Eve's Wine 101

San Diego Spirits Festival Returns Sept. 24 and 25

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SAN DIEGO –– The San Diego Spirits Festival, a world-class cocktail and cultural event, is shaking things up for its 13th year with a move to the newly-renovated Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego in La Jolla (MCASD). San Diego’s annual spirits extravaganza will take place on Saturday, Sept. 24 and Sunday, Sept. 25, featuring unlimited cocktails from over 60 brands, live music and entertainment, access to MCASD’s galleries and more. Tickets are now available for purchase here.

“This event has grown exponentially through a community of craft cocktail and premium spirits lovers, and this year, we look forward to taking the San Diego Spirits Festival upmarket to La Jolla in this world-class museum,” said Liz Edwards, owner and founder of the San Diego Spirits Festival. “We’re creating an experience-driven event completely unique to the community, where guests can be inspired by exceptional cocktails and spirits, exquisite art and spectacular views.”

This incredible new setting will take So Cal’s favorite spirits festival to new heights, where art, bespoke spirits brands and cocktails will come together for a stellar two-day experience. San Diego Spirits Festival’s move from downtown San Diego to La Jolla will build on the event’s loyal following while attracting a new audience within La Jolla and adding new layers to the world-class event.

The San Diego Spirits Festival offers an upscale event that appeals to everyone from novice cocktail lovers and fashionistas to experienced mixology professionals and restaurateurs. Spirits and art enthusiasts will explore the world of whiskey, bourbon, tequila, rum, gin, vodka and other fine spirits, plus ready-to-drink beverages including seltzers, canned cocktails and more.

Recently opened after a two-year, $200 million renovation, MCASD is comprised of both indoor and outdoor spaces, offering panoramic views of the La Jolla coast throughout. The festival will take place on multiple levels of the museum, with the full exhibition from its galleries on display.

Festival hours will be from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24 and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 25. Advance tickets start at $65 until April 30, for a general pass and can be purchased online through Eventbrite here.

After the advance ticket sale, tickets will start at $85. More information about the festival can be found on the website at www.sandiegospiritsfestival.com.

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About The San Diego Spirits Festival

The San Diego Spirits Festival is an annual world-class event where cocktails, culture and art come together for a stellar two-day experience fueled by top spirits, bespoke cocktail brands in an exceptional venue. San Diego Spirits Festival distills the essence of the luxury craft cocktail and liquor market into a signature event; the creativity and design of the event space invites guests to be amongst world renowned brands and boutique distillers. The festival is shaking things up for its 13th year in 2022 with a move to the newly-renovated Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego in La Jolla(MCASD). San Diego’s annual spirits extravaganza will take place on Saturday, Sept. 24 and Sunday, Sept. 25. Tickets start at $65 are now available for purchase via Eventbrite here. More information is available on the website at www.SanDiegoSpiritsFestival.com, on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Masters of Taste Returns with Host Chef Vanda Asapahu As L.A.’s Top Tastemakers Come Together On The Field of the Rose Bowl Sunday, April 3rd, 2022! Use Promo Code EVEWINE22 to get $10 off!

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A preview teaser from Eve: Have you ever been to the Masters of Taste event that benefits the Union Station Homeless Services? I was treated to a preview and now can’t wait for the main event April 3rd on the field of the Rose Bowl! It’s like no other with fabulous culinary masters, sweet masters and beverage masters! To name a few just from our preview presented by Lawrence Moore and Associates: 2022 Host Chef Vanda Asapahu of Ayara Thai, Agnes Restaurant and Cheesery, Kabobaholic, Gabi James, Georgia’s Restaurant, Gracia Madre, Bertha Mae’s Brownies, House of Suntory Yatai Cart, 14 Cannons Brewing Company, CRU Winery, Humm Kombucha, Knox and Dobson…check out my photos here, read the latest press release below and go the website for tickets —> https://mastersoftastela.com/  And use EVEWINE22 to get $10 off!

Los Angeles, CA – Come celebrate and be part of the 5th Anniversary Masters of Taste, L.A.’s premier outdoor, luxury food and beverage festival that will take place on Sunday, April 3rd, 2022, from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm on the field of the iconic Pasadena Rose Bowl!

Masters of Taste is introducing Chef Vanda Asapahu as it’s first-ever female Host Chef of Masters of Taste 2022, which also happens to mark the 5th Anniversary of this celebrated event. Culinary Master and 2022 Host Chef Vanda Asapahu is the chef and owner of Ayara Thai and she has participated in Masters of Taste since the event’s inception in April 2016. Asapahu went to college at UCLA and to graduate school at Yale, then she spent four years living, traveling, and working her way through Thailand before returning home to Los Angeles. During Asapahu’s stay in her native country, she took extensive notes, which included absorbing the Bangkok Street Food scene and reviving old family recipes. After cooking with relatives and eating her way through the streets and countryside, Asapahu brought back treasured old recipes and new flavors to share at Ayara Thai. While her mother, Anna Asapahu, still helms the family kitchen, Asapahu is the vanguard, taking up the torch of her family’s culinary tradition at Ayara Thai, and under her leadership in May of 2019 Ayara Thai was named one of Michelin Guide California’s 2019 Bib Gourmands.    

Click this photo to get to the Masters of Taste ticket link and use EVEWINE22 for $10 off!

“I have had the pleasure of participating in Masters of Taste since its inaugural year,” states Asapahu. “As a proud UCLA alum (Go Bruins!), I’d give anything for the opportunity to cook, eat, and dance on the field of the Rose Bowl. Now I get to! The most amazing thing about Masters of Taste is that 100% of the proceeds go directly to benefit Union Station Homeless Services and not many food festivals can say that. Union Station Homeless Services is committed to ending homelessness in Los Angeles.”

Masters of Taste 2022 will bring over 3,000 food and beverage enthusiasts together for one afternoon to celebrate this exhilarating festival, which will include the finest fare from over 100 Culinary Masters and restaurants, delectable sweets prepared by L.A.’s top Sweet Masters, top Beverage Masters who will be featuring signature handcrafted cocktail tastings from over 25 spirit brands and bars, along with select wineries, local craft breweries, cold-pressed juices, cold brew coffee, live entertainment and much, much more. 

This year, Masters of Taste falls in April, during which Thai New Year, Songkran, is also celebrated. Chef Vanda has invited 3 other L.A. Thai restaurants, to participate in the Songkran Thai SELECT Pavilion, a celebration spanning the Rose Bowl’s end zone. The transformation will reflect a traditional Thai sundry general store and Songkran festival. As a culinary challenge, each Thai restaurant will prepare a dish, dessert, and/or cocktail using a common paste, sahm kler (which translates to “3 buddies”), and comprises white peppercorn, garlic, and cilantro root. This aromatic mixture is used in a variety of Thai dishes and is quite possibly the reason why Thai food is so special. Like sahm kler, the 3 buddies paste, the 3 other restaurants comprising the Songkran Thai SELECT Pavilion are 3 of Chef Vanda’s personal buddies!        

100% of the proceeds from Masters of Taste 2022 will directly benefit Union Station Homeless Services, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is committed to providing permanent solutions to end homelessness and rebuild lives. Headquartered in Pasadena, CA, Union Station has served the community for nearly 50 years and today it is the San Gabriel Valley’s largest social service agency assisting homeless and very low-income adults and families. In addition to its recent expansion into El Sereno and Eagle Rock, Union Station Homeless Services is the lead County agency for Service Planning Area 3 (SPA 3), coordinating homeless services in 36 communities, with a combined population of over 1.5 million across the San Gabriel Valley. Union Station Homeless Services’ mission is guided by the belief that everyone deserves a life of dignity and a place to call home. In the last four years Masters of Taste has raised over $2 Million in support of Union Station Homeless Services life-saving programs.

This year Masters of Taste 2022 will partner with Careers Through Culinary Arts Program, Los Angeles (C-CAP LA), a national 501(c)(3) non-profit founded by culinary educator Richard Grausman in 1990 and Co-Chaired by Chef Marcus Samuelsson. Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) provides culinary, job, and life skills to over 20,000 middle-and-high school students in seven regions across the United States: New York City, Newark, Philadelphia and Camden, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Arizona, including 7 Navajo Reservation schools and was named a National Apprenticeship Program by the U.S. Department of Labor in 2021. Due to the restaurant industry labor shortage, the Los Angeles Region, C-CAP LA will be partnering with Masters of Taste by bringing high school student volunteers to assist this year’s Masters of Taste 2022 Culinary and Sweet Masters throughout the event to gain real-time event training while helping support these incredible chefs and restaurants that are participating in this year’s event.

Some of this year’s Masters of Taste 2022 participating Culinary Masters and Restaurants include:

Ayara Thai 2022 Host Chef Vanda Asapahu – Westchester

786 Degrees Chef Ali Haider – Pasadena, Sun Valley

1212 Santa Monica Chef Luca Maita – Santa Monica

Agnes Restaurant and Cheesery Chef Thomas Kalb – Pasadena

Alexander’s Steakhouse Chef Richard Archuleta – Pasadena

Arth Bar + Kitchen Chef Sagar Ghosh – Culver City

Bone Kettle Chef Erwin Tjahyadi – Pasadena

Celestino Ristorante Chef Calogero Drago – Pasadena

Champion’s CURRY Chef Yoya Takahashi – Downtown, Los Angeles

Drago Centro Chef Celestino Drago – Downtown, Los Angeles

Five 55 Chef Austin Lee – Monterey Park

Gabi James Sarah Gabriele & Adam Aro – Redondo Beach

Georgia’s Restaurant Nika Shoemaker-Machado – Anaheim, Long Beach

Gracias Madre Chef Justin Haefler – West Hollywood, Newport Beach

Granville Mark Dix – Studio City, Burbank, West Hollywood, Pasadena

Gus’s World-Famous Fried Chicken – Burbank, Long Beach, Los Angeles

Hank’s Chef Isaias Peña – Pacific Palisades

Holy Basil Chef Wedchayan “Deau” Arpapornnopparat & Tongkamal “Joy” Yuon – Downtown, Los Angeles

Iron Teapot Dim Sum & Bar Sally Chan – Los Angeles

Kye’s Feel Good Food Jeanne Cheng – Santa Monica

La Bohéme Chef Atsushi Kenjo – West Hollywood

Little Llama Peruvian Tacos Chef Jean Valcarcel – Downtown, Los Angeles

Lunasia Chef Lee Han Fu – Pasadena, Alhambra, Cerritos

Luv2Eat Thai Bistro Chef Somruthai “Fern” Kaewtathip & Chef Noree “Pla” Burapapituk – Los Angeles

Mercado Chef Jose Acevedo – Hollywood, Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach, Pasadena, Santa Monica

Mi Piace Chef Gille Saulnier – Pasadena

Open Face Food Shop Chef Lene Houck – West Adams, Los Angeles

Otus Thai Kitchen & Coffee Chef June Intrachat – West Hollywood

Pez Cantina Chef Bret Thompson – Downtown, Los Angeles

Poppy + Rose and Poppy & Seed Chef Michael Reed – Downtown, Los Angeles, Anaheim

Qué Padre Chef Isaias Peña – Pacific Palisades

Ramen Tatsunoya Chef Ryuta Kajiwara – Pasadena, Silver Lake

Ruam Mitr Kwanklao Disbanchong & Benchawan Phoungtai – Los Angeles

Santuari Chef Seth Greenberg – Toluca Lake

Stand-Up Burgers Chef Kajsa Alger – Berkeley, Los Angeles

Taishi Hainan Chicken Chef Theo Shio – Redondo Beach, Long Beach

The Colony Club and SO.PA Chef Michael Hung – Palm Springs

The Raymond 1886 Chef Gabriel Cappelli – Pasadena

True Food Kitchen Chef Stephanie Nguyen – Pasadena

Vegan Sunday Supper Richard Klein – Los Angeles

We Olive Ervin Galvan – Pasadena

World Empanadas Chef Matthew Hirtz – Burbank

Yardbird Chef Eduardo Osorio – Los Angeles

Yuca’s Restaurant Socorro “Mama Yuca’s” Herrera – Pasadena

Food Trucks:

Kabobaholic Ali Pooya – Los Angeles, Orange County

Okamoto Kitchen Gerald Abraham – Los Angeles

The Tropic Truck Lauren Saravia – Los Angeles

VCHOS Wendy Centeno – Los Angeles

Wings N Waffles Jontae Vinson – Los Angeles, Orange County

Sweet Masters: A select group of Los Angeles Top Sweet Masters will showcase an assortment of delectable desserts such as Bertha Mae’s Brownies, unique Indian treats from Banana Leaf, handcrafted pudding from Better Together Sweets, custom cakes and desserts from Butter Cake Shoppe, French macarons and gourmet cookies from Etoile Filante Patisserie, deliciously scrumptious scratch baked custom cakes and cupcakes from Fantasy Frostings, Lark Cake Shop, Chocolatier Mignon Chocolate, Nomad Ice Pops, homemade premium sorbets from Pop’s Artisinal Creamery,  Nothing Bundt Cakes, and more.

Some of this year’s participating Beverage Masters include:

Bars & Spirits: 2022 Masters of Taste Platinum Sponsor Beam Suntory will be premiering their House of Suntory Tiny House on the 50 Yard Line along with a Maker’s Mark Lounge, and more. Some of L.A.’s top bartenders and cocktail bars will be creating first-rate craft cocktails, including Maxwell Reis of Gracias Madre and Miguel Perez of 1886 Bar at The Raymond. Top brands showcasing their finest spirits at Masters of Taste will include American Born Whiskey, Dulce Vida Tequila, High Road Spirits serving Lucky Dog Sake Juice Boxes, Knox & Dobson, Krafted Spirits, Nosotros Tequila & Mezcal, Pomp & Whimsy, Smoke Lab Vodka, Ventura Spirits, Veso Aperitifs, Wild Roots Organic Vodka, Xoloitzcuintle Tequila, and  Woodford Reserve will be exclusively featured in the Rose Bowl Court of Champions.

Brewmasters: Beverage Masters who specialize in barley and hops will be presenting top-notch ales, lagers, pilsners and more for guests to sample, sip and savor all throughout the event, including Southern California favorites 14 Cannons Brewing Co., L.A.’s new All Season Brewing, Arts District Brewing Company, Pasadena’s Cerveceria Del Pueblo, hard kombucha from Flying Embers in Ojai, Downtown’s Homebound Brew Haus, North Hollywood’s Lawless Brewing Co., Arcadia’s first Microbrewery Mt. Lowe Brewing Co., Ola Brew hard seltzer, Over Town Brewing Co., San Fernando Brewing Co., and 2022 Thai Sponsor Singha Beer.

Wineries and Sake: A specially curated collection of Wine Masters will be showcasing their finest varietals including premium boutique winery Ascension Cellars, CRŪ Winery, Ferguson Family Wines, Golden Star Vineyards & Winery, Hitching Post Winery, Kikusi Brewery (Sake), Obvious Wines, Anderson Valley’s Navarro Vineyards, Seisyu Akagisan Sake, Tobias Glen Vineyard, and more.

Non-Alcoholic Beverages: A variety of premium non-alcoholic Beverage Masters will also be on hand for those who wish to hydrate, caffeinate or regenerate, such as Yerba Mate from Erva Brew Co., Humm Kombucha, distilled and elegantly blended non-alcoholic beverages from Optimist Drinks, boba milk tea from Sunright Tea Studio and Bearology, natural ginger beer from TrueRoots Brewing Co., handcrafted beverage starters from The Base Co., and more.

Sponsors: Masters of Taste 2022 is made possible through the generous support of our Platinum Sponsors, Beam Suntory. The Songkran Thai SELECT Pavilion is made possible by Thai Trade Center Los Angeles, including Thai SPIRIT, Department of International Trade Promotion, Singha, N.A. Trading Company, Theppadungporn Coconut Co., and Sunlee. Gold Sponsors include Judith L. Chiara Foundation, US Bank, and Western Asset Management. The event is also made possible by Silver Sponsors: AppDynamics, Capital Group, Charlie and Rene Chiara, Hannah and Russ Kully, Homebridge Financial Services, Inc., HomeStreet Bank, Jim & Cary Moore, John and Marie Queen, Kaiser Permanente, Liz & Rhodes Trussell, Philip and Nancy Naecker, Union Bank MUFG, Vickie and Alex Taylor, Wells Fargo, Woodford Reserve; and Bronze Sponsors: ADP Foundation, Avantis Investors, Bank of America, Bart and Pam Wald, Catherine Simms & Garrett Bell, City National Bank, David & Janet Lazier, HKG LLP, Lonnie and Lorraine Schield, Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP, Sally Lash, Terry & Teresa Krupczak, Verlasso, Wendy Lees & Tom Boyle and Westport Construction. 

Ticket Information: Masters of Taste 2022 will take place on Sunday, April 3rd, 2022. A VIP Power Hour will be held from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm and General Admission will be from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Tickets to this event are only available for guests 21+ and over. For more information on Masters of Taste 2022 or to book your tickets directly, please visit https://mastersoftastela.com/tickets/. 

Location:  Pasadena Rose Bowl – 1001 Rose Bowl Drive, Pasadena, CA 91103. 

Transportation and Parking: Guests are encouraged to utilize car services – Lyft, Uber, Taxi, etc. – since this event does serve alcoholic beverages and is a 21+ and over event. Complimentary parking is also available at the Rose Bowl.

LOS ANGELES STAPLE, S BAR, ARRIVES TO MANDALAY BAY RESORT AND CASINO IN LAS VEGAS

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Nightlife Destination to Feature an Elevated Cocktail Program by Renowned Master Bartender Yael Vengroff

 Las Vegas, NV (December 20, 2021) –  S Bar, a concept by visionary Sam Nazarian and sbe’s elevated dining brand Disruptive Restaurant Group, joins the Las Vegas nightlife scene by bringing a sensual and elegant social space to The Strip. Debuting New Year’s Eve, the venue will deliver a craft cocktail experience and lush lounge ambience along with high-energy entertainment to Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino guests and visitors from around the globe.

Celebrating the culture of mixology, S Bar will feature innovative libations paired with a tempting array of decadent shareable bites by sbe Director of Culinary Thanawat Bates. The concept also will offer an eclectic live entertainment experience by integrating classic instrumental sounds with modern tunes and unexpected DJ sets by west coast resident artists. Lounge enthusiasts will be welcomed by brass tones, luxe drapery, plush seating, and a polished black marble bar adorned by iconic art pieces from one of the world’s most collected photographers, Terry O’Neil.

S Bar’s focus will center around its curated craft cocktail program, designed by award-winning master bartender Yael Vengroff, who also is Head of Bars & Mixology Programming at Katsuya and S Bar. Named “American Bartender of the Year” by the prestigious Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, Vengroff is dedicated to crafting visually stunning cocktails that combine simple spirits with unexpected ingredients such as aloe vera, yuzu tonic and umami bitters. Vengroff’s new S Bar Las Vegas menu cocktails will include:

  • Moonage Daydream, Pisco, Salted Honeydew Peanut Cordial, Tarragon, Lime, Egg White
  • Umeshu Highball, Ume Whiskey, Amaro Montenegro, Shiso Plum Wine, Bubbles
  • Palm Reader, Bourbon, Cacao Rum, Licor de Elote, Palo Santo, Bitters
  • Tiger Julis, Mandarin Vodka, Cognac, Campari, Cinnamon, Black Tea, Hazelnut
  • Starry Night, Pear Brandy, Lemon, Butterfly Pea Flower, Sparkling Rosé

 S Bar has become a key brand within Sam Nazarian’s Disruptive Restaurant Group (DRG), emerging as a Los Angeles mainstay known for sophisticated interiors, impeccable hospitality, and elevated menus. The much-anticipated S Bar Las Vegas debuts its sultry lounge December 31 and will feature a DJ set by emerging Los Angeles native BYNX, who produces melodic House sounds combined with Indie Nu Disco.

To make S Bar Las Vegas reservations and for more information, visit https://www.sbe.com/nightlife/s-bar/las-vegas

Hours of Operation:

Sunday/Monday – Closed

Tuesday – Thursday 5pm – 12am

Friday – Saturday 5pm – 2am

The S Bar Story

Each S Bar reflects the character and edginess of each location and the creatives who inhabit them with sophisticated interiors, world-class cocktails, rare spirits, and deliciously elevated bar menu. A Hollywood classic originally conceived by Phillippe Starck, S Bar was imagined as an intimate neighborhood bar, striking the perfect balance between culture and sophistication and raw elegance, evoking the spirit of an artist’ gallery. S Bar embodies casual elegance, sensuality, and a sense of belonging.

To make reservations and for more information on all S Bar locations, visit https://www.sbe.com/nightlife/s-bar.

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About Disruptive Restaurant Group

DRG, Disruptive Restaurant Group, incubates and operates globally renowned culinary brands including

critically-acclaimed restaurants, lounges and nightclubs. By partnering with an impressive roster of internationally renowned culinary talent, DRG concepts are committed to innovation and setting new industry standards. Restaurants within the portfolio include Katsuya by Chef Katsuya Uechi, Sa’Moto by Chef Masaharu Morimoto, Hyde Sunset Kitchen and Cocktails and the much anticipated opening this winter of Casa Dani by Michelin Chef Dani Garcia.

About Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino

Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino is set on 120 lush acres featuring Mandalay Bay Beach, a tropical pool paradise with real sand. The Michelob ULTRA Arena, award-winning restaurants, exhilarating entertainment, unique shopping, Shark Reef Aquarium and the 2-million-square-foot convention center combine to make Mandalay Bay a captivating Las Vegas resort destination. The resort offers three distinct hotel experiences: Mandalay Bay with 3,211 luxurious rooms and suites reflecting a modern tropical ambiance; Four Seasons Hotel, a AAA Five Diamond hotel offering 424 rooms and suites; and the luxury all-suite Delano Las Vegas. Mandalay Bay is operated by MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM). For more information and reservations, visit mandalaybay.com, call toll free at (877) 632-7800, or find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Barfly® Mixology Gear Rolls Out Festive Bar Tools for the Holiday Season

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RONKONKOMA, N.Y. (PRWEB) – For the 2021 holidays, Barfly® Mixology Gear is doing its part to make spirits brighter with themed essentials, perfect for seasonal use behind the bar or gift-giving under the tree.

The new collection features shakers in two festive styles to brighten up your holiday entertaining. Also available is a bar spoon topped with a whimsical Santa head. The shaker tins and solid-head spoon are crafted with the same high quality that Barfly tools are known for and designed for years of holiday entertaining.

“These seasonal additions are merry touches that add to the joyfulness and jubilance of the holidays,” says Joe Flaherty, Senior Vice President. “They also make great gifts for the professional mixologist or home bartender enthusiast.”

The tools are limited editions and will be available starting in October through online retailers.

About Barfly Mixology Gear
Barfly Mixology Gear is fine barware for the professional bartender and home enthusiast. Produced and owned by Mercer Culinary, a second-generation family business that manufactures and supplies cutlery and accessories for the professional culinary market. Barfly tools are manufactured from exceptional materials. The collection is designed with precision, control, and accuracy to ensure masterful results for making perfect cocktails.

http://www.barflybymercer.com

Vintage Eve Circa 7/2018: The Seventh Art Beyond the Glass!

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Art Beyond the Glass VII: L.A.’s Top Bartenders Come Together To Celebrate

Seven Years of Cocktails, Community, Women In The Industry and A Great Cause…Proceeds from ABTG VII will go to the Women’s Center for Creative Work, a vital arts nonprofit in Frogtown. Now in its seventh year, Art Beyond the Glass is L.A.’s premier cocktail culture festival, featuring more than 100 top bartenders making cocktails and showcasing their artistry, from painting and sculpture to photography, live music and more!

Yep, we did it again, covered three levels of mind blowing cocktail mayhem in the Los Globos nightclub in Silver Lake. The “mayhem” included a wide array of live music, a dj, burlesque, a tap dancer and wildly costumed bartenders as well as guests. There also was a raffle, art exhibit and “silent auction items such as artwork, photography, rare spirits and more.” 

As you know I was there to take it all in (photos here if that’s all you’re after) these are the spirit vendors I made sure to meet up with:

Jack Daniel Distillery Lynchburg Tennessee, The Bombay Sapphire Distillery, Ming River Baijiu and Teeling Whiskey – these were just part of the first floor of fun, and each spirits’ table offered more than one cocktail option so you could do them all or just select one that sounded good to you.

More from the first floor: Fun stewards (stewardesses, whatevers) from Aviation Gin sat guests in a mock airplane, served them cocktails and if you agreed to sit in the exit row you got a special treat! Loved the two cocktails – one with tea and another in a slush – I sampled from Pomp & Whimsy (remember them – hope they’ll be back for Cocktails on the Roof 2018!) and fun drinks from Fords Gin, Plymouth Gin, and Lillet.

The cutie pies at the Mulholland Distilling table were happy to sing for a photo on the second floor! Fun table, and the drinks were yummy. I had the Mulholland Mule and I swear there was another drink they made with Boba in it. I really loved the Edinburgh Distillery Rhubarb Ginger liqueur! Also enjoyed checking out Distillerie Clement rum.

And on the ground floor, an outdoor patio filled with happy smokers and vapers, had a cold brew coffee vendor, Colorado Common Hard Cider and Illegal Mezcal Joven cocktails in ice cube glasses that blew my mind – the one I tried was called “560 Shades of Greg”, while the other, which I didn’t try, had CBD in it!

Even more entertainment on the first and second floors: we got our VIP badges from Jack Daniel’s, sampled cocktails from Åhus Akvavit, Born and Bred, Domaine Combier, Partida Tequila and The Real McCoy Rum.

More About Art Beyond the Glass (ABTG): Art Beyond the Glass is a special event that showcases the artistic pursuits of top bartenders when they’re not behind the stick. ABTG began, as many things do, with a conversation in a bar. In the fall of 2011, bartender Zahra Bates and writer Daniel Djang were at Sunny Spot in Venice, discussing how so many bartenders in Los Angeles express themselves creatively through painting, photography, music, and other arts. But at the time there wasn’t a proper showcase for bartenders to share their artistic pursuits. To fill this gap, Art Beyond the Glass was born: uniting the bar community, which gives back to the art community, and strengthening the community in which we live.

At ABTG, everything from the cocktails to the art and music is created and performed by bartenders. Proceeds from every ABTG event are donated to a local arts-based charity. To date, Art Beyond the Glass has donated more than $98,000 to nonprofit organizations across the country.

The inaugural ABTG raised more than $6,000 for Inner-City Arts. In 2013, ABTG II raised $13,700 for Art Share L.A. and saved this vital nonprofit from closing. ABTG III raised $18,000 for the Mural Conservancy to restore Struggles of the World, one of the landmark Freeway Murals from the 1984 Summer Olympics. ABTG IV raised more than $20,000 for KCRW on behalf of its Capital Campaign to open a new Media Center and public event space in Santa Monica.

To celebrate its five-year anniversary in 2015, Art Beyond the Glass expanded to cities outside of Los Angeles for the first time. The fifth annual ABTG was the largest event to date and raised over $25,000 for Global Inheritance. In July 2016, the first-ever ABTG outside of L.A. took place in Oklahoma City and raised $7,300 for Arts Council Oklahoma City. ABTG Chicago took place in August 2016 and donated $8,450 to ArtReach.

Art Beyond the Glass will continue to grow into established and emerging markets that are eager to demonstrate the creative prowess of their bar community.

The Charity

This year we are honored to be raising funds for the Women’s Center for Creative Work, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit located in Frogtown. Combining a co-workspace on the L.A. River, project incubation facilities, residency programs, a rapidly growing network of over 20,000 followers, and a full calendar of artistic and professional development programming, WCCW advocates for feminist-led creative businesses and projects in Los Angeles.

www.ArtBeyondtheGlass.com

Follow Art Beyond the Glass on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArtBeyondTheGlass

Twitter: @ABTGLA

Instagram: @abtgla

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 15k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

A.G. Perino Offers a Fresh, Approachable Take on Classic Italian-Style Dry and Sweet Vermouth

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SEATTLE /PRNewswire/ — Precept Wine is proud to announce the launch of A.G. Perino Dry and Sweet Vermouths. Crafted by acclaimed winemaker, Hal Landvoigt, A.G. Perino is 15 years in the making. Inspired by late-night cocktails and conversation at a bar in Dusseldorf, Germany, Precept Founder and CEO Andrew Browne challenged Landvoigt to create a vermouth of exceptional quality and value. What followed was over a decade studying production methods; consulting with expert craftsman, winemakers, and bartenders; and tasting samples from around the world in an epic journey to create the best vermouth for everyday use.

 

Image from Yummly.com

A.G. Perino uses premium wines and natural flavors to produce a vermouth in classic Italian style. “While A.G. Perino is perfect in classic cocktails such as a Negroni or Manhattan, it was also designed to be outstanding simply on the rocks. Although many producers ‘back into’ vermouth using leftovers and what is at hand, I developed A.G. Perino from the ground up, similar in nature to the method of producing the world’s best gins,” remarked Landvoigt. “The base wine is equally as important as the additional layers of flavors captured by the herbs and botanicals. I wanted a vermouth with pronounced flavor.”

Landvoigt’s colleague, Alex Evans, Chief Marketing Officer at Precept, named the vermouth in recognition of the Perino family, longtime friends, who love to celebrate their family’s rich Italian heritage. “Every Sunday the Perinos come together and share great wine, great food, and great company including Anthony G. Perino’s delicious Negroni cocktails. It is a privilege to name this vermouth in their honor,” remarked Evans.

With fresh, modern packaging and an exceptional $9.99 SRP, A.G. Perino brings excitement and innovation to a growing category, up 35% in dollar volume over the past 26 weeks. (Source: Nielsen ending 11.28.20 Total US xAOC + Liq Plus & Total US Convenience)

A.G. Perino Dry Vermouth is fresh, bright, and herbal. It leads with notes of citrus zest, followed by flavors of bay leaf, lemongrass, cucumber, lanolin, grapefruit pith, and white pepper. It pairs well in bourbon, rye whiskey, gin, and tequila cocktails or on the rocks with a lemon twist.

A.G. Perino Sweet Vermouth is nuanced with layers of botanical aromatics. Golden caramel in color, it leads with woodsy notes of balsam and clove and follows with warm flavors of walnut husk, vanilla, honey, and Ceylon cinnamon. Enjoy on the rocks with an orange-peel garnish or mixed with straight bourbon, rye whiskey, and other full-bodied spirits.

“As more people experiment with at-home mixology, there has never been a better time to discover A.G. Perino. For on-premise accounts, no other vermouth can offer the value and quality of this vermouth. I challenge anyone to find a better-tasting vermouth under $20,” said Browne.

A.G. Perino Dry & Sweet Vermouths are distributed nationally and available online at www.AG-PERINO.com.

About Precept Wine:
Seattle-based Precept Wine is the largest privately held wine producer in the Pacific Northwest and a top 12 American wine producer. With deep roots representing more than 30 years of Northwest investments in the wine industry, Precept owns and maintains nearly 4,000 planted vineyard acres across Washington, Idaho, New Mexico and Oregon; such leading wine brands as Waterbrook, Gruet, Browne Family Vineyards, Canoe Ridge Vineyard, House Wine, Pendulum, Primarius, Washington Hills, Battle Creek Cellars, Callaway Cellars, Ste. Chapelle, Cense and A.G. Perino vermouth, plus tasting rooms and hospitality throughout the Pacific Northwest and New Mexico. Founded in 2003 by Andrew Browne and Dan Baty, the company’s wineries have garnered more than 800 combined best buys and critical scores exceeding 90 points. Learn more at www.preceptwine.com.

And the Winner of the 2020 Sherry Wines Amateur Mixology Challenge is…

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NEW YORK (PRWEB) – Consejo Regulador de Vinos de Jerez and Manzanilla – Sherry’s governing council – aka Sherry Wines, congratulates Jen LaForge who claimed the first ever Amateur Mixology Challenge crown and the $3,000 cash prize. The competition, which wholly took place online, pitted five exceptional contestants against one another who were chosen out of more than 100 sherry cocktail entries. The two runner-ups received $1,500 and $500 respectively.

Vinos de Jerez Sherry Wines – Photo from Facebook

The Sherry Amateur Mixology Challenge teamed up with VinePair to promote and educate consumers on all things sherry as well as showcase the versatility of the fortified wine through cocktails. Three expert judges, esteemed mixologist Shannon Mustipher, sherry educator Chantal Tseng and VinePair founder Adam Teeter, scored the cocktails based on a number of factors including creativity, flavor balance and their use and knowledge of their chosen sherry. Jen’s Otoño Fizz was a standout amongst the competition, utilizing Fino Sherry, Dussé VSOP, carrot cordial, lemon, Aquafaba and soda for an unforgettable and savory take on a fizz.
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ABOUT SHERRY WINES

Sherry is a fortified wine which can only be produced in the “Sherry Triangle” – formed by the towns of Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa Maria, and Sanlucar de Barrameda in the province of Cadiz, south-western Spain. The Consejo Regulador’s role is to protect the Denomination of Origin (DO) Jerez-Xerex-Sherry and Manzanilla-Sanlucar de Barrameda, ensuring that no wine from any other geographical area is sold as Sherry wine.
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DO Jerez-Xerex-Sherry and Manzanilla-Sanlucar de Barrameda is the oldest DO in Spain, and has 2,800 wine-growers. Wine has been produced in the area since Roman times, and Sherry has been exported around the world since the 16th century.

ABOUT VINEPAIR

VinePair is the largest digital media company delivering accessible, entertaining, and inspiring content about drinks and the experiences you have with a glass in hand.

Why I Go Both Ways: Enjoying Wine and Spirits

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When I first started drinking wine and decided to spend the time and money for further education and certification, I didn’t think about studying spirits as well. However, the course I wanted offered by WSET at the time, included both. (WSET stand for Wine and Spirits Education Trust. In the last few years they have split the two certifications, though they still go by the WSET name.)

L to R: Claudia Sheridan, Denise Lowe and Eve Bushman shortly after receiving out WSET pins in 2010.

It was in those classes that I got to spend time learning about a wide array of wines as well as spirits. It might have been where the bug for spirits bit me. If you were to talk to my husband he would say that his interest in single malt scotch was what swayed me. (He may be right as we cover more than one whisky event a year. That category alone includes his beloved single malt scotch as well as rye, bourbon and blended scotch whisky.)

Fast forward a few years and I found myself offered not only wine tasting opportunities but spirit tasting as well. There is one event that offers both wine and spirits, and in those my Contributing Editor Michael Perlis usually covers the wine while I do the spirits. It’s a bit different than wine tasting – the offered taste is smaller, you still sniff and taste, but spit all out as the alcohol levels are so much higher. With that said, I usually only make it halfway through a spirit tasting until my lips grow numb and I have to take a break.

From spirit tastings I moved into a little bit of mixology classes and started experimenting with making cocktails at home. We hit on a few favorites and have stuck with them over the years.

My husband, also a lover of both wine and spirits, started buying me gifts that the home bartender would need, and I returned the favor and found him some unique items as well.

We now have travel kits, three or four shakers, different measures of “shot” glasses, bar spoons, single “rock” makers, simple syrup, brown sugar, sweet and dry vermouth, Amaro, Compari and other mixers, as well as a nice array of bitters, cherries, oranges, limes and lemons at any given time.

One friend, a fellow wine writer, asked me how I could like both wine and spirits. I found the question in and of itself to be peculiar, but answered anyway, I felt – and still do feel – that there are just as many discoveries in  aromas and flavors in both. If you can detect things like fruit, nuts, botanicals, earth and wood in your wine you will be pleased to learn that some of the same aromas and flavors are in your spirits.

On hot days we often enjoy chilled Viognier, Chardonnay, Picpoul de Pinet, Sauvignon Blanc, sparkling…basically any white wine that we own. But, on some hot days we also have been known to enjoy a gin Martini, Moscow Mule, Aperol Spritz, Sazerac, Negroni, Margarita, Rob Roy, Old Fashioned or a Manhattan. Usually how it works is that we have a cocktail before (aperitif) or after (digestif) dinner, and a nice bottle of white wine with warm weather dishes such as salads, seafood, chicken and cheese plates. During the cooler days of fall and winter we often enjoy Rhônes and Bordeaux varietals with dinner, but still enjoy a cocktail before or after.

After our best meals, which usually means a beautiful sous vide filet and a red wine from our cellar, we often finish our evening not with a cocktail but with a nosing glass (aka a Glencairn) of one of our favorite single malt scotch whiskies. Then we linger over those flavors as well.

Now, how do you imbibe? Maybe it’s time to widen your taste profile a bit.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Vintage Eve July 2017: Art Beyond the Glass 2017

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L.A.’s Top Bartenders Celebrated “Six Years of Cocktails, Community and A Great Cause” during the sixth Art Beyond The Glass held at Los Globos in LA on June 25… Proceeds from ABTG VI will go to The Moth, the award-winning nonprofit that that celebrates the ability of stories to honor the diversity and commonality of human experience.

Thrilled to cover this unique event a second time, especially a chance to escape the heat at home, Los Globos was the perfect venue in the not too far off Silver Lake neighborhood.

Multiple stories, live music, food and tons of air conditioning kept guests happily scattered from bar to bar to bar for four fun-filled hours. (If you only have three minutes, you can view my slideshow of the event here.)

Bartenders, some dressed in 60s garb, some as medics and others just in tanks emblazoned with their bar’s names were almost as entertaining as the concoctions we tried that incorporated everything from gin to vodka, bitters, botanicals to fresh fruit.

I honestly think I tasted a cocktail from every bar, and when I thought one was so unique the next one I tried would prove to be even more incredible! These bartenders definitely raised the bar on expressing themselves via their exceptional mixology talents.

It was a lot to take in. And I was thankful for blogger Daniel Djang (now content manager for DiscoverLosAngeles.com) and bartender Zahra Bates (now a National Brand Ambassador for Courvoisier) for dreaming the whole thing up six years ago.

The List of Bartenders and Bars (at press time)

Aaron Polsky – Harvard & Stone

Adam Fournier – Faith & Flower

Alex Barbatsis – Esprit De Corps Hospitality

Alyson Iwamoto – Here’s Looking At You

Beau Du Bois – The Corner Door

Bethany Ham – Birds & Bees

Brittney Olsen – Hotel Figueroa

Chris Amirault – Otium

Christopher Day – Bar Tribute

Christina Russo – The Board Room

Chris Whelan – Hotel Figueroa

Dan McClary – Cannibal

Dan Sabo – Hotel Figueroa

Dee Ann Quinones – Commerson

Dustin Newsome – Bar Clacson, Slipper Clutch

Edwin Cruz – Winsome

Evan Charest – Patina Restaurant Group

Garrett McKechnie – Bar Mattachine

Greg Bryson – The Wallace

Jeremy Lake – Lost Property, Rosaline

Jodi Calderon – Normandie Club

John McGlothlin – Delilah

Kalani Ben – The Spare Room

Kim Stodel – Providence

Michael Lay – LONO

Peter Lloyd Jones – 1886

Ryan Wainwright – The Ponte

Sophia Oolie – The Freehand

Tobin Shea – Redbird

Yael Vengroff – The Spare Room 

More About Art Beyond the Glass

Art Beyond the Glass (ABTG) is a special event that showcases the artistic pursuits of top bartenders when they’re not behind the stick. At ABTG, everything from the cocktails to the art and music is created and performed by bartenders. Proceeds from every ABTG event are donated to a local arts-based nonprofit. The inaugural ABTG raised over $6000 for Inner-City Arts. In 2013, ABTG II raised $13,700 for Art Share L.A. ABTG III raised $18,000 for the Mural Conservancy to help restore one of the historic 1984 Olympic Freeway Murals. ABTG IV was the largest event to date and raised $20,000 for KCRW.

ABTG began, as many things do, with a conversation in a bar. In the fall of 2011, bartender Zahra Bates and writer Daniel Djang were at Sunny Spot in Venice, discussing how so many bartenders in Los Angeles express themselves creatively through painting, photography, music, and other arts. But at the time there wasn’t a proper showcase for bartenders to share their art. To fill this gap, Art Beyond the Glass was born.

By uniting the bar community, which gives back to the art community, Art Beyond the Glass helps to strengthen the community in which we live. 

www.ArtBeyondtheGlass.com.

Follow Art Beyond the Glass on:  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArtBeyondTheGlass | Twitter: @ABTGLA

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

RIVIERA 31 AT SOFITEL LOS ANGELES AT BEVERLY HILLS UNVEILS ‘INDIAN SUMMER’ COCKTAIL COLLECTION

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Los Angeles, CA – Riviera 31 at Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills has debuted a new cocktail menu inspired by the Angeleno lifestyle surrounding health and wellness.

Riviera

Director of Nightlife Aidan Demarest, who joined the Sofitel team in August 2019, has curated a limited-edition cocktail collection designed to cure the summer hangovers and embody the health-conscious City of Stars. In a town where there is no shortage of gluten-free, vegan and clean-eating spots, Demarest has introduced his first cocktail menu for the property entitled ‘Indian Summer.’

Comprising seven drinks, the menu offers both alcoholic and non-alcoholic sips perfect for a pre-holiday cleanse or Awards Season preparation. Demarest combines unique flavors with holistic ingredients that aim to wow the taste buds while leaving guests feeling refreshed. With innovative names such as “Tulum Bounceback” and “Yoga Deck,” visitors can work up a sweat on the dance floor and detox at the bar.

“My intention with this new cocktail collection was to pair our mixology experience with our vibrant eclectic world music program while keeping it clean and sexy. Using fall inspired earthly ingredients in light and fresh recipes, I created these cocktails to end the summer season and embrace fall on a health conscious note,” said Demarest.

The cocktail menu is made with fresh juice and his very own simple syrup made in house. ‘The Enlightenment’ ($20) is light and tangy using vodka, pomegranate juice, lemon and elderflower liquor topped with sparkling wine. For kombucha lovers, the menu’s reimagined Paloma ($20) will become their new go-to drink, combining blanco tequila, grapefruit juice, habanero and kombucha. For those looking for an elevated mocktail, the ‘Puff Down’ ($15) intends to detox with key ingredients like turmeric ginger syrup and lemon juice.

The West Hollywood watering hole has become a favorite among locals, visitors and celebrities looking for nonstop entertainment and handcrafted mixology. From the hotspot’s iconic Jazz Eclectic Nights every Monday to energetic Salsa Nights each Wednesday, there is constant fun and play at Riviera 31.

For more information on Riviera 31, visit https://www.esterelrestaurant.com/riviera-31

About Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills
Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills is a stunning hotel in LA offering elegant luxury accommodations and dramatic decor with an ambiance that combines see-and-be-seen excitement and the calm of an urban resort. Ideally situated on the corner of La Cienega and Beverly Boulevard, opposite the Beverly Shopping Center, this West Hollywood hotel is conveniently located near Cedar Sinai Medical Center, Rodeo Drive, Melrose Avenue, and Sunset Boulevard. Discover a unique blend of French fashion mixed with Hollywood glamour at this elegant hotel offering 295 rooms on 10 floors including 28 suites all featuring Sofitel’s luxurious feather top and state-of-the-art technology. Make the most of Sofitel Los Angeles’s numerous onsite amenities from the 2,500-square-foot gym SoFIT to the French cosmetology SoSpa and the Celebrity Hair Salon LeSalon. Have breakfast at our farm-to-table breakfast restaurant Esterel, join us for lunch or dinner at Cattle & Claw, our burgers and lobster SoCal Eatery and finish the night at Riviera 31 Lounge Bar for a night of breathtaking live music and unforgettable cocktails.

www.sofitel-los-angeles.com
About Riviera 31
Riviera 31 at Sofitel Los Angeles in Beverly Hills is a sophisticated cocktail lounge that offers a sensual baroque take on flowers and their mystery and elegance, where the cozy ruby red and blue velvet sofas invite to lounge on under the gold Rococo ceiling. From legendary Jazz nights, Salsa Nights and DJ events, Riviera 31 hosts the best entertainment nights in town! Celebrities from Cara Delevingne to Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds and Kourtney Kardashian and Amber Heard have been spotted! Enjoy cocktails, tapas and communal plates that takes visitors on an epicurean journey through French coastal cuisine.