SIP/SAVOR: The Eveleigh

While “other” websites alert you to new openings in town, LIVELOVESHOPLA likes to REMIND you about those you may have never even tried!  We sometimes fall into that category and we always want to SHARE our findings with our loyal fans who trust us to never MISS A THING!

A quaint little hideway amidst the hustle and bustle on the famous Sunset Strip?  You probably think we’re kidding! Hell, no, we’re not and welcome to  EVELEIGH (correctly pronounced everly) where a cozy, ultra-cool neighborhood vibe (complete with an utterly CHARMING outdoor patio) focuses on country comforts and local-farm and market food with an old-world European slant.

First start out at the busy bar where lead-man, JOHN, will make you a cocktail to remember!  Though he might appear “aloof and elusive,” once you catch his eye, he’s on top of everything.  Then, move onto either a seat out front in the beautiful garden OR opt for the back room where it’s a chic party scene atmosphere. 

Oh, and make SURE you leave room for the frozen dark chocolate sandwich.  AH, only in LA!

The Eveleigh, 8752 West Sunset Boulevard, at North Sherbourne Drive, West Hollywood (424)-239-1630

SIP/SAVOR: Belly Up to the Bar!

HAPPY HOURS are suddenly the “talk of the town,” but on any given night in Los Angeles, there are literally hundreds to choose from.  While there are literally hundreds to choose from on any given day, these FOUR are OUR PERSONAL PICKS and where you’ll usually find us schoomizing with WHOMEVER is nearby!

BOA
Burger Sliders topped with crispy onions are THE absolute most BABULOUS in town at this meat lover’s paradise.   HAPPY HOUR runs from 5-7 and trust us, it’s one NOT TO MISS.  Not only is the $5.00 BOA TINI (with Gin or Vodka and even a few OLIVES for that price!), the people watching both inside AND out (on the magnificent patio) is another TREAT in itself!
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CECCONI’S
Get there no later than six-thirty to snag a seat at the luxurious bar.  The Tapas menu is awesome, but the complimentary flatbread pizza is a nice little “touch,” to say the least.  Make sure to ask (time and time again!) for the super skinny breadsticks while sipping away on your cocktail of choice.  Hell, it’s always so nice, we usually decide to hang out for hours, thrilled we found a place to call “home” for the night. However, IF we decide to grab a real dinner, we always opt for the grilled calamari or the divine chicken salad (a healthy but sumptuous option).
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CUBE APERITIVO
One of our most favorite little neighborhood haunts, this cool little place always “hits the spot.”  It’s great for dinner with friends, especially in the private dining room, but sometimes we like to get there a tad earlier for sipping half-price glasses of Rosati and savoring $5 Pizzettas on house-made crust OR even a wide selection of fine fromaggio. This, only at the stainless steel wine and cheese bar, but hell, we often wind up staying in the exact same seats for the rest of the night. Shhh, it’s a secret spot for celebrity sightings!
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BASTIDE
Hidden away on super luxurious Melrose Place, this divine and sexy hideaway has come up with a chic and unique two-hour cocktail hour of its very own! Each and every MONDAY from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., $15 gets you a glass of wine or a choice of two mixed drinks, BUT it’s the UNLIMITED appertizers that made us SMILE with delight! Now HERE”S a Private Party-esque Happy Hour that we WILL be frequenting week after week.  Join us…but tell only your coolest, closest colleagues!
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SIP/SAVOR: Birds Hollywood

For over 15years, BIRDS on Franklin Ave has been a local favorite of all ages. While known as a “family restaurant by day”, this HAPPY HOUR HOT SPOT is also the home of much, much more. In need of a WILD girls night out?  With a BIRD CAGE and STRIPPER POLE (the classy kind, of course) enclosed in a PRIVATE section of the bar for girls of all kinds to come and have a BLAST, this is THE place to bring out your inner Single Lady, as Beyoncé would say. By the end of your night, most likely spent partying with owner, MARY PRESTON, you’ll DEFINITELY want to purchase one of BIRD’S SIGNATURE “I know Mary” tees. Trust us, we’ve taken this one for a test run and IT ROCKS. OH, and we forgot to mention, Happy Hour starts at 4pm, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. Let the “hen fest” begin.

SIP/SAVOR: Las Vegas Edition

Almost everyone in the “rag trade” is headed to Vegas today to participate in the slew of shows taking shape this week.  Whether they’re going as an exhibitor, a buyer, a sleuth or just as an ordinary onlooker, but for US, it is always the FOOD that’s just as important as the FASHION.  And because most of us who might be watching our bank balances more than our waistlines in these somewhat “recessionary times,” here are a few of our most favorites to wine, dine and shine with crowds of choice!

Bryan Ogden’s MUNCH BAR menu hits the spot after either winnings or losses at the casino, cooling off after a night on the dance floor or meeting for drinks with prospective buyers before dinner. THIS is the place to indulge anyone’s cravings.  At MUNCH, comfort food becomes an art form. Located at CAESAR’S PALACE next to PURE, this is a winner in more ways than one!

On another note, STACK at MIRAGE offers a hip alternative to the many formal dining establishments in LAS VEGAS, presenting great food and service in a comfortable, modern setting. The dining area features high ceilings and warm mahogany “stacked” walls, creating a canyon-like feel. In addition to steak, STACK offers classic items with a creative twist. The cheese-filled adult tater tots look like tots on steroids and the juicy pigs-in-a-blanket bring back happy childhood memories. Shake & Bake chicken wings are also a lever option! Grownups can enjoy BEING A KID AGAIN while savoring desserts like s’mores, ice cream cones, Munchkins, warm banana spring rolls and warm chocolate in a jar.

For a one-of-a-kind, “bone-chilling” experience, stop and get a drink at MINUS 5 at MANDALAY BAY which is open from 10 a.m. – 3 a.m. daily. Get ready for parkas and gloves before entering the 23 degree-Fahrenheit (minus 5 degrees Celsius) icy wonderland.  Ice sculptures surround the main bar area, while the drink glasses are made completely of frozen water. MINUS 5 also has a comforting lodge where guests can warm up after the experience. If THIS place doesn’t do it for a quick “wake me up,” after shopping the show, believe us, NOTHING will!

At FIRST in the PALAZZO SHOPS, the Mojito Lamb Chops have such tender meat that they beg you to grab the bone and suck them dry. Other Must Have TASTE THRILLS include the Walnut Shrimp, Philly Cheese Steak Dumplings, BBQ Flat Iron Steak with Cheesy Grits and the Cheesecake in a Mason jar!

Hell, diets start when everyone gets home!

SIP/SAVOR: Cafe Midi at American Rag

American Rag is KNOWN for having some of the best merchandise in ALL of Los Angeles so it is no surprise that its FOOD is just as good. The MENU is extensive and it is TRULY IMPOSSIBLE to not like whatever you decide to order. We have visited BOTH Cafe Midi on La Brea and Cafe Beau Soleil at Fashion Island in Newport and our favorite dishes were the Spinach Salad with asparagus, fennel, tomatoes, caramelized walnuts, goat cheese and pear  and the Smoked Salmon Fettuccini with asparagus, tomatoes and garlic cream sauce!! (as seen in the photos above)

If you are CHOMPING AT THE BIT to sink your teeth into one of these BABULOUS dishes after a day of shopping then we have GOOD NEWS FOR YOU! Become a FAN of LiveLoveShopLA on Facebook by “LIKING” our page and/or follow us on Twitter and you will be entered to WIN a GIFT CERTIFICATE to either one of the cafe locations!!!