Party Bartenders, Special Event Bartenders, Uncategorized

Glendora Super Bowl Party II

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Shaken Not Stirred in the house

Sunday, I returned to Glendora to bartend the second annual super bowl party (that I have been involved in).  The host asked me back again, and I was delighted, because he has a killer backyard bar that is perfect for throwing big bashes. The weather was beyond perfect and about 80 guests enjoyed the game and cocktails provided by me.

The host asked me to create some specialty drinks, so I thought of some theme drinks, based on the teams playing. For the Carolina panthers, I created Carolina Sweet Tea, which has vodka, a splash of peach schnapps, and Popeye’s Sweet Tea.  I served this at a wedding and it was a huge hit – so much so that we had to go out and get more sweet tea. The tea didn’t over so well at the super bowl party, because there did not seem to be many Carolina fans in the house. I also created the Orange Crush in honor of the Broncos, and that was simply Orange Crush and vodka.  The hit drinks of the night ended up being the second string drinks – Jalapeno margaritas, and peach margaritas.

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Crowd at Glendora Super Bowl Party

I saw many of the same people that came last year and many of them sat in the same seats.  I made a lot of blended concoctions and the bar is well stocked. We had one big screen television behind the bar, and he had another TV at a secondary bar, and a projection TV set up. They had a bounce house set up to keep the kids busy.

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Mustang in pieces!

Halfway through the game somebody called out, “Who owns a white Mustang parked across the street?” I raised my hand, thinking maybe I was parked in front of a fire hydrant or something. The guy told me I had better come out and look at it. I walked out to the street and saw my trusty steed in pieces. A guy driving by in a monster truck had side swiped it with his big tires.  I really didn’t have time to deal with the situation, and was not upset – the guy stopped and gave his insurance info. Stuff happens, and I had bartending to do – the show must go on. Fortunately, some people who lived across the street who had nothing to do with the accident zip tied my bumper back on so I could drive home. Everything worked out fine. That car has taken me to over 200 events and hopefully will be up to 200 more.

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Shots!

The super bowl party was really buzzing by the end of the game and most of the guests were elated by the outcome. I really wasn’t able to watch the game, because I was busy, which is how I like it. The host says he is not having it again next year, but I hope he changes his mind. Next weekend is Valentine’s Day and I will be bartending a wedding in the South Bay for my associate Mia Martini. Late rthis month I will be returning to Palm Springs to bartend two weddings.  I am still open on February 20th at this point, so if you need a bartender for that date, please call me.

Corporate Event, Wedding Bartender

OC Corporate Event and Hollywood Wedding

Fall colors in Newport Beach
Fall colors in Newport Beach

This past weekend Shaken Not Stirred worked two events – a grand opening corporate event in Newport Beach, and a wedding in Hollywood.  The corporate event I booked under Shaken Not Stirred, and the wedding in Hollywood was booked by my affiliate, Mia Martini. She and I are doing several events together this month and will be working together again this Sunday at the Diamond Bar Center.

I have done several parties in Newport Beach and it is a very affluent area. There are many nice homes, on the coast, on the islands, and further inland. There are also many corporate structures, business parks, and large hotels in the area.  I’m sure a private bartender could do quite well just doing events and parties in Newport Beach alone, not to mention Orange County.

The particular party I did this time in Newport was a the grand opening of a doctor’s office and we set up the party in the courtyard of the office building. I served Blue Hawaiians, Pineapple margaritas, Bay Breezes, and variations of those drinks to approximately forty guests. It was a short three hour event and everything went very well.

Pineapple Margarita
Pineapple Margarita
Blue Hawaiian
Blue Hawaiian

On Saturday, I traveled to the Lombardi House to help my affiliate company, Mia Martini bartend a wedding there. The Lombardi House is just north of Hollywood Boulevard on Bronson, but is a historic building in the area.  I brought 200 pounds of ice to the party and we used every single bit of it by the end of the night.

This wedding had real glassware, which is nice to use, but presents its own set of problems. All of the glassware has to be picked up, emptied and put back into the proper containers. Invariably glassware gets lost and broken. For a party of 130 people, they probably used 700 glasses.

Wedding guests at historic Lombardi House
Wedding guests at historic Lombardi House

We also had kegs for the beer. I try to discourage people from getting kegs, and this was a perfect example why. The kegs required a jockey box, CO2 regulator and taps. The deposit for those alone was $450. If the CO2 regulator is a little off the beer will keep pouring foamy. It is almost impossible to pour a beer. Pouring a tap beer takes up to one full minute, while uncapping a bottle beer and handing it to a guest takes five seconds. This means a lot when there is a big line at the bar. At the end of the night, both kegs were over half full. Don’t get kegs for your parties, people! It is not worth the extra expense, deposits, and hassle.

Sparkler gauntlet at the Lombardi House
Sparkler gauntlet at the Lombardi House

On Thursday I am driving out to Palm Springs to do another corporate event, and then have a birthday party to bartend on Saturday. So far, I have no event on Friday, but will take one in the Palm Springs area if I can. On Sunday I have a big wedding at the Diamond Bar Center with 350 guests.

Party Bartenders, Wedding Bartender

Two Weddings and a Labor Day Party

Corona Yacht Club
Corona Yacht Club

Labor Day Weekend was a big weekend for Shaken Not Stirred, as I bartended two big weddings and a very nice Labor Day party. The first wedding was Saturday night all the way in Coachella, 145 miles from Los Angeles. Then I returned to the San Fernando Valley to bartend a Sunday backyard wedding in Northridge. Finally, on Labor Day, I bartended a back yard pool party in Sherman Oaks, just a couple miles from my house.

The Coachella wedding was held at the Corona Yacht Club. I was wondering how there is a yacht club in the middle of the desert. As you drive up to entrance of the yacht club you realize it is a kind of desert oasis. It is situated on a 20 acre property and has a large lagoon in the middle of the property. When I arrived I was surprised that it wasn’t too hot for the desert in September. That changed as the day went on. It was blazing hot, even in the shade.

Classic bar at Corona Yacht Club
Classic bar at Corona Yacht Club

A couple of people even got sick and almost passed out from the heat. We served drinks to 120 guests and were plenty busy the entire night. We went through 400 pounds of ice, it was melting so fast in the extreme heat. CV BBQ of Cathedral City provided the catering. They had some of the best macaroni and cheese I have ever had, not to mention their excellent potato salad, and tri tip. I will be bartending another wedding at the Corona Yacht Club in October with my associate bartending service, Mia Martini.

On Sunday, I drove back to the San Fernando Valley to bartend a backyard wedding. I had booked the even so many months prior, I had forgotten it was a wedding, so I was surprised and felt foolish when I arrived and saw the whole wedding set up in the back yard. They had it set up very nice and the whole backyard looked as good as many expensive wedding venues I’ve worked.

I served about eighty guests and I served completely out of whiskey and vodka. I was serving a whiskey Arnold Palmer, which I deemed the John Daly. The drink was a big hit and contains equal parts bourbon, ice tea, and lemonade. Some of the guests had flown all the way from Korea to attend. Rib Ranch Barbecue of Woodland Hills provided catering, and once again I got to sample some excellent viddles, including ribs.

Back yard wedding in Northridge
Back yard wedding in Northridge

The last event of the weekend was a Labor Day pool party at a large estate in Sherman Oaks. A live 80’s cover band performed many great hits from the 80’s, including “Mustang Sally,” “Sweet Home Alabama,” and many others. This was the band’s debut in front of a live audience. I served Moscow Mules, Pina Colladas, and Mai Tais to the guests. It was a great was to round out the weekend. This coming weekend I have nothing scheduled, but am booked solid through October after that.

Back yard dance floor
Back yard dance floor