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Bar Mattachine – Downtown LA’s First Craft Cocktail Gay Bar

What was once the largest concentration of historic theaters and movie palaces on one street in the nation in the 1920s and 1930s, Broadway in downtown Los Angeles had been a street of disrepair for many years. But now The city of Los Angeles is in the process of revitalizing Broadway and new restaurants and retail stores are starting to open. One of the bars that has opened in the area is Bar Mattachine.

Bar Mattachine, part of a small but growing group of downtown gay bars, isn't just a part of the revitalization of Broadway, but it is also the first gay craft cocktail bar in the area. Bar Mattachine honors and pays tribute to the 1950s Mattachine Society. Created by Harry Hay and a group of Los Angeles male friends, Mattachine Society was one of the earliest gay rights organizations in the United States, built to protect and improve the rights of gay men.

Bar Mattachine is a two story lounge owned by Vianey Vee Delgadillo and Jigger Mercado (Bar 107, The Down and Out, The Little Easy) and Garret McKetchnie (formerly head barman at 1886, Cole's). The cocktail menu includes seventeen cocktails, including nine signature cocktails, six classic cocktails and two frozen drinks.

12 November, 2015

Happy Hour at Fogo de Chão

When I think about Fogo de Chão, the Brazilian steakhouse, I think about it's reputation as a meat lovers destination. With almost a dozen skewers of lamb, beef, pork and chicken being carried through the dining room, my previous visit to Fogo de Chão resulted in a "meat coma", borderlining the "meat sweats". But, rest assured, if you are looking for a "lighter" experience or perhaps you are not in the mood for an intense meat-filled meal, you can still enjoy the flavors of Fogo de Chão at their Happy Hour. Happy Hour, offered Monday through Friday from 4:30-6:30pm, not only offers Brazilian-inspired small plates but also at a special price! Check out what's available: Warm Hearts of Palm and Spinach Dip - Served with crispy toasts, it's a creamy, filling dish that is great to share with friends.

Warm Hearts of Palm and Spinach Dip, crispy toasts

31 October, 2015

Give Vodka Another Chance

This article originally appeared in the Napa Valley Register (October 30, 2015) Is vodka your favorite drink? That was the question posed by Purity Vodka Master Blender Thomas Kuuttanen at a recent dinner. More than half of the hands went up. Whether it was true, shouldn’t one answer favorably in front of a vodka producer? Well, I did not raise my hand. I could not lie. Vodka is not my favorite spirit. I am a gin drinker. I find vodkas to be rough, flavorless and odorless and some are like rubbing alcohol. Sure, it is a neutral spirit and can be the base in many cocktails but I like the flavors that come from other spirits. We did not get the response you would think from a vodka producer. He responded that vodka is, in fact, not his favorite spirit either. Having worked in the spirits industry in Sweden for many years, he is more of a fan of whiskey. Thomas explained that he found vodka kind of sad; vodka is more about image and not about content. But, spirits are about soul and passion, and that is what Thomas set out to make, creating Purity Vodka, which is the winner of more than 100 gold medals in blind competitions.

30 October, 2015