anniversary party – Page 2 – Shaken Not Stirred in LA

It was another busy week for Shaken Not Stirred as we did corporate events in downtown LA on Thursday and Friday, and then traveled to Palm Springs on Saturday. In addition, a former client in Beverly Hills need someone on Friday night and I sent one of my other bartenders. Everything turned out very well, and I believe we have some more satisfied clients.

Thursday and Friday I was at The Reef

ps193 — Guests react to surprise mariachis

in downtown Los Angeles as they had one of their quarterly sales events that attract hundreds of buyers. We set up stations in the morning to serve Mimosas, and then again in the afternoon to serve wine. People look at the mimosa station and roll their eyes – “This early?” they say, but we ended up serving all of the champagne budgeted. This kind of bartending is so easy, that it is almost embarrassing, yet however one of the bartenders pre-opened every single bottle of wine at his station, and much of that wine had to be poured out. That is something that comes with experience – you pre open a few only. Wine goes bad quickly once it is opened.

The Palm Springs event was a 50^th birthday party and went from 1pm until 10pm. I made dirty martinis, cosmos, bay breeze, and many margaritas. I make good margaritas and I always add fresh squeezed lime juice to them with a salt rim. There was a lime tree in the backyard, so I had no shortage of limes. There was also a grapefruit tree and I made Salty Dog martinis with the fresh grapefruits.

This birthday party was one of the most memorable I’ve done. Friends and family members of the birthday celebrant came from all over the country and Canada for the event. They rented a very nice home in Palm Springs just north of downtown. They arranged for two separate tours for the guests to see the movie stars homes in Palm Springs. Crayons of Palm Springs provided the catering and they were fantastic. They had two different types of paninis, heirloom tomatoes, pasta, and other goodies. Their strawberry salad was out of this world, and I was reluctant to try it because I don’t normally like salads with fruit in them. Truly a unique choice in catering and I highly recommend.

The highlight of the evening and it really was an incredible moment, was when the doorbell rang, and in came a troupe of mariachis blasting their trumpets and it was completely unexpected. Some friends of the birthday boy had hired the mariachis as a surprise and they ended up playing for an hour. It really blasted the party into the fourth dimension. Mariachi Jalisco provided the mariachis and their phone number is (760) 333-0991.

Next weekend I will be doing a big event in Encino as a law office throws a big anniversary party and is expecting almost 200 guests.

Party Bartenders, Special Event Bartenders, Wedding Bartender

Santa Barbara Wedding Reception

July 13, 2014 shakennotstirredinla

Saturday Shaken Not Stirred was at the Santa Barbara Art Foundry to bartend a wedding reception. The Santa Barbara Art Foundry is an art gallery with an actual foundry on the premises, which also doubles as a very cool event venue. I took my son with me to help and we served a nice crowd of 150 people right up until one AM. We were slammed most of that time and we ran out of several things – but we always had options, including Bulleit

"Are they related?" — “Are they related?”

Rye Whiskey, Bulleit Bourbon, Knob Creek Bourbon, Stoli Vodka, and several different brands of top shelf tequila.

The Art Foundry is on Santa Barbara Street just a few blocks from the pier. It’s been years since I’ve been down to that area and it has transformed into a really cool area populated by hip restaurants, wine bars, and art galleries. I wish I would have taken some pictures because it really is picturesque. It was unusually hot for a beach community and must have been in the high eighties with no breeze at all when we arrived. It was sweltering inside the art gallery for most of the time we were bartending and we barely came up for air from the time we arrived until the last call.

There were some nice people helping us when we arrived, bringing us supplies, etc. I wondered where the bride and groom were and assumed that they were getting married at another location and would arrive later in full wedding regalia with the rest of the wedding procession. Well, it turns out the people helping us set up were the bride and groom. They had gotten married at a small ceremony at an earlier date and were having the reception for friends. I felt like fool – “Yeah, just put those boxes over there, I told them dismissively,”….

My son did a great job and I definitely needed him. He makes up in personality where I am lacking., and I admit I can get grouchy when the heat is on. He made some martinis and jumped right in there making Cadillac Margaritas, Manhattans, Vodka Tonics, and Dirty Shirleys. We had to keep stocking beer and white wine and finally ran completely out of white wine and almost out of red. We had just enough ice to make through the night, and when it is hot ice goes fast, as does beer. The days will likely get hotter and hotter in Southern California all the way until October. Next weekend I am traveling to Palm Springs for a birthday party, and then the following weekend I will stay close to home doing an anniversary party in Encino.

Anniversary Party Bartender

Santa Clarita Surprise Anniversary Party

June 1, 2014 shakennotstirredinla

Last night Shaken Not Stirred bartended and provided servers for a surprise 25^th anniversary party at the Santa Clarita Activities Center. This was a very nice and fairy new venue and was a great place to have a party with plenty of parking. The daughter of the anniversary couple hired me and put on the whole elaborate surprise party. She created a whole story to get her parents to the location by making them believe they were going there to give a business presentation. The surprise worked perfectly as they walked into a room of 70 of their close friends and family members.

The food was brought in and my servers set it all up. I am lucky to have several good people who work for me on these occasions. Everybody I have does an incredible job and I am always complimented on the service of my employees. It is not brain surgery – I have been a part of hundred of events serving in nearly all of the capacities from server, to event planner, to manager. It doesn’t have to be a big, stressful deal for the hosts.

We served Cosmopolitans, Margaritas, and Jack Daniels at the bar, along with beer and wine. Entertainment was provided by “Dj Marvelous”, and he did the music and was also able to facilitate karaoke. The surprise guests of honor were very pleased and had a great time. I think everybody at the party did. It seemed to be a close knit group of family and friends and I think it was a memorable event for them celebrating an important milestone.

Next month, in June, Shaken Not Stirred is booked every weekend including some Saturdays and Sundays. Next weekend I have a “Triple Crown” party booked in Pasadena on Saturday, and a Bar Mitzvah on Sunday where I will serve fake cocktails to 100 teenagers. That should be interesting! I now have a portable bar, a table, and several Martini glasses I can offer for any party.

Birthday Party Bartender

Laguna Niguel Birthday Party

January 19, 2014 shakennotstirredinla

January is usually a slow month in the bartending business. People don’t generally have weddings in January and after the holiday season; people are pretty much partied out. When people have parties in January, they are generally birthday parties, anniversaries,or fundraisers.

Last night, Shaken Not Stirred worked a birthday party in Laguna Niguel. The theme was “Mustaches and Martinis”. I have been getting a lot of calls to Orange County recently. The host had made a drink menu for the event, which included a Category 5 Cosmo (named after a category 5 hurricane), a Dirty Martini, and a Jalapeno Cucumber Martini. I had never made the cucumber martini before – it was a creation of the host and I think it was a hit. I muddled mint leaves and jalapenos in a shaker, then added a bit a simple syrup, cucumber infused vodka, Kettle One vodka, and then shook it up with ice and poured it over a cucumber slice. The result they told me was a little spicy, a little sweet, and a little strong.

The secret I think to making good drinks, especially martinis is to use very little mixer. People accuse me of making strong drinks, and I can always add more mixer, but I can’t take too much sweet and sour out of a drink, for instance. Those are the drinks that end up sitting on the counter somewhere, undrank. To me, there is nothing worse than ordering a drink at say, a hotel bar, and it comes out tasting like pure mixer. Many corporate places limit the amount of alcohol their bartenders can put in a drink, and the result is very predictable. Ever notice the best drinks are served in dive bars?

The birthday party was hosted at a condo. They set up the bar on the balcony, but I had to stand in the master bedroom behind the bar. I was essentially a bartender in a bedroom. That is totally fine. I will bartend any place, any where. If you are thinking about having a party and hiring a bartender and are reluctant because you don’t have some fancy bar, think again, because that isn’t required. Guest are always impressed by a bartender, and the hosts can enjoy themselves and mingle, not having to worry about the bar.

I have booked a few weddings way out – even in October. This season seems to be heating up and there have been way more inquiries than last year. I am even doing a Wedding at Camp Pendleton, on the Marine Corps base. Book your party now, and don’t stress about it later. Chances are, you’ll have to pay more money if you book at the last minute. That being said, don’t hesitate to call me last minute. I won’t gouge you, I promise.

Tag: anniversary party

Downtown LA Corporate Events and Palm Springs Birthday Party

Santa Barbara Wedding Reception

Santa Clarita Surprise Anniversary Party

Laguna Niguel Birthday Party