Last night I assisted pouring champagne for 150 guests at the Harmony Gold Theatre in Hollywood. The Center for Spiritual Living of Los Angeles was celebrating their 25th anniversary and they hosted a champagne reception for their members after their Saturday night service. I helped set up and pour the champagne, so it would be ready when all of the guests poured out of the theater. While this was an easy gig for me and probably anybody could have done it – I have poured champagne so many times at various events, it helps to have a little experience. They set up hors d’oeuvres that were made by Diamond Bakery on Fairfax and they were just excellent.
I listened to the service while we were setting up and I must say that the Center for Spiritual Living had some excellent music. As soon as the service was over, the people poured out of the theater and the glasses of champagne I had poured went fast. I poured ginger ale into champagne glasses for non alcoholic drinkers. We went through 18 bottles of champagne for 150 people. A few people came back for a second glass.
It was nice to do a gig in Hollywood after being in Palm Springs last weekend. Next weekend I am doing a wedding in Mira Loma, and the weekend after that I am doing another party in Los Angeles. Someone called me last night and wants me to do a birthday party in Woodland Hills next month. He found me off of a Google search, which means that this blog is working. I am showing up on the first page of many searches now. It takes awhile. I used to get many gigs off of Craigslist, but that doesn’t seem to be working now, and I think it’s because you can’t click through the links from Craigslist any more.
This is my second year of doing this as my own business, and I couldn’t be happier. I am getting jobs pretty consistently every weekend, and I am starting to get some repeat business. I am doing an engagement party next month in West Hollywood that is a repeat client. I have probably helped over 100 clients, and so far, knock on wood, have not had one bad experience. I have several girls that help me as servers and barbacks and I am getting more requests for that. Three gigs I have scheduled next month, I will take extra staff with me. It is going to be a good summer bartending in Southern California.
Shaken Not Stirred in LA 