Saturday night I drove to Thousand Oaks to bartend a birthday party. The weather is getting cooler in Southern California and it is time to start moving inside – I do probably 90 percent of my events outside, so it is always kind of strange when I setup inside a house. In this case, I setup my portable bar and table in the corner of the dining room.
I had worked with the host to come up with a drink menu and shopping list. They wanted to have Moscow Mules and spicy jalapeno margaritas. I made the spicy jalapeno margarita mix at home with fresh ingredients. I use fresh squeezed lime juice, agave nectar, and jalapenos. The mix has a real kick to it and it has been a hit at several parties, and it was a hit at this one.
The hosts had visited Cuba and they had a genuine bottle of Cuban rum and that was a hit also. They only had Diet Coke, which some people don’t like, so I made a Blanco Libre – which is Cuban rum, Sprite, a dash of bitters and lime garnish. That was popular enough that I used the whole bottle of rum. They also had some very nice wines, including a Fess Parker Melange Blanc. I remember we used to serve that at a restaurant I worked at and it is an excellent white wine.
For entertainment, they had a mechanical bull set up outside. I have tried to ride those before with very little luck. I have tried to ride real bulls back in Wyoming when I was in high school, also with very little luck. I remember it was like being kicked in the crotch several times in quick succession, then landing on your head. My cowboy days are over. I was telling one of the guests there is a movie about it called “Urban Cowboy,” and she had never heard of it. That was one of the biggest movies at the time it came out. They also had a taco caterer at the party, but I didn’t get their card.
This is Thanksgiving week and I don’t have much scheduled – I am taking Thanksgiving off to spend it with family. I may be doing a party in La Jolla on Saturday. Next month, of course will be the busiest month for Shaken Not Stirred. I have several parties already booked all over Los Angeles. New Year’s Eve is still open – so book it quickly is you want it.
Shaken Not Stirred in LA 