Palm Desert – Shaken Not Stirred in LA

I am excited to announce that Shaken Not Stirred is now offering Mixology Classes throughout Southern California. These fun and informative mixology classes are perfect for corporate team building retreats, bachelorette parties, birthday parties, or just plain old get togethers. I have done a few of these parties before for special requests and they have always been a success, and so now I am going to offer these mixologist classes to the general public.

The first mixology classes I did were not interactive. The demonstrated making different drinks, and then made drinks for each of the participants. My new interactive bartending class allows participants to make their own drinks after a demonstration by me. I call two participants up at a time and they make their own drinks. This is a much funner hands on approach and the participants actually retain the information.

Ever wanted to learn how to make an Old Fashioned, a Manhattan, or a perfect Spicy Margarita? How about making colorful layered drinks? Dessert cocktails? I can demonstrate making any cocktail within reason. If you request a cocktail I have never made in my career for the class, I will research it and learn how,

The History of Bartending Techniques

During the class, I talk about the history of cocktails, and the techniques used to make them. I demonstrate how to use Boston Shakers, muddlers, strainers, and other tricks of the trade. You can be like a professional bartender in your own home. This is a great hands on experience, and the participants get to consume their own cocktails. Everybody has fun.

The class works best if limited to 12 participants, though slightly larger groups can be accommodated. I usually consult with my clients and find out what kind of drinks they would like demonstrated, and then I come up with a shopping list of ingredients needed. We limit to four drinks per class and it usually takes about three hours. This is also a good way to limit the number of drinks participants consume. Call us today to book your Mixology Class throughout Southern California.

Mobile Bartenders, Uncategorized

Executive Retreat & 2 4th of July Parties

July 5, 2016July 5, 2016 shakennotstirredinla

Fourth of July weekend was busy for Shaken Not Stirred as I put over 500 miles on my car and bartended an executive retreat in Palm Desert and two July Fourth parties in Orange County. The Fourth of July fell on a Monday this year, so many people celebrated on Saturday instead, and I provided bartending services for a fantastic second of July party in Villa Park. Then on the actual Fourth of July, I returned to Lake Forest in Orange County to bartend a daytime party before the fireworks started.

The executive retreat in Palm Desert was arranged for members of a law firm from Vancouver, Canada. It was very hot in the desert that day and was 105 in the shade. I made a variety of blended drinks, as well as some mojitos. The heat was oppressive and when I got back to my hotel the swimming pool was as hot as bath water and it took my hotel room three hours to cool down. Usually the desert slows down during the summer, but their seemed to be a lot of people in Palm Springs.

vp2 — The Statue of Liberty visits Villa Park

The next day I drove directly to Villa Park in Orange County to bartend the Second of July party. This was my third time working for these clients, and they have a fantastic back yard, pool and bar. They throw great parties and this time they had the whole front and backyard decorated for the Fourth of July. They had a mock Independence Hall, a Statue of Liberty, and many other great party props provided by RWB Party Props of Anaheim. Spectacular Catering of Irvine provided the food and they did a spectacular job. I was busy the entire time making drinks for 100 people. We went through two kegs of beer, and lots of vodka and tequila.

vp1 — Fantastic back yard bar in Villa Park

Executive Retreat in the Desert

Hire a bartender
Create a theme
Great resort rentals
Team building
Magician, Georges Robert at Lake Forest party

On Monday I returned to Orange County to a home in Lake Forest to bartend the Fourth of July party. This was a unique party and I have never heard of anybody doing it before. The host invited the entire staff of his favorite restaurant, Javier’s to a pool party at his house. This was such a nice gesture, and he even brought in a taco cart provided by Tacos Zapata, and magician, Georges Robert. The magician was fantastic, a real entertainer and the guests were enthralled. No doubt the host will be a VIP at Javier’s for years to come.

Next weekend I will traveling to San Diego to bartend a company party. Later this month I will be doing a wedding in Solvang, a wedding at the Diamond Bar Center, and hopefully one in Thousand Oaks.

Special Event Bartenders, Uncategorized, Wedding Bartender

Two Coachella Valley Events

February 28, 2016February 28, 2016 shakennotstirredinla

feb1 — Beautiful Day in the Coachella Valley

This weekend, Shaken not Stirred provided bartending services at two Coachella Valley events. On Friday night, I traveled to Indio to bartend a wedding rehearsal dinner, and then on Saturday I bartended a backyard wedding in Palm Springs. I really like doing these parties in the Palm Springs area, because many of these rental houses have very nice backyard bars, and that was the case at both of these events.

The house in Indio was just blocks away from where the annual music festival at Coachella is held. It had a very nice backyard bar. I was serving to 150 people by myself. The way that was done is that I made a big batch of margaritas and set it out in a beverage dispenser, along with ice, limes, cups and oranges, and the guests self served. They also self served beer. I made a few other cocktails and it worked out great. I will remember that, when somebody wants one bartender for a large group like that.

The future groom was from Maine, and many of his family members had traveled all the way across the country to attend the wedding. For them, the weather in Palm Springs was a treat. It is always nice meeting people from different parts of the world and country. Everyone has their different tradtions when it comes to cocktails. In this case – the Maine Margarita featured tequila, margarita mix, fresh oranges, and Coors Light.

Coachella Valley Events

Palm Springs
Indio
Palm Desert
La Quinta
Indian Wells
Coachella
Cathedral City
Rancho Mirage

On Saturday, I went to a house in Palm Springs to bartend the backyard wedding. Many of these guests had either traveled from Phoenix or Oregon to attend. This was a smaller group of 60 people , which is the perfect size for one bartender. I made Moscow Mules, and Old Fashioneds. Goodfella’s Tacos provided catering, and that was the second time in a month I ran in top them. I must say, their fish tacos are out of this world. I have a new Palm Springs Yelp page and I need to get some reviews on there from my Coachella Valley events.

feb7 — Goodfella’s Tacos doing their thing

feb4 — The bride displays food and drink

Today the Academy Awards take place in Hollywood. I have bartended Oscar parties before, but have nothing booked for today. If something comes up last minute, I will do it. Next weekend I am going to Santa Clarita to bartend a 60^th birthday party with a James Bond them, and then the following weekend will be doing two events in Santa Barbara.

Corporate Event

Special Corporate Project for Palm Desert Event

March 20, 2015 shakennotstirredinla

The marketing director of a corporation in San Francisco called me from this website and asked if I would be interested in doing a special project for a Palm Desert event. She wanted me to make and bottle 300 drinks for a conference that was scheduled to be held at a resort in Palm Desert. I told her that I had never done a project like that before, but agreed to do it.

The company in San Francisco shipped me all the bottles, caps, and special ingredients need. I purchased the liquor. I made 240 handmade sodas with their special syrups and seltzer water. There was ginger ale and spicy cola. They tasted better than the average soda.

I also made two cocktails and bottled them in flasks. One was called the Desert Mule, and was a vodka based drink and it was really good. The other was a Margarita made with their special syrup and fresh squeezed lime juice. I then made some other drinks in large growler bottles. The project was very labor intensive, but I got it done without any help. I delivered the drinks to the hotel in Palm Desert as I was contracted to do. I was grateful to get the project, and to be trusted with such an undertaking. I will gladly do it again.

On Saturday, I will bartend at a wedding that one of my associates booked in Riverside. This will be the first event that I have done not under the Shaken Not Stirred banner in quite some time. I must admit, it is kind of nice to do one event that I am not entirely responsible for. That all changes next weekend, when I have one company party in Palm Springs, one rehearsal dinner the next night at a hotel in Palm Springs, and then a wedding on Saturday on the other side of Southern California in Santa Ynez. I am responsible for all of those events, and have done much planning over the past few months. In the mobile bartender and event business, preparation is everything.

Tag: Palm Desert

Now Offering Mixology Classes