Cocktails

Located in an un-assuming building in the Arts District of Downtown LA, across the street from local market Urban Radish, Cocktail Academy has moved in. Enter the old-style, brick building to Apartment A (#107) and what's inside will transport you to another world. This new world of Cocktail Academy is the creation of three local LA guys (who have also spent time in the cocktail world in New York) - Max Kestenbaum, Matt Landes and Brandyn Tepper. The three of them met when they worked together at 41 Ocean, a private members only club in Santa Monica.
02 January, 2014
Who doesn't love brunch? It's the perfect meal that satisfies both the breakfast crowd and the lunch crowd, that can be enjoyed all morning and into the afternoon. In most cities, brunch is the meal that is saved for weekend days - the days in which we can casually start our days a little later than normal and don't have to rush off to work or appointments. But, in Portland, brunch is so popular that many restaurants offer it every day of the week. In fact, brunch is such a part of life in Portland that the hit TV show Portlandia even titled an episode “Brunch Village” and filmed on location at various local brunch spots. There is also a website and book that serves as more of a fan page for the early morning delight. Breakfast in Bridgetown: The Definitive Guide to Portland’s Favorite Meal, showcases brunch and breakfast reviews, news and everything in between. One of our favorite spots for brunch in Portland is Tasty and Sons, where the menu changes regularly and is designed to feature seasonal, local ingredients.  
01 January, 2014

It's that time of the year again! Christmas Eve is upon us and we've decided to spread good tidings and cheers among friends in the...

24 December, 2013
December 5th may not mean anything special to most people. But this day between Thanksgiving and Christmas is a day that should mean something to anyone who enjoys a glass of wine or a cocktail. After all, December 5, 1933 is the day that Prohibition was ended by the signing of the 21st Amendment to the Constitution and when beer trucks rolled into Washington DC and President Franklin D. Roosevelt poured himself a Plymouth gin martini. This year, December 5, 2013 marked the 80th anniversary of the end of Prohibition, otherwise known as Repeal Day, and the D.C. Craft Bartenders Guild organized their annual Repeal Day Ball to celebrate the occasion on Dec. 7.
19 December, 2013
Perhaps you know Zengo Restaurant because of award-winning Chef Richard Sandoval. And perhaps you have visiting one of the locations around the country, in Santa Monica, New York, Washington DC and Denver, to taste the Latin-Asian menu.  But, did you know that in addition to the regular Latin-Asian menu, Zengo, which means "give and take" in Japanese, also offers items from their test kitchen. Every few months the chefs of Zengo come together in researching and developing seasonal menus that feature dishes from one Latin and one Asian country. The items are integrated onto the main menu, but you can locate them by spotting the "TK" next to the specialty items. Now thru December, the Zengo is offering Peruvian and Malaysian dishes as part of the "Test Kitchen" menu. The dishes includes cocktails, appetizers, entrees and even a dessert.
02 December, 2013
The team behind one of my favorite Valley spots, Black Market Liquor Bar, has come to the Westside with Scopa Italian Roots. Located in a former Szechwan Chinese restaurant space on Washington Blvd near Abbott Kinney, and next door to Sunny Spot, Scopa Italian Roots offers traditional home-cooked Italian food, inspired by Chef Antonia Lafaso’s upbringing.   Steve Livigni, Pablo Moix and Antonia Lafaso have been busily working on this new project for months. At an event this summer, they were serving drinks under the name Old Lightening which is the name of the bar that is opening adjacent to Scopa in the coming weeks.
14 November, 2013
Milan, in the north of Italy, is famous for its fashion.  But, most people I know don’t see the point in visiting the city. I disagree.  On almost every trip I take to Italy, I find myself spending a day, or two, in this large beautiful city where I do a little shopping, of course, but also some exploring. Flying into Milan’s Malpensa airport, the Malpensa Express is a 29 minute train that costs only 11 Euro into the heart of Milan (Milano Cadorna station). Quick, easy and inexpensive, this is the best way to get to/from the airport. The next challenge is finding accommodations.  While there are many hotels in Milan, finding something central that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, but still has charm, can be a challenge. Instead of a hotel, renting an apartment or villa for a few days makes you feel like a local. Check out NovecentoCase, an agency specialized in renting apartments in city center, who partners with 5 Star Service run by Alejandro Mazza and Emotionphy Communication. They focus on finding private luxury villas that sleep between 1-6 people and include hotel amenities such as toiletries, robes and a concierge.
13 November, 2013
For the closing party at Portland Cocktail Week, U.S. Bartenders Guild members from all across the country came together and represented their home states. 40 chapters were represented, which meant alot of drinks!  From the east coast to the west coast, from the north to the south, we did our best to travel the country and taste the drinks. Yes, it was a fun night and a perfect way to conclude a successful Portland Cocktail Week.
12 November, 2013
Think "Restaurant Wars" (a la Top Chef) for bartenders.  This year at Portland Cocktail Week, Bacardi sponsored a bar challenge. There were four teams made up of eight students each, a mixture of the different education majors at PDXCW. They had to create a bar, from concept to design to entertainment to the menu, in just 10 hours!
11 November, 2013
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