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16
Nov
Trump International Hotel & Tower Waikiki Beach Walk
By Jeff Hoyt
Is Donald Trump trading the boardroom for board shorts? November 16 marks the opening of the Donald’s 38-story Trump International Hotel Waikiki Beach Walk, featuring 462 guest rooms and suites, with the largest exceeding 2,000 square feet.
Since Trump always strives for the best, the hotel’s Penthouse accommodations boast full gourmet kitchens with granite and marble countertops and travertine flooring, and will be outfitted with appliances by Wolf, Sub-Zero and Bosch as well as under-counter wine cellar storage, affording guests the option to have the hotel’s chef prepare a meal in the privacy of the suite. Other guests will have to make do with the Honolulu branch of Laurent Tourondel’s BLT Steak scheduled to open December 16 on the street level.
28
Oct
A new gun law passes in Arizona
By Jeff Hoyt
Better be careful about rooting too loudly for your favorite World Series team Wednesday if you’re in an Arizona bar… especially if someone favoring the other team isn’t drinking.
Just in time for the first World Series game between the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies, a new law in the state of Arizona takes effect Wednesday, October 28, that allows patrons with concealed weapons permits to carry their loaded guns into bars.
Continue reading “Shots All Around!” »
23
Oct
KAHLUA coffee liqueur
We grew up with the iconic coffee liqueur, and remember walking back across the border with a newly-purchased bottle the first time we visited Mexico. But we were surprised to learn that the more-than-70-years-old brand had diversified greatly.
While the original flavor has been around since 1936, there are currently five other KAHLÚA’s available for cocktails, spiking coffee and even cooking. (Not to mention two pre-mixed cocktails for lazy bartenders).
We recently enjoyed a dinner at the Lotería Grill in which each of the dishes was prepared with KAHLÚA, including a flaming cheese and chile botana on which KAHLÚA Especial had been poured and set aflame.
02
Apr
The Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar at the Fairmont San Francisco
By Jeff Hoyt
Sometimes, kitsch just works. At the historic Fairmont San Francisco, much of The Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar is covered by the hotel’s old swimming pool, which now features a floating bandstand. Allegedly, Ronald Reagan is among the famous people to have taken a dip in it.
Continue reading “Rain Doesn’t Dampen Spirits” »
12
Mar
By Jeff Hoyt
What is the official beverage of rock and roll? Some might answer beer in general (and Rolling Rock in particular), or Jack Daniel’s, but wine seems to be making inroads. I just enjoyed a Vintage Rock Wine Dinner, the first wine dinner presented at the new Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, part of the bustling L.A. Live project across from the Staples Center. I started with a not-overly sweet Mick Fleetwood Private Cellar Riesling Central Coast 2005, which paired well with shrimp in blue cheese sauce. The wine is actually one of seventeen so far made by the Fleetwood Mac drummer. The 2005 Doobie Red, a Bordeaux blend which accompanied my filet mignon, isn’t made by one of the Doobie Brothers, but by the band’s longtime manager Bruce Cohn.
And that’s not all. I’m looking forward to trying new offerings from Rock And Roll Cellars, including puns on album names like “Meet the Pinots” and “Exile on Vine Street.” To find out more about which rockers make wine and which just license their names, read Wine-ing Celebrities.
17
Dec
Pommery POP Champagne
By Jeff Hoyt
POP! POW!!
My wife tried to open a sparkling wine last night, and was lucky to escape injury when the cork vigorously flew from the bottle and hit the ceiling. When I recounted that cautionary tale, a co-worker piped in with a cork-cum-surface-to-air missile story that also occurred Tuesday night. So, enjoy our selections of sparkling wine for the holidays, but drink safely: make sure you aim the cork away from your face and hold on tight. Perhaps tonight I’ll indulge in a Duckhorn Merlot for my health, as red wine appears to fight Alzheimer’s and heart disease, and there’s no need to duck a flying Duckhorn cork. Cheers!
13
Nov
Palate Food + Wine
By Jeff Hoyt
It’s hard for me to visit Glendale without an old song popping in my head, “Somebody robbed the Glendale train, this morning at half past nine…” I wish I could have taken mass transit, as I washed down a fine lunch at Palate Food + Wine with 15 wines from France. As more and more people want value wines, you’ll be happy to hear that 13 of them retail for $20 or less, with the most expensive topping the scale at $27. I raised a glass to Jay Fiondella, the owner of Chez Jay, who recently passed on. I used to hang at his bar often when I lived a block away from the classic dive restaurant, and after I moved, was pleasantly surprised to find Jay living in my building. (As did actor Evan Handler from Sex and the City, but that’s another story.) Jay’s presence and his greeting, “Hi, neighbor!” will be missed. Continue reading “Fifteen Wines for Lunch” »
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