipresent Julian Cox on February 13. For industry folks, most drinks and bites are $3.

• 7pm. The Eveleigh, 8752 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood (map). (424) 239-1630.

Tuesday, January 31

Ammo West Hollywood Cocktail Program Re-Launch Party
Ammo’s cocktail program has been redone all farm-to-glass thanks to Jason Robey, same guy who did that with Michael’s in Santa Monica. Guests can enjoy free food and drinks until they run out. Afterward, partake of the happy hour specials like endless Bloody Marys and $6 Powers + PBR.

• 6pm. Ammo Restaurant, 1155 N Highland Avenue, Hollywood (map). (323) 467-3293.

I LOVE Halloween. Candy, scary movies, costumes — now that’s a good time right there.

Thursday, October 27

Werewolves of London Halloween Hotel Package
Partying in WeHo for Halloween? Grab a suite at the London. The hotel is doing a special Halloween package for the holiday now through November 1. Room rates start at $365 and you get two cocktails from the Halloween Witches Brew menu, an overnight parking spot, breakfast at Boxwood Cafe Breakfast Table and, since you’ll probably be out getting into shenanigans the night before, a late 2pm checkout.

• Through November 1.  Starting at $365. London, 1020 North San Vicente Boulevard, West Hollywood (map). Reservations: (866) 282-4560

Friday, October 28

HallowedVine: Candy and Wine Pairing at Vintage
Enjoy Halloween candy like a grown-up: with a wine pairing! Vintage Enoteca has paired Halloween faves like candy corn and smarties with Viognier and Muscat Blanc. Hmm, what does the sugar blues paired with intoxication feel like I wonder? Other pairings include Raisinets & M&Ms with Merlot, Snickers & Junior Mints with Grenache Noir.

• Friday-Monday. $25. Vintage Enoteca, 7554 W. Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles (map). (323) 512-5278.

La Descarga’s Narnia Halloween 2011
A rum bar turned Narnia wonderland for Halloween. La Descarga will be transformed into that storybook land with burlesque dancers and the house band putting scenes from the story to musical life. There will be guest DJs and live music by Saint Motel. Best part is that there will be a super premium open bar with Halloween cocktails and punch bowls. Only thing is that there is a 125-person max and naturally costumes are required.

• Friday and Saturday. $100. La Descarga, 1159 N Western Avenue, Los Angeles (map). Reservations: narniahalloween[at]gmail.com.

Glow Ultra Lounge’s Halloween Costume Ball
I admit it, the one thing that caught my eye today about this party at the marina is the dessert candy bar. For $20-$30 you get hors d’oeuvres and a costume contest with a $300 grand prize. Drinks aren’t included but they have “cheap drink specials.”

• 8pm-2am. $20 advanced, $30 door. Glow Ultra Lounge, 4100 Admiralty Way, Marina Del Rey (map).

Villains Tavern’s and The One Eyed Gypsy’s Dark Carnival II
This sounds like it’s going to be an epic party: 12 live bands on the outdoor stage , a food court, eight punchbowl spirits with Milagro Tequila and Sailor Jerry’s Rum, and two outdoor bars. If that’s not enough fun for you, there will also be Foosball and Giant Jenga, Tarot card and palm readings, photobooth AND snacks like the infamous bacon caramel popcorn as well as cotton candy. Pfew! A free Haunted Shuttle will transport party-goers from the two venues which are just a mile apart. A portion of the proceeds will go to Sunset Free Clinic.

• Friday 7pm-1am and Saturday 12pm-1am. Free admission. Villains Tavern, 1356 Palmetto Street, Downtown (map).

Saturday, October 29

Pumpkin-palooza at Blue Palms Brewhouse
Pumpkin ale gets a bum rap from beer snobs but leave it to Blue Palms Brewhouse to pick some tasty ones for its pumpkin beer event, like 2010 Beer Valley Jackalope Imperial Pumpkin Porter Ale, Dogfish Head Punkin and Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin, in addition to fall treats like The Bruery’s Barrel-Aged Autumn Maple and Midnight Sun Treat. The event will also have pumpkin-focused food like pumpkin quesadillas and smoked pumpkin seeds!

• 2pm. Blue Palms Brewhouse, 6124 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood (map). (323) 464-2337.

Halloween Horror and Hooch at Neat
If you don’t win my giveaway for the exclusive Halloween party at Neat on Sunday, get in on Saturday for the public blowout. $10 at the door gets you a Dirty and Dangerous cocktail or Wychwood Brewery beer. There will be a DJ to keep you boo-gying as well as a costume contest for what I’m told will be some “kickass prizes.”

• 9pm. $10. Neat, 1114 N. Pacific Avenue, Glendale (map).

Sunday, October 30

Tim Burton Exhibit’s Open for 38 Hours Straight at LACMA
The Tim Burton Exhibit at LACMA draws to a close but in celebration of what has to be the director’s favorite holiday, the museum will run the exhibit for 38 hours straight! If you haven’t visited it yet, Halloween AM would be the perfect time as tickets are half-price from 12am to 9am.

• 10am Sunday to 12am Tuesday. LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles (map).

Nightmare on Elm Street and Eagle Rock Brewery at Barnsdall
Man, I love scary movie nights, especially scary movie nights with great brews to drink. Barnsdall is doing a special showing of Nightmare on Elm Street (filmed at our local Marshall High) and Eagle Rock Brewery will be providing the beer while City Sip pours the wine. And munch on fare from food trucks Heirloom LA and Border Grill truck.

• Doors open at 5pm. $25. Barnsdall, 4800 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles (map).

Monday, October 31

Halloween Makeup Makeover at Ciel Spa
Is doing your own makeup the hardest part of your costume? Have the pros do it at Ciel Spa in the SLS Hotel. The spa has partnered up with Makeup Mandy, “eyelash bar to the stars” and will be offering lashes for $30, hair extensions like feathers and bling for $12 and full face makeup starting at $180.

• Now through Monday. Ciel Spa at SLS Hotel, 465 South La Cienega Boulevard, Los Angeles (map). Appointments: (310) 246-5560 or on the site.

Thursday, September 8

Fashion’s Night Out with the Lomography Gallery Store LA at Space 15 Twenty
Late night shopping, gift bags, drinks and deals from Urban Outfitters and Free People. What more can a fashionista celebrating LA’s Fashion Night Out ask for? How about a free workshop where you can also pick up some lomo techniques 6:30-7pm.  They’ll also be screening the documentary The September Issue featuring Vogue’s Anna Wintour, starting at 7pm.

• 6-10pm. Space 15 Twenty, 1520 North Cahuenga Boulevard, Hollywood (map).

Friday, September 9

Ella Moss/Splendid Warehouse Sale
Score 50%-70% off fashions from Splendid and Ella Moss, including the kids’ lines. Take your pick of fab tops, dresses, and bottoms. Everything is restocked daily. Cash and credit card only.

• Friday-Saturday, 9am-4pm. Cooper Building, 860 S. Los Angeles Street, 11th Floor, Los Angeles (map).

Saturday, September 10

Sweet Rose Creamery Hits Hollywood’s Grauman Chinese Theatre
Eastsiders who can’t seem to make it all the way to Santa Monica to try out this delicious ice cream can just swing by the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood where the ice cream store will be selling its frozen wares from a cart starting this weekend and on September 16, 24 and 27. Just in time for the heat wave!

• 11am-5pm. Grauman Chinese Theatre, 6925 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood (map).

SoCal Paranormal Convention’s Carnivale of the Dead Costume Ball & Sideshow Cocktail Hour
Cap off this supernatural convention with a phantasmagorical evening all dressed up in ghoulish gear. (I so can’t wait for Halloween!) Festive paranormal activities include fortune telling, circus acts, fantasy sideshows and more. Or mingle with likeminded morbid souls at a cocktail hour where you’ll be transformed into a zombie via a zombie makeover (not the other way) and a circus performance over drinks and apps.

• Cocktail hour, 6pm; ball, 7pm. $15-$25. Millenium Biltmore, 506 S Grand Avenue, Downtown (map). (213) 612-1565.

Tuesday, September 13

Gin-ology 101 at Public School 612
It surprises me that not many people like gin. To them I say, “You’re missing out!” If you’re curious about the spirit, though, you might want to check out this special gin tasting/class by guest mixologist Russ Sabin. You’ll learn about its history and how to mix it (gin and grapefruit, mmm!). There will also be nibbles to coat your stomach.

• 7:30pm. $35. Public School 612, 612 Flower Street, Downtown LA (map).

It’s almost the end of summer. No need to worry about your bikini bod anymore. Good thing, too, considering all the drinking going on this weekend!

Friday, August 12

Mac & Cheese and Beer Pairing at Four Points LAX
Mm, the best way to get those carbs! For $30 you get three types of mac & cheese — sundried tomato & asiago, pesto with parmesan, and farmhouse cheddar and smoked gouda — paired with craft brews like Affligem Blonde and Shipyard Bluefin Stout. Finish things off with a demi-tasse cocktail of Old Rasputin and ruby port. Zowie. Follow their Twitter to get the code word for a discount.

• 6:30-9:30pm. $30. Four Points LAX, 9750 Airport Boulevard, Los Angeles (map). (310) 645-4600.

Fright Night in the Heights
Enjoy a sneak peek screaming, I mean screening har, har, of the Dreamworks’ remake for ’80s horror movie, Fright Night, in the shadow of the creepy, old Linda Vista Hospital, the center of many paranormal investigations. There will also be a Fright Night food truck, whatever that means, as well as giveaways and a Best Dressed Vampire contest. Bring your own lawn chairs and ice chests. Even though this new movie, which actually debuts August 19, stars Colin Farrell, looks like it could be a fun one.

• 8pm. $5. Linda Vista Hospital, 610 S St. Louis Street, Los Angeles (map).

Saturday, August 13

Blue Palms 3rd Anniversary Party
Amazingly tickets for this beer blowout are still available. And if you haven’t gotten your tickets yet, what’s wrong with you? Did you SEE this tap list? Now go on and git!

• 12-8pm. $45. Blue Palms Brew House, 6124 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood (map).

Hudson Block Party
It just doesn’t feel like summer without a kickass 10-hour block party. Hit up this one in WeHo and gorge yourself on food from Baby Blues BBQ and The Hudson as well as drinks from two full bars. There will also be live bands and DJs to get you dancing in the streets. Proceeds will go to the new WeHo library.

• 1-11pm. $7 before 4pm, $10 after. The Hudson, 1114 N Crescent Heights, West Hollywood (map).

2nd Annual LA Craft Beer Crawl
89 craft beers, 30 brewers, 7 bars and 2 Beer Chicks. If you like beer, you’ll most likely be here. For nosh, there will be a bunch of food trucks hand-picked by Evan Kleiman of KCRW’s Good Food participating in the event. Portions of the proceeds will go to Heal the Bay. Don’t forget to also check out the Beer Chicks’ brand-new 8th Street Bottle Shop which officially opens the day of the crawl in the Golden Gopher.

• 3-8pm. $49 general admission. Broadway Bar, 830 S Broadway, Downtown (map).

Sunday, August 14

Tequila with Dan Dunn at Lexington Social House
If you count yourself a boozer, doing tequila shots with Dan “The Imbiber” Dunn should be on your drinking bucket list, right up there with talking cocktail history over punch with David Wondrich and drinking a Bloody Mary in Harry’s New York Bar in Paris. This Sunday, Dan will be take you on a wild ride through 10 tequilas like Casa Noble Crystal, Tequila Ocho Reposado, and Chinaco Negro Extra Anejo to name a few. There will also be “tequila-inspired” appetizers to fortify your stomach.

• 3pm. $69. Lexington Social House, 1718 Vine Street, Los Angeles (map). (323) 461-1700.

Silverlake Wine Tasting at Downtown’s New Soul Food Restaurant Chimu
Chimu, a new soul food Peruvian restaurant by Chef Mario Alberto, formerly of Lazy Ox Canteen, opens up next door to Downtown’s Grand Central Market and Silverlake Wine will break it in with a wine tasting featuring five organic and highly rated wines from three countries, for only $20. Enjoy the likes of Domaine Ferrer Ribiere “F Rose” Cotes Catalanes 2010 and Tenuta delle Terre Nere “Etna Bianco” 2010.

• 3pm. $20. Chimu, 324 S Hill Street, Downtown (map). Reservations: (323) 662-9024.

Just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you guys for reading my blog. I couldn’t do this for six years without your support! Enjoy your weekend!

Thursday, August 4

One Night Only: Desserts and Drinks Pairings at Dominick’s
My two favorite things in the world come together on one menu for one night only: desserts and cocktails! Dominick’s mixologist Nikki Sunseri and pastry chef Ann Kirk joined foodie forces pairing sweets with crafted cocktails like a sweet risotto of fresh peaches, raspberries and ginger sauce with an El Matador cocktail of El Jimador Blanco, Crème Yvette, pressed ginger and lemon and orange bitters. But the Valrhona chocolate panna cotta with the Bols Genever Satan’s Whiskers cocktail sounds devilishly delicious! Each of the three pairings range from $12-$15.

• 6pm-close. Dominick’s, 8715 Beverly Boulevard, West Hollywood (map). (310) 652-2335.

Friday, August 5

Big Bar’s Breakfast of Champions with Plymouth Gin Cocktails
Kick off the weekend with a boozy breakfast: three courses, each accompanied with a Plymouth Gin cocktail. Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about! First course is fruit and pastries; second is your choice of dishes like a smoked salmon stack, chorizo scramble or brioche French toast; and third is dessert crepes. Breakfast will be served in Big Bar’s event cottage in the back so rsvp asap as space is limited!

• 10:30am-12:30pm. $35. Big Bar, 1927 Hillhurst Avenue, Los Feliz (map). (323) 644-0100. RSVP: events [at] alcovecafe.com.

Saturday, August 6

3rd Annual Korean BBQ Cook-Off
It ain’t summer without BBQ and you won’t want to miss this event which features ‘cue from the best Korean BBQ restaurants in LA. Marvel at the eating skills demonstrated during the Orion Choco Pie eating contest, enjoy craft beer from Beer Belly and Korean Wines and take in the judging for the Top Grill Master Cook-Off. Remember this is a cash-only event so bring lots of it. Entry is free but plates are $5-$15 and beer is $5 a cup.

• 12-6pm. Free entry, plates $5-$15. South Hobart Street between 7th and Wilshire, Koreatown (map).

Cemetery Screening: Breakfast At Tiffany’s
It’s the 50th anniversary of this iconic movie. And even if you disagree with the casting of Audrey Hepburn as call girl Holly Golightly you must admit she’s absolutely charming on the screen. In any case, grab a carafe of your favorite cocktail to serve up on a picnic blanket. This would make an awesome girls’ night out activity.

• 7pm. Tickets: $10. Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 6000  Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood (map).

Sunday, August 7

Night + Market’s Northern Thai BBQ and Wandering Wine Bar
This buzzy WeHo restaurant recently acquired three sausage grills from Thailand and will be cooking up some regional specials like the Sai Uah (Chieng Rai herb sausage) and Sai Krok Isan (Northeastern fermented pork sausage), which are hand-stuffed, for this special BBQ event. Gorge yourself on delicacies like pork satay skewers in condensed milk, salted beef and catfish tamale. For $29 you get a sausage plate plus three items of your choice. Traveling wine bar Ubriaca LA will sate your thirst with wine to complement the BBQ; glasses will be around $12 each. No reservations required.

• 5pm. Night + Market, 9043 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood (map).