The Reef – Shaken Not Stirred in LA

Three Day Event at LA Mart

April 6, 2016 shakennotstirredinla

lamart1b — New Skyscraper going up in Downtown LA

Shaken Not Stirred just finished providing bartending service for a three day event at the LA Mart in downtown Los Angeles. I have done many events for them, and for this event they were offering complimentary Mimosas to the buyers that were at the Mart for their annual Spring designer week. I always like doing these events and it is fun talking to all the people going through there. I have even made some friendships with some of the sellers in the building who have seen during the different events that I have done there.

lamart4 — People bring their dogs to work at LA Mart

The LA Mart is the largest marketplace of its kind west of the Mississippi. I think they like to serve complimentary drinks as a way to set themselves apart from other markets. Many of the buyers don’t want to start drinking at 9am, but it is a nice touch anyway. Some of the buyers are in ffrom out of town, so they try to have some fun and make a semi vacation out of it.

I am ABC certified and have taken the LEADS class put on by the California ABC, and that is required to serve alcohol at the LA Mart. Most venues and corporate clients require that. I will be taking another class soon to keep that up to date. The state ABC classes are held at various locations around the city once a month.

LA Mart/The Reef

Open five days a week
500,000 square feet of showrooms
Permanent showrooms
Furniture, gift items, premium product lines
South of downtown Los Angeles
Showroom window at LA Mart

I am now getting ready for a big weekend in the Coachella Valley. I have a wedding party in La Quinta on Friday night, and then another one on Saturday night. I will be serving several exciting drinks to hundreds of people in the desert, including the Sazerac cocktail, which I have never made before.

Corporate Event, Uncategorized

3 Day Corporate Event in Downtown LA

February 1, 2016 shakennotstirredinla

reef4 — Interesting merchandise at The Reef

I bartended a 3 day corporate event in Downtown LA last week at the LA Mart, also known as The Reef. This is the third time I have been called back there, and it always nice to get repeat business. The Reef is a twelve story building in Downtown Los Angeles that is home to dozens of showrooms where distributors and importers show their wares to wholesale buyers. They have several shows a year that attract buyers from all over the country.

The Reef sets up bars every day during the special markets to serve complimentary wine to the buyers. The idea of course is to get them in the mood to buy, buy, buy. These are always fun events and I end up talking to and serving hundreds of people during the three day period. On the final day, they had a reception for the buyers and sellers and we served wine and beer. It was a great way to cap off the three day event.

After the Saturday night event I was driving home and I took Broadway, which I quickly learned was a mistake. They were having a special “Bringing Back Broadway” event and thousands of people were walking along Broadway and standing in line outside the old theatres down there. It took me twenty minutes to drive one block. I finally got off of Broadway and onto Olive, and that was my second fatal mistake. Cars were jammed solid in every direction. It took me one hour to go a block and get off of Olive. It was a good thing I was not on my way to a job. This is why I almost always leave two hours early to any job I do in Los Angeles.

Downtown LA Events

Grand Openings
Trade Shows
Conventions
Corporate Events
Client Appreciation
Retirement parties

Next week I will travel to Palm Springs to bartend an all day party on Saturday, and then am doing a repeat performance Super Bowl Party on Sunday in Glendora. I have two more wedding events going on in Palm Springs at the end of the month, and a Valentine’s Day wedding in South Bay on February 14. The month of March is still pretty open, so book you parties now.

reef1 — Buyers and sellers mingle at The Reef

Baby Shower bartenders, Uncategorized

Fullerton Baby Shower

January 24, 2016 shakennotstirredinla

ns3 — Ladies gather for baby shower inside tent

Saturday, Shaken Not Stirred traveled to Fullerton in Orange County to bartend a January baby shower. The host had a tent set up in the front driveway as there was a chance of rain. These tents are available from event rental companies and people can have a very nice party on their own properties that don’t cost a fortune. It didn’t rain, but the tent also provided privacy and a cozy setting for the baby shower.

I set up my portable bar and table in the back of the tent. I served Mojitos, Margaritas, Madras, and Mimosas – the four M’s. The host had a plenty of supplies, and the 60 ladies in attendance drank more than I thought they would. With all the tables in the tent, it was a bit difficult to move around, so I went and took drink orders from the ladies and delivered them with my tray, like a male cocktail waiter.

I have done a few baby showers and champagne and Mimosas are always popular. At this baby shower they served food buffet style with disposable plates and silver wear. I helped keep the tables clear, and I always do that when I am not busy making drinks, because it makes the time go faster for me, and my hosts always appreciate it. I am not one of those bartenders who just stands behind the bar waiting for guests to come order drinks.

I am starting to book more weddings and parties in the spring. I have booked several jobs in the Palm Springs area where the competition is not as tough. It seems that everybody in Los Angeles is now a mobile bartender. I had a great month in December doing all my jobs in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, but now I have to venture out because everyone in Los Angeles is hungry. Sometimes people go for the cheapest bid, and then realize they get what they pay for. As it is, I think my prices are fair, and maybe even a bit low. Next week I have three events in downtown Los Angeles at the Reef merchandise mart. I have done several events there in the past and am always glad when they call me back.

Next month I have a Super Bowl party lined up and have received inquiries about doing an Academy Awards party. I am still available for the Academy Awards, so please call me if you need a bartender for your Oscar’s Night party.

Fundraisers, Special Event Bartenders

Downtown Los Angeles Charity Fundraiser

June 21, 2014June 23, 2014 shakennotstirredinla

Last night I was one of the bartenders at the DIFFA Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS at The Reef in downtown Los Angeles. We served beer and wine to approximately 400 people. There were only two bartenders but we worked well together and we handled the crowd no problem. Most of the guests were interior designers all over the country.

I have no done too many of these events, but want to do more of them. When I arrived everything was pretty much set up. I just setup the cups and bottles the way I like them and went to work. People started coming in around 7:30 and we were pouring non stop until 10:30. A maintenance guy from the building acted as a barback and was a big help. By the time we were done serving, he had taken away all of the empty bottles and leftovers. We were out of there by 10:50.

I am LEADS certified, which they required for me to do this event. There is a certification put on by the LAPD called STAR certification. I will get that certification the next time the class is offered. Right now I am preparing for a birthday party in Lancaster. The host has about ten specialty drinks he wants me to make, including the Purple Hooter, King Kong Bomb, Long Island Ice Tea, and Mojito, among others. The party should be interesting.

Tomorrow I am off to the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps bases to bartend a wedding I booked months ago. Next week I will be doing a screening event in Hollywood and a birthday party in Orange County.