Koreatown – Shaken Not Stirred in LA

The Huffington Center and St. Sofia Cathedral

Last night Shaken Not Stirred contracted to bartend an event at the Huffington Center in Los Angeles for the annual Sons of Pericles, Greeks in LA event. The Huffington Center is a fantastic facility on the grounds of the St. Sofia Greek Orthodox Cathedral south of Koreatown in Los Angeles. There were about 100 guests in attendance from all over the country. Many of the young men played in the annual basketball tournament earlier in the day at the Huffington Center.

I had been in contact for months with the organizer of the event, who flew in from Brooklyn. The event was a fundraiser and they charged for drinks. They used different colored tickets for shots, beers, wine, or mixed drinks. It was a pretty good system, and guests were carded at the door and given wrist bands, so I didn’t have to card people. The event was supposed to start at 9pm, but people didn’t really start trickling in until 10pm, and then I got slammed.

I served out of Jack Daniels, rum, and Ouzo. I also served a lot of vodka, gin, and tequila. It was the kind of event where it would have been nice to have a barback, but I handled it ok. The Huffington Center is set up nicely for events. They have a big ballroom, and a huge, very well designed kitchen that is equipped to serve hundreds. A very nice facility, and which I hope to return to.

Next weekend I will bartend another birthday party in my own neighborhood of Valley Glen, and an event at the Reef in downtown Los Angeles. I do not have a Super Bowl party booked yet, and I hope to pick up one. I have another birthday party booked the first week in February in Glendora, and then the rest of February is pretty open. March is filling up fast, however, and I have several weddings booked all over Southern California, from Palm Springs to Santa Ynez. Book your bartender now!

Baby Shower bartenders

Shaken Not Stirred Travels One Mile to Bartend Valley Glen Event

January 12, 2015 shakennotstirredinla

Shaken Not Stirred, the Los Angeles mobile bartender broke an all time record and traveled one whole mile to bartend a baby shower in his home base of Valley Glen. Valley Glen is a fancy way of saying Van Nuys. Van Nuys gets a bad rap because of ongoing garage sales in the area. Seriously though, they have expertly designed some of these neighborhoods so that they are perfectly isolated from the mean streets of Van Nuys. There are some nice little streets in there, and the party was on one of them.

I have bartended at baby showers before and served a few mimosas. This one was not like that. This was a coed event with about forty guests, and they were drinkers. The host wanted pink signature drinks in honor of the baby, and I served strawberry Mojitos, French Kiss cocktails, and pink grapefruit martinis. The strawberry Mojito was very popular and I went through two handles of rum. It drizzled rain for awhile, then it cleared up and was nice for the rest of the night.

The host hired a two piece band and they played almost the entire time, four hours without a break. The lead singer didn’t have a card, and he said he was going to email me his information and asked if I would promote him. I must say, the live music added a lot to the party, and this two piece band was better than most I have seen. Whether people realize it or not, music makes a big difference. The live music turns a hoh-hum party into something epic. I hope he does email me, because I will promote him to my clients. I forgot my camera, so didn’t get any good pictures.

This coming Saturday I will be bartending a fundraiser in Koreatown. I have planned this party for a few weeks now with the host, who is coming from New York City. I feel like he and I are best friends now, though we have never met. I find him refreshingly direct, compared the laid back and sometimes wishy-washy California way of doing things. Then the following week, I have another party to do in good old Valley Glen. Two parties in one month in my neighborhood – my car is not getting enough wear and tear!

Cocktail Hour Bartenders, Mobile Bartenders

Bartending Service for Downtown Los Angeles Reception

January 6, 2015January 6, 2015 shakennotstirredinla

Monday, Shaken Not Stirred provided bartending service for a downtown Los Angeles reception and party to celebrate the swearing in of Los Angeles Superior Court Judge, Teresa Magno. The reception was held in the lobby of luxury condominiums downtown, across from the courthouse. About 100 guests were in attendance, including incoming Los Angeles County Sheriff, Jim McDonnell, and several people from the district attorney’s office.

Judge Teresa Magno poses for a shot with me

The event planner, April Easley, did an excellent job setting the stage for the reception and provided flower arrangements, candles, and all the little details that make for a memorable event. There were finger foods including barbeque beef sliders, tamales, turkey wraps, and various chips and salsa. Paulina’s Catering brought the taco bar.

I served a standard assortment of drinks including Cape Cods, gin and tonics, margaritas, and Jameson whiskey. I helped the hosts with a shopping menu based on other parties I have done. As usual, there was much left over, that can be used at another party. I think it is better to load for bear, and if bears don’t show up, we were prepared any way. I can develop a drink menu for any budget. I would say the beverage shopping list for this particular was around $300. I always try to save hosts money when I make shopping lists.

January can be a slow month for a mobile bartending service, but it isn’t starting out slow. Sunday I will bartend my third event of 2015, right here in my own neighborhood of Valley Glen. I am providing bartending service for a baby shower/cocktail party. Then on January 17, I will be bartending a fundraiser in Koreatown. I have put bids out on several big weddings in the spring and hope to land some of those. I want to think all of my customers for supporting me in 2014.

Tag: Koreatown

Huffington Center Fundraiser in Los Angeles

Shaken Not Stirred Travels One Mile to Bartend Valley Glen Event

Bartending Service for Downtown Los Angeles Reception