Tag: Los Angeles

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Lono Hollywood Meets The Ladies Who Tiki

by Bri RivlinLeave a Comment on Lono Hollywood Meets The Ladies Who Tiki
Lono Hollywood Meets The Ladies Who Tiki

Hollywood Boulevard may be known for its glittering sidewalk of stars paying homage to the celebrities of old and new, but locals and tiki lovers alike are now familiar with Lono; a new den of tropical cocktails named after the Hawaiian god of agriculture and rain.

Opened on June 9th, 2017, by the Umbrella Hospitality Group, Lono combines the refined edges of old Hollywood glamour with the beloved kitsch of Polynesian and Tiki decor. Palm fronds and banana leaves adorn the corners and edges of the deep restaurant and bar, while rattan chairs rim tables that invite guests to have a seat and order a Pearl Diver and the avocado-yuzu creme fraiche dip.

  • Photo courtesy of Lono

After you enter the Instagramable neon-lit sign of “Where the Wild Things Are,” sounds of Martin Denny waft out of speakers as you sidle up to the bar and order a classic like the Navy Grog or a new take on the traditional called the Banana Boo Loo. A cocktail crafted by Helena Olsen with Bryan Davis’ Lost Spirits Navy Rum and fresh lime, pineapple, banana, and demerara. If you’re so inclined to stay for dinner, award-winning chef, David Lespron, can be thanked for the delicious food.

On an early Saturday evening in late March, the Ladies Who Tiki had the pleasure of hosting one of their fun and inclusive meetups. Victoria Barabas from Lono was our amazing ‘hostess with the mostess’ as she kept the appetizers and cocktails coming. We had ladies (and gents!) from far and wide packed into the back section of the bar. And with high atrium glass ceilings, five lage cabana booths, and another bar to accommodate everyone, it was a wonderfully roomy space for all the LWT guests. The beautiful and effervescent Miss Tiki Oasis 2018, Ruby Champagne, was in attendance and she graciously posed for so many pictures with everyone! The chic ladies of Vintage Life LA were also there looking fabulous and they were able to snag a Lono mug and snap some beautiful photos of the event.

It was an evening of meeting new and familiar faces with tropical cocktails flowing well into the night. Founder, Michelle Perez of LWT stated, “I’m so thankful to Lono for allowing us to host our event. They went above and beyond to accommodate everyone! With each event, I truly appreciate the support we continue to garner from the Tiki community. Ladies Who Tiki just turned ‘One’ and it has been the most humbling experience. Cheers to what the future holds!”

If you weren’t able to make it to this meetup we do hope you can join us for the next one! And definitely stop into Lono for a cocktail and some food. Their busiest “club and touristy” hours usually start after 9 and 10 pm on weekends so we encourage you to check out Lono on a weekday or earlier in the evening.

Mahalo, everyone!

  • Image courtesy of Amanda Shaffer of Vintage Life LA
  • Image courtesy of Amanda Shaffer of Vintage Life LA
  • Image courtesy of Amanda Shaffer of Vintage Life LA
  • Image courtesy of Amanda Shaffer of Vintage Life LA


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Woman Crush Wednesdays at The Mermaid Los Angeles

by Bri RivlinLeave a Comment on Woman Crush Wednesdays at The Mermaid Los Angeles
Woman Crush Wednesdays at The Mermaid Los Angeles

The Mermaid in Little Tokyo, Downtown Los Angeles is home to tropical cocktails and nautical aesthetics. It’s an unexpected little pocket of paradise tucked away in the strip mall on 2nd Street and Alameda. While the area might be known for its abundance of Ramen, sushi, and other Japanese fares (and the popular Angel City Brewery), it’s definitely a spot worth checking out if you haven’t already. (Bonus: It’s only three bucks for parking!)

Katie Kildow and Arelene Roldan, who respectively opened Lemon Poppy Kitchen and Steampunk Coffee Bar and Kitchen first opened the Mermaid in August 2018. Since then, they’ve been mixing up nautical-inspired cocktails such as The Mermaiden Voyage and Ship of Fools, just to name a few. But it’s not just cocktails and mermaids at the little food and drink spot. They host a variety of events ranging from holiday fun to karaoke nights, to a monthly rotating bartender event.

Their recent monthly event held on Wednesdays, their Woman Crush Wednesday series (WCW), is a night where a female guest bartender from various hotspots is brought in to do what they do best: mix delectable potions behind the bar. A portion of the proceeds from each night is often given to a female-driven cause of choice.

Ladies Who Tiki had the pleasure of attending not just one Wednesday series, but two!

For the February WCW series, The Mermaid welcomed Marie King, head mixologist and bar manager of the Tonga Hut Tiki Lounge for Los Angeles and Palm Springs. Special guest DJ Jonpaul Balak (Tikiyaki Orchestra, Insect Surfers) was spinning the soundtrack for the night. Marie’s specialty cocktail proceeds went to Black Women For Wellness, an organization committed to healing, supporting, and educating black women and girls through health education, empowerment, and advocacy.

Marie King pouring Lau Lana

For the March WCW guest, Jeanie Grant from San Francisco’s Pagan Idol was behind the bar. She got her start in Tiki and rum culture in Seattle and now makes her home in the Bay as the Bar Manager for the popular Pagan Idol. She enjoys traveling to the source of spirit production (ie. St. Martinique, Jamaica, etc.), and creating the ultimate hospitality experience (as seen in her epic garnishes such as a Moai carved into a banana). Jeanie also holds the titles of reigning Iron Tikitender and Miss Speed Rack California.

Speed Rack is an event that features top female bartenders in key cocktail markets, putting them head to head in round robin style timed and judged challenges. It is the first competition to highlight the up and coming generation of strong women in the spirits industry. Jeanie’s specialty cocktails from this Woman Crush Wednesday series went to Speed Rack, which dedicates 100% of its National Cocktail Competition event proceeds to breast cancer education, prevention, and research.

Check out Jeanie’s cocktail menu below, and please check out The Mermaid soon!

Jeanie Grant of Pagan Idol
The Lost Isle
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Ladies Who Tiki Meetup at Tiki Ti, Los Angeles

by Bri RivlinLeave a Comment on Ladies Who Tiki Meetup at Tiki Ti, Los Angeles
Ladies Who Tiki Meetup at Tiki Ti, Los Angeles

It was a chilly January Thursday night in Los Angeles, but the inside of one of LA’s oldest tiki bar was toasty as it became packed with ladies and fans of Ladies Who Tiki.

Tiki Ti, nestled in the heart of Sunset Junction was opened in 1961 by classic tiki cocktail mixologist, Ray Buhen. The small bar adorned with ephemera from its opening days and tiki treasures from over the years is now run by Ray’s son and grandson, Mike and Michael Buhen. This father-son duo, along with family friend Greg Bansuelo, pilot the bar and pour some flavorful and potent concoctions such as the classic “Ray’s Mistake” and the rowdy crowd-pleaser, the Ooga-Booga. (Rowdy because everyone repeatedly yells “Ooga-Booga!” while the bartender keeps pouring in a heaping amount of Myers! It’s eighteen dollars for the drink but you’ll be quite happy if you’re looking for something to knock the sober right out of you.)

Tiki Ti was the home of the first official Los Angeles Ladies Who Tiki meetup event. Michelle Perez, founder of Ladies Who Tiki, carried in a large box of stickers and pins to giveaway to fans while she greeted everyone. The bar was packed with a line out the door on Tiki Ti’s otherwise quiet night. Everyone was dolled up in their favorite Polynesian garb and accouterments. New friends were made and an overall welcoming feeling was prevalent throughout the whole bar. Ruby Champagne, Miss Tiki Oasis 2018, was present and received the “okay” from Mike Buhen Sr. himself, to pose on the bar top for a photo op. (Apparently, this was unheard of! Guess the Ladies Who Tiki made a good impression.) 

“I was super excited that this event was a huge success with a great turn out,” says Michelle Perez. “Seeing people interact with each other, taking photos, and exchanging info is always the best part of these meetups. It gives us ladies a chance to meet other like-minded women who all love tiki as much they do. There were a lot of people who had never been to Tiki Ti before and most simply hadn’t gone because they didn’t have someone to accompany them. This event gave them the opportunity and confidence to go to a bar by themselves. It can be intimidating putting yourself out there to meet new friends. With every event, I strive to create a safe space where people can feel comfortable networking with one another – and this last meet up at Tiki Ti, I truly feel that I accomplished that. Here’s to new friends and many more meetups in 2019!”

Cheers!

Please, stay tuned for the next meet up near you!

*Tiki Ti is in no way affiliated with Ladies Who Tiki LLC. Bar patrons were responsible for their own tabs. Founder Michelle Perez and her associates did not receive any profit from the bar at all.