Malibu – Shaken Not Stirred in LA

fires1 — Sun poking through the smoky sky

On Saturday, Shaken Not Stirred traveled across the smoky San Fernando Valley to bartend a 30th birthday party in Woodland Hills. The huge Sand Fire burning in Santa Clarita was pumping ash into the air and it was falling like snowflakes over the SFV. It was an ugly, hot day and seemed like we were approaching the apocalypse, but the party did go on.

The birthday girl hired me to bartend and she is a repeat customer. I bartended her wedding nearly a year ago in Malibu. I love repeat business and her and her husband couldn’t be nicer. They have a nice home on the hill just south of Ventura Boulevard with a great view of Warner Center. I set up my portable bar and table in the backyard – smoke be damned.

As the sun went down, people forgot about the smoke, and jalapeno margaritas, Moscow Mules, and classic Old Fashioned help them do that. I brought a server with me to help out with the food. The birthday girl is from Argentina and she served empanadas, and churrasco steak sandwiches that were really good. Everyone helped out with the food.

30th Birthday Party Ideas

Hire a Bartender
Have a back yard party
Theme cocktails and decorations
Pool party
Birthday girl and friends celebrating 30th birthday party

Many of the guests recognized me from the wedding. Everything was going quite well, but there was one mishap. One of the guests was moving quite rapidly through the living room and ran face first into the sliding glass door and cracked it. Fortunately, it didn’t shatter and fall into a million pieces. In the guy’s defense that ran into it, that door had been open for the entire party, and someone had just closed before he ran into it. The guy was embarrassed, but it could have been worse. We have all done stuff like that.

This coming weekend I am bartending an anniversary party in Beverly Hills for one of my best clients. I have bartended at least ten business related parties for them, and this will be my first time doing a more personal party, so it is a great honor. The summer is flying by and people are already booking December holiday parties. Book yours now to be safe.

Mobile Bartenders, Wedding Bartender

Shaken Not Stirred at Malibu Wedding

August 3, 2015 shakennotstirredinla

This past Saturday, Shaken Not Stirred traveled to Malibu to bartend a wedding at a beautiful home overlooking the Pacific. The bartending service also contracted to provide three servers for the event. It was a fantastic day for the wedding and many of the guests had flown all the way from Argentina to attend. There were approximately 100 guests in attendance.

There were two bars set up – one on the deck overlooking the property, where a cocktail hour was hosted just after the ceremony. I served Mojitos, and a Madras as the specialty drinks and we served a lot of wine and beer. Argentineans usually drink a lot of wine and that was the case this time as well. The servers I brought with me, including my daughter served appetizers, including bruchetta, shrimp cocktails, and other delights.

Bride goes through the sparkler gauntlet

Once the cocktail hour was over, we moved the bar operation down to the second bar where dinner was being served. They had an authentic Argentine caterer who had a fire pit set up and was doing the beef, chicken and sausages for the dinner. I was so busy, I did not get the caterer’s card, or I would have included a link to his site here.

The three girls I brought kept busy clearing the plates and glassware. They used real plates and glassware at this wedding, which is nice, but requires much more work, since everything must go back into boxes to be returned. Many wedding are using plastic wear that looks almost like the real thing, but is disposable.

I continued serving drinks all the way until midnight and the party was still going on. Argentineans love a good party. I felt unusually fatigued at the end of the party, and when I got home I had the full blown chills, followed by a fever. I don’t know what caused this, but as I write this, I am still recovering.

I hope to be fully recovered by Thursday where I have a corporate event in Hollywood. Then on Saturday, I go to Marina Del Rey to bartend a rooftop 30^th birthday party. Then on Sunday, I have a pool party in Culver City, where I will make two drinks I always wanted to make, the Pisco Sour, and the Caipirinha, both South American cocktails.

Birthday Party Bartender, Mobile Bartenders

Mobile Bartending a 60th Birthday Party in Long Beach

July 26, 2015July 26, 2015 shakennotstirredinla

Saturday night Shaken Not Stirred mobile bartending service traveled to Long Beach to bartend a 60^th birthday party for a repeat customer. I took another bartender/server with me, and she had worked a previous party at the same location. A year earlier, I had fallen halfway into the pool at a previous party, and many of the guests didn’t let me forget about it. This time, there were nearly 100 guests and my helper and I had our work cut out for us.

The host prepares very well for her guests, and we had quite a well stocked bar to work with. We had five kinds of beer, red and white wine, and a full array of liquor. The host received a Maragaritaville margarita maker as a gift and she wanted to use it at the party. I have used one before, but couldn’t remember how to use it. Luckily, my assistant knows how to read directions and we figured it out. We made blended margaritas, daquiries, and pina colladas with the machine.

Looks intimidating doesn't it? — Looks intimidating doesn’t it?

As the night went on we served many shots, including Patron shots, fireball shots, Jaeger shots, and vodka. A few people “fell” into the pool, but fortunately this time I didn’t. Falling into the pool becomes an inexpensive proposition when most people are carrying $400 I-phones. It was a pretty fun group of people, and one of the guests may book a party with me next month in Thousand Oaks.

Next week, I will be doing a large wedding in Malibu, then I have a rooftop birthday party scheduled in Marina Dell Rey later in the month, and a wedding in Hesperia. As I said before, the summer is slipping away. I still have some dates available, and always am available on the weekdays and nights to bartend corporate events.

Shaken Not Stirred Mobile Bartending

Birthday parties
Pool parties, barbecues
Anniversaries
Corporate events
Openings
Weddings, engagement parties
Quincianeras
Cocktail parties
Shots!

If you have a need for a bartender last minute, don’t hesitate to call me. I am tired today after two events this weekend, but if somebody calls me today, I will go out. Somebody called me yesterday last minute because their bartender cancelled, and I was unable to help her, but sometimes I can, will be happy to do so. Shaken Not Stirred mobile bartending service covers the entire Southern California region.

Party Bartenders, Private Bartender

Palm Springs Bachelorette Party Bartender

July 25, 2015 shakennotstirredinla

Friday, I drove to Palm Springs for my second time as a bachelorette party bartender. Palm Springs seems to be the place that ladies from LA like to go for their bachelorette parties. Do you realize how hard it is to spell bachelorette? Anyway, there are many cool houses for weekend rentals that are perfect for this type of party. This particular house had a nice indoor bar with a sliding window that opened up to the pool area, so that people at the pool can come up and order drinks.

I worked with hosts of the party developing a drink menu. They requested the Katsuya Fresh as one of the specialty drinks. It was my first time making this cocktail, and it seemed to be a hit. There were nine ladies in attendance and we went through 3 bottles of vodka. The Katsuya Fresh is made with vodka, fresh lime juice, sake, and simple syrup. I also served spicy jalapeno margaritas, and gray hounds.

The ladies asked me to help them start the grill, and as I did that, I decided I would grill for them. This was my first time as grill master, and I really don’t have too much experience doing it, but I think I did ok. I would rather be busy than just standing behind the bar, and let the hosts enjoy themselves. I hope they were happy with my grilling, and I am afraid I didn’t cook the vegetables and corn long enough. There are some tricks to good grilling, and I should learn them, in case I run into this situation again.

Who's afraid of sharks? — Who’s afraid of sharks?

The ladies were surprised that I came all the way from Los Angeles to bartend a party in Palm Springs. I bartend in Palm springs because I like going out there. I can usually drive to Palm Springs quicker than I can drive to Orange County. I hope to be the bachelorette party bartender in Palm Springs on many more occasions.

I am quickly writing this, because I have to get ready for another event in Long Beach this afternoon. It is a 60^th birthday party, and the second party I have done for this same client. I am taking a server with me also. Next weekend I have a big wedding in Malibu, and am taking three servers with me on that one. Summer is flying by and I am already booking parties into the holiday season.

Birthday Party Bartender

Los Angeles Loft Party

July 20, 2015July 20, 2015 shakennotstirredinla

I was on vacation in Montana for a week and when I returned I had a birthday party to bartend in a Los Angeles loft overlooking MacArthur Park. I had contracted to bartend a different party months earlier, and the host had to cancel because she got very ill. I told her at the time, that when she was ready, I would apply her initial deposit for another party at a later date. She finally called me, was doing much better and scheduled the party for last Saturday.

I state on my website that deposits are nonrefundable, but I of course make exceptions. There are many reasons that hosts cancel parties that are beyond anyone’s control. I recently had a host cancel a pool party because a cold front with rain happened to roll in that day. I require deposits for parties because it protects me somewhat if a party does cancel, but it also protects the host, insuring that I will hold that date for them.

Saturday’s party was held in an 11^th story loft in the Cement Building overlooking MacArthur Park near downtown Los Angeles. The party was based around a “Kill Bill,” theme, and I developed a bar menu based on the different characters in “Kill Bill.” The guests arrived dressed in Kill Bill garb, and I congratulate the two hosts for their authentic costumes. I even wore a Japanese head scarf, and I looked like Christopher Walken in the “Deer Hunter.”

View of MacArthur Park from Cement Building

I wore the headdress down to the liquor store to buy ice. I went to a small liquor store a block away and was purposely bumped into by a gang member as I was walking out. I didn’t have time to deal with the egregious act of disrespect like I probably would have in the past and just kept going. When I got back to the building where the party was being held, the manager of the building told me it was probably a member of the notorious MS13 gang from El Salvador that controls the neighborhood. “They aren’t too happy this neighborhood is being gentrified,” he told me.

Friday, I am off to Palm Springs to bartend a bachelorette party, then on Saturday, I am bartending a birthday party in Long Beach for a repeat customer. After that, I have a wedding lined up in Malibu, and a birthday party in Marina Del Rey. The summer is flying by for Shaken Not Stirred.

Special Event Bartenders

Why Hire a Bartender for Your Party or Event?

January 31, 2012June 21, 2012 shakennotstirredinla

If you are planning a party in the Los Angeles area you may be hesitant to hire a bartender. You may think it will be too expensive, or that the person you hire will not know what he or she is doing and create more problems for you in the long run. If you have to watch over the person and they cause you more stress just by being there, then what’s the point, right?

At Shaken Not Stirred we understand your concerns and we follow procedures that insure flawless service to put the hosts and guests at complete ease. We want your repeat business and referrals, so we insist on professionalism and discretion from our bartenders and servers. The hosts of the party should spend most of their time mingling with the guests and not worrying about what goes on in the bar or kitchen.

We insist that our bartenders and servers show up on time or fifteen minutes early from their scheduled time. Our bartenders will respect your property, home, and family and basically make themselves “invisible” as they are setting up, etc. At Shaken Not Stirred we believe that tip jars show a lack of class and that guests should not be guilted into tipping, or be reluctant to approach the bar because they feel pressure to tip every time they order a drink. All fees for the bartender and staff are agreed upon before hand. If a host or guest wants to tip somebody for excellent service then that is up to them – but it won’t go through a jar.

Our goal is to make you look good and facilitate your guests having a great and memorable time. We will work with you to make a specialty drink menu to fit the theme of your event. We can also help choose wines and keep your liquor costs down. In the end, you may actually save money by hiring a professional bartender.

Also, it is good to have professionals overseeing the liquor. Our bartenders are trained to spot people who are severely intoxicated and to cut them off discreetly as possible. That keeps the host out of potential conflicts with guests. We do not serve minors. In most cases, when people have hired our bartenders for the first time, they wonder why they didn’t hire pro bartenders all along. The costs verses the benefit just makes sense. Hiring a professional bartender for your party inLos Angelesis the wisest decision you can make.

Shaken Not Stirred serves the greaterLos Angelesarea, includingBeverly Hills, West Hollywood, the Hollywood Hills, the San Fernando Valley,Long Beach,Culver City,Santa Monica,WestlakeVillage,Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, Bel Aire, Westwood,StudioCity,Burbank,GlendaleandPasadena. We also travel to the Inland Empire,OrangeandVenturaCounties, andPalm Springs. To hire a bartender in L.A. for your event, call (310) 280-6103, or email us here.

Special Event Bartenders

Professional Bartenders and Servers for Los Angeles Events

January 22, 2012June 21, 2012 shakennotstirredinla

Shaken Not Stirred is now serving the Los Angeles area providing professional bartenders and servers for all kinds of events – including parties, weddings, openings, screenings, barbeques, and art shows. Whether you are planning an informal pool party, or formal black tie cocktail reception, Shaken Not Stirred can provide the service you need to maximize the experience of your guests. Our staff strives to make you look good and help to create a memorable event for all involved.

Rob Neighbors has over fifteen years experience bartending and serving in the L.A. area. He has worked in high-end Italian restaurants including Milano’s, Prego, and Frascati of Redondo Beach, where he served as bar manager for three years.

At Frascati, he helped create a wine list and specialty drink menu with Chef Enrico Glaudo that proved to be a hit in the busy restaurant. Rob went on to work at the classic French restaurant, La Rive Gauche in Palos Verdes, where he participated in countless special events, including business presentations, wedding receptions, wakes, and company parties.

Over Rob’s career in the restaurant business in Los Angeles, he has developed relationships with top bartenders and servers and has brought them into his company. Every staff member at Shaken Not Stirred has been chosen because they have proven track records and personal and working relationships with Rob Neighbors. We do not send unknown and unproven entities to your event. We pride ourselves on dependability and prompt and professional service.

What you can expect when you book a party with Shaken Not Stirred:

Rob will consult with you and help you determine what you will need for the party depending upon the number of guests.
Create a specialty drink menu if desired.
Bartenders will show up on time with a bar kit including martini shakers, cutting board, wine opener, pourers, and blender if needed.
No tip jars. All fees will be agreed upon up front.
Friendly, professional service.
Professional attire specific to the event.

We realize that planning and executing an important event can be very stressful, and we seek to minimize your stress by providing seamless, invisible service, meaning that our staff comes and goes without any drama or big fan fare.

To book a party, please contact Rob at (310)280-6103 or email at shakennotstirred1@aol.com.

Rates vary depending on the level of service and type of event. A 25 percent non-refundable deposit will be required at the time of booking. Shaken Not Stirred has both male and female bartenders and servers available. We also have relationships with entertainers and caterers.

At Shaken Not Stirred, you only pay for the service provided for your party and no booking fees. Don’t even try to do the party yourself – let us help you create an event that you and your guests will never forget. Shaken Not Stirred serves the entire Los Angeles Area, including the San Fernando Valley, Santa Monica, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Long Beach, the South Bay,Inland Empire, Orange County, Canyon Country, Ventura County, and Palm Springs.

Tag: Malibu

Woodland Hills 30th Birthday Party