Tag: Coachella Music Festival

Mobile Bartenders, Uncategorized, Wedding Bartender

La Chureya Estate Wedding

shakennotstirredinla
Sharply dressed guests before ceremony

Last Saturday Shaken Not Stirred provided bartending service for the first time at the beautiful and historic La Chureya Estate close to downtown Palm Springs. Palm Springs is becoming one of the hottest places for destination weddings. For this particular wedding most of the guests traveled thousands of miles from Australia to be there.

Champagne station at entrance

I have worked at many fabulous venues throughout Southern California, and I must say La Chureya Estate is one of the most beautiful. The buildings are classic Spanish architecture and the grounds are immaculately groomed and landscaped. The bar area is next to the olympic sized pool, and that is where we pored drinks all night.

Pool area with bar on the other side

The wedding ceremony took place out on the lawn, which is was a perfect backdrop for great photography. We set up a champagne and water stand for the guests as they were arriving. We finished serving all of the arrivals and then moved back to the bar, when the ceremony ended quickly and we were hit with a big line. We served spicy jalapeno margaritas, Moscow Mules, and a variety of other drinks.

Bride takes a walk with father

La Chureya Estate Venue

  • Beautiful historic buildings and landscaping
  • Private location
  • Close to downtown Palm Springs
  • Ample space for vendors
  • Views of the mountains from grounds

Most of the guests at this wedding traveled all of the way from Australia and it was fun serving them. They were all dressed to the nines and I’m sure the photographer (also from Australia got some great pictures. There were 75 guests in attendance, and they kept my other bartender and I pretty busy. We completely served out of tequila and most of the vodka.

I will return to Palm Springs tomorrow to do a 200 guest corporate event. The Coachella Music Festival is going on this weekend and next and we have a few events going connected to that. I also have a “Leaving California,” party to do Saturday night in Corona on Saturday night. You may no how I feel about that – “You can check out, but you can never leave…” Please follow us on Instagram.

bachelorette party bartender, Birthday Party Bartender, Uncategorized

Two Coachella Valley Events in One Day

shakennotstirredinla
ranchom2
Boat drinks

On Saturday Shaken Not Stirred drove east of LA to provide bartending services at two Coachella Valley events on the same day. The first event started at noon and was a bachelorette/pool party in Rancho Mirage. The second event was a 40th birthday/dinner party at a beautiful condo in La Quinta.

I have done a few bachelorette parties in the Palm Springs area. I couldn’t help but thinking how differently females act at their bachelorette parties, than males do at bachelor parties. I have not bartended at any bachelor parties, but I have attended them. Of course, men tend to like raunchy, debaucherous activities at bachelor parties, while the females it seems, just enjoy hanging out and chatting, and enjoying a few drinks.

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The “Bride Tribe”

At this bachelorette party, I served many blended drinks, including the Miami Vice, Margaritas, and Pina Colladas. I also took advantage of the fruit trees in the back yard and made Margaritas with oranges from the tree, and Palomas from the grapefruits. The girls had fun beating the hell out of a pinata filled with candy and lottery tickets.

Coachella Valley Events

  • Coachella Music Festival
  • Stagecoach
  • Desert Trip
  • Palm Springs Pride
  • Dinah Shore Weekend
  • Various birthday parties, pool parties, etc…

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    La Quinta Condo

I had one hour to drive from Rancho Mirage to La Quinta to get to the second party. I worried about that all morning. I hate being late, and in my book if I am not fifteen minutes early, I am late. My GPS said it was a 37 minute drive, but it had me taking some hair brained route back to the 10 freeway, and thankfully I knew better. I drove my own route and it took me 25 minutes. Ravel’s Bolero was playing on the FM station and ended just as I drove up to the guard gate for the second party.

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Grande shots!

The house that second party was held at was on the golf course and was pretty stunning. The party was a celebration of a man’s 40th birthday with several of his closest friends. I made vodka martinis and manhattans using real glassware, which is always nice. Fabulous Food Alchemy of Palm Springs provided the catering and he made an excellent spread of appetizers for the cocktail hour. Afterwards, everyone sat at the fabulous dining table for a three course meal. I served wine to the guests during dinner, and I know how to do that because I have fine dining experience as a server.

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La Quinta Dinner Party

Both events went off without a hitch, and I had a large baptism party going in La Canada simultaneously that was manned by my son and one of my other bartenders, Kelly. I was worried that they were going to have problems and not be able to reach me, because I was getting no cell service in the La Quinta condo. Everything went fine, however, and the client said my other bartenders were “phenomenal”. I also have a Palm Springs Yelp page, that I have not yet received any reviews on, if anyone is so inclined. 

I just booked a September wedding in the remote location of New Cayuma in Santa Barbara County. I also just booked my first Christmas party of 2016 on December 10th. The year is just flying by.