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When I was first invited to check out Geezer's Public House in Woodland Hills, being an American, I thought it was odd that a bar was the name of a cranky old man. But the word Geezer has a different meaning in British culture. Geezer's is a public house, or a pub, which is a popular social drinking establishment in Britain. As posted outside the restrooms at Geezer's, a geezer is a "descriptive word in the UK used to define a man's characteristics. A geezer will be found usually outside a pub with a pint in his hand on match day. They commonly like football, scrapping, beer, tea, tits, and Barry White." Basically, a geezer in British terms is a "guy" or a "bloke" or a "dude".
This story originally appeared in the Napa Valley Register. Greenbar Distillery, Los Angeles’ original distillery, is a story of love. It was born out of the love of two people and today is a love letter to the city it was born in, Los Angeles. Melkon Khosrovian and Litty Mathew met in journalism school at the University of Southern California. Litty, who is Southern Indian, was born in Ethiopia to missionary parents, raised in Jamaica and moved to the United States at age 11. Trained as a chef in Paris, Litty had a wine palate but did not like spirits. Melkon, on the other hand, is Armenian, and in his culture, Litty explained, it is the “land of toasts and it is impolite to not raise a glass.” Wanting Litty to fit into his family, Melkon created a vodka infusion that she would like so that she could participate in the toasts. His infusions, which were made out of his love for Litty, became popular in the entire family. Litty and Melkon married in 2002. At the time, Melkon owned a software company. He sold his company, and in 2004 they started Greenbar Distillery, originally under the name Modern Spirits and then under the name Greenbar Collective. Their goal was to create the best flavors and work with fresh ingredients.
Being a fan of Italian culture (food, wine, fashion, language, you name it!), I remember when I first went to Bar Toscana in Brentwood in West Los Angeles in 2010. Located next door to the long-standing restaurant Toscana, Bar Toscana reminded me of a bar I would go to in Milan, Italy. It was modern, minimalist and had a super cool feeling with white leather ottomans, digital images displayed in between the glass windows, a menu composed of small plates, or stuzzichini, and a selection of hand-crafted Italian-centric cocktails. Seven years later, Bar Toscana is still open but after a remodel, they have a new look and that is why Bar Toscana is the Please The Palate pick of the week. The space is still modern with a cool vibe but now there is a warmth to the space. The stark white and black furniture has been replaced by warm colors of brown and burnt orange which match the exposed brick. Instead of white ottomans near the entrance, there is a large communal table and additional seating. And, along the glass windows overlooking San Vicente Blvd. are cozy round tables with comfortable chairs.
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