Demain. C'est vendredi, 31 juillet

That's tomorrow, Friday, July 31.
Our next "Five Ring Friday Event."
Allons, tout le monde.



and...



What else do you need?

West Midlands, Or West Valley?

Name: The White Harte Pub
Coordinates: 22456 Ventura Blvd., 91364
Neighborhood: The surface of the sun, AKA Woodland Hills
Happiest Hours: M-F 4-7pm

Here's a cultural curiosity -- why are there so many British pubs in the West Valley?

I, for one (and for once, my wife would say) have no real theories to offer on this one -- just random speculation. Is it the hot, dry weather that draws the Brits? Is it the easy access to the freeways and bus lines? Is there some sort of banger supply house in Canoga Park that I'm unaware of?

Whatever the reason, I think you'll agree with me that the area has more than its fair share of pubs. They've got Pickwick's (already reviewed here), Scotland Yard (a personal favorite, especially for daytime drinking), and now the White Harte Pub, which is located about as far west as you can get while still being in the San Fernando Valley as opposed to the Conejo Valley. That's for all you geography nerds out there.

OK, I'm a geography nerd. Whatever. This isn't about me. It's about the White Harte, a not-too-shabby drinkery that should be on your list of stops should you find yourself at the Walmart on Fallbrook. Or that one bowling alley. Or, for whatever reason, way the hell out in Woodland Hills.

The Vitals: The White Harte Pub has a pretty decent thing going on at Happy Hour. Though I didn't detect too many authentic accents, there was "football" on the "telly," as well as enough in the way of Happy Hour special to get Winston Churchill tipsy. $4 (with some as low as $3.25) drafts -- excuse me, "draughts" -- $4 cocktails, and half-off appetizers. The food is pretty decent (that is, if your dining companions don't order the vegetarian pizza -- come on, girls!) if long in the making. The wait staff is just surly enough to remind you where are -- the Valley, in a British pub. On the upside, they have a one of those awesome misters out on the smoking patio, which comes in pretty handy, whether you're waiting in line at Coachella or just in Woodland Hills when it's 106 degrees out. Ah, just like the summer I spent studying Shakespeare in Stratford-upon-Avon.

All in all, it's no Cock n' Bull, but a suitable enough respite should you find yourself miles from any recognizable landmarks and parched beyond mention. You know, like that British guy...what's his name? Oh yeah, Lawrence of Arabia.

next friday ...

Laissez les Bon Temps Roulez!

Name: Bourbon Street Shrimp
Coordinates: 10928 W. Pico Blvd., 90064
Neighborhood: Walking distance...I mean, West LA
Happiest Hours: Daily, 5-8pm

Let me be frank about something up front. I've never been to New Orleans, and I'm in no particular hurry to arrange and execute my inaugural visit.

While I can certainly appreciate the history of the place -- French Colonialism, Battle of New Orleans, Crazy Jim Garrison, The Vampire Lestat -- it just doesn't appeal to me. I'm sorry to anyone who might be from there, and I certainly don't mean any disrespect in light of the city's many problems -- crushing poverty, a high murder rate, or proximity to unfortunate weather. Although I think living in a city that's below sea level carries with it a certain amount of inherent risk, I feel for those savaged by Hurricane Katrina and those who feel like a piece of their culture was lost as a result of said hurricane. Hell, I even don;t mean to offend those people who love to pull up their shirts to get beaned in the face with plastic beads. All I know is that NOLA, Mardi Gras, JazzFest, and malarial heat and swamp denizens just don't appeal to me.

I do, however, share one commonality with residents with New Orleans and, for that matter, like 99.9% of humanity. I like shrimp. And as most people know, I like a Happy Hour that that offers a great value. And, if the two are combined, I also dislike driving after experiencing the same.

It is this peculiar mix of circumstances that leads me to Bourbon Street Shrimp time and time again.

Now, I'll admit the place has its certain charms -- attractive and attentive staff, proximity to my apartment, and hearty beverages -- as well as its drawbacks. The food is only OK, the clientele might not be the cream of the cultural crop, and let's face it -- any Cajun-themed place that names itself "Bourbon Street" anything is probably pretty lacking in imagination. Bourbon Street Shrimp on Pico, though, outweighs these drawbacks with one secret weapon -- a great, lengthy Happy Hour just dripping with value.

The Vitals: Simply put, even if you ignore the so-so menu, Bourbon Street Shrimp's Happy Hour is pretty damn great. First, it goes EVERY DAY from 5-8pm. That fact alone puts it head and shoulders above most places. Secondly, it offers "2-for-1" Ketel One, Jack Daniels, and margaritas. Thus, an $8 dollar vodka and soda becomes a stout double. Do the math. It's a good deal. And finally, there's a healthy selection of $4 appetizers, and all entrees are half-priced. Hey, where I come from, half-priced "meh" is better than full-priced "oh, splendid." And frankly, there are some things on the menu that are pretty great. Their tacos, for one, as well as their blackened shrimp both do the trick. And the place stays busy enough to assure me that there food isn't the swill some reviewers on Yelp seem to say it is. Not that I've ever really trusted the Yelp community to give solid reviews, but still. I guess it's just another one of many strikes against Yelp, and another tally in the "yes" column for HappyHourLA. Was it the best food ever at a Happy Hour? No. Was it sufficient to line a certain patron's stomach so he wouldn't get too...happy off the 2-for-1 specials? Again, no. But was it a good Happy Hour? Absolutely yes.

Take that, Yelp. You've proven my point yet again -- never, ever trust anyone who actively refers to themselves as a "foodie." That's like calling yourself a "hipster." And honestly, who would do that?

Five Ring Friday, Take One

Here at HappyHourLA, we sometimes get a little tired of looking around for the best deals and Happy Hours that LA has to offer. I mean, we're only human, right? We've come across many, many good ones, to be sure. And we've also stumbled across a few places that have, well, stumbled, in our opinion. That's the nature of the best, I suppose, but like I said, sometimes we get tired.

And that's when we decide to take matters into our own hands and host our own parties.

You may remember, a few weeks back, us alluding to something "big" on the horizon. Well, that big thing came and went, and in our minds (and in the minds of those who attended), it was a real success.

We held the event at Citizen Smith in Hollywood, which is a beautiful venue at which to host a party. It's got the space, the ambiance, and the skilled staff (much thanks to Luke, who runs a fully enjoyable but no-nonsense kind of bar) to handle events of any size, even while running their normal operations. The food at Citizen Smith is a delightful mix of down-home and haute cuisine (think delicious mac-n-cheese, sliders, and the like), and everyone was glad to arrive, get out of the horrible Friday traffic, sink down into a booth on the patio, and enjoy some great food and drink. Thanks to Chris and Brett for letting it happen in such a fine establishment.


We also got great support for the event from Marani Spirits, which is a locally-based spirits company whose main product, Marani Vodka, is made, literally, with milk and honey. As in "the land of milk and honey." And as anyone who attended can attest, those ingredients give it a noticeable and unique smoothness and flavor that any seasoned vodka sipper can notice. Marani's COO, Ani Kervorkian, was kind enough to give the go-ahead to sponsor the party with their fine product, and to send along Kamron Hakhamimi (aka The Party Doctor) to direct the festivities. The event would not have been possible without the efforts of these fine people and their superior product, and HappyHourLA wishes to extend to them the sincerest thanks. We hope that we'll be working with them again, and we also hope that you'll start looking for their products at your favorite liquor store and demanding your vodka and soda be poured with Marani at your favorite Happy Hour.



We were also lucky enough to rope into helping two local artists who added just the right amount of extra to the festivities. Amelia Burns was kind enough to bring along her camera and shoot the event for us, and the very talented and handsome Johnny Fraser came out and filmed, cut, and packaged an amazing promo for the site (you can see his delightful, French New Wave-inspired-and-informed work/photography/film here). Again, we at HappyHourLA are extremely gratified to have such talented friends, and we're even more thankful that these friends like us enough to put their talents to work for the site. Make sure to check out the video at YouTube, where you can view it in all its HD, full-screen glory. And comment on it.




Since we're in the thanking mood, we'd also like to give plenty of same to Janean Lesyk, who, after designing the entire site, has in effect become our partner/design guru/trusted adviser here at HappyHourLA. We couldn't do this thing without her help and support. Make sure to check out her great design work here. We'd also like to thank Tess Osborne, Eric Derrington, Erich Lochner, Michael Jedrzejewski, and Jinnie Rosales for all the continued support of the site, its operators, and events.

Give me a second.

Sorry, I had something in my eye. Anyway, that was our first "Five Ring Friday" event. We surely hope that there will be more coming up soon, and that everyone who reads and uses the site can make it out to one. Thanks for reading.

A Bright Idea, But Done Alva Wrong

Name: The Edison
Coordinates: 108 W. 2nd St., 90012
Neighborhood: Down-town, circa 1909
Happiest Hours: Mon.-Fri., 5-7pm, with varied "specials" throughout the week

Those who know me know that I'm a nut for all things turn-of-the-century. Bicycles with big front wheels, gaslamps, labor disputes -- this is an era in which I wish I could have lived. So, from that particular point of view, now is a great time to be alive in Los Angeles.

You might say that we're going through a mini-revival in fin de siecle culture at the moment. From the renewed interest in downtown LA to the current "classic cocktail" motif that's all over town (see below), the early 20th Century is huge. Like John Fante huge. And there's no bigger (in size or reputation) player on that field than downtown LA's The Edison.

Now, my main man Cedd Moses may dispute this assertion. I'd be disappointed, in fact, if he didn't. After all, Moses holds the current crown for "Authenticity" among downtown tavern-and-saloon types. He owns places like the Golden Gopher (open since 1905), Cole's (1908) and The Varnish (2009, but acts like it's 1899), and he runs these places with an eye towards detail that is practically unmatched. I say "practically" because (and I'm not 100% sure about this) he doesn't appear to own a bar with turn-of-the-century electricity-generating equipment scattered about. Of course, I'm not very observant.

But while The Edison may have a lock on the most spectacular downtown venue -- and it is spectacular, as it looks like it's straight out of some steampunk enthusiast's wet dream -- it sort of drops the ball when it comes to the Happy Hour. Which, after all, is also a turn-of-the-century invention, given that working for 12 hours in a shirtwaist factory or coal mine generally only allowed an hour of happiness per day.

The Vitals: Like I said, The Edison is spectacular. It looks simply amazing, it's got all sorts of cool, old machinery all around, it's forty feet underground, and it's filled with all these hidden nooks and crannies in case you and your betrothed want to engage in a little premarital thigh-touching. The bartenders know their shit, are friendly, and make a fine 1902-themed libation. But the place is expensive, and their famous "theme nights" leave a little to be desired. After all, fine print is a little tough to read by flickering candlelight, or even by the first light bulb. The rules for "Soup Kitchen Friday" are laughably Byzantine -- you get one (1) $0.35 drink and an eighth of a grilled cheese, accompanied by a thimbleful of tomato soup. The rest of the drinks are a curious 40% off for the remainder of Happy Hour (5-7). I suppose I'm nitpicking here, since it's practically free, but these caveats would be nice to know before you gussy up (dress code, after all) and fight traffic to make it downtown for Happy Hour. After all, since it's 2009 as opposed to 1909, there are many more auto-carriages on the roads, and a lot fewer street-cars to get get us from the West-side to Bunker Hill, post-haste.