Caroline Pardilla

Los Angeles may be over those lame below-75-degree temperatures but Drago Centro downtown has just debuted its new winter cocktail menu created by Drago Centro’s beverage director Michael Shearin and head bartender Jaymee Mandeville. It features some hits like the comforting hot buttered rummy January Jones and some misses like the mouthwash-green Watcher in the Woods. But cheers to the use of diverse and unique ingredients like blood orange “caviar,” pear puree, Clear Creek Douglas...

It was bound to happen. A food truck and wine pairing, the cuisine of the masses with the high-brow staple make it an intriguing combination. But what makes the Manila Machine and Domaine LA event this Sunday extra unique is that the wine shop's Whitney Adams and Jesse Brawner will be matching food from the popular Filipino food truck with Italian and French wine. Apparently not such a crazy idea since, as noted by...

Don't count Joseph Brooke, The Edison's director of spirits, out just yet, L.A. drinkers. After about a year, he's come up with a new list of cocktails for the swanky downtown bar. What took so long? The current renovation of Clifton's Cafeteria delayed any go-ahead for a new cocktail menu from the Edison's powers that be. But this week, Brooke debuts his brand-new menu which is "classically driven" and at the same time offers an...

What is the big deal with Chef Roberto "Bobo" Ivan's Hostaria del Piccolo, the Santa Monica sister to his Piccolo restaurant in Venice? Well, not only does the modern pizza joint offer gluten-free pie -- made with naturally leavened dough comprised of kamut, soy and polenta flour -- but they have a gorgeously stocked bar (specifically all the fixings for an awesome Manhattan, including the formerly scarce Rittenhouse 100) and a promising cocktail menu. Turns...

Ocean Vodka ready to be consumed | Photo by Julie Wolfson/LAist Jared Meisler of Bar Lubitsch will be hosting a vodka tasting at his West Hollywood bar tomorrow night from 6 to 8pm. For $20, guests will enjoy chilled shots of premium vodkas like Hawaii's own Ocean Vodka, made with organic sugar cane, as well as Crystal Head, Hanger One, Krol, Modern Spirits, Pinky, Russian Standard, Siku, Three Olives, Tru and Ultimat. Since each...

Photo by Caroline on Crack/LAist For a fun, swank and, more importantly, cheap way to kick off the summer, hit up the new happy hour "Summer Fridays" poolside at the Cameo Bar in the Viceroy Santa Monica. Starting tomorrow from 2 to 6 p.m., boozers on a budget can enjoy drink specials dictated by the time of day. Get there early at 2 p.m. to snag a glass of wine, well drink and beer...

Caroline on Crack If you still don't know where to get your drink on for Cinco de Mayo, check out the following festive venues. Arriba drink deals! Border Grill in Santa Monica has a very gourmet Cinco from 4 to 10pm, with $3 ceviche shots, tacos and chili poppers as well as $5 green corn tamales, poblano quesadillas and beef brisket taquitos. To quench your thirst, order up $4 house margaritas, sangria and mojitos....

Last week, Hollywood neighborhood eatery Ammo kicked off its new tasting series amid a revelry of bloggers and cocktailers. Small-Batch Social is meant to bring together booze fans and industry experts alike while showcasing small-production spirits, wine and beer. And for the debut event last Thursday, Tequila Ocho, from Jalisco, Mexico, was in the spotlight with brand ambassador Scott Haro schooling us on Tequila Ocho's 2008 Plato, Reposado and Anejo tequilas. Bonus was that each...

Automated luxury store, U*tique, just opened up its first location ever in Fred Segal Santa Monica. It's lux-o-matic, interactive, insta-matic…just don't call it a vending machine. Although that's basically what this fancy-schmancy machine does. Except instead of dispensing cheesy puffs, it sells 50 upscale beauty items, indulgences and lifestyle products like Aira mink eyelashes, Bliss triple oxygen mask, David Kirsch Wellness detox kit, GoSmile smile brightening system and ModelCo tan in a can to name...

We were offered a hosted lunch at Venice's Seed Kitchen, the newish Japanese-American fusion vegan macrobiotic restaurant brought to you by Sanae Suzuki and her husband Eric Lechasseur (formerly of M Cafe de Chaya). So we thought, why the heck not? By the way, this review is completely from the standpoint of a non-veggie. But here's a review of Seed by an actual vegan from Quarrygirl.com to give you that perspective, too. We dragged a...