Photo by Heather Kincaid 2010
Downtown Long Beach is celebrating New Year’s Eve with live bands starting at 5pm. Saturday. Downtown will begin the festivities with a free, family-friendly event in the Waterfront amphitheatre at Rainbow Harbor from 5pm to 10pm. Attractions include a magician, balloon art, face painting, and trackless train rides.
From 7pm to 2am a ticketed festival will take place at the intersection of Pine Avenue & Broadway Avenue. Expect live music and fireworks. Tickets are available at the event and will be sold for $15 each.
RESTAURANTS
Ford’s Filling Station will be ringing in the New year with live music and a 3-course Pre-Fix dinner either an optional beer or wine pairing. There are 3 seatings available. 5-6:30pm ($55) , 7-8pm ($65), 8:30-10pm ($75) with a live countdown and toast at midnight.
Osaka restaurant, known for its fusion of Asian and Peruvian influences is ringing in the New Year with a four-course tasting menu. Osaka’s New Year’s Eve celebration will be broken up into two seatings. The first seating, Osaka’s 2012 ‘Pre-Party’ from 6:30-8:30pm “will feature a four-course tasting menu with a cocktail (Pisco Sour or glass of champagne). Menu items include Osaka’s classic ceviche, miso truffle steak and a banana spring roll for dessert.” Osaka’s 2012 ‘Finale’ seating from 8:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m will feature the four-course tasting menu plus unlimited champagne or sake, for the ultimate New Year’s Eve celebration. The four-course tasting menu is $50 for the ‘Pre-Party’ seating and $75 for the ‘Finale’ seating per person. For reservations call 323.785.0360.
Picca welcomes 2012 with a special menu, entertainment, party favors, raffle prizes, a live salsa band from 10p to close, and a six-course new years eve menu served family-style. Among other delicacies, the menu includes: CHUPE DE CAMARONES traditional peruvian shrimp chowder, OCTOPUS TIRADITO olive citrus dressing, CAMARONES ALA PARRILLA grilled black tiger prawns, homemade pasta, ocopa sauce and ESTOFADO DE CARNE peruvian beef stew, barley risotto, serrano chile sarsa. 1st Seating: Reservations between 6pm and 7pm. 6 course Prix fixe menu for $70/person. Optional Wine Pairing- $25/person. 2nd Seating: Reservations between 9:30pm and 10:30pm. 6 course Prix fixe menu with a champagne toast – $105/person. (at 35 bucks a glass it better be the good stuff) Optional Wine Pairing with a cocktail $40/person. For Reservations call Lien at Picca at 310.277.0133
Join Locanda del Lago for their festive “Bursting with Bubbles” Dinner and Fête. Executive Chef Gianfranco Minuz is presenting a special five-course dinner from 9-11 p.m. on New Year’s Eve featuring such delicacies as Trio di Sapori Local oyster with Champagne sabayon, Pan-roasted Virginia striped bass in local spiny lobster-saffron sauce, and Roasted leg of lamb with spiced blueberry compote and horseradish mashed potatoes. ($89 per person, including a complimentary glass of Prosecco; $139 includes bottomless Pommery Champagne; limited à la carte menu served from 4-8 p.m.). The New Year’s Eve fête will also feature an extensive selection of Champagne and sparkling wines by the glass, $25 bottles of Pommery Pop Splits, a live DJ, dancing, midnight toast, and optional $15 overnight parking (with next-day pickup from 5-10 p.m.).
El Carmen’s “Last Year on Earth Party” Features Late-Night Nibbles, Champagne Toast, and Indie 103.1’s DJ José Galván. “In line with the Mayan Calendar’s prediction that the world will end in 2012, El Carmen – Los Angeles’ premier tequila destination – is celebrating the self-proclaimed “The Year of the Mexican” with a “Last Year on Earth Party” on New Year’s Eve, Saturday, December 31st, from 7:00 PM to 2:00 AM.” There is no cover, but El Carmen’s kitchen will be open until 1:30 AM for hungry, late-night revelers. El Carmen is located at 8138 West 3rd Street (between La Jolla Avenue and Crescent Heights Boulevard), Los Angeles, CA 90048. Valet parking is available. To make reservations, please call El Carmen at 323.852.1552.
BARS, PARTIES
Liquid Kitty on the Westside will rage from 8pm til 2am with DJ Renato spinning 60s soul, funk, and rare all vinyl grooves. Complimentary noisemakers! And don’t forget that all drinks are doubles.
Rasputin Imperial New Year’s Eve 2012 Ball hosted by Mr Black. The venue is Robertson Night Club and DJs include special guest DJ & Host Sam Sparro, DJ Nelstar, DJ Saratonin,
DJ Kim Anh and DJ Aaron Elvis. Doors open at 9pm. ROBERTSON 665 NORTH ROBERTSON BLVD WEST HOLLYWOOD
THE END IS HERE THE END IS HERE THE END IS HERE The New Year’s Eve at Hop Louie in Chinatow will be broadcast live on KCHUNG RADIO 1630AM. Music by Cali Thornhill-DeWitt – Brian Roettinger – Dean Spunt – Wendy Yao Ghost Pepper eating contest begins after midnight $10 contest fee to join – Prizes!
LACMA is throwing its inaugural New Year’s Eve Ball, and if it’s anything like MUSE’s Halloween parties, it will be a bash to remember. The theme is 1920s prohibion a la Boardwalk Empire. The Golden Stag New Year’s Eve Party is selling a $50 “Fellas and Flappers” package which includes access to the Park Plaza, an absinthe bar, cigars, champagne, and a Grand Ballroom with an 18-piece orchestra. The $150 package will get you a reserved table in the VIP “Big Daddies and Leading Ladies” room featuring private burlesque, a hosted bar with themed cocktails, and “untold sultry surprises.” LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd.; Sat., Dec. 31, 9 p.m.; $50/$150. (323) 857-6010, Price: $50 & $150
NEW YEAR’S DAY
Rays and Stark Bar in LACMA is cooking up special New Year’s Day menu featuring “The Hangover Helper”, a buttered brioche with griddled onions, Sottocenere cheese, prosciutto rossa, wild arugula, and a sunny farm egg. For those needing to carb load after a long night, French Toast with vanilla anglaise, maple glazed apples, and country butter will do the trick. Sunday, January 1, 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. For reservations call 323.857.6180
Royal T is hosting the first fiesta of the year with their Mexican-inspired hangover menu. The menu features homemade horchata, soju margaritas, a breakfast burrito, Huevos Rancheros, Chiliquiles, and Chiles Nogadas. I’m not sure it’s officially a hangover menu without menudo, but we will cut them some slack.
Guests at Locanda del Lago may enjoy the same celebratory menu specials as New Year’s Eve in addition to a limited à la carte menu. Sunday, January 1, 2012 a Prix-fixe menu will be served from 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Limited à la carte menu available all day COST: Five-course meal: $89 (includes a glass of Prosecco); $139 includes bottomless Pommery Champagne.Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 310.451.3525
MONDAY
Fans returning from the Rose Bowl game on Monday, January 2 can enjoy a glass of bubbly on the house at Pasadena’s Vertical Wine Bistro between 5 and 10pm. They just have to show their ticket stub from the day’s football game. Chef Laurent Quenioux has created three French-inspired American dishes which will refresh Oregon Duck supporters, and Wisconsin Badger fans after a day of battle. The M Bison Burger with Malbec Caramelized Onions, Morbier cheese, and Herb Lemon Dressing and the Classic Kobe Burger topped with Wisconsin Cheddar, Tomato, Grilled Onion, and Russian Dressing are available with choice of side (both $14) and can be paired with a flight of five European beers ($12).
Those with heartier appetites “can select the special three-course “all you can eat” Buttermilk Herbes de Provence Fried Chicken menu which is accompanied by Collard Greens with Ham Hocks, Loaded Mashed Potatoes, and Jalapeño Corn Bread. To start guests will enjoy a Poached Hen Egg with Bacon Grits, and a sweet finale will come in the way of an Apple Tart with Vanilla Gelato or Blood Orange and Pear Sorbet (three-course menu $29 per person). These items will be available in addition to Vertical Wine Bistro’s nightly “Cheese & Charcuterie” and “Taste & Share” menus.”
Why, who is that dapper couple?