Special Event Bartenders, Uncategorized

Event Bartender Marathon Week: Seven Events, Three Counties

Event Bartender company, Shaken Not Stirred had a record week leading into Labor Day, completing seven big events in three Southern California Counties. I myself worked six of the events and I sent another bartender to do another one for a repeat customer.

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Max Joseph at Catfish going away party

Wednesday:

I drove to Burbank to do a very special event for a television production company. The show, “Catfish,” on MTV has had seven successful seasons, but one of the show’s top hosts is moving on to other endeavors, so it was a going away party for him. I made margaritas and served beer and wine, while the cast and crew watched the final episode with Max Joseph. I avoided a near disaster when I noticed my table with several bottles on it was about to collapse. I caught it just in time and a caterer walking by helped me. It would have been a major disaster if that table collapsed right during the screening. Needless to say, that table is being retired.

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Groom and groomsmen at Ruby Street

Thursday:

I drove to a funky little venue in Highland Park called 6408 Ruby Street to bartend a wedding. The Ruby Street venue is a former church and a historic building in Los Angeles. I had a trainee meet me there and she was a lot of help. We served two different specialty drinks, and beer and wine to the guests. We don’t get many weddings on Thursdays, but we welcome them. On the same night I sent another event bartender, Melanie, to do a corporate event in West Hollywood.

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70th Birthday Party in Orange County

Friday:

I drove to Orange County, to Lake Forest to bartend a 70th birthday party. It was held at a very nice community clubhouse, and I set up my portable bar outside. The weather was perfect and there was a cool breeze blowing. They had a live band and friends and family members poured in. When it comes to a 70th birthday party, many of the people have been friends for decades. Everyone had a nice time. I stayed a hotel in Irvine because I had to be in Joshua Tree the next day for another wedding.

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Groom watching Bride dance with Father

Saturday:

I drove from Orange County to Joshua Tree to do a wedding at a cool little venue called the Mohave Sands Motel – it was my second time there. Another event bartender, actually named Joshua lives out there and he helped me. Once again, the weather was perfect and we served approximately 75 guests throughout the evening. I got up the next morning and had to drive back to North Hollywood to do a Quinceanera. There was a bad accident on the 10 Freeway, and the trip took me four hours.

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Quinceanera at Memories Banquet Hall

Sunday:

I met another bartender who works for me, Edie, at the Memories Banquet Hall in North Hollywood to bartend the Quinceanera. There were over 100 guests. We served Palomas and other classic drinks until midnight. Luckily, the venue was only minutes from my home. I had served hundreds of drinks by this point.

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Volunteer shot girl at pool party on Mulholland Drive

Monday, Labor Day:

My final event of the holiday weekend was held at a rental house on Mulholland Drive overlooking the San Fernando Valley.  An online company was having a Labor Day pool party for their influencers and investors. I set up my portable bar by the pool and served drinks throughout the afternoon and evening. Once again, the weather was perfect. This is my favorite time of the year. I finished at 9 pm and my event bartender marathon was a complete, and I think a total success. This coming weekend I have events in Indio, Hawthorne, and Venice Beach. Follow us on Instagram.

Mobile Bartenders, Uncategorized

Shaken Not Stirred Teams With Goodfella’s Tacos for Two October Events

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Tables set up for dinner at Sacred Sands

Last weekend Shaken Not Stirred and Goodfella’s Tacos killed it at two wedding events in two fantastic Southern California locations. On Friday we combined our services for a rehearsal dinner at a beautiful San Marino home, and then on Saturday we traveled all the way to Joshua Tree for a memorable wedding. The clients at both events were extremely happy.

I have done several events with Goodfella’s Tacos and I highly recommend them. They have an extensive menu of options that goes way beyond just tacos. Scott is highly professional and has a great crew. I am happy to be associated with him. I only hope I can help him get more business as he has done for me.

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Desert flora at Sacred Sands

The Friday event in San Marino was one part of a three event wedding weekend. The groom was from Holland and many of his friends and relatives flew in from Holland and other global locations. I served pomegranate and citrus margaritas as mariachis performed for approximately 60 guests. I enjoyed talked to the European guests and told them about my friend from Holland, who is a very popular emerging musician there, Big Pete. He fronts a band called the Red Devils, and they toured across Europe last summer with ZZ Top. I was sorry that I was not able to bartend the wedding that was happening on Saturday night, and they had contracted another catering company and bartender.

Goodfella’s Tacos Catering Options

  • Tacos
  • Kabobs
  • Burgers
  • Breakfast
  • Taco Cart

The Joshua Tree event was at an incredible venue just a short distance from the Joshua Tree National Park, called Sacred Sands. It sits atop a hill overlooking the valley and you couldn’t ask for a more beautiful location. If the wedding would have been held in September it probably would have been scorching hot, but in mid October, the weather was just perfect. It even was a bit cold after the sun went down. I served standard mixed drinks to over 100 guests and I had a helper provided by the Goodfellas. The hosts and the venue owners were very happy with our service.

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Shots!

As the holidays approach I have been inundated with calls for corporate events. I have booked several events in November and a few in December. I am doing a corporate event in Woodland Hills today, and have three in West Hollywood next week. I also have an event in Newport Beach this weekend, a Halloween Party in San Bernardino next weekend, and a wedding in Coachella the weekend after that. Please follow us on Instagram.

Mobile Bartenders, Party Bartenders

Palm Springs November Pool Party

Guests mingle poolside
Guests mingle poolside
Joshua Tree scenery
Joshua Tree scenery
After sundown
After sundown
What is in those Mojitos???
What is in those Mojitos???

Saturday night I traveled to Palm Springs to bartend a November pool party. What is wrong with that sentence? Well, most areas of the United States are not conducive to pool parties on November first, and actually Palm Springs usually isn’t.  In fact, Saturday was probably the first cold and windy day of the season, but the air temperature was probably around 70, and they had the pool warmed to bathwater temperature. Many of the guests were from NYC and even across the pond – the UK, so this was a treat for them.

I set up my portable bar next to the pool and I served Mojitos, Cosmos, and Cadillac Margaritas. The party was actually kind of a late wedding party for the hosts, and a house warming party for their Palm Springs house. They use the house as a vacation rental, and were taking advantage of an open weekend. I have bartended many parties at similar rental units around Palm Springs. People from the colder regions love them, and I certainly understand why. Soho Tacos catered the party with their taco cart and I have worked with them before. They make some excellent fish tacos.

I bartend parties in Palm Springs about once a month. I like going out there as kind of a paid vacation. I have a motel that is reasonable where I stay, and I just enjoy myself. There is something about getting away to the desert that cleanses my soul. This time, I had a new girl, Brier, who helped me. She live out there and I am glad to have a new contact in the Coachella Valley. The hosts had here taking pictures with a point and shoot camera. I have another party scheduled in Indian Wells in December and hope to book some others back to back.

The Palm Springs pool party didn’t really start happening until everybody jumped in the pool. Then the liquor started flowing. I brought drinks to people in the pool and was happy to do so. I like bartending parties where they keep me busy. It was another very successful event and I think everybody had a good time.

The next day, instead of driving straight back to Los Angeles, I decided to visit Joshua Tree National Park. Wow, what a fantastic place. I was so glad to have done that. It is one of those things that I always wanted to do, but never made the time. I highly recommend and have included one of the pictures here. This coming week I have a corporate event scheduled in Westlake Village and another birthday party on Saturday in Woodland Hills, in the wonderful San Fernando Valley where I call home.