Slightly amused at the irony that foodventure (or more accurately, drinkventure) #213 is actually about area code 702 . . . but anyhoo, even though Alizé was the over-the-top multi-course affair I had in in Vegas in late last year, there were no shortage of good eats & drinks all over town, both on- and off- the Strip. In fact, there were enough that I decide to split my original one-post roundup into one about drinks & another about eats.So without further adieu, here are some of my favorite Sin City sips.Frankie's Tiki RoomTo avoid the heavy traffic along the 15 (damn you Vegas weekend warriors!), I almost always do a red eye, leaving L.A. around 2-3 a.m. & usually...

3179 Los Feliz Blvd. Atwater Village, CA 90039 (323) 661-5555 www.kumasushi.com twitter.com/kumasushi     Parking: 2 hr. limit for metered street parking or free parking in the ‘hood Days: Daily (except for holidays and Valentine’s Day (damn, this would be a great Valentine’s Day Happy Hour!) Time: 3-7pm Drink Deals: Hot Sake and Sapporo for $2; Cold Sake and House Red, White and Plum Wines for $4; Pomegranate Wine for $5 Food Deals: Lots of small plates and Sushi Rolls from $2-8 5th time was a charm for Kuma Sushi – seriously, I had tried to visit their Happy Hour no less than 4 times when somewhat minor and somewhat major emergencies took precedence and I had to ditch Happy Hour plans – most notably a very flooded Happy Hour...

Throughout last year, one of my unspoken resolutions is to entertain more, which is quite a feat if you've ever been in my living room. Nonetheless, it was a resolution that I've more than fulfilled, with me hosting a "just because" dinner or brunch every one or two months. And it was pretty fun organizing these parties, sometimes with a culinary theme (once I made a beery dinner with New Belgium beers featured in every dish... my fave was a Thai green curry & witbier risotto), sometimes with a DIY element (a wonton-making Superbowl party), and sometimes just a easy, lazy affairs where guests can just pick, nibble & sip away at their leisure.As such, it was pretty thrilling that...

3172 Los Feliz Blvd.Los Angeles, CA 90039323.662.9227www.bigfootlodge.comtwitter.com/bigfootlodgeParking: 2 hr. limit for metered street parking or freeparking in the ‘hoodDays: DailyTime: 5-8pmDrink Deals: $5 cocktails & cheap beer Food Deals: None – no food at this jointPeople are often surprised to learn that JB & I have notcovered happy hour at the east-side Bigfoot Lodge. We both have been ondifferent, non-happy hour occasions, but we’ve never set on a mission to coverit until after a weekend trip to the Glendale Galleria. After watching ashoplifter and a store clerk fight (we think!) and working our way through crazycrowds of tweens, a drink was much deserved.Finally, a cocktail at Bigfoot's Happy Hour. Bigfoot Lodge is a kitschy, lodge styled bar complete withwood décor, animal...

The Grove189 Grove DriveLos Angeles, CA 90036(323) 931-0202 whisperloungela.comtwitter.com/whisperloungela Parking: Big (sometimes annoying) Parking Garage – 0-1 Hour = Free, 1-3 Hours = $3 Days: Daily Time: 4-6pm Drink Deals: $3 Beers, $6 Well Drinks, and $6 select wines by the glass Food Deals: $5 Small Plates There’s nothing quite like a bar that makes you feel like you’re in a Woody Allen movie – you know, one of the “Bougie in Manhattan” ones like HANNAH AND HER SISTERS where your cares and concerns are not life and death on the streets of New York, but of the kooky and bizarre, yet extremely intelligent family variety. Too bad Sunset Tower doesn’t have a Happy Hour; the Tower Bar always makes me feel ready for my close-up,...

The Grove189 Grove DriveLos Angeles, CA 90036(323) 931-0202 whisperloungela.comtwitter.com/whisperloungela Parking: Big (sometimes annoying) Parking Garage – 0-1 Hour = Free, 1-3 Hours = $3 Days: Daily Time: 4-6pm Drink Deals: $3 Beers, $6 Well Drinks, and $6 select wines by the glass Food Deals: $5 Small Plates There’s nothing quite like a bar that makes you feel like you’re in a Woody Allen movie – you know, one of the “Bougie in Manhattan” ones like HANNAH AND HER SISTERS where your cares and concerns are not life and death on the streets of New York, but of the kooky and bizarre, yet extremely intelligent family variety. Too bad Sunset Tower doesn’t have a Happy Hour; the Tower Bar always makes me feel ready for my close-up,...

903 N. La Cienega Blvd.Los Angeles, CA 90069310.657.5711www.noburestaurants.com twitter.com/NobuWehoParking: $8 Valet or Metered Street Parking w/ 2 hr. limit Days: Daily Time: 5:30-8pm Drink Deals: $5 cocktails Food Deals: $8-12 sushi & seafood bites  I’m always a bit skeptical when checking out a happy hour that falls under Places for Sugar Daddy to Take You. Do I need to be on The List? Will my server be rude because they are bitter about aspiring Hollywood Dreams? Is there really a happy hour there??? Despite my reservations, I went to Nobu’s happy hour anyway. I needed to meet up at a West Hollywood happy hour that worked well with my & my friend, Derek’s production schedules, and the 8pm end time was perfect. I was also...

701 N San Fernando BlvdBurbank, CA 91502(818) 846-6999www.chevys.comParking: Free Parking Lot!Days: DailyTime: 2pm-close! Drink Deals: $3 Margaritas, Draft Beers, Wines by the Glass, and Well DrinksFood Deals: Appetizers from $3.99-$14.99“Nothing to write home about.” The saying is old, but it’s not quite stale – it’s totally how I felt about the Happy Hour at Chevy’s in Burbank along that consumer alley featuring IKEA, Barnes and Noble, a mall, several movie theaters, etc. The area is actually pretty efficient to get some shopping done, especially if you get there early to beat the crowds, and I can’t tell you how nice it is to actually have a big old bookstore to browse – a real trip down memory lane!In my hometown,...

Now that the cold weather is really upon us (OK, comparatively speaking), what better occasion to warm yourself up with a wintery cocktail? Rather in the form of actually high temperature toddies or teas, or just warming from the spices and aromas, here are a few of my faves from the recent weeks: Holiday Champagne Cocktail @ Cole's - this aromatic sparkler, which to me is the lovechild of a standard Champagne cocktail and a French 75, combined Mumm's Brut with Hendrick's gin, mulled spices syrup, Angostura and a pinch of ground cinnamon. I love how the warm, sweet spices of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves are amplified by the fizzy bubbles and that the gin gave it an...

Everyone may be making New Year's Resolutions, but I'm certainly not giving up on my Dr. Chocolate sessions; here's a recent few that I partook in:Trader Joe's Caramel & Black Hawaiian Sea Salt barPhoto courtesy of The Daily MorselCost of Session: $1.99 for 3 oz. barPhysician Marketing: "...filled with a buttery, burnt sugar caramel & Hiwa Kai, a blend of sea salt and volcanic charcoal harvested from pristine Hawaiian tide pools. The exterior of the bar is garnished with Maldon sea salt harvested from estuaries in Great Britain. The combination of luscious dark chocolate, rich caramel and crunchy salt crystals is simply sublime."Patient's Notes: Just like their walnut-pecan toffee bar I highlighted in a previous Dr. Chocolate post, this is...

808 Fair Oaks Ave.South Pasadena, CA 91030www.gussbbq.comtwitter.com/gussbbqParking: Metered Street Parking and Free Neighborhood Parking, also .5 miles from the Mission St. Stop on the Metro Gold LineDays: Monday-FridayTimes: 3-6pmDrink Deals: $3 Well Martinis, $1 off Wine, $2 off Draft Beer, $1 off Canned Beer, $1.50 off Well Drinks, $3 off Southern Sangria Food Deals: $2 Fried Pickles, $3 Mini-BBQ Sandwiches, $5 1/3 Rack of Ribs w/ Fries or Cole SlawHave you ever been to South Pasadena? If not, you should get on the Gold Line Metro and get yourself there now. It is a quaint, quiet, cool area far enough from the madding crowds of Holly(cuckoo-bananas)Wood to feel like a whole ‘nother city. And I guess, technically it is :)! Cool...

Having been to Vegas so many times in my past (it's practically an annual tradition for me & my friends from high school,) I am no stranger to all the places to eat & drink on the Strip. The buffets! The happy hours! The late-night joints for post-clubbing nosh! All of which are kinda yawn for me by now (especially given their recent proliferation of ripoffs from LA, SF, DC & NY restaurants.) So on my excursion last month, I made more of an attempt to wander off Las Vegas Blvd. for some truly distinctive bites & sips.Which brings me to Alizé at the Top of the Palms.Even though the meal is partially-hosted, my attempt to give it a preliminary...

Really, Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt want to know!If you're still not sure of your plans, check out some of these great listings of happenings in the greater Southland area!Caroline on Crack's Guide to 2012 New Year's Eve Parties with Open BarsThirsty in LA's So Long 2011! NBC 4's Celebrating 2011 LA Magazine's New Year's Round-upHave buttloads of fun (from our inner Beavis & Butthead), but please don't drink and drive! Lots of other options -  LA Metro is offering free rides from 9pm to 2am; AAA offers a Tipsy Tow program if you need it; and if all else fails, take a damn taxi! No excuses!Happy New Year's!!!And surely you'll buy your pint cup!and surely I'll buy mine!And we'll take...

As 2011 comes to a close and the Tupacalypse of 2012 nears (I don’t really believe the Tupacalypse is coming, though I highly recommend Daniel Pinchbeck’s awesome tome 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl to quit fearing and learn to love the changes that could be at hand) – I sit here drinking my Disarrono & Cranberry Juice and reflect over the year in Happy Hour Touring. 2011 saw us hit the LA Wine Festival and attempt our first at home Twitter Wine Tasting and it also saw us continue doing what we do... visiting lotsa Happy Hours! We’ve seen favorites close (so long Mexico (the bar, not the country)!); relocate (hello Boho at Hollywood & Highland); and well… some just...

I’m a big fan of year in review lists. If a magazine has “Best of (Insert year here)” on the cover, I am sold. These lists remind me of major news & pop culture moments and what TV shows, movies, & music I should be checking out. It’s also nice to walk down memory lane and remember where I was, who I was with, and what I was drinking during such momentous times. In the spirit of reminiscing, I was inspired to recap what happy hours I went to this year. There were some that were just ok, some I’d like to forget, and some that I loved so much that I talked about it for weeks after...

3601 Overland Ave.Culver City, CA 90034(310) 559-9999overlandcafe.comtwitter.com/overlandcafeParking: Free Neighborhood Parking (read the signs) and limited parking behind the restaurantDays: DailyTime: Saturday, Sunday, Monday – 4pm to close; Tuesday-Friday – 4-7pmDrink Deals: Half-off all wines & beersFood Deals: N/AOverland Café is one of those fantastic neighborhood spots that are better known for its drink deals than the quality of its cuisine. That’s not to say the food isn’t good; it’s just that the drink deals are great!Kitty Packard and I found our way to the café after a screening of THE DESCENDANTS at the holiday-shopping crazed Century City Mall and before a birthday party at Bigfoot West and we were totally excited about their ½ off all beers and wines –...

Petrossian's been doing their Caviar 101 class for a while now, and having missed the caviar boat completely the last time I was there (a.k.a during my strictly vegetarian phase) -- I took the plunge earlier this month, not knowing exactly what to expect, giving my woeful lack of experience & knowledge with this gourmet treat.Thankfully, there really are no questions too dumb to ask here, and General Manager Christopher Klapp (in foreground) was extraordinarily patient and tactful responding to a broad range of inquiries (ranging from a comparatively basic "are the caviar-producing fishes wild-caught or farmed?" [at Petrossian, the vast majority are sustainably farmed] to being quizzed average size/weight of sturgeon [varies considerably depending on species & region caught/raised].)Likewise,...

8384 W. 3rd St.Los Angeles, CA 90048323.655.8384www.the-churchill.comtwitter.com/TheChurchillLAParking: Complimentary Valet w/ Validation or Metered Street ParkingDays: DailyTime: 3-7pm, plus 10pm-close on Sundays & MondaysDrink Deals: $4 Well Drinks, Select Wine & Craft BeerFood Deals: $7 & $8 Bar BitesTo close out the year, JB & I decided to check out our last happy hour of the year together. We landed on The Churchill because it was new to both of us, and it looked quite cozy with its outside fireplace and all. Who doesn’t love a fireplace during the holiday season? The daily happy hour was a nice touch too.A view from the top floorThe drinks prices were pretty spot on. JB & I ordered the select red wine of the...

As I noted time and again, while I love to cook, I don't fancy myself as much of a baker--a craft that's finicky with exact measurements and pretty much a done deal once you pop it in the oven. So when Hodgson Mill approached me to do a Grain Day contest featuring their flours, I was flummoxed for a baked good that's simple, delicious and a wee bit playful.But then I remembered a simple Cream Scones recipe that turned out well for a brunch with preserves and clotted cream, so I adapted a savory version that will be great on its own (or perhaps with a pat 'o butter or some gravy.)Sure enough, the Chives 'n Cheese Scones came out...

As I noted time and again, while I love to cook, I don't fancy myself as much of a baker--a craft that's finicky with exact measurements and pretty much a done deal once you pop it in the oven. So when Hodgson Mill approached me to do a Grain Day contest featuring their flours, I was flummoxed for a baked good that's simple, delicious and a wee bit playful.But then I remembered a simple Cream Scones recipe that turned out well for a brunch with preserves and clotted cream, so I adapted a savory version that will be great on its own (or perhaps with a pat 'o butter or some gravy.)Sure enough, the Chives 'n Cheese Scones came out...