OK, soFirst & Hope Supper Club didn’t open last night as planned and will instead open up toward the end of this month. That’s OK, though, because Aidan Demarest and Marcos Tello of Tello/Demarest Liquid Assets cocktail consultation want to kick things off with a bang. And their new bar night, Red Rover, Red Rover on March 29 brings over guest mixologists from all over the country “create hand-crafted cocktails for your drinking pleasure.” Yup, just like like the Edison’s Radio Room bar night.
For this event, guests will enjoy libations from the likes of Erick Castro of San Francisco’s Rickhouse, Misty Kalkofen of Boston’s Drink, John Lermayer of Miami’s Delano Hotel and Juan Sevilla of LA’s exclusive Soho House.
There will be complimentary appetizers, a cash bar, and above all, red, hot jazz.
And cocktail author/mixologist, Tony Abou-Ganim, will be at the bar signing copies of his new book, The Modern Mixologist.
Best part is that there’s no cover!
EVENT: MONDAY, MARCH 29 at 7pm
First & Hope Supper Club
710 W. 1st Street
Los Angeles, California 90012 (map)
(213) 617-8555
Bored and alone, I found myself having dinner at the bar in the Tavern in Brentwood. No biggie if I were able to drink cocktails but since I’m liquor free for Lent-ish this made keeping my own company a boring prospect.
Fortunately the Tavern has a nice cocktail menu comprised of fresh juices. Unfortunately, they don’t have ginger beer. I’d have to get creative.
Looking over their drink menu I tried to figure out which cocktail could easily be a born-again virgin.
The Taverine made with vodka, Grand Marnier, grapefruit juice and tangerine vanilla syrup seemed like a good candidate. I could just sub orange juice for the booze, right?
The resulting mocktail poured over ice in a tall glass simply tasted like tangerine juice with the grapefruit’s subtle tartness. It was ok. Makes me wonder if the booze version tastes like a tarty Screwdriver.
Anyway it was a nice change from the usual ginger beer.
Tavern
11648 West San Vicente Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90049 (map)
(310) 806-6464
I did something the other night that I swore to myself I’d never ever do. I took a pole dancing lesson. Yup. Rush Street has an ’80s ladies’ night on Wednesdays on its second floor where ladies can take a free pole dancing lesson courtesy of Studio City’s pole dancing/fitness studio, Polistic. And I was invited to this girls-only media dinner which showcased this as well as the Culver City barestaurant’s new spring cocktail menu.
I told my friends who pooh-poohed the bar night that I was just going to take pictures and maybe some video of other bloggers taking on the pole but that I would never deign touch it myself. I’m not a big party girl and definitely not the type to sexy it up for some random male attention at a bar.
But then after our dinner of yummy portabello mushroom fries, miso and sake marinated salmon, crab ravioli and grilled shrimp and some tasty mocktails, our group of gals took the party upstairs. A couple of the instructors showed us around the pole, starting off with a basic spin around it. “The only thing I require is that we all cheer as loud as we can for everyone,” the instructor said. Little did I know how much this would help.
It also helped that most every girl had taken a turn on the pole and that the move was so easy I really had no excuse not to give it a try. Oh, except one. “I ate too much,” I warned the instructor when she tried to get me on the pole. But even then I already had one hand on it and the girls were already shouting words of encouragement from the sidelines. “Alll riiight, I’ll be a good sport,” I told myself while listening to the instructor’s instructions to put my left hand over my right hand on the bar overhead and then wrap my left leg around the bar. She then pushed me so I fell to the left and twirled around the bar in a not very graceful way.
The girls cheered loudly anyway, “Woooooooooh!” I know my style was a far cry from pro but it was kinda fun. Took me back to when I was a kid and loved playing on the monkey bars. I even got the friction burn on my hands like I did in the old days.
Now, I did this stone sober because I’m in the midst of a booze fast but this would probably have been a lot more fun and swirly if I had had a couple of cocktails beforehand. Fortunately Rush Street knows that and has some liquid courage specials on this ladies’ night: $6 X-Rated vodka cocktails, $9 Pretty in Pink Cosmo (X-Rated, vodka, pineapple, cranberry) and Pink-a-licious Martini (X-Rated, Sprite, cranberry, vodka). Yes, they’re made from X-Rated Fusion Liqueur, a very sweet and fruity drink ingredient. However, I suspect that those who love the pole won’t mind the girly drinks.
If, however, you’d prefer to imbibe something other than a melon/berry/mango-y drink, the bar has a new spring cocktail menu that’s heavy in the flavored vodka department and seems girl-drink-intensive but has some interesting concoctions:
Some of the drinks on the Spring Fling Cocktail Menu ($12 each):
I was able to try the mocktail versions of El Diablo and Strawberry Fields. Both were pretty tasty even without the booze. Although I have to say that just by reading the ingredients for El Diablo, it sounded like it had too much going on what with the grapefruit, watermelon, jalapenos and cranberry. Eesh! But the Flavorpill editor sitting next to me ordered it and loved it.
Anyhoo, if you’d like to give Rush Street’s ’80s Ladies’ Night a shot, it goes off every Wednesday night starting at 9pm. The pole dancing lessons are FREE. If you’re into this sorta thing, it could be a fun girls’ night out.
Rush Street
9546 Washington Boulevard
Culver City, California 90232 (map)
(310) 837-9546
Since I don’t celebrate alcoholidays and will most likely be hiding out at home during St. Patrick’s Day next Wednesday, I thought it would be interesting to find out if some of my fave L.A. mixologists/bars were planning any special cocktails to celebrate the Irish holiday. I emailed Damian, Joe, Steve, Pablo, Marcos and Vincenzo. And then? Crickets.
I had to email them again and even then only Steve and Vincenzo responded to say that they had nothing for me. Oh well. At least I could count on my PR friends to send me info on what L.A. restaurants are doing for the holiday in terms of green beer alternatives. Check out my LA Weekly Squid Ink post here. It also includes a couple of recipes if you opt for celebrating at home.
For Lent, I decided to give up booze. Now, I’m not religious or anything, I just figured it would be cool to see if I can actually give up my most favorite thing (next to gummy bears, salted caramel, dark chocolate and bacon) for 40 days. That, and I felt like my liver could use the break.
It’s only 40-something days, right?
I started on February 17 and since this isn’t really for Lent, my booze fast will end on April 1 (see countdown clock on the right) when I’m considering doing up a happy hour somewhere to celebrate cuz I’m going to want to. Perhaps Copa d’Oro? Maybe Bar Food? I’ll keep you posted.
So 21 days into it and I’ve managed to survive Radio Room, post-race celebration (my Lemons team’s third victory) and an absinthe party at First & Hope with nary a drink. I’ve had dreams of drinking and have suffered bouts of dry mouth but I will stick to this fast dammit!
In the meantime, I’m compiling a list of things I like to drink as soon as it’s April 1. Sigh. I’m so thirsty.
This list will no doubt continue to grow as the days progress.
And if you think this blog will be booze free, you’re wrong. I’ll still post drinking events and such but I won’t review cocktails unless I can get a taste tester to do it in my place. And I’ll definitely review options for those who don’t drink, like tasty mocktails. FYI, ginger beer is definitely the most satisfying way to go. It’s heartier and more flavorful than cola or gingerale. Anyway, at least my friends are happy cuz now they have a designated driver.
UPDATE: I moved my end-of-booze-fast date to March 28 since I got invited to a scotch lunch that I just can’t turn down. I don’t feel too guilty about it since 1) this was supposed to be Lent lite where I was going to allow myself some alcohol anyway and 2) I had originally said I’d end this on the 29th (actual 40 days) and then pushed it to April to round it out.
Want to feel oh-so elegant? This Thursday night at the Edison, you can get a free glass of champagne when you purchase a half dozen oysters (or spend $5 or more) and bring in a copy of the email the Edison sent you when you subscribed to their emailing list. But don’t fret if you forget the email. Each guest can get one sample of the tasty oysters if you ask nicely.Maitre Ecailler/Chef Christophe Happillon, of Joe’s and Saint Amour, is a darling.
Cocktail lovers can enjoy the night’s featured cocktail for only “100 cents.” The Black Tea Collins is made of tea-infused gin, lemon, sugar and soda. Both specials are only one per person.
BTW, the special offer changes every week so be sure to sign up on their emailing list.
EVENT: THURSDAYS from 5 to 7pm
The Edison
108 W. 2nd Street #101
Los Angeles, California 90012 (map)
(213) 613-0000
BLT Restaurants are celebrating the sixth anniversary of the original BLT Steak restaurant in Manhattan and, yay for us, we all benefit! Yup, for one day only — tomorrow, March 3 — patrons can enjoy lunch and dinner for cheap-for-BLT prices.
Executive Chef and Partner Laurent Tourondel says, “Thank you to all of our customers and friends who have supported BLT Restaurants over the last six years. We are grateful for a fantastic run and look forward to celebrating many future birthdays together.”
We’re talking main courses like New York strip steaks, Dover Sole and rib eye for $33.04. Representing BLT Steak’s birth date, March 3, 2004. Normally the strip steak is $37, Dover Sole is $50 and a bone-in rib eye is $36.
Sides like the jalapeno mashed potatoes and Hen of the Woods mushrooms will also be priced down from $8-$10 to only $3.03.
However, I’m most excited about the desserts and cocktails, which will also be priced at only $3.03! Desserts are usually 10 bucks while signature BLT cocktails run for $14-$15.
Cocktails include:
BLT Punch: Captain Morgan, Grand Marnier, lime juice and ginger beer
Agua Fresca: P.I.N.K vodka, agave nectar, lime cucumber and cilantro
Gin-ne Sais Quoi: Bombay gin, Domaine de Canton and lemon juice
True, cocktails sound m’OK but, hey, they’re only $3.03. That means five of those equal about one drink at most schmancy L.A. bars. Perfect if all you want to do is get buzzed.
BTW, this is the only fine print I could find on the press release about this deal:
Birthday specials are valid at lunch and dinner on Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at all BLT Steak and BLT Prime locations in the U.S. Certain exclusions apply. Reservations recommended.
Apparently you don’t have to go here for a whole meal to enjoy the deal. Discounted drinks and desserts can be enjoyed a la carte.
BLT Steak
8720 West Sunset Boulevard
West Hollywood, California 90069 (map)
(310) 360-1950
