Ice Skating at the W Hotel-Westwood

School taught you that water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

But in LA, where things have always been done a bit differently, we put it at the low 70s.

Welcome to your new favorite booze-soaked ice-skating rink Chill, launching Sunday where you'd usually find the outdoor swimming pool at the W Hotel.

You'll want to bundle up—or just leave on your T-shirt—to enter this not-so-blustery, sun-baked winter wonderland. Once you've made your way through the lobby and out onto the pool deck, you'll find the water covered with a synthetic hybrid ice. (They say it's better for the environment than the real stuff—though, sadly, this eliminates the need for a mini-Zamboni.)

Rent some skates or bring your own, and if you need to fuel up for your triple salchows, grab a blanket, pull out your sunblock and wait for your Roasted Tomato Soup With Three-Cheese Panini to arrive, alongside a S'mores Tart With Star Anise Honey and Chocolate Sauce. And, of course, you'll want a round or two of Spiked Pumpkin Lattes or Adult Hot Chocolates.

The rink is open until 10pm every night, so it's a good way to inject a little faux Rockefeller Center romance into your Westside date night.

If you squint your eyes, those palm trees look like Norway spruces…

$10 for an hour of skating, open Nov 15-Jan 24

Chill
at the W
930 Hilgard Ave
Westwood
Los Angeles, CA 90024
310-208-8765
official website

Wine Bar in West LA

And for your non-beer buzz, Chic Wine Bar (5545 W. Pico Blvd.) will host a tasting event featuring a flight of five wines from the South of France, paired with seasonal hors d'oeuvres tomorrow night. Cool Haus ice cream and the musical stylings of "bici" will be on hand to ensure the Chic event is also cool. Entrance is $25, all inclusive.

HELLO KITTY!!!

Hello Kitty, the imported Japanese icon of pencil boxes and cell phone tassles, will celebrate her 35th anniversary with an enormous "multi-dimensional" art exhibition and three weeks of special events at Culver City's Royal/T Cafe (8910 Washington Blvd.). The exhibition, titled "Three Apples," in reference to Hello Kitty's precise weight, kicks off on Saturday, October 24 at 10 a.m. with a fan appreciation party featuring live DJs, artists-signings, karaoke, and a brunch menu inspired by the Sanrio starlett: Hello Kitty's Kawaii High Tea includes an assortment of sweets, savory canapés, mini sandwiches, and a pot of tea ($25); various kitty-embossed tramezzini with names like "Say Hello" and "School is Fun" ($8); and kitty-shaped waffles and pancakes ($7). Advanced registration is required for the Hello Kitty-inspired sushi & bento box workshop, which will happen later in the day. But the Kitty happy hour, featuring Hello Kitty cocktails, is open to all fans 21 and over. Also, the first 100 guests to Saturday's party, as well as the many other quirky events lined up for the celebration, will receive a free goodie bag. More details are available on their website.

Happenings Around LA

Wilshire (2454 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica) has extended their double deal happy hours. From 5 -7 p.m., and again from 10 p.m. - midnight, now on Monday through Saturday, cocktails, wine by the glass, well drinks and draft beers at happy hour prices. Chef Andrew Kirschner’s bar menu will also be served at reduced pricing: kobe beef sliders with truffled chips, and coriander crusted chicken kabobs tamarind dipping sauce ($8); chimay ale marinated skirt steak, and oysters with horseradish sauce ($13).

hummm,,,,NYC Cannolis

TAKE THE CANNOLIS, AND THE GELATO

With Halloween coming into range, now would be a good time to treat yourself to two new artisanal dessert destinations: Melt Gelato and Stuffed Artisan Cannolis. In one corner, the brand new Melt' is serving up tantalizing gelato flavors, like Dark Rum White Raisin and Banana Caramel Praline. In the other corner, the just opened Stuffed' is solidifying itself as the king of cannolis with flavors like Candy Corn, Pumpkin Pie, and Red Licorice. Choices, choices...

Melt Cafe & Gelato Bar, 1053 Second Avenue (between 55th & 56th Streets), (646) 329-6445, meltgelato.com, and Stuffed Artisan Cannolis, 176 Stanton Street (between Clinton & Attorney Streets, Lower East Side, (212) 995-2266, stuffedcannoli.com

Underground Supper Club in San Fran!

Underground supper clubs with champagne-rich secret limo service: Now we're talking. Welcome The Phoenix Supper Club's Loretto Dinner, the new roaming supper club's first nine-course pop-up affair brought to you by chef Tommy Halvorson (Bix, Gary Danko), taking reservations for an October 24 dinner now. Unlike most covert dinners, this one is set up more like a restaurant than a dinner party. So you'll have your own table instead of having to make small talk with the usual assortment of randoms like the Russian acupuncturist and retired dog-sitter from Modesto. Even though we've been sworn to secrecy on where it's all going down, we can say that you'll be chauffeured to your confidential rendezvous via limo. And that champagne is involved. Once you make your reservation, you'll receive an email confirmation that includes the street corner where your limo will await. En route to the secret hideaway dinner location—anywhere from an art gallery to a Pac Heights mansion—you'll mingle with fellow diners over bubbly. Then, as you settle in, expect unique creations like a Seared Rack of Lamb in an Absinthe/Balsamic Reduction. Each course is paired with wine, but you're free to bring your own. That's what limos are for.

The Phoenix Supper Club, taking reservations here, 415-971-8655

Weekend Fun for LA, and NYC

LOS ANGELES

philippe west hollywood, to open any minute.

this 5,000-square-foot chinese eatery is decked out in candy red furnishings with bamboo accents. imagine sleek, theatrical flair with room for 175 of your nearest and dearest. start by dipping some satay (chicken, beef, maine lobster, or shrimp) into chow's famous cream sauce. then, try the glazed and crispy peking duck with house made pancakes. if you're game for peking turkey, make sure to allow 45 minutes, or call ahead. fish out the sig nine seasons spicy prawns in sweet and sour sauce or, the pan crispy salmon. you won't get tipsy on the drunken sea bass, but a sinful twist on the martini, the white chocolate bliss (navan vanilla and white godiva liqueur), is another story. dining tete a tete? philippe's surf and turf (mignon and south african lobster tails) is made for two. an intimate wine cellar seats 14 for private events, but for an everyday kind of taste stop in for the three course lunch special; at $20.10, it's a tribute to the fast approaching new year. sure, you can order take out, but with obama, clinton, clooney, diddy, lebron, and denzel as loyal clients, you're not going to want to miss the celeb fest.

chow down. philippe west hollywood. 8284 melrose avenue. at sweetzer. west hollywood. 323.951.1100. opens soon.www.philippechow.com

Umami Burger East
What: Truffle, Manly, Hatch, and the other bun buddies’ new Asian-inspired home with Japanese beer bar Salaryman right next door.
Why: Your two sense — plus three more.
When: Daily, 11 a.m.-midnight.
Where: 4655 Hollywood Blvd., b/t Vermont Ave. & Rodney Dr., Los Feliz (323-669-3922).

BLT Steak Cookout
What: Build your own $35 plates of grilled meats (smoky ribs, burgers), classic sides (cornbread, grilled asparagus), chopped salad, and dessert (blueberry pie, strawberry sundae).
Why: Hit the deck.
When: Thurs., 6-10 p.m.
Where: 8720 Sunset Blvd., at Sherbourne Dr., Sunset Plaza (310-360-1950).

Today, Thursday, October 8, is the grand opening and dedication of the Farmer's Kitchen (Suite 119, Sunset +Vine Building), a community kitchen, café and retail space that serves as a permanent addition to the Hollywood Farmers' Market. The Kitchen is operated by the Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles (SEE-LA), the non-profit organization that also runs the farmers market. L.A. City Council President Eric Garcetti will be on hand for opening remarks. And there will be food at the reception following the niceties.

n.y. & c. pizza
1120 Wilshire Blvd
(E. of 11th)
Santa Monica, CA 90403
310-393-9099
official website

Culver City Kimchee: Gyenari Beer Garden opens
Upscale restaurant debuts a traditional Korean beer garden with an exclusive outdoor menu of skewers and snacks priced under $12.
Menu master: Chef Debbie Lee was a finalist on The Next Food Network Star.
Opens tonight. 9540 Washington Blvd. (310-838-3131). Nearby: Honor Fraser gallery; Rush Street; Honey's Kettle Chicken

Five to Nine Happy Hour at Cameo Bar

Nine to five—you know the deal. But five to nine—that's when you hit the Viceroy pool's new happy hour for food and drink priced from $5 (beer called Mama's Little Yella Pils) to $9 (Halibut Tacos). Thursdays go until closing, thereby revising your Friday workday—maybe 11ish to five.

411: Mon-Fri, 5-9pm (until 1am Thurs), Cameo Bar, 1819 Ocean Ave, 310-260-7500

Flight Club at Rustic Canyon

Each Monday at Rustic Canyon's Flight Club, the night's special comes paired with a whole wine flight instead of just one glass. This week it's Coq au Vin with four gems from the Rhône Valley, which obviously is just as badass as beating the hell out of a stranger in some basement.

411: Mondays, Rustic Canyon, 1119 Wilshire Blvd (E. of 11th), 310-393-7050

DEBUT

Thyme Café and Market Opens

On a barren patch of Santa Monica road, a pristine new café and market (by which we mean respectable lunch spot) awaits you—featuring goods like a Steak Sandwich With Horseradish Aioli and a Grilled Cheese With Tomato, Bacon and Avocado. And if you want dinner, you can take it home in a box.

411: Opens Oct 13, 7am-7pm daily, 1630 Ocean Park Ave (E. of 16th), 310-399-8800

________________________________
NYC

ABE & ARTHUR'S OPENS

After weeks of teasing, the buzz-worthy Abe & Arthur's is finally open to the public. Sporting two levels, a zinc bar for cocktails, and a refined comfort food menu (preview the menu), the MPD's newest hot spot is all that and then some. Plus with the nightlife comforts of Simyone Lounge beckoning below...

Abe & Arthur's, 409 West 14th Street at Ninth Avenue, Meatpacking District, (646) 289-3930, abeandarthurs.com

DOWNTOWN GALWAY HOOKER DEBUTS

It's not often you use the words "beer" and "confessional box" in the same sentence but that's what's brewing at Galway Hooker's new West Village location. The midtown Irish pub has set up shop on 7th Avenue South in a big way. Think four levels studded with a fireplace, billiard table and, yes, a confessional box imported from Ireland. Oh, and the international beer list is pretty awesome.

Downtown Galway Hooker, 133 Seventh Ave South (between Charles & West 10th Streets), West Village, (212) 675-6220, downtowngalwayhooker.com

DRUNKEN DRAGON MONDAYS AT MACAO

To help take the edge of the work week (and introduce you to a new premium spirit or two), the crew at Macao are throwing a new weekly shindig called Drunken Dragon Mondays. To achieve drunken dragon status, simply arrive between 10pm and midnight on Mondays, work your magic on the good bartenders, and presto - free drinks. You're welcome.

Macao Trading Co., 311 Church Street (between Walker & Lispenard Streets), Tribeca, (212) 431-8750, macaonyc.com

Queens Cuisine: Discover Queens Restaurant Week
Check out ethnic spots you've always wanted to hit, from Astoria to Flushing, now with special $25 prix fixe menus.
Clueless Cuisine: Alicia Silverstone shows off her culinary skills as part of the NYC Wine & Food Festival on Saturday.
Thru Oct 15. Various locations. (718-263-0546).

Sausages, Steins and a Striptease

If Oktoberfest needs one thing, it's a looser attitude toward décolletage. So the fine folks at the Bell House are correcting the error with a night of gourmet sausages, strip tease from the girls of Wasabassco Burlesque and truly massive steins of beer. Fair warning: there may be polka music. But also, heaving bosoms.

411: 7:30pm, Oct 8, The Bell House, 149 7th St (at 2nd Ave), Brooklyn

Eat Cape Cod-style at SaMo's BP Oysterette

Catch casual seafood between the Pier and the Promenade at Santa Monica’s BP Oysterette.

It’s a bustling scene all day long, with an open kitchen and small marble bar facing a virtual Endless Summer tribute (wicker chairs, surfing videos and a faux thatch wall).

Skip LA-style concessions like Kobe hot dogs in favor of traditional New England-style beach fare. A light, creamy chowder is hearty without being wintry. Steamers are East Coast-authentic, served with broth and butter. Oysters from all over come with standard fixings.

For entrees, keep it simple with the fresh fish. Today’s catch is scrawled on a chalkboard behind the counter. They’ll cook it any way you like, with sauces from pesto to black bean ginger chutney.

A high-end wine and draft beer list is prerequisite for the neighborhood but you’re on your own with pairings: the staff’s enthusiastic, but they’re not sommeliers.
BP Oysterette
1355 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica
(310) 260-8877
blueplatesantamonica.com

Price: 3 (out of 4) Noise: 2 (out of 4)
Parking: $7 valet after 5p, or multiple public parking garages along 2nd St.
Scene: Hungry westsiders and adventurous tourists
Best bets: Steamers; New England clam chowder; butter lettuce salad with Gorgonzola and crispy shallot vinaigrette
Hot seat: If you get there before 6p, snag one of the few outside tables for a view of the ocean.
Long lines: Leave your cell number and have a beer at Boa while you’re waiting.
Nearby: Bar Pintxo; Boa; Ye Olde King’s Head Tavern

More Happy Hours to be had in LA

$1 Cocktails at Katsuya To keep the party going strong, the good bartenders at Katsuya are offering your second round of drinks for only $1. Just show up on Thursdays or Fridays during Happy Hour, between 7pm and 10pm, and you're in. Cheers. Visit Katsuya's swanky site.

$2 Oysters at Comme Ca Speaking of Happy Hour, Comme Ca is also offering a sweet deal. Saunter in between 4pm and 6pm during the week, and you can sample small plates for $7, fresh oysters for $2, and "aphrodisiac" themed cocktails for $7. They call it the "Défaire" menu, inspired by the late siesta taken by businessman back in the day. You can call it a steal. Comme Ca, 8479 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood, (323) 782-1104, commecarestaurant.com

Happy Hour at Essex Yes, another great Happy Hour deal. This one at Essex. Hit the popular Hollywood watering hole after work, where draft beers are $4 and appetizers are either $4 or $7. Plus, specials on the weekend too. Daily, from 4pm to 7pm. Essex Public House, 6683 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, (323) 460-6608, essexhollywood.com

Your New Neighborhood Japanese-Beer Bar

Times like these, you crave an intimate den where you can slink in, sit down and drown yourself in Japanese beer. Welcome to Salaryman, now open on Hollywood Boulevard. It's a sliver of a spot, fits maybe 20 people total—so this isn't the place for raging bouts of table-dancing debauchery. The name is Eastern slang for a working stiff, so think of it more like an illicit drown-your-sorrows watering hole, where you can pull up a stool starting at 11am for an oversized bottle of Echigo Rice Lager, a Coedo Sweet Potato Beer or a Hitachino. If you prefer your Japanese-beer bars to be well-versed in what's coming out of Maine these days, they've also got Allagash White on tap. And if you're hungry, this bar's a sidecar to the newest Umami Burger restaurant—before you blinked, you knew this bigger and better-looking sequel to the La Brea sensation as Cobras & Matadors, and the bar was Sgt. Recruiter. You've always thought sequels got a bad rap.

Salaryman at Umami Burger 4655 Hollywood Blvd (E. of Vermont) Los Feliz Los Angeles, CA 90027 323-669-3922 official website

MONDAY NIGHTS AT AOC!

It's that time of the week again! Monday is just around the corner and this week we are flying to the Côte de Nuits. The Côte de Nuits is the northern part of the Cote d'Or, the limestone ridge that is home to the great names of Burgundy wine. Join us this Monday for a north to south tour of this legendary wine region paired with regional cuisine.

monday, october 5th: côte de nuitsflight 1...frédéric magnien

2007 bourgogne pinot noir
2007 “croix viollette”, côte du nuits-villages
2005 fixin


flight 2...marsannay

2006 charles audoin, marsannay blanc
2007 regis bouvier, “clos du roy”, marsannay rouge
$12 each
*** bitesa selection of regional cuisine

$8 each***We look forward to seeing you.
Upcoming flights: October 12: Willamette Valley
October 19: Provence
October 26: Central Europe


*Flights & Bites will be available from 6 till 10 p.m.
*All flights subject to change

Thursday night in Santa Monica

Thursday Tastings at Bar Pintxo

And over at your favorite compact beachside wine bar, Thursday brings a new way to taste the Spanish goods—fifty bucks gets you a four-course tasting (it'll change every week) with four matching wines. Now you just have to find a seat.

Thursdays, Bar Pintxo, 109 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, 310-458-2012

Comme Ca Happy Hour in West Hollywood

Or Monday through Friday from 4-6:00 p.m., Comme Ca's (8479 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood) new “Défaire” menu, inspired by the traditional French businessmen's break. Small plates for $7, oysters are $2 each and seven "aphrodisiac" themed cocktails are available for $7. Sample a "Cuba Liberato" (white rum, ginger, lime, egg white, Coca Cola), or a "Live to Love" (cachaca, St Germaine Elderflower liqueur, raspberry and champagne) and mange tartares (steak or salmon), tarte flambee, crab cake, shrimp cocktail, croque monsieur, snapper escabeche and a fromage de jour. You'll feel very Don Draper, only French.

This Saturday in LA

Saturday, October 3, the annual American Wine and Food Festival returns to the Universal Studios Backlot for its 27th year benefitting Meals on Wheels. Though $300 tickets sound steep in any economy, if you've never been before, the festival offers a truly unrivaled culinary experience; with dozens of world-renouned chefs serving their signature dishes against a backdrop of live music and dancing. Few would argue that it is worth every penny. Visit their website for complete details including a list of participating chefs and pre and post festival events. Also, buy your tickets online, they cost $50 more at the door.

Shake Shack in NYC

Shacktoberfest Begins

Just in time for the end of the actual Oktoberfest, Shake Shack is busting out a menu full of bratwurst, German beer and apple strudel. Normally we'd predict longer lines, but we're not actually sure that's possible.

411: Oct 2-11, Madison Square Park (23rd at Madison), 212-889-6600; 366 Columbus Ave, 646-747-8770

Alcohol Sno Cones in NYC This weekend

Carnival Debuts the Boozy Snow Cone

If you always wished Coney Island was a little closer, filled with stilt walkers and served alcoholic snow cones, welcome to the splendor of Carnival, a new bar on top of a bowling alley with carnival-themed food, drink and merriment. Yes, it's as crazy as it sounds.

411: Soft-open tonight, grand open Oct 8, 110 University Pl (at 12th St), 3rd Flr, 212-255-8188

NYC Bloody Marys

Bloody Mary's Birthday Party

The St. Regis Hotel is celebrating the diamond anniversary of its fabled brunch cocktail creation with tomato/vodka concoctions from Charlie Palmer, the Spotted Pig and WD50 (among others), with ingredients including everything from onion brine to clam juice. Mimosas, while delicious, will be strictly forbidden.

411: Starting Oct 5, in the King Cole Bar, St. Regis Hotel, 2 E. 55th St, 212-753-4500, see the menu here

A Leg Up The Return of the Forty Deuce Girls

There was a time before you were endlessly assaulted by words like "too big to fail," "public option" and "Gosselin." A time when Kanye wasn't a punch line. There was a time…of burlesque. And that time is back in a big way—welcome to Forty Deuce Fridays at Ivan Kane's Café Wa s. We don't need to remind you about the impressively limber girls who took to the stage (and the bar, and the rafters), backed by a rollicking jazz band, at the late, great Forty Deuce on Melrose. But we're going to anyway, just to let you enjoy the visual for a moment. There. Now transplant that image to Kane's latest spot—bigger, crazier and more confounding, with hidden rooms, balconies, a sweeping staircase leading nowhere. Now, every Friday, the girls will use the whole place as their new stage. Again. For the first time. There'll be two shows a night, so you can do a three-course prix-fixe dinner for, yes, $42 before the 10pm show—or just come in for some flask service before the midnight follow-up. And there's no cover, no velvet rope, so if you just want to hit the bar for a drink and watch it all go down, that's cool. Burlesque is nothing if not flexible.

Forty Deuce Fridays at Ivan Kane's Café Wa s 1521 N. Vine St (N. of Sunset) Hollywood Los Angeles, CA 90028 323-466-5400 official website

Note:	Forty Deuce Fridays at Ivan Kane's Café Wa s, beginning this Friday, shows at 10pm and midnight, 323-466-5400

LA's best nightcap spots

When you need one more to close the deal, stop by one of these.

Hollywood
Bar Delux
http://www.bardelux.com/
Perfect for Bioshock fans, this 1920s Art Deco-style bar offers late night
munchies and drinks like basil-infused martinis and the Hennessy and pomegranate
syrup-laced Pom Noir, as well a whole host of whiskey-based drinks (and
strutting flapper wannabes).
1624 N. Cahuenga Blvd. (323-461-6800). Open until 2a.

Library Bar
This as-yet-unannounced nightspot within the Roosevelt Hotel can be found just
off the lobby in the room with the button-tuck leather couches. Cocktails aren't
cheap ($15 a piece) but when the serious mixologist behind the bar is working
with cherry tomatoes and olive oil as ingredients, you don't really expect them
to be.
7000 Hollywood Blvd. (323-466-7000). Hours vary.

Velvet Margarita
http://www.velvetmargarita.com/
Purposely tacky, the bar's full of puppets, pinatas, and blacklight velvet
paintings, but potent $5 margaritas are the real draw for slumming celebrities
and rockers doing the afterparty thing after gigs at the Hotel Cafe across the
street. If you can only stay for one, the $30 Platinum edition made with Don
Julio 1942 is worth every penny.
1612 N. Cahuenga Blvd. (323-469-2000). Sun-Thu until 2a, Fri-Sat until 4a.

Silver Lake
Medusa Lounge
http://www.medusaloungela.com/
The space formerly home to famed restaurant Lowenbrou Keller is like a set from
a sixties vampire movie, complete with stone arches, stained glass and
gargoyles. Lay low with a draft German beer in a darkened corner or recharge
with a Zeus Juice (Bacardi 151, Midori, and a splash of citruses).
3211 Beverly Blvd. (213-382-5723). Until 2a.

Koreatown
Orchid Lounge
http://www.orchidlosangeles.com/
Flavored soju cocktails and more than 100 signature martinis keep throats loose
and confidence high at this K-town karaoke club. 18 private rooms allow you to
bring from four to 40 friends, or roll solo with the other night owls mangling
tunes from Rock Band 2. Beef carpaccio and ahi tuna appetizers are winners.
607 S. Oxford Ave. (213-251-8886). Tue-Thu until 12a. Fri-Sat 2a.

Venice
Del Monte Speakeasy
Though it's just blocks from the boardwalk, this intimate bar feels miles away
from the touristy crowd that slams Venice on warm weekends. Still operating
under the radar, only the bouncers know the password, so make nice and you've
got a shot.
52 Windward Ave. (No phone). Hours vary.

I Like 'Em Dirty!!

Dirty? Dry? Straight up with a twist? Whatever your perfect martini mix, this timeless classic cocktail goes with everything, from a night on the town to happy hour to liquid lunch. For a sip of master martini mixology, this Weekly’s filled to the brim with vodka and gin. Bottoms up!

In Beverly Hills, you'll find swank and style, along with "a chilled vodka tasting room just like Balalaika, equipped with ushankas and faux fur coats and a jazzy four-piece band" at Nic’s. Phoenix A also relays, "It's the kind of place I'd frequent just to try every martini on the menu!" Around the corner at Mastro’s Steakhouse, they've got beef and a Beefeater martini to which Nancy D adds, "If you like bleu cheese stuffed olives, try the CEO.” She meant the drink, right?

A hop, skip and a jump will land you at Liquid Kitty, where fun, frivolity and strong drinks prevail, making Roubi K exclaim: “If you like some home-grown sexy with your cocktail, go here. Do it.” Now you heard the lady. Traveling west towards that big blue sea, you’ll find the Veranda Bar at Casa Del Mar, where Kelley B urges, “Walk on the adventurous side with one of their specialty cocktails. Drinks are stellar... any martini they serve is a winner.” For a slight twist on the traditional, surprises abound at Venice’s Beechwood where Sarah J "had a lemon raspberry martini. I never get that kind of sweet crap, but this wasn't sweet at all. No sugar, just fruit and vodka." Gotta get that 5-a-day somehow, Sarah.

Despite the drink's historical ties so such iconic manly men as James Bond members of the Rat Pack, ladies can indulge their ultra-girly side at Purple Orchid in El Segundo, where Chrissy K raves: "They have $10 Martini & Manicure nights on Mondays!" For another killer combo, enjoy libations and live entertainment at Upper Manhattan Martini Lounge in the Southbay, where Amy B shook things up with “a live burlesque show." Indeed, a side of eye candy with your vermouth makes everything sweeter, so head down to Side Door where John M "likes the lady bartender," and Cathy C, "ordered the usual Ketel One exxxtra dirty with three olives and it was perfect thanks to the cute girl with the Betty Paige bangs who hooked me up.” Pretty and dirty? We’ll drink to that!

Time to Play...with your food.

Recess 1102 N. Brand Blvd (at Dryden) Glendale, CA 91202 818-507-0592 official website And that's okay. You can keep up. But there's one thing in your workday you've been missing lately. Recess. After your morning meeting, and before your afternoon conference call, you should still get recess. And now you can. For your low-key-getaway needs at any time of day, a low-key bistro-y hideaway called, yes, Recess is now open. Based on the idea that everybody needs a no-fuss escape, Recess upstages your old cafeteria pretty quickly—yes, you'll want to get a glimpse of what's behind the counter, but you should expect to see some pristine orzo salad instead of gray mystery meat. Or just order a non-boxed juice and a salad, pizza or panini (the Bully is salami, pastrami and prosciutto—guess your arteries are the victim), and they'll bring it out to your table on the sidewalk when it's ready. If you're worried the experience might be missing the one thing you never had at recess—beer and wine—not to worry, they're working on it. And take your time. There's no whistle.

Yummy

Chambord Margarita
1/2 part Chambord®
1 part Herradura Tequila®
1/2 part Tuaca®
3 parts sweet and sour mix
Blended: Add all ingredients except Chambord to blender. Add ice to top of liquid. Blend. Pour blended ingredients into margarita glass and drizzle 1/2 shot of Chambord over top. Rocks: Add ingredients to ice filled shaker. Shake and pour into ice filled rocks glass.

ummm...What??? Gotta Have it!

B or Not QB, That Is the Question
QB's Ice Cream Treats

When you said so long to Kitty Fuzzlebottoms and sent Brenna the Unicorn — er, sorry, Pegasus — packing, you thought you’d never make another imaginary friend.

Then you started following Esquival on Twitter.

You know he’s just a snack, right?

Okay, maybe not just a snack, but a QB, which is to say a good-looking hunk of ice cream inside a rice crispy treat shell. (Yes, we see the difference.)

Made with all-natural ingredients and kosher to boot, Esquival’s vanillaness will surely charm you. As will the rest of his frozen munchie QBFFs: Suzy Cube, a sweet but not too sweet strawberry-flavored number, and Dave, a classic chocolate kind of guy.

When they get together, it’s like a party in your freezer.

Just don’t get too attached; it won’t take them long to disappear.

Available at Whole Foods Markets. For store locations, go to wholefoodsmarket.com. Follow at twitter.com/esquival, twitter.com/suzycube, and twitter.com/daveqb.

Top Chef Timmy!

	your fave top chef winner, ilan hall, opens the gorbals, named for the glasgow 'hood where his father grew up. think affordable small plates inspired by his travels, israeli mom, and scottish dad, who taught him to cook. pass the bacon-wrapped matzo balls, lobster hummus, haggis burgers, gefilte fish, and have an identity crisis on the side. opens mid-august. 501 south spring street. at 5th. downtown. 213.488.3408. www.thegorbalsla.com

Life's a Beach!

Your Exclusive Beachside Hookups Now that August doldrums are under way, we thought you could use a little pre-Labor Day pick-me-up. And so did a few ocean-adjacent getaways, who agreed to offer you, as one of our favorite UD subscribers (we promise), some exclusive beachside bargains.

Two-for-One Malibu Martinis Head to the Malibu pier after work, take a seat at either the Beachcomber or the Malibu Pier Club, and tell them the Daddy sent you—magically, all drinks will be priced two-for-one. Agave Margaritas, martinis, beers, wines by the glass—just about anything that doesn't come in a keepsake glass. You can work with that. 411: Mon-Fri, 3pm-close, through Sept 7, 23000 Pacific Coast Hwy, 310-456-9800

A Venetian Rooftop Finale Head over to Hash, inside Venice Beach's new Hotel Erwin, and mention UD for a three-course prix-fixe dinner for $30. You can't see the ocean yet—but that's where the gratis rooftop cocktail afterward at High comes in. 411: Reservations required, Mondays through Sept 7, 1697 Pacific Ave, 310-452-1111

Drinks on the Water, Literally After sunset on the patio of the Malibu Beach Inn's Carbon Beach Club restaurant, the waves will surge up underneath you. And if you've mentioned UD when you make your lunch or dinner reservation, the first round of Cruzan cocktails surge up to your table on the house. 411: Mon-Fri through Sept 7, 22878 Pacific Coast Hwy, 310-456-6444

Su Casa And over in the Veranda at Casa Del Mar, settle into a table by the windows and tell 'em the password—it's "Sea Spa." Yes, they're trying to promote health via hypnosis, and yes, the password grants you your choice of $5 beers. Order two bottles and they'll come with gratis sliders and a whiskey shot. You feel better already. 411: Mon-Fri, 5-8pm, through Sept 7, 1910 Ocean Way, Santa Monica, 310-581-5533

New Ports But if you're in the mood to call in sick and really get away, our friends at The Resort at Pelican Hill have arranged the "Endless Summer Package" for those who mention UD. The 20-percent-off retreat includes a bungalow with private balcony, three-course dinner for two at Pelican Grill (complete with bottle of prosecco) and late checkout. We're sure you'll find a way to pass the extra time. 411: $795, available Sun-Thurs through Sept 8, 22701 Pelican Hill Rd S, 949-467-6800

Cute Place on Abbot Kinney

Lemonade
What: Salad and sandwichery celebrates its new Venice location with specialty take-out boxes packed with your choice of edible picnic essentials.
Why: You can squeeze it in.
When: Venice, daily, 8:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.; Beverly, daily, 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m.
Where: 1661 Abbot Kinney Blvd., at Venice Blvd., Venice (310-452-6200); 9001 Beverly Blvd., at Almont Dr., West Hollywood (310-247-2500).

For the Puppy Owning Peeps in San Fran

Dog Days The Hot List: Drinking With Your Dog In a city where dogs outnumber kids, odds are your dog time and your booze time overlap by a fair amount. Here then, our list of spots where you can freely mix hooch and pooch—and perhaps attract a few female fans along the way...

BOWLED OVER Elixir You probably recognize the regulars from the Dog Wall of Fame who paved the way for other canines to hang out at this corner spot. Bring your bulldog and down a few handmade sazeracs—or get your gratis first pint of the day if you're a member of the Mug Club. Being that it's a saloon, you'll be hard-pressed to find a Chihuahua in the mix. 411: Elixir, 3200 16th St (at Guerrero), 415-552-1633

POLAROID PICTURE Lucky 13 The dog to human ratio is just shy of one-to-one at this neighborhood dive known as "The 13." So whether you duck into the photo booth, set up in the beer garden or stop inside at the ridiculously long bar for Pliny the Elder or Racer 5, rest easy that someone will give your dog a bone. 411: Lucky 13, 2140 Market St (at Church), 415-487-1313

BACON BITS 500 Club The only thing that might beat being dog friendly is being dog friendly and having a generous hand with the vodka and the bacon. Which is why you'll want to walk your dog straight to Guerrero every Saturday to get Bacon Bloody Marys for you and milk bones for your four-legged buddy. 411: 500 Club, 500 Guerrero St (at 17th), 415-861-2500

EYE CANDY Market Bar The tables in front of this Ferry Building restaurant and bar are magnets for people-watching imbibers on a sunny day. Score a two-top closest to the street and position your pup to catch the eye of a passing, long-legged runner. The rest is up to you… 411: Market Bar, 1 Ferry Building # 36, 415-434-1100

HAUTE DOGS Absinthe Some of the city's best cocktails are made behind the bar here, not to mention the gourmet hot dog with Guinness mustard. Being that the sidewalk seating is pretty narrow, you might reconsider this spot if you own a Great Dane. But feel free to bring anything pug-sized. 411: Absinthe, 398 Hayes St (at Gough St), 415-551-1590

FIRE HYDRANT Ducca If you find yourself downtown and thirsty, order a few Peronis or cocktails by the fire pit at Ducca. Since the patio is especially busy during happy hour on a sunny day, we think you'll find that your four-legged wingman will come in handy. 411: Ducca, 50 3rd St (inside the Westin Hotel), 415-977-0271