Perris – Shaken Not Stirred in LA

Perris, California Wedding Party

May 15, 2016 shakennotstirredinla

perris5b — Amazing property in Perris, California

Shaken Not Stirred traveled all the way to Perris, California to bartend a wedding party on Saturday. This wedding was held at a house hidden high in the hills of Riverside County, miles away from any Starbucks or In and Out. If you are holding a party out there, you had better not forget to bring anything, because you will travel twenty miles of winding roads to get a bag of ice. Maybe I’m exaggerating a little.

It was a perfect Southern California day for a wedding – the weather was perfect, not too hot, and clear skies with a gentle breeze. 100 guests blew in to celebrate this wedding, which happened early at 3pm, and then the festivities began. Some friends of the family provided the catering and I provided bartending service. I kept pretty busy pouring vodka drinks and margaritas. Fireball and Patron were the shots of choice.

perris4b — Guests socialize at wedding party

Wedding Party Traditions

Hire a bartender
Bride and groom’s first dance
Tossing of the garter and bouquet
Celebratory shots!
Family portrait

The property was really quite amazing and the couple that owned it were in attendance. The man was a ship captain from England and had retired and built the rancho in Perris from scratch. The place was big enough to hold a party for 300 people and he said he had parties like that. I may bartend for him again when he throws a going away party in a few weeks. He has sold the house and is moving to Argentina.

I had two other bartenders doing graduation parties in Chino Hills, and Castaic as I was doing the one in Perris. I haven’t heard from the clients, but according to the bartenders the other parties went well. Maybe I should hire some “secret shoppers” to check up on those bartenders!

Today, I am bartending a baptism party in Granada Hills. Next weekend I will travel to Palm Springs to bartend a bachelorette party in the daytime and formal cocktail party at night. I will have two other bartenders doing a large baptism party in La Canada.

Graduation Party Bartender, Uncategorized

Burbank Graduation Party

May 9, 2016 shakennotstirredinla

burb1 — Guests socializing at Burbank graduation party

Saturday night Shaken Not Stirred provided bartending service for a graduation party in Burbank. The guest of honor certainly deserved a graduation party because she graduated at the very top of her class and completed nursing school at a four year university. I know from friends of mine that have attended nursing school that it is a grueling program, and not everyone makes it, let alone graduates at the top of their class. I salute her, and am sure she will have a very promising career.

This year the demand for graduation parties has increased dramatically. I have had so many calls for graduation party bartenders that I have had to turn down many of them. Next weekend I have two bartenders going out to bartend two different graduation parties, while I will be bartending a wedding in Perris. Next month there are several graduation parties as well.

burb2 — Family and friends at graduation party

Graduation Party Ideas

Hire a bartender
Hire a caterer
Rent tables and chairs for backyard
Hire a DJ

The Burbank graduation party took place in the backyard of an uncle. The grandparents had emigrated from Cuba just after the revolution. I always like talking to Cuban immigrants because they know the devastation that Communism causes. I know this is not a political blog, but I am extremely anti-socialist/communist. I got that from my ex wife who was from Chile. She told me what happened when a socialist, Salvador Allende was elected as president of her country and was a puppet of the communists in Cuba and the Soviet Union. In two years, the economy was destroyed, all in the name of “redistribution”. Now, people in this country think socialism is the way to go here. How ignorant of them. I will probably lose business over this, but I don’t care. It burns me up anytime I see someone wearing a Che Guevara shirt. They have no idea who he really was – a mass murderer.

Che_Guevara — Pisses me off when I see people glorifying this culito!

Anyway, back to the party. I served margaritas and vodka drinks. We served completely out of beer and they had to go get more tequila. The guests came to party. I set up my portable bar in the back yard, the taco man from Paulina’s Catering set up right next to me. I always enjoy watching the catering people do their job. He was very efficient and made it look easy serving 60 people.

burb3 — Preparing tacos for Burbank Graduation party

Next weekend I am headed to Perris in Riverside County to bartend a wedding, while my other bartenders are doing graduation parties in Castaic and Chino Hills. Later this month will be in Palm Springs for a bachelorette party and a cocktail party later that night. Then, I will close out the month for a wedding in downtown LA.

Fundraisers, Uncategorized

Cheviot Hills Fundraiser

May 6, 2016 shakennotstirredinla

ch2 — Dark skies looming over backyard grapefruit tree

Thursday, Shaken Not Stirred provided bartending service for a fundraiser in Cheviot Hills. Cheviot Hills is a very nice neighborhood tucked away between Century City and Culver City. There are many nice neighborhoods in Los Angeles that seem to be sanctuaries from the urban jungles that border them, and Cheviot Hills is one of those.

I love doing fundraisers and get-togethers on week nights. This fundraiser in Cheviot Hills was for a charity that helps underprivileged students further their education. One of the students that benefited from the program gave a talk about how he was able to lift himself out of a desperate and hopeless situation in South Central and complete his college education. He made a compelling case for the program.

I set up my portable bar in the backyard and served some tasty tequila drinks. The hosts had a nice grapefruit tree in their backyard and I made Palomas. I have been doing a lot of that lately, because grapefruits are plentiful in California and are excellent for making cocktails. The host developed a drink he called the Mexican Old Fashioned and it is part Mezcal, part Casamigos Tequila, a dash of Peychaud’s bitters, and an orange peel. That is a strong drink for those with acquired tastes. Amateurs need not apply. I also made margaritas with tequila, fresh lime juice, and Cointreau. That is a really good way to make them, if no Cointreau, used triple sec, or Gran Marnier.

ch3 — Guests mingle at Cheviot Hills fundraiser

Tu Tacos provided the catering. There are of course, many taco caterers in Los Angeles, and most provide their own twist on tacos. This caterer put cucumbers on tacos and I have never seen that done before. They were delicious. Really adds something unique to the tacos.

Fundraiser Occasions

School functions
Fraternal organizations
Alumni Associations
Mixers
Charities
Political groups

Tomorrow night I will be bartending a birthday party in Burbank and then next week the graduation season starts. We will be doing graduation parties in Castaic and Chino Hills, and a wedding in Perris. Later this month we have a baptism celebration in La Canada, a bachelorette party in Palm Springs, and a Wedding in downtown Los Angeles.