Sunsets and movies. It’s what Los Angeles does best. But for years, movie watchers were condemned to darkened rooms lit only by the screen and a few obnoxious cell phones. It wasn’t always so. There was a time when people watched films from their cars, enjoying to some extent being out of doors on warm evenings. Drive-ins are all but gone now but a new … Continue reading Up on the Roof, catch a Movie
For years now, I’ve been offering my opinions about favorite libations, which has turned into a substantial catalog of cocktails, wines, and beers from various bartenders, vintners, and brewers, respectively. If the list is remarkable for anything it’s probably in the exclusion of other liquids. Sure, I’ve written about water tastings in the past, but more as an update in the latest restaurant trends as … Continue reading Water, Water Everywhere, But Which One to Drink?
When two of your favorite brands pair up to do something big, it can almost make you forget about government shutdowns and foreign interference in our elections. Imagine Apple teaming up with Armani, or Titleist partnering with Hennessy—on what, I don’t know—the point is, there’s probably some good synergy there. So, when news broke that Fatburger was joining forces with Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, my … Continue reading Frank’n’Burger?
The idea of holding a whisky tasting event at an airport initially struck me as off-key, but given that it was being held during a government shutdown in which TSA agents were walking off the job and air traffic controllers were moonlighting as Uber drivers, it struck me as par for the course; that and the fact the airport is no longer operational. Last week, … Continue reading Drinking Whisky at the Airport
It’s time again for that most American of holidays. I’m speaking, of course, of Repeal Day. Yes, it’s that glorious day in which booze swillers rejoice by raising a glass of hooch and toasting to the freedom to get toasted. December 5 marked the 85th anniversary of the repeal of the 21st Amendment to the Constitution and to celebrate the occasion (and those other holidays, … Continue reading The Holiday Season is Here Again
Revenge, like a refreshing craft cocktail, is best served cold. On Wednesday evening, both were elevated to high art at Arclight Cinemas’ Lights, Camera, Cocktails series as the Santa Monica location of the theater chain teamed up with Bar Accomplice to host a screening of Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill Vol. 1. The series, which pairs top local bartenders and classic movies, debuted to great fanfare … Continue reading Movies and Mixology
Raise your glass with all the world, Friday is Global Champagne Day. And while there may not be a lot to drink to these days, there’s certainly reason to drink. “It was a good year for wine,” says Guy de Rivoire, Commercial Director for Champagne Bollinger, speaking about this year’s crop. He attributes some of that blessing to a rise in temperatures caused by climate … Continue reading Happy Global Champagne Day!
A dozen years ago, Italy took center stage as its national soccer team hoisted the FIFA World Cup Trophy, thanks in large part to the man they called “the little artist,” Juventus star Alessandro Del Piero, number 10. Today, his artistry is evident not on the pitch, but in the dining room of the Beverly Grove restaurant that bears his iconic jersey number. Situated in … Continue reading No. 10 Scores Again, this time in Los Angeles
In 1905, tobacco tycoon Abbot Kinney founded what he hoped would be a cultural utopia inspired by Venice, Italy. He envisioned a literate and morally upstanding society on the shores of the Pacific, 14 miles west of Los Angeles. Skip ahead five score and a dozen years, and it’s safe to say that Venice Beach isn’t exactly what Mr. Kinney had in mind. In the … Continue reading A Case of the Munchies in Venice Beach
On a mild fall evening earlier this week, on a breathtaking Beverly Hills rooftop, Crateful founder and CEO Emanuele Ponzo hosted an intimate gathering of wine aficionados for a four-course dinner pairing featuring Italian winemaker Ca’ del Bosco. It was one of those rare meals that food writers fondly catalog among their more memorable experiences. Then again, that’s what a Crateful dinner is. If you’re … Continue reading A Sparkling Italian Debuts in Beverly Hills
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