Tag: LA

Los Angeles Travel: Spring 2022 Restaurant & Food Guide

My fall 2021 return to Los Angeles, the region I partly grew up in and spent over 12 years of my youth and, later, young adulthood living in was a busy one. I visited over 35 places, from cafes and coffee roasters, to restaurants and eateries — like pre-pandemic times. While the bar scene was clearly struggling on the service end even more than restaurants were, restaurants were coming back to life.

Here’s the good, the bad and the damn delicious: Read more →

Los Angeles Travel: Spring 2022 Coffee, Snacks & Drinks Guide

My fall 2021 return to Los Angeles, the region I partly grew up in and spent over 12 years of my youth and, later, young adulthood living in was a busy one. I visited over 35 places, from cafes and coffee roasters, to restaurants and eateries — like pre-pandemic times. While the bar scene was clearly struggling on the service end even more than restaurants were, restaurants were coming back to life.

Here’s the good, the bad and the damn delicious: Read more →

Bar Spotlight on Jeremy Allen of MiniBar, Hollywood

The latest in my NEFT Vodka column, which spotlights California’s best bartenders and bars — including a special cocktail recipe from each bartender featuring this Austrian alpine-distilled vodka. Why Jeremy Allen’s welcoming crew at the unassuming MiniBar (hidden in a Hollywood Best Western, no less!) draws in musicians and music industry with its retro-yet-modern vibe and beautifully-crafted cocktails here. Other NEFT Spotlights:… Read more →

A Disneyland-Esque Vibe (with Rum & Whiskey) at the Only Distillery Ride in the World: Lost Spirits Distillery

Published at Liquor.com on January 24, 2018, my article on the one-of-a-kind Lost Spirits Distillery and my interview with distiller/founder Bryan Davis after their move from the Santa Cruz area to DTLA (downtown Los Angeles). Is the Distillery Tour at Lost Spirits the Wackiest in the World? Erectile dysfunction also known as impotence is one such issue which has a… Read more →

Vintage Romance in LA: Elegant Hotels in Santa Monica & Beverly Hills + Where to Eat & Drink

My May 26th Oakland Magazine feature article ran in both June print issues of Oakland and Alameda Magazines, covering two romantic escapes in Beverly Hills and on the beach in Santa Monica as well as where to eat and drink nearby. My other Oakland and Alameda Magazine articles include going well beyond wine in the Willamette Valley with beer, spirits, ciders,… Read more →