MEAT! and McNuggetinis tonight at Meltdown.

In the name of great irony, I [the vegetarian] would like to extend to you an invite to MEAT!, an art show inspired by, you guessed it...

Tonight at Meltdown Comics on Sunset Blvd.

There will be art, yes. But serving up cocktails will be my gorgeous, funny and talented friends, Alie and Georgia. They'll be offering McNuggetinis, the boozy, foodie, ice creamy treat that made the headlines and pleased gluttons everywhere last year.

Wanna know more about the BBQ sauce spiked cocktail you'll be enjoying tonight? Let's all take a trip down YouTubey memory lane...



Opening Reception of MEAT!
Thursday, March 3rd 2011
7-10 p

Meltdown Comics
7522 W. Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90046

A cynic's guide to St. Patrick's Day.

First of all, I had to google leprechaun to figure out how to spell it. Nothing should be that difficult. Second of all, it's St. Patrick's Day today, otherwise known as St. Patty's Day, more often known as a day of ridiculous drinking, debauchery, and green clovers.

I don't get it. Perhaps this has something to do with me growing up Jewish in Long Island. We are usually busy getting ready for Passover at this time of year--which is another holiday I don't understand--and it was never explained to me that drinking green beer, wishing on four leafed flowers, and believing in little people was celebratory.

But, for those of you who enjoy this sort of thing, here's my guide to a festive, greenwashed day of fun based on the things I know about St. Patrick's Day...

1 & 2. Drinking is a big part of this day, yeah? While all the other Irishmen and partygoers are seeking out bars with names like O'Dooles and Casey's Irish Pub, you can skip the lines and hit up Hooters. I assure you you'll find plenty of beer there. And you will probably get lucky too. Which kills two St. Patty's birds with one inebriated stone.

3. To my understanding, folks just love their leprechauns. Well, I looked up leprechauns in Wikipedia and apparently they're just "a type of Fairy...usually taking the form of an old man, clad in a red or green coat, who enjoys partaking in mischief." Keep this to yourself...but you can find one of these guys down on Skid Row. Just buy him a beer and he'll hang all night, I'm sure.

4. To me, green beer sounds like a recipe for food poisoning. For those who'd like to seem festive, but aren't at one of these pubs serving the colored ale, just throw some green liquid food coloring in your pocket before your night out. One drop of this stuff in your pitcher of Miller will have you seeing green all night. Awesome.

Safe and happy holidays to all. And top o' the morning to you. Or something like that.

We Like To Party: Paper Mag + Converse bring art and expression to Los Angeles.

Yesterday, Paper Magazine and Converse hosted the pub's annual 'We Love LA' bash, this time with an art twist. While the evening festivities at the Montalban Theatre in Hollywood promised live music, DJs and a livelier tone, I also sensed they'd be accompanied by a buttload of sweaty, young hipsters so I opted for the lower-key daytime fare. The lovely Ana Calderon DJed. Canvas tote bags were available for stenciling and creative expression thanks to Karen Kimmel's Art of Exchange. Costumes, photo opps, and murals were available for the children and daring adults over 20. And daylight didn't stop an open bar courtesy of Yours Truly's favorite vodka, Grey Goose.

[Image Credit: Jessie B. R. ]

Food Find: Ketel One Canteen says thanks, happy hannukah and bon appetit.

Sometimes vodka gives you a massive f+cking hangover. Sometimes (the better times) it gives you potato pancakes and awesome free grub. This weekend, catch Ketel One's ultimate guerrilla marketing ploy, the Ketel One Canteen, in Hollywood. The food truck (of course it's a truck--who bothers with stationary anymore?) will be doling out FREE food prepped by Ilan Hall of Gorbals Restaurant and Top Chef fame. And Hannukah-themed fare no less. Because us Jews--we like vodka. And you gentiles--you like Jewish food. It's win-win, really.

 

Though the truck won't actually be serving alcohol, it will be accompanied by a fleet of cars to drive you home if you've had one too many libations somewhere else along the Cahuenga Corridor.

Ketel One Canteen
@ Cahuenga between Hollywood and Selma
Thursday - Sat: 12 a - 2 a

[via Thrillist]

A champagne for weight-watching merry-makers.

Finally, there's a sparkling wine for every eating disorder dietary restriction. Just in time for the holidays.

Laurent Perrier's low-sugar Ultra Brut bubbly has a whopping 18 calories less per serving than the regular stuff.

And, according to VitalJuice, 'Kate Moss is reported to be a fan!' What a surprise that the model recently quoted as saying that 'Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels,' should have a diet alternative to even her booze. Because even mild anorexics like to have fun.

Buy Laurent Perrier Ultra Brut NV.

[via VitalJuice]

The RSVP Line: Vintage Swap Party at WGACA

What's new...and old...and boozy all over? What Goes Around Comes Around's Vintage Swap Party happening tonight at the vintage giant's Hollywood location.

WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND’s LA Vintage Swap Party

Monday, November 16th
7pm to 9pm

Join co-hosts:

Alexi Wasser of I'm Boy Crazy
Monica Rose, Stylist
Geri Hirsch, Founder of Because I'm Addicted

Swap vintage with LA’s most stylish tastemakers and take home fresh designs from the best closets in the city*

Music by DJ Magdalena

Complimentary drinks by Tito’s Vodka and KARMA California Brut

WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND
1520 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Suite 4
Hollywood, CA

RSVP to: ghwang@thinkpublicrelations.com

*Bring 1 to 4 quality vintage items

Shop: West 3rd Street's Summer Sidewalk Sale

SUMMER SIDEWALK SALE
Saturday, August 1st - Sunday August 2nd
3rd Street between Fairfax and La Cienega
West 3rd Street, your very favorite stretch of 3rd somewhere between your two unfavorite monstrosities, The Grove and The Beverly Center, is having another one of its stellar sales this weekend.

Shop the stores (my faves include EM & Co., Hillary Rush, and the wonderfully wacky Petro Zillia) .

Eat the eats (all hail the cheese case and egg salad to die for at Joan's on Third).

And enjoy a cocktail--I'm sure at least a couple of the stores'll be serving.

We Like to Party: En Tu Ciudad (or, a white girl learns to shake her boot-ay)

Last night, I went out with mi three amigos to the LA pit-stop of My Space Latino's En Tu Ciudad tour (which I painstakingly translated--for your sake, of course--to mean 'in your city'). In response to my RSVP, I had been emailed back with a secret password to enter the party. While password-protected parties usually make me want to hurl, I was excited as this password was so much fun to say--'Paloma.' (Try it--say it aloud--it's fun, I promise!) And apparently 'Palomas' would also be the featured drink special for the evening. Needing translation for this word as well, I asked my Latino coworker for assistance. He claimed 'Paloma' meant bird--something between a dove and a pigeon. Not satisfied with this definition, I googled it. 'Paloma,' it turns out, is also a tequila cocktail. I much preferred this translation.

At the party, after enjoying one or two (ok, perhaps three) Palomas, another of my Mexican cohorts explained that a Paloma is made with Tequila and Squirt. Well, after my initial shock...and then disgust...I settled on delight. Yes, I like Squirt cocktails--it's true!

My buddies in Wait. Think. Fast. performed an awesome set.

And I learned that there is such a thing as a cute accordion player.

I'm old and needed to get to bed before my coach turned into a pumpkin and/or I crashed my Jetta from too many Palomas. But the crowd continued to party on long after I did. Because, as it turns out, Latinos (not blondes) have much, much more fun.

Food find (budget edition): Osteria Mozza, Nobu West Hollywood, Rice + Beans

Here are things that people do during a recession: save their money, eat at home, NOT go out to expensive dinners. Here are things people like me do: ignore the recession, buy new boots, eat dinner at Osteria Mozza, the famed Batali restaurant (an offshoot of the next door Mozza Pizzeria).

My friend and I visited there last week, despite their reputation for a month long wait for reservations. Apparently the recession has hit Batali's business as well, as we waited only 20 minutes for a table. Each of us ordered the Pomodoro Gnocchi. Let me translate this for those of you who might visit as well: child's size portion. Now, I understand that nicer restaurants focus on the quality and presentation of their food over heaping portions. But in economic times like these, I prefer the increased portion sizes of chain outlets like Pizza Hut--currently touting their Panormous pie, the 'BIGGEST pan pizza ever' to servings that should come with a microscope. Lesson learned, I'll take processed cheese over fresh burrata until my 401 k comes back to life.

Speaking of eating on a budget, I recently read about Nobu West Hollywood's 'Recovery Menu.' Though I'm not a seafood eater, I thought I'd share what sounds like a decent deal with you.

Score Nobu staples inlcuding rock shrimp tempura and the miso cod at a [relatively] decent price (most items are under 10 bucks), along with [relatively] reduced-price cocktails.

As for me, I'll be sticking with rice and beans for the next month or so. May I recommend my favorite: Zatarain's Red Beans and Rice. It may not be 5 star, but it's less than 5 dollars.