Newest WEHO Restaurants and Clubs

In the past several months, four new restaurants and one refurbished nightclub have opened/re-opened on Santa Monica Boulevard. I visited them all, dined in two of them, and here are my opinions.

Tender Greens – 8759 Santa Monica Blvd. This establishment specializes in salads. Not just salads, but gastronomic creations.  I have not dined there yet, but everyone I talked with is extremely enthusiastic about the menu, decor, and service.

Caffe’ Primo has finally opened its new location in the shopping center that fronts the Ramada. I have not eaten at this location yet, but the sleek decor, fine menu, and attentive staff will draw me in soon.

Baby Blues – 7953 Santa Monica Blvd.,  is undoubtedly going to make the location a success, finally! The joint serves very tasty pulled pork, brisket, ribs, catfish, shrimp, and chicken, to name a few items from their big menu. Some people have a problem with the BBQ sauces, as they are a North Carolina recipe that is vinegar based, rather than sweet tomato based.  I liked them fine, but must admit that I still craved the thick, sweet tomato based sauce that I am used to. I took  most of my meal to go, and sauced it up at home. The side dishes are quite good, especially the greens. The full bar is a great addition also, especially when you are waiting for a table, which you will probably do unless you go early. Service is cheerful and rapid.  Portions are large, prices are medium expensive, (about $25.00/person not incl. beverages)

Mexico Restaurant – 8512 Santa Monica Blvd. This establishment, (formerly the old Benvenuto Cafe) is a paradox to me. A normal-sized Margarita cost me $15.00. Not Patron, mind you, but Cuervo Silver, I believe. It was a good drink, but I fastened my seat belt  in anticipation of the rest of the evening. For our main courses, while squinting  at the menu in the darkness,  I ordered the Chiles Rellenos, and my friend ordered Chicken Mole’. We munched through 2 baskets of chips and all of the three flavors of excellent salsa on the table before our food arrived. I have never experienced Nouvelle Mexican Cuisine before, but there it reposed in front of me, two rellenos the size of my thumb, scattered with salsa and goat cheese. No beans, no rice, no nada. My friend’s 1/2 chicken must have been raised in a prison camp, it was so tiny. Both my mini rellenos and the teeny chicken mole were extremely tasty, but I had become convinced that this was going to be a MacDonalds evening, where I go to the drive-through afterwards to get full. To drown our appetites, my friend and I ordered more Margaritas; I ordered a peach one this time for, I believe, $13.00  which, maybe because it was blended,  came in a much smaller glass than the original Margarita that I had ordered previously. Over all, for $60.00 apiece, we got slightly tipsy and ate delicious appetizers. I don’t think that West Hollywood will stand for this kind of restaurant, but I might be wrong…

Micky’s – After about 18 months and tons of speculation, the New and Improved Micky’s has finally opened its doors. And the club is beautiful, with lights embedded in the bar-tops, a great new patio with its own little bar,  and a fabulous lounge upstairs. The gorgeous stable of dancers is cool too. However, I am a little put off with the nightly cover charges, and the exorbitant drink prices, so I will do what everyone else does, spend my drinking money elsewhere, and go there to dance, if I get around to it.

Try these places out! Let me know your reactions!

Have a Safe New Year

With New Year’s Eve fast approaching, now is the time for drinkers to draw straws to select your designated driver, make arrangements to hire a car to transport you to and from your New Years Eve events, or plan to walk in groups to and from your party destinations.

The City of West Hollywood Public Safety Division and the West Hollywood Sheriffs Department teamed up several years ago to create the West Hollywood’s Don’t Drink and Drive Campaign, which, among other things, distributes “Don’t Drink and Drive” napkins to local bars, clubs, and restaurants to remind patrons to not mix cars and booze.

Below are excerpts from the City of West Hollywood’s Don’t Drink and Drive web page.

West Hollywood’s Don’t Drink & Drive Campaign.

Drinking and driving don’t mix. Remember, you are not the only one in danger when you decide to drink and then drive. You are sharing the road with others. Risks to you include serious injury, higher insurance rates, large legal fees, jail time, and other social and professional setbacks.

Alcohol, Parties and Driving:

• Being a smart party host or guest should include being sensible
  about alcoholic drinks. Respect anyone’s choice not to drink.
  Never put anyone on the defense for not drinking.

Prevention:

• Don’t drink and drive. Even a small amount of alcohol in your system can affect your driving.
• Don’t let your friends drink and drive. Someone who gets behind the wheel after drinking is in danger of harming himself or others.
• Plan ahead. If you plan to be drinking, decide ahead of time how to get home safely and who will drive.

Attending a Party:

• Know your safe limit.
• Keep active. Don’t just sit down and drink. If you are active you tend to drink less, burn calories, and are more aware of the effects of the alcohol.
• Accept a drink, only when you want one. If that doesn’t work, “lose” your drink by setting it down somewhere.
• Don’t be fooled. A drink is a drink and all are the same to a breathalyzer.
• Skip a drink now and then. Having a water between alcoholic ones will help keep your blood alcohol content level down, keep you hydrated and lower your calorie intake.
• Have something to eat before consuming alcoholic beverages. Eat high protein foods that will stay in your stomach longer.
• Remember only time will eliminate the alcohol from your body.
• Use alcohol carefully in connection with pharmaceuticals. Ask your physician or pharmacist about any precautions.

Know the Law:

California Vehicle Code sections 23152(a) and 23152(b):

• 23152(a) It is a misdemeanor to drive under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
• 23152(b) It is a misdemeanor to drive with .08% or more of alcohol in your blood.

Please heed this good advice, and make your New Year joyous, safe, and sane.

To volunteer, contact the Public Safety Division at (323) 848-6414.

From Ashes to Compassion

Now that the smoke has blown away and the ashes have settled from the fiery death of Micky’s nightclub, I thought that it might be nice to sing the praises of those kind business owners, their staffs, and also the private individuals who helped the employees of Micky’s during their most troubled times. Kudos to the “O” Bar for supplying $30.00 gift certificates to all, and to Eleven and the Palms for their successful fund raisers. Here’s even more kudos to Eleven for making room for, and adding several Micky’s employees to their staff. I am sure that other businesses and individuals helped in many different ways, of which I am unaware. Thanks to them also. Above all, many thanks to the public, who attended the fundraisers and opened their hearts and wallets, donating much needed cash to the cause.

This is what community is all about.

Mashups – Fun and Useful

Ah, the wonders of computers!

By the way, Thanks to my brother Ray for this information.

A fairly new “geek” art form, called “mashups”, in which coders combine Google and another program to make a new application, is fun, useful, and informative. These “mashups” allow you to zoom from space to street level instantly and then pan or jump from place to place, city to city, even country to country. In the practical world, they can be used to find a restaurant for lunch, locate spas, clubs, and nightlife, and even search for rental apartments, homes, and condos. You just enter the city or zip code, and the category you want to see, and the program takes you to where you want to go and displays your results on either a regular map, a satellite view, or a hybrid of both. If you don’t already have it in your computer, you might want to download and install Google Earth (Free) also. Have Fun!

Best WEHO Bar Food

Bar food is food that drinking establishments provide, usually to sop up some of the liquor so that a patron can down yet another drink. You can expect it to arrive in a basket or on a paper plate, with paper napkins and sometimes a fork. Most people just eat it with their fingers. Smart shoppers seek out this type of food because it is usually plentiful, cheap, and often quite good. Two of my favorite places for this fare are Micky’s at 8857 Santa Monica Blvd. near San Vicente, and its neighbor two doors down, Fiesta Cantina.

Micky’s serves a varied, inexpensive, and extensive menu including burgers and sandwiches. Bartender Keith insists that the recently introduced Reuben ($6.95) is Awesome! As finger food goes, I particularly like the Potato Skins, ($5.95), six hollowed-out skins stuffed with real bacon fragments, green onions and cheddar cheese, baked until the cheese melts, and served with a creamy dipping sauce. My other favorite is the Country Style Chicken Tenders, ($5.95), six massive breast strips breaded and deep-fried, served with ranch dressing and BBQ sauce. You can order them with French fries, or without. An order of Country Style Chicken Tenders paired with a plate of Potato Skins will fill up two hungry men. Order them from Wonder Waiter Jeff during two-for-one Happy Hour from 4-9PM, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, and the Thursday Happy Hour that includes $2.00 Margaritas, $3.00 Domestic Beer, and $4.00 Well Drinks from 4-9PM. Besides enjoying his great service and sunny personality, your wallet will breathe a sigh of relief. Check Micky’s website for more information on the Happy Hour specials, their times, and their prices.

Fiesta Cantina pioneered the two-for-one drink specials several years ago, and they still have them at certain times during the evening. This is great news for those on a budget. Check their website for times and prices. They also have a varied, inexpensive menu, but for taste and value, along with your Margarita or Corona, order the Tres Queso Nachos, ($7.00), a melted blend of three cheeses, pinto beans, guacamole, sour cream, and Pico de Gallo, topped with a sprinkling of jalapeños. You can add chicken, steak, or shrimp for $2.00 extra. A friend and I usually order one heaping plate of Tres Queso Chicken Nachos ($9.00) and an extra side of jalapeños ($1.00), to dump on top. Sharing this fills the void, and it is delicious! Be sure to ask for plenty of napkins.

I will be munching my way through some other joints in the near future. Stay Tuned!

Pride. Lots of fun, but thank goodness, it is over!

More than 300,000 people clogged Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood Sunday, June 10^th for the 37^th annual Los Angeles Gay Pride parade and celebration. Grand Marshaled by NBA great John Amaechi, floats and marchers traversed Santa Monica Blvd for over two hours. Afterwards, the crowd packed into the festival to view the many booths, cool off with cold drinks, munch on sausage sandwiches, dance in the disco, enjoy the live entertainment, and people-watch some more.

I was not there.

I spent a lovely Saturday afternoon at my table in the Keller Williams Realty booth at the festival, signing up people for a free drawing for a $100.00 Home Depot gift card, (which a lucky young lady from Marina Del Rey won). Then I went to my weekend job, bartending at a packed Mother Lode on Saturday night nonstop until closing, and returned early in the morning to sling drinks to a full house for eight more hours during the parade on Sunday. Because the job is an important social outlet for me, it was great, seeing all those people that I only see once a year, every year, at Pride. I have been bartending there long enough to have watched many of my customers grow up from cute young men into fine adults. However, all those years have taken their toll. At the end of my shift, instead of going out to play, I went home, had a quiet meal, and put my aching bones to bed, where I stayed until noon on Monday.

I have decided that the Pride celebration is lots of fun, but thank goodness, it is over!

Hello world!

Here it is, my very first blog!

I have lived and worked in West Hollywood for the past twenty years, and decided recently that a forum like this is long overdue for discussing West Hollywood issues, such as parking (grrr!), over-development(grrrr!), and especially an issue dear to the hearts of us working schmoes, how to find affordable housing in this city, where prices and rents are going off the scale.

I would also like to provide a guide to sweeter things, in categories like where to find the best restaurants, clubs, taverns, shops, coffee houses, bakeries, theaters, dog parks, people parks, neighborhoods, hardware stores, schools, and transportation.

I would appreciate your help and comments on any of the topics listed above. Much more to come!