Chino Hills – Shaken Not Stirred in LA

Storm clouds disappearing in Chino Hills

Saturday night, Shaken Not Stirred bartending service was on hand for a graduation party in Chino Hills. It was a high school graduation party, though I didn’t serve alcohol to the high school graduates, but served to their parents and older friends and relatives. It was a very mellow party, though no doubt an important milestone in a young woman’s life, as she prepares to embark on the next adventure in her life – a college career.

I am always impressed when family members throw parties in honor of each other. I have said this 100 times on this blog, and I will say it again. Anyone who has a party thrown in their honor is a very blessed person. The father of the graduate was so proud of his daughter, and gave a very touching speech on her behalf. Nobody threw a graduation party for me, because I was a terrible student in high school, and a rebellious teen – I didn’t give my parents much to be proud of in high school. The fact that I even graduated is a miracle.

That being said, the group of high school graduated at the Chino hills graduation party were a very nice group of kids. None of them tried to get me to serve them alcohol. They seemed to have a great time sitting at their own table, and when it came time for dancing, they all got out on the dance floor. Anybody who says the youth of today are totally worthless, I will have to say there are countless examples to contrary.

Guests dancing to the "Cupid Shuffle" — Guests dancing to the “Cupid Shuffle”

I served Cadillac Margaritas, Old Fashioneds, and wine. It was not a hard drinking crowd, but I seemed to stay busy. I have a blender and don’t mind making blended drinks at all. I am pretty good at making them, because I made thousands of blended drinks when I worked at the bar at LAX. We made pina colladas, daiquiris, and margaritas blended. People are amazed when I pour the ingredients into the blender, blend it up, then pour into the glass and it pours right to the top of the glass with nothing left over. That comes with practice.

Next week I will be bartending a birthday party in Pasadena on Friday, then travel to Bakersfield on Saturday for a rather large wedding. I am doing all the shopping for the wedding, which I don’t mind doing for a small service charge. This will be my first event in Bakersfield, and I don’t mind going up there, or anywhere if it makes sense financially. At this point, I am still available for the Fourth of July, though I have been emailing back and forth with one person.

Shaken Not Stirred, the Los Angeles bartending service, was present for four different events this past weekend. This was a record for Rob Neighbors, veteran event bartender for three days. He was official bartender at a wedding in Camarillo on Friday, set up bar in Bel Aire and Manhattan Beach on Saturday, and then attended a champagne tasting on Sunday.

First of all, Friday, Shaken Not Stirred traveled to Camarillo to the McCormick Ranch to bartend a wedding. This was my second time at this venue, and it was a pleasure both times. I highly recommend this venue in Ventura County. It is a just an excellent, peaceful, and beautiful place for a wedding. The people who hired me couldn’t have been nicer. The groom was helping organize thing minutes before the ceremony. Not one person involved in the wedding seemed to be the least bit stressed, and that carried over – everything went as planned. The couple was married successfully, and I predict a great future for them, because both the bride and groom were so humble and quality people, which reflects on their parents. By the way, the parents were all there and were all fantastic people in my opinion.

As I was preparing for the wedding in Camarillo, I got a call from my Yelp site. A host in Bel Aire needed an emergency bartender for a daytime party. I decided I could do the event before I had to be in Manhattan Beach at 6pm. It was a children’s party in Bel Aire, complete with face painters, petting zoo, balloon makers, authentic soul food caterer, and me, the bartender. I made margaritas and poured wine, as the kids played and enjoyed the various amusements. I’m glad I took the event and hope to work for these clients again.

Saturday Night I worked a Las Vegas themed 50^th birthday party in Manhattan Beach. I had made some specialty drinks for the party that we planned in advance. I made “Sweet Heat,” which is a spicy vodka drink, that is hard to explain, but I would say it is a vodka margarita. People really liked it. They had a craps table and a blackjack table on hand and I think people really had a good time. The house actually looked like a real casino, and the guests were dressed accordingly.

Sunday night, I rounded out the weekend by doing a champagne tasting at the Le Merigot Hotel in Santa Monica. I served a lesser known, but very established French Champagne, which was rumored to be the favorite champagne of Charles De Galle. I had a blast talking to people and serving the champagne. A long line formed as people waited to get to the Cristal Champagne table. I talked to literally hundreds of people and they were mostly very impressed by the champagne I was serving. As a bonus, I got to keep several bottles of very nice champagne, which I plan on serving at my book signing.

Another great weekend for Shaken Not Stirred. On Wednesday, I am back to Beverly Hills for a cocktail hour for one of my best clients. On Saturday, I will travel to Chino Hills to bartend for a birthday party. Shaken Not Stirred is the Los Angeles bartending service on the scene.

Tag: Chino Hills

Chino Hills Graduation Party

Los Angeles Bartending Service Does 4 Events Over Weekend