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Seasonal Winter Flavors: Five New Winter Cocktails by Ignacio Murillo at A.O.C. on 3rd Street & in Brentwood

Seasonal Winter Flavors: Five New Winter Cocktails by Ignacio Murillo at A.O.C. on 3rd Street & in Brentwood

Market-Fresh Seasonal Cocktails Crafted by Head Barman Ignacio Murillo Now Available at Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne’s A.O.C. Restaurants

A.O.C. debuts a new cocktail menu crafted by Ignacio Murillo

Suzanne Goin, Caroline Styne and head barman Ignacio Murillo, A.O.C. Third Street and Brentwood, California locations.

A.O.C. debuts a new cocktail menu crafted by Ignacio Murillo to welcome the changing winter produce and chillier temperatures.

In addition to the full bar of premium and classic cocktails, the specialty drinks at both 3rd Street and Brentwood locations include:

Satsuma with bourbon, tangerine juice, lemon, orange-saffron syrup & dried orange;

Death to the Espresso Martini with dark rum, silver rum, espresso, spiced coffee syrup & star anise;

Azteca with tequila, lime, apple juice, tamarind syrup & dried apple;

The Nagami with gin, lemon, kumquat liqueur, oro blanco grapefruit, fresh kumquat & rosemary;

The signature Fire & Smoke with mezcal, lime, blood orange, simple syrup, árbol chile, chili salt & fresh lime.

From his early days as a busser at the OG A.O.C. at 3rd & Crescent Heights, Ignacio Murillo always went the extra mile and immersed himself in the A.O.C. ways.

Ignacio Murillo - Five New Winter Cocktails A.O.C.

AOC’s Ignacio Murillo photo credit Suzanne Lanza

He came to every wine and cheese tasting, dedicated to being the best he could be, and made himself a key member of the A.O.C. family. Eventually, he moved to the bartender position, where he honed his cocktail-making skills, developing an incredible palate and a talent for layering flavors and textures in a magical way.

Murillo is now taking center stage, running A.O.C.’s bar program featuring seasonally motivated cocktails created to pair with Chef Suzanne Goin’s market menu offerings.

Cocktails are priced at $18-19 and are available now and continue through the winter season.

A.O.C. WINTER COCKTAILS 2023

 

 

Satsuma - Five New Winter Cocktails A.O.C.

Satsuma; photo credit Suzanne Lanza

Satsuma

bourbon, tangerine juice, lemon, orange-saffron syrup, orange

The Satsuma tangerine is a Japanese varietal popular amongst California growers. There are multiple varieties of tangerines at the Farmers’ Market, and I wanted to combine them with bourbon for a winter cocktail. To make this drink, I created an orange and saffron syrup to mix with the Satsuma tangerine juice to make an original and surprising cocktail that remains both juicy and spirit-forward.

Death to the Espresso Martini

Death to the Espresso Martini ; photo credit Suzanne Lanza

Death to the espresso martini

dark rum, silver rum, espresso, spiced coffee syrup, star anise

 

Espresso martinis are all the rage in Los Angeles and pretty much everywhere.

To take it to the next level, or at the very least, put my spin on it, I blended Caribbean dark and white rums and added a spiced coffee syrup made from condensed espresso along with a few secret ingredients.

The result is a cocktail that is rich, smooth, and eye-opening.

Azteca

Azteca; photo credit Suzanne Lanza

Azteca

tequila, lime, apple juice, tamarind syrup, candied apple

 

The famous Aztec tribe is indigenous to Jalisco, the birthplace of tequila.Since apples are at their best in winter, I love incorporating them into a seasonal tequila cocktail. This year I combined the crispness of apples with tequila and added tamarind for its bright and sour notes. It lives up to the strength of its namesake.

 

The Nagami

The Nagami; photo credit Suzanne Lanza

The nagami

gin, lemon, kumquat liqueur, oro blanco grapefruit, fresh kumquat, rosemary

 

My neighbor has a small tree that is packed with kumquats. He shares them with his neighbors and makes delicious agua frescas with the fruit. He explained that these are Nagami kumquats, the most popular variety in the United States. So I used them to make a kumquat liqueur, added fresh-squeezed Oro Blanco grapefruit juice, and mixed them with gin to play off of the botanical notes in the gin.

This drink makes a citrusy and tart winter cocktail.

 

The signature Fire & Smoke

The signature Fire & Smoke; photo credit Suzanne Lanza

fire & smoke

mezcal, lime, blood orange, simple syrup, árbol chile, chili salt, fresh lime

 

Fire & Smoke has long been A.O.C.’s most popular seasonal cocktail. Blood orange, with its vibrant hue, is mixed with mezcal and tequila. The addition of our fiery house-made arbol Chile bitters makes this cocktail a long-time crowd-pleaser.

Serving now and continuing through the winter season; available for lunch, brunch & dinner per operating hours

 

A.O.C. 3rd Street

Dinner

Sunday – Thursday 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Friday & Saturday 5:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Brunch

Saturday & Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Pick up & delivery

5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. nightly

Saturday – Sunday brunch 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

 

A.O.C. in Brentwood Lunch

Wednesday – Friday 11:30 – 2:30 p.m.

 

Dinner

Sunday – Thursday 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Friday & Saturday 5:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

 

Brunch

Saturday & Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Pick up & delivery

5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. nightly

 

WHERE:

 

A.O.C. 3rd Street

8700 W. 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90048 – 310.859.9859

 

A.O.C. in Brentwood

11648 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90049 – 310.806.6464

 

ABOUT THE LUCQUES GROUP:

With the opening of Lucques, their flagship restaurant, in 1998, James Beard Foundation award-winning Chef/Author Suzanne Goin and award-winning Restaurateur Caroline Styne planted the seeds for The Lucques Group, a Los Angeles hospitality company that comprises two fine dining restaurants – A.O.C. in both Los Angeles and Brentwood.

Along with these culinary enterprises, the company also owns the Larder Baking Company and oversees Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine, which curates all the food and beverage outlets at L.A.’s iconic music venue. The duo also operates two new restaurants – Caldo Verde and Cara Cara – at the Downtown L.A. Proper Hotel.

The Lucques Group is dedicated to seasonally influenced cooking and focuses on sourcing local, organic produce from which Goin creates soulful dishes that are bold in flavor, vibrant, layered and complex.

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Have LA drinkers fallen in love with Monkey Shoulder’s Refreshed Bottle, Flavor and Style

Have LA drinkers fallen in love with Monkey Shoulder Refreshed Bottle, Flavor and Style

Award-winning Monkey Shoulder whisky, the 100% malt whisky made for mixing, is revealing a fresh new look and feel to its bottle, the first major change to the brand’s hero bottle since it started shaking up the traditional whisky category in 2005.

The changes include a bold refresh of the label and a lighter bottle – up to 25% in glass reduction – providing an even better cocktail-making experience.

Get ready to party with a new look.

Monkey Shoulder bottle slims down for an easier pour

The new and improved Monkey Shoulder bottle will be implemented across both The Original and Smokey Monkey varieties of the whisky and is more than just a glass reduction.

Refreshingly light, the new look includes a longer neck for an easier pour, for both bartenders and consumers making whisky cocktails at home.

The bottle is perfect for shelf display

The new look matches the liquid within; the new split-label design and the enlarged brand logo oozes premium and is perfect for being displayed proudly on the whisky shelf or back bar. Fans of Monkey Shoulder’s “three monkeys” badge need not fear, as it still features pride of place on the new label.

The innovations to the design were delivered thanks to an AI-powered visual analysis to test key features and label viewability, followed by rigorous consumer testing. This led to a new look bottle and label that not only maintained its premium cues and distinctiveness but was approved by fans of the brand.

Everything remixed but the recipe: Inside the bold new bottles is the same award-winning liquid loved around the world. Made with single malt whiskies from the Speyside region of Scotland, selected in small batches then married together, Monkey Shoulder Original Malt Whisky retains its rich, smooth, and fruity flavour.

Ifan Jenkins, from Monkey Shoulder says: “Just like our cocktails, we wanted to mix things up when it came to our look. The eye-catching, new-look bottle has been designed not only to improve the cocktail-making experience with its glass-reduction, but also stand out from the crowd (just like the liquid inside). It’s with this bold new look that we’re looking forward to shaking up the drinks’ cabinets of Monkey Shoulder fans around the world, as well as grabbing the attention of those starting to explore the world of whisky for the first time.”

The newly packaged bottle will be available in mid-2024 in countries where Monkey Shoulder is sold, available in the best bars and retailers globally.

Monkey Shoulder, the world’s first made for mixing blended malt whisky

In 2005, Monkey Shoulder, the world’s first made for mixing blended malt whisky, burst into the world of whisky, and it has been breaking the conventions of the category ever since. Developed as the ultimate mixing whisky for cocktails, Monkey Shoulder Original Blended Malt Scotch Whisky is blended in small batches of Speyside’s finest single malt whiskies then married together. Rich, smooth and fruity, the original blend is bold enough to be mixed, yet balanced enough to enjoy neat. This unique blend gets its name from when turning the malting barley was still done by hand.

Oregon, Chicago, North Carolina and much more! Traveling? Discover Greatest Hotels Ever from Fifty Grande

Oregon, Chicago, North Carolina and much more! Traveling? Discover Greatest Hotels Ever from Fifty Grande

Travel magazine Fifty Grande recognized 50 hotels for its first ‘Greatest Hotels Ever’ awards, nominated by readers.

Hotels had to meet two criteria to secure a nomination; they had to be located in the United States and needed to average a rate of under $350 per night.

“This collection of hotels reflects the adventurous spirit and eclectic interests of our Fifty Grande community,”

Chris Walsh

Editor-in-Chief

The chosen hotels offer an array of interesting amenities and thoughtful guest experiences. This carefully curated selection celebrates the best in­­ affordable tourism, highlighting exceptional accommodations that redefine the travel experience without breaking the bank.

Crazy Water Hotel, Mineral Wells, Texas

Crazy Water Hotel, Mineral Wells, Texas

The Greatest Hotels Ever are:

Northeast & Mid-Atlantic

The AsburyAsbury Park, N.J.
The Dean Hotel, Providence
Hotel Zena, Washington, D.C.
The Lincoln Hotel, Biddeford, Maine
Oak Bluffs Inn, Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.
The Schoolhouse Hotel, White Sulphur Springs, W. Va.
TWA Hotel, New York
The Verb, Boston
Woodstock Inn and Resort, Woodstock, Vt.

South

Crazy Water Hotel, Mineral Wells, Texas
Emeline, Charleston
Flophouze, Round Top, Texas
Grand Bohemian Lodge, Greenville, S.C.
Graduate NashvilleNashville
Hotel San JoseAustin
Hotel TupeloTupelo, Miss.
Kimpton Overland Hotel Atlanta Airport, Atlanta
The Pontchartrain Hotel, New Orleans
The Reserve at Hot SpringsHot Springs, Ark.
The Vendue, Charleston

Ace Hotel Palm Springs, Palm Springs

Ace Hotel Palm Springs, Palm Springs

West

Ace Hotel Palm Springs, Palm Springs
‘Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach, Honolulu
Best Friends Roadhouse and Mercantile, Kanab, Utah
The Eddy Taproom & Hotel, Golden, Colo.
The Edgewater Hotel, Seattle
Grouse Mountain Lodge, Whitefish
Hotel Chaco, Albuquerque
Hotel Figeroa, Los Angeles
Hotel Max, Seattle
Hotel McCoyTucson
Hotel Zetta, San Francisco
McMenamins Kennedy School, Portland, Ore.
The Pearl Hotel, San Diego
Shore Lodge, McCall, Idaho
Urban CowboyDenver
The Venetian, Las Vegas
Wyoming Inn, Jackson Hole

21c Museum Hotel, St. Louis

21c Museum Hotel, St. Louis

Midwest 

21c Museum Hotel, St. Louis
Bottleworks Hotel, Indianapolis
The Brown Hotel, Louisville
Hotel DonaldsonFargo
Hotel Millwright, Amana, Iowa
Hotel on PhillipsSioux Falls
The Junto, Columbus
Kinn Guesthouse, Milwaukee
Magnolia OmahaOmaha
Palmer HouseChicago
The Siren Hotel, Detroit
Union Station Hotel, St. Louis
Viceroy Hotel, Chicago

The survey was conducted September 4 – 25, 2023 and the results were based on 1825 respondents.

For the full story, visit www.fiftygrande.com.

Fifty Grande

Fifty Grande is a digital and print travel publication that explores the U.S.

San Diego: Tequila and Taco Music Festival Returns April 6-7, at a New Venue

Tequila and Taco Music Festival Returns to San Diego April 6-7, at a New Venue

The 8th annual Tequila and Taco Music Festival returns to San Diego at its new venue in Thrive Park at Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7.

8th annual Tequila and Taco Music Festival at Snapdragon Stadium April 6-7

Festival goers will enjoy an enticing array of tequila tastings, delectable tacos, artisan vendors, and an exciting lineup of live music performances.

8th annual Tequila and Taco Music Festival

8th annual Tequila and Taco Music Festival

This annual festival has etched itself as a regional highlight, drawing thousands of attendees from across the state.

“We are thrilled to bring the Tequila and Taco Music Festival to Snapdragon Stadium for an unforgettable weekend of festivities,”

Vincenzo Giammanco

CBF Productions President

“This event is a celebration of delicious Mexican food, craft tequila, and great music. We look forward to welcoming attendees from near and far to join us for a memorable experience.”

8th annual Tequila and Taco Music Festival

A carefully curated and diverse selection of over 20 premium tequilas, from smooth blanco by Nosotros Tequila to aged añejo by Rancho La Gloria, will be available for tequila enthusiasts and newcomers alike. Attendees will also enjoy different variations of traditional street tacos and innovative creations from over 15 local and regional chefs and eateries including Global Tacos GrillBarra CrudaBaja Tacos and more.

Beyond culinary delights and libations, attendees will enjoy two days of live music spanning various genres, including Shaggy and Ozomatli. Artisan vendors will also be on-site, showcasing unique crafts from Temascali and Kopacetic Kreations, jewelry from JorgeGeorge and Roni’s Treasures, apparel from Alberly and SD Cork Hats, and much more.

Tickets are available for purchase online, with various options to suit individual preferences. General Admission ($24.99) includes admission into the festival (food and drinks purchased separately);

Margarita Experience (2 for $50) includes admission for two people who will receive a complimentary margarita upon entry (food and additional drinks purchased separately;

Tequila Experience ($59.99) includes admission into the festival, a souvenir tasting cup upon entry and six .5 oz samples of craft tequila.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.tequilaandtacomusicfestival.com/san-diego.

About Tequila and Taco Music Festival

Tequila and Taco Music Festival is an annual celebration of Mexican culture, culinary delights, and live music held at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California. Featuring tequila tastings, gourmet tacos, live music, and artisan vendors, the festival offers attendees an immersive and vibrant experience.

About Snapdragon Stadium

Snapdragon Stadium is a premier event venue located in San Diego, California, renowned for hosting a variety of concerts, festivals, sporting events, and community gatherings throughout the year.

About CBF Productions

CBF Productions is a leading event production company dedicated to creating memorable experiences that bring communities together. With a passion for excellence and a commitment to innovation, CBF Productions produces a diverse range of events that inspire, entertain, and delight attendees of all ages.

About the Author
Joe Wehinger (nicknamed Joe Winger) has written for over 20 years about the business of lifestyle and entertainment. Joe is an entertainment producer, media entrepreneur, public speaker, and C-level consultant who owns businesses in entertainment, lifestyle, tourism and publishing. He is an award-winning filmmaker, published author, member of the Directors Guild of America, International Food Travel Wine Authors Association, WSET Level 2 Wine student, WSET Level 2 Cocktail student, member of the LA Wine Writers. Email to: Joe@FlavRReport.com

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