Tag Archive: Arclight

2010 L.A. Drinker’s Holiday Gift Guide

Santa likes booze by Caroline on Crack

Santa likes booze.

Sometimes we drinkers want something else for the holiday other than another random bottle of booze from BevMo… OK, just kidding, that’s always a good present. But in the case that you’d like to get something more on the mark to open up for the festive season, I compiled this SoCal-centric list of 12 gift ideas (from $7-$500) for you to give to your loved ones to make sure you get something that you will truly love. Cheers!

Scoops' boozy ice cream by Caroline on Crack

Scoops' boozy ice cream

1. Scoops’ Boozy Ice Cream — $7/pint, $13/quart
A pint or quart of innovative Scoops flavor combos would make the perfect hostess gift. I know I’d love it. Take your pick of Gingerbread Snap-Jim Beam Bourbon, Almond Irish Cream or even an egg nog ice cream cake! The Westside Scoops (3400 Overland Avenue, map) just opened its doors for the first time last week so grab your spoon.

2. Punch: The Delights (and Dangers) of the Flowing Bowl by David Wondrich — $23.95 or $10.99 Kindle
Cocktail fans will love this brand-new book by Imbibe! author and Esquire drink historian David Wondrich. Not only does it feature the backstory of punch and its place in drink culture but a variety of punch recipes you can use for your upcoming holiday parties. Here’s the Charles Dickens’ punch recipe.

3. Silverlake Wine’s Para Silverlake — $15
OK, yes, this is a bottle of booze but “I Heart L.A.” t-shirt-wearing Angelenos will appreciate this wonderful, albeit inexpensive, blend of Cabernet and Merlot from Monterey which was specially blended for Silverlake Wine and even sports a label created by local Silver Lake Artist Phil Lumbang. A “smooth and versatile medium-bodied red with notes of blackberry, plum and a hint of tobacco” will be just the thing to break open at Christmas. By the way, you can get this giftboxed up at Silverlake Wine for $3.50.

4. Copa d’Oro’s “Around the World of Whisk(e)y” Flight — $35
Whiskey fans will squeal over this international tasting flight which features some of the best whiskey from all over the world: Japan, Suntory Single Malt Yamazaki; Scotland, Glenrothes ’87; Ireland, Tullamore Dew; Canada, Hirsch Canadian Rye; and USA, Eagle Rare 17 year. Just make sure you include a designated driver with this gift.

Copa d'Oro whiskey flight by Caroline on Crack

Copa d'Oro whiskey flight

5. Vendo Kado Green With Envy Clutch — $47.50
Such a cute and stylish gift basket. This one features Domaine de la Liquieres Mi Chemin Blanc de Pays France 2009, Lafco New York bath salts, Maura Peters Los Angeles travel candles for an instant night of pampering.

6. Gift Card for Arclight 21+ Screenings — $50
Cocktails and a new movie at one of the best movie theaters in Los Angeles is the perfect treat for any film buff with a penchant for drinking. Tickets are $12.50 a person and figure in $12 for cocktail. Best used for a comedy, not so much action movie with jumpcuts all over the place. Erp!

7. Plonk Holiday Wine Sampler Pack — $80
Plonk features great wine for incredible prices and this sampler pack is no exception as it includes six bottles of limited-production wine, regularly $130, for only $80! You get three Argentinian Malbecs and three Spanish Albariños. Email help [at] plonkwinemerchants.com or call 877-50-PLONK (75665) to get the address and hours for pick up.

8. Tour of San Diego Breweries — $85
Drink your way around San Diego’s best breweries like Alesmith, Ballast Point and Stone Brewing via a bus. Public tours cost $60 for Monday-Thursday and $85 for Friday-Sunday.

BarKeeper Mixology Gift Basket

BarKeeper Mixology Gift Basket

9. Bar Keeper: Classic Cocktail or Mixology Gift Basket — $85-$145
This is probably the best gift basket idea ever: Take your pick for the fixings of a classic cocktail like a Sazerac, Vesper or Last Word or for signature cocktails by some of L.A.’s best bartenders. Each basket contains a bottle of spirit, bottles of mixers, barware and glassware.

10. Eatz Holiday Cocktail Bash Class — $95
Sure, you may know how to make a cocktail or two for your parties but what about pairing said drinks with food? This special class will not only teach you how to make vodka cocktails but appetizers like potato crepes with creme fraiche and caviar, goat cheese tartlets, crab cakes and more.

11. 2011 Bruery Reserve Society Membership — $195
Oh my gawd, I so want this one. This membership gives you several tasty Bruery beers like 3 French Hens, Sour in the Rye and a mystery special release plus Trois Poules Francais and the 2011 Black Tuesday, upon their release. And if that’s not nearly enough beer, you get 15% off Tasting Room purchases as well as draft beer flights and beer at The Bruery Provisions store in Orange.

12. Y DRIVE LA – Red Hospitality Membership — $500 a month
The bad habit that Angelenos just don’t talk about: drinking and driving. That’s why any L.A. boozer would be so thankful for this extra thoughtful gift of a designated driver. This particular membership gets you three $38-$60 rides per week as well as priority for the first and best driver.

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Sex & the City 2 Cocktails & 21+ Screenings

Sure, we can blame Sex and the City for the popularity of syrupy, flavored vodka cocktails back in the ’90s and even its lingering presence in clubs and hotel bars now, but with the new movie, Sex and the City 2, coming out, how else can a bunch of best girlfriends toast to the adventures of their favorite foursome, now on the big screen? Yes, I may be a cocktail snob but I’m also a huuge SATC fan. And fortunately with the opening of the sequel there are many venues celebrating with a variety of libations from the standard Cosmo to beer flights to even martinis and Manhattans in honor of Mr. Big.

Lola’s, Los Angeles: This bar, aka “Home of the Apple Martini,” has a slew of Skyy Vodka cocktails ($12 each) inspired by the fab New Yorkers. With every SATC cocktail you get an entry form for a chance to win two tickets to the L.A. premiere of the movie as well as dinner for two at Lola’s. BTW, my fave of the cocktails, the Red Over Heels, was created by none other than my buddy, Natalie Bovis aka The Liquid Muse!

  • Glamour Gal (Carrie): Skyy Vodka, lemon juice, lime juice, simple syrup & crème de cassis
  • Blonde Ambition (Samantha): Skyy Vodka, pineapple juice, lime juice, triple sec & crème de cacao
  • Red over Heels (Miranda): Skyy Vodka, Canton ginger liquor, splash of honey, squeeze of lemon
  • Park Avenue Princess (Charlotte): Skyy Vodka, splash of organic grape juice, splash of lime soda, lemon juice
  • Mr. Manhattan (Mr. Big): Skyy Vodka, organic black cherry juice, splash of Wild Turkey, splash of coke

Napa Valley Grille, Westwood: From May 27-30, you can get a free Cosmo (reg. $12) — Skyy vodka, cranberry juice and triple sec — when you come in with your SATC 2 ticket stub. The movie will be playing at the Regency Village Theatre near this Westwood restaurant.

The London, West Hollywood: From now through June,  The Gordon Ramsay Bar’s “London After Five” happy hour (Monday-Friday, 5-7pm) is all about the movie with $5 appetizers like mini lobster burgers and spicy lamb kebabs and $5 Skyy SATC-themed cocktails, as well as the following:

  • The Fashionista: Veuve Clicquot, Pomegranate Juice. Pink Rose Petal Garnish
  • The Bombshell: Tangerine Juice, Maraschino Liqueur, Veuve Clicquot, Maraschino Cherry Garnish

Townhouse Kitchen & Bar, Sherman Oaks: Through the rest of the month of May, after seeing the movie at the Arclight Sherman Oaks, SATC fans can enjoy cocktails like the Carrie — Svedka Vodka, Parma Liquor, Pineapple Juice, and a splash of Pomegranate ($10) — and The Mr. Big, made with Chopin Vodka, olive juice and blue cheese stuffed olives at this nearby barestaurant. There’s even something for beer drinkers: The Fierce Foursome beer flight ($7.50), consisting of blondes, a red head and a brunette — four-ounce pours of Shocktop, Blue Moon, Fat Tire, and Lost Coast Downtown Brown.

21+ Screenings of Sex and the City movies

ArcLight Hollywood: Get food, cocktails and a movie all under the same roof thanks to the theater’s special SATC 2 party package for opening weekend. For $70 a person you get a movie ticket, two drink coupons for the same movie-inspired Skyy cocktails featured at Lola’s and unlimited apps like sliders, brie and apple crustini and mini cupcakes.

Gold Class Cinemas: Wow, what a drag. Most of the showtimes at this fancy-schmancy Pasadena theater during opening weekend are already sold out. But if you want to see the movie by yourself at 3pm on a Tuesday, you’re golden. Anyhoo I just wanted to call out their specialty SATC 2 cocktail menu which not only features cocktails made famous by the show — like the Cosmo, Flirtini and Tartini — but they feature a Manhattan.

Yamashiro, Hollywood: As part of its weekly movie nights, the restaurant will be doing a complimentary screening of the first Sex and the City movie in its Garden Theater on Wednesday the 26th to get you in the mood for the sequel. Cocktails and a full service menu will be available, but they’ll also have $5 mixed fruit cosmos for the occasion.

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This Weekend: Ditch Day Fridays, Sparkling Wine Tasting, Dessert Architect

I’ll be up north racing a Starship Lemon this weekend but look at all the fun events I’ll be missing out on. Boo. And yay for you.

Friday, May 7

The Dessert Architect’s Suite of Sweets at Porta Via in Beverly Hills
Treat your mama to one of the trio desserts created by renowned pastry chef Robert Wemischer who is…guest “pastry chef-ing” at Beverly Hills bistro, Porta Via, after a 25-year hiatus. Choose from pandan panna cotta, dark milk chocolate mousse with peanut croquantine and a tamarind sauce, and a rhubarb crumble in vanilla soup with strawberry ice cream (each dessert is $9).

  • May 7-13. Porta Via, 424 North Canon Drive, Beverly Hills (map). Reservations: (310) 274-6534.

Ditch Day Fridays at Hotel Shangri-La
To coincide with the launch of its redone rooftop bar/lounge, Suite 700, Hotel Shangri-La has kicked off a new happy hour on Fridays from 1 to 7pm. Get your weekend started early with the $5 cocktails and poolside music. Food items include something called Fancy Dogs as well as small plates like the deviled eggs with curry, chipotle or black truffle.

  • 1-7pm. Hotel Shangri-La, 1301 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica (map). (310) 394-2791.

Arclight Pasadena’s Grand Opening
Arclight’s newest grand cineplex opens up in Pasadena, giving those who want something not as fancy or as pricy as the Gold Class Cinemas, a pretty nice alternative. It’s not as big as the other two Arclights and only has a cafe bar and a separate bar/lounge area for the 21+ screenings, but there are plenty of restaurants and bars within stumbling distance, including Bodega Wine Bar and the Yard House. Break in the brand-new Arclight by check out Iron Man 2 here.

  • ArcLight Pasadena at Paseo Colorado, 336 E. Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena (map). (626) 568.8888.

Saturday, May 8

2010 Santa Monica Festival
Looks like it’s going to be a lovely weekend so why not bike over to Santa Monica’s festival of music, dance, shopping and food at Clover Park? There are lots of food to choose from, including Mama’s Hot Tamales, Lindes Kettle Corn and King Kone ice cream. And Sustainable Works will be on hand to show how to make a vegan pizza in a solar oven. Admission and parking are free as well as bike valet where you’ll get a raffle ticket to win a brand-new bike should you two-wheel it in.

  • 11am-6pm. Clover Park  2600 Ocean Park Boulevard, Santa Monica (map).

Sunday, May 9

Sparkling Wines and Valerie Confections at Silverlake Wine
I wish my mom could eat chocolates and drink booze because this would have been an awesome way to spend Mother’s Day. This Silverlake Wine Sunday tasting will feature five sparking lines paired with Valerie Confections chocolates! So luxurious. Spotlighted vino include: Barcino Cava 2007 / Spain, Alice Prosecco 2008 / Italy, Gruet Blanc de Noir NV / New Mexico and Fourny et Fils Champagne NV / France.

  • 3pm. $20 a person. 2395 Glendale Boulevard, Los Angeles (map). Reservations: (323) 662-9024.
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