Birthday Party Bartender, Uncategorized

Woodland Hills 50th Birthday Party

Last night was a rare occasion that I did a  party on a Thursday night – it was the host’s 50th birthday party and his office was closed the following day, Good Friday. A crowd of around fifty people arrived for the backyard event and even though it was Thursday, they partied like it was 1999. The host had set up a makeshift bar in his backyard using two folding tables with table clothes. This works just fine and saves people the expense of renting a bar. The tables just sit a little lower than a normal bar.  I have purchased a portable bar and can provide that for a minimal extra charge.

I consulted with the host about a drink menu and shopping list. He printed out a very nice list with all the wines and beers mentioned and the various drinks. He served some nice wines, including J Lohr Cabernet, and La Crema Chardonnay. Once again, the Cadillac Margarita was the big hit of the night. You just can’t go wrong with those, especially when you use a good tequila. The host was serving Gran Centenario Anejo tequila, which is a very good tequila and won’t break the bank. The tequila that I am also seeing a lot of now that is really good is Casadores Reposado. It is so much smoother than say, Cuervo gold. It really makes a big difference in the drinks.

I had a an assistant with me and she made drinks also. Whenever I bring an extra server, they are trained bartenders too, so they can jump in and help when needed. She made as many Cadillacs as I did. Taqueria El Tapatio

backyard24
My barback behind the makeshift bar
The crowd mingling
The crowd mingling
Shaken Not Stirred crew with incognito birthday boy
Shaken Not Stirred crew with incognito birthday boy

of Woodland Hills provided the catering, and they put out some pretty good tacos. Woodland Hills is my old stomping grounds and I have a lot of history in the San Fernando Valley, so it is always nice to go back there.  The host found Shaken Not Served through a Google search, which shows me that this blog is working.

I don’t have anything booked for this Saturday night, which will be the first times in months if I don’t get a last minute gig. Next week I have two events scheduled so far, a North Hollywood event at a local boxing gym very close to my house, and a wedding in Valencia that I am also providing two servers for. Next month, I have events scheduled in Torrance, Filmore, and Palos Verdes. I need more likes on my Facebook Page, and please follow us on Twitter.

 

 

Class Reunion Bartenders

Ten Year Class Reunion Event

Last night I bartended at my first ten year class reunion event in swanky Rancho Santa Fe. Rancho Santa Fe (north ofSan Diego) ranks as one the priciest zip codes in the U.S., but the people attending and organizing last night’s event couldn’t have been nicer. There were probably seventy people in attendance, and everybody seemed to have had a good time.

The reunion committee decided for the party that they would serve beer, wine, and unfortunately had only water as a non-alcoholic beverage. I noticed that several people weren’t drinking alcohol and were disappointed that there wasn’t more of a selection of non-alcoholic beverages. That is something to keep in mind if you are planning a party. Many people do not drink alcohol these days, and I think party planners should be more mindful of that. There are many exciting non-alcoholic beverages on the market.

They had several brands of beer available including Stone IPA, Fat Tire,Newcastle, Samuel Adams, and Corona. Stone IPA seemed to be the most popular among this crowd, with Newcastle coming in second. Corona is usually the most popular at the parties I do, but came in last as this reunion. Cupcake Cabernet was the most popular wine, followed by Kendall Jackson Chardonnay.

A typical casa in Rancho Santa Fe

 

As summer continues, I’m sure there will be many, many more class reunions taking place inSouthern California. Shaken Not Stirred will be happy to accommodate as many of them as possible. We have both male and female bartenders and servers available. We also have relationships with DJ’s, entertainers, photographers, and caterers. Make your summer event, class reunion, wedding, engagement party, pool party, or Fourth of July party memorable and stress free by hiring the event professionals at Shaken Not Stirred.