martinis Tag

by Freddy Tran Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + Amateur Mixologist… Let’s drink a toast to creative people in official positions. More specifically, let’s drink a toast to Cleve Colbert “Red” Ketcham, the late great U.S. Forest Service Regional Engineer who gave us, for perpetuity, the Cocktail Construction Chart. Immortalized in the U.S. National Archives Catalog as item #7035823 (download your copy of the Cocktail Construction Chart here), the chart was created shortly after Nixon resigned in 1974 — a very good reason to celebrate. Given the names of theRead More

by Freddy Tran Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + Talking Enthusiast… Move aside, Sriracha, there’s a new claimant to the spicy condiment crown: Tajin Clasico. In my latest podcast, I explain why I prefer Tajin, and how it’s a key ingredient in a killer summer barbecue beverage, the chelada. But first, I address one of the most talked-about topics in business right now: the implosion of retail stores in America. In my previous podcast, I noted that the dizzying decline has less to do with the Internet and more to doRead More

by Kim Tronic, Resident Cocktail Mistress… I usually avoid Downtown L.A. The one-way streets terrify me, and once I kept a friend waiting an hour when I got sucked into the Bermuda Triangle of 5th Street. Oh, and good luck with parking. But if you’re brave enough to maneuver the vortex of Downtown, be sure to catch a show at the L.A. Music Center. Home to renowned venues Mark Taper Forum, Ahmanson Theater, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, and Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Music Center stages major musicals, plays, ballets, andRead More

by Kim Tronic, Resident Cocktail Mistress… If I invited you out for a drink at some local saloon, what would you envision? Gun holsters, swinging doors, and horses waiting outside? How about a pub? Do you immediately get a craving for fish ‘n chips and a nice frosty pint? And really, is there a difference between bars, pubs, saloons, and taverns? They share the same mission — to entertain and inebriate customers — but with distinctions like ambience, clientele, and pricing, each destination has served its own purpose throughout time.Read More

by Kim Tronic, Resident Cocktail Mistress… Much like any girl looking back at her yearbook photos from 1999, I’m horrified that my baggy ripped pants, faded T-shirt, and frayed hemp necklace constituted “fashion.” Because my sense of style has evolved about ten times since then, I’m grateful that my wardrobe has matured — those Abercrombie jeans would do nothing to flatter this thirty-something figure. Fortunately, we live in a society that loves reinvention. Hi, Britney Spears. ‘Sup, Madonna? How ya doin’, Johnny Depp? These celebs have cycled through countless identities,Read More

by Kim Tronic, Resident Cocktail Mistress… As much as I love my Chuck Taylors and baggy jeans, I burn with envy for fashions circa the 1920s. Beads. Sequins. Flowers. And OMG petticoats. And ever hear of “programmatic architecture?” It basically means “buildings that look like stuff.” In those days, when automobiles became the new way to zip around town, giant structures started popping up shaped like dogs, donuts, and hats to grab your attention as you cruised by. Many of these magnificent structures no longer exist, but a few haveRead More

by Kim Tronic, Resident Cocktail Mistress… I’m no fan of hotel bars in Los Angeles — too much pretension and plastic surgery. But when a friend brought me to The Culver Hotel, my apprehension melted away. Filled with locals and tourists, the lobby bar welcomes its customers with a flowing serenade of jazz tunes by the Mark Alan Group, who’ve played Saturday nights there for the last 5 years. A classic film projected onto the wall behind the band provides the perfect backdrop for Culver’s glammy vintage Hollywood-cinema vibe. TheRead More

by Kim Tronic, Resident Cocktail Mistress… Remember those middle school summers when your friends shipped off to camp? And when school started again in September, all they did was brag about how much fun they had? (Despite suffering from 23,000 bug bites and swimming in bacteria-infested lakes, of course.) Instead of joining those friends, I chose to stay home and annoy my parents, like any lazy tween. Trust me, you’ve never experienced true joy until you’ve played Legend Of Zelda four days straight in a windowless basement, stuffing your faceRead More

by Kim Tronic, Resident Cocktail Mistress… Like any normal woman, I’m private about certain details. My weight. My real hair color. Amount of money spent on Botox. But one secret that everyone seems to know: I’m kind of a crazy cat lady. I have 3 kitties and about 2,000 photos of them on my phone. They sleep on my bed while I’m twisted into an abnormal position to accommodate their comfort. They rule the roost — and they know it. Then, a couple weeks ago, a friend invited me out to aRead More

by Kim Tronic, Resident Cocktail Mistress… If you live in L.A., you most likely react to “tourist traps” by rolling your eyes, emitting a small groan, and vowing to never get stuck in the honeytrap of 3-hour traffic jams. (Also see: the Walk of Fame, Disneyland, or Muscle Beach.) But I invite you to hit the brakes on such swift judgment and head over to Marmalade Café at The Grove. Don’t be fooled by its shopping center location and write off Marmalade as a tourist destination not fit for yourRead More