Urban Ninja
After a long day on the road, seeing every national monument you can muster, you just want to kick back at your campsite and enjoy a drink with friends. But we’re adults now, should we be sharing our bourbon with the camping mug that once held coffee in it just hours before? I think not. So, I put together a few things you will need to class up those campsite tipples.
First up is my favorite stainless steel Stanley flask to throw in your daypack for a swig up on the mountaintop plus cups to share, a portable hand crank blender to bring Margarita-ville to you, some exquisite cocktail mixers so you can make a fancy drink with just two ingredients (this plus booze), a cocktail kit with carrying satchel if you want to really bring your A-game, and some gorgeous plastic ‘glassware’ because we are so beyond Solo cups. And if you really want to step up your tailgate-car-camping game, you can splurge on this portable cooler that is powered by either 12V DC (aka your car), 120V AC (aka a socket at the campground), or (LP) gas (which you can truck in with you), so you can always keep your cool even if the sun will be partying late with you.
[su_photo_credit_1_photographer photolink=”http://www.papertigerphoto.com/”]Briana Lane for Paper Tiger Photo[/su_photo_credit_1_photographer]
Remember when Ludlows wanted to change your life with pre-packaged jello shots? Well now they’re offering you life of the party status, in the form of a bottle… of spritz. Spritzes, long the maligned sipper of evil step-moms and blue haired ladies who make appointments at the parlor, is now the hottest new thing in cocktails. Easy, refreshing drinkers, that you can have more than one of without getting sloppy, the Spritz will facilitate getting to third base when the apple-tini of girl drinks past would leave you cheek to cheek with the cold tile of your bathroom floor.
Seriously, the launch of this product will make your summer. So, drop a little cash on their Kickstarter, if you want to see this become a reality. Double bonus for Angelenos, you can celebrate Spritz all month with the Ludlow Kids at a series of events.
Kickstarter Spritz Awareness Month Event Schedule
The Spritz Awareness Party
Thursday, February 11th, 710pm @ Normandie Club LA
Enjoy a Spritz open bar with street tacos and Coolhaus ice cream sandwiches.
The Champagne Emoji Flashmob Tattoo Party
Thursday, February 18th, 7pm – 12am @ The Honorable Society LA
TO ATTEND ANY OF THE KICKSTARTER LAUNCH PARTIES ABOVE, PLEASE RSVP TO INFO@LUDLOWSCOCKTAILS.COM. SPACE IS LIMITED AND 21+ ONLY.
The Fancy Spritz Tasting
Sunday, February 21st, 25pm @Domaine LA
This one is fancy. Buy and peruse Talia Baiocchi and Leslie Pariseau’s (the wonder duo behind PUNCH magazine) new SPRITZ bookwhile you do a tasting of spritzes from Ludlows Cocktail Co. and other fancy purveyors and producers. Get tickets here.
Golden State of Cocktails is back in the City of Angels. Celebrating all the delicious traditions, tastes, and techniques that contribute to the state of modern mixology, Golden State of Cocktails takes over The Majestic Downtown with a number of seminars and tastings for bartenders looking to sharpen their cocktail knowledge or events for consumers looking to appreciate the spirits, cocktails, and artisans who make up this industry.
Golden State of Cocktails is cocktail nerdery at its finest. Here were some highlights from last year and some things I’m looking forward to this year.
Tasting bitters through identical Manhattans, where only the bitters were changed, really allows you to taste how different bitters can change the experience of a cocktail, from the aroma to the palate.
These seminars, hosted by luminaries in the profession, are geared toward members of the hospitality industry & cocktail community.
Register for seminars at GoldenStateofCocktails.com
For those in the industry, there will be a number of tasting tables to discover new spirits and products for your bars and events. Some favorites include
And for consumers interested in tasting spirits, sign up for the spirit dinners at some of the best restaurants in Los Angeles.
Tickets are $100 (tax + tip included). Visit http://goldenstateofcocktails.com/ for more information.
Last year, I was treated to a sneak peek at the new Woodford Reserve Rye, which had just been released, as well as last year’s Birthday Bourbon, which had already sold out everywhere in Los Angeles. I loved last year’s Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection so much, that I was thrilled to find a bottle of the Sonoma-Cutrer finish at a local liquor store.
Larceny sponsored a table where you could fill your own barrel with a cocktail. You could choose from a boulevardier or a manhattan, and I chose to put a manhattan in my barrel. It was delicious when I pulled it out a few weeks later.
PolyScience had many of their techy toys on view to demo for Golden State attendees, including sous vide machines, rotovapes, and centrifuges. Their Smoking Gun was the clear winner for visitors because of its theatricality and ease of use.
Golden State of Cocktails is proud to support non-profit partner, LA Kitchen, whose mission is to reclaim healthy, local food that would otherwise go to waste and use it to empower, nourish, and engage the community.
Additionally, there are many events for consumers and bartenders to attend that benefit our local community and give back to the people who need it most. Here are a few that should be top on your calendar.
Volunteer Day with the Bon Vivants (Open to All)
11 AM – 2 PM; Location: Covenant House California: 1325 N. Western Ave. Hollywood, CA 90027
Join The Bon Vivants for a midday service project at a local Los Angeles school.
Email hilary@cornerstonemktg.com to reserve your spot to volunteer!
Charity Fundraiser BBQ with the Bon Vivants (Open to all)
2 PM – 5 PM; Location: Tenants of the Trees: 2808 Hyperion Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027
A Charity Fundraiser BBQ will follow the Volunteer Project.