Corona – Shaken Not Stirred in LA

Mobile Bartenders, Uncategorized, Wedding Bartender

La Chureya Estate Wedding

April 11, 2019April 11, 2019 shakennotstirredinla

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.

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.

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.

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.

Birthday Party Bartender, Uncategorized

40th Birthday Party and Barbecue at Wesley Hotel

April 2, 2019April 2, 2019 shakennotstirredinla

Last weekend I traveled to Palm Springs to bartend a 40th birthday party at the boutique Wesley Hotel. The host had rented the entire hotel for the occasion and invited 40 of his friends to celebrate his wife’s birthday. The weather was perfect for a barbecue and pool party and I think everyone had a great time.

The host wanted somebody to grill hamburgers and hotdogs, and I recruited one of my bartenders, Josh who lives out there to do it. I was a little worried about it, because even though I have grilled steaks for a group of 15 ladies at a bachelorette party, this was a much bigger affair. Josh pulled it off and did an excellent job.

I recommended a DJ who I had worked with before, Play It Again Socal, out of Riverside. The noise ordinances are very strict in Palm Springs, and I was sure that somebody would complain and the cops would shut the music down. Fortunately, that never happened, and I think it is because the Wesley Hotel is away from residential areas.

40th Birthday Party Ideas

Rent an entire hotel and invite your closest friends
Hire a bartender and griller
Have a DJ
Hire strippers!
Serve good drinks and food

One cop did show up though, but he turned out to be a male stripper. He had me fooled for a minute there. I served Pina Coladas, Spicy Jalapeno Margaritas, Cucumber Moscow Mules, and a bunch of shots and beers. Josh served all of the burgers there were and a ton of hotdogs.
I will be returning to Palm Springs again this weekend to bartend a wedding at the La Chureya Estate. Later on this month I have gigs in Brentwood, Corona, and sky Valley among others. Please follow us on Instagram.

Birthday Party Bartender

Corona 40th Surprise Birthday Party

December 21, 2014December 21, 2014 shakennotstirredinla

Last night Shaken Not Stirred traveled to Orange County to bartend a surprise 40^th birthday party in Corona. The party also doubled as an ugly sweater party/holiday party. The birthday boy was told they were going to an ugly sweater party and had no idea that it was actually a surprise birthday party for him. It is always nice to see someone’s face when they are surprised with something like this. Whoever get a surprise birthday party thrown for them, is indeed a blessed person, because not everybody gets one.

There were about 50 people in attendance, and many of them were active or former members of the military, particularly Marines. I used to drink with Marines, and they can drink. I served Long Island Ice Teas, Mai tais, Cadillac margaritas, and Bay Breezes. I served countless Fireball, tequila shots, and Caramel Apple shots. Caramel Apple shots are made with Butterscotch Schnapps and Apple Pucker. Bud Light, Tecate, Modelo, and Coors light were the beers of choice.

The ugly sweater contest was fun and there were many great creations. Had I known, I would have worn an ugly sweater myself. The thrift stores must make a killing on old sweaters this time of year. The winner with the tackiest sweater was voted on by all of the guests in attendance and he won a gift certificate to Outback Steak House.

I put in a bid for a holiday party in Beverly Hills for tonight. It was a last minute request. I might as well do as many holiday parties as I can. One of the guests last night inquired about my services for a party next month, and I hope that she calls me. I have literally made hundreds of drinks this week, and can probably make a couple hundred more to close the week out.

Uncategorized

Two Nights, Two Holiday Parties, One Bartender in La Canada

December 19, 2014December 19, 2014 shakennotstirredinla

As the Holiday season heats up, I was the bartender on hand at two weekday holiday parties at a spectacular residence in La Canada. I had bartended at the house before and was pleasantly surprised when they called me to bartend their back to back holiday parties. The first party, on Wednesday night was a school fundraiser, Christmas sweater party for about 40 ladies. The second party was a client appreciation holiday party and was attended by around 70 guests.

We had the same specialty drinks two nights in a row, but just changed the names to reflect the event. My new specialty drink, “Santa’s Syrup,” was dubbed “Closed Escrow” at the Thursday night party. It is made with bourbon, ginger syrup, club soda, and a dash of bitters. The drink was so popular that we ran out of Jack Daniels. I substituted Hennesy, and I heard people say that was even better. The home made ginger syrup mixes well with everything, and one of the other specialty drinks was made with tequila, ginger syrup, and fresh lime juice. The liquor flowed in La Canada, and everyone seemed to have a good time.

"Closed Escrow" cocktail — “Closed Escrow” cocktail

This was one example of a party that I was called for on the last minute and I love it. I will do events tomorrow all day long if you call me tonight. Speaking of tomorrow, I am traveling to Corona to bartend a surprise 40^th birthday party. The host has been very anxious trying to arrange everything just right and not spoil the surprise. I hope everything meets her expectations.

Speaking of expectations, I find myself getting a bit of stage fright leading up to an event. I anticipate many things that could go wrong. I think that anxiety is somewhat healthy and keeps me sharp so that I am super prepared. Bartending isn’t brain surgery, and being prepared and on time is ninety percent of it. So far I have a perfect track record on those two things.

Los Angeles Bartender Available New Year’s Eve.

I still have New Year’s Eve open and it is kind of my fault. I assumed I had a party, but should have checked in about it a month ago. The people who said that they would want me, are not having their party this year. So, I passed up other offers, thinking that was in the bag. Totally my fault, but I am positive I will get something and am excited to see where this year will take me. Could be anywhere in Southern California. I’m looking forward to another great year with Shaken Not Stirred.

Christmas Party Bar tenders

Busy Holiday Party Season for Los Angeles Mobile Bartender

December 15, 2014December 15, 2014 shakennotstirredinla

The Los Angeles mobile bartender service, Shaken Not Stirred provided mixology for two parties last weekend. Saturday night, I traveled a full five minutes from my house to bartend a holiday party in Valley Village. Then, on Sunday, I traveled to Downey do bartend a holiday/company party. I love doing back to back parties and wish it was like this every weekend.

I have spoken with different hosts about holiday drinks and I must admit, I didn’t have many ideas. The holiday cocktails I saw online didn’t inspire me for one reason or another. Either the drinks seemed too fancy for their own good, or required too many ingredients for large parties. I wanted to develop something on my own, and I think I have finally found it.

The host of the Downey party wanted something festive. I tried to develop a Candy Kane cocktail using vodka, Crème De Menthe and grenadine, with a Candy Kane garnish. In theory it would be a layered drink with Christmas colors. I tried it at the Saturday night cocktail and the response was less than favorable. I heard people liken it to Nyquil, and Scope. I served it as shots. I set two shots up on the bar and a guest asked me, “What’s this?” “Christmas shots,” I said. “Yeah, but what are they called?” he asked. “Christmas shots,” I said very straight faced. He thought that was hilarious.

Los Angeles Mobile Bartender Invents New Drink

Anyway, so the Nyquil shots were a dud (though people kept drinking them). I had a backup plan and that was homemade ginger syrup. I call it Santa’s Syrup. I mixed well with vodka, whisky, tequila, rum, or gin. People loved it at the party Saturday night, and people loved it at the Sunday party. I was mainly mixing whiskey with Santa’s syrup, bitters, and a club soda. Another great drink was with tequila, fresh lime juice, and club soda. I will bring Santa’s syrup with me to all future holiday parties.

Santa's Syrup with whiskey in Downey — Santa’s Syrup with whiskey in Downey

This coming weekend I have a Christmas party scheduled in the city of Corona. I am working on a big party later this month where I will have to provide servers and a griller and I hope I get it. I sent another bartender to do a wrap party for a client in Studio City and he said it was a huge success. I am still available for New Year’s Eve, and will be working hard this week to get a gig. Stay tuned from more tales of the Los Angeles Mobile bartender.