LA BLISS

Mixville: My secret garden

2009-11-09T16:08:00.000-08:00

Ever since the first time I visited New York, I was dissatisfied with the ambiance of the bars of Los Angeles. Everything was overdone and gaudy, obviously trying too hard to get attention from B~D list celebrities.

This dissatisfaction was dissolved when i came upon Mixville in Silverlake.
Ajoined with the Edendale Grill, Mixville is a converted firetruck bay dating back to 1927. The beautiful skylight and 38 foot mahogany bar adds the old Hollywood charm in its most natural form. There are also 2 outdoor patio seating where you can drink, smoke, and discuss the meaning of life.
If that's not enough, step into the photo booth for a cozy shot with your friend or lover...

The cocktails are mixed with skill, and the bartenders are charming. The crowd is a nice mature mix of late-20's all the way to mid-50's, but all open to intelligent conversation. You can show up dressed to the nines or in your jeans and t-shirt... Everything just seems to fit here (unless you are a 21-year-old drink to get drunk and get laid type).

Another One Bites the Dust...

2009-10-23T15:46:00.000-07:00

Tiny's is gone.
And this time, for good.
I hope it doesn't turn into some horrible bro/ho bar, since another one of those in Hollywood would really cramp my style.

I hope the guys behing Bigfoot Lodge take over the place.
Or just open another Rock/Punk bar.
If I had the money, I'd buy the space in a heartbeat.

You know it would be great... Yes, you do.

Bravo! El Prado!

2009-03-22T15:03:00.000-07:00

Ahhh yes.

I have finally found the gem of all gems!

The most comfortable yet sexy bar in all of LA.

Although your options are beer and wine, the atmosphere, the vinyl records, and dim lighting shoots El Prado to the top of my list.

The crowd is hip, but not the "I'm trying so hard to fit in" hipsters. You won't have to deal with any just over 21 crowd here either, which is surprising considering it is directly across the street from the Echo.

Another bonus is Two Boots, the New York transplant next door to the Echo, serves up delicious pizza late into the night.

I'm not sure if i want the word sprading about this beautiful bar, but I'd just be a selfish bitch if i didn't share! Just keep it to yourself, ya hear?

Some good news...

2009-02-27T15:00:00.001-08:00

Hooray!
Tiny's is here to stay!

I did some detective work and it seems although there are some sticky situations I dare not speak of, the place is not going anywhere, and the staff (at least one of them) will be back in action soon too.

Phew!

With the east side being taken over the asain invasion, I wasn't sure where to run...
But now, I can just go right back to my comfy place.
So needless to say, I'm there quite frequently.
Say hello. I don't bite. Unless I am extremly drunk.

FYI: Tiny's is closed... For now

2009-01-19T23:39:00.000-08:00

Still waiting to hear the update on exactly why they have shut down, but they have closed with a sign on the door noting only that they pla to reopen in February.

Hope this doesn't mean another one bites the dust and turns into something horrible like when Star Shoes turned into Vice... Meep!

Update:
So Tiny's was open last night, but the future seems bleak.
It may be open for a little while longer, but I would be surprised if it lasts through February.

Bar hop part II: East Siders

2009-01-19T23:24:00.000-08:00

I think you've had enought time to cure your hang over now...
Now that you've absorbed all you can in Hollywood, let's move on over to Los Feliz and Silverlake! You can begin your journey at TIKI TI, a tiki bar established in 1961. There are tons of drinks to choose from (they have a wheel you can spin if you can't decide) and its family owned and operated...
Meaning you can smoke inside.
A recommendation for first timers is the location's original and historical "Ray's Mistake". http://www.tiki-ti.com/

Skip on down around the corner and you'll find the GOOD LUCK BAR, a chinese themed bar with more fruity drinks. This place has a smell that's slightly unpleasant... I kinda like the place though!http://losangeles.citysearch.com/profile/52401/los_angeles_ca/good_luck_bar.html

Want to have a show, dinner, and drinks all in one place, visit EL CID for a flamenco dinner show! Reservations are required, but it's a popular date destination for many...
http://www.elcidla.com/

One block away from El Cid, you'll find a sanctuary... At least I think of this place as one. 4100 BAR has a fantastic juke box and a great bar staff, along with cozy sofas and exotic decor. The only place in town great for a guys night or a girls night out!
http://losangeles.citysearch.com/profile/11526805

Travel deeper into the east side, and discover the RED LION TAVERN. A German bar with many tiny rooms stacked on top of each other. The beer maids wear proper attire, and an old man sings on the organ downstairs. Large outdoor smoking patio upstairs.
http://losangeles.citysearch.com/profile/68670

Right across the street from the Red Lion, you can find CHA CHA LOUNGE lit up in pink lights... A former gay mexican cowboy bar has transformed into a hipster haven covered in artwork by local artists who have become regulars since the transformation. The photobooth in the back can tickle your creative senses!
http://www.chachalounge.com/silverlake.html

If you just want to have some drinks in a simple bar, visit YE RUSTIC INN. Located in the corner of a strip mall, this bar is always loud, and filled with serious drinkers.
http://losangeles.citysearch.com/profile/11338740/los_angeles_ca/ye_rustic_inn.html

In the mini mall directly across from Ye Rustic is the DRAWING ROOM. This is more for the artsy hipster, with a bartender I still cannot figure out the gender of. Tiny and dark, this is the place for no frills and strong drinks.
http://losangeles.citysearch.com/profile/52399/los_angeles_ca/drawing_room.html

Going even deeper into Los Feliz now... The BIG FOOT LODGE has DJ's playing rare music and a fun woodland decor. Lots of hipster and rockabillies hang out here... and did I mention lots of pretty girls?
http://www.bigfootlodge.com/LAhome.html

A newer favorite is the Griffin, which i covered in this blog previously.
Located in walking distance from the Big, this is a cozy warm tavern for locals and grown ups. So kids, stay away!!!
http://www.thegriffinlounge.com/

If you're a movie junky, swing on over to the Derby where the movie Swingers was shot. This building is also a historical landmark, but there's currently a petition for it to not be torn down... This is a must see architecture before "new" la takes over...
http://www.clubderby.com/

Hollywood Blvd. Ultimate Bar Hop

2008-12-16T10:41:00.000-08:00

It's finally here... The one we've all been waiting for...The bar hop guide!!!! There are some great bars in LA, unlike any other. You can find the posh club girls on the same block as the punk rockers! I will divide this by neighborhood so that you can do a bar hop (although some may require hopping by taxi).

Let's start Heading west on Hollywood Blvd! This is my most tried and tested, since not only do I live here, I can actually bar hop on foot, and get a wide variety of crowds depending on my mood.

I always start at the FROLIC ROOM next to the Pantages Theater. This old Hollywood joint is a classic with strong drinks at cheap prices! You can occasionally spot the aspiring actresses, now in their 50's come by for a neat scotch.
http://losangeles.citysearch.com/profile/54475/los_angeles_ca/frolic_room.html

Then I head over to my favorite in Hollywood, TINY'S KO located just outside the Cahuenga Corridor. This place is filled with hipsters, rockers, and punks covered in tattoos. Also, if you have your birthday party here, you (the birthday girl or boy) gets free drinks from the bar ALL NIGHT. Talk about customer service!!!
http://www.tinysko.com/

Next, shoot down Cahuenga and hit the BURGUNDY ROOM.This is where the old school punks and rockabillies hang. Beware of the sarcastic doorman and one strong drink...
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=1118918

Next to the Burgundy is the Hotel Cafe, with it entry way hidden in the back alley. There are always fantastic acoustic acts here and a very pretty Christmas tree each year (although there is a cover for most nights).
http://www.hotelcafe.com/

Across the street from the these fantastic bars, there are many options as well depending on what you like....For the posh cougers crowd (older single women), visit CITIZEN SMITH for a meal or drinks, and a wild ride with a MILF. There is a nice back patio for all you smokers.
http://www.la.com/dining/5666066.html

Only a few doors down is the VELVET MARGARITA CANTINA, also with food and a large back patio. Mixed crowd of rockers and white collars with too much bling on for their own good can be seen here.
http://www.velvetmargarita.com/vmc.html

Another few doors down, there is the BEAUTY BAR. With locations across the country, this bar has one of the very few indoor smoking rooms in LA. This place is always a hit or miss. Sometimes, the place is filled with kids from the valley trying way too hard. Come on, it's just the f'ing Beauty Bar.
http://www.beautybar.com/main.html

If you like sports, then at Selma and Cahuenga, there is BIG WANGS also. Don't know too much about this place since I hate American football and basketball, but I hear the drinks come cheap and the men come dumb... If you're into that sort of thing.
http://losangeles.citysearch.com/profile/41679007/hollywood_ca/big_wangs.html

Hidden in an alley, THE ROOM is a hideaway bar that I still have not found... LOL Tell me how it is onde you fidn the damn place. I think I may have seen the entrance get moved to the main street the other day, but I'm not too sure, I was a bit fuzzy.
http://losangeles.citysearch.com/profile/54476/los_angeles_ca/the_room.html

Now, sneak away from the corridor (if you're still standing) and head further down Hollywood Blvd! Swing a left at Cherokee to visit BOARDNERS. Another Hollywood classic, this is another one of my favorites. There are 2 entrances: one for just the bar, and a gate into the club. The events here range from rock bands to goth nights, so check the website or ask the bartender or doorman.
http://www.boardners.com/

Like Tequila?? L'SCORPION at Hollywood and Las Palmas offers over 160 tequilas and even more cocktails using these fabulous tequilas... The place does get packed as it is tiny...
http://www.scorpionhollywood.com/index.html

Almost done... feeling it yet?When you come to Highland, turn right! The POWER HOUSE is a super casual, cheap bar for locals, hipsters, and the lost tourist.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/R3dARDJ7bOBmh8V_I7MlQg

I could keep going but I can see that you've had too much... I'll let you sober up once, and we'll hit the hipster scene in Silverlake & Los Feliz! CHEERS!

Basque

2008-05-05T15:21:00.001-07:00

This is not a review, but a tribute to one of the least memorable Hollywood cheese clubs.

Basque...
The name itself is enough to make any decent human being cringe.
But walking by it on a Saturday evening proves to be even more hair raising and ironically sad.
You can tell by the Top 40 dance remixes and button down shirts with distressed jeans that this place was oozing with cheese.
This was the place that created a line outside to put on the facade of being an A-listers club (which I also hate), that the poor Hills and Valleys and west side crowd just ate up.
The rule for this place was, wear the smallest, shiniest, tasteless outfit and seek out a man just as classy as your outfit.

So needless to say, this place earned plenty of grunts from myself and my friends.

We were surprised, however to find out this place went up in flames the day after we had made such remarks...
Fortunately, it was at 5am when there was no cheap fabrics and cologne to add fuel to the flames.

R.I.P. - You're cheese will live on in another location the locals can't seem to avoid.

Tiny's KO

2008-04-28T16:55:00.000-07:00

Man, I have really let myself go.
How could I have not posted since February??

Oh wait, I know... I was working a hell of a lot and travelling half that time.

Anyhow, I'd like to backtrack about 1 month now, and tell you a little story about Tiny's KO.

I've been going here since about 4 months after their opening and have loved it every visit, but this particular night was off the charts.

After attending a post premier party, we decided to stop in Tiny's for a night cap.
There were 3 Japanese girls at the bar, one of them being practically molested by another asian guy.
She was trying to fight him off between nearly falling over several times, but no one was saying anything... (but it is LA after all)
I turn around to get up to say something to this sleezy jerk, and what do I see??

Her hair up in flames!!
And not any little sizzle, but fully on fire!!

A looker on finally came to the rescue and put out the fire, but the asian guy kept trying to rape her in the bar, nevermind her hair was half gone.

Turns out, her friend that brought her there was the friend of the creepy asian guy and was egging on his behavior... All of a sudden, she just looked like a Madam of a brothel, selling her innocent new "friend" on her first trick.

Eventually, I encouraged her other friend and her husband to take her home and keep the creep away from her, which they did.

Where else are you going to see such a scene??

Okay, so not a good story to encourage girls into going here, but trust me, it's fun.
Just don't attend a party with an open bar, get sloshed, and then go anywhere afterwards but home.

You're asking to be taken advantage of.

Oh god, this sounds like a horrible review, but it's not meant to be!!
I love this place, seriously.

Seven Grand

2008-02-21T11:00:00.000-08:00

Okay, I have to put my foot down for this bar, because there are some terrible reviews about this place all over yelp and citysearch.

Here's the thing; If you don't like scotch whiskey, then don't order it!! They have plenty of other options for the non-whiskey drinkers, so why order something you know you don't like just because you are at a scotch bar, then complain about the drink. Super lame. (Also not to mention they have a chalk board explaining the 3 ways to drink it for the newbies).

Ahem... Now, Seven Grand is one of my favorite downtown bars for several reasons.

The selection that makes any scotch drinker drool

The plaid and leather interior with animal mount decor

The smoking patio with tables so cigar smokers can relax

The boucer at the door seems to also be the target of bad reviews, but my experience was pleasant.

The crowd is a mix... I just wish some patrons would stop ruining the atmosphere with their skanky clothes and cheesy attitude. My plan is to go back on a weeknight to enjoy a nice slow drink (because you don't shoot scotch, moron).

515 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90014

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&q=seven+grand&near=Los+Angeles,+CA&fb=1&cid=0,0,4522950557589403431&ll=34.047397,-118.256128&spn=0.011645,0.018582&z=16&iwloc=A

The Bar

2008-02-20T17:36:00.000-08:00

Not sure why I've ignored this little bar less than 2 blocks from my home for so long.
Maybe it's because I used to like the trashy motel bar it used to be, or because it doesn't have a real name.

The Bar (yes, that's what it's called) was all the rage amongst hipsters when it made its transformation from its former dingy motel dive.
But time has passed, and this place is fit to be a nice, cozy local for all us Hollywood folk.

Located at Sunset and Bronson, marked only by a red neon "Cocktails" sign and arrow, the super dark and cozy room was rather mellow for a Saturday night.
In fact, it was pretty bare until 11:30pm.
The drinks are not cheap, but made well without hassle or long wait.

The hipster crowd was still dominant, but not so much that the striped shirts and shaggy hair hurts your eyes.
Overall a well groomed crowd, but not a very social bunch either.
Most came in groups and stuck with them.

I'll come back here on a night I want to have a conversation only with the person I went there with, and I'm in no mood to walk far or drive.

One piece of advice: If you meet a guy/girl there, make sure you say bye to them outside where there's more light... Everyone looks fantastic in the dark!

5851 W Sunset Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 468-9154

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=l&hl=en&geocode=&q=Bar&near=5851+W+Sunset+Blvd,+Los+Angeles,+CA+90028,+USA&sll=34.098065,-118.316915&sspn=0.011638,0.018582&ie=UTF8&ll=34.098071,-118.316917&spn=0.011638,0.018582&z=16&iwloc=A

Cabo Cantina

2008-02-20T17:23:00.000-08:00

So this place is not new for me...
In fact, this used to be the usual hang after a days work when i used to work just around the corner from it.

Cabo Cantina is not for those who want glass stemware, clean bathrooms, and fresh air.
But if you're in search of cheap drinks and chatty people getting drunk in the afternoon, this is THE place!

The crowd is mostly young, many with non-nine-to-five jobs, and since the entire front area of the bar is open air (though far from fresh), many smokers hang out here too.
I've seen everything from students, musicians (mostly aspiring), actors, models, and various other professions, all with wandering eyes.

The environment is just as loud as the blonde sitting next to you and the food is about as interesting as the guy across the table who's into real estate.

But we're not there for atmosphere or food... We're there to get cheap drinks!!
Every single day from 4pm~8pm, ALL drinks are 2 for the price of 1.
I doubt any other bar can compete with that happy hour.

My advice is, go for the happy hour and nothing else... It closes around midnight anyway.

Now go and get drunk and take the bus home! (Because drinking and driving is not cool :( )

8301 W Sunset Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90069
(323) 822-7820

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Cabo+Cantina+Hollywood&ie=UTF8&ll=34.096738,-118.370047&spn=0.011639,0.018582&z=16&iwloc=A

The Griffin

2008-01-29T12:44:00.000-08:00

Am I the only one sick of going to a bar, only to find yourself surrounded by 21 year olds on a mission to outdrink and outdo each other?
First off, I feel old around them, secondly, it kills the ambiance, and if you're single, the chance of meeting anyone that's read a book outside of a text book.

Well, I think I may have found the solution to the mature, but definitly not old crowd to get their strong drinks and good vibes.

The Griffin, nestles just between the Roost and Tam O'Shanter Inn, this new Atwater Vilage bar has everything for the crowd past their college years.

The interior has a warm and cozy cabin feel, like a European country club. There are 2 bars once inside with attentive bar staff that came to serve me without too much of a wait although it was a packed house, not to mention how strong the drinks are. Not for lightweights is putting it lightly.

There is also a candle lit patio visible from Los Feliz Blvd. for all the smokers to schmooze at.

The crowd is one of the best mix I've seen in Los Angeles, but what they all had in common was that there was no hostility or attitude from anyone. Ages seemed to vary from anywhere between 25~35, with a few stragglers outside of this age group.
Everyone there was well dressed, with their own style, but not trying too hard either. It's a nice change to not see the westside uniform of button-down shirts (stripes mostly) and halter tops (with a fake tan) that seems to be invading the east side these days.

There is usually a line to get in after 10PM on the weekends, so I recommend an early start if you want to avoid the que.

Another perk to this place is the location.
Parking is usually easy to find (but keep in mind the weekend crowding after 10pm) and it's close to 3 other watering holes: Bigfoot Lodge, The Roost, and Tam O'Shanter.

Overall, a big thumbs up for The Griffin for anyone who is looking for someone their own age to pick on (or pick up on).

3000 Los Feliz Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90039
(323) 644-0444
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=The+Griffin+Atwater+Village&ie=UTF8&ll=34.12614,-118.259325&spn=0.011635,0.018582&z=16&iwloc=A

I'm back, and ready to tear up the town!

2008-01-22T16:58:00.000-08:00

Many of my friends and family were kind enough to read and even enjoy (gasp!) my "Guide to LA" which I created in my wedding blog in 2007, so I've decided to start a blog dedicated to eating, drinking, shopping, dancing, veiwing, and anything else entertaining in the city of angels!

This is also an excuse to get my "getting comfortable just staying in" butt out of the house and having a social life again.

I'll cover everything from a poor girls guide to a fabulous night out, to the guide for guys cruising for chicks (and my husband is not allowed to read this one), and just about anything else that might be useful and entertaining with the help of some of my friends here in LA.

I'll try to be as unbiased as possible, but let's face it. Different folks have different strokes. I just hope there's something in here that may spark your interest!

Anyhow, I'm off to do my first report...