It’s only been a little over a week since we said farewell to The Bang Bang Bar pop-up, aka The Roadhouse, aka every Twin Peaks fan’s heaven on Earth, and we’re already missing every chevron striped, melancholy bit of it. Tucked behind Melrose Umbrella Company in the former Barbara Jean space, this wall to wall dining experience took Melrose Ave to the creative beyond. Paul Salem, who put on the Double R Diner pop-up at the old Johnny Rocket space down the street on Melrose back in October, put careful consideration into every gritty detail of the cult classic. 

So let's say you find yourself as a castaway on a desert island, but that desert island isn't an island at all, it's actually Hollywood Blvd. Okay, now say you're strolling about the summer heat amidst the debris of many a shipwreck, so to speak, and a rather inconspicuous door catches your eye. Don't be apprehensive, stroll inside, and behold, you've found yourself within Lono.

Hey all you lovebirds, cynics, and all the ooey gooey in between! Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day, Single’s Awareness Day, (which is apparently totally a thing), or it’s just another Wednesday for you, we’ve got you covered! We concocted a few different love potions in the spirit of the largest consumerist holiday, to well, consume some spirits. 

Happy New Year everyone! We don’t know about you, but we’ve spent the past few days reflecting on the year behind us, making (and already breaking) new resolutions, and nursing ourselves back to overall health. Although we’re sick and tired of Christmas music and tinsel, our winter munchies are still hanging tough. In other words, we notice the craving for the sweet flavors of the holidays still to be very present. So, what do you do to cure the post-holiday blues? Where do you go?

This year for the holidays, we wanted to share with you a little something of our own to put on a show with at your Secret Santa or Ugly Sweater Party. We had our own little get together and found that these tasty treats were an easy way to create an experience for our guests without breaking the bank. Also, with a little diversity at hand, there's something for everyone!

Giddy up jingle horse, pick up a drink! Another favorite stop of our holiday cocktail tour was The BoardRoom in Downtown LA. Their jazzy and slightly mysterious atmosphere took to a festive transformation this month into something still very jazzy, but also full of cheerful wonder. The library-esque, Speakeasy-style lounge is tucked within Kendall’s Brasserie and has been known to be home to live music, events, and even poetry readings. In a small, dimly lit sanctuary of poinsettias and pine, we sat and enjoyed something frosty.

Since we’re knee deep in holiday cheer over here at A Cocktail of Two Cities, we’ve been putting our heads together (obviously clad in Santa hats), to seek out some of our favorite holiday cocktails throughout Los Angeles. In doing so, we came across festive fare all hiding within the walls of some familiar places. For the next few days leading up to Christmas Eve, we’ll be sharing with you a spot each day where you can get into the spirit with your favorite spirits. The big day is right ahead of us, so allow us to give you a few hints as to where to kick back and knock back your jingle jangle in the meantime.

Ah, Grappa, the true spirit of Italy. Yes, Grappa, a spirit malleable enough, yet extremely distinct when mixed into a cocktail. Also, being a bold sipper on the rocks, or a fantastic companion to a well-paired meal, what could be more inviting? 

What ever happened to the good old days of watching Sunday morning cartoons accompanied by a bowl of your favorite fruity pebbles and the dull roar of Mom's vacuum? You’d sit on the sofa in your PJ’s, the sound of a full orchestra blaring from the tv set while Tom and Jerry scurried playfully, yet vengefully, about their domain....

Calling all Negroni Week participants! Today we spent some time at The Corner Door in Los Angeles to geek out and enjoy their take on the Negroni Week festivities. Every day of this week, they'll be showcasing a new Star Wars themed surprise, cleverly titled in homage to Episodes 1-7, all in the fashion of a Negroni, of course. Grab a lightsaber and call your favorite Jedi, and treat yourself this week!

If you’ve ever spent an early San Francisco afternoon with time to kill at The Buena Vista Cafe, you’ll know the true glory of their most coveted item, their famous Irish Coffee. Lined up in rows of twenty, even almost thirty heated, six-ounce glasses that are precisely built from the bottom up, the legend of The Buena Vista Irish Coffee was created with careful consideration of ingredients, close attention to detail, and masterful precision, all to flourish in a demanding, high-volume environment.

We would like to share with you one of our new favorite products on the market, VIVA XXXII Tequila. With both expert quality and an extremely reasonable price point, founder Yvonne Niami created VIVA XXXII in order to bring a vibrant, high-quality tequila to the market that didn't cost an arm and a leg. What she procured were two exquisite blends, versatile enough to taste great neat or mixed into a cocktail, all without too hefty of a price.

We gathered at Bar Clacson last Tuesday to observe the world’s first grappa mixology competition. The Gra’it Challenge, a chance for ten bartenders in each challenge city to show what kind of concoction they can whip up with the first authentic Italian grappa distilled specifically for mixed drinks, Gra’it Grappa. This brought some of the most diverse bartenders and mixologist in Los Angeles together for a chance to become of of the 7 winners to enjoy an all-inclusive 10 day tour of Italy as guests of the Bonollo family.

Here in Los Angeles, there are only a few weekends a year where the streets aren’t filled with nearly as much hustle and bustle as we’re used to and it’s just a bit easier to find a parking spot at your neighborhood Bevmo.

Here we have a few of our favorite bars and what they're rolling out for Negroni Week! We hand picked each bar based on who was pulling off the most interesting and enjoyable variations.

May we start off by saying to all you powerful babes out there, happy International Women's Day.